Thoughts on AI, the movie?

[JonathanLB]

Anyone else see it yet? I won't write any spoilers in this post...

I saw it Friday and I loved it. My sister hated it, but whatever, she is just weird. A friend of a friend who works at the cinema we went to (I saw him there with my friend) said that basically everyone was raving about the movie when they left the theater, so I guess I'm not in the minority hopefully.

I liked the entire movie, including the final act set "many years" later (that should not be a spoiler...).

I will not spoil any of it, but the visuals were very awesome! I was extremely impressed, and it just had a great feel to it. The music was awesome, too, but eery, which was good of course.

I think the movie is very thought-provoking, specifically on the issues of whether or not it is ethical to create a machine capable of love and then treat it like a machine still, or to create it at all. If you create something akin to a human, shouldn't it be treated JUST as if it were human? I don't see how you can make such a complex, intelligent machine and then act like it's just nothing more than a toy and a property. Also, it brings up the question, what makes something or someone real? Can a robot be just as real as a human? Seriously. If, in the future, you could make a robot that was exactly like a human (and why not, eventually?), then why would the fact that it is made out of different materials mean it is not "real" or that it is not just as independent as a human?

I think electronics could, theoretically, mimic a human exactly. It would be very, very difficult and I still think we're probably 50 to 100 years off from something even remotely close, but it's possible I believe. 50 years ago, nobody would have predicted we would be where we are today...

Anyway, AI is a great movie. I'd give it four stars and it's either the best or the second best film this year (Memento was so good, hard to push that out of first...). Definitely summer's top film, though, but I love Shrek! That's more of a fun comedy film than an intellectual masterpiece, though. Still...Shrek is awesome (four stars too).

[Darth23]

I heard f could of reviews on NPR that basically sounded the same. I saw that rottentomatoes gave it a 73%, but it seems like most of the revies I've heard have been fairly mixed, and that maybe Speilberg is getting the enefit of the doubt a bit. Unfortunately, for me, the more reviews I hear / read, the less enthusiastic I am about it. I'll probably see it today, but I'm not expecting too much.

[Jedi Master Carr]

I'm going to see it tomorrow by the way showbizdata just anounced Friday's numbers they say AI only made 10.14 on Friday. That seems low to me, I figure Saturday will be higher but that still low considering all the predictions that sites are making.

[CMJ]

Kubrick and Spielberg created a truley wonderul film. I wriote a LONG spiel about it earlier...but unfortunately my computer didn't send it right...so swfans.net didn't post it. Grrrrrr. I don't have the time or energy to write another long ass post, though this film deserves it.

The firsr act was great...then the film kicks into another gear...then another. By the 3rd/4th act(I thought there were 4 acts to the films...though everyone else says 3....whatever) we reach a truly remarkable and problematic conclusion. A.O. Scott of the New York Times has the best words written about the film's summation.....
"The final scenes are likely to provoke argument, confusion and a good deal of resistance. For the second time the movie swerves away from where it seemed to be going, and Mr. Spielberg, with breathtaking poise and heroic conviction, risks absurdity in the pursuit of sublimity. ... [He] locates the unspoken moral of all our fairy tales. To be real is to be mortal; to be human is to love, to dream and to perish."

This is not a film for everyone(I counted 5 people who left early at my screening) and I don't think it will have great legs at the Box Office. Hopefully this film will be remembered come Oscar time(it's either 1 or 2 on my list...MEMENTO is pretty damn hard to move off that #1 peg)...it surely will years from now.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Actually I was thinking it could have great legs and that why Friday's opening was slow. I think it could be like the Sixth Sense which was a tad dark itself and it kind of grows on people. I guess I will have to determine that tomorrow when I see it.

[JonathanLB]

Darth, that seems kind of absurd. First of all, TPM had way worse ratings and you weren't any less excited about that I don't think.

Second, though, almost every review I read was extremely positive! The film rarely received reviews from real critics of less than three stars. Most of the ones I read were very positive but cited minor problems with the film in their opinions...

I think it was an instant classic, as CMJ said. It was a great movie! Maybe it's not for everyone, because you have to understand it and appreciate it, but AI rules. It's hard moving Memento from #1, as CMJ said, but AI comes very close if it doesn't already do it (on my list). I'm still considering... I want to see AI again.

I saw the film as three acts, but CMJ I would love to know what the four acts are that you saw, if you would share that later maybe. I guess that could be seen as a spoiler, hehe, but you can preface it :)

[CMJ]

I just want to wait till more people have seen it before I go really into it. But as for the 4 acts part......

SLIGHT SPOILERS











Act 1(Eerie beginning)Around 45 Minutes
David in household. This act can be broken into 2 sections...pre son and post son.

Act 2(Nightmare vision)Around 1 hour
David removed from household...fends for himself as he tries to find Blue fairy.

Act 3(cold reality)Around 20 minutes
David gets to Manhattan and discovers the truth about who and what he is.

Act 4(Philisophical end)Around 20 minutes
2000 years later we get an epilogue....














Spoilers End

As you can see most people I think lump Act 3 and 4 together...but I don't because I think the film could have ended after act 3....and probably been just as effective. I NEED to see the film again....it was fantastic. I am a bit surprised that you seemed to enjoy it so much Jon....it is a VERY Kubrickan film. Don't get me wrong, it's Spielberg too....but Koob is a big influence throughout and I know you weren't a big fan of the late director.

[JonathanLB]

Well, you are right, I am not a Kubrick fan, but this was a Steven Spielberg film. Yeah, there are definitely hints of Kubrick there and it was his concept, but Spielberg made the movie...

I loved it, and I need to see it again too.

[DaBoSsNaStY]

I would like to watch AI .. but is it good enuff to drive over 100 miles to see it!?!? I really don't mind the drive... I did it 9 times to watch TPM!

[buff jedi 2]

BOSS< you drove 100 miles each time to see TPM??!!??? You are a fans,Fan..Where do you live ?? you da man!







Buffjedi/wookieboy

[General Ceel]

My parents went to see it last night and thought it was a piece of crap. Which its probably right since its a Kubrick project. I'm gonna go check it out myself today and see what SS had to offer by directing the film.

[zoar]

I thought the film was a little dark. It’s definitely not something for young children. Osment’s acting however was brilliant. I think he stands a good chance for an academy nomination for best actor. Hmmm… wonder what the record is for youngest recipient of “Best Actor” Oscar?

[DaBoSsNaStY]

ehhehe, thanks buff jedi 2. I live in a little town in Alaska, we do have a theater here in town. But, during that time it was a crappy one. The owners of the theater has updated it some, but it has a really bad smell in their. Yeah, I love that drive goin up there, and I don't like waiting for two months to see a moive that just came out this week. If ya know what I mean;)

[JonathanLB]

haha, dang! What a true fan :)

That's awesome devotion, man.

[General Ceel]

Well i just got back from A.I. I loved it. It had a litte of everything. Great effects, complex characters and interesting story......although the story is really old and used up if you are really well read in science fiction from the golden age of the genera.

[Darth23]

Ok... this is the third time I tried to respond to this thread - the last 2 times Netscape flaked out on me.


Darth, that seems kind of absurd. First of all, TPM had way worse ratings and you weren't any less excited about that I don't think.

Second, though, almost every review I read was extremely positive! The film rarely received reviews from real critics of less than three stars. Most of the ones I read were very positive but cited minor problems with the film in their opinions...

Ok - I saw TPM before I looked at any reviews, and I would see it no matter what because it's Star Wars. As far as the AI reviews go - my impression of the film isn't so much governed by whether or not the reviewers give it a thumbs up or down, I look at what they actually say about the movie. What I've heard and read makes me think that Speilberg is taking a really heavy handed approach to the idea 'can a machine love and be loved in return'. I've seen this idea before in science fiction (Star Trek, Outer Limits and elsewhere) but the fact that I've heard almos tthe same thing from several different sources makes me think that that I'm not going to be too impressed by the story.

The last Speilberg film I went to in the theaters was Jurassic Park 1. I almost walked out on it, and it really turn me off from going to see movies right when they open.

[Jedi Master Carr]

I just got back from it myself and I really enjoyed it, I agree with Jonathan and CMJ that it is a great movie. I also think Haley Joel Osment will get nominated he was terrific and so was Jude Law, who was barly recognizable as Gigalo Joe. I think I will have to see it again just to be able to get the whole movie.

[JonathanLB]

See Darth? Look at all these good reviews! Our opinions mean just as much as any critic. :)

You have to see this movie.

I agree that Jude Law was awesome! He added a great deal to the movie in a stand-out performance, but I think Teddy will take home the Best Supporting Actor award next year. I was pulling for Wilson the volleyball last year, but alas, they descriminated against him just because he's an inanimate object!

Can you believe that? I would like to start a new organization -- Equal Rights for Inanimate Objects in Movies, or ERIOM. :)

[RHJediKnight]

I just saw it this afternoon, and I thought it was pretty cool. When I first heard about it I wasn't too interested, but when some of the newer previews started hitting TV I kinda felt like I had to see it. I'm glad I did.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Yeah I thought Teddy was great too did ILM do the effects? Even if they didn' I think we can just give them the Visual effect award right now the effects were amazing. I also have to mention Bill Hurt I though he did a good job in a small role also did anbody else realize that Ben Kingsley voiced the narrator? I knew he sounded familair but it wasn't until I got home that I realized that it was him.

[Darth23]

Our opinions mean just as much as any critic.

I think you missed the point of what I said. :p

[DaBoSsNaStY]

hehehe, I only wish I could have watch it half as much as the KING of TPM!!

So, is it worth the drive? Yah or Nah!?!?!?

[Darth23]

Ah, Go for it. (I haven't seen it yet)

It will at least be interesting.