Sci-Fi Movies

[Matthew]

Sci-fi movies differ a lot from sci-fi books. So much more data can be put into a book, than in a movie. Sci-fi movies are there to please the audience, and most audiences don't want to be swamped with complex scientific anology which you need to understand just to comprehend the plot. Movies are more about making money.

I must admit I love the Matrix and its sequel, a lot of people who know me just roll their eyes when I start talking about it, I just love the movie.


So what is your favourite sci-fi movie?

[Haglund]

The Matrix
Contact
Star Trek (All of them, although First Contact is the last in the series I saw)
2001
2010

[Josh]

There are HEAPS of great sci fi flicks! 'Star Trek first contact' is really great! But one that keeps coming back to mind is 'Tron'! Anyone else seen that? About the guy who gets stuck in the computer system???

[Planetwatcher]

My God, where to start with scifi movies? :unsure:

That range can include Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, the Superman series,
the Hulk, Spiderman, most of Gov. -elect Swartenhager movies; as well as The Abyss, Deep Impact, Edward Scissors hands, Back to the Future series, The Green Slime, and even Dr. Doolittlle. :huh:

I think we need to get more specific.

[DippyHippy]

LOL Tron - I have that on DVD... rumours still persist of a Tron v2.0 sequel being produced...

For me, my fave film of all time is still Blade Runner. Superb. It works on many subtle layers... it got me reading the works of Philip K Dick, the sci-fi author who wrote the book the film was *loosely* based on - Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?

Dick is my favourite author - he has a fascination with what it means to be human plus an obsession with post apocalyptic Earth that speaks volumes about the 1950's era during which he was at his most prolific.

Other than that, I'm a Star Wars junkie and I like the Matrix too...

Contact holds a special place in my heart because of Carl Sagan - and apart from anything else, for a movie it remains quite true to the original novel and both give an accurate portrayal of how we're likely to discover definitive proof of extra-terrestrial life.

I don't care what anyone says about the "my dad is an alien" ending - if I could stand on that beach and stare up at that sky, I'd be a happy camper...

[Haglund]

Originally posted by Planetwatcher@Oct 11 2003, 03:56 PM
My God, where to start with scifi movies? :unsure:

That range can include Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, the Superman series,
the Hulk, Spiderman, most of Gov. -elect Swartenhager movies; as well as The Abyss, Deep Impact, Edward Scissors hands, Back to the Future series, The Green Slime, and even Dr. Doolittlle. :huh:

I think we need to get more specific. ;)

I am specific, but I wonder if you are? How would LOTR and Harry Potter fit as science fiction? Isn't it fantasy? But, this is very common, the confusion of fantasy and sci-fi etc. I agree it's difficult to make a clear definition here. Superman, in my opinion barely makes it. It's more adventure than sci-fi. Schwarzeneggers sci-fi movies were the Terminator series, and I would add Sixth Day to it as well. The Abyss and Deep Impact, yes, as well as Back to the Future. Edward Scissorhands, I don't know anything about that one. Science fiction are stories where science, (real, possible, imagined or future,) play a major role in the plot, or that would be my lose definition anyway.

[Haglund]

*** May be some SPOILERS for the movie Contact here. I made that part bright yellow to make it harder to read by mistake. Highlight it to read... ***

Contact holds a special place in my heart because of Carl Sagan - and apart from anything else, for a movie it remains quite true to the original novel and both give an accurate portrayal of how we're likely to discover definitive proof of extra-terrestrial life.

I don't care what anyone says about the "my dad is an alien" ending - if I could stand on that beach and stare up at that sky, I'd be a happy camper...

Yeah I've heard people be negative about that. But as they say, they read her memory to construct a world in order to make things easier. And somehow it connects back to when she was young as she tried to talk to her dad with her radio, I guess. Anyway, the beach scene, and the entire trip in that machine btw, was excellent. The atmosphere and the feeling when just before and during the startup of the machine was perfect as well. Anyway, the thing that really kept me annoyed as I walked out of the theatre was how they knew the machine was probably working and they covered it up.

