One of my all-time favorite movies is Short Circuit, the 1986
comedy about a government robot that magically becomes sentient during a
thunderstorm. I’ve watched it countless times, enjoying the improbable
situations and the vivid characters, most notably Number Five, the
wide-eyed robot with an innocent outlook and a strong will to live.
Recently, I rewatched Short Circuit 2, directed by Kenneth
Johnson, and while my attachment to the sequel is not nearly so strong,
it’s still a cute movie featuring the irrepressible robot who calls
himself Johnny Five.
In this movie, Newton Crosby, the reclusive
scientist who helped create Number Five, has moved to Montana with
Stephanie Speck, the batty animal lover with whom the robot bonded after
escaping the NOVA Robotics facility. Meanwhile, Newton’s partner, Ben
(whose last name mysteriously changes from Jabituya in the first movie
to Jahrvi in this), has moved to the big city to make a go of it selling
tiny robot replicas. Unfortunately, mass-production is not an option
with his meager resources, but when he writes to Newton and Stephanie to
tell them of his troubles, they send Johnny Five his way.
In
this movie, Johnny (Tim Blaney) continues his journey of self-awareness.
He is considerably more well-spoken here since he’s had months to soak
up all sorts of input; this makes him easier to understand but also a
tad less distinctive. Still, he retains his insatiable curiosity about
the world as well as his idealistic streak. All he wants is to be
well-educated and respected as a genuine person. While Ben tries to keep
him cooped up in the warehouse where he is speedily constructing
miniature robots, Johnny soon finds his way outside and discovers that
the city is a pretty cold place for a robot. If people aren’t screaming
in terror or shooting him nasty looks, they’re taking advantage of his
super skills and naivety. Will he ever be able to enjoy the life of an
actual person?
While Johnny searches for himself, Ben is in the
process of becoming an American citizen, which doesn’t make a lot of
sense because in the first movie he said he was from Bakersfield,
California and that his ancestors were from Pittsburgh. What’s more, he
was working in a high-security government facility; would he really have
been able to get such a job without being a citizen? Still, because
Ben’s syntax is so ridiculous and his naivety level is almost as high as
Johnny’s, it’s easy to roll with this idea even though there seems to
be a continuity gap.
Additionally, while I never really noticed
this until my most recent viewing, half the stuff Ben says in the first
movie comes out a double entendre. The idea is that he has no idea what
he’s saying, but it starts to feel like a lot of Freudian slips for a
scientist who would really like a little one-on-one time with a woman.
However, in the sequel, while he continues to say some pretty strange
stuff, the innuendo is almost absent. While he is very lovable in the
original film, he’s even sweeter here, and he just seems generally more
innocent.
So innocent that he can’t see that street vendor Fred
(Michael McKean), who gets him his first big sale, has the heart of a
con artist. So innocent that he gets completely tongue-tied when Sandy
(Cynthia Gibb), the eager young buyer for a major toy company, comes
anywhere near him. Can this man whose mastery of English is so
incomplete successfully pass his citizenship test? Can he avoid being
taken in by shysters? And does he have any chance of winning the heart
of the woman he finds so irresistible?
There’s a bit of crude
language in this movie, particularly from a gang of street thugs who
enlist Johnny’s aid in ripping off some cars – though Ben actually
chides Johnny for repeating their off-color slogan, which made me smile.
The plot is more complicated than in the first film, which is so
beautifully simple. Here, we’ve got Johnny embarking on a journey of
self-discovery; Ben working to become a citizen and woo Sandy; Sandy
attempting to prove herself to her ornery boss; Fred trying to make a
quick buck but unwittingly coming under the influence of Ben and
Johnny’s noble spirits; and a bunch of low-down dirty jewel thieves
doing their best to make off with several million dollars’ worth of
diamonds hidden in a vault near Ben’s warehouse.
It’s a lot more
involved than Robot Comes Alive, Government Tries to Capture Robot,
Girl Shields Robot, and not necessarily for the better. With the
big-city setting, there’s usually a lot of commotion, and it can be
harder to really connect with the characters here. Additionally, some of
the scenes are just plain absurd, and the climax feels even more
violent than the first because the brutality is more personal. Besides
that, Johnny’s vendetta toward the end of the film seems a bit at odds
with his peaceful approach to life.
Still, there’s a lot to like
here, particularly in the interaction among the four main characters.
Three years ago, I was thrilled to see Stevens resurface on LOST
in a very different sort of role, so it was fun to return to this and
hear him adopt that goofy pseudo-Indian accent again. He’s such a
plucky, upbeat guy that you really want him to succeed. Also, as someone
who understands the way that shared references can strengthen bonds
between people, I absolutely love how he uses the melodies of oldies to
secretly communicate with Sandy from a distance when he is in distress –
especially since the only LOST episode to heavily feature Stevens involves rigging up a phone so one man can make a life-saving call to his girlfriend.
