Il mio amico robot

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.

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.

Nominated for Best Animated Feature at the upcoming Academy Awards, Robot Dreams is an achingly bittersweet story about our intrinsic need for connection & companionship while also highlighting the several meaningful relationships we make, cherish, lose & move on from while journeying through the varying seasons of what we call life. Though the story is slightly drawn out and repetitive in its course, the simple animation, sincere emotions & wordless storytelling makes this Spanish-French tragicomedy a worthy sit that speaks directly to the soul, strikes a heartfelt chord and aptly portrays the painful absurdities of fate.

This film left me in a state of odd emotion.

It really draws you in with its clever animation, and loveable characters.

Ive been in Dogs shoes, and I'm sure a lot of people can relate to the feeling of loneliness, and longing for connection.

When dog finally takes action, and purchaces Robot and builds his friend, it seems like they will be friends forever.

The journey that they both take is entertaining, sad at times, but shows exactly how life can be.

The end might not be what you were hoping for, but it's a realistic situation that anyone would have a hard time to accept.

I thoroughly enjoyed this film. My only complaint was the length. I feel like the same story could have been told with less filler for that 90 movie run time.

Robot Dreams is a beautiful and heartwarming story that doesn't shy away from tugging at the heart strings. The animation, while simple, is great and features some very memorable shots and scenes. There is no dialogue in the film so most of the emotions, especially from the robot, is communicated entirely through mouth shapes. It is really hard to put into words how much heart is communicated in those scenes, and it doesn't really shine through in the trailer.

There is an underlying tragedy and sadness to the story though. For every heartwarming feel-good moment, you get an equally sad one, with one in particular having been downright soul-crushing to me. It's not a depressing movie by any means, but I did tear up multiple times.

In the end, it left me with a bittersweet, hopeful feeling and the thought that even if you, your life, or the people in it can never go back to being the way they were, there is still happiness and good times ahead, and it's best to face it with a smile.