ROBOT DREAMS Movie Review | Neon | Animation | Oscars 2024
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ม.ค. 2025
- "Robot Dreams" doesn't come out until May 31, but we loved it so much that we couldn't wait to tell you about it. The Oscar nominee for best animated feature follows the adventures of a dog named Dog, living a lonely life in 1980s New York. He sends away for a robot to be the companion he's always dreamed of, and the city opens up to him -- and them -- in wondrous ways. But when they get separated, Dog and Robot must find a way back to each other. We laughed a ton but we were also emotional wrecks watching this movie, which is entirely wordless. Written and directed by Spanish filmmaker Pablo Berger, based on the graphic novel by Sara Varon.
#robotdreams #neon #animation
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Movies like Robot Dreams are why I am so thankful to have discovered you both from back in the What The Flick days to now.
I remember Alonso recommending Robot Dreams as a film to look out for in 2024 during the last award’s season. I watched it knowing only that it had been compared favourably to Past Lives and was entranced by it.
This film gets loneliness, connection, friendship, heartache and, ultimately, the need to let go of the one’s we love.
The roller skating sequence is pure joy and the way the same song is used at the end is as joyous as it is gut wrenching. I can’t remember crying as hard at the end of a movie.
Robot Dreams came out a month ago in Australia. I had been waiting for your review and cheered with joy on my train home when I saw you both rate it a 10.
Thank you for your years of recommending movies and creating a community here at Breakfast All Day where movies are loved. I’ve been able to see so many great movies and share them with people in my life because of what you guys do.
With love from Australia, Rob
Thank you so much for the lovely words, Rob! You describe this movie so beautifully.
Thus should have won Best Animated Feature this year. I will die on that hill!!
It was a very good year. Glad you saw this!
Best animated feature from last year. Glad to see it was nominated for an Oscar. The song that is featured in the movie was the first single I ever bought. A beautiful celebration of friendship.
What a nice memory!
the first 3000 times?!
Neon really fumbled the release of this thing big time. Waiting until over a YEAR after it premiered and months after it predictably lost the one Oscar it was nominated for, so too late to capitalize off that buzz. Shame, because it’s easily one of the best of last year, animated or not.
It does seem like a long time afterward, but we're glad it's finally out now.
Thank you so much for this very thoughtful review. I saw it a few days ago, and I agree that this film needs and deserves a much wider audience. As you mention, “Robot Dreams” is an architecturally and geographically accurate depiction of New York in the 1980s. One thing that struck me is that, throughout the movie, the World Trade Center is seen in the distance. And this, I think, must be intentional as is the choice of “September” as a leitmotif throughout the film. Ultimately what this movie asks us is, what happens when you open your heart to someone and that someone is taken away from you? Is it possible in the face of unspeakable loss to find happiness again? As both this image and this song foreshadow unfathomable loss, “Robot Dreams” answers these questions in an exceedingly mature and nuanced and complex and compassionate way. I was an absolute wreck by the end of the film, and I'm still feeling all the feels a few days later. And for that I am grateful.
I watch it on a sort of sad day months ago. Loved it even though it wasn't what I needed right then and there (I went to the theater to watch it because I somehow thought it was going to be fun and light and end perfectly).
I specially appreciate that they ended up in such an honest, although not quite "happy" note. It may feel bittersweet but it's also good to see a movie that allows it's characters lives to just keep going forward.
That's a great way to phrase it.
“Will we ever meet the repeatedly dreamt one again？”
I screamed with joy hearing that you both loved this movie. I was able to see it earlier this year for a one-night screening at my local Landmark Theater and I walked away with tears in my eyes and a happy/sad ache in my heart. The epitome of a bitter sweet moment in life.
Completely. Glad you loved it too!
Absolutely delightful and devastating film, in equal measure. So glad that you both loved it. It still lingers with me emotionally now and I saw it a couple of months ago.
Delightful and devastating is a great way to describe it!
I saw this last year and I still think about it. To articulate complex emotion and human need without words, exemplifies the power of cinema when placed in capable hands. You leave with more than you came for. #RobotDreams
Beautifully said! Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us.
Glad you're feeling better!
Thank you!
Welcome back, Alonso! ❤ 🤩
Thank you!
WHOA! BOTH OF YOU GAVE IT A 10?!
I saw it earlier this year and ended up putting it as an honorable mention on my Best of 2023 list, because it had an awards qualifying run late last year. The only flaws I had were an ongoing repetitive bit and some pacing issues (it could've been a lean, trimmed 80 mins.), but that's just me.
But now, shocked as seeing both of you giving it a 10 makes me think I need to watch it again feeling like I've missed something here.
It doesn't happen very often!
It just irritated me how they made it bittersweet and sad at the end just for the sake of doing so. It was cruel of Robot to not let Dog know he was still alive and living a good life. Instead Dog will always think his actions got Robot killed. I realize a "happy" ending would have made this movie completely irrelevant though.
I understand how you feel but I found the ending, while sad, to be very realistic and symbolic. Robot visualized the reunion and then realized it shouldn't be done. They both went through a lot in that year apart. Their new experiences changed them and for Robot, physically. He would be disrupting Dog's new life with his new robot, causing conflict. It would disrupt his new life as well. They will always have the memories and that's what is most important.
This was the last film I saw at TIFF last year, and what a delightful (and emotional) way to end the festival! I really think every finely tuned, colorful detail in this film makes it one of the most imaginative I’ve seen in quite some time, and I actually predicted the ending; not because it was necessarily predictable, but more so because it felt like the right place to end the story, and boy, did they deliver!! Was not the least bit surprised when this was nominated for the Oscar, easily one of the most deserving of the nomination. Glad you two loved it as well!
Thank you for sharing your lovely thoughts! Glad it moved you too.
This was beautiful! I just saw it on a small screening and everyone was left speachless once the credits rolled.
So glad it moved you!
Got this in the NEON Bible late last year, a hidden gem
Brent, did you sob too?
what am I, a robot??
I just saw this. Loved this movie! Definitely the whole range of emotions. I had to sit in the theater and get myself together when it was over. Recommend it to everyone.
Right? It's a journey! Glad it moved you too.
I had the same experience!
Past Lives for children which is a great thing
I saw this in a theater yesterday. SOO great!…Thanks for raising my awareness about it. 🙏🙏🙏
So glad!
I saw this movie yesterday and it was a very delightful surprise
Isn't it though? Glad you checked it out!
I really wanna see this. I hope its released digitally .
I have my ticket for Sunday at the Film Forum, here in NYC.
Look forward to hearing your thoughts. Bring Kleenex!
It’s also playing at AMC in NY but I am so sick of Nicole Kidman, lol.
@@nevetsny1 But she's come to this place ... for magic.
@@BreakfastAllDay Nooooooo!!! 😜
There's an Eastern egg to remind us that the movie is Spanish: the logo in Dog's bag is a popular mascot from when Spain hosted the World Cup in the 80s. It's a great film and I loved it. You guys should watch the Emmy-winning short 'Jibaro', another jewel from our animation industry.
Ah, that's clever. Hope you're feeling better, Angel!
Double 10's....Wow, time for a trip to the theatre...😊
Yes! Let us know what you think.
I will definitely see this. Unfortunately it won't be in my area until July.
Question: When are you seeing “Deadpool & Wolverine”? Do you know yet when the review embargo drops?
We’re both going to be out of town when it screens here for critics, so we’re seeing it the Thursday night it opens and reviewing the next morning. Embargo lifts next Tuesday at 3pm Pacific.
@@BreakfastAllDayThanks.
I’ve been waiting months to see this movie and ever since it came out in the ending of May I’ve been waiting to go see it. But it wasn’t showing any theaters near me until a couple weeks ago. I watched a movie and I truly loved it and I’m going to watch it again tomorrow
So glad you were able to catch it!