[DippyHippy]

Parker, following your lead, my comments should appear in yellow too so those who haven't seen the film won't see it...

The whole thing about the cover up was in the book... and I liked it because you know that like all good conspiracies, the truth would leak out eventually and Ellie would be vindicated.

Also, the next time you watch the film, watch for the scene when a young Ellie draws Pensicola for her Dad - the picture has two palm trees, with one bent over. Now watch at the end - the beach she's standing on is a replica of the scene she drew as a child

[Planetwatcher]

So then we are looking at proper sci fi such as Star Trek, The Time Machine, War of the Worlds, Logan's Run, and maybe Mad Max, and Judge Dread. B)

What about Waterworld, Godzilla, The Dark Crystal, and dinosaur flicks.

Time Bandits was one that really got me thinking when I wasn't laughing.

I recall one I really liked but don't remember the title.
Richard Thomas (John boy from the Waltons) played a young space pilot with his equally nieve girlfriend on board a very strange looking ship practally run by a computer with a female voice and an attitude.

Some badass bullies in a huge ship which looked more like a garbage skow threatened to take over the planet, so this young couple in the apparent only space ship on the planet went searching for mercearies to help fight the bad guys and came back with quite a rag tag team of aleians and ships.
Of course they did whup *** in the end.

Saturn 5 and Total Recall also come to mind as among faves. :P

But now I didn&#39;t understand 2001 Space Odesey, nor did I figure out 2010, although I did like the music. <_<

Lost in Space (the movie) was great, and kept me on the edge of the seat.

And I can watch the Jurasic Park series over and over. In fact my son does.

[zephyr46]

Does this include cartoons? Star Blazers, if you haven&#39;t seen it you gotta, all of the navy ships, turned into star ships, big guns, realy big guns
sorry, I&#39;m loosing, there is some crap in this genre, scuse the term, Plan nine from outer space , capricorn 4, battle beyond the stars, just couldn&#39;t compete with battle star galacttica. Aliens and one of my faves starship troopers, action and some interesting social commentary, same with First Contact, Start Trek is Astro-ethics 101

[Dave Mitsky]

Originally posted by Planetwatcher@Oct 11 2003, 03:56 PM
My God, where to start with scifi movies?* :unsure:

That range can include Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, the Superman series,
the Hulk, Spiderman,* most of Gov. -elect* Swartenhager movies;* as well as The Abyss, Deep Impact, Edward Scissors hands, Back to the Future series, The Green Slime, and even Dr. Doolittlle.* :huh:

I think we need to get more specific.*

LOTR, Harry Potter, Edward Scissorhands (not Scissorshands), and Dr. Doolittle all belong to the category of fantasy.

Comic book superheroes usually have a science fiction origin but in most cases movies about them are probably best included in a separate genre.

I was rather disappointed in Contact. A major plot device in the book (the message hidden in pi) was not included and the protagonist&#39;s character was weakend considerably. The alien scene was a bit sappy, IMO.

Dave Mitsky

[MarQ]

Ya&#39;ll need to rent Forbidden Planet--Robbie the Robot and the Krell rule&#33;
I with we were as advanced in space as "2001"

[VanderL]

The Alien series (especially the first and the last), 2001, 2010, The Thing (both of them), Them&#33;, Jurassic Park was enjoyable, Close Encounters as well. Anybody remember Soylent Green?

I hope the Hyperion books could be made into a movie.

[all_isone]

2010, all time fave sf movie

also liked -a lot- both versions of &#39;invasion of the bodysnatchers&#39;

[jimmy]

Originally posted by VanderL@Oct 19 2003, 09:00 PM
The Alien series (especially the first and the last), 2001, 2010, The Thing (both of them), Them&#33;, Jurassic Park was enjoyable, Close Encounters as well. Anybody remember Soylent Green?

I hope the Hyperion books could be made into a movie.