On
the back of the box our video came in, a blurb indicates that Siskel
and Ebert thought this was even better than the original. I would beg to
differ. However, if you loved Johnny Five and Ben the first time
around, you’re likely to find plenty of entertainment value in Short Circuit 2.
Showing posts with label Robots. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Robots. Show all posts
Friday, October 21, 2011
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
My Top Ten Movies of the Late '80s ('85-'89)
The late 1980s were some of the most formative years of my life, as I
headed off to school for the first time and experienced some major
milestones, including gaining a brother and losing a grandfather. The
movies that I saw during these years really stuck with me. Here are
some of my favorites.
Back to the Future (1985) / Back to the Future II (1989) - For some reason, I saw the second installment of this classic Robert Zemeckis trilogy first, so that when I saw the first movie several years later, a lot of the jokes made a lot more sense. Each is much funnier in tandem with the other, but as stand-alones, they're great, too. Michael J. Fox is irresistible as Marty, the teenager who gets propelled backward then forward through time courtesy of Doc Brown, who is played to the eccentric hilt by Christopher Lloyd. Since LOST became preoccupied with time travel, I've been especially getting the urge to go back and watch these two movies, which so humorously examine all of the problems that might arise from such a feat. Extra kudos to Crispin Glover, who is a bundle of neuroses as Marty's wimpy dad, George, and Thomas F. Wilson, who perfectly portrays the brutish, dim-witted Biff Tannen and has forever lodged in my mind the phrase "Why don't you make like a tree and get outta here?"
Anne of Green Gables (1985) / Anne of Avonlea (1987) - These gorgeously filmed adaptations of the first few books in L. M. Montgomery's classic series are two of the first videos we ever owned - or I should say four, as both run well over three hours in length and require two cassettes each. We used to pop them in whenever we had my cousins over for a sleepover, as they made a very comforting backdrop, and if we were still up when the second movie was over, we could really consider ourselves champion night owls. Megan Follows is spectacular in the title role, especially the first time around when she gets to play Anne in her early teenage years to the over-dramatic hilt. But then every character is perfectly cast, from Colleen Dewhurst as stern but kind Marilla and Patricia Hamilton as busybody Rachel to Richard Farnsworth as incurable softie Matthew and Jonathan Crombie as the incredibly patient Gilbert. The first film is extremely faithful to the first book, while the second takes considerable liberties as it combines elements of the second, third and fourth novels. Both make for excellent, high-quality, wholesome viewing, not to mention some of the best advertising Prince Edward Island has ever gotten.
An American Tail (1986) / Land Before Time (1988) - I always think of these two Don Bluth films in association with each other. They came out within a couple of years of each other, and they both concern a young animal who is separated from his family making new friends as he undertakes a dangerous journey in hopes of an eventual reunion. The first features Fievel the mouse and his close-knit family, who happen to be Russian Jews, and it is a full-blown musical, with the earnest duet Somewhere Out There a particular highlight. While American Tail introduces kids to the immigrant experience, Land Before Time gives some background on dinosaurs while presenting a powerful tale of faith and friendship. Too many shoddy sequels followed both of these movies, but the originals remain outstanding.
Flight of the Navigator (1986) - Another time travel movie, this one about a boy who finds himself the navigator of a snarky ship carting dozens of aliens across the universe. Young David only jumps ahead eight years, but he's surprised to discover how many things have changed. There's an element of poking fun at the decade in this fun fantasy that is mostly about the unlikely bond that develops between the boy and the sentient spaceship voiced by Paul Reubens. It's been too long since I've seen it, but when I was a kid, I absolutely loved it.
Great Mouse Detective (1986) / The Little Mermaid (1989) - The former was the first movie I remember seeing in the theater. It's a little dark for Disney, focusing on a kidnapped inventor and a plot against the queen of England by a diabolical villain by the name of Ratigan. But I love this very English tale of about Basil, an arrogant detective, and Dawson, his faithful assistant, doing their best to avert a disaster for the sake of sweet young Olivia, the inventor's daughter. Most of the characters in this are rodents or other scuttling creatures, while The Little Mermaid features an array of aquatic characters and some incredibly catchy songs. Disney's twist on the Hans Christian Andersen tale is more upbeat and includes plenty of amusing sidekicks, most notably the world-weary Caribbean crab Sebastian, advisor to the quick-tempered but affectionate King Triton. I wasn't sure how much I'd like this one when it came out, but once I saw it I quickly became obsessed with it. Both are great examples of the magic of Disney in some of its most exceptional years.
