Robots! Despite cinema telling us over and over that once we build them, they’ll become our mechanized overlords, hell-bent on wiping out humanity — we can’t shake them. It’d still be really cool to have them around to do the dishes, our homework, vacuum, and pay our bills now and again. Right? Our fascination with robots have long been a subject of film, and here at ScreenCrave, we’ve decided to put together a list of our 10 favorite machines. From murderously insane cyborgs, to robotic friends, to well…more murderously insane cyborgs, it’s a grouping of our favorite humanoid creatures.

Note to nitpickers: Before you complain about certain absences, please note that Hal 9000 is a computer, not a robot; Data is primarily a TV show character; and the Transformers…well, those movies are terrible. They won’t be on here.

Check out our list below… (Warning, movie spoilers ahead!)

10.  Ash (Alien, 1979)

It takes an amazing and threatening performance to be memorable in an Alien film, when you’re not playing an alien. That’s exactly what Ian Holm did in the science fiction classic. He created a character who at first seems like an ineffectual snob that later reveals himself as a murderous android! He was determined to sacrifice his human crew members in order to bring a dangerous alien species to Earth for study. Aside from his psycho methods, he also bleeds a milky white goo, and that’s just spooky.

9.  WALL-E (WALL-E, 2008)

This is a robot that’s designed to make your eyes wet, forcing you to shout there’s just something wrong with your contact lens. WALL-E is the star of the 2008 Pixar animated film of the same name. He’s a garbage disposal robot left behind on an abandoned and uninhabitable future Earth. Within the 98 minute feature, we discover that WALL-E’s developed sentience, a heart of gold (no, not literally), falls in love with another robot, and pretty much saves humanity. Not bad for a guy whose look rips off the bot from Short Circuit.

8.  Robocop (Robocop – Robocop 3, 1987 – 1993)

OK, it’s a cop who was killed, then had his face and memories grafted to robot body that stomps around, taking a bite out of Detroit crime. He also finds time to wipe out the greedy corporate overlords who created him.  Do I really need to say anything else to justify Robocop’s placement on this list?

7.  T-1000 (Terminator 2: Judgment Day, 1991)

The T-1000 is a cold killing machine sent from the future to murder a boy. The year’s 1991, and the kid will grow up to become the leader a resistance against the machines. Therefore, the T-1000 would have made it onto this list by that fact alone. Director James Cameron came up with the idea of a machine comprised solely of liquid metal (meaning it’s a big pile of shiny goo that can replicate anyone/anything it touches) and made it totally believable. However, it’s Robert Patrick’s hyper-precise, blankly menacing performance that truly makes this robot memorable.

6.  The Iron Giant (The Iron Giant, 1999)

A 50 foot metal eating robot, the Iron Giant is without doubt the greatest animated robot of all time. A tribute to the metal machines of Cold War-era cinema, the Iron Giant is a walking destroyer of words, who with the help of a young boy’s friendship and some Superman comics, learns the value of heroism over destruction.

5.  Robby the Robot (Forbidden Plant, 1956)

Remember Shakespeare’s The Tempest? It’s about a deposed Duke/magician who lives on a deserted island with his daughter, a monster, and an angelic spirit. Now imagine that story being retold as a 1950s sci-fi film, set on a distant planet, and Ariel the spirit is now Robby the Robot. Seriously. Guided by Asimov’s Three Law’s of Robotics (don’t injure a human through action/inaction, obey all human orders that don’t lead to human harm, and protect its own existence as long as humans are not harmed), Robby has appeared in numerous sci-fi films and TV shows, remaining one of the most strangely memorable bots in pop culture.

4.  Gort (The Day the Earth Stood Still, 1951)

As a 7” tall robot sent by aliens to wipe out humanity (if we don’t start behaving ourselves), Gort may be the most instantly recognizable of all “classic” film robots. Also gals, he is the reason sci-fi nerds will whisper “Klaatu barada nikto” to you and hope that it has an effect.

3.  Roy Batty (Blade Runner, 1982)

One of the most powerful, intelligent and dangerous replicants (androids built to serve humanity) in the future of Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner is Roy Batty. He rebels against his human masters after he discovers his built in life span of only a few years.  Wholly sentient, he returns to Los Angeles to find the man who created him and demand, simply, more time. When he discovers that he cannot extend his life, he elects to “revel in his own time.” And that’s when the madness really begins.

2.  The Terminator (The Terminator – Terminator: Salvation, 1984 – 2009)

Built by SkyNet, a self-aware missile defense system of the future convinced that the destruction of humanity is the way to go, The Terminator is a mass-produced cyborg designed for one thing: killing us. In the first Terminator film, one model is sent back in time to kill Sarah Conner, whose son John, will one day lead a resistance against the machines. Portrayed by Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Terminator is a brutal killer, who’ll stop at nothing to find and kill its target. However, in the first sequel, a Terminator model is reprogrammed by John in the future, and sent back to save him as a child. Now programmed to protect and learn, the Terminator not only rescues John, but over the course of a few days, learns the value of human life. (And then two more sequels showed up that sucked. The less said of those, the better).

1.  R2-D2 (Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope – Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, 1977 – 2005)

Come on, how could R2 not be number one? Somehow managing to talk to everyone in the Star Wars franchise by saying “bee boo baah buuh beee booo bee” or screaming “whaaaaaaaaaa!” whenever something goes wrong, R2 somehow manages not be annoying; rather, in the increasingly ridiculous films, it eventually becomes one of the most likeable, and surrounded by wooden performances — human characters in the entire franchise.

What are your favorite cinematic robots?

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Let the award season begin! The 13th annual Hollywood Film Festival and Hollywood awards have announced that Director Kathryn Bigelow will be honored with the “Hollywood Director Award”, Screenwriter Nora Ephron will be presented with the “Hollywood Screenwriter Award”, Disney/Pixar’s UP will get the “Hollywood Animation Award” and Scott Farrar, visual effects supervisor for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen will receive the “Hollywood Visual Effects Award” at the festivals Hollywood Awards Gala Ceremony.

The ceremony will take place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills on October 26, 2009.

The Announcement was made by Carlos de Abreu, Founder and Executive Director of the Hollywood Film Festival. “It is a great pleasure to recognize the extraordinary talent of Kathryn Bigelow, Nora Ephron, Peter Docter and Scott Farrar,” said Mr. de Abreu, “and to honor their achievements and contributions to filmmaking.”

Kathryn Bigelow recently directed The Hurt Locker, a film that received great acclaim. Bigelow’s remarkable work has alternated between edgy and art-house fare (The Loveless, Near Dark, The Weight of Water) and Hollywood products (Point Break, Strange Days, K-19: The Widowmaker) throughout a highly regarded career spanning more than 25 years.

Nora Ephron is an academy award nominated screen writer, her credits include films Heartburn, Silkwood, When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, You’ve Got Mail and Bewitched.

Peter Docter is the director and writer of The Walt Disney Studios’/Pixar Animation Studios’ animated feature UP. Docter made his debut as a director on Monsters, Inc. for which he received an Academy Award nomination. He earned another for his original story credit on the Oscar-winning WALL-E.

Scott Farrar has been a part of the special effects super champs, Industrial Light & Magic since 1981 as a camera operator on Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and was promoted to visual effects supervisor on Who Framed Roger Rabbit. In 1985, he received an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects for his work on Cocoon. Since then he has received Oscar nominations for The Chronicles of Narnia, Backdraft, A.I.: Artificial Intelligence and Transformers.

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It’s been quite an award show. We twittered the Oscars live from inside the Kodak theater. We posted all the best moments on the red carpet and the big winners of the night. Just in case you were looking for a full list of all the nominees and all the winners, here it is!

*Winners are bolded*

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Richard Jenkins – The Visitor
Frank Langella – Frost / Nixon
Sean Penn – Milk
Brad Pitt – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke – The Wrestler

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Josh Brolin – Milk
Robert Downey Jr. – Tropic Thunder
Phillip Seymour Hoffman – Doubt
Heath Ledger – The Dark Knight
Michael Shannon – Revolutionary Road

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Anne Hathaway – Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie – Changeling
Melissa Leo – Frozen
Meryl Streep – Doubt
Kate Winslet - The Reader

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Amy Adams – Doubt
Penelope Cruz – Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis – Doubt
Taraji P. Henson – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei – The Wrestler

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
Wall-E

DIRECTING
Danny Boyle – Slumdog Millionaire
Stephen Daldry – The Reader
Gus Van Sant – Milk
David Fincher – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard – Frost/Nixon

