Artificial Intelligence: AI

What I've noticed recently is the tendency to describe movies as "forgettable" and its opposite, which forces a certain stigma and black and white-ness to the overall quality of a film. This was in evidence a few days ago when my friend made a reference to a movie, which flew over my head with wide-eyed wonder. He started at me blankly, and told me we had just watched such-and-such movie last weekend, which sparked my memory but also provoked a nervous laughter. Either the movie was quite literally forgettable or my mind is getting worse than it should be at thirty one years of age. On the other end of the spectrum, however, exists movies that are impossible to forget, as Artificial Intelligence stands among them.

Granted, the film is a science fiction piece directed by Spielberg, which could make it memorable alone, but it's the circumstances surrounding the film that make it stand out for me. On July 4, 2001 I had laser eye surgery (LASIK) to correct my eyes and remove my need for glasses. On the evening of July 3, I went to the theatre to see AI with my dad. I was living in North Bay at the time, and with the procedure being relatively new, there were no (reputable) places up north to do so, so my optometrist sent me down south to Toronto. My dad and I drove down, went to the centre for a pre-op checkup and to sign my life away in forms. We went back to the hotel, checked in then went to The Keg for dinner, as it was a special kind of outing. Afterward, we decided to hit up the movies and see AI, which was just opening; the film was incredibly busy and we ended up sitting in some of the very front rows, which proved to be uncomfortable at times simply because the seat is located so close to the screen.

I remember very clearly, thinking at the time: this could be the last movie I see. Literally. If they botch the procedure and I lose my vision, AI will be the last thing I remember seeing. Was the film good? I don't even recall if it was or not, as all my thoughts were based in anxiety over the impending operation. While my vision was not optimal for about a week, it improved and I was busy watching movies in no time. It struck me as odd then, over the years, that I haven't bothered to go back to see the movie. I can't quite place my finger on why I wouldn't want to.

Well, that's not entirely true: I remember the film being a bit long, drawn out and perhaps just straight up boring. And my memory may be failing right now, but I feel as though there was general dissatisfaction when the movie came out; it failed at the box office (estimated $90 million budget with just $78 million in domestic take) and has only been mentioned in passing in conversations with friends since. As it is though, I feel as though I can look back at these movies with a different perspective, that being one with more maturity, experience and insight. So, the other week I put it on, and was incredibly impressed. It felt like watching the movie for the very first time with a cheat sheet, which allowed me to draw comparisons and thoughts that went over my head the first time around.

First, was the obvious (to me now) Kubrick influence; it's no secret that he began the project but passed on before he could do this movie. Spielberg picked it up and ran the rest of the way, and provided many nods to the famous director. And since 2001 (the year, not the movie) I have seen more Kubrick and Spielberg films: AI is this incredibly special mesh that combines elements from both their styles, to create a film experience like nothing before.

But, I think I have seen this before. A couple of years ago I watched Pinocchio with my niece; a film I haven't seen since I was her age. The content shocked me: characters, settings, the theme and content that would be hard pressed to get into a children's movie these days. The beauty of AI retelling the story of Pinocchio is not lost on the duo either: in fact it's right there in the movie itself. David, a boy robot is going on a journey to become human, just as Pinocchio did half a century before. In fact, David is inspired by the actual story of Pinocchio: he seeks out the blue fairy who he believes can turn him into a real boy, which in turn should make his mother love him even more.

The core structure of their journey is nearly identical, including the trip into sin city and a final act into a water world. I also found myself looking at the structure of the film compared to other Kubrick films, including Full Metal Jacket. What is off-putting about that film could be the instant change of gear from boot camp life to war; a quick cut and the viewer is jolted into a different film. The same natural progression yet jolting experience happens here as well, when David is abandoned by his mother and finds himself in immediate turmoil by robot torturers. The film does not revisit the human family as it focuses on the journey ahead: it feels like a different movie, charging ahead with different pacing, characters and action.

For all the Kubrick elements in the movie, you can see the Spielberg touches everywhere. The combination of the two is fantastic. The characters are given depth and emotion in true Spielberg fashion; he keeps Kubrick's sexual undertones dialed back (the robot undressing at the beginning of the movie, and of course Rouge City - a literal city of pleasure and sin). The special effects are extraordinary, even by today's standards. My friend walked in on a scene with Teddy and remarked about how good it looks: was it CGI? Animatronic? Both? The character was done with such great effect that you wonder why more modern renditions of teddy bears come to life aren't better. The futuristic world that Kubrick and Spielberg have woven here is majestic, interesting and realistic. I've always noted how important it is for sci-fi movies to get this right, and AI sets the bar here.

The final theme I wanted to touch on was something that blew right past me in that theatre twelve years ago, and it's a theme that is ever present in science fiction: becoming human. Where in many stories, humans want to become robots for the obvious technical advantages, and robots always want to become human. David's creator believes it's love that will make this happen, and sets out to make a child robot that is capable of that feeling. It's a dream of many robots in popular culture to achieve the same thing: becoming as human as possible. We watched for seven seasons as Star Trek's Data pondered humanity, what it means to be human and his hunt for emotion. David is willing to stop at nothing to achieve this. And it never ends, as incredibly advanced robots from the future continue to learn about their creators, hoping to get as close as possible to becoming human as they can.

If this was the last movie I could see more than a decade ago, I would have been a bit disappointed. As it stands now though, I can see how this would be very fitting. It's a mature fairy tale that deserves your full attention. and I think will become a classic for years to come.

