Word: offing
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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In a 1976 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...
The 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...
Yet emotion, not science, drives Bicentennial Man. The film's heart is Andrew's relationship with four generations of the Martin family, 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...
Then again, perhaps we should not expect too much gritty sci-fi out of what may just be a futuristic family film. As seen here, the cityscapes and landscapes of tomorrow are indeed gorgeous to look at. The neat visual surprises include a double-decker Golden Gate Bridge. And the...
Meanwhile, the antics of Robin Williams the actor are somewhat constrained by his robotic casing, but he does as good a job as anyone could in making Andrew a deeply sympathetic character. He receives excellent assistance from the well-cast supporting players, especially Neill and Davidtz. Bicentennial Man may not...