Specializing in Szechuan, Mandarin, (Hunan & Cantonese

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The Midrash Of "ILL"

MICHAEL ELKIN

Special to the Jewish News

A

■ $599
Sunday ■ $699

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1130 E. West Maple Road • Walled Like

wired genetically for
love but unable to
catch its spark? While
showing his little
cyberboy pining for a
"Pinocchio-like" exis-
tence, Spielberg tinkers
with the very notion of
when life begins —
and ends.
Al generates real
dialogue and shows
how fact and fiction
can be confused when
it comes to matters of
the heart.
Spielberg seems to
have a sixth sense for
casting precociously
talented kids, and he
has done just that with
Haley Joel Osment,
whose robotic character
sees emotionally dead-
ened people and brings
their spirits to life.
His is the perform-
ance of the year, with
the talented Jude Law
rippling through his
part, too, as an
automaton refusing to
go through life on
automatic pilot.
There are so many
eerie elements of
Kubrick/Spielberg
spins here — the
futuristic life forms
resemble the aliens
from Close Encounters,
the film's timeless
views of the universe
reflect 2001
that
A.1. and its cryogenic
characters cry out for
comparisons.
But then, in one thing
A.I. is incomparable.
Viscerally and psychical-
ly seductive, the film
saddens and sustains as
no Other film has done
in recent memory, all
with heart and soul.
And incredible intel-
ligence.

(248) 669-8896 • (248) 669-8876
Fax ► (248) 669-8635

S. Cognate lid

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'" E Wert Olt

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Mon. - Thurs., 11:00 am -10:00 Dm
Fri., 11:00 am -11:00 pm
-
Sat., 11:30 am -11:00 pm
Sun., 11:30 am - 10:00 pm

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I: Artificial
Intelligence is a
2001 inner-
space odyssey,
a cosmic travelogue of
emotional twists and
turns that tears at the
heart and heartens anyone
who thinks that movies
no longer move the mind
as well as the soul.
A.1., opening today,
is the real thing, a gen-
uine gem of genius —
an intellectually
intriguing fairy tale
sprinkled with golden
Above: Steven Spielberg
dust-ups between good
and Haley Joel Osment
and evil. But, at its
on the set of AL "
eerie essence, this story
of a robotic child who
initially comes up
dead dreams to the
short-circuited in his
home and hearth of
quest for love, is about
family, the only life he
the human condition
had ever wanted.
and unconditional love.
Would such a
Issued during what is
midrash mean any-
normally a season of
thing to Middle
filmic fluff and folderol, America? If nothing
A.1. deals with so many else, Spielberg,
serious issues that one
Hollywood's prince of
almost feels the need
dreams, knows no fief-
for a tour guide famil- ' dom can be successful
iar with the ground
shackled to a shred
unearthed under our
mentality. He has
feet.
made a film that
Originally conceived
Joseph himself would
by the late director
appreciate — dream-
Stanley Kubrick and
like in its allegorical
developed by Spielberg, allure, inspiringly open
this is as close an
to interpretation.
encounter with great-
Al. is a life force all
ness audiences may
its own, owning up to
have this year.
the complexities of
Indeed, this futuristic what it means to be
film of contemporary
meaningful in a vast
quandaries can generate universe of diverse
Jewish debate on a
viewpoints.
number of topics, as it
Ultimately, if the
tears from the Torah
fiber-robotic child of
different vantage points A.I. is looking for love
on living and loving.
in all the wrong elec-
More than anything,
trodes, how really dif-
Spielberg and Kubrick
ferent is he from those

Expires 7-31-01

1

have made a midrash of
immeasurable enjoy-
ment, taking the meas-
ure of the biblical story
of Joseph, the aban-
doned son, cast out by
his brothers, and casting
it in a futuristic setting.
That amazing techni-
color dreamcoat has
become a Technicolor
cosmo-fantasy, clothing
Joseph/A.I. in hope as
he claws his way back
from the diaspora of

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Valid Anytime • One in Only

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Across . ..from Americana West

(248) 737-7242'

A Great Home-Cooked Dining
Tradition _Since the 20'g

ANN SAYLES
DINING ROOM

Classic American Home-Cooked Cuisine
at Very Reasonable Prices

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• Sauteed Chicken Livers
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Open 6 Days • Closed Mon. • Carry-Out & Group Parties

4313 W. 13 Mile Rd.

2 Blocks East of Greenfield • Royal Oak

(248) 288-6020 • Fax (248) 288-6020

Ca tering

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For the location nearest you
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a p aro 01 a 1/

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6/29
2001

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