Search the Community

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTgs9rwrxMg Robot & Frank Park Pictures/Stage 6 Films/Samuel Goldwyn Films, 2012 Directed by Jake Schreier Written by Christopher D. Ford Running Time: 89 minutes Rated PG-13 for profanity. Cast Frank Langella (Skeletor in Masters of the Universe, Jaro Essa in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) as Frank Weld Peter Sarsgaard (Hector in Green Lantern, Cpl. Troy in Jarhead) as Robot (voice) Rachel Ma as Robot (body) Susan Sarandon (Janet in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Louise in Thelma & Louise) as Jennifer James Marsden (Scott/Cyclops in X-Men, Richard White in Superman Returns) as Hunter Weld Liv Tyler (Grace in Armageddon, Betty Ross in The Incredible Hulk) as Madison Weld Jeremy Strong as Jake Jeremy Sisto (Billy in Six Feet Under, Bruce Wayne/Batman in Justice League: The New Frontier) as Sheriff Rowlings Katherine Waterson as the Shop girl Synopsis Frank Weld is a retired cat burglar living in a quiet upstate New York town. Aside from dealing with the technological changes occurring in his town, he has to cope with rapid memory deterioration and dementia. As a means of therapeutic care, Frank's son Hunter purchases him a robot to do the daily chores and maintain his well-being. At first, Frank does not get along with the robot, but when he discovers the robot's inability to distinguish right from wrong, he programs it to pick locks and crack safes to get back into the old game of burglary. Lowdown It's amazing how someone can tell a very good sci-fi story without breaking the bank or resorting to excessive CG effects. Done on a meager budget of US$2.5 million, Robot & Frank is a lighthearted tale that relies only on storytelling and a solid performance by Frank Langella. Of course, it also helps that Susan Sarandon is in it too. Despite looking like a cheap ASIMO knockoff, the robot is a very convincing performer on-screen. Hollywood should really learn from this film, as it beats about anything 100 times its budget. Rating: A References The Internet Movie Database

Unknown Studio Babelsberg/Dark Castle Entertainment/Warner Bros. Pictures, 2011 Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra (Orphan, House of Wax) Based on the novel Out of My Head by Didier Van Cauwelaert Running Time: 113 minutes Rated PG-13 for violence, suggestive sexual situations and strong language Cast Liam Neeson (Aslan in The Chronicles of Narnia, tattoo artist in The Hangover: Part II) as Dr. Martin Harris Diane Kruger (Bridget in Inglorious Basterds, Abigail in National Treasure) as Gina January Jones (Emma Frost in X-Men: First Class, Betty in Mad Men) as Elizabeth Harris Frank Langella (Skeletor in Masters of the Universe, Perry White in Superman Returns) as Prof. Rodney Cole Aidan Quinn (President Grant in Jonah Hex, Benny in Benny & Joon) as Martin B Bruno Ganz (Hitler in Downfall and its countless parody videos online) as Ernst Jürgen Sebastian Koch as Prof. Bressler Mido Hamada as Prince Shada Synopsis Dr. Martin Harris and his wife Elizabeth arrive in Berlin, Germany, to attend a biotechnology summit. Then, when he realizes he forgot his briefcase at the airport, he takes a taxicab to go back and retrieve it - only to be involved in an accident that puts him in a coma for four days. When he wakes up, he discovers that he is not who he says he is, as somebody else has taken his name and identity while his wife does not know him. Lowdown It's Taken meets The Bourne Identity, as Liam Neeson proves he can deliver a powerful action/suspense performance in his late-50s. Unknown is a tale of mistaken identity, with Neeson as Martin Harris, a man struggling to prove to everyone who he is after surviving a horrific car crash. There are lots of unpredictable twists in the plot, right to the end. Despite being derivative of The Bourne Identity, the storyline is very well thought-of. Just like Taken, Neeson takes the Charles Bronson approach in no-nonsense action, despite some stunts that may seem implausible. Of course, January Jones is there mostly as eye candy. Diane Kruger delivers a remarkable performance as Gina, a Bosnian cabbie who tries to help Martin while avoiding possible risks of deportation. Also landing a solid role is Downfall Hitler himself, Bruno Ganz, as a private investigator who unravels the secrets behind Martin's stolen identity. If there are any flaws in this movie, one would be the pacing. Some parts of the middle of the film can seem bogged down by too much dialogue. Another general fault is the blatant product placement by Mercedes-Benz - from the older E-Class taxicabs to Prince Shada's SLS AMG. But that's just for nitpicking purposes, so don't mind it at all. In short, If you enjoyed Neeson's performance in Taken, you won't be disappointed with Unknown. Even though it gives you the feeling that you've seen this movie before, it's still an enjoyable thriller. Rating: B Links Official Unknown Homepage References The Internet Movie Database Wikipedia