You mean the one with Charlton Heston? Yeah, I remember. Maybe that&#39;s why I didn&#39;t like my green vegetables???? :P

[Tinaa]

I also like the Starship Troopers, both the movie and the cartoon. I liked Star Trek Insurrection. I try not to watch movies based on books I have read because I am nearly always disappointed. The Dune movie is a perfect example of a movie being unable to even come close to the book.

[Haglund]

Ahh, how could I not have mentioned Starship Troopers? Of course, one of my favourites as well&#33;

[DippyHippy]

I liked Starship Troopers too... it was down &#39;n&#39; dirty and had an interesting twist on the future - ie, a fascist regime in charge.

Also, it was the first DVD I bought where there was a disclaimer at the beginning that stated that the views expressed in the commentary were not the views of the production company LOL

[Haglund]

Other good ones:

The Invisible Man
War of the Worlds
The Time Machine (the original is the only one I&#39;ve seen)
Independence Day

[DippyHippy]

I love a good disaster movie... I love ID4 up to the part where all hell breaks loose *but* as soon as the cities get turned to dust and the screen fades to black, I lose interest LOL

[Josh]

I would like it known that I thought Matrix Revolutions was utter ****e. a suped up love story with hardly any story. Dialogue that was comical ... cliched at best. Trinity took about 7 days to die. I was like, "hurry up and die already&#33;&#33;" Kiss me one last time please... oh darling. how do i love thee? let me count the ways. DIE ALREADY&#33; and the old oracle actor did a good jobn in leaving. I wouldn&#39;t want to be part of this crap either. What a crock. They should have stopped after the first one. Everyone I know left that movie questioning their own existence. the nature of their lives and the universe and reality ... what does this one do? nadda&#33;

[Matthew]

Well Josh I have to disagree with you completely. It was my favourite movie of all time (with only Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers being better in my opinion). I think Revolutions rounded the series out great.

[Haglund]

It was a great third and final part of the trilogy, I think, even though I did expect it to end differently that it did.

[Anomander]

I was getting a bit worried there when i was reading the previous entries and the first few didn&#39;t contain the words "Starship Troopers"&#33;

Now my faith is restored&#33; lol

Blindingly good film&#33;

[nearnorth]

Alien, Aliens, Blade Runner, Star Trek First Contact, Star Trek the Wrath of Khan, Galaxy Quest, Happy Accidents, The Fifth Element, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Wars (duh), Total Recall.

and, I&#39;m sort of embarassed to admit it, but I really liked Pitch Black.

[DippyHippy]

I thought Pitch Black was fine... a new twist on the old Alien scenario....

[Dave Mitsky]

Originally posted by Parker@Nov 6 2003, 11:03 PM
Ahh, how could I not have mentioned Starship Troopers? Of course, one of my favourites as well&#33;

If you had read Heinlein&#39;s book you&#39;d probably have a different opinion of that piece of crap.

Dave Mitsky

[Dave Mitsky]

Originally posted by Josh@Nov 13 2003, 04:57 AM
I would like it known that I thought Matrix Revolutions was utter ****e. a suped up love story with hardly any story. Dialogue that was comical ... cliched at best. Trinity took about 7 days to die. I was like, "hurry up and die already&#33;&#33;" Kiss me one last time please... oh darling. how do i love thee? let me count the ways. DIE ALREADY&#33; and the old oracle actor did a good jobn in leaving. I wouldn&#39;t want to be part of this crap either. What a crock. They should have stopped after the first one. Everyone I know left that movie questioning their own existence. the nature of their lives and the universe and reality ... what does this one do? nadda&#33;

I couldn&#39;t agree more. The two sequels to the Matrix were absolutely terrible.

Dave Mitsky

[Dave Mitsky]

Originally posted by DippyHippy@Nov 21 2003, 12:50 AM
I thought Pitch Black was fine... a new twist on the old Alien scenario....

I enjoyed Pitch Black too. Unfortunately, it unleashed Vin Diesel on the movie world.

Dave Mitsky

[jmpty]

THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL.