robot Tagged Articles at Cinematical

Hi. I like movies by Alex Proyas. Everyone likes Dark City and The Crow, but I like I, Robot, too. Is it a visionary masterpiece like Dark City? It is not. But in 2004, it was the most seamlessly beautiful f/x spectacle I had ever seen. If there's one thing Proyas can do, it's make one hell of a great-looking movie.

By the look of the trailer that debuted at IGN yesterday, Knowing, Proyas's new sci-fi project with Nicolas Cage, will be along the conventional, expensive lines of I, Robot rather than his earlier work. The plot seems like a less-than-promising mix of Next and The Number 23, and Cage looks like he'd rather be somewhere else. But, uh... it sure looks great. And the thing that happens about a minute-and-a-half in convinces me that everything they said after September 11th about what we will and will not be able to consider entertainment from here on out has gone completely out the window. Which is just as well.

Despite my affinity for all things Proyas, I'll take yesterday's genuinely creepy trailer for The Day the Earth Stood Still over this one. But at least we have some non-comic-book sci-fi to look forward to.

Just when you thought you've seen it all ... okay, I'm not even gonna go there. Scientology! But anyway, Connor Cruise, Tom Cruise's 13-year-old adopted son, has landed a role in Will Smith's new flick Seven Pounds, where he'll be playing a younger version of Smith in a minor, non-speaking part. For those who aren't up to speed on Cruise and all his kids, you might be kinda looking sideways at your computer right now. "Did he say Cruise's kid is going to play a younger version of Will Smith?" Fear not, my illinformed friends, they're not taking a page from the Tropic Thunder playbook; oh no, see, Cruise's son Connor is adopted and he is of the same color as Mr. Smith. Phew. (Sit down Al, I didn't say anything wrong or offensive.)

The film, which also stars Rosario Dawson, Woody Harrelson and Barry Pepper, and is directed by Gabriele Muccino (The Pursuit of Happyness), follows the story of a man (Smith) who affects the lives of seven strangers. It's a drama. There are no crazy special effects. And, yes, it comes out this December -- which, cross your shiny, manicured little fingers, means Smith will be listening for a knock on his door from Mr. Oscar come February. Seriously, though, I love Will Smith. I cannot think of a performance from him that I did not enjoy (performance, not movie -- stop smiling I, Robot, you're not off the hook yet), which is something I rarely say about an actor or an actress. Will Smith is like a warm cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter day, no matter which film he's starring in. Guy always finds a way to leave you feeling all warm and toasty inside. Mmmm ...

I don't know whether to laugh at how ridiculous this is, or cry because pieces of my childhood are now being auctioned off! MTV Movies Blog has found none other than Johnny Five up for sale on eBay. In case you slept through (or had discerning taste during) the 1980's, Johnny Five is the lovable, wisecracking robot from 1986's Short Circuit and 1988's Short Circuit 2 (which had a hilarious robot chase scored to Bonnie Tyler's "I Need A Hero"). You can head to this link to bid on the item, just be aware that the bidding starts at $100,000. And I'd imagine shipping and handling is going to be a real bitch! But hey, isn't that a small price to pay for probably the best conversation piece you could ever have in your home? "Love what you've done with the place, Janet! Is this coffee table from Pier 1 Imports? Hey...uh...is that the robot from Short Circuit?"

The robot is five feet tall, cost over $175,000 to construct in 1983, and it looks like it's been kept remarkably clean and free of rust. Fifteen different robots were made for Short Circuit and its sequel, but according to the bid page "most of these were mock-ups, half-robots and other non-animatronic pieces." The model being auctioned is "the only complete Johnny Five that survived, and is the only one known to exist." Should you have concerns that this is some imposter giant talking robot and not a movie star, the package "is accompanied with a letter of authenticity from Eric Allard, the robotic special effects supervisor who made this robot for the film." And the sweetest feature is that you get "a specially designed exo-skeleton apparatus (that) was made to control all of the mechanical features of the robot during filming." If I'm reading that correctly, that means you might just be able to make Johnny Five come alive in your own home! It all sounds really cool, but for the price they're asking, I hope it comes with Steve Guttenberg.

If you guys could own any piece of movie memorabilia, (other than Johnny Five of course), what would it be? Thinking small and since all this Short Circuit talk has me nostalgic for the 80's, I'd love to have the original Gizmo from Gremlins in my apartment. I'd keep him far away from the bath tub, of course.