A.I.: Artificial Intelligence, About a Boy, Alpha Dog
A.I.: Artificial Intelligence
[ 4 stars out of 4 ]
I remember watching this film when I was about thirteen years old and I instantly fell in love with it. I own the DVD and whenever I watch it with people, they either love it or hate it, so I almost always prefer to watch it alone. Those that belong in the latter category claim that it’s unreasonably long, depressing from start to finish, and not having a lot of action scenes (this bit really bothers me). I love this movie because it is a total stylistic hybrid of two of my favourite directors, Steven Spielberg (who provides light and hope) and Stanley Kubrick (who provides edge and darkness). If I were to divide the film into three parts, I would say the first and the third part were Spielberg’s forte. The middle part is Kubrick to the core… but it is not fully realized because he did not get to helm it. Hence, I think that’s the weakness of this minor masterpiece. Still, there are a lot to recommend: the visual effects, the moral conundrum regarding the relationship between humans and machines, and the overall message when it comes to the capacity to chase after one’s dreams. I actually prefer my science fiction films as insightful (“2001: A Space Odyssey”) instead of adrenaline-fueled (“The Core”) but a bit of both is refreshing (“Children of Men”). I believe that this is Haley Joel Osment’s best performance because of the way he changed from having a robotic personality to having a completely human-like drive and heart. There are many undertones that can be found in this film with repeated viewings as well. I think this is one of Spielberg’s best work because he is able to craft a story with a great balance of imagination, intelligence, and heart.
About a Boy
[ 4 stars out of 4 ]
Every time I watch this movie, it makes me want to give Hugh Grant a big hug because his character needs some serious lovin’! I love that this film is a bit off-beat but not to the point where it feels too indie or trying too hard. Therefore, Grant was able to play his usual self but with a bit of an edge (which was surprisingly interesting). The fact that Grant does not play a prince charming, like in most of his films, is a big plus because he reminded me that can act outside of his comfort zone. The cinematography is crisp and the setting actually feels like they’re in England. There were several inside jokes, one of them was “The Sixth Sense” bit about the main kid, played by Nicholas Hoult, being able to take care of his mom if he were Haley Joel Osment. Small scenes like that made the whole picture more enjoyable because it shows that even though some of the material here are serious, it’s not afraid to be silly. It’s a great flick to see if it’s raining outside and you don’t feel like going out.
Alpha Dog
[ 4 stars out of 4 ]
Emile Hirsch is pimp in this movie! As embarrassed I am to say that, I believed him to be the leader of the pack. Even though he was short, he overpowers everyone because his character has the money and his limits extended more than anyone (arguably). Critics loved Justin Timberlake in this movie and I must agree with them. He gave heart to this movie and in the end he ends up to be the one audiences got to know most. But I must say I also loved Anton Yelchin’s performance. His character’s innocence was demolished during the last thirty minutes of the film and the way he did it took my breath away because he was so convincing. Even though the dialogue is kind of “ghetto,” I advise you to not let that hinder your decision to watch this amazing sleeper film. I can’t recommend this film enough.
