The Science Fiction Appreciation Thread

[Tron Bonne]

I eagerly yearn for more of the sci-fi thinking man's blockbuster. Matrix is by far the best example, and it's a shame not much has come in the way of challenging that title. Minority Report (also great) is the last time I can remember a sci-fi blockbuster tried to be philosophical in some form.

And before anyone brings it up, I know District 9 is highly praised here, but honestly it was a fresh movie that didn't much in the way of pushing the envelope (storywise). It's good, and the success helps the genre in the right direction. But I'd still prefer a film that fires on all fronts.

I wouldn't really consider District 9 all that much of a 'blockbuster' anyway.

 

[C. Lee]

I was a kid in the 60's....I grew up watching the movies from then back, so I think I have a special connection to the old B/W movies without the great special effects or perfect science. The B science fiction movies of the good old days are some my favorite background tp put on when playing on the net (currently have COMMANDO CODY AND THE ROCKET MEN FROM THE MOON on).

 

[[A]]

And before anyone brings it up, I know District 9 is highly praised here, but honestly it was a fresh movie that didn't much in the way of pushing the envelope (storywise). It's good, and the success helps the genre in the right direction. But I'd still prefer a film that fires on all fronts.

..just in case: I included a District 9 image in there because I didn't wanted to fill everything with 2001 t:

 

[spider-neil]

my top 10 sci fi

1. matrix
2. aliens
3. T2
3. blade runner
4. terminator
5. robocop
6. ESB
7. back to the future
8. preditor
9. star wars
10. total recall

there are movies not on the list because they have their genre or I think they belong in another genre

SM2/TDK - superhero
LOTR/avatar - fantasy
raiders - action adventure
ghostbusters - comedy

 

[[A]]

..what's ESB ?

 

[Sam Fisher]

..what's ESB ?

...



Empire Strikes Back.

 

[[A]]

Ahh yes -- see, typing ain't so bad

 

[DarkReflections]

Now this is a thread I like.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Big, BIG fan of sci-fi, thats why I loved 2009 so much, D9, Moon, ST and Avatar were all great.

 

[[A]]

We need more sci-fi talking, like.. what was the first sci-fi movie you guys really liked? You know, the one that blew your mind

 

[Doctor Jones]

Star Wars for me. I was five years old in '97 when they re-released it. It was my first live action film and trip to the movie theater. I still remember where I sat too. It just blew my mind. Up to that point I was watching Disney cartoons. This was a whole new level for me. Especially being so young.

 

[Sentinel X]

We need more sci-fi talking, like.. what was the first sci-fi movie you guys really liked? You know, the one that blew your mind

Definitely Jurassic Park. That was my favorite childhood movie. I was about four when I first saw it. It made me want to be a paleontologist.

Its either that or T2. I cant remember which I saw first but T2 scared the crap out of me when I was little. Especially Sarah Connor's dream scene and Arnold cutting off his arm

 

[afan]

Just to throw out.........
Take any genre.....
Action / Adventure
Horror
Comedy
Mystery
Fantasy
Musical
Western
add advanced technology as a backdrop......."Outland" is "High Noon" in space.
Have you made a sci-fi film?
Or should the technology be an integral part of the film's story to qualify for the genre? A qualification which IMO would disqualify the "Star Wars" films.
Another question.....
Is a Sci-Fi genre still valid if the Sci of the film becomes reality?

 

[CFE]

I'll contribute to the thread with my sig...

 

[DarkReflections]

We need more sci-fi talking, like.. what was the first sci-fi movie you guys really liked? You know, the one that blew your mind

The original Star Wars are hands down 3 of my favorite sci-fi movies, that still blows my mind to this day. Hell they're even my favorite movies of all time.

 

[Doctor Jones]

Yeah, it's my second favorite film of all time. It never loses its magic on me.

 

[redfirebird2008]

I eagerly yearn for more of the sci-fi thinking man's blockbuster. Matrix is by far the best example, and it's a shame not much has come in the way of challenging that title. Minority Report (also great) is the last time I can remember a sci-fi blockbuster tried to be philosophical in some form.

And before anyone brings it up, I know District 9 is highly praised here, but honestly it was a fresh movie that didn't much in the way of pushing the envelope (storywise). It's good, and the success helps the genre in the right direction. But I'd still prefer a film that fires on all fronts.

Hopefully Inception kicks ass, although something tells me it will have a negative longterm impact on the genre. I suspect his Batman movies are already having a negative impact on the superhero genre. When he tackles a project, he usually does it so well that when other people try to copy it they fall flat on their faces.

We are now seeing the superhero genre make an attempt at "darker" movies, when the truth is Nolan isn't necessarily about darkness. Kevin Smith summed it up pretty well when he said that Batman Begins was "earnest." It treated the character in a serious manner. That is all the superhero genre should be doing, but producers have misinterpreted Nolan's Batman movies and are now trying to artificially apply some mythic "darkness" or "edginess" to their movies. It's already led to some failure in the genre and it will probably lead to even more failure as time goes on. Odds are that if Inception kicks as much butt as most of us hope, it will lead to copycat attempts at "smart" sci-fi movies that end up being either boring or too messy even for the sci-fi genre. The last thing you want is the writers outsmarting themselves.

 

[nite-owl]

We need more sci-fi talking, like.. what was the first sci-fi movie you guys really liked? You know, the one that blew your mind

2001: A Space Odyssey, I have no idea what happens in the third half and I don't want to know.

 

[[A]]

So you like it but you don't know what happens in the end..?

 

[Bunker]

I like sci fi.

 

[childeroland]

Has anyone here seen Dennis Potter's Cold Lazarus? If so, what did you think of it?

 

[[A]]

^ no, but after reading a bit about it, now I want to

 

[Tron Bonne]

We need more sci-fi talking, like.. what was the first sci-fi movie you guys really liked? You know, the one that blew your mind

I've liked a lot of sci-fi before this one, but I think my mind was first blown with my first viewing of The Matrix. I think that was the first I really got sucked into the genre. I have plenty of favorites over that one now, but it really got me loving the genre and going back to rediscover old classics in new lights.

EDIT: Also, just picked up the 10th Anniversary Edition Digibook Blu-ray release of the movie:

 

[Punisher Rising]

Always been a big Sci-Fi fan. My favorite Sci-Fi films:


Terminator 1 and 2
Alien 1-3
Predator 1 and 2
Original Star Wars Trilogy
RoboCop 1 and 2
The Thing (1982)
District 9
Jurassic Park Trilogy
Akira


No particular order at all.

 

[spider-neil]

Always been a big Sci-Fi fan. My favorite Sci-Fi films:


Terminator 1 and 2
Alien 1-3
Predator 1 and 2
Original Star Wars Trilogy
RoboCop 1 and 2
The Thing (1982)
District 9
Jurassic Park Trilogy
Akira


No particular order at all.

glad you like predator 2, that movie has a bad rep but saw it yesterday and really enjoyed it, at least they TRY and bring new elements to the movie rather than lizily rehashing the original.
24% on rotten tomato - man that's HARSH