Hatrack River Forum: OSC's Review of I, Robot

This is topic OSC's Review of I, Robot in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by Foust (Member # 3043) on :

quote:
I, Robot is better than the best movie I could have imagined coming out of Asimov's robot universe.

I thought Mormons didn't do drugs?

Posted by ssywak (Member # 807) on :

quote:
Most sci-fi films treat the audience like a bunch of Mormons

What? That's an awfully specific demographic.

Wait; let me check...

Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :

quote:
the hilarious script of Starsky & Hutch,

Did we watch the same movie?

Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :

I realized some time ago that OSC is living on another planet, which I like to call Bizarro-Earth, where up is down and green is red and mice chase cats and Will Smith vehicles are the best possible adaptation of the most beloved works of Isaac Asimov.

Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :

That's the only possible explanation for the gushing, glowing review of A Cinderella Story.

Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :

Be nice. [No No]

Posted by Leonide (Member # 4157) on :

They were.

*celebrates Bizzaro-Day beneath her shiny red Christmas tree*

Posted by Foust (Member # 3043) on :

Thank God, I thought I was the only one.

Posted by The Silverblue Sun (Member # 1630) on :

Momma #2 is 69 and a lionheart of a lady.
She loves to watch movies.
She likes the major majority of most of them.
OSC is kinda the same way.
Except when a moral line is crossed,
then he'll go all OrneryAngry on it.

Like, American Beauty.

Posted by Amanecer (Member # 4068) on :

I just got back from seeing I, Robot. I wanted to leave the theater I thought it was so bad. Then I saw this thread and read his review. I am in shock that he could possibly like this movie. [Confused]

Posted by Aeroth (Member # 6269) on :

Well, let's face it, everybody has at least a couple movies that they enjoyed, which are universally viewed as stinkers.

Posted by Occasional (Member # 5860) on :

Actually, its not that far from what OSC has said about literature in general. Those things that are the most praised by critics are usually fluff or morally bankrupt. Those things that critics loath are because they can't stand the adolation of the masses. Perhaps he has picked this up with movies.

Even with that, I must admit that he has gotten pretty lax in his praises of movies that probably shouldn't even demand the respect of the masses. However, to be fair movie critics that I have heard praise the film for its fun.

Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :

I liked I, Robot. So There! [Taunt]

Posted by Olivetta (Member # 6456) on :

EW gave it a B or a B+ [Dont Know]

I haven't read the stories, so I may like the movie, I dunno. I do agree, however, that OSC has very unique taste. o_O

Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :

OSC's not as crazy in his pop culture columns as he is in his political rants -- his review of American Beauty aside, I tend to agree with him.

And I got his back on this one. That was a stinking good movie. Nothing I'll fantasize about on my deathbed, but it's well worth watching.

It's brainier than the Blade series (I realize how much that means), but it has the same general appeal to me -- it's fun, coherent, and a hell of a lot of fun to take a date to. Go OSC go.

Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :

quote:
Truly smart sci-fi movies like Being John Malkovich and Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind are rare -- and don't make anywhere near as much money as the latest entry in the How-Stupid-Can-We-Make-Star-Wars series by George Lucas.

Oh yeah, what a doofus [/sarcasm]

Posted by Child of the Mind (Member # 1740) on :

I definitely agree with OSC, but I see where all of you are coming from.

There was a heck of a lot of Hollywood cheesiness. True. However, if you can look past that aspect of the movie, the central theme was interesting and definitely Asimovian.

So many scenes were directly out of one Asimov story or another, and the central theme was something that he developed in his later works, like Prelude to Foundation.

Dare I defend the Hollywood stuff, but many of Asimov's later books contained topless ladies, shower scenes, knife brawls, and so on. I don't care for all of that, but at least that aspect of the movie was slightly true to Asimov.

What I would do is rent the movie when it comes out, and make fun of the Hollywood stuff, but when something philosophical comes up, pay attention. It IS cool stuff, at least somewhat.

Posted by Alucard... (Member # 4924) on :

quote:
They were. *celebrates Bizzaro-Day beneath her shiny red Christmas tree*

I just wanted to chime in that Tom's Bizarro-Earth description and Leonide's take on it were hilarious!

Thank You. I have nothing else to add to this thread, though. Sorry... [Dont Know]

Posted by screechowl (Member # 2651) on :

My wife kind of dragged me to this movie. I think I finally got past the title hang-up thing (being an OLD Asimov fan!) and sort of enjoyed it.

Asimov liked a robot mystery. He wrote several. This movie follows in that genre. Anyway, that is one way I saw it and it helped me enjoy the movie.

Another aspect of this movie that I think Asimov would approve of is the question of how can the 3 Laws be violated when they are guaranteed to be fool proof. He wrote a couple of stories on this concept also.

So I just sat back and kind of enjoyed the movie. Was not the best movie of the year, but it is far from the worst.

edit for this addition: I did not read the review in question. I just wanted to say something about the movie.

[ August 08, 2004, 09:23 PM: Message edited by: screechowl ]