Word: asimov
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1990-1999
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Authors represented in the displays include Dante Alighieri, Emily Dickinson, Thomas Moore, Cyrano de Bergerac, John Milton, Jonathan Swift, Voltaire, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, William Blake, Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, George Bernard Shaw, Ray Bradbury, Issac Asimov, Alexander Pope and Alfred Lord Tennyson...
...short story, sci-fi great Isaac Asimov wrote of a robot unexpectedly given very human emotions and abilities. Gradually, the robot seeks to become more and more human, raising profound questions not only about the morality of creating intelligent machines but about broader issues like humanity and immortality. In adapting this tale for mainstream moviegoers, however, screenwriter Nicholas Kazan and director Chris Columbus forgo the subtleties of these dilemmas in favor of greeting-card sentimentality. The result is an enjoyable, often touching picture, but one that fails to realize the richness of its concept...
...plot loosely follows Asimov's outline. The robot in question, played by Robin Williams, is acquired by the wealthy Martin family. Although they were simply looking for help with the household chores, it quickly becomes clear to the father of the family (Sam Neill) that the robot, which they have named Andrew, has great artistic and intellectual abilities. Andrew also becomes the closest friend of the youngest Martin daughter, known only as "Little Miss" (Embeth Davidtz as an adult). The film progresses, as the title suggests, over 200 years, and in that time Andrew is granted his freedom and embarks...
...particularly Little Miss and her granddaughter (also played by Davidtz). This story manages to be heartwarming and engaging, as does Andrew's struggle to find his identity. But all of these emotions partially paint over the plot's more intriguing implications. By the second half of the film, when Asimov's grander concepts begin to emerge, Kazan and Columbus too often choose obvious tearjerking over any true exploration. The film's vision of the future is drawn in similar fashion to the plot: sleekly beautiful but not fully thought out or explained...
...They began reading to him nightly when he was a baby. By 15 months, he was turning the pages of his Dr. Seuss books, already aware that something wonderful was going on. Tyler's parents still read to his brother John, 8. With Ty, they discuss the Tolkien and Asimov books that are his current favorites. "This house could collapse from the weight of books," says his dad Jeff...