Robot Dreams Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		2.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		2.5

Robot Dreams Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf October 13, 2024

The depths of loneliness and the power of friendship are explored in “Robot Dreams.” It’s an animated offering from writer/director Pablo Berger (“Blancanieves,” “Abracadabra”), who creates a feature of visual communication, eliminating dialogue to play with pure expression as he details the seriocomic ways of a friendship between a robot and the dog who’s purchased him to help lift his spirits. “Robot Dreams” is an unexpected viewing experience, with Berger willing to explore the sometimes sad side of life and relationships, and he also delivers many laughs as he observes two characters handling separate adventures into the unknown. It’s an odd endeavor, but it remains emotionally engaging and superbly animated, with a sharp sense of character movement and location, as Berger returns to New York City in the 1980s to help backdrop this adventure of the mind and celebration of cheese snacks.

Dog lives alone in his NYC apartment, dealing with the daily drudgery of isolation, with food his only comfort. Spotting an ad for a mechanical companion, Dog places an order for an Amica 2000, anxiously awaiting the machine’s arrival. Coming in the mail is Robot, with Dog assembling his new best friend, which turns out to be a bulky creation with an eagerness to learn all about his owner’s life. The pair experience the joys of summer in the city, bonding through activities and a shared love of Earth, Wind & Fire’s song, “September.” After a day-long trip to Ocean Beach, where Robot experiences the pleasures of the water, he experiences rusted joints, making him impossible to move. Panicking, Dog leaves Robot on the beach, making plans to return the next day to extract his buddy from the sand, but Ocean Beach is soon closed, making a rescue difficult. Dog tries to find ways to reclaim Robot, but time passes, with both of the friends experiencing reunion fantasies as the seasons change.

There’s no mistaking that Dog is in a bad place in “Robot Dreams,” as the character is introduced playing “Pong” all by himself, slumped on his couch. His diet is also troubling, existing on meals of microwavable mac and cheese, and he’s never far from a can of Tab or a bag of Cheetos, creating a solitary life for himself. He finally recognizes a way out of his loneliness, discovering the possibilities of the Amica 2000 robot line, ready to build himself a close companion. Excitement builds in “Robot Dreams,” watching Dog put together his mechanical pal and begin their life together, ready to show off the wonders of the city. Locations are a supporting character in the film, along with brand names, with Berger delivering a loving but realistic ode to NYC from 40 years ago, working on the details of residents and businesses, and the sound design for the feature is excellent, bringing the visuals to life.

Dog has big plans for Robot, and they end up at the beach, where a day of relaxation and oceanic play turns into a disaster for the friends. “Robot Dreams” creates a story in Dog’s mission to reclaim Robot from his rusted state on the sand, but life gets in the way, with a fence keeping the owner out, and trips to government offices and hardware stores prove ineffective, forcing Dog to wait for Ocean Beach’s reopening next summer. The screenplay (which adapts a graphic novel by Sara Varon) creates separate experiences for Dog and Robot, with the latter unable to move for months, experiencing mild cruelty from a rowing team and the ways of curious birds during this period, while his mind takes him places his body can’t. Dog is also left to deal with the separation, plagued by unsettling nightmares, but he continues on with his life, experiencing adventure and heartbreak along the way.

Robot Dreams Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation enters a world of color in "Robot Dreams." Primaries are bright and inviting throughout the viewing experience, examining New York City street life and recreational areas, including beaches and parks. Fantasy escapes are even more vivid, with shimmering greens and golds. Snowscapes are a distinct white. Animation detail is open for inspection, especially around locations. Compression is problematic, with banding a common sight. Also present are vertical lines – a kind of interlaced-adjacent appearance that's occasionally noticeable.

Robot Dreams Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix isn't working with dialogue, but character sounds are appreciable, and city bustle is distinct. Atmospherics are alert, exploring urban and vacation areas, keeping surrounds active. Musical moods are also circular, with sharp instrumentation and clear vocals. Sound effects are defined. Low-end does well with soundtrack beats and more physical moments.

Robot Dreams Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• "From Reality to Animation" (5:53, HD) features interviews with executive producer Sandra Tapia, writer/director Pablo Berger, animation director Benoit Feroumont, editor Fernando Franco, sound designer Fabiola Ordoyo, and art director Jose Luis Agreda. The interviewees discuss the five-year-long journey of "Robot Dreams," following Berger's tight vision for the movie and his commitment to the project. BTS footage of production is motion is included.

• "A Once-in-a-Lifetime Friendship" (5:10, HD) features interviews with writer/director Pablo Berger, author Sara Varon, art director Jose Luis Agreda, and editor Fernando Franco. The interviewees examine the process of the adaptation, with Berger working to expand Varon's original creation. Brief discussions of themes and characters are also presented.

• "The Sound of 1980s New York" (6:52, HD) features interviews with writer/director Pablo Berger, sound designer Fabiola Ordoyo, and music editor Yuko Harami. The interviewees highlight the labor put into the sound design of "Robot Dreams," with the team looking to make the period as authentic as possible. Talk of character language is also included.

• "The Art Direction" (7:05, HD) features interviews with writer/director Pablo Berger, art director Jose Luis Agreda, and author Sara Varon. The interviewees discuss the effort to turn the 2D world of Veron's book into a living cinematic creation, breaking down layers of details on locations and characters.

• "The Animation" (6:43, HD) features interviews with writer/director Pablo Berger and animation director Benoit Feroumont, with the interviewees dissecting the push to add nuance to visual communication with characters, adding depth to the story.

• "Soundtrack" (5:22, HD) features interviews with writer/director Pablo Berger, music editor Yuko Harami, and composer Alfonso De Vilallonga. The interviewees analyze artistic choices put into musical selections, and BTS footage of recording sessions is providing, supplying a peek at the creative process.

• "A Love Letter to New York" (4:06, HD) features interviews with writer/director Pablo Berger, author Sara Varon, music editor Yuko Harami, and art director Jose Luis Agreda. The interviewee shares their attempt to replicate New York City in the 1980s, working with reference photos and their own memories to perfect the setting.

• "A Film Without Words" (3:31, HD) is an interview with voice director Ivan Labanda, who analyzes the labor put into the creation of characters, giving everyone a special voice of their own.

• Interview (5:01, HD) is a brief Q&A discussion of "Robot Dreams" with writer/director Pablo Berger.

• And a Teaser Trailer (1:03, HD) and a Theatrical Trailer (1:33, HD) are included.

Robot Dreams Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Robot Dreams" does a lot with very little, offering a silent movie-style understanding of character and location, following Robot and Dog as their lives are changed over the year with help from others. There's joy here, but the material is mostly interested in examining a realistic understanding of relationships and their natural evolution, reaching some particularly difficult areas of separation. There's a heaping helping of bittersweetness at the end of this journey, which hits hard enough, but Berger isn't looking to destroy viewers. He's after an authentic appreciation of friendship and its occasionally painful ways, with these unions not always meant to last, but remain forever in memories.