As a complete work, Robot Stories is a solid collection.
Robot Stories (2004)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:41
Fresh:29
Rotten:12
Average Rating:6.6/10
Consensus: Although its 4 stories vary in quality, Robot Stories is still worth a look for Twilight Zone fans.
Runtime: 85 mins
Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy
Theatrical Release:Feb 13, 2004 Limited
Synopsis: Set in the near future, "Robot Stories" tells stories of human beings struggling to connect with each other in a world of mechanical office workers and robot babies. Featuring film stars Tamlyn... Set in the near future, "Robot Stories" tells stories of human beings struggling to connect with each other in a world of mechanical office workers and robot babies. Featuring film stars Tamlyn Tomita ("The Joy Luck Club," "Picture Bride") and Sab Shimono ("The Big Hit," "Jackie Chan Adventures") in four stories, the film explores love, death, family... and robots. The stories include: "My Robot Baby" Before they can adopt a human child, young professionals Marcia (Tamlyn Tomita) and Roy (James Saito) must prove themselves by taking care of a robot baby. But when Roy leaves on a business emergency and the robot begins to malfunction, Marcia must confront her fears of the machine - and of motherhood itself. "The Robot Fixer" Bernice Chin (Wai Ching Ho) has never really known her estranged son Wilson. Now a car accident has put Wilson into a coma. And the only clue he's left behind is a box of twenty-year-old toy robots. As her daughter Grace (Cindy Cheung) presses her to deal with Wilson's deteriorating condition, Bernice becomes obsessed with Wilson's toys, as if repairing the robots will help her connect with her unreachable son. "Machine Love" The latest component of the digital office, the Sprout G9 iPerson is a walking, talking coding machine programmed to fit seamlessly into its work environment by learning from its human co-workers. But when he finds himself in an oppressive office surrounded by dysfunctional people, a G9 named Archie (Greg Pak) learns just how much he needs love. "Clay" In John Lee's world, technology allows people to scan their memories - and thus their consciousness - into computers. John (Sab Shimono), an old sculptor, struggles to complete his design for a major public square project, but his body is falling apart. His doctor, his son Tommy (Ron Domingo), and his digitized wife Helen (Eisa Davis) all tell him the same thing - it's time to get scanned. Then he'll merge with all human knowledge and experience, achieving perfect love, perfect art. But John resists, fighting for the right to struggle and die. [More]
Starring: Tamlyn Tomita, Sab Shimono
Starring: Tamlyn Tomita, Sab Shimono
Director: Greg Pak
Director: Greg Pak
Screenwriter: Greg Pak
Producer: Kim Ima, Greg Pak
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Reviews for Robot Stories
While Pak shows promise, especially with the final segment, a meditation on the existence of the soul, his reach ultimately exceeds his grasp.
The collection can be summed up in four words I never thought I'd see together: science-fiction chamber music.
The four stories expertly touch on the human side of relationships, even when using robots, toys or uploaded memories to get their points across.
Mr. Pak accomplishes the rare feat of making the viewer think and wonder as he sheds light on little corners of the heart.
Pak relies on the basics of writing and acting to express his ideas, but only "The Robot Fixer" fully makes up for cinematic shortcomings
Pak sets himself up as a filmmaker to watch, a creator of intelligent, thoughtful stories that refuse to be contained by traditional definition.
Robot Stories doesn't advance the boundaries of imaginative fiction. It's The Twilight Zone reimagined by Lifetime TV.
There's no pleasure in giving new directors bad reviews and it's especially unpleasant when what's wrong with their work isn't a clumsy performance or two, a sagging second act or a repugnant worldview, but a near-total absence of filmmaking talent.
Each story has a unique style and something profound and/or wonderful to say. The players might be artificial, but the human drama is real.
This is a heartfelt endeavor, given weight by Shimono's extraordinary performance.
Following in the footsteps of Ray Bradbury, Rod Serling and Philip K. Dick rather than George Lucas, Pak returns to the tradition of intelligent, humanistic sci-fi and reminds us of the value of good genre fiction.
Robot Stories is a both a throwback and, hopefully, a sign of things to come.
The title encourages us to think of Robot Stories as the cinematic equivalent of a book of short stories, and I'd say a book in which half the stories are excellent is not a bad bet.
Part of the minimalist allure of Robot Stories is that it's much more than the sum of its parts.
Each vignette is worthy of admiration — not too much admiration, as Pak's ability as a storyteller is more developed than his filmmaking skills.
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 15% 15% | The Ugly Truth |
| 98% 98% | Up |
| 36% 36% | G.I. Joe: The Rise of … |
| 52% 52% | The Taking of Pelham 1… |
| 45% 45% | Ice Age: Dawn of the D… |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 68% 68% | Funny People |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 45% 45% | Shorts |
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