Rank the Alien films

[CConn]

Heh heh. Okay.

How were they not good, Captain Dismissive?

 

[DACrowe]

I can respect most of that opinion, but Ian Holm was amazing as Ash. I'd actually go so far and say that it is the best performance in the original films outside of Sigourney Weaver as Ripley herself. Bishop is just a more likable and flashier character in that movie.

 

[spider-neil]

How were they not good, Captain Dismissive?

They just came off cold and one dimensional to me. I realise there was no time to flesh them out (with the exception of Cobb). Not saying Inception was bad, just not for me.

 

[spider-neil]

I can respect most of that opinion, but Ian Holm was amazing as Ash. I'd actually go so far and say that it is the best performance in the original films outside of Sigourney Weaver as Ripley herself. Bishop is just a more likable and flashier character in that movie.

Ash is fantastic in the role and it is interesting to see his glances when he hasn't 'outed' himself yet, like watching the chest burst scene when everyone else is going over to watch and the 'perfection' speech but I personally prefer the Character of Bishop and how he turns around Ripley who hates him at the start of the movie (a nice character arc for Bishop).

 

[CConn]

They just came off cold and one dimensional to me. I realise there was no time to flesh them out (with the exception of Cobb). Not saying Inception was bad, just not for me.

That's better.

That's the general flaw of Nolan's writing, actually. Still, I think the actors breathed a fair amount of life into the roles. Better than a lot of Nolan's other movies.

 

[elsewhere]

They just came off cold and one dimensional to me. I realise there was no time to flesh them out (with the exception of Cobb). Not saying Inception was bad, just not for me.

That was done on purpose.

Spoiler

The entire movie is a dream.

 

[CConn]

That was done on purpose.

Spoiler

The entire movie is a dream.

Everyone always tells at me when I say that.

 

[elsewhere]

Everyone always tells at me when I say that.

Whether it's true or not I don't know. But it's what I choose to believe.

This presentation is what convinced me.

[YT]ginQNMiRu2w[/YT]

 

[spider-neil]

That was done on purpose.

Spoiler

The entire movie is a dream.

I will leave the movie for a long time and then revisit it years from now.
I think this movie would have flowed better if he removed the 'Her majesty's secret service' bit which all but took me out of the movie the action was so bad. In a movie where they are setting up so many new rules the action needs to be brilliant (Matrix) or removed (Dark City) although I did like the anti-gravity corridor.

 

[CConn]

Whether it's true or not I don't know. But it's what I choose to believe.

This presentation is what convinced me.

[YT]ginQNMiRu2w[/YT]

You know what convinced me? The fact that Cobb never uses his own Totem in the film. The simple fact that it was someone else's totally invalidates its credibility as a safety line to reality.

Oh, and the musical cues too.

Then I also read this article discussing how the film is allegory for moving making, and how by having us actually care about nothing more than a dream is making a philosophical point about how and why we care about fictional characters in movies. Which seems to be what that video is also about.

 

[elsewhere]

I will leave the movie for a long time and then revisit it years from now.
I think this movie would have flowed better if he removed the 'Her majesty's secret service' bit which all but took me out of the movie the action was so bad. In a movie where they are setting up so many new rules the action needs to be brilliant (Matrix) or removed (Dark City) although I did like the anti-gravity corridor.

It's a film I can go back to and it gets better with each viewing. I compare it to Blade Runner in that regard. Always new stuff to find. I love movies like that.

 

[CConn]

The other thing I love about Inception is its truly a complete film.

The plotting is complex and multilayered.

The story has a very deep and multifaceted meaning and moral.

It has incredible cinematography where every shot could be its own work of art.

The costuming is immaculate; a conglomeration of the most classic looki of Hollywood costume design.

it has an amazing score that actually adds to the movie greatly.

It - obviously - has some of the best actors in Hollywood in it.

Etc.

 

[spider-neil]

You know what convinced me? The fact that Cobb never uses his own Totem in the film. The simple fact that it was someone else's totally invalidates its credibility as a safety line to reality.

Oh, and the musical cues too.

Then I also read this article discussing how the film is allegory for moving making, and how by having us actually care about nothing more than a dream is making a philosophical point about how and why we care about fictional characters in movies. Which seems to be what that video is also about.

I also chose to believe things are real. Total Recall is real, Inception is real, Deccard is real. I always go with reality unless the evidence is over whelming in favour of the dream and I don't think it is in Inception.
Besides why didn't Cobb just fly his kids to France?

 

[CConn]

I also chose to believe things are real. Total Recall is real, Inception is real, Deccard is real. I always go with reality unless the evidence is over whelming in favour of the dream and I don't think it is in Inception.
Besides why didn't Cobb just fly his kids to France?

Um, it is overwhelming. Just as its overwhelming that Decard is a replicant.

But that's not the point the movie was making.

The point was that we can still feel emotionally invested in people and events that are totally fictitious.

 

[elsewhere]

The other thing I love about Inception is its truly a complete film.

The plotting is complex and multilayered.

The story has a very deep and multifaceted meaning and moral.

It has incredible cinematography where every shot could be its own work of art.

The costuming is immaculate; a conglomeration of the most classic looki of Hollywood costume design.

it has an amazing score that actually adds to the movie greatly.

It - obviously - has some of the best actors in Hollywood in it.

Etc.

 

[spider-neil]

It's a film I can go back to and it gets better with each viewing. I compare it to Blade Runner in that regard. Always new stuff to find. I love movies like that.

I felt cheated when I saw it for the first time, the movie was sold as Matrix 2 (well that's what the adverts looked to me) so that's what I was expecting and it certainly isn't there so I felt crushing disappointment (I was also taken out of the movie by the action which bored me). I really like act 1 (level 1) where they are explaining all the rules and you get the corridor fight. Act 2 lost me. The snow section bored me to tears and by time we reached level 3 and the deepest part of the dream I was checked out of the movie.

As I said I need to go back to this movie but only years from now.

 

[spider-neil]

it has an amazing score that actually adds to the movie greatly.

Now this, everyone can agree on.

 

[elsewhere]

I felt cheated when I saw it for the first time, the movie was sold as Matrix 2 (well that's what the adverts looked to me) so that's what I was expecting and it certainly isn't there so I felt crushing disappointment (I was also taken out of the movie by the action which bored me). I really like act 1 (level 1) where they are explaining all the rules and you get the corridor fight. Act 2 lost me. The snow section bored me to tears and by time we reached level 3 and the deepest part of the dream I was checked out of the movie.

As I said I need to go back to this movie but only years from now.

The snow fortress sequence does run on a little too long. I can see why you may have been bored. The Dark Knight (the ferry scene) I felt could have been trimmed down as well.

 

[CConn]

I never had a problem with the Snow Fortress.

I was just thoroughly impressed with how deftly he was able to integrate OHMSS into the movie.

 

[spider-neil]

The snow fortress sequence does run on a little too long. I can see why you may have been bored. The Dark Knight (the ferry scene) I felt could have been trimmed down as well.

Absolutely, the ferry sequence is indulgent and could have been trimmed but that sequence was in act 3 and I was already invested in the movie whereas the HMSS section is in act 2 and I was ALREADY processing lots of information from act 1, I really didn't need a (bad) action sequence which (for me) ruined the flow of exposition from act 1.

Imho Nolan should have pushed the gun section of HMSS into act 3 or binned it altogether just them do what they need to do without leaving the fortress.
If Nolan struggles with action then don't have action, I don't need action in a Chris Nolan movie.

 

[craigdbfan]

Alien/Prometheus

Aliens

Alien 3

Alien Resurrection

 

[CConn]

Absolutely, the ferry sequence is indulgent and could have been trimmed but that sequence was in act 3 and I was already invested in the movie whereas the HMSS section is in act 2 and I was ALREADY processing lots of information from act 1, I really didn't need a (bad) action sequence which (for me) ruined the flow of exposition from act 1.

Imho Nolan should have pushed the gun section of HMSS into act 3 or binned it altogether just them do what they need to do without leaving the fortress.
If Nolan struggles with action then don't have action, I don't need action in a Chris Nolan movie.

The OHMSS sequence wasn't in the second act.

 

[CConn]

Alien/Prometheus

Aliens

Alien 3

Alien Resurrection

That's a bold assertion. I like it.

 

[Ajendo]

Alien
Aliens
Alien 3
Promethius

Everything else

 

[roach]

There were no memorable characters other than Ripley in Alien 3.
Do this test.
Don't look up the answers
Name 3 characters other than Ripley from Alien
Name 3 characters other than Ripley from Aliens
Name 3 characters other than Ripley from Alien 3

if your honest I can guarantee you falter at Alien 3