Karate Kid II (1986) - When we were growing up, my brothers and I all took karate at one point, as did my dad. I suspect that a lot of folks did that in the '80s after cheering on Daniel, the east coast teen who moves to California with his mom and gets over his fish-out-of-water blues by striking up a friendship with his elderly neighbor, karate expert Mr. Miyagi. I love the movies, particularly because of Mr. Miyagi, who is such a wise and funny character. The second film is my favorite of the trilogy because it focuses primarily on him, delving into his past and using his example to teach Daniel and the audience a powerful lesson on the value of mercy and redemption. It also includes my favorite of Daniel's three girlfriends, whose relationship with him unfolds on screen with some help from a montage backed by The Glory of Love, perhaps the ultimate '80s power ballad.
Short Circuit (1986) - I've always had a soft spot for robots, whether it's Data in Star Trek: The Next Generation or R2-D2 and C-3PO in Star Wars, but Johnny Five may just be may favorite robot of all. The first time my family watched this movie, I was in the other room reading, and the sounds of laughter drew me to the television within minutes. It wasn't long before I was laughing too: at the malapropisms spewed by Fisher Stevens' perpetually befuddled foreigner Ben; at the lovable robot's inappropriate behavior as he insatiably seeks more input; at the incredulity of adorable Steve Gutenberg's Newton Crosby as he comes to accept that his creation has actually come to life. This incredibly quotable movie is one of the most hilarious I've ever seen, and it has moments of real tenderness as well. It introduced me to several terrific actors, and may it well have even sparked my fondness for Dr Pepper, which has long been my beverage of choice.
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) - Easily the most accessible of the Star Trek movies, this fourth installment is also by far the funniest, though the stakes are higher here than in any other. The fate of the entire planet is at stake, so it's up to the crew of the Enterprise to save world by going back in time and fetching a couple of humpback whales. Like Back to the Future, this movie toys around with the absurdity of time travel, but it saves most of its energy to skewer '80s culture while making our heroes look like a bunch of buffoons as they try to navigate it. Among the highlights are Kirk and Spock's disastrous trip to the aquarium and the conversation in the car that follows it; Scotty's attempt to interact with a primitive computer; and a hospital escapade that involves high speed, heaps of deception and an instant kidney. All that, plus a lesson in environmental consciousness makes this the only original Trek film that rivals The Wrath of Khan.
The Princess Bride (1987) - Every year at Christmas, we watch this with my dad's side of the family, laughing late into the night over jokes we've all heard dozens of times before, dialogue we've had memorized for a couple of decades. This movie has everything: fantasy, adventure, romance... Most of all, it has humor. Every other line is a quotable classic, impeccably delivered by a top-notch cast. Burly, lovable Fezzik (Andre the Giant), Spanish, revenge-driven Inigo (Mandy Patinkin) and short, demeaning Vizzini (Wallace Shawn) are particularly memorable among a host of entertaining characters. The decision to frame the story with scenes of a grandfather reading the book to his cynical grandson is the icing on the cake in this film that perfectly blends so many elements to create a masterpiece I will never get tired of watching.
Dead Poets' Society (1989) - I remember hearing about this movie when it came out, but it's the only one of the bunch I didn't see until many years later. We watched this in my eleventh grade English class, which was led by an unconventional teacher not so different from the man Robin Williams portrays. This film has a darker tone to it than anything else on this list, but it is inspirational in many ways, demonstrating the power that literature and an involved teacher can have in one's life. It also shows the danger of trying to exert too much control over one's children as they reach adulthood. One of Williams' finest performances, and my introduction to the terrific Robert Sean Leonard.
Back to the Future (1985) / Back to the Future II (1989) - For some reason, I saw the second installment of this classic Robert Zemeckis trilogy first, so that when I saw the first movie several years later, a lot of the jokes made a lot more sense. Each is much funnier in tandem with the other, but as stand-alones, they're great, too. Michael J. Fox is irresistible as Marty, the teenager who gets propelled backward then forward through time courtesy of Doc Brown, who is played to the eccentric hilt by Christopher Lloyd. Since LOST became preoccupied with time travel, I've been especially getting the urge to go back and watch these two movies, which so humorously examine all of the problems that might arise from such a feat. Extra kudos to Crispin Glover, who is a bundle of neuroses as Marty's wimpy dad, George, and Thomas F. Wilson, who perfectly portrays the brutish, dim-witted Biff Tannen and has forever lodged in my mind the phrase "Why don't you make like a tree and get outta here?"
