‘I, Robot’ perfect popcorn fare

Evan Marmol

It’s July again, and that means it’s time for Will Smith to save the

world. In the past it was aliens, now it is nefarious robotic menaces

threatening human civilization. Not much of a threat for the

perennial savior of the universe.

For my part, I, human, I have to rave about how slick,

breathtaking and outrageously entertaining “I, Robot” is. It is in

the ilk of movies that causes your seat to become a vacuum seal by

thoroughly engaging all of your senses and makes you wish you did not

have to blink to maintain necessary eye maintenance.

Set in 2035 a robot-phobic detective named Del Spooner (Will

Smith) lives in a world overrun with humanity’s new best friend, the

humanoid-helper robot. Smith sets out to investigate the murder of

Dr. Alfred Lanning (James Cromwell), an employee of U.S. Robotics,

and the prime suspect is a robot by the name of Sonny. The only

problem is that in the future annals of humanity, in an Isaac Asimov

twist, robots have never and are purportedly incapable of harming

humans. This axiom makes Smith’s investigation seem hopeless and

ludicrous. To further discredit Smith, Dr. Susan Calvin (Bridget

Moynahan), a psychologist, accompanies Smith and chalks up his

suspicions as paranoia and an antipathy for robots.

This movie seamlessly combines conventional acting with phenomenal

special effects, as Smith’s investigation quickly takes an inclement

turn. His investigation turns into a full blown war with robot kind.

The film takes twists and turns, that are sometimes contrived but

never boring, as Smith unravels what appears to be a robot

conspiracy.

There isn’t a moment to take a breath, as this film never relents

and never ceases to entertain. It is truly a fascinating popcorn

thriller.

‘Catwoman’ is great, mindless fun

The comic pundits are already grousing about “Catwoman.” The

refrain seems to be that this revisionist ploy diverges from the

“real story” of the kitten with claws.

For all the hemming, hawing and pontificating, it is, after all, a

movie about a comic book character. These are fictional characters

meant to entertain, titillate and captivate. The dismay is misguided

and honestly laughable.

The focus should be on the academy award winning minx, Halle

Berry, portraying a Manx and whipping her way through action

sequences, semi-clad and angry. This is the consummate summer

thriller. It is stylish, hip, quick and sexy, and it requires less

than half a brain cell to appreciate.

The gist is really quite direct, a soft-spoken employee discovers

the indiscretions of a corporation and is dispatched, but her demise

is the catalyst for her resurrection as a super-powered cat woman.

She is lithe, agile, feral and always lands on her feet.

And what better nemesis can you ask for than a revamped Sharon

Stone. Stone is more intoxicating than she has been in recent

history. This film gives a totally new meaning to the term catfight,

as the two superstars ravage each other for our amusement.

Infuse heartthrob Benjamin Bratt as the unassuming detective and

you have a cast that intrigues and appeals to all audiences.

So what if this is not the real “Catwoman”? Berry lights up the

silver screen with her radiant panache and powers through this flick

with style and grace. Stone is a breath of fresh air, resurrecting

her own career with my total approbation.

The movie is dark, fast paced, episodic and as sophisticated as a

comic-book movie can be. The performances are dangerously hot, and

the narrative is entertaining enough to merit a sequel.

Buy a big tub of popcorn, sit down, and allow yourself to be

consumed by this inventive view of the vixen in black. Revel in the

action scenes, and do not look back with an analytical eye. This is

the summer concoction that the doctor ordered.

* EVAN MARMOL is Laguna Beach resident. He graduated from UC

Irvine with a degree in psychology and social behavior. He can be

reached at Evan_Marmol@hotmail.com.