A.I.-Artificial Intelligence (2001)

This article looks at Spielberg's film A.I., which turns 20 this year!

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Steven Spielberg’s first film of the 21st Century: A.I. Artificial Intelligence. His previous film, Saving Private Ryan, was originally planned to be followed up by Minority Report, but a number of factors contributed to Spielberg making A.I. next. The major factor being the 1999 death of Stanley Kubrick, who conceived the project and discussed it with Spielberg for years. Based upon the Brian Aldiss story “Supertoys Last All Summer Long” (with Kubrick taking inspiration from Spielberg’s E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial for the film’s title), they both worked on the project while making other movies. Upon seeing the deserved Oscar-winning special effects for Spielberg’s Jurassic Park, Kubrick’s focus on A.I. was renewed, as he thought that FX technology could do the story justice by that time. Kubrick’s passing prompted Spielberg to take the project to completion himself, even inspiring him to write the screenplay himself to ensure Kubrick’s ideas wouldn’t be lost (the only other films Spielberg is credited with writing are Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Poltergeist). Spielberg also felt that having A.I. released in the year 2001 would be a great way to honor Kubrick, to whom the film is dedicated. In the distant future, a narrator (Sir Ben Kingsley) informs us that the ice caps have melted, resulting in the loss of numerous lives as well as cities. As a result, any parents wishing to have children must obtain a license before attempting pregnancy. At a university, Professor Allen Hobby (William Hurt) lectures a class on his idea for creating an android, or “Mecha” as society labels them, that can actually love. Hobby says that this could be a way to appease families that are waiting for a license. He even demonstrates how such an achievement will exceed even the most advanced Mechas that have already been created, going so far as to “experiment” on a female Mecha in his audience.

Another audience member asks if any parent that such a Mecha would love would be obligated to return that love. Hobby replies: Hobby: In the beginning, didn’t God create Adam to love Him? A year and a half later, Henry and Monica Swinton (Sam Robards and Frances O’Connor) go to a medical facility to visit their son Martin (Jake Thomas), who’s in suspended animation because of the disease he carries. Henry works for a company of Hobby’s, which is what leads the professor to pick the Swintons to be the test subjects for his new Mecha, named David (Haley Joel Osment). Monica is initially horrified at the prospect of an android in the place of their own son, but agrees with Henry to go along with this idea. David is physically smiling upon arriving at his new home, and proceeds to make the Swintons uncomfortable by startling them with laughter while they have dinner, and later taking Monica’s idea of hide and seek too far when he startles her as she uses the bathroom. However, Monica slowly becomes more open to David, and one afternoon, sits alone in a room with him and activates his imprinting protocol. This instantly causes David to express love for her, even calling her Mommy. By this point, Monica and Henry’s roles regarding David have reversed, with the former regarding David as a gift, while the latter is indifferent almost to the point of irritation. This is illustrated when Monica delays the dinner date she and her husband are late for in order to give David a toy that used to belong to Martin: Teddy (Jack Angel), which is essentially Teddy Ruxpin 2.0.

But everyone gets an unexpected surprise when Martin returns home cured. He initially seems to bond with David, but soon becomes jealous of him and prompts him to do such things as scaring Monica by cutting her hair in the middle of the night, as well as eating food (despite Teddy’s warning) which leads to David temporarily breaking down.

Martin later has his friends over, and their ganging up on David accidentally leads to him and Martin going into the family pool, nearly drowning Martin. It’s this incident which leads to Henry wanting to return David to Hobby to be destroyed. Monica tearfully agrees to do so, but en route, she finds she can’t, and abandons a tearful David with Teddy, telling him where to go to avoid being destroyed. Elsewhere, a prostitute Mecha named Gigolo Joe (Jude Law) is about to entertain his new client, but finds her dead and realizes that he’s about to take the fall for her death. He runs off, removing his identification tag. He runs into the nearby woods, where David tells Teddy that they can return to Monica if they find the Blue Fairy from Pinocchio (a story Monica read to him often), who can make him a real boy. Soon, other Mechas are converging on their location after a truck dumps Mecha parts which they use to replace parts of themselves.

But a menacing hot air balloon in the shape of the full moon soon startles them all and they run off. The operator of the balloon (Brendan Gleeson) announces that they’re here to collect rouge Mechas, and they dispatch motorcycles that somewhat resemble the light cycles from Tron to round them up. This includes David and Joe, although the collectors are startled that a newer model such as the latter is in the area. Teddy is separated from David, prompting him to go chase the balloon to the monster truck-esque Flesh Fair (that little bear must have damn good batteries to go so far by himself). While David and Joe take a look at the other Mechas that are about to be executed, Teddy ends up in the hands of a little girl, who’s surprised to see David and Teddy converse. This leads to her going to her dad, who’s one of the operators of the Fair. He takes a look at David and realizes that he’s just too unique to be trashed. But the balloon man wants to do it anyway, and basically takes David, who drags Joe along.