Anne of Green Gables (1985) / Anne of Avonlea (1987) - These gorgeously filmed adaptations of the first few books in L. M. Montgomery's classic series are two of the first videos we ever owned - or I should say four, as both run well over three hours in length and require two cassettes each. We used to pop them in whenever we had my cousins over for a sleepover, as they made a very comforting backdrop, and if we were still up when the second movie was over, we could really consider ourselves champion night owls. Megan Follows is spectacular in the title role, especially the first time around when she gets to play Anne in her early teenage years to the over-dramatic hilt. But then every character is perfectly cast, from Colleen Dewhurst as stern but kind Marilla and Patricia Hamilton as busybody Rachel to Richard Farnsworth as incurable softie Matthew and Jonathan Crombie as the incredibly patient Gilbert. The first film is extremely faithful to the first book, while the second takes considerable liberties as it combines elements of the second, third and fourth novels. Both make for excellent, high-quality, wholesome viewing, not to mention some of the best advertising Prince Edward Island has ever gotten.
An American Tail (1986) / Land Before Time (1988) - I always think of these two Don Bluth films in association with each other. They came out within a couple of years of each other, and they both concern a young animal who is separated from his family making new friends as he undertakes a dangerous journey in hopes of an eventual reunion. The first features Fievel the mouse and his close-knit family, who happen to be Russian Jews, and it is a full-blown musical, with the earnest duet Somewhere Out There a particular highlight. While American Tail introduces kids to the immigrant experience, Land Before Time gives some background on dinosaurs while presenting a powerful tale of faith and friendship. Too many shoddy sequels followed both of these movies, but the originals remain outstanding.
Flight of the Navigator (1986) - Another time travel movie, this one about a boy who finds himself the navigator of a snarky ship carting dozens of aliens across the universe. Young David only jumps ahead eight years, but he's surprised to discover how many things have changed. There's an element of poking fun at the decade in this fun fantasy that is mostly about the unlikely bond that develops between the boy and the sentient spaceship voiced by Paul Reubens. It's been too long since I've seen it, but when I was a kid, I absolutely loved it.
Great Mouse Detective (1986) / The Little Mermaid (1989) - The former was the first movie I remember seeing in the theater. It's a little dark for Disney, focusing on a kidnapped inventor and a plot against the queen of England by a diabolical villain by the name of Ratigan. But I love this very English tale of about Basil, an arrogant detective, and Dawson, his faithful assistant, doing their best to avert a disaster for the sake of sweet young Olivia, the inventor's daughter. Most of the characters in this are rodents or other scuttling creatures, while The Little Mermaid features an array of aquatic characters and some incredibly catchy songs. Disney's twist on the Hans Christian Andersen tale is more upbeat and includes plenty of amusing sidekicks, most notably the world-weary Caribbean crab Sebastian, advisor to the quick-tempered but affectionate King Triton. I wasn't sure how much I'd like this one when it came out, but once I saw it I quickly became obsessed with it. Both are great examples of the magic of Disney in some of its most exceptional years.
Karate Kid II (1986) - When we were growing up, my brothers and I all took karate at one point, as did my dad. I suspect that a lot of folks did that in the '80s after cheering on Daniel, the east coast teen who moves to California with his mom and gets over his fish-out-of-water blues by striking up a friendship with his elderly neighbor, karate expert Mr. Miyagi. I love the movies, particularly because of Mr. Miyagi, who is such a wise and funny character. The second film is my favorite of the trilogy because it focuses primarily on him, delving into his past and using his example to teach Daniel and the audience a powerful lesson on the value of mercy and redemption. It also includes my favorite of Daniel's three girlfriends, whose relationship with him unfolds on screen with some help from a montage backed by The Glory of Love, perhaps the ultimate '80s power ballad.
Short Circuit (1986) - I've always had a soft spot for robots, whether it's Data in Star Trek: The Next Generation or R2-D2 and C-3PO in Star Wars, but Johnny Five may just be may favorite robot of all. The first time my family watched this movie, I was in the other room reading, and the sounds of laughter drew me to the television within minutes. It wasn't long before I was laughing too: at the malapropisms spewed by Fisher Stevens' perpetually befuddled foreigner Ben; at the lovable robot's inappropriate behavior as he insatiably seeks more input; at the incredulity of adorable Steve Gutenberg's Newton Crosby as he comes to accept that his creation has actually come to life. This incredibly quotable movie is one of the most hilarious I've ever seen, and it has moments of real tenderness as well. It introduced me to several terrific actors, and may it well have even sparked my fondness for Dr Pepper, which has long been my beverage of choice.
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) - Easily the most accessible of the Star Trek movies, this fourth installment is also by far the funniest, though the stakes are higher here than in any other. The fate of the entire planet is at stake, so it's up to the crew of the Enterprise to save world by going back in time and fetching a couple of humpback whales. Like Back to the Future, this movie toys around with the absurdity of time travel, but it saves most of its energy to skewer '80s culture while making our heroes look like a bunch of buffoons as they try to navigate it. Among the highlights are Kirk and Spock's disastrous trip to the aquarium and the conversation in the car that follows it; Scotty's attempt to interact with a primitive computer; and a hospital escapade that involves high speed, heaps of deception and an instant kidney. All that, plus a lesson in environmental consciousness makes this the only original Trek film that rivals The Wrath of Khan.
