Friday Night Double Feature: Giant Freakin Robots

Frequent readers of this column know that each week we present two movies that we recommend viewing together (kind of the point of a “double feature”). We do our best to connect those movies by theme or concept or an actor or director. At the same time we try to connect them with what’s currently going on in theaters or big DVD releases, making these double features relevant at the time of presentation, but something you can view any time.

With Transformers hitting theaters this week, I knew I had to pay tribute to Giant Freakin’ Robots in movies. At the same time, Pixar has their latest film coming out this weekend as well. Pixar is one of those rare companies that has managed to release a variety of pictures without having a dud among them. I couldn’t possibly let a new release go by without celebrating the awesome power that is Pixar. Well, it turns out the two film events combine into a double feature treat I’m particularly proud of.

Although John Lasseter has rapidly become one of my heroes, he’s not the only powerhouse behind Pixar’s success. In fact, Lasseter only directed Cars and the Toy Story films, although he has been involved with all of the projects as a hands-on producer. Others have done double duty on Pixar direction as well. Andrew Stanton was the director behind A Bug’s Life and Finding Nemo, while Brad Bird handled The Incredibles and now Ratatouille. Those are names just as responsible for Pixar’s success as Lasseter.

While Bird’s work on Ratatouille is quite incredible, the film wasn’t originally his. Bird was brought in to repair a damaged story and take over the project, but the story of a rat chef wasn’t originally his idea. Actually, Brad Bird has a bit of an obsession with Giant Freakin’ Robots looking at his filmography. The giant, threatening drone in Incredibles is an awesome force, but nothing compared to his creation in his earlier, underappreciated classic The Iron Giant. These two pictures make up our Giant Freakin’ Robots Double Feature, inspired by Brad Bird.

The Iron Giant

It’s a shame The Iron Giant got the reception it did. I’m sure the movie does have some problems, but for the life of me I can’t figure out what they are. The stylized animation is complex enough and beautiful enough to instantly turn this into an animated masterpiece, and the combination of hand drawn and CG animation has rarely been handled this well. On top of that, the movie has an incredible story behind it with the complex characters we’ve come to appreciate from Brad Bird. A widowed mom. A complex killing machine. And between them a lonely child looking for a friend. Much like E.T., the movie reminds us that sometimes the best of friends come in the strangest of places. Most reviews you read will give Bird credit for turning the alien Iron Giant into a sympathetic character, although less of them give credit to the vocal performance for the character from a then-unknown Vin Diesel. That’s right – Diesel can act, although the movie is more a combination of grunts, groans, and howls than anything else. Still, if you’re looking for an amazing Giant Freakin’ Robot story, The Iron Giant is an absolute must see. Claiming to love Giant Freakin’ Robots without having seen this one is ignorance, plain and simple.

The Incredibles

I never doubted that Pixar could create an amazing super-hero movie, and they certainly delivered one. Following the Pixar creedo, the characters and all their flaws still remain central to the story of The Incredibles, from Mr. Incredible’s need to be a hero to Elastigirl’s attempt to be the super mom. Yes, we know all of their powers reflect their personal needs and desires, which is what good heroes powers should do. In fact, the movie could have been a super-hero drama about these characters trying to exist in a normal world and it still would have been fantastic, thanks to the strong characters. That said, the action sequences of the movie easily rival the complex characters. It doesn’t matter that the characters are animated; it’s still easy to get caught up in the tension of explosions and speed as the superheroes try to save the day. On top of that, the Giant Freakin’ Robot factor of The Incredibles is a ton of fun, with a super robot drone that actually learns from each fight, getting tougher and tougher with each battle. Syndrome may be the movie’s true villain, but it’s the fight with the robot that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Other Giant Freakin’ Robots to see: Transformers, Power Rangers: The Movie, Godzilla vs. Megalon, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow

Enjoy our Double Feature suggestions? and maybe we’ll use them in a future column.