Pewpewpew! Let's watch some sci-fi [Archive]

Magus

10-29-2010, 12:15 PM

Event Horizon. The perfect blend of sci-fi and horror. Better than Alien, though you should watch that and Aliens too.

None are terribly philosophical, but they are still awesome sci-fi.

Oh and for fucks sake stay away from Dune. That film is atrocious.

What is this, opposite day?

Hey Smarty, you should watch Soldier with Kurt Russell, that movie kicks ass. Uh, it has the philosophy of like........learning to live in society after being raised as a super soldier. Or something like that.

Also anything else with Kurt Russell (Escape from New York, for instance).

Professor Smarmiarty

10-29-2010, 12:19 PM

Did you see Moon (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1182345/)? The story's not terribly deep--fairly typical sci-fi, but it's very well crafted and terrifically acted.

I'm pretty sure there's a post around somewhere about how Moon is a gigantic wankfest covered in poo.
Let's just say I really didn't like Moon :(.

Event Horizon. The perfect blend of sci-fi and horror. Better than Alien, though you should watch that and Aliens too.

None are terribly philosophical, but they are still awesome sci-fi.

Oh and for fucks sake stay away from Dune. That film is atrocious.

HAHAHHAHA too late, I'm watching Dune right now. OH god is this fucking awful and I'm only halfway through. SPICE!
SPICE!
THE SPICE MUST FLOW!
WE ARE JUST GOING TO EXPLAIN EVERYTHIGN IN MASSIVE EXPOSITORY TRACKS BECAUSE WE ARE MASSIVE HACKS
I have seen Alien and Alien 2 obv, is event horizon the one where they go to hell? I think I heard about it but not seen it.

What is this, opposite day?

Hey Smarty, you should watch Soldier with Kurt Russell, that movie kicks ass. Uh, it has the philosophy of like........learning to live in society after being raised as a super soldier. Or something like that.

Also anything else with Kurt Russell (Escape from New York, for instance).

But Kurt Russel is the poor man's Swayze!

Fifthfiend

10-29-2010, 01:19 PM

But Kurt Russel is the poor man's Swayze!

Practically indistinguishable!

...you know what you should watch, is the 1980 Flash Gordon movie.

It is pretty much all fantastic.

And then Chronicles of Riddick, which is basically Flash Gordon: X-TREEM

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

10-29-2010, 01:21 PM

I was bored one day and Dune came on tv. 4 hours later it finished and I was like, "WTF did I just do with my day??!!"

But yeah Event Horizon is the one with the demon ship that goes to hell. It's more awesome when you consider it may in fact be a prequel to Warhammer 40k too.

And Magus, really, Soldier? That film was just bad man. Not even in the good kind of Battlefield Earth bad where it becomes laughable, it's just bad mediocre and instantly forgettable.

Oh yeah, don't watch Battlefield Earth either, unless you want lulz.

Fifthfiend

10-29-2010, 01:29 PM

A HUMAN NEGOTIATING WITH A CYCLO?!

PREPOSTEROUS!

Professor Smarmiarty

10-29-2010, 01:35 PM

Practically indistinguishable!

...you know what you should watch, is the 1980 Flash Gordon movie.

It is pretty much all fantastic.

I own that on dvd! Not so much scifi as wacky crazy shit!

I was bored one day and Dune came on tv. 4 hours later it finished and I was like, "WTF did I just do with my day??!!"

But holy shit! The WORMS are the SPICE!

Archbio

10-29-2010, 01:39 PM

A HUMAN NEGOTIATING WITH A CYCLO?!

I think you mean MAN ANIMAL, ratbrain!

But seriously, Battlefield Earth wasn't as bad as advertised: there's no way it wasn't meant as a comedy film in good part. The Cyclos were terrific comedic relief and they have so much screen time!

I have seen Alien and Alien 2

If you ever watch Alien 3 you'd better make sure that you get the version with as much footage restored to it as possible. It's just not the same film.

WE ARE JUST GOING TO EXPLAIN EVERYTHIGN IN MASSIVE EXPOSITORY TRACKS BECAUSE WE ARE MASSIVE HACKS

The film still manages to miss explaining some things that are crucial to the damn thing having a plot, I think?

Professor Smarmiarty

10-29-2010, 01:40 PM

I've seen bits of alien 3. If Iwatch the whole movie I'm going to find the shortest version possible.

E: Like Dune wouldn't be so bad if it was like 10 minutes. Instead of 3h hours. This never endssss.

Archbio

10-29-2010, 01:59 PM

I've seen bits of alien 3. If Iwatch the whole movie I'm going to find the shortest version possible.

Then don't watch it.

I think that goes for most movies!

E: Like Dune wouldn't be so bad if it was like 10 minutes. Instead of 3h hours. This never endssss.

Lynch totally disavowed it, even though the Baron freaking floats, man.

Professor Smarmiarty

10-29-2010, 02:09 PM

Critics also murdered it but it has a massive cult following forreasons I can't fathom. Is this just like Plan 9 and Manos- the so bad its good crowd?

Archbio

10-29-2010, 02:12 PM

The design, the casting, the music? It's not because it's an ungodly mess (with randomly added psychic powers) that there's no good ingredients in there.

From the Editor of The Hours, we bring you Inseminoid! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inseminoid)

Professor Smarmiarty

10-29-2010, 02:16 PM

The design, the casting, the music? It's not because it's an ungodly mess (with randomly added psychic powers) that there's no good ingredients in there.
My money is on the presence of Sting in speedos.

From the Editor of The Hours, we bring you Inseminoid! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inseminoid)[/QUOTE]

Man this looks like it might rival X:The man with X-ray eyes.

Archbio

10-29-2010, 02:33 PM

Man this looks like it might rival X:The man with X-ray eyes.

If by rival you mean beat to death with an alien phallus.

It's just bad.

Edit: La jet�e (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Jet%C3%A9e), on the other hand is worth a watch.

walkertexasdruid

10-29-2010, 03:18 PM

My suggestions usually get slaughtered by SMB, but here it goes:

Logan's Run: A quirky but interesting view into the future about what may be done about overpopulation.

For the so bad it is good catagory (keep in mind I have seen these as MST3K episodes): Prince of Space, Space Mutiny, Overdrawn at the Memory Bank, Invasion of the Neptune Men, Phantom Planet, Crash of the Two Moons,

A great quote from my friend, Chewie, regarding Event Horizen, "The next time someone tells that there is a spaceship the runs on pure evil, I'm going to believe them!"

Magus

10-29-2010, 03:43 PM

And Magus, really, Soldier? That film was just bad man. Not even in the good kind of Battlefield Earth bad where it becomes laughable, it's just bad mediocre and instantly forgettable.

Man, you better quit making all these ironic statements, people are going to think you are serious. First you say Event Horizon is better than Alien, then you talk shit about Dune, and now this! People may not realize you're joking!

I mean, it's difficult to surmise why you would dislike Soldier despite it being self-evidently an awesome movie (written by the guy who wrote film version of Blade Runner and directed by the guy who directed...Event Horizon) that involves Kurt Russell killing a bunch of supersoldiers who wear badass trenchcoats and fight with flamethrowers on a garbage planet. If that isn't Oscar material I don't know what is!

RickZarber

10-29-2010, 04:08 PM

I was bored one day and Dune came on tv. 4 hours later it finished and I was like, "WTF did I just do with my day??!!"Dune can be bad enough, but the TV version is so much worse (also: longer). I gotta say though, I do love the soundtrack for that movie.

I thought the Dune miniseries was a far superior adaptation though. Some people rag on it because it was--very obviously--all shot on a sound stage, but they were working with a TV budget (from 10 years ago) and I think what they managed works.

Anyways. Since I really have no bead on what will tickle Smarty's fancy, I'm just gonna throw another one out there at random:

Outlander (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0462465/).

Space bounty hunter Jim Caviezel crash lands on earth during the era of the Vikings, loosing a monstrous alien which quickly begins thinning the local population. Only with the aid of the Viking warriors (with John Hurt as the king) can he hope to hunt it down and stop it. But first he must prove he's not a spy for the rival village (led by Ron Perlman).

It's everything you'd want from a movie that's exactly as good as it sounds.

Magus

10-29-2010, 04:16 PM

Yeah, I liked Outlander. They didn't have the biggest budget for the special effects on the creature but it's passable.

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

10-29-2010, 05:27 PM

Man, you better quit making all these ironic statements, people are going to think you are serious. First you say Event Horizon is better than Alien, then you talk shit about Dune, and now this! People may not realize you're joking!

I mean, it's difficult to surmise why you would dislike Soldier despite it being self-evidently an awesome movie (written by the guy who wrote film version of Blade Runner and directed by the guy who directed...Event Horizon) that involves Kurt Russell killing a bunch of supersoldiers who wear badass trenchcoats and fight with flamethrowers on a garbage planet. If that isn't Oscar material I don't know what is!

I honestly can't tell if you're being serious at this point or not. And why does it matter who wrote/directed it really? George Lucas gave us the almighty Star Wars trilogy... but then he also gave us the craptacular prequel trilogy. James Cameron gave us Aliens and Terminator 2 (my 2 favourite movies of all time btw), but then he also gave us the fairly mediocre Avatar. Joss Whedon gave us the magnificent Firefly/Serenity, but was also responsible for Alien Resurection. Somtimes people make bad stuff, sometimes they make good stuff, ya'know?

Also my "Event Horizon is better than Alien" comment has been slightly misconstrued, I meant purely in terms of pure horror movie material. Alien is a great film, but when I first watched it at around age 10 it never once scared me, wheras Event Horizon left me not wanting sleep for some time.

And realy dude, that Dune movie is fucking dreadful, and no amount of wishful thinking is gona change that.

Magus

10-29-2010, 05:33 PM

TBH I was being ironic 'bout you bein' ironic, broham. It was may way of saying you are totally wrong and should feel ashamed of yourself!

Smarty should also watch The Thing, it's pretty scary sci-fi movie.

EDIT: And yeah I don't really like Dune either but for some reason it has a huge fanbase...I've only watched the long version once, the short version maybe once, too. I don't think it lost anything for having an hour or two stripped out of it.

Oh and I watched the TV remake miniseries of Dune and I thought it was pretty okay, it had more action introduced into it. It was longer but felt shorter due to being split up into episodes and having more action.

Like the concept of Dune is cool and all I think it is just the long-ass original movie that everybody has an issue with.

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

10-29-2010, 05:36 PM

Smarty should also watch The Thing, it's pretty scary sci-fi movie.

Finally you start making sense! Yeah Thing is a pretty good movie, though I haven't seen it in a while so I don't know how the effects hold up these days. I'm guessing it just makes the whole thing hi-larious now.

EDIT for above; I can't honestly say I've had much exposure to Dune outside of the film, but I hear the universe is pretty cool and all. It was just that damn movie that ruined it in every way.

EDIT for below; Hmm, I'll have to watch that again I think then, though I've never actually owned it myself and I can't recall ever seeing it for sale anywhere, so finding it may be tricky. I'll have to look into it.

Magus

10-29-2010, 05:40 PM

No, they are seriously still pretty good. Goriest shit I've seen in a movie in recent memory. The effects have really held up well.

DarkDrgon

10-29-2010, 05:43 PM

And realy dude, that Dune movie is fucking dreadful, and no amount of wishful thinking is gona change that.

http://images.amazon.com/images/G/01/dvd/dvd-dune-sting.jpg

Look at that, then say the Dune movie sucked

EDIT:
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vY8I5HvOvk8/Sl5lIeXxxDI/AAAAAAAAH1Y/JzkZytvj3F4/s400/codpiece.jpg

Aldurin

10-29-2010, 05:45 PM

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

10-29-2010, 05:52 PM

http://images.amazon.com/images/G/01/dvd/dvd-dune-sting.jpg

Look at that, then say the Dune movie sucked

EDIT:
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vY8I5HvOvk8/Sl5lIeXxxDI/AAAAAAAAH1Y/JzkZytvj3F4/s400/codpiece.jpg

Oh god damn you, I had only just gotten that image out of my mind as it was!

