Daily Archives: March 3, 2001

A.i. Artificial Intelligence

A collaboration between the living Steven Spielberg and the late Stanley Kubrick seems appropriate to a project that reflects profoundly on the differences between life and nonlife. Kubrick started this picture and came up with the idea that Spielberg should direct it, and after inheriting a 90-page treatment Kubrick had prepared with Ian Watson and 600 drawings he’d done with Chris Baker, Spielberg finished it in so much his own manner that it may be his most personal film, as well as his most thoughtful. It might make you cry; it’s just as likely to give you the creepswhich is as it should be. This is a movie people will be arguing about for many years to come (2001). With Haley Joel Osment, Jude Law, and William Hurt. PG-13, 145 min. (JR) Read more

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

Angelina Jolie stars as a superwoman, in a 2001 movie based on a video game that’s unafraid to look absurd but lacks the self-conviction needed to come off as camp. This bears most of the earmarks of Indiana Jones movies but few of the thrills, apart from some nifty set design. It’s refreshing that the title adventuress isn’t saddled with a romantic interest, but the character has so little personality of any kind that the gains are limited. (And the characters set up to be her domestic fixtureswith shades of Batman and Star Wars and including a nerdy Brit version of Gyro Gearlooseseem more obligatory than lovable.) Simon West directed a screenplay by Patrick Massett and John Zinman. With Jon Voight, Iain Glen, Noah Taylor, and Daniel Craig. 105 min. (JR) Read more