Rating: Summary: Outstanding...One Not To Be Missed. Review: I have read what seems like a million reviews of this film. What has never ceased to amaze is the psuedo-intellectual stance taken by the nay-sayers. Give it a chance. I did and I'm am so glad I did so. I have seen it several times since the first, and have enjoyed it with each subsequent veiwing. Judge for yourself. You will not be dissapointed. Destined to be a classic!
Rating: Summary: This is a Sci-Fi DRAMA... and that's OK!! Review: OK, a lot of people went to see A.I. thinking it would be some kind of sci-fi action movie or something, being this an unfinished Kubrik Project I did the rigth thing, went to see it, not knowing what to expect from it. the result? I liked it very much it has that old sci-fi novel feeling, when the conception of the future and things to come was just something to aid the story, and not something to carry the whole story or to base the story on. I liked very much the way it's so similar to Pinochio (even in the end, the original Pinochio, I mean). This DVD has a bunch of extras interesting to all of those who like FX & mainly CGI. Well worth the buy.
Rating: Summary: Possibly one of the worst movies ever made. Review: This movie is painful to sit through. I wanted the lost hours of my life back after seeing this. Run, do not walk, away from this drivel. The special effects are nice, and Jude Law gives a great performance, but they weren't enough to overcome the mind numbing effects of the story itself.
Rating: Summary: It's very long... Review: I actually liked this movie. I liked the special effects, I liked Jude Law (Hey, Joe, Whaddya know?) I liked the portrayal of humans as less humane than the robots. I'm not a Haley fan by a long shot, but he does a good job in this movie. That said...This is actually a trilogy (or maybe more). There's a begining, a middle and an end movie; it's at least three movies in conception, and it's long enough to be three movies in fact. There are quite a few stories going on here. They're sort of tied together by the main thread, but it's a loose tie, and there are loose ends (or incomplete finishes). A lot of these subplots are big enough to be a movie on their own. And it can be very, very slow. I was somewhat bored, had to pee, and wished heartily for a bottle of wine and a sandwich at about the halfway point. I know writers and directors hate editors because they cut bits of your loved script out... but it's like surgery. If you get a good editor, you can have a healthier, leaner, better film or book. Without one, you can have overweight ideas. This movie, to stay a single movie, needs an editor. Or maybe a diet. Maybe on DVD, where you can pause it and get up, it'll be somewhat easier to get through.
Rating: Summary: I WANT MY MONEY BACK Review: I hadn't rented a DVD in over a year, and unfortunately chose this one. Technically flawless, but a perfect example of a Hollywood director/writer coming up with what seems like a promising idea, and then not knowing what to do with it. A wandering, meandering mess. I think the saddest part of the whole thing is those who will rave about it just because it's Spielberg, without looking at it objectively to see how awful it really is.
Rating: Summary: I liked it Review: I thought the ending could have been eliminated. I would have liked to have seen David and Joe continue searching for the blue fairy, as well as find other adventures along the way. I also thought the two of them "surviving" the freeze would have been a poignant ending to show how man can fail at trying to destroy what he no longer desires.
Rating: Summary: What Will We Think In Twenty Years?? Review: It's interesting how artistic vision is often met with ambivalence, controversy, and confusion when first presented to the public. "Citizen Kane" flopped when it was actually playing in the theaters, Led Zeppelin was initially reviled by the critics, and "The Exorcist" received as many bad reviews as good. Now all are universally considered the pinnacles of their genres, and to criticize them only makes the critic appear ignorant. I suspect "A.I.-Artificial Intelligence" may be the current example of this tendency. Some people call it brilliant, whereas others scoff at it. While I admit I'm biased (I loved nearly every minute of A.I.), I suspect that much of the negative reaction against A.I. is simply a defense mechanism to mask an uneasy feeling often generated by things which don't quite fit the expected pattern or the current spirit of the times. It was interesting reading the review which analyzed the "three acts" of A.I. The reviewer mentions characters which don't seem to fit (Jude Law), voices of toys which are too grandfatherly (Teddy), changes in mood (third act) and music (second act). With all due respect to the author (who obviously put a lot of time and thought into his excellent and well-written review), it seems to me that the author's real problem with A.I. is that he doesn't like discordant elements. After reading it, I found myself wanting to respond "But I think the odd characters (Jude Law), unexpected voice tones (Teddy), changes in mood (third act), etc. make the movie more interesting and rich." In any case, the fact that over 2000 people have written reviews suggests that "A.I." is generating strong feelings in its audience. Some of us were deeply moved by David's quest, whereas others were distracted and annoyed. Many viewers were somewhere in the middle...loving parts of the film and disliking others. As for me, I was deeply moved and stimulated. I thought alot about some big, important, and disturbing questions after seeing A.I., and for that reason alone I'd recommend it to anybody. However, I don't know if it's a great film. I believe "A.I." may be the type of art that will require the passage of time in order to be properly evaluated. I wouldn't be surprised if in 20 years, it is considered a classic.
