“We cast Robot Stories with a predominately Asian American cast largely because I always saw the stories that way in my head."
By Karen Sakai
Click here for the interview with director Greg Pak.
Forget about the typical Indie film that takes the word “confusion” to a whole new level, Greg Pak's Robot Stories is a memorable masterpiece.
Despite its low budget, Robot Stories has been capturing attention all across the country, playing at over 40 different film festivals and winning over 29 awards over the past two years. Director Greg Pak describes the film as “science fiction with a heart,” appropriately missing technological mumbo jumbo with a hint of Pak's childhood affinity for Ray Bradbury stories and the Twilight Zone. Comprised of four short films, Robot Stories uses the themes of love, family, death, and robots to create a unique, artistic film. Below are quick synopses of the four films within the feature:
“My Robot Baby”
Before they can adopt a human child, young professionals Marcia (Tamlyn Tomita) and Roy (James Saito) must prove themselves by taking care of a robot baby. But when Roy leaves on a business emergency and the robot begins to malfunction, Marcia must confront her fears of the machine - and of motherhood itself.
“The Robot Fixer”
Bernice Chin (Wai Ching Ho) has never really known her estranged son Wilson. Now a car accident has put Wilson into a coma, and the only clue he's left behind is a box of twenty-year-old toy robots. As her daughter Grace (Cindy Cheung) presses her to deal with Wilson's deteriorating condition, Bernice becomes obsessed with Wilson's toys, as if repairing the robots will somehow help her reconnect with her unreachable son.
“Machine Love”
The latest component of the digital office, the Sprout G9 iPerson is a walking, talking, coding machine programmed to fit seamlessly into the work environment by learning from its human co-workers. But when he finds himself in an oppressive office surrounded by dysfunctional people, a G9 named Archie (Greg Pak) learns just how much he needs love.
“Clay”
In John Lee's world, technology allows people to scan their memories - and thus their consciousness - into computers. John (Sab Shimono), an old sculptor, struggles to complete his design for a major public square project, but his body is falling apart. His doctor, his son Tommy (Ron Domingo), and his digitized wife Helen (Eisa Davis) all tell him the same thing - it's time to get scanned. Then he'll merge with all human knowledge and experience, achieving perfect love, perfect art. But John resists, fighting for the right to struggle and die.
As a cinematic piece, this film is a breakthrough for Asian Americans in the entertainment industry, as it is an all Asian cast without the kung-fu, dragon-lady, and stereotypical roles. “We cast Robot Stories with a predominately Asian American cast largely because I always saw the stories that way in my head. The stories have nothing on the surface to do with race and ethnicity. But as a biracial Korean American filmmaker, I always felt that certain nuances of the characters would be enhanced by casting the film as we did. Just two examples – there's something to me specifically Asian American about the repressed emotion in the relationship of the mother and daughter in the second story and I always knew that I wanted to cast the robots in the third story with half-Asian actors. I think that when people make androids, they'll make them look racially ambiguous, hoping they'll fit in to as many different situations as possible,” said director Greg Pak regarding the Asian-American cast. However, more importantly, Pak is excited that the film speaks to people from all different backgrounds, and the messages transcend possible racial barriers.
While the man versus machines concept isn't new, as one of the stories can be compared to Spielberg's A.I., Pak's Robot Stories gives the audience four different, contemporary perspectives on the trials of love. The film also drives the major question of “what it means to be human." The humans appear to have robot-like characteristics, and vice versa, a frighteningly realistic concept. But audiences will also find themselves laughing at the film's charm. What other movie would make you laugh at a graphite-pooping, robot-egg baby, or cheer for a mother breaking the law for her comatose son? In “Machine Love,” the audience finds themselves being sympathetic to the robot, Archie, as if he were a human and wishing that they could give the love that he yearns for. Deep emotions are touched in this film, so be prepared to reach for the tissues.
"Robot Stories is for people who crave smart science fiction, for people who love deeply-felt stories about the human condition, and maybe, in fifty years or so, for confused robots who need a little help figuring out what they're going through," Pak jokes.
Yes, it's the kind of movie that you would contemplate selling your valued possessions just so you could sit in the theater for six hours to see all four films in feature length without bathroom breaks. Believe me, it's that good! Simple, yet profound in the way the film merges science fiction and drama to make something so different that we laugh, cheer, experience fright, and cry, and think about what the real treasures of life are.
Robot Stories opens March 12th in Pasadena and Los Angeles at the Laemmle Fairfax, 7907 Beverly Blvd. and at Laemmle's One Colorado Cinemas, 42 Miller Alley.
Watch the trailer, find out where Robot Stories is playing in your city, read cast/crew blogs, or become a Robot Buddy! Start eating, drinking, sleeping Robot Stories and visit the website at www.robotstories.net.