But before they’re terminated, David’s pleas for mercy prompt the audience to think he’s a real boy and throw things at the balloon man in protest. The chaos allows the girl’s dad to set David, Teddy, and Joe free. In his office, Hobby is delighted upon learning that David is alive and sets out to find him. It’s also here that we learn that David was modeled after Hobby’s late son. Now on the run, David informs Joe that he’s looking for the Blue Fairy. Joe suggests they go to the Las Vegas-esque Rouge City, where a certain Dr. Know can help them find her. After hitching a ride, the trio go to a building. A kiosk inside introduces them to a hologram named Dr. Know (voiced by Robin Williams), who informs him that the answers he seeks are in Manhattan, which is one of the cities that’s now flooded.

Joe is apprehensive about making such a journey, and even suggests to David that perhaps the Blue Fairy is merely a way humanity keeps Mechas in check. But David vehemently argues against that due to his love for Monica, and is prepared to go ahead without Joe. That’s when authorities arrive to take Joe away. Fortunately, they leave their flying police cruiser unattended, allowing David and Teddy to “borrow” it and save Joe, who instructs the cruiser on how to take them to Manhattan.

They arrive and make their way to Hobby’s office. David enters first and is startled to find a duplicate of himself reading. He answers the duplicate’s friendly overtures by saying Monica loves only him, and in a jealous rage, smashes the poor thing to pieces with a lamppost. Joe and Teddy understandably get the hell out of there before David’s rage is stopped by Hobby. The professor says that Monica told him that she put the idea of the Blue Fairy in David’s head, and as a result, asked Dr. Know to divert him to this location. Taking him to another office, Hobby proceeds to praise David as a breakthrough in Mecha technology because of how David’s own love led him to this point. However, David becomes saddened that a technological marvel is all he’s being viewed as now. This stance isn’t helped when Hobby goes off to gloat to his colleagues, and David walks around and sees Mechas like him being made ready for shipping. Sitting on the window edge of Hobby’s office, David becomes so downtrodden that he decides to throw himself into the water below. And I have to say, Hobby must have had a lot of gloating to do, given how long he’s gone. But Joe is nearby to witness this and uses the cruiser to go to the spot where David landed and pulls him out of the water. David excitedly tells him that during his brief time underwater, he saw what must be the Blue Fairy. Unfortunately, this is when the police catch up with Joe. But just before he’s taken, he sets the cruiser to allow David and Teddy to reach the Blue Fairy and then wishes David farewell. David drives the cruiser to the right spot, which turns out to be the underwater remains of Coney Island. He parks right in front of a statue of the Blue Fairy just before the ferris wheel collapses onto the cruiser, trapping him and Teddy. David begins to plead repeatedly to the Blue Fairy statue to make him a real boy. We then flash forward 2,000 years later. Earth is now a frozen wasteland and humanity is extinct. The only signs of life are more advanced Mechas. They stumble upon the now frozen David and Teddy and slowly revive them by shattering their icy prison. Upon awakening, David goes toward the Blue Fairy only for the statue to shatter. The Mechas probe David’s memories and one of them (voiced by Ben Kingsley) says that they’re unable to make him a real boy, but another (Meryl Streep), in the form of the Blue Fairy, is able to temporarily recreate Monica thanks to some of her hair that Teddy kept.

This allows David and Monica to spend one last happy day together, before the movie ends with them both drifting off to sleep.

A.I. has both a similar title to E.T. and also has a child as its protagonist. But unlike E.T., I wouldn’t recommend A.I. as viewing for the whole family—though I suppose the same can be said for Spielberg’s Empire of the Sun, which also has a child as its protagonist. This is because the drama surrounding David is intense and downbeat. Hence, I’m not surprised that audiences were perplexed by this film upon its release. The complaint that was most prominent was the ending, which some felt was too happy and was added by Spielberg. But it’s been proven that Kubrick was the one who devised this ending. And this ending is actually not happy at all when you realize that humanity goes extinct—and I certainly didn’t begin watching A.I. expecting that! But as a drama, I found A.I. has much to make me recommend it. This is mainly due to the performances of both Osment and Law. Osment is every bit as great here as he was in The Sixth Sense, and Entertainment Weekly said it perfectly when they called Law’s Joe a cross between the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz and Malcolm McDowell in Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange. Hurt also stands out as a scientist who’s essentially a Dr. Frankenstein who doesn’t abandon his creation. But the film turns that aspect on its ear because it isn’t his devotion that David wants, but rather Monica’s. In other words, Hobby’s delight at what he’s accomplished ends up blinding him to the fact that David did his job too well. Much like Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey and The Shining, A.I. also poses some intriguing questions. For instance, Hobby says that Monica filled him in on what happened when she tried to take David back. Did Henry and Martin leave her after that? That would add more nuance to the day she and David later spend together. Also, does the film end with David dying alongside Monica? If so, Teddy is possibly the advanced Mechas’ only link to how life was when humanity was dominant. The tone Spielberg achieves here was definitely felt in his next film, the aforementioned Minority Report, as well as later films of his such as Munich. Like 2001, A.I. has some moments that will test the patience of some viewers, but overall, I feel Kubrick would’ve been proud of it.

