Word: robotic
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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...West." Sure, the story is recycled, but who cares-it's good for you! The Hurricane tells the also "epic" tale of a boxer's struggle to battle racism and the justice system after being wrongly convicted of murder. Gag. There's more-Bicentennial Man's story of a "robot journeying to be a real man," Ride with the Devil's Civil War extravaganza, The Cider House Rules' lovey-dovey schmaltz, etc. Add in last week's Green Mile and what do you get? Ack. Double gag. Where's the counterprogramming? Where's the cynicism? After all, these could...
...short story, sci-fi great Isaac Asimov wrote of a robot unexpectedly given very human emotions and abilities. Gradually, the robot seeks to become more and more human, raising profound questions not only about the morality of creating intelligent machines but about broader issues like humanity and immortality. In adapting this tale for mainstream moviegoers, however, screenwriter Nicholas Kazan and director Chris Columbus forgo the subtleties of these dilemmas in favor of greeting-card sentimentality. The result is an enjoyable, often touching picture, but one that fails to realize the richness of its concept...
...plot loosely follows Asimov's outline. The robot in question, played by Robin Williams, is acquired by the wealthy Martin family. Although they were simply looking for help with the household chores, it quickly becomes clear to the father of the family (Sam Neill) that the robot, which they have named Andrew, has great artistic and intellectual abilities. Andrew also becomes the closest friend of the youngest Martin daughter, known only as "Little Miss" (Embeth Davidtz as an adult). The film progresses, as the title suggests, over 200 years, and in that time Andrew is granted his freedom and embarks...
...expect too much gritty sci-fi out of what may just be a futuristic family film. As seen here, the cityscapes and landscapes of tomorrow are indeed gorgeous to look at. The neat visual surprises include a double-decker Golden Gate Bridge. And the key futuristic detail, the robot star himself, is a lot of fun to watch. His movements strike an intriguing balance between fluidity and mechanics, while in the face, Robin Williams the robot is a curious metallic echo of Robin Williams...
...refers to the Semi-Conductor as a "special-purpose gesturing device," a robot that will look like the upper half of a human body...