Amentep Posted May 7, 2010 Posted May 7, 2010 Even though I didn't think it was as good as others did, I'm surprised that District 9 is missing from the proposed list. I, Robot was actually pretty good if you can get past the fact it isn't actually based on the Asimov story. I've always been fond of Signs While not as good at the Tarkovsky version, Solaris isn't a bad sci-fi film. Frequency is a good underrated sci-fi film. I thought The Final Cut was actually a pretty good film (even if it goes pearshaped in the end). Uneven The Signal was worth a viewing (the middle segment having some really great moments). Those are a few strong sci-fi films I can think of from 2000-2009. I cannot - yet I must. How do you calculate that? At what point on the graph do "must" and "cannot" meet? Yet I must - but I cannot! ~ Ro-Man
Monte Carlo Posted May 7, 2010 Posted May 7, 2010 Don't want to be deliberately contrary, but Solaris was cinematic mogadon.
Amentep Posted May 7, 2010 Posted May 7, 2010 (edited) So was the Tarkovsky original (and it was an hour longer!) Its still worth the slog through, IMO. Edited May 7, 2010 by Amentep I cannot - yet I must. How do you calculate that? At what point on the graph do "must" and "cannot" meet? Yet I must - but I cannot! ~ Ro-Man
RPGmasterBoo Posted May 7, 2010 Author Posted May 7, 2010 Even though I didn't think it was as good as others did, I'm surprised that District 9 is missing from the proposed list. I, Robot was actually pretty good if you can get past the fact it isn't actually based on the Asimov story. I've always been fond of Signs While not as good at the Tarkovsky version, Solaris isn't a bad sci-fi film. Frequency is a good underrated sci-fi film. I thought The Final Cut was actually a pretty good film (even if it goes pearshaped in the end). Uneven The Signal was worth a viewing (the middle segment having some really great moments). Those are a few strong sci-fi films I can think of from 2000-2009. Explanation why the ones I have watched from that list weren't included: 1. District 9 - another case of sledgehammer subtlety in regards to politics. Do not like the simplistic portrayal of apartheid in the film. Such topics should be handled seriously or not at all. Did not like the actual storyline either. 2. I Robot - just another action movie starring Will Smith, no? 3. Signs didn't leave much impact on me for some reason. 4. Couldn't find the time to watch Solaris (2). I love the original. 5. Frequency is good. Dont think it has lasting value though. 6. The Final Cut and The Signal, I haven't seen. Both got under my radar in IMDB as I filter out all films that get under 6.5 in user ratings. Having limited time to watch films, I had to include some sort of filtering. Imperium Thought for the Day: Even a man who has nothing can still offer his life
Oner Posted May 7, 2010 Posted May 7, 2010 The Man from Earth was pretty good too. Also, where's the love for GitS 1? Giveaway list: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1DgyQFpOJvyNASt8A12ipyV_iwpLXg_yltGG5mffvSwo/edit?usp=sharing What is glass but tortured sand?Never forget! '12.01.13.
Amentep Posted May 7, 2010 Posted May 7, 2010 I have no love for anything with the title "Ghost in the Shell". That said the original film was in 1995, so outside of the decade in question in the original post. I cannot - yet I must. How do you calculate that? At what point on the graph do "must" and "cannot" meet? Yet I must - but I cannot! ~ Ro-Man
Gromnir Posted May 7, 2010 Posted May 7, 2010 the last two decades has kinda been weak for sci-fi... at least as far as Gromnir is concerned. from late 60s (Planet of the Apes, 2001... to name a few) through the 70s (Clockwork Orange, Star Wars, Alien, Mad Max... and numerous others) and into the early 80s (Empire Strikes Back, Blade Runner, Terminator & Aliens) there were some absolute fantastic sci-fi films. sadly, we would have a hard time come up with even 5 sci-films we thought of as genuine fantastic since 1985... though it is nice that we finally got a decent star trek film. proviso: if we throw comic book superhero flicks into the mix as sci-fi, then we can add a few recent movies into the pot. Dark Knight and Iron Man were excellent. HA! Good Fun! "If there be time to expose through discussion the falsehood and fallacies, to avert the evil by the processes of education, the remedy to be applied is more speech, not enforced silence."Justice Louis Brandeis, Concurring, Whitney v. California, 274 U.S. 357 (1927) "Im indifferent to almost any murder as long as it doesn't affect me or mine."--Gfted1 (September 30, 2019)
Monte Carlo Posted May 7, 2010 Posted May 7, 2010 What's the forum consensus on The Matrix? It felt cool at the time but I saw one of them the other day and it just felt... bad.
Oner Posted May 7, 2010 Posted May 7, 2010 That said the original film was in 1995, so outside of the decade in question in the original post.Oh yeah, forgot that. Giveaway list: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1DgyQFpOJvyNASt8A12ipyV_iwpLXg_yltGG5mffvSwo/edit?usp=sharing What is glass but tortured sand?Never forget! '12.01.13.
Amentep Posted May 7, 2010 Posted May 7, 2010 I didn't like The Matrix - or I should say I thought it was okay and entertaining but frustrating watching at the same time. I cannot - yet I must. How do you calculate that? At what point on the graph do "must" and "cannot" meet? Yet I must - but I cannot! ~ Ro-Man
kirottu Posted May 7, 2010 Posted May 7, 2010 Another sci fi epic that gets slammed or ignored that I really like is Robin William's Bicentiennal Man which has the same basic themes as AI. Sadly, it was released at 1999 december. I liked it more than AI. The Man from Earth was pretty good too. Also, where's the love for GitS 1? Suprisingly good movie where people just sit and talk. Tarantino could learn from this movie and not put random people talking about random **** at random place, but to talk about something actually interesting that is relevant to the story. This post is not to be enjoyed, discussed, or referenced on company time.
Walsingham Posted May 7, 2010 Posted May 7, 2010 What's the forum consensus on The Matrix? It felt cool at the time but I saw one of them the other day and it just felt... bad. Loved it. Great film. Lousy sequels, but you can see why they became lousy. Fething producers boil down refine and ramp up keye elements while paring away the filler/impurities. If the fethwits were allowed near a bottle of laphroig they'd triple distill it and leave you with pure alcohol. ...then dump in a teaspoon of charcoal and peat and wonder why you punched them in the sac. "It wasn't lies. It was just... bull****"." -Elwood Blues tarna's dead; processing... complete. Disappointed by Universe. RIP Hades/Sand/etc. Here's hoping your next alt has a harp.
Gromnir Posted May 7, 2010 Posted May 7, 2010 What's the forum consensus on The Matrix? It felt cool at the time but I saw one of them the other day and it just felt... bad. the first matrix had a kewl factor due as much to the aesthetic as the material. we loathe keanu reeves... and the story as a whole had that kinda ridiculous anime quality that keeps us from being able to appreciate Japanese sci-fi. nevertheless, matrix, at the time, looked amazing... and Larry Fishburn and Joe Pantloliano were excellent... as were Elrond. "Welcome to Rivendell, Mr. Anderson." HA! Good Fun! "If there be time to expose through discussion the falsehood and fallacies, to avert the evil by the processes of education, the remedy to be applied is more speech, not enforced silence."Justice Louis Brandeis, Concurring, Whitney v. California, 274 U.S. 357 (1927) "Im indifferent to almost any murder as long as it doesn't affect me or mine."--Gfted1 (September 30, 2019)
RPGmasterBoo Posted May 7, 2010 Author Posted May 7, 2010 the last two decades has kinda been weak for sci-fi... at least as far as Gromnir is concerned. from late 60s (Planet of the Apes, 2001... to name a few) through the 70s (Clockwork Orange, Star Wars, Alien, Mad Max... and numerous others) and into the early 80s (Empire Strikes Back, Blade Runner, Terminator & Aliens) there were some absolute fantastic sci-fi films. sadly, we would have a hard time come up with even 5 sci-films we thought of as genuine fantastic since 1985... though it is nice that we finally got a decent star trek film. proviso: if we throw comic book superhero flicks into the mix as sci-fi, then we can add a few recent movies into the pot. Dark Knight and Iron Man were excellent. HA! Good Fun! That's correct. Ridley Scott commented that sci fi was going the "way of the western" and he was most likely right. No truly prominent director has invested his talents into the sci fi genre for a while now. The only masterpiece in the last decade IMO Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is only sci fi because it uses an unexisting gimmick to explore relationships. Its barely, if at all science fiction. Now the films you mention are somewhat of a mix of pure commercial cinema (Terminator, SW, etc.) and the more artistic stuff (Clockwork Orange, Blade Runner). I tend to like the latter, with my favorites being 1. Blade Runner 2. Stalker 3. Solaris 4. Brazil 5. 2001 A Space Odyssey 6. Clockwork Orange 7. Alien I think its by these, artistic sort of "classics" that you can see the "vitality" of a genre and, that's the way it sorta affirms its value. But the last two decades in sci fi have no absolute classics. At best there is great stuff, but nothing to blow your mind. I'm of the opinion that the genre is petering out. Since it'll probably interest people, there is a very good top 1000 list http://www.theyshootpictures.com/gf1000.htm - made by prominent directors and critics. I extracted all the sci fi titles from the top 400: 4. 2001: A Space Odyssey 40. Blade Runner 69. Metropolis 90. A Clockwork Orange 104. Star Wars 112. Stalker 122. E.T. 135. La Jetee 139. Close Encounters of the Third Kind 163. Brazil 216. Alien 227. Solaris 259. The Terminator 274. The Empire Strikes Back 303. Aliens 347. Mad Max 2 361. Back to the Future It seems to support our theory as well. Imperium Thought for the Day: Even a man who has nothing can still offer his life
Orogun01 Posted May 7, 2010 Posted May 7, 2010 (edited) What's the forum consensus on The Matrix? It felt cool at the time but I saw one of them the other day and it just felt... bad. the first matrix had a kewl factor due as much to the aesthetic as the material. we loathe keanu reeves... and the story as a whole had that kinda ridiculous anime quality that keeps us from being able to appreciate Japanese sci-fi. nevertheless, matrix, at the time, looked amazing... and Larry Fishburn and Joe Pantloliano were excellent... as were Elrond. "Welcome to Rivendell, Mr. Anderson." HA! Good Fun! The Matrix is; IMO, one of the best movies of all times. Not only for the visual effects which painted all the movies that came afterwards, but by the efficiency of the visual "language" that had been missing from films for so long. The sequels were moneymaking whores (A.K.A. blockbusters) but the original by itself is a great piece of cinema, with great shots and a great storyline taken right out of The Prisoner. Plus I disagree with the notion that the 90's were bad years for sci-fi, they were plagued by a lot of B-rated films but amongst them gems of hardcore science fiction can be found. Johnny Mnemonic Flatliners 12 monkeys The island of Dr. Moreau Independence day Cube Gattaca PI The 13 floor Dark city That's excluding all the spoofs that plague the genre and all the animes that defined the era. Edited May 7, 2010 by Orogun01 I'd say the answer to that question is kind of like the answer to "who's the sucker in this poker game?"* *If you can't tell, it's you.
RPGmasterBoo Posted May 7, 2010 Author Posted May 7, 2010 the first matrix had a kewl factor due as much to the aesthetic as the material. we loathe keanu reeves... and the story as a whole had that kinda ridiculous anime quality that keeps us from being able to appreciate Japanese sci-fi. nevertheless, matrix, at the time, looked amazing... and Larry Fishburn and Joe Pantloliano were excellent... as were Elrond. "Welcome to Rivendell, Mr. Anderson." I agree. When it appeared I watched it at least 5 times, but with time I noticed the actual shallowness of its storyline. Seeing Dark City afterwards, which did many similarly, but better only reinforced this notion. Plus I disagree with the notion that the 90's were bad years for sci-fi, they were plagued by a lot of B-rated films but amongst them gems of hardcore science fiction can be found. Johnny Mnemonic Flatliners 12 monkeys The island of Dr. Moreau Independence day Cube Gattaca PI The 13 floor Dark city I don't exactly see why Johnny Mnemonic, Flatliners, Dr Moreau and Independence Day are gems but I'll agree that Dark City, Gattaca and 12 Monkeys are pretty good. The 13th floor and Cube were interesting, and I haven't seen PI. I'd add Terminator 2, Jurassic Park, Ghost in the Shell, City of Lost Children, Total Recall, The Fifth Element, Galaxy Quest, Men in Black and Starship Troopers as notable additions. None of them however present what any of the aforementioned classics meant for the development of the genre. The Matrix is the only one with wide reaching consequences but purely in the visual sphere. Imperium Thought for the Day: Even a man who has nothing can still offer his life
Pidesco Posted May 7, 2010 Posted May 7, 2010 I thought District 9 was better than Aliens, so from where I'm standing things aren't quite as bad as they might appear. Sunshine was also pretty great at showing the loneliness of spaceship life. Additionally, if you were to include Children of Men in the genre (I wouldn't), it would make things look a lot more positive for the genre today. Anyway, even in the late 70s to early 80s, which I think was the best period for film sci-fi, the truly good science fiction films were pearls in a sea of crap. As for K-Pax, it was a shallow, phoned in Hollywood machine attempt at making a quirky, sappy, yet smart movie about life and belief. "My hovercraft is full of eels!" - Hungarian touristI am Dan Quayle of the Romans.I want to tattoo a map of the Netherlands on my nether lands.Heja Sverige!!Everyone should cuffawkle more.The wrench is your friend.
Amentep Posted May 7, 2010 Posted May 7, 2010 Why wouldn't Children of Men be sci-fi? Also along the lines of City of Lost Children mentioned above I'll throw out Delicatessen as another gem from the decade. I cannot - yet I must. How do you calculate that? At what point on the graph do "must" and "cannot" meet? Yet I must - but I cannot! ~ Ro-Man
RPGmasterBoo Posted May 7, 2010 Author Posted May 7, 2010 As for K-Pax, it was a shallow, phoned in Hollywood machine attempt at making a quirky, sappy, yet smart movie about life and belief. I guess it does follow an overused formula but Jeff Briges and Spacey did a really good job nonetheless. I liked the use of color and the sound effects. I'm still not sure if I'll include it when I write part 2. Yet another problem when you don't have clear cut masterpieces to choose from. Even the much vaunted Moon and Children of Men left me cold. Man from Earth was interesting, but its not really a fully realized feature film. Why wouldn't Children of Men be sci-fi? Also along the lines of City of Lost Children mentioned above I'll throw out Delicatessen as another gem from the decade. Watched it today - great stuff. All very similar in style but still great. Imperium Thought for the Day: Even a man who has nothing can still offer his life
Pidesco Posted May 7, 2010 Posted May 7, 2010 Why wouldn't Children of Men be sci-fi? It would be in the stricter sense that it's set in the future with higher technology than seen today. However, for me that's like saying that, for example, Annie Hall would be sci-fi if it was set in 2020s with a scene where a futuristic object makes an appearance. It's true, but it's also meaningless. "My hovercraft is full of eels!" - Hungarian touristI am Dan Quayle of the Romans.I want to tattoo a map of the Netherlands on my nether lands.Heja Sverige!!Everyone should cuffawkle more.The wrench is your friend.
Hurlshort Posted May 7, 2010 Posted May 7, 2010 I am glad to see Wall-E on the list as well. I honestly never would have thought of it, but after seeing it on the list, it definitely fits.
RPGmasterBoo Posted May 7, 2010 Author Posted May 7, 2010 I am glad to see Wall-E on the list as well. I honestly never would have thought of it, but after seeing it on the list, it definitely fits. To make what's practically a silent sci fi film for children in this day and age and for it to be successful as well, is an endeavor few would dare contemplate. Since Pixar pulled it off there's nothing left to do but bow down to their ingenuity. UP blew me away even more, especially with the phenomenal first 20 mins. Imperium Thought for the Day: Even a man who has nothing can still offer his life
Orogun01 Posted May 7, 2010 Posted May 7, 2010 I really don't see the Sci-fi on Wall-e. Is a children movie with some scientific themes which are not treated in the film. Has it really been that bad for science fiction the last years that there isn't anything better than Wall-e. P.S: Avatar would had been a great Sci-fi if it had focused more on reality and the duality of the main character instead of all that treehugging nonsense. I'd say the answer to that question is kind of like the answer to "who's the sucker in this poker game?"* *If you can't tell, it's you.
RPGmasterBoo Posted May 7, 2010 Author Posted May 7, 2010 I really don't see the Sci-fi on Wall-e. Is a children movie with some scientific themes which are not treated in the film. Has it really been that bad for science fiction the last years that there isn't anything better than Wall-e. P.S: Avatar would had been a great Sci-fi if it had focused more on reality and the duality of the main character instead of all that treehugging nonsense. Sometimes all a film has to be categorized as sci fi is aesthetics. Children of Men has nothing to do with science, actually its a drama heavily infused with religious allegory - yet for the lack of a better label it gets dumped into sci fi. Wall-E is successful on many levels, I'd not dismiss it so easily. Avatar is 100% pure commercial, no brains required, action adventure. Much the same as Terminator 2, Aliens or anything else Cameron makes. Regardless, its well made. I tried to balance the artistic, thoughtful side of sci fi cinema with the commercial "entertainment only" titles, even though I favor the former. If we were going to be strict about it only Moon and Sunshine would really be 100% sci fi. Imperium Thought for the Day: Even a man who has nothing can still offer his life
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