Rating: Summary: Quite possibly one of the Greatest films ever made Review: Don't let the simple minds of mainstream viewers deter you from thinking that this is absolutely one magnificently beautiful film. It's definitly on my top 5 list of greatest movies ever. First off, let's get something straight, Steven Spielberg directed this film, NOT Stanley Kubrick. Kubrick only first conjured the idea from the film after reading the early 80's short story "Super Toys Last All Summer Long." Kubrick wanted Spielberg to direct this film, and since Kubrick was never able to, Spielberg took the honor after Kubrick's death. This film stars Haley Joel Osment as a robotic child (mecha child) named David made for a family who's son is in a coma and may never recover. This couple acts as the guinea pigs for this new robot child. The couple's child comes to, and the couple realizes having a robot child just isn't safe for their real son, so they abandon David, just because they don't have the heart to destroy him. David then goes off on a search to find the "blue fairy" (taken from the Pinnochio story read to him by his "mother") along with Gigalo Joe (a lover mecha magnificently acted by Jude Law) to make him into a real live boy so his parents will accept him again. What makes this film incredible is basically everything, from the script, the directing, cinemotography, actors and metaphors. Everything falls right into place and just makes this one breathtaking film which leads to a tearjerker ending (that is if you're open minded enough to read deeper into the ending then for the face value of what it is). This message (what I believe to be the hidden message of the film) goes to show people something, something special about themselves and why we should appreciate the world around us. I really can't imagine any real film fanatic thinking this isn't an incredible film. Steven Spielberg is definitly one of the best out there.
Rating: Summary: Stevie, what WERE you thinking?! Review: Luckily I caught this movie when the HBO station bled over on to my cable station. I'm so glad I did not spend one cent on this travesty. Very depressing, with a plot line almost as slow as a legless turtle, the story plods along to another little Stevie syrupy obession with MOM ending. Time to grow up, Stevie, you're past senior citizen age! Most of the movie seemed to be a bunch of personal dream sequences strung together. Dreams may mean everything to the person who has them,but they don't mean much to the rest of us. Spielberg has become too rich and famous and, like all before him, is drying out creatively. Even composer John Williams, who I have adored for decades, seemed uninspired by this useless movie. I don't expect much more in the "wow" department from Spielberg anymore.
Rating: Summary: Two words: unfairly underrated. Review: This movie is probably more famous for the controversy that unleashed that for its own artistic merits. Originally a project by the late Stanley Kubrick, it was passed to Steven Spielberg, who pretty much managed to pull off one of the greatest sci-fi movies of all time. However, he had to pay the price: being haunted by Kubrick's ghost. A robotic version of "Pinochio", "AI" is not, however, your usual Spielberg flick. If you're looking for the emotional, tear-inducing ending that characterizes pretty much every movie that Steven has ever made, then this is not the right place. "AI" is a serious, deep, science fiction film that unravels the quest of a robot child called David, who is abandoned by the mother he was programmed to love. Influenced by Goldoni's tale, he begins a journey in search of the mythical Blue Fairy, the only one who can turn him into a human being. In the end, he will have to face the horror that comes along with the discovery of the soul, and the confrontation with the dilemma of an artificial being that was taught to be unique. Filled with excellent performances and top-notch special effects, "AI" can satisfy both Spielberg and Kubrick fans alike (believe me, I am both). At almost 2 1/2 hours, it may seem a little bit long for impatient viewers, but it's worth it. This DVD edition is also it's natural home, with an excellent video transfer that gives the movie a crisp, detailed picture quality. The sound is also very good, with complete surround that gives an extra boost to one of John William's best scores so far! Thank God they didn't forget the Spanish subtitles this time! The second disc contains the special features, that include theatrical trailers, several mini-documentaries of the whole acting, directing, scoring and designing process, bios and filmographies and many sketckes and storyboards. The only thing missing, though, is an audio commentary. Too bad. Anyway, forget about controversies and see for yourself. This movie was unfairly ignored by the critics and the box office, but it deserves being checked out. Personally, I love it, and I'm sure that you'll see the real deal about it too.
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