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[MjFrancis]

Not only did David Fincher's Fight Club feature good CGI, but Zodiac did as well.

It almost feels as if I'm spoiling it since I bet if I didn't mention it and you didn't already know, the CGI would be nigh undetectable. There's still telltale signs I'm certain, but it's a great example of using CGI to make a believable set that would be too costly to create otherwise.

The first Matrix has a lot of good CGI, but the sequels were hit-and-miss. The set pieces were convincing in all three. Stuff like the burly brawl stand out as less-than-quality examples, though.

 

[Sofo]

I kind of agree, but it's Centaur, referring to the HP post.

 

[joeyjoejoeshabadoo]

Not only did David Fincher's Fight Club feature good CGI, but Zodiac did as well.

Zodiac's CG is mindblowing. I had no idea they used so much until I saw the special feature on the DVD.

 

[Bisnic]

Star Wars prequels.

 

[SolsticeZero]

I don't think the early Harry Potter movies aged well at all. That scene with the Minotaur looks SO bad. Part of it is the model... why does a creature who is half man and half horse need to have a big fake cartoon face?

Everybody in the first two movies is like that. They look like the announcers in Phantom Menace, or the characters from Antz. And the lighting on everything is completely non-related to the actual lighting in the scene.

And another stupid thing is how in the Quiddich scenes you can tell when it's an actor being filmed vs an animated stand-in because as soon as it switches to the latter, the character suddenly turns into a floppy, spasming rag doll with crazy rubber limbs.

I avoid the first two Harry Potter movies. Chris Columbus turned them into big kiddie cartoon movies.

 

[sn00zer]

If we are discussing effects in general, gotta givce it to Empire Strikes back. Amazing space flight effects, lighting, & the lightsaber is still a joy to behold from Star Wars. Empire combined it all wonderfully though.

I agree with Star wars, but the Special Edition stuff is just not done well at all

 

[PIMPBYBLUD]

Jurassic Park was the first movie to come to mind.

 

[SolsticeZero]

I agree with Star wars, but the Special Edition stuff is just not done well at all

Well, that was after George Lucas went batshit-fucking-loco

 

[Joe Shlabotnik]

I avoid the first two Harry Potter movies. Chris Columbus turned them into big kiddie cartoon movies.

He didn't really "turn them" into anything, he pretty much slavishly adapted them almost word for word to the screen. The first two are young children's books, through and through.

The CGI in them is uneven, though, and the centaurs looked awful in theaters, on release. It was just bad (or rushed) work.

Incredible set design though!

If we are discussing effects in general, gotta givce it to Empire Strikes back. Amazing space flight effects, lighting, & the lightsaber is still a joy to behold from Star Wars. Empire combined it all wonderfully though.

This is probably true, but I wonder when the last time any of us have seen the non-re-mastered, non-special-edition theatrical release. I'm pretty sure even the laserdisc version of the originals was cleaned up a bit. Still, it's always going to be impressive effects work and practical effects usually age better than CGI.

 

[planar1280]

1984: 2010 The year we made contact:

http://i.imgur.com/SOBsw.jpg

1982: Blade Runner

http://graphic-engine.swarthmore.edu/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/blade-runner.jpg

 

[shira]

Can't they just digitally reinsert higher resolution models and textures?
Id love to see WETA or ILM clean up their older effects

 

[sn00zer]

Can't they just digitally reinsert higher resolution models and textures?
Id love to see WETA or ILM clean up their older effects

I agree, but only to change stuff thats already in there not adding to it ala Special Editions...but dont touch my practical effcets

 

[Brera]

Even with LOTR you can see the effects of aging CGI in a few spots, like the collapsing bridge in the Mines of Moria

That sequence looked shit in 2001 so I don't think it can count?

My vote would be LOTR!

 

[jagowar]

Not really that old but the gladiator cgi has fared pretty well.... I would also say lotr has done pretty good too considering how much cgi was in those movies.

 

[runningjoke]

That sequence looked shit in 2001 so I don't think it can count?

My vote would be LOTR!

Looked shit back then, still shit now = aged well?

 

[Anton Sugar]

Looked shit back then, still shit now = aged well?

But it hasn't gotten any worse!

 

[AnathemicOne]

I do not see any fail CGI in the Bridge of Khazad Dum scene in LotR, but it may just be me, can someone point it out?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66imrid90UM&feature=related

 

[Archon473]

The digitally enhanced THX-1138

 

[jayhawker]

I do not see any fail CGI in the Bridge of Khazad Dum scene in LotR, but it may just be me, can someone point it out?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66imrid90UM&feature=related

What stands out in my mind is when Frodo makes the jump while the stairs are collapsing. It looked terrible on release and gets more jarring ever time I watch it. I actually make a point to leave the room when that happens so I don't have to look at it. There might as well be a flashing neon sign that says "insert really bad green screen effect here."

 

[James Woods]

Pitch Black

u r funny

 

[bengraven]

I don't think the early Harry Potter movies aged well at all. That scene with the Minotaur looks SO bad. Part of it is the model... why does a creature who is half man and half horse need to have a big fake cartoon face?

The CENtaur looks really fucking terrible even back then. I was in the theater going

 

[yogloo]

I hated how when Gollum moves in lotr, the rocks and the debris under him barely moves. Makes the cg looks weightless and an eyesore.

 

[HIGH DEF JEFF]

Would have posted Starship Troopers but the first responder beat me to it.
First post is always correct, yada yada yada.

 

[ComputerMKII]

Irreversible:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-PnrL-uw0w

 

[The Technomancer]

I just watched Starship Troopers for the first time the other day and I was amazed at how well the CGI held up

 

[sn00zer]

I just watched Starship Troopers for the first time the other day and I was amazed at how well the CGI held up

Yeah the movie series gets gradually worse looking as it goes on (btw never see 2 or 3...ever), no idea what kinda magic they were making back then but yeah the CG is awesome...movie is great tongue in cheek cinema

 

[Count Dookkake]

Yeah the movie series gets gradually worse looking as it goes on (btw never see 2 or 3...ever), no idea what kinda magic they were making back then but yeah the CG is awesome...movie is great tongue in cheek cinema

To be fair, the sequels had about a tenth of the original's budget.

 

[Flavius]

Not CGI-heavy, but I still think they did a brilliant job of managing its use in The Crow...particularly considering of its primary functions was to allow them to finish the film after Brandon Lee's death.

 

[McLovin]

Not that old but children of men. Most people don't know how much cgi was in the movie.... actually most people probably think it didn't have any.

 

[thecouncil]

Jurassic Park was the first movie to come to mind.

http://youtu.be/gTWo9oLJOWk?hd=1&t=2m05s

yeah. none of this looks bad. and it was 1993.

 

[dave is ok]

The Langoliers

 

[strafer]

Surprised no one has mentioned Avatar.

 

[Mudkips]

Only rules are the movie has to be at least 10 years old and VFX must feature in it prominently.

My picks are Jurassic Park, LotR trilogy, and Blade Runner.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbWNZkoQHuE&t=2m30s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnRxQ3dcaQk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_aziIIp8U8

What else?

Jurassic Park shows it age now. Of course, it's still miles better than JP2 or JP3.
Lord of the Rings looks like utter ass.
Blade Runner what?

Yep, we probably never would have seen bullet time if it was invented today. It would be all CGI.

Max Payne did bullet time.

 

[polyh3dron]

LOTR especially has a lot less CGI than one would initially think.

Yeah some of the CGI in Fellowship was horrible, I even thought so when I saw it on opening day in the theater.

There's a wide shