2008 Apr 3 - 2001 aftermath

[tnitnetny]

I haven't even heard of Enemy Mine. What was it about?

[adciv]

I'd like to add Starship Troopers to the list of must-see sci-fi movies. It's one of my favorites.

You just lost all credibility. It was one of the worst sci-fi movies ever. They butchered the book, the story, the plot and raped the whole idea behind it. The writers should be executed and the producers bared from Hollywood. Every change they made in it was for the worse. Which means they probably won an emmy and are on Hollywoods shortlist. F'in idiots.

[StruckingFuggle]

Scanner was By far the most depressing of those movies. I agree about the end of Pi, but it didn't think it was bad enough to ruin it. Now Hero (Jet Li movie) was long and drawn out, but still decent. I forgot about Starship, that is just a fun campy version of the very good book.

Scanner was depressing, yeah, but at least in a way it was depressing FOR something, and the broader 'message' / 'theme' / whatever was just a broad and general message about how society sucks and we're headed for bland dystopia.

Pi...

In the end he sticks a fucking DRILL into his BRAIN to bore out the part that made him special, unique, and weird, and he ends up HAPPY for it, living a safe and relatively happy and comfortable life because being smart is bad. 'Genius will make you miserable and unable to deal with people and then probably get you killed! Clearly the best plan is to drill it out and become a normal, happy human being'. FUCK THAT.

With Hero...

It's the way two of the Heroes, especially the protagonist, throw down their swords and oppositions to fall down at the feet of the bloodthirsty tyrant they were supposed to be opposing.

I hate movies like that, where I'm seriously digging it, I'd say it's a good or even great movie, and then, wham, the ending comes along and just totally kills the movie for me.

And there's Renaissance, which is well-made, well-acted, amazingly well animated in stark gorgeous two colors (black and white. Not even grey), and it's got a pretty good sci-fi noir story rolling ...

until it gets all philosophical about how eternal life is evil and the 'hero' allows to be destroyed the possibility of biological immortality because it's just Not Good. BLARG.

[The Cid]

Take that back about Scorsese!

Absolutely not! For movies over two hours in length, Scorcese is pretty consistent.

[Wrench]

Take that back about Scorsese! Scanner was By far the most depressing of those movies. I agree about the end of Pi, but it didn't think it was bad enough to ruin it. Now Hero (Jet Li movie) was long and drawn out, but still decent. I forgot about Starship, that is just a fun campy version of the very good book.

Scrosese ruined everything he ever did with The Departed. "Hey, let's write a completely predictable plot line, with incredibly stupid characters, and when it goes nowhere, we'll just kill everyone! Hello, Oscar!"

[The Cid]

Eh. It wasn't even his plot to begin with.

I liked The Departed, though I thought the supporting cast far outshone the protagonist and antagonist. Jack Nicholson, Martin Sheen and Mark Wahlberg all stole scenes from these guys. (Then again, that's sorta par for the course in Scorcese movies, even Goodfellas where Pesci and DeNiro stole and ran away with every scene they were in.)

Also, for a plot adapted from a foreign film, locals around here could easily imagine a similar scenario playing out in reality.

[Dreamer]

I'd like to add Starship Troopers to the list of must-see sci-fi movies. It's one of my favorites.

You just lost all credibility.

Did I honestly have any to begin with?

I never read Heinlein's book. But from what I udnerstand the video game, Starship Troopers was more honest to the novel that the movie. At least there was mechanized bodyarmor in the game.

But that aside, I stillt hink as a movie, it's a good one.

Now, as for Enemy Mine. That's the story of two enemy races, Humans and the Drac. Starring Dennis Quaid as the Human and Louis Gossett Jr. as the Drac. They crash land together on an inhospitable planet and must rely on eachother and put their differences aside to survive.

It's definitely much more of a character drama set in the background of a sci-fi movie. It could easily have taken place in the 40's with a Brit and a German.

[StruckingFuggle]

It's definitely much more of a character drama set in the background of a sci-fi movie. It could easily have taken place in the 40's with a Brit and a German.

I thought that was kind of ... one of the two points of good sci-fi.

(The other point, exploring the promise and influence of technology on the 'human' condition, being what differentiates good sci-fi from good fantasy, or "fantasy set in the future, often in space".)

(Though there's another brand of good sci-fi / fantasy, that's rooted primarily in the joy of discovery, of exploring a new world and new culture...)


Still! That sounds interesting, and I would like to see it at some time. I may have to take you up on this movie thing, may as well spread some obscure movies I love like Le Dernier Combat and The City of Lost Children around while I'm seeing movies I mean to see, anyway...

[adciv]

I never read Heinlein's book. But from what I udnerstand the video game, Starship Troopers was more honest to the novel that the movie. At least there was mechanized bodyarmor in the game.

But that aside, I stillt hink as a movie, it's a good one.

About as good as I, Robot. Read the book, it isn't that long, then get back to me.

[Hirschof]

But that aside, I still think as a movie, it's a good one.

Its a good movie to quote anyways.

And I'm a sucker for a movie with Michael Ironside in it.

I expect the best and I give the best. Here's the beer.

About as good as I, Robot. Read the book, it isn't that long, then get back to me.

...and several other book based movies. I thought the book for Jurassic Park was ten times better than the movie but I still like the movie. Movies can rarely stick to the book otherwise they would need to be broken into 2 or 3 parts. I liked I, Robot but, yes, the book is better. Doesn't mean I can't enjoy the movie.

[Lizzegirle]

The other one liz must watch is the original "Planet of the Apes". The first half-hour is standard cheesy sci-fi stuff; but then it becomes one of the smartest, most interesting, character driven movies in the entire genre.

I've seen it, Greg hasn't.

[Dreamer]

I'm afraid to admit I haven't read I, Robot. But I plan on it. I'm currently trying to finish the last of Salvatore's Orc trilogy. Then I am going to move on to Lonesome Dove. Strictly to gain a bit of Texas respect. Then what the heck; I, Robot it is before I dive in Robert Jordan (FINALLY)

[Arres]

It's definitely much more of a character drama set in the background of a sci-fi movie. It could easily have taken place in the 40's with a Brit and a German.

I thought that was kind of ... one of the two points of good sci-fi.

(The other point, exploring the promise and influence of technology on the 'human' condition, being what differentiates good sci-fi from good fantasy, or "fantasy set in the future, often in space".)

I've felt for some time that a CRITICAL bit of really truly good science fiction was that it was a warning. If you look at some of the classic science fiction they have taken a concept or societal behavior and extended it far out to the future and show the consequences. Then the story is how the hero overcomes societies ills.

[Rikku_Chan]

Am I totally shallow for thinking that Terminator 2: Director's Cut was one of the best SciFi movies of all time?

I mean, it's like the only Science Fiction/Action movie that I cried at the end of. And that's a profound statement.

To me, if a drama can make a person cry, then it's MEH, standard, run of the mill, i.e. it's engineered that way to produce that response. But if an action movie can do the same WITHOUT getting all mushy and selling out, then that's special...

[StruckingFuggle]

Robert Jordan (FINALLY)

/me winces

I'm sorry.