In the days of my youth, two movies were released that featured the robot “Johnny 5,” a military experiment turned sentient. “Short Circuit” and “Short Circuit 2” blended technology with lowbrow slapstick humor in a tale about a three-fingered robot with a gentle soul.
After seeing the Youtube footage below, I’m dearly hoping any future three-fingered robots resemble “Johnny 5” more than the Terminator. After you see what this robohand can do, I think you’ll agree that we better hope humanity doesn’t have to square off against any AI mechanoid.
It is somewhat of a leap to imagine a world of humans enhanced and outfitted with robotic prosthetics, or humanoid robots with a level of AI, but then again I wouldn’t have imagined the hand would be capable of what it achieves. Of course, the real marvel is not just the speed at which the robot operates, but the minds that made it possible. Maybe there is reason to hope humanity would prevail (not that we’d need to, oh benevolent robot masters that observe us even now from the future).
Maybe this post should be entitled “Summer of Sci-Fi”, but if there’s one thing I learned in Vanderbilt’s Political Propaganda class, it’s that “if it bleeds, it leads”. Well, I’m a little off–deathrays mostly fry. Welcome to my personal post of summer’s 5 top movies of interest, in order of their release date, with my synopsis and speculation. Would’ve added a trailer each, but either Youtube or WordPress doesn’t approve of multiple movies in a single post. I know, you still love me. You really, really love me!
1. Star Trek (May 8th)
Brought to you by JJ Abrams (responsible for Lost and Cloverfield), the casting seems solid, and the trailer epic. There’s something I find endlessly appealing about the confrontation with evil, and the nobility of laying down life–if need be–in defense of one’s family, nation, world, etc. No surrender, no spineless attempts at “appeasement”. The big question is whether the movie will avoid action cliches and retain the feel of the trailer (a task the movie 300 failed to achieve).
Karl Urban is a solid actor (McCoy), and Heroes’ star Zachary Quinto (Sylar)as the cold Spock is a bull’s-eye.
2. Terminator: Salvation (May 21st)
Christian Bale is brooding hero John Connor, engaged in the opening battles of the future machine war. Salvation is the first in a trilogy set in a post-robapocalyptic future.
3. Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen (June 26th)
“Fate rarely calls on us at a moment of our choosing.” –Optimus Prime
First one was good, but could’ve been better. Some campy dialogue and a completely unnecessary subplot with the hackers was redeemed by an excellent score (Steve Jablonsky), special effects, some decent comedy, and a passable plotline. Michael Bay excels at good action and stunning visuals, but often at the expense of elegant narrative flow and pacing.
Optimus is the John Wayne of robots, and we can only hope the writers kept his dialogue to the few outpourings of wisdom and gravity childhood fans remember from the first animated movie (from which much of his dialogue in the 2007 version was boosted).
4. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (July 17th)
Every one of these to date has been good. ‘Nuff said.
5. Public Enemies (July 1st)
Normally I’d say that when Johnny Depp and Christian Bale choose to join a production, the movie is good as gold. However, this is being directed by Michael Mann (Heat and Collateral), who seems adept at taking an all-star cast and producing a substandard movie with them. One can only hope his earlier flicks have taught him something about the need for proper pacing, good editing, and leaving the unnecessary on the cutting room floor. Guillermo del Toro, where are you when we need you!
While this may not fit with the theme of science fiction, Public Enemies made the list because I am a fan of the old film noir/(classical) gangster flick, even if it is shamelessly exploiting populist rage over the economic crisis.
I stumbled upon these allegedly REAL pictures of a guy who rides a robo-motorcylce-dog to work every day. I’m insanely jealous, and yet surprisingly heartened by the sight.
This dude gives me hope mankind just might survive the Robocalypse. Of course, all things are possible if we can train bears to do this:
This time of year is one I must look on with ambivalence. I always feel like I give Christmas (the real, Jesus-sourced season) short shrift, and in the busy-ness of the holiday season rush headlong into New Year’s. From the old to the new…
On that note, I give you a new “Robocalypse” installment, this one themed after the upcoming “Terminator: Salvation” flick. A higher resolution copy of this clip can be found on the movie’s website or at Apple’s trailer section.
Dear readers, long has it been since I’ve posted, having just escaped from nefarious clutches of the vast Robotic Conspiracy poised to bring civilization to its knees!
Behold, I give you a robot that poops donuts. Laced with psychadelic drugs or poison–or just as a dastardly ploy to fatten us up and rob us of our fighting edge–these could spell the end of us all. The Robocalypse is upon us!
It should come as little surprise that the industrious and efficient German people have chosen to vie with the Japanese to determine who gets us killed by robots first. It’s vaguely hypnotic in its movements, inspiring lethargy in those who view its undulations. I’m sure that’s part of its nefarious plan.
Yeah, so I took liberties with the article’s title, but you get the point. These happy bastards have brought us one step closer to the spawning of a Hollywood love-child. Imagine “Planet of the Apes” getting down and dirty with “The Terminator”, and you’ll pretty much see where we’re headed.
Will we be able to resist the nefarious assault of our robot-ape adversaries?Perhaps–I’m an optimist by nature. If the first generation of robots is anything like this guy, we’ve got a shot.
The japanese have managed to create the first gay robot. Which leaves us with a fighting chance. On the other hand, when your average environmentalist can’t find their way out of a plastic tube, we’ve got problems.
In the days of my youth, two movies were released that featured the robot “Johnny 5,” a military experiment turned sentient. “Short Circuit” and “Short Circuit 2” blended technology with lowbrow slapstick humor in a tale about a three-fingered robot with a gentle soul.
Confessions of a Twisted Mind 