The Goonies (1985)

With the passing of director Richard Donner, I thought I'd take a look at one of his best films.

With the recent passing of director Richard Donner, I decided to take a look at a classic film of his, The Goonies. The film, produced by Steven Spielberg, begins with a prison breakout. Specifically, a counterfeiter named Jake Fratelli (Robert Davi), who manages to escape the pen with help from his mom (Anne Ramsey) and his brother Francis (Joe Pantoliano). It’s during the ensuing police chase that we meet the kids who comprise the title team: Mouth (Corey Feldman), Andy (Kerri Green), Stef (Martha Plimpton), Data, (Jonathan Ke Huy Quan), Chunk (Jeff Cohen), Brand (Josh Brolin), and his younger brother Mikey (Sean Astin). But they’re all feeling a bit low because their Oregon haunt, the Goon Docks, are set to be foreclosed on the next day to accommodate the town’s country club. When obnoxious Mouth pays Mikey and Brand a visit, he pisses Brand off by reminding him that their last weekend together could be more fun had Brand not flunked his driver’s test. Mouth also forces Chunk to do the “truffle shuffle”, or wiggling his overweight belly, before letting him in. Chuck says that he witnessed the police chase earlier, but they call bullshit on this due to his tendency to make up bullshit stories.

After Data arrives using one of his wacky inventions, Mikey’s mom comes home with a lady named Rosalita, who’s agreed to help them pack up for their upcoming move. Because Rosalita doesn’t speak English, Mouth translates Mikey’s mom’s instructions, telling the poor woman that the house is full of drugs and sexual torture devices and that she’ll be locked up if she screws up. At the same time, Chuck proves he’s a klutz again by breaking an important piece of Mikey’s mom’s mini-replica of Michelangelo’s David. It doesn’t help that Chunk glues the piece back on upside down. After the two grown-ups leave to get supplies, Mikey’s friends ask why his mom told them they can’t go in the attic. He says it’s just stuff from his dad’s time as a museum curator. This leads to everyone going up to see if there’s any cool stuff. A thunderstorm begins, and our heroes find a doubloon and a map from a pirate named One-Eyed Willy. Mikey explains that his dad told him that Willy stole treasure from the British, who chased him to a cave not far from here. They sealed the place so Willy and his crew couldn’t escape, but Willy laid out booby traps to keep outsiders from the treasure before killing his own crew. One managed to escape, hence why the Goonies now have the map. They also find a newspaper article which states that a guy named Chester Copperpot disappeared while looking for that treasure. Mikey says that finding this treasure could allow them to keep their homes, although the others pooh-pooh this idea. It isn’t helped when the father of the town jerk Troy (Steve Antin) stops by to remind them that there are papers Mikey and Brand’s dad needs to sign by tomorrow. But Mikey manages to convince the others to go on this treasure hunt, so they tie Brand up and deflate his bike tires so they can dart off. Brand breaks free after his mom and Rosalita return, and prove to be no help. He ends up taking a little girl’s tricycle to go after the others. But his bad day continues when Troy drives up next to him, with Andy and Stef as his passengers. But the two girls get upset when Troy forces Brandon over a cliff with the tricycle (that little girl’s going to be pissed!). Mikey and the others find the spot on the coast specified on the map, and with Mouth translating the Spanish on the map, learn that the abandoned restaurant in the vicinity is the next point. Alas, they quickly realize that the Fratellis have already picked the spot as their hideout. They convince Mama and her boys that they’re merely customers, and she in turn gives them dirty water to drink. Chunk says that he’s seen their RV with bullet holes in it, but the others tell him to shut up. Mama grudgingly allows Mikey to use the bathroom, allowing him to see if there’s anything else down below that could lead to the treasure. He sneaks in and sees Jake tormenting his chained, deformed brother Sloth (John Matuszak).

Brand, Stef, and Andy catch up with them, with the latter saying she elbowed Troy’s lip. They start to head out, but then they hide and see the Fratellis drive off, presumably with bodies of feds. Going back inside, they hear Sloth’s groans, allowing Stef to give a hilarious line. Stef: Chunk, I hope that was your stomach!