Gladiator

Gladiator is a movie that would define half a decade of my life; it's powerful, epic-ally sweeping, well acted and gripping - to name just a few characteristics. It's a true blockbuster, but goes beyond the blockbuster status of movies that had followed it in the mid-nineties. The core difference being the actual development and portrayal of interesting characters set upon an intriguing storyline. The base character path is something that we've all come to know, love and relate to, that being the story of the underdog. But we get a slightly different aspect: Maximus was set to take on the role of the emperor, but was instead thrown to the lions, where he had to work his way up through the ranks of slavery through gladiatorial combat. That's perhaps an oversimplification of the plot, but you already know it, and you've seen the movie a number of times.

I somehow missed this movie in the theatre. I have distinct memories of people talking about it, and here my memory is a bit hazy, as I recall the title in bold black letters on the marquee of various establishments. I can't even tell you the first time I saw the movie, it just came to be. Early on in the release of the home editions, I would be buying the DVD and relishing in it for years to come. As I said earlier, this would define a half decade of my life. During our tenure in university residence, my friends and I would watch this movie countless times. Sitting on the edge of our seats during the action scenes, staring in awe at the Colosseum, and taking in every line of dialogue. It becomes a de facto go-to movie when we couldn't decide on one to watch, and it never got old.

The movie would become the one to demo home theatre equipment with; the visuals were amazing and the soundtrack was booming. When I first got a subwoofer hooked up, it was Gladiator to the rescue. Whenever a new television was purchased or connected, it's Gladiator showing off its visuals. During the years of 2000 to 2005, there were a lot of technological advancements in my home theatre. First, was the addition of surround sound, then, a new television (flat tube CRT). DVDs became prominent and as they were remastered and re-released, my group of friends and I were on top of it; always looking out of the highest quality releases. So when a blockbuster like Gladiator comes along it's ideal: not only a fantastic movie but a great demo and test of your system.

As I watched the movie a few weeks ago, it struck me that Gladiator became a social event, just like The Big Lebowski and American Psycho. I hadn't watched these on their own in four or five years, and the urge to watch the Bluray version of Gladiator overcame me. I was worried, of course. Had the movie stood the test of time? Would my taste in film preclude me from enjoying this classic that I had once adorned?

Gladiator looks old, but it also looks great. I'm surprised, frankly, by the image quality here, simply because it's better than expected, and I'm not sure that it has been remastered. Years ago I would load up the DVD for Lord of the Rings and behold the terrible quality. The hi-def editions of those movies look incredible, and I find that Gladiator looks nicely grainy, gritty and natural. All good things, considering the CGI that's embedded into the film. You know the story behind the Colosseum, and I'm sure the effects are all over in this movie. But it's a prime example of how to do these type of effects effectively, and it pays off. Years later they still look great.

Without a doubt, this movie will continue to be one that I use to "break-in" a new television set, and a great one to show off to future generations. It stands as one of the best.

The Matrix

The first thing that strikes me when watching old trailers is how different they've become. How they give away so much, and I'm not certain that this trailer for The Matrix is any different. It showcases Bullet Time quite heavily, in fact, I think it includes a shot from every BT scene in the film. That's alright, cause it was drawing us in at the time, without giving away the concept of the film itself. I swear they were talking about this new tech on the news, showing that bullet-dodging scene numerous times. It's one of the few times the news watching public gets to see behind the scenes footage of a movie before and during it's theatrical release. Yes, the technique was that revolutionary, and this is proven by the numerous imitations and parodies that have followed throughout the years since. By the way, it's been nearly thirteen years since release.

You see, it reminds me of science fiction classics that showed us mind-bending special effects and helped push along technology and movie effects. When you see how they film certain scenes, the simplicity is baffling, but it's the innovation and implementation of those techniques that truly amazes. Certainly, there are regular advances that are used here, like the ever-marching movement of CGI.

But putting all the effects aside, which puts aside what many people associate with this movie, you have to look at the science fiction that drives the entire experience. A world within a world; it's certainly not a new concept but as I said before it's the implementation that makes this story unique. Set in a bland world, we find Keanu Reeves playing a computer hacker by night and chained to a desk in a boring office job by day. Some agents take in interest in him - he thinks for his hacker-ish ways - but really for the role he is going to play. Through a series of events that you're all too familiar with, Keanu finds himself transformed into Neo, and transported into The Matrix: the real world.

The world as we know it is just a computer simulation run to keep us happy, as we provide quintessential energy for our robot overlords. Neo is introduced to the real world and we're taken along for the ride, learning as he does. As we watch the movie our adventure mirrors that of Neo's exactly, and although Keanu's emotions can't quite match our own (he is so subdued) we're still astonished when he becomes astonished. When he pulls an incredibly impossible move, he's just as full of wonderment as we are. That plays a big factor, as every single person watching this can put themselves into his shoes. It's also not a stretch for us to think that we're just in a virtual world. This movie came out as computer games were going online and there were virtual worlds that people could lead second lives in, i.e. Everquest and it's this knowledge that makes it so believable. We've been exposed to robot uprisings before, and we see artificial intelligence explode in real life. It's just a matter of time before we run into judgement day, and it's just a matter of time before we're turned into human batteries.

The Matrix is one of my favourite movie-going experiences. In high school, many of my friends were nighthawks, save for one. We hung out all the time (still do) and enjoyed the sunshine whenever possible. So after a meal at Burger King, we found ourselves downtown standing in front of the marquee of a local multiplex. The Matrix was listed, and while we were aware of the movie through the advertising campaign and news-worthy bullet time, we had no idea if it was good or not. Lovers of the sci-fi though, we had to entertain the movie, and the movie - exactly - entertained us. My friend couldn't stop moving with excitement throughout the film, while I took an opposite approach and didn't move a muscle. When we came out, we were both of the same mindset, that we consumed something that was far beyond a simple movie, but that we had just watched the starting of a movement. The sun was still shining, unlike the world of The Matrix, and since then we've always had a love affair for afternoon viewings.