Sadly, this is a very unfulfilling weekend at the movies for genre nuts as only limp dramas (Labor Day) and horrendous romantic comedies (That Awkward Moment) are debuting on screens. Thankfully, for those of us in Toronto the TIFF Bell Lightbox is there to help. They’re currently running a retrospective of cult favorite filmmaker Paul Verhoeven, partially due to the impending release of the inevitably disappointing remake of his masterpiece Robocop in a few weeks. The Dutch bad boy has long been one of the most misunderstood and fascinating figures kicking around the film world. So with all of his movies about to add a little welcome sleaze to the squeaky-clean screens of the Lightbox the time seemed right to provide a primer for one of the filthiest and secretly genius filmmakers you might not be aware that you love.
Robocop. Part man. Part machine. All cop - except for how he eats baby food instead of doughnuts. We look back at the franchise.
Robocop, 35 Years Later A lot of people probably remember 1987’s RoboCop as a movie with pro-law and order politics.
"They'll fix you. They fix everything." While that line arrived courtesy of Peter Weller's Alex Murphy in Paul Verhoeven's "RoboCop," it was an ominous omen for the franchise, and accurately describes the attitude of Hollywood towards remakes. The 2014 "RoboCop" reboot starred Joel Kinnaman as the titular character, supported by the likes of Abbie Cornish, Michael Keaton, Gary Oldman, and Samuel L. Jackson in other pivotal roles. Unfortunately, the sci-fi action blockbuster didn't define its era like the original "RoboCop" did in the 1980s, feeling more like a cash-in than a reinvention for a modern age.
