ALL SCI-FI

[Bud Brewster]

______________________________________

I really hated this movie. I have absolutely nothing good to say about. It was a tragic waste of time, money, and talent.

If you disagree, I'd love to debate it with you.

[Bongopete]

Ok, we can debate.

I am not saying that I love it or anything, matter of fact there are several things I really don't like...but I did like the movie.

It seeps the usual Spielberg treacle whenever family life or children are up on screen, but is often almost poetic in places. One of the few movies I have seen in which Robin Williams plays some part where I actually felt he fitted in (not that that is saying much mind you).

[Bud Brewster]

__________________________________

The trailer actually makes the movie look interesting, but I still haven't managed to warm up to it.

However, the robot that serves as my housekeeper says I'm a lowbrow clodhopper and I don't appreciate fine film making.


____________________


____________ A.I. Artificial Intelligence - trailer


__________
_________________
____________
Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Bogmeister]

_____________________
__

The saga of a robot, built in the year . . . wait one moment. Didn't I type this before?

Yes, yes . . . for my post on Bicentennial Man (1999). Yes, the robot which yearns to be human.

Hmmm, yes, not a very original thought by this time. Spielberg rushed out this concept based on plans which Stanley Kubrick made before he died. Kubrick would have taken at least a couple of years longer and it would have showed.

Right as the film's narration begins, we're rushed into an explanation of how the icecaps have melted in the near future, flooding all coastal cities (shades of Waterworld). The resulting displacement of huge amounts of people caused some birth control measures, thereby jumpstarting a robot industry (usually referred to as 'mechas' here).

I guess it makes some sense, so far.

What follows is another variation on Spielberg's fascination with fairy tales — in this case a reworking of Pinnochio (which is spelled out more than once during the film, ad nauseum).

There aren't many subtleties present; instead of gradually working in the premise, Spielberg has the scientist played by William Hurt clumsily spell it out in the beginning — let's build a robot who can love.

Gee whiz, really? OK, let's. And let's make it a boy robot (Haley Joel Osment), because maybe — uh oh — the scientist has some personal stake in this deceptively high-end concept to advance the scope of human knowledge and science.

__________
_________

The film's strong points are its ambition. The future landscape presented here also reminded me a bit of Blade Runner (1982) — a fantastical, alien and truly futuristic feel (except for the tacky future cars on rural roads and a suburban pool straight out of the eighties).

It's uneven, even though all the big city visuals and scenes with the mechas succeed. But this is the 3rd film I've mentioned so far that A.I. reminded me of, which points to a weakness — it's definitely derivative — probably because it was rushed, as mentioned.

And though the story is surprisingly hard-edged and even adult for the most part, Spielberg reverts to a very saccharine climax which is intended, it seems, for science fiction fans in the 7-year-old age group.
'
Heavy and deep concepts having to do with the nature of being human (and of the supposedly special nature of humanity) are brushed over rather than tackled, in favor of the fairy tale aspect.

What the hell was Hurt really intending or planning in the end? We'll never know — probably because the filmmakers didn't either. As we do know, this was a Kubrick project, one which he was unable to work on, not something that Spielberg put together as his personal vision like his other films.

I didn't mind the sudden new time era in the final 15 minutes since at least it was a genuine surprise and innovative by today's standards. But the last minute was a bit of a cheat — nowhere to go but the big sleep. Picture Spielberg tucking in the audience after feeling guilty for traumatizing them.

BoG's Score: 6.5 out of 10

___

A.I. Trivia: Robin Williams, who starred in the similar Bicentennial Man (99), provides his voice for one scene with a holographic info machine.


BoG
Galaxy Overlord Galactus

[Pow]

According to FX wizard Stan Winston, the three-foot tall teddy bear in A.I. was more sophisticated than the T~Rex & velociraptors from Jurassic Park.

Teddy had fifty servo motors---half were required to simulate the bear's facial expressions.

[Bud Brewster]

________________________________

Fascinating, Pow!

I guess that means that if the Teddy Bear was the same size as the T-Rex . . . the Teddy Bear could kick the dino's ass!
_________________
____________
Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Bud Brewster]

________________________________

The analytical Mr. Andrew Bogdan's post above offers different objections to this movie than my own. As usual, his were based on the cinematic flaws he felt had marred the movie.

My own complaints are more in the nature of a bad reaction to the depiction of such a technologically advanced but morally deficient future society.

In short, it bummed me out emotionally.

I realize that this was the whole point of the movie, but that didn't make it very satisfying to watch. And the concept of a dehumanized future has been done ten times more often than the more optimistic kind — so often, in fact, that we've come to expect the future to suck, instead of believing in the more Star Trekian kind.

I don't really want films whose message is, "Give up. It's useless."

I prefer films with a message like, "Here's what it could be! Make it happen!"
_________________
____________
Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Captain Starlight]

I didn't care much for this movie either. The message seemed to be that people would progressive loose their souls, and machines would eventually reinvent them. And we were suppose to pay to money so see this? Nope, I think I'll pass.

[Gord Green]

I had hoped that this movie would be EPIC! What with Stanley Kubrick (Who has NEVER made a bad film!) and Spielbergs' involvement it should have been a slam dunk masterpiece!

Unfortunately it fell more into Spielbergs' maudlin tropes! I'm glad I watched it...There were moments I enjoyed... but the result was like eating a big bowl of sugar!
_________________
There comes a time, thief, when gold loses its lustre, and the gems cease to sparkle, and the throne room becomes a prison; and all that is left is a father's love for his child.