Bicentennial Man (1999)
Stars: Robin Williams, Embeth Davidtz, Sam Neill, etc.
Directed by Chris Columbus
A family of four purchases a robot/android and brought 'him' home and was named 'Andrew'. 'He' tries to cope with the family while still adhering to the Three Laws of Robotics. Here 'Andrew' has evolved from an ordinary android helper to a relative of the family and learns the facts of life through books and studies taught by his mentor. While 'his' mental capabilities have evolved, everyone around 'him' changes as time goes by, and not just within the family. The young daughter marries, got kids, his mentor grow old and dies, 'he' now seeks to find 'his' own path by the freedom 'his' mentor gave 'him'. 'He' met the son of 'his' former creator who inherits the knowledge and research of all of his father's robotic design. 'Andrew' sponsors the guy to give 'him' 'human-like' android organs and physical complexion to make 'him' more human. 'Andrew' returns to his former mentor's home only to be surprised that the great granddaughter of his mentor was a perfect lookalike of the original 'Little Miss' daughter who was 'his' somewhat a best friend. 'Andrew' 'learns' or evolves human emotional stimulations on meeting her and suddenly decides to stay with her together. But the robotic laws does not give 'Andrew' the proper rights to any of human actions.
A lighthearted amiable screenplay based on a veeery deep and famous novel by Isaac Asimov, the writers, producers, the director, the special effects, and even the actors, have given the novel an easy family tone to further reiterate the meanings, details, and thoughts made by the author of the book to a much wider and modern audiences.
K666 totally agree on the Will Smith version is like a comic book compared to the original. However I disagree and think AI is not at such as state as to replace all of us posting here ;) ... time will tell sadiq.
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A wise young crackpot knows no fear - Ian Dury.
The later Will Smith version of 'I,Robot' did not really do much justice to the Asimov original title, shame.
Qatars best known Pirate - Yaarr!
Asimov had such a hang up with the fear of machines taking over that he established his 'laws' to be bedded into a artificial intelligent for the future - the core idea was to keep the creator or man on top, what I liked about I,Robot was it identifed this but then took it to the next level - the best way to protect mankind is to remove mankind, as it is man that the greatest risk to himself - a kinda catch 22 scenario.
With advances in Artificial Intelligence it may be fair to think that all those posting on this forum are not real people but a software program designed to interact to maintain interest? hmm, nothing is real.
Qatars best known Pirate - Yaarr!
Notice that Isaac Asimov created the concept of robot as "more human" than humans themselves, rather than make it look like a Frankenstein's monster. Isaac Asimov's "robot" has a more straightforward way of living than any of the humans 'it' faces. It can outlive any human with his common logic and phyisical, mental, and sociological code of conduct (hence the satire of 'bicentennial man'). Heck, Asimov even include the possibilities of a robot's revolution (or freedom), a term and action which humans can do.
"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach
sound like your a sci fi nerd your self :)
go us sci fi nerds
Personally found the Iron Giant movie more touching. But perhaps the best film of a similar tone is 'AI' the last movie from Stanley Kubrik, the end was ruined by the stepping in of Spielberg when Kubrik died just before completion and who felt it necessary to alter to a disney esque happy ending of sorts. But the core film, which Kubrik had created is a good interpretation of 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep' by Philip K Dick, the story that identifies a powerful message - that if a machine is capable of giving unconditional love and emotion what is to say the human user will be able to provide such an emotion in return and how does a machine with an intelligence comprehend rejection. Perhaps the finest example of the paradox of machines with emotions is the great classic Bladerunner by Ridley Scott; also borrowing on the theme taken from Philip K Dicks work of fiction. It is an interesting topic and covered in other movies too; such as 'I, Robot' and ever further back to the early years and 'Metropolis'. But you have to be a real nerd to be interested in such things. To be really nerd you could even draw influence from the tale of pinnoccio - but that would be very dull indeed.
Qatars best known Pirate - Yaarr!
The ending is a real tear jerker