And sci-fi shows are the way to go. My preferences are:
Warehouse 13: Off air but season three is in production.
Sanctuary: Season three running. I think it's tonight or sometime this weekend on Sy-Fy.
Stargate Universe: Third series of Stargate, currently on second season. Evening on Tuesdays on Sy-Fy (I'm basing time on pacific time zone).

It's annoying that I'm really behind on all of these shows. Still waiting on the 2nd season for both 13 and Universe and season 3 of Sanctuary. Apparantly now if a show gets a good season on the go, then next season they all jump to a new channel that I can't get here!

Toast

10-29-2010, 07:34 PM

Dune can be bad enough, but the TV version is so much worse (also: longer). I gotta say though, I do love the soundtrack for that movie.

I thought the Dune miniseries was a far superior adaptation though. Some people rag on it because it was--very obviously--all shot on a sound stage, but they were working with a TV budget (from 10 years ago) and I think what they managed works.

Anyways. Since I really have no bead on what will tickle Smarty's fancy, I'm just gonna throw another one out there at random:

Outlander (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0462465/).

Space bounty hunter Jim Caviezel crash lands on earth during the era of the Vikings, loosing a monstrous alien which quickly begins thinning the local population. Only with the aid of the Viking warriors (with John Hurt as the king) can he hope to hunt it down and stop it. But first he must prove he's not a spy for the rival village (led by Ron Perlman).

It's everything you'd want from a movie that's exactly as good as it sounds.
I second these recommendations.

Also, I recommend Titan A.E. and Treasure Planet, although they're more appropriately action/adventure movies in a sci fi setting. They're still pretty good if you've got nothing else.

Kaiju movies are occasionally listed under sci fi, so Godzilla and Gamera movies may be worth a look as well.

Archbio

10-29-2010, 08:58 PM

Joss Whedon gave us the magnificent Firefly/Serenity, but was also responsible for Alien Resurection.

Don't you mean that he "was also responsible for Serenity vs Alien?"

A while ago I watched Soylent Green, and despite the twist being overexposed to death there's still some life left on that one yet.

mauve

10-29-2010, 09:08 PM

Forbidden Planet! An old classic that stands proudly in its "So Bad It's Good" status! And it's loosely based on Shakespeare's The Tempest, so I guess you can pretend it has some sort of deep philosophical meaning if you want...

But I'll second the Mystery Science'd movies like Prince of Space and Invasion of the Neptune Men. Because there's no limit to the number of times the world can be saved by gangs of Japanese schoolboys who randomly have full access to top-security government buildings and scientific research labs.

Magus

10-29-2010, 09:09 PM

I haven't seen Treasure Planet, is it by the same people who made Titan A.E.? 'Cause if so I'll probably have to check that out.

mauve

10-29-2010, 09:15 PM

Treasure Planet was Disney, Titan was Dreamworks or something, I think.

Yrcrazypa

10-29-2010, 09:17 PM

It's been a long time, but I do remember Treasure Planet being pretty good. It has pirates, in space! What more could you want out of a movie, I ask you?

Toast

10-29-2010, 09:22 PM

Actually, Titan was made by Fox's animation studio, which promptly closed afterwards.

Magus

10-29-2010, 09:27 PM

Does Treasure Planet have musical numbers?

RobinStarwing

10-29-2010, 09:33 PM

If you're looking for a so-terribly-done-yet-you-have-to-watch-it stupid then I recommend Sharktopus. On second though never mind as my brain hurts from even thinking about that movie.

And sci-fi shows are the way to go. My preferences are:
Warehouse 13: Off air but season three is in production.
Sanctuary: Season three running. I think it's tonight or sometime this weekend on Sy-Fy.
Stargate Universe: Third series of Stargate, currently on second season. Evening on Tuesdays on Sy-Fy (I'm basing time on pacific time zone).

But if you want sci-fi movies then I recommend Star Wars.

I can't argue with your first two choices but Stargate Universe? Seriously? I'm a LIFELONG Stargate fan and that series turned me off as it had none of the fun and good nature of the original.

It was basically a fictional Surviver-in-Space scenario with characters I couldn't get emotionally invested in. I wish they would of just stopped after Atlantis finished it's run.

As to my own movie suggestions...

Ice Pirates (Space Herpes!)

Howard The Duck (Guaranteed to kill brain cells watching!)

Forbidden Planet is an awesome flick and very well done for it's time with the technological limits they had than.

But for serious Sci-Fi movies, watch all the Star Trek movies.

Edit: Titan A.E. was an awesome flick and if I remember, done by the same people who did The Secret of NIMH years earlier.

Fifthfiend

10-29-2010, 09:36 PM

So what I just remembered is this totally counts as (http://www.nuklearforums.com/showthread.php?t=38865) a sci-fi movie.

katiuska

10-29-2010, 09:56 PM

EDIT:
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vY8I5HvOvk8/Sl5lIeXxxDI/AAAAAAAAH1Y/JzkZytvj3F4/s400/codpiece.jpg

http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/6339/stingreaction.jpg

How well can you tolerate sketchy science? I was recently shown Sunshine, which is an attempt at old school sci-fi; there are definitely some questionable things happening (I know nothing about physics and even I know you don't freeze in space), but it's presented well enough that you can almost ignore that it's a movie about firing a giant bomb into the (dying) sun to create a star within the star.

Krylo

10-29-2010, 10:09 PM

Your 'O face' is weird.

Aldurin

10-29-2010, 10:09 PM

I can't argue with your first two choices but Stargate Universe? Seriously? I'm a LIFELONG Stargate fan and that series turned me off as it had none of the fun and good nature of the original.

It was basically a fictional Surviver-in-Space scenario with characters I couldn't get emotionally invested in. I wish they would of just stopped after Atlantis finished it's run.

Season 1 could have been better. Season 2 so far has developed a little bit, but I'm starting to connect with Dr. Rush more than the other characters. Oh, and I think part of their problem is their wonky character emphasis. I mean they start the show with Eli and the Young and Rush steal the spotlight.

I'm just hoping that more stuff actually happens instead of building possibilities just to make all shit break loose within a couple episodes.

I watch it now so that I don't have to catch up if it becomes better later on.

RickZarber

10-30-2010, 12:45 AM

But for serious Sci-Fi movies, watch all the Star Trek movies.Man. I hope you're joking, but I suspect you're not... (Don't get me wrong, I like most of the Trek movies. But dang.)Forbidden Planet! An old classic that stands proudly in its "So Bad It's Good" status.I disagree! I thing it's a Genuinely Good film, at least a decade ahead of its time in terms of sci-fi movies.

Daimo Mac, The Blue Light of Hope

10-30-2010, 12:53 AM

May I casually suggest The Fifth Element.

Judge away, *I* like the movie.

synkr0nized

10-30-2010, 03:00 AM

I recently watched it again, and I'll admit it does some things pretty well.

Overall, though, it's a pretty mediocre movie.

Krylo

10-30-2010, 03:14 AM

Fifth Element is exactly what you would expect from a movie starring both Milla Jovovich and Bruce Willis.

Down on his luck hardened ex-soldier*/cop/whatever kicking ass with the help of a genetically superior super woman.

Seriously, by the numbers Willis + by the numbers Jovovich. IN SPACE.

*This is what he is, but I was merely listing a reprisal Bruce Willis roles.

Archbio

10-30-2010, 03:18 AM

Jean-Baptiste Emmanuel zOrg.

That is all.

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

10-30-2010, 05:34 AM

I can't argue with your first two choices but Stargate Universe? Seriously? I'm a LIFELONG Stargate fan and that series turned me off as it had none of the fun and good nature of the original.

It was basically a fictional Surviver-in-Space scenario with characters I couldn't get emotionally invested in. I wish they would of just stopped after Atlantis finished it's run.

So what you're saying is, they changed it now it sucks (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheyChangedItNowItSucks)? I actually quite like Universe. Let's face it, after 12 years, 3 films and about 300 episodes, SG was getting stale and predictable. There are only so many times deus ex machinas or characters who pull out some new kind of pseudo science that incorporates alien technology that they've never seen before let alone know how to use and use to save the day in the nick of time before it becomes boring.

And I say this as a guy who has every single SG boxset available, and readily re-watches the entire series almost annually. At least Universe does something new without destroying the rest of the universes lore.

DarkDrgon

10-30-2010, 08:09 AM

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

10-30-2010, 09:13 AM

You also have to mention Chris Tucker playing what is possibly the most annoying character in film history.

So it really IS by the numbers then.

Aldurin

10-30-2010, 10:15 AM

And I say this as a guy who has every single SG boxset available, and readily re-watches the entire series almost annually. At least Universe does something new without destroying the rest of the universes lore.

Lucky, I only got the series one box set.

And it is a cool change with universe, given how each of the other series was confined to their galaxy and now they're heading toward the edge of the universe which gives this whole feeling of both strange desolation and "this shit will never be the same again".

And I liked how in the last episode that actually tied in the whole "one guy has a hallucinating dream with everyone else in it" to actually synchronize with the actual events somewhat.

Kim

10-30-2010, 02:12 PM

I was going to recommend Moon, but then Smarty already hated on it for being good so I'll just recommend it to everyone who isn't Smarty.

Daimo Mac, The Blue Light of Hope

10-30-2010, 02:35 PM

I know The Fifth Elelment has some odd things to it to down right annoying, (I wanted to shoot Chris Tucker in the face) But I still enjoyed the movie.

Magus

10-30-2010, 02:44 PM

The Fifth Element's background and environment, visuals, etc. were cool but the actual plot was pretty horrible (like it doesn't even explain what the hell the Fifth Element is, or what the unstoppable "Later Ripped-off By Rise of the Silver Surfer-Galactus" thingy's origins are, etc. You can't just go "Milla Jovovich is the fifth element" and expect me to have any idea what the hell is going on).

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

10-30-2010, 02:57 PM

I thought it was pretty obvious what the Fifth Element was? It was Milla Jovovichs' sex appeal in weaponised form.

Or possibly love, who knows?

Kim

10-30-2010, 06:13 PM

I thought the fifth element was Boron.

walkertexasdruid

10-30-2010, 07:16 PM

I thought it was pretty obvious what the Fifth Element was? It was Milla Jovovichs' sex appeal in weaponised form.

Or possibly love, who knows?

Milla Jovovich's sex appeal was very potent, so maybe it should be used more often to save the world.;)

DarkDrgon

10-30-2010, 09:51 PM

As a kid I was always confused about the black planet thing. as a middle schooler writing bad short stories, I thought it was cool to have an unexplained evil. as a college student writing bad short stories, I think its bad story telling.

walkertexasdruid

10-30-2010, 09:57 PM

Xenosaga is a sci fi movie that is trying to be a video game.

Magus

10-30-2010, 10:51 PM

Or it is just a video game trying to be a video game...and failing.

Aldurin

10-30-2010, 11:07 PM

Xenosaga is a sci fi movie that is trying to be a video game.

Or it is just a video game trying to be a video game...and failing.

That is the one video game I never see in retail, or even pawn shops. The only reason I know about them is that Super Robot Taisen did a character crossover with Kos-mos, but I'm starting to wonder if the lack of availability is that it's so bad that it deserves to be burnt instead of sold. I'm just conjecturing about how I never find it.

Magus

10-30-2010, 11:11 PM

I think people enjoyed it but it was both as convoluted as Xenogears but without the gameplay that people enjoyed about Xenogears. Or something like that.

Professor Smarmiarty

10-31-2010, 03:21 AM

I was going to recommend Moon, but then Smarty already hated on it for being good so I'll just recommend it to everyone who isn't Smarty.

Moon revolves around 3 things 1) a plot-twist that is obvious as fuck 2) an admittedly strong performance from leading actor and 3) Contemplaitive tone/setting/filmography which would be good if it was tied to a more compelling thought provoking plot and not one that is predicatble and been hashed out before.

As for the rest of your movies, I've got two days off because France still celebrates All Saints Day- up your ass Revolution!- so I'll hate on all your suggestions then.

Kim

10-31-2010, 03:28 AM

1) a plot-twist that is obvious as fuck

This would be a problem if the movie ever portrayed any of the plot twists as massive revelations to anyone but the characters, only it doesn't so it's fine.

Professor Smarmiarty

10-31-2010, 03:55 AM

While that is true I think the movies philosophical themes would have been served better by hiding it away or never really explaining it that much. For example I'm looking at Last Year in Marienbad which while a completely different film covers pretty much the exact same ground in terms of theme and it never explains what is going on and is much more powerful and forces you to engage with it much more.
With Moon its pretty easy just to switch off.

EVILNess

10-31-2010, 03:59 AM

The best Sci-Fi movie I have sat down and watched recently was actually the Tin Man mini-series.

Of course, who can forget The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai!

Kim

10-31-2010, 04:04 AM

philosophical themes

The thing is I don't think those themes were the focus. If the movie had been about the philosophical themes, you might have a point, but I think more than anything the movie was about the character and the atmosphere. Doing what you're recommending would have ultimately detracted from that focus.

Professor Smarmiarty

10-31-2010, 04:11 AM

This may be true (it's been a whilesince that filmcameout) but theway I see it is that the atmosphere was purposefully quite empty and slow and the character was contemplative and deliberate and with such portrayals you have a lot of time to think and dwell on what's happening which is what lead to myconclusions. I'l admit there are other ways you can read it but the way I read it it seems much weaker than it could be.

Kim

10-31-2010, 04:21 AM

I watched the movie for the first time night before last, so it's fresher in my mind. I think the reason that the reason the atmosphere and pacing was empty and slow was because it fit the setting. It's a movie about a guy who has lived on the moon all by himself for three years, so you need the audience to get this feeling of what living on the moon is like for it to really matter. Because you're able to get this feeling of life on the moon as slow and empty, it makes his desire to go back to Earth more understandable. When it's revealed that he can't go back, and you see the affect that this has on him, that matters more to the viewer because of how well life on the moon was fleshed out atmospherically. All these bits make everything else that happens have more impact.

Professor Smarmiarty

10-31-2010, 05:04 AM

IF that's the point of the movie the ending completely ruins it.

Kim

10-31-2010, 05:13 AM

IF that's the point of the movie the ending completely ruins it.

This I agree with, and has actually been bothering me since I finished watching it. It seems to be born of American cinema's obsession with happy endings (Something I discussed with someone earlier this evening). Still, I don't think it's nearly enough to make it a bad movie. Everything up to the ending stuff was fantastic. The ending seriously weakens it, but the whole is still among the better movies I've seen.

walkertexasdruid

11-05-2010, 09:31 AM

The Riddick movies are pretty interesting.

Toast

11-05-2010, 07:09 PM

The Riddick movies are pretty interesting.

Pitch Black was pretty awesome. Chronicles of Riddick was sorta lame. It had its moments, but overall felt shallow and lacking.

BitVyper

11-05-2010, 07:19 PM

I think people enjoyed it but it was both as convoluted as Xenogears but without the gameplay that people enjoyed about Xenogears. Or something like that.

More or less. Plus cutscenes totally invalidate everything you do, which is just a huge piss off to the player.

First one is good, second one is pure ass, third one is okay.

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

11-05-2010, 07:30 PM

Pitch Black was pretty awesome. Chronicles of Riddick was sorta lame. It had its moments, but overall felt shallow and lacking.

Yeah I have to agree with this. Chronicles completely changed the very nature of the previous films setting, taking a sort of hard sci-fi and turning it into pure fantasy on par with 40k.

Magus

11-05-2010, 10:17 PM

Truly the worst thing about Riddick, besides the total shoehorning in of a bunch of Star Wars-y stuff that wasn't in the first movie nor even hinted at in the first movie, was just the fact that the ending left you with one of the more badass cliffhangers I've seen, but the sequel is never going to be made.

Apparently Escape from Butcher Bay was a really good game though so something good came out of the movie.