Mi Amigo Robot

Hats off to director Pablo Berger for bringing Sara Varon's graphic novel to life in such a moving way. It revolves around the themes of friendship, longing, betrayal, and healing; plus, it has a dog and a robot as protagonists. Set in '80s NYC, the silent 2D-animated flick exudes a resonating hand-drawn charm, with the city's cosmopolitanism showcased to remarkably messy effect. I've taken a liking to ambitious filmmakers attempting to bring childrens' graphic novels to life, but with the realization that the underlying subject matter always finds greater relatability within adults.

Friendship (no matter the circumstances, and between whoever) is always something that'll immediately grab our attention, and that's the case here too. The film is adorably punctuated by great music, and I like to think, at times, there's nothing better than music to put emotions across. The visuals are filled with retro NYC essentials, and since Dog is a snacker, it shouldn't surprise you that there's plenty of food and beverages on display. I mention this because the film also left me reasonably hungry (and craving a hot dog and a pack of Flamin' Cheetos!).

The protagonists get separated quite early on, and you can draw easily parallels to real-world situations. Dog is trying to find new friends, and going on new adventures, and some of these chapters (or subplots) have that episodic quality to them. Not all of them contribute to the plot, such as the skiing adventure-turned-mishap, but they indicate the passage of time. On the other hand, Robot is left all alone on the beach, with only his dreams for company. The dream sequences have a likeable charm to them, even when you know they're just "dreams" (read: wishful thinking). The episode with the family of birds was wonderful, and one of the most memorable stretches in the film alongside the achingly beautiful finale.

Really sweet, yet touching story of a dog and his robot friend starting off as best buddies then certain circumstances makes them take their own journeys and lessons in life. Intentionally mundane and meandering in many places just like life itself, the movie follows these two characters through their ups and downs in different ways. Sometimes the outcome you wanted just doesn't play out and like reality you accept the path you're now on. There is no dialogue at all in this, just music and sounds, and the movie does an excellent job at showing exactly what is going on and how the characters are feeling. Nice art style too. A pleasant watch.

Well I just don't like it as much as I should. Maybe I just need to rewatch it again next time.

Robot Dreams starts off with charming characters and beautiful animation, making it easy to get attached. The first half is engaging and warm, delving into themes of friendship, imagination, and staying positive. However, the second half becomes repetitive and slow, which dims the initial appeal. The ending is touching and feels real, but overall, the film feels a bit too simple and stretched out. While it has effective, bittersweet moments and plenty of endearing gags, it ends up being a nice but somewhat scattered experience.

I wish all children's films were remotely close to what Pablo Berger has achieved with his animated debut.

A film that manages to be enjoyable for both children and adults. A work that will undoubtedly grow with the younger viewer, since its true story is hidden between the lines.

A superb handling of visual humor, along with some dramatic shots to make them poster and that tear you apart.

At times it doesn't work for me and I feel it gets repetitive or stalls certain sequences too long, time that could have been used to explore a certain character at the end or other tangents, but when, it works, damn, it knows where to play. I wish this animation would come back to the big studios in North America.

I love you crocodile boy.

The characters are super cute. Despite not having any dialogues, it's able to capture a lot of charm about them.

However, this movie is clearly a short story concept idea that was forcibly stretched to 1 hour and 43 minutes.

It's cute, but if you want excitement, this movie isn't it. I feel this is one of those movies you would watch at midnight with less distraction/to go to sleep.

Kids may not get it, but this movie is clearly a symbolism/message/made that people come and go in life (ie: the birds/family); or if you're in a first relationship that you can't get over with (ie: 500 Days of Summer)

The actions of the dog can be pretty frustrating to watch.

Overall, it's a cute "short film" that is pretty overstretched with some mundane scenes; you can interpret the movie to a deeper meaning; if you also live in New York/love New York or love the song 'Earth, Wind & Fire - September' then this movie is for you.