Never even heard of this, but with this rousing endorsement, I'll have to check it out.
Yes please do!
2 10s!! Wow!! BTW, I am glad you mentioned "Take This Waltz", a very good forgotten by most film.
Love that movie! Sarah Polley is undefeated.
@@BreakfastAllDay One word........."Splice"
Oh gosh it had full wide release last year here in France, and seemed quite popular ´cause it stayed in theatres for quite a long time, which is what made me finally go see it … when I saw it was still playing after many weeks I figured in that case it must be pretty good, and voilà it certainly was!!! 🥰
So glad you caught it, Bev!
Please review “Stress Positions.”
I have heard this from a variety of reviewers it was fantastic but only one very far theater in my state had it. I have to check it out. With this also steller review
Hope you get to see it!
Can't wait! I've been looking forward to seeing this for a while now!
Woo hoo! Let us know what you think.
Need to watch this. I'm intrigued
Let us know what you think!
I’m seeing this in a theater this Sunday
Wonderful! Bring tissues.
This movie understands codependency in a way no other film or show has been able to communicate as effectively.
Seems more benevolent than that, no?
@@BreakfastAllDay Yes and no lol, maybe I was just projecting onto the movie, but hey, that's what art is all about!
I kind of felt that way too.
saw this last year, it was MY pick for best animated film of the year. REMARKABLE!!!
So glad you loved it too!
I would argue that the anteater brothers are evil lol
Hey Christy are you going to review in a violent nature?
This movie knocked me out. Such a beautiful story about friendship and loss and an adorable love letter to NYC.
Totally, such a specific NYC too.
I gave it perfect score too
Great! Glad you loved it so much too.
What's your guys' number? 10?
I don’t get it. I liked the movie, but I never felt close to crying. And I wanted to. 😅
Glad you liked it though!
I saw this a few months back, thought it was quite cute and emotional, but it went for too long. I started to feel frustrated that it was just repeating itself instead of moving the story forward in the middle.
Also got a weird sense of forboding woth a certain landmark in the skyline.
Christy here - thanks for sharing your thoughts. For me, the repetition was part of the point to make us feel their frustration in not being able to find each other. As for the landmark, that felt to me like a crucial part of anchoring this story in a specific kind of NYC. Thank you for watching!
This movie destroyed me.
Totally.
Set a movie in the 80's and you're halfway there with Christy and Alonso.
Ha, very true! But this is a lovingly specific '80s.
Overall, I thought this would have worked better as a 35-minute short as opposed to a 95-minute feature. I still would recommend it, though, just for how good a job it does at capturing the vibe and essence of 80's era NYC.
Totally. So much care went into getting the details right.
I'm all for feeling something watching a movie, but is this 'critic-emotional' or 'people-emotional?' Am I going to go watch this and it's one of those plotless slogs with 'restraint' that y'all find so touching and emotional, like EO and Roma? Or does it have some real emotions that real people feel (like Toy Story 3, Cinema Paradiso, Titanic, Love Story, Fruitvale Station, etc.)? 😉
Your obsession with critics not being "real people" is astounding in both its consistency and stupidity. You sound far more snobbish than any critic when you say shit like this, I hope you know that.
Real emotion all the way! The comparisons with 'Toy Story 3' and 'Cinema Paradiso' are apt. This is far from a plotless slog.
Take a look around the comments and you'll see lots of folks who aren't critics who responded emotionally to this film. Hope you enjoy it, too.
@@EppyGibbon Okay, we'll see :)
@@angelthman1659, hope you enjoy it!
movie was SOOO boooring, repetitive and boooring
aww... you guys perfectly described the emotional roller coaster that this movie was... 🥲🥲🥲🥲🥲🥲
So glad you saw it, Andrea!
@@BreakfastAllDay I saw it for my Oscar's ballot... And it was one of my favorites ❤️❤️❤️