Robot Stories

Science Fiction is a great device for writing about social politics, and these four short films do this well in some way or another.

The first story is the sharpest, and questions how we value motherhood against normal human values. The serious point, that babies are truly alien to your life, is well made.

The second film slighly connects love of science fiction with withdrawl from real life. And this film was in a Sci-Fi festival!

The third film is light relief, but does explore alienation and fear in a simple way.

The last film is in someways the most traditional, in that it looks at the ultimate mechanization of human life.

All these stories are in turn funny, sexy and intelligent - I wouldn't say that any were original, well produced or deep. A good film for a new director.

Beautifully shot and very moving.

I found all four stories very strong and riveting. Great performances throughout in particular Sab Shimono's portrayal of the old man. Each chapter left us with a bittersweet moved and inspired kind of feeling.

Don't go looking for regular science fiction here. This is a good art film. The robots don't kill anyone, for the most part do their utmost to fit in. They are metaphors and mirrors that Greg Pak uses to reflect back into our very souls.

26 August 2005. This sometimes cute, sometimes somber movie using robot-themed short stories addresses important matters of motherhood, love, and death. While not penetrating to the depths of our soul, each of the four stories offers the audience an emotional jolt of sympathy and reflection on the meaning of love and dying and moving on if necessary. The first story using a robotic adoption test baby offers a dark-humor approach to the connection between a mother and her baby, the path taken and the past carried on from mother to daughter. The second story focuses on death, the meaning of life while alive, and the ability to move on and leaving one's past for some future life. The third story provides an indirect humorous parody of love among robots and the anthropomorphic possibilities of mechanical electronics and our human awareness of such alternative experiences. The last and perhaps most troubling is one man's forced decision of either having his past life encapsulated into electronic eternity or letting his physical reality disappear forever. Each of these stories has some small, if not deeply moving universal answers, it probes the outer boundaries of matters that each of us at some time has or must face. A relevant peak into some of the most critical values and concepts facing us as human beings using of all things, something most inhuman - robots. Seven out of Ten Stars. Seven out of Ten Stars.

In the four-part anthology film "Robot Stories," writer/director Greg Pak examines the role that technology plays in modern life, pondering the age old quandaries of what is real and what is synthetic and whether or not technology can truly enhance our lives. Knowing a good thing when he sees it, Pak has chosen to utilize many of the same cast members - largely Asian - for each of the unrelated episodes.

The first story, entitled "My Robot Baby," takes place in the not too distant future when couples who are looking to adopt a child are first sent home with a fully computerized and monitored, "simulated" baby that they have to take care of for a brief period of time (this is a more elaborate version of what many high school Health teachers do with their students to convince them of just how much work caring for a newborn can be). How the participants do on this "test" helps to determine their fitness as parents and their eligibility for getting a "real" child in the future. This segment is both creepy and witty in roughly equal measure. In the well acted and touching second episode, "The Robot Fixer," a young man lies brain dead in a hospital after he is run over by a car. His mother and sister, who have long been estranged from the man, spend their time reconstructing his collection of beloved toy robots as a way of coming to terms with who he really is. This is the only section that deals not with futuristic technology per se but with the part technology plays in our imaginations and fantasies. The third installment, "Machine Love," is probably the most conventional of the quartet, about how even two robots - in this case, two office "workers" - need a little love in a cold, uncaring world. It's a theme that has been explored in virtually every film involving robots since "Metropolis" in 1927. "Clay," the fourth and most thoughtful segment, takes us to a future world in which people, rather than dying, become somehow absorbed into a giant "system" that allows them to live on in holographic form. A dying sculptor is forced to choose between this kind of virtual "eternal life" devoid of tactile sensation, or taking his chances with a more natural albeit uncertain existence in the great beyond.

As with many anthology films, "Robot Stories" turns out to be better in parts than it is as a whole, with certain episodes inevitably proving to be more imaginative and more captivating than others. Moreover, the twenty-odd minute length allotted for each section doesn't allow for the kind of depth and resonance one finds in more fully developed feature length movies. Nevertheless, given the constraints of the format he has chosen, Pak has mounted an impressive little product, taking advantage of his miniscule budget to adopt a subtle, low-keyed approach to a subject that, given less limited resources, might otherwise have become top heavy with special effects. The acting - particularly on the part of the older actors in the cast - is outstanding. "Robot Stories" may not satisfy the demands of the average sci-fi aficionado, but those in search of something different may enjoy it.

first off, this is low budget and the filming debut of this director (or so it seems). Judge it as that... of course it's not perfect, as the people behind it are still finding out which of their ideas work on screen and which don't. This film then, for the most part works, and if you think it over afterwards it works even better.

You gotta admire the vision and care that went into each of the 4 stories that each touch on a different side of the same subject: how humans relate to machines and then relate back to real life. The story about the comatose boy his mother and his action figures was especially touching, as was the one about the older man that just wants to die, both beautiful roles by the mother and the sculptor. It seems the director is at best when making a 'small' story, he does it with a tenderness and visual power rarely seen. This leaves the actors plenty of room to present their characters in subtle ways and not having to carry the weight of the story by overacting.

The acting from the predominantly Asian cast is very good, and it's nice to see asians in a non-stereotypical role in American film. The imagery shows the low budget, but the locations are well chosen and it's well directed. The only weak point is when it gets exciting the director has trouble picking up the pace and really conveying the sense of fear and adrenaline the characters must feel. These moments are very sporadic (just one in the first story..my least favorite anyway).

This is a movie to watch, if you have an open mind and can relate to the people on screen. If you're looking for more traditional sci-fi themes.. look further. Calling this movie sci-fi just because it deals with robots is missing the point. This is more geared towards drama. And it's good.. especially for a filming debut. Definitely a director to watch for in the future. A man with vision, ideas and original stories to tell.