> July 16 - I, Robot
>
> It's actually funny how Hollywoodized this project is. The Asimov book of the same name is a collection of unconnected short stories, so perhaps it's not improper that this film isn't based on any of them, despite sporting its title. But a wise-cracking Will Smith, leading humanity against a revolution of robots? This is the kind of movie people *joke* about Hollywood stooping to. For all I know, this will be a decent movie, but I can't help but think it loses credibility in a big way by being tied to Asimov's short stories.

For the first fifteen seconds or so of the trailer, there was no indication that robots were involved in the plot in any way. Then they flashed something on the screen like "Law One: They cannot harm us," and I thought, "Cool -- they're gonna use Asimov's laws of robotics in this somehow."

As the trailer revealed more of the plot and characterizations, I started to think, "oh great, they're ripping off Asimov's laws of robotics and completely MISusing them in some dumb action movie."

When they got around to revealing the movie's TITLE, my jaw fell open and I made weak, strangled noises in the back of my throat. Mrs. Iss looked over at me, but I couldn't talk for another moment or two. MY GOD. THEY'RE PRETENDING THAT THIS MOVIE IS ACTUALLY "BASED" ON ASIMOV'S CLASSIC. ARRRRRGRGHGHRGH. MUST....KILL....HOLLYWOOD....

I'll get over it, of course. I might even go see the movie if it turns out to be better than the trailer makes it look. But somebody in Hollywood -- probably a lot of people, actually -- needs to get Iss-slapped, is all I'm saying.

P.S. Also, to pick at a nit in Sam's post, the Asimov short stories actually *are* loosely connected: they follow some of the same characters and organizations over the course of several decades.

Iss "arrghrghhgrrrh...." achar