After Mouth pisses Chunk off again with a crack about his weight, the latter’s anger causes him to break a water bottle, and the remaining water goes below the nearby fireplace. They also find a freezer loaded with ice cream, which naturally draws Chunk in like a magnet. But another corpse is found with the ice cream. Naturally, this is when the Fratellis return, and in their haste, the Goonies end up putting Chunk into the freezer with the corpse while they hide under the fireplace. Once the Fratellis leave again, Chunk comes out and the others tell him to call the police. He leaves through a window, and the others explore the cavern they just found. But Chunk doesn’t get very far, because the car he flags down is being driven by the Fratellis, who quickly abduct him. While the other Goonies keep moving, they come across a series a pipes which they use in a vain attempt to warm anyone at the nearby country club. Andy’s hyperventilating leads to the group finding the skeletal remains of Chester Copperpot. They also find a key on him along with some candles, unaware that they’re really marked TNT. Suddenly, they’re startled by a swarm of bats.

The Fratellis threaten Chunk with a blender if he doesn’t spill his guts. Intentionally or not, Chunk buys his pals time by rattling off all the bad stuff he’s ever done, amusing Jake. And fortunately, those same bats come up from the fireplace to buy Chunk himself some time. But the Fratellis let him live when they find the doubloon on him. They lock him up with Sloth before heading for the fireplace.

With the key they found, the Goonies discover a waterfall with coins in it. But they soon realize they’re at the bottom of a nearby wishing well, and wouldn’t you know it? Troy and two of his pals are at the top. Andy calls for them and they send a bucket down to bring everyone up. Mikey, though, reminds them that while this place is dangerous, it’s still their best chance of finding that treasure, and thus their best chance of not losing their homes. The others agree, with Andy telling Troy to piss off by sending only his jacket back up to him. While Chunk is initially scared, he convinces Sloth not to hurt him by sharing his Baby Ruth bar. Sloth then breaks free of his chains. Chunk calls the sheriff, who in turn calls bullshit, because of past stories Chunk has made up, including one about “all those little creatures that multiply when you throw water on them.” But the call is cut short as Chunk tries and fails to keep Sloth from going into the fireplace. Elsewhere, the Fratellis are running into the booby traps Data set up. The other Goonies need a potty break, and after the boys go into the cave Brand designates as the men’s room, Andy decides that now is the perfect time to make out with him. But she unknowingly ends up doing so with Mikey, causing Stef to laugh herself silly. Data ends up falling into a ditch, but saves himself from the spikes below thanks to one of his inventions. He informs the others of the room he’s now in, where the Goonies find an organ made of bones. The map says that they must play the notes on the back, but they’re screwed if they make too many mistakes. With the Fratellis closing in, Andy manages to play the right notes thanks to her piano lessons. Her playing opens up a passage that leads to a waterslide, which takes them to a huge grotto. Their eyes widen as they find Willy’s awesome pirate ship the Inferno anchored here. They board the ship and Mikey gives his regards to the remains of Willy found inside. At Mikey’s request, they help themselves to the treasure, save what’s in the platter in front of Willy. But the Fratellis show up and force the Goonies to give up the treasure they’ve packed. They also force Andy into the water by walking the plank, prompting Brand to go after her. As Stef and Mouth are about to join them, Chunk and Sloth show up to save the day. While Sloth deals with his mom and brothers (in a nice in-joke, Sloth is now wearing a Superman shirt), Chunk and the others abandon ship and head for light they see at the other end of the cavern. They realize that the candles they found earlier are in fact TNT when they light one, which quickly causes a large boulder to block their way. Sloth moves it while his family attempts to get Willy’s treasure. Alas, we see the reason for Mikey telling them to leave some for Willy: the Fratellis’ meddling activates another booby trap, causing the cave to begin breaking apart. Sloth helps the Goonies get out and is big-hearted enough to go back for his abusive mom and brothers. The Goonies arrive on the beach and are soon joined by the families as well as the police (one of whom is played by director Richard Donner). The Fratellis come out as well and are promptly arrested, although the Goonies ensure Sloth won’t be taken in too. Chunk invites Sloth to live with him, and I guess Chunk’s parents and sister are fine with a stranger now living under their roof. Troy’s father arrives with those foreclosure papers, but Rosalita shows them the jewels that Mikey was able to keep in his pocket. As they celebrate the fact that they won’t have to leave their homes now, everyone is astonished by the sight of the Inferno sailing off with the Goonies all cheering.

Like E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial, a big reason The Goonies works is because the child protagonists are all likeable and fun. The bad guys are scary but never overly so. Also like E.T., we have yet to see a sequel to this film, although there have been attempts over the years that have fallen through for various reasons. But that’s just as well, as far as I’m concerned, because this film doesn’t need a sequel. Both The Goonies and E.T. are awesome by themselves.