The Princess Bride (1987) - Every year at Christmas, we watch this with my dad's side of the family, laughing late into the night over jokes we've all heard dozens of times before, dialogue we've had memorized for a couple of decades. This movie has everything: fantasy, adventure, romance... Most of all, it has humor. Every other line is a quotable classic, impeccably delivered by a top-notch cast. Burly, lovable Fezzik (Andre the Giant), Spanish, revenge-driven Inigo (Mandy Patinkin) and short, demeaning Vizzini (Wallace Shawn) are particularly memorable among a host of entertaining characters. The decision to frame the story with scenes of a grandfather reading the book to his cynical grandson is the icing on the cake in this film that perfectly blends so many elements to create a masterpiece I will never get tired of watching.
Dead Poets' Society (1989) - I remember hearing about this movie when it came out, but it's the only one of the bunch I didn't see until many years later. We watched this in my eleventh grade English class, which was led by an unconventional teacher not so different from the man Robin Williams portrays. This film has a darker tone to it than anything else on this list, but it is inspirational in many ways, demonstrating the power that literature and an involved teacher can have in one's life. It also shows the danger of trying to exert too much control over one's children as they reach adulthood. One of Williams' finest performances, and my introduction to the terrific Robert Sean Leonard.
Sunday, March 24, 2002
Almost Human: Space-Age Pinocchio Seeks Humanity
From the moment I heard of A.I., I wanted to see it. Science
fiction - about a robot, no less. I used to spend hours dreaming of
building my own robot, and I even tried to start the project a few times
before realizing that this was something way beyond my grasp. There is
something very intriguing about the idea of an artificially created
being wishing to be real. Short Circuit remains one of my all-time favorite comedies, and Data was always my favorite character in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Robots have always fascinated me. There was also Steven Spielberg. I don't like all Spielberg movies - I hated Saving Private Ryan - but usually they have a great deal of heart and ultimately leave me feeling good. But the main reason for wanting to see A.I.
was, I'll admit it, Haley Joel Osment. I finally have an answer to that "Who's your favorite actor?" question, and I can't wait to see what he
does in the future. I'm hooked on this guy for life.
So, I was determined to see A.I., even though I heard bad things about it from all directions. I intended to see it in the theater, but it came while I was out of the country. So when I returned, I awaited its arrival in the dollar theater. It came, and my friend and I said we would go see it that week. That was the second week of September, and it never happened. I think perhaps it is good that I did not see it at that time. As much as I wanted to see Castaway, when I found out I was going to England I did not want to watch it until I had arrived safely home. I had no such forewarning about A.I., but if I had seen this film on September 9th or 10th, I think it would have driven me over the edge. Watching it now was eerie enough.
The movie is a joint project of Steven Spielberg and the late Stanley Kubrick, the far less warm and fuzzy director of 2001 and Dr. Strangelove fame. Based on the short story Supertoys Last All Summer Long, it takes place sometimes in the future, after global warming has caused the icecaps to melt and flood many of the world?s major cities. In order to accommodate the needs of a new age, the leading scientists create androids who appear fully human but cannot feel emotion. This changes with the creation of David, an android in the form of a child programmed to love. David is given to a couple, Monica (Frances O'Connor) and Henry (Sam Robards), whose son Martin (Jake Thomas) is in a cryogenic coma while doctors seek a cure for his medical condition. By speaking a series of seven words, Monica imprints herself upon David, causing him to take on the eternal mantra of I Only Have Eyes for You, a song repeated several times throughout the film in another context.
David's obsession with his mother makes him a prime candidate for the Oedipus complex, as do his interactions with Henry and Martin, who recovers from his mysterious disease. I was reminded of Harry Potter briefly, between David's being locked in the closet at one point and the dreadful treatment given him by his "brother." At any rate, David becomes the outsider shortly after Martin's return, and Monica feels forced to dispose of this monster she helped to create. Releasing him into the woods with Teddy (Jack Angel), Martin's outdated supertoy that is reminiscent of Teddy Ruxpin, Monica makes David, a "mecha," promise to avoid people, who are "orga." David is left crestfallen but determined to win his mother's love by seeking out the Blue Fairy and asking to become a real boy.
The journey is dark and depressing, and his only friends throughout most of the journey are the wizened Teddy and Gigolo Joe (Jude Law), a quirky character programmed to be a lady-killer. Others pass through momentarily, including a robot nanny (Clara Bellar), a human child (the little girl from the Disney Scrabble commercial) and the Einstein-like hologram Dr. Know (Robin Williams sounding a lot like his earlier Genie). A cozy-sounding narrator (Ben Kingsley) whose voice begins and ends the movie provides a fairy-tale context, albeit a very dark one.
Osment is haunting as David, turning in a performance no less fine than I expected. He is passionate, he is tormented, and yet he is clearly mechanical. A very unnerving characterization. The other character I most enjoyed was Teddy, the gruff but gentle companion of David throughout the journey. Gigolo Joe was slightly off-putting at first but ultimately I found him pretty entertaining, and the trick he has of providing ambiance is quite nifty. I also enjoyed the manic Dr. Know. But that was about it.
The other characters did not move me, not even Monica. She annoyed me, actually. Something about her did not seem right, did not seem real. She failed to move me, and her dialogue was at times dreadful. (Example: Upon being told by her husband that she must be sure before she lets David imprint on her, she says, "Silly man, of course I'm not sure." Silly man?? Give me a break.) David seemed to show more emotion than she did, and when she did it seemed forced. I just could not bring myself to care about her. Her husband Henry comes across as wishy-washy, stupid, and mean-spirited. Above all, he seems extremely selfish. Her sadistic son Martin is a horror, as are his friends. The birthday party scene reminds me a lot of the party scene from The Sixth Sense. Haley definitely carries the day, and more than anything he is disconcerting.
This movie was no E.T. My dad complained because of the lack of dialogue. This was one of his major complaints with E.T., and he felt that A.I. also failed to have enough talking. This time, John Williams' score did not seem to annoy him as much, however. He thought the music in E.T. to be sickeningly saccharine. I never saw the sparseness of speech to be a problem for the former, so it didn't really bother me in the latter, either. A friend of mine forewarned me that while he thought the movie was pretty good up to a point, the ending spoiled the social commentary. If he was able to make enough sense out of this movie to see a social commentary and to tell that the ending shattered it, I salute him. I was never entirely sure what was going on and how I was supposed to feel about it. It definitely did not make me feel good like E.T. did. In fact, it sent cold shivers down my spine on a number of occasions.
One painfully long scene in the film involves David's being captured and taken to a Flesh Fair, a ghastly gladiator-like spectacle with the motto "a celebration of life." Androids are rounded up for these events and tortured in the arena before a bloodthirsty mob in the stands. It was a horrifying sight reminding me of the gruesome garage in The Brave Little Toaster. That movie still gives me the willies... The Flesh Fair provides nightmare material for a week, and it's not the only disturbing part of this movie. It's dark and depressing at every turn, and its extended ending (my friend also pointed out, and I definitely agree, that the movie felt like it should have ended about 20 minutes before it did) did nothing to salvage the warm and fuzzy feeling I was hoping to get. It left me dazed, disoriented, and down in the doldrums.
Add to that the scenes of a Manhattan flattened by floods, with just Lady Liberty's arm rising above the waves and the Twin Towers lording over the ruined city. New York City virtually destroyed. And, at one point, David leaping from the top of a building, and a shot of him plummeting to the waters below in a scene that looked far too much like those scenes of the WTC jumpers for comfort. It was all a little too eerie for me to say that I enjoyed the movie very much.
And yet, perhaps that sense of eeriness is what was intended. Though A.I. did not give me the reaction I had hoped for, it did produce a strong visceral reaction. Strange pairing that it was, the film made excellent use of Osment's talents and the available technology to give a glimpse of a possible future. And so I cautiously commend it and award it four stars. But it leaves me uneasy and hoping that Gene Roddenberry's vision of the future was more accurate than this. Please, Lord, tell me this is not where we are headed!
So, I was determined to see A.I., even though I heard bad things about it from all directions. I intended to see it in the theater, but it came while I was out of the country. So when I returned, I awaited its arrival in the dollar theater. It came, and my friend and I said we would go see it that week. That was the second week of September, and it never happened. I think perhaps it is good that I did not see it at that time. As much as I wanted to see Castaway, when I found out I was going to England I did not want to watch it until I had arrived safely home. I had no such forewarning about A.I., but if I had seen this film on September 9th or 10th, I think it would have driven me over the edge. Watching it now was eerie enough.
The movie is a joint project of Steven Spielberg and the late Stanley Kubrick, the far less warm and fuzzy director of 2001 and Dr. Strangelove fame. Based on the short story Supertoys Last All Summer Long, it takes place sometimes in the future, after global warming has caused the icecaps to melt and flood many of the world?s major cities. In order to accommodate the needs of a new age, the leading scientists create androids who appear fully human but cannot feel emotion. This changes with the creation of David, an android in the form of a child programmed to love. David is given to a couple, Monica (Frances O'Connor) and Henry (Sam Robards), whose son Martin (Jake Thomas) is in a cryogenic coma while doctors seek a cure for his medical condition. By speaking a series of seven words, Monica imprints herself upon David, causing him to take on the eternal mantra of I Only Have Eyes for You, a song repeated several times throughout the film in another context.
David's obsession with his mother makes him a prime candidate for the Oedipus complex, as do his interactions with Henry and Martin, who recovers from his mysterious disease. I was reminded of Harry Potter briefly, between David's being locked in the closet at one point and the dreadful treatment given him by his "brother." At any rate, David becomes the outsider shortly after Martin's return, and Monica feels forced to dispose of this monster she helped to create. Releasing him into the woods with Teddy (Jack Angel), Martin's outdated supertoy that is reminiscent of Teddy Ruxpin, Monica makes David, a "mecha," promise to avoid people, who are "orga." David is left crestfallen but determined to win his mother's love by seeking out the Blue Fairy and asking to become a real boy.
The journey is dark and depressing, and his only friends throughout most of the journey are the wizened Teddy and Gigolo Joe (Jude Law), a quirky character programmed to be a lady-killer. Others pass through momentarily, including a robot nanny (Clara Bellar), a human child (the little girl from the Disney Scrabble commercial) and the Einstein-like hologram Dr. Know (Robin Williams sounding a lot like his earlier Genie). A cozy-sounding narrator (Ben Kingsley) whose voice begins and ends the movie provides a fairy-tale context, albeit a very dark one.
Osment is haunting as David, turning in a performance no less fine than I expected. He is passionate, he is tormented, and yet he is clearly mechanical. A very unnerving characterization. The other character I most enjoyed was Teddy, the gruff but gentle companion of David throughout the journey. Gigolo Joe was slightly off-putting at first but ultimately I found him pretty entertaining, and the trick he has of providing ambiance is quite nifty. I also enjoyed the manic Dr. Know. But that was about it.
The other characters did not move me, not even Monica. She annoyed me, actually. Something about her did not seem right, did not seem real. She failed to move me, and her dialogue was at times dreadful. (Example: Upon being told by her husband that she must be sure before she lets David imprint on her, she says, "Silly man, of course I'm not sure." Silly man?? Give me a break.) David seemed to show more emotion than she did, and when she did it seemed forced. I just could not bring myself to care about her. Her husband Henry comes across as wishy-washy, stupid, and mean-spirited. Above all, he seems extremely selfish. Her sadistic son Martin is a horror, as are his friends. The birthday party scene reminds me a lot of the party scene from The Sixth Sense. Haley definitely carries the day, and more than anything he is disconcerting.
This movie was no E.T. My dad complained because of the lack of dialogue. This was one of his major complaints with E.T., and he felt that A.I. also failed to have enough talking. This time, John Williams' score did not seem to annoy him as much, however. He thought the music in E.T. to be sickeningly saccharine. I never saw the sparseness of speech to be a problem for the former, so it didn't really bother me in the latter, either. A friend of mine forewarned me that while he thought the movie was pretty good up to a point, the ending spoiled the social commentary. If he was able to make enough sense out of this movie to see a social commentary and to tell that the ending shattered it, I salute him. I was never entirely sure what was going on and how I was supposed to feel about it. It definitely did not make me feel good like E.T. did. In fact, it sent cold shivers down my spine on a number of occasions.
One painfully long scene in the film involves David's being captured and taken to a Flesh Fair, a ghastly gladiator-like spectacle with the motto "a celebration of life." Androids are rounded up for these events and tortured in the arena before a bloodthirsty mob in the stands. It was a horrifying sight reminding me of the gruesome garage in The Brave Little Toaster. That movie still gives me the willies... The Flesh Fair provides nightmare material for a week, and it's not the only disturbing part of this movie. It's dark and depressing at every turn, and its extended ending (my friend also pointed out, and I definitely agree, that the movie felt like it should have ended about 20 minutes before it did) did nothing to salvage the warm and fuzzy feeling I was hoping to get. It left me dazed, disoriented, and down in the doldrums.
Add to that the scenes of a Manhattan flattened by floods, with just Lady Liberty's arm rising above the waves and the Twin Towers lording over the ruined city. New York City virtually destroyed. And, at one point, David leaping from the top of a building, and a shot of him plummeting to the waters below in a scene that looked far too much like those scenes of the WTC jumpers for comfort. It was all a little too eerie for me to say that I enjoyed the movie very much.
And yet, perhaps that sense of eeriness is what was intended. Though A.I. did not give me the reaction I had hoped for, it did produce a strong visceral reaction. Strange pairing that it was, the film made excellent use of Osment's talents and the available technology to give a glimpse of a possible future. And so I cautiously commend it and award it four stars. But it leaves me uneasy and hoping that Gene Roddenberry's vision of the future was more accurate than this. Please, Lord, tell me this is not where we are headed!
Tuesday, April 4, 2000
Laugh Until You Short a Circuit
The very first time I saw this movie, I was not thrilled about watching
it. In fact, I curled up in the other room reading "Watership Down" to
avoid watching this boring military movie. But as I read, the
spontaneous outbursts of riotous laughter from my family convinced me to
wander over to see what was going on. And I was hooked.
Since that first viewing, I've probably watched "Short Circuit" a hundred times, thoroughly enjoying it each time. It is the tale of a robot who wants to be more. The story begins at the NOVA robotics center, where a demonstration is cut short by a sudden storm. Upstairs, the robots line up to promenade down to show themselves off to the visitors. Number 5 is in the wrong place at the wrong time (or should I say the right place at the right time?) and is struck by lightning. Seemingly unfazed by the incident, he follows the other robots but gets distracted by a robotic coffee server. One thing leads to another, and he finds himself outside, in the bed of a truck leading out into the country. Voraciously reading everything in sight, he is a sort of metallic Pinocchio who finds himself brought to life by the blue fairy of lightning.
While NOVA is in an uproar looking for him, he hitches a ride on the back of a snack truck driven by a young woman named Stephanie. She unknowingly drives him home, and when she discovers him she welcomes him into her home, convinced he is an alien. Fascinated by all the wonderful new things in Stephanie's house, he begins to investigate...wreaking havoc in the process. The rest of the movie is pure laughs as Stephanie learns Number 5's true identity, NOVA tries to recapture him, and Number 5 tries to convince everyone that he is alive.
Great characters are just as essential to this movie as the hilarious situations and memorable lines. There's Number 5, of course, the robot who is learning what it is to be human and teaching everyone else in the process. Stephanie is the rather ditzy animal-lover who takes him in and eventually begins to believe his story. Newton Crosby, the creator of Number 5, is a pacifist who has fallen for Stephanie but thinks she's crazy to believe that Number 5 is alive. And then there's Ben, the idiom-mixing-up fellow from who-knows-where who evokes a laugh each time he speaks.
This movie is just plain clean fun, and it raises some very interesting issues as well about what it means to be alive. Number 5 (re-christened Johnny 5) was one of the predecessors to Star Trek's Data and many of the other androids we love so much. He appears in a second film with Ben, and that is well worth a viewing. But the original movie is the one which I will continue to watch over and over again. One of the funniest movies of all time, any connaisseur of comedy should pick this one up. It is sure to become a family favorite.
Since that first viewing, I've probably watched "Short Circuit" a hundred times, thoroughly enjoying it each time. It is the tale of a robot who wants to be more. The story begins at the NOVA robotics center, where a demonstration is cut short by a sudden storm. Upstairs, the robots line up to promenade down to show themselves off to the visitors. Number 5 is in the wrong place at the wrong time (or should I say the right place at the right time?) and is struck by lightning. Seemingly unfazed by the incident, he follows the other robots but gets distracted by a robotic coffee server. One thing leads to another, and he finds himself outside, in the bed of a truck leading out into the country. Voraciously reading everything in sight, he is a sort of metallic Pinocchio who finds himself brought to life by the blue fairy of lightning.
While NOVA is in an uproar looking for him, he hitches a ride on the back of a snack truck driven by a young woman named Stephanie. She unknowingly drives him home, and when she discovers him she welcomes him into her home, convinced he is an alien. Fascinated by all the wonderful new things in Stephanie's house, he begins to investigate...wreaking havoc in the process. The rest of the movie is pure laughs as Stephanie learns Number 5's true identity, NOVA tries to recapture him, and Number 5 tries to convince everyone that he is alive.
Great characters are just as essential to this movie as the hilarious situations and memorable lines. There's Number 5, of course, the robot who is learning what it is to be human and teaching everyone else in the process. Stephanie is the rather ditzy animal-lover who takes him in and eventually begins to believe his story. Newton Crosby, the creator of Number 5, is a pacifist who has fallen for Stephanie but thinks she's crazy to believe that Number 5 is alive. And then there's Ben, the idiom-mixing-up fellow from who-knows-where who evokes a laugh each time he speaks.
This movie is just plain clean fun, and it raises some very interesting issues as well about what it means to be alive. Number 5 (re-christened Johnny 5) was one of the predecessors to Star Trek's Data and many of the other androids we love so much. He appears in a second film with Ben, and that is well worth a viewing. But the original movie is the one which I will continue to watch over and over again. One of the funniest movies of all time, any connaisseur of comedy should pick this one up. It is sure to become a family favorite.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)