Astro Boy (2009)

Director:

David Bowers

Writers:

Osamu Tezuka (comic series)
Timothy Harris (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

23 October 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Action | Family | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Have a blast.

Plot:

Set in futuristic Metro City, Astro Boy is about a young robot with incredible powers created by a brilliant...

Plot Keywords:

Robot | Scientist | Compassion | Integrity | Computer Animation

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Nicolas Cage	...	Dr. Tenma (voice)
Kristen Bell	...	Cora (voice)
Charlize Theron	...	'Our Friends' Narrator (voice)
Samuel L. Jackson	...	Zog (voice)
Eugene Levy	...	Orrin (voice)
Bill Nighy	...	Dr. Elefun (voice)
Freddie Highmore	...	Astro Boy (voice)
Donald Sutherland	...	President Stone (voice)
Nathan Lane	...	Ham Egg (voice)
Moises Arias	...	Zane (voice)
Matt Lucas	...	Sparx (voice)
Ryan Stiles	...	Mr. Pistachio (voice)
Madeline Carroll	...	Widget / Grace (voice)
Sterling Beaumon	...	Sludge (voice)
Victor Bonavida	...	Sam (voice)
Tony Matthews	...	Cora's Dad (voice)

Also Known As:

Astroboy (International: English title) (alternative spelling)
Atom (Japan)

MPAA:

Rated PG for some action and peril, and brief mild language.

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

Hong Kong | USA | Japan

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

USA:PG (certificate #45465) | Japan:G | New Zealand:PG | Australia:PG | Hong Kong:I | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | Singapore:PG | South Korea:All | Ireland:PG | UK:PG

Company:

Imagi Animation Studios

Trivia:

In 1999, Sony Pictures Entertainment purchased the film rights to Astro Boy from Tezuka Productions, intending to produce a combination live-action/animatronics/CGI feature film alongside Jim Henson Productions originally slated for a Christmas 2000 release, with Eric Leighton (Dinosaur) attached to direct. Nothing more came out of this announcement.

Quotes:

Astro Boy: I was made ready

Movie Connections:

References Freaks (1932)

Amazingly BETTER than expected

I just came from an advance screening of Astroboy where I dutifully took my kids at 10 am to watch "this" thinking that if I was lucky I would be able to doze off for a few minutes during the movie. Boy, I couldn't! The story was captivating from the beginning. Yes, it was very directed at kids, you know, the far off humour and such, but when I saw Toby, the genius' "kid", I felt that the movie was after all NOT just a Pinocchio rip-off where an old man made a robot-boy because he was bored or lonely... the reasons behind the creation of Astroboy were tragic and even mature. Of course, if you are a manga aficionado, you may be thinking "duh! that's how's supposed to be", but I am NOT. I barely watched a show now and then when I was a kid (I'm 36 years old... too young for Astroboy), so I wasn't really aware of the story. So I thought, well, this development has to be a fluke inherited from the original story, from then on it should go downhill... but it did NOT. The story is full of tragedy, though decisions that if you think them through you can even understand (like a father understanding that memories cannot truly replace his son), and redemption that may be obvious to superheroes experts, but are very well exposed to a new generation of kids that will witness a clear fight between good and evil (positive and negative forces) adorned with an excellent and adequate portion of comedy. Not just a kid's movie, but a movie that I will surely watch again when my kids "force" me to buy it and to watch it with them dozens of times. Go, Astro!