BEST PICTURE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost / Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire

WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Doubt
Frost/Nixon
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire

WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)
Frozen River
Happy-Go-Lucky
In Bruges
Milk
Wall-E

MUSIC (SCORE)
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Defiance
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire
Wall-E

MUSIC (SONG)
“Down to Earth” – Wall-E (Peter Gabriel)
“Jai Ho” – Slumdog Millionaire (A.R. Rahman)
“O Saya” – Slumdog Millionaire (A.R. Rahman & Maya Arulpragasam)

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)
Encounters at the End of the World
The Garden
Man on Wire
Trouble the Water

DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT
The Conscience of Nhem En
The Final Inch
Smile Pinki
The Witness – From the Balcony of Room 306

SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)
La Maison en Petits Cubes
Lavatory – Lovestory
Oktapodi
Presto
This Way Up

SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION)
Auf der Streke (On the Line)
Manon on the Asphalt
New Boy
The Pig
Spielzeugland (Toyland)

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Der Bader Meinhof Komplex
The Class
Departures
Revanche
Waltz with Bashir

ART DIRECTION
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Duchess
Revolutionary Road

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire

COSTUME DESIGN
Australia
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Duchess
Milk
Revolutionary Road

FILM EDITING
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Frost / Nixon
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire

MAKEUP
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Hellboy II: The Golden Army

SOUND EDITING
The Dark Knight
Iron Man
Slumdog Millionaire
Wall-E
Wanted

SOUND MIXING
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Slumdog Millionaire
Wall-E
Wanted

VISUAL EFFECTS
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Iron Man
The Dark Knight

• List of Oscar Winning Films – Best Director Winners
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Here are some of the top news stories of the day so far….

• No Wall-E sequel for you! That’s pretty much what writer/director Andrew Stanton said regarding the buzz surrounding another Wall-E installment. “Personally, I never consider sequels. I always love the idea of something just being contained and done.” [MTV]
• Dark Knight producer Charles Roven is developing a new project entitled, Damascus Gate. The film will be ”a political thriller involving a journalist and a group of extremists in modern-day Jerusalem.” [THR]

• Someone tapped into the lighter side of the Watchmen, by making fun of the film’s latest trailer. Phil &Drew, the Walking Tacos Dubbs overdubbed the promo dialogue, and took a stab at director Zack Snyder’s over stylized “vision”11.   [/Film]
• Check out this year’s Oscar nominee’s pose for some beautiful portraits, which were taken by the legendary Annie Leibovitz. Her subjects include Mickey Rourke, Meryl Streep, Kate Winslet, and Heath Ledger. [Vanity Fair]

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If you kept up with recent 3-D movies, you’ve no doubt by now seen Spider-man, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Superman Returns in all their eye-popping splendor. Seeing a 3-D movie in the theater is one thing, but what if you could watch things in 3-D at home on YouTube or TV? What if you could make your own 3-D movies?

Maybe you’re thinking, ‘That’s impossible.’ Well, not anymore.

Three-dimensional software for consumer camcorders as well as a 3-D-capturing webcam were revealed at the 2009 International CES consumer technology trade show on Jan. 8. The do-it-yourself capabilities of these technologies means that in the near future, 3-D film-making will no longer be exclusive to large-budget movie studios.

American tech firm TD Vision presented the prototype for a camcorder that stores digital 3-D information separately from the typical 2-D data. Users will be able to play back the footage on a basic 2D television or in 3-D on more sophisticated screens.

Manchester-based PDT unveiled a 3-D webcam, the Minoru, which is available now for just under $100. The webcam, which looks like a robot straight out of Wall-E, has two lenses set apart in proportion to the distance between human eyes. The camera’s software combines an image from each lens to create a 3D composite, which can be seen wearing the familiar red-and-blue-lensed glasses. Check out this demonstration:

Perhaps the greatest impact of these products’ consumer-level availability will be on YouTube. If YouTubers get their hands on this stuff and start busting out webisodes as fast as they do now, they’ll leave Hollywood – with its drawn out, high-budget productions – in the dust.

It will be interesting to see where this 3D wave will take us next. 3-D contact lenses instead of the same bulky glasses? 3-D television programs? All movies made in digital 3-D?

I’ve never had to wear glasses my whole life; please don’t say I’ll have to for TV and movies.

The FCC has already mandated a digital television takeover… could a pro-3-D movement be next?

What do you think? Are we entering a 2D apocalypse?

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Wall-E director Andrew Stanton recently spoke to SCI FI Wire regarding his adaptation of the Edgar Rice Burroughs novel John Carter of Mars.  Since Wall-E was one of the most talked about animated films this year, some fans have come to the natural assumption that John Carter of Mars will be another Pixar collaboration. Stanton spoke clearly about the direction he wants to take the film in, and it won’t be for the under 12 crowd.

Stanton confirmed that Carter, based on the books by Edgar Rice Burroughs, will be live-action. “Yeah, I think that’s the only way,” he said. “I mean, there are so many creatures and characters that half of it’s going to be CG whether you want it to be [or not], just to realize some of these images that are in the book. But it will feel real. The whole thing will feel very, very believable.”

When I think of the human/creature CGI combo I always think of the last three Star Wars films. Lucus used a lot of CGI, and I mean a lot,  but it came out pretty good. Stanton also confirmed that the film’s being done by Disney, but not a Pixar animation crew.  The director is leaning towards an older target audience, and expects the movie to be rated PG-13.  Honestly, if he wanted, John Carter of Mars could be rated R, but he’s not trying to go that hard.

John Carter of Mars is expected to hit theaters in 2012.

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Animated films targeted at children fall into two categories. The first is where the story is king and the film doesn’t talk down to the audience (Spirited Away or most of the Pixar films). The second category is for films with lots of pop culture jokes and dialogue aimed at adults to keep them entertained because the story itself won’t (Madagascar and Kung Fu Panda or straight to DVD movies like Open Season and Space Chimps). The Tale of Despereaux clearly falls into the first category, but unfortunately does not succeed in reaching classic status.

Despereaux is the tale of a smaller than usual mouse who unlike the rest of his species lives for danger and adventure. He fancies himself a gentleman and his goal is to help the princess of his town. Initially this means cheering her up with storytelling, but eventually the stakes go up and his quest becomes to save her life from vicious rats living in the dungeon of her castle. Visually as beautiful as the best of Pixar, ultimately the film is not the classic it hoped to be.

Book adaptations are extremely difficult to pull off well. In this case, the screenwriters tried to please fans of the novel by keeping all the storylines and characters in the mix. We aren’t introduced to our lead character until quite late in the film and only after an overly long opening sequence showing the town’s annual soup festival.  This is the Achilles heel of the adaptation. Every character and subplot is kept in, but at the expense of the spine of the story. This is definitely a case where less would have been more.

Another weakness shows up in the pacing and editing. We lose track of key secondary characters only to have them suddenly show up when the plot needs them. The film cuts from the Princess and her maid going down to the dungeon to both suddenly imprisoned in cells with minimal explanation of how that occurred. In the end, all the subplots come together and the themes of forgiveness and redemption come through, but it’s an uneven ride to the payoff.

A near miss on the story side of things, I would still recommend seeing this on the big screen due to its splendid artistry. The color palette is muted and some have compared the look of the film to that of the Dutch masters of old. Quality and detail that I’ve only seen in Pixar work is evident here. A few pulled strings on the lace that Despereaux’s mother wears, subtle lighting and shadow effects as an overcast day becomes sunny…it’s too bad that with all the time and effort the artists took to perfect the visuals, more was not spent on adapting the story. So again, see it for the visuals and the cute titular character but don’t expect a Ratatouille or Wall-E.

*****SPOILER**** A final note for parents with small children. Note that some scenes could be a bit scarier than the “G” rating and a mother’s death is a major plot point as well.

In theaters now!

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Is it ever too early to start thinking Oscar season? The Academy has listed the 14 eligible animated films that will be whittled down to 3 for the official nomination.  It all seems a bit silly, since everyone knows the winner will be Wall-E. In fact, there is even talk of nominating it for best picture. However, you have some interesting films in there with some stop motion, some cgi and even an animated documentary from Israel.

The List:

• Bolt
• Delgo
• Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who!
• Dragon Hunters
• Fly Me to the Moon
• Igor
• Kung Fu Panda
• Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
• $9.99
• The Sky Crawlers
• Sword of the Stranger
• The Tale of Despereaux
• WALL-E
• Waltz with Bashir

Let me know which three you think will make the final nomination cut.  My money is on Wall-E, Kung Fu Panda and the Sky Crawlers.

Nominations are announced January 22 and the ceremony is February 22.  Have you reserved your tux yet?

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NEW FEATURES

“WALL-E”

Pixar’s latest animated triumph hits DVD today in both a standard release and a three-disc collector’s edition.

This is an absolute must-buy and the best movie of the year to this point. More than that, it’s a celebration of movies in general as its main character, a lovable robot, expresses itself through old Hollywood musicals when his beeps and chirps fail him. Fan of cartoons or not, this is an essential addition to any DVD collection.

“Tropic Thunder”

Starring: Ben Stiller, Jack Black and Robert Downey, Jr.

It never seemed like it would be possible, but somebody managed to make a comedy with Jack Black and nobody noticed. He’s barely visible in the film, completely overshadowed by Stiller, Downey, Steve Coogan, several newcomers and unexpected appearances from the likes of Tom Cruise and Matthew McConaughey. Did anybody ever think Black would be completely consumed by the rest of the cast of a film?

Speaking of those unexpected appearances, wasn’t it amazing to see McConaughey actually acting again? No more shirtless mugging, just real bombastic comedy. Also, it’s strange that Cruise had to play a man of pure evil to get people to like him again.

It’s available in a standard edition and unrated director’s cut.

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TV ON DVD

“Monty Python’s Flying Circus: The Complete Series”

Long before “Saturday Night Live” set the standard for sketch comedy, five Brits and one American created a series that would raise the bar for all comedy with a sketch series that’s never been topped.

In this monstrous set, fans can enjoy old favorites like “The Lumberjack Song” and “The Fish Slapping Dance” while those who are only familiar with the movies get to experience more than 22 hours of blazing comedy in a 21-disc set they never knew existed.

• “Charmed”: The Complete Series – Buy Now
• “Bones”: Season Three – Buy Now
• “Dr. Who”: The Complete Fourth Series – Buy Now
• “Hannah Montana”: The Complete First Season – Buy Now
• “The Odd Couple”: The Complete Series – Buy Now
• “Hawaii Five-O”: Five Season Pack – Buy Now

SPECIAL EDITION OF THE WEEK

“Heathers: Limited Edition Locker Set”

The unfortunate name of its special edition notwithstanding, “Heathers” is still the best dark high school comedy of all time. Before the term frenemy became vogue, Winona Ryder was poisoning a group of girls sharing the name of the title, while Christian Slater pulls a gun at school. Oh yeah, they also play a killer game of strip croquet.

This 2-disc edition is loaded with extras including two featurettes and an alternate ending screenplay.

Also:

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Monty Python Holy Trinity (The Holy Grail, Life of Brian, Meaning of Life) – Buy Now

HORRIBLE STRAIGHT-TO-DVD RELEASE OF THE WEEK

• “Doughboys”

Starring: Vincent Pastore and dozens of Italian actors

There’s a pizza place in New York. But this isn’t just an ordinary pizza place, it’s been in the family for decades and now it’s facing trouble. This trouble isn’t simply related to these tough economic times though. Oh no. These are big troubles. We’re talking mafia troubles. Now it’s up to the shop owner to save the family business while keeping Big Pussy and his fellow gangsters out of the dough.

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Variety has confirmed that Disney wants Wall-E to be nominated not only for “Best Animation” but also “Best Picture.” The film was a huge hit at the box office, it’s worldwide total is $469,708,128, making it one of the top grossing films of the year, and already the 10th top grossing animation ever (and the DVD hasn’t even been released). But does that warrant a “Best Picture” nomination?

What do you think?

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Variety reports:

“…critics groups will likely slot the film in their animated category and focus on rewarding smaller fare. But bowing to pressure from the community, Disney and Pixar are going for it. I’ve got insider info: Variety’s running a Disney ad on Thursday that not only asks for Academy members’ consideration for Wall-E for best animated feature but for best picture as well. (Here’s the LAT’s look at the new Disney animation under John Lasseter, who cracked the whip on Disney’s upcoming Bolt, UPDATE and the NYT on big movies going for Oscar.) They’re going to put on a concerted marketing effort to push Wall-E with AMPAS, the guilds, critics, producers, the works.”

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