gurdymonkey | Movie stuff

FX was doing one of their DVD on TV features last night so I watched I Robot.

It's been so long since I actually read the Asimov, I barely remember it as more than a collection of episodes grouped around the theme of the robotic laws. Using my mad Googeru-jutsu, I confirm that Asimov's work was, in fact, a collection of short stories written before I was born. It also confirms that the film is not an adaptation of Asimov, so much as inspired by the original stories.

Director Alex Proyas is far too fond of those time-stopping action shots to the point of being irritating and cliche. Sweetie, it was cool when Trinity did it in The Matrix in 1999. If you use it in every single action sequence in your film, you're being a nerd and you're BORING me. Get on with it, OK? And BTW, that whole thing where the Bad Computer dies repeating itself as you jigger the recording speed? Kubrick used THAT one way back in 1968. (Dave. My mind is going. I can feel it. I can feel it. I can feel it. 'Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer do.....')

That said, I do enjoy this movie. Will Smith more or less could've phoned this one in - it's his usual tough-yet-engaging-guy. Bridget Moynihan's stick figure scientist is irritating, but that's OK. The standout performance here is by the robot, Sonny. Between the elegant subtlety of the CGI and the voice-work provided by Alan "I Am A Leaf On The Wind" Tudyk (Firefly, Serenity, 3:10 to Yuma), you really believe that Sonny is more than an iPod with legs.

This evening, while surfing the menu to see what was on, I stumbled across Infamous,

with Toby Jones as Truman Capote during the researching and writing of In Cold Blood. The first few minutes I was thinking, "Oh, geez, this is going to be one of those talky, irritating biopics about a talky, irritating little man and his talky, irritating friends and do I really want to watch this?" Then I got sucked in. I'd only ever seen Jones in supporting bits, but he carries this one off in spades. Sandra Bullock as Harper Lee is rock solid and there are a lot of solid, familiar faces playing the talky irritating glitterati friends. Daniel Craig as murderer Perry Smith is the prize though. Complex, heartrending, and well worth a look.