Automated Features

Merry Christmas, yeah yeah.

Here's what I want to talk about: robot movies and Robin Williams.
I think two of this guys greatest performances in mainstream Hollywood features are when he is playing a dedicated humanoid.

The first movie was Bicentennial Man from earlier in the decade. I really liked the theme of the movie - not knowing how quite to react to a being displaying human traits while being 100% artificial. It wouldn't be until Spielberg's A.I. that I would really see this touched on again.

Williams fit the part so well - sure he's a little repetitive but this was a certain change for him and his ideas really shone through the character of Andrew.
I felt like his personal experiences really helped him in this movie, because he was able to act as if he had never had any - 'loved and lost' didn't even apply to him, he really had to just be a stranger to the humans.

I like the idea acting as a 'stranger to the humans' - I think it's about as narcissistic a role can get. Whether it's Neo, or Andrew - the 'one' is always a critical stint. The writing is equally as important, but for what it's worth I think this was Williams at his best. A non-human.

Recently I had the chance to watch the amazingly cast Robots. Williams comes back as a robot and let me tell you - he is just killer funny. Sure it's not him acting, but the style Williams usually animates himself shone through in his voice and the little, red CG character was the perfect tool to amplify his very unique way.

With killer timing and with an amazing attitude this guy nails it to the wall.
I don't like Williams in my things, but this was him really at his best. A role he is good with and I think he came away from the experience with more in his head because of it.

Just a nice little, unedited rant.