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FILM:
ROBOTS
BY JACOB ZHIVOV
& KATE LAURICELLA
MARCH 28, 2005
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JACOB ZHIVOV
I love when the big expected film comes out, it almost
always means that there's gonna be a big lunch thing before the film
and the Robots screening was no different. Packed with boutique sandwiches
and rolls and as much bottled water I could drink I then went in to
watch a quite delightful film.
Robots is about a young idealistic robot, Rodney Copperbottom
(Ewan McGregor), who decides to move from his small town to the big
city to become an inventor for his idol, the master inventor (and
a big sphere) Bigweld (Mel Brooks) but this would be a short film
if there wasn't something wrong at Bigweld's workshop and there is.
The new corporate head of Bigweld's business, Ratcher (Greg Kinnear)
a sleek and shiny robot has an evil plan to get rid of all the outmoded
robots and make a heap of cash in the process. Since Rodney is our
hero, he and some robots he befriends - including a slightly annoying
one by the name of Fender (Robin Williams) - must save the day and
return everything to the way it was, all while learning valuable lessons
in the process.
If you see Pixar at the top of the animation feature
film studios then Blue Sky are second. Much like Pixar they actually
try to make a film that is not only visually enjoyable to watch but
also has a good story and moral at its core, Robots is "you can
achieve your dreams if you try."
Robots does a good job at making an enjoyable film.
It's got the necessary clever jokes that adults get and the outlandish
ones the kids will get. I also must give special mention to what I
can only describe as the "mouse trap" ride where Rodney
and Fender are riding a giant ball to get to Bigwelds. It's just the
animators showing off but it's fun to watch despite it really having
very little to do with the plot.
Unlike other, crappier animated films of late, I'm talking
to you Shark Tale, Robots is a good film you can enjoy with or without
kids next to you.
KATE LAURICELLA
I liked it. Fun for the whole family one might say.
Not entirely sure it would be everyone’s bag though.
My brother would love it he’s a tech freak who gets his rocks
off over the water effects in games… so the computer animation
is enough to satisfy him…
Expect the usual animated storyline. Idealistic young
robot decides to make something of himself in the big wide robot world.
Realises that reality is much more complicated and filled with nasty,
manipulative and shinier than thou types who have an evil plot for
world domination. He resigns himself to failure, but magically grows
some new balls to take on the bad man and his mother, conquers over
the adversity he faces, makes his parentals proud and gets the girl.
Exit film on a boppy musical number!
Sends a nice message to the kiddies that you can do
anything if you put you mind to it and persevere even when the going
gets tough.
The thing that makes the film is Robin Williams. That
man can do NO wrong, I don’t care what people say about ‘Flubber.’
He’s a classic. Jokes just flow out of his shiny metal ass.
On a tangent, eyebrows are the key to evil! Seriously,
check out any animated villains eyebrows and it’s what sets them
apart from the goodies. They are darker and thicker and often more
arched and pointy…the Robots villain is no exception. And how
is it that even though they are robots they're still attractive???
Hmmmmmmmmm. I don’t have a thing for robots they have just made
some of them very appealing. I think it’s for the mothers.
Great graphics, great voice acting, and it has the most
adorable robotty creature. It’s a coffee pot thing and it squeaks,
every home should have one.
BE COOL stars Ewan McGregor, Halle Berry, Greg Kinnear,
Amanda Bynes, Robin Williams, Drew Carey, Jim Broadbent, Dan Hedaya,
D. L. Hughley, Stanley Tucci, Dianne Wiest & Mel Brooks. It's
rated G and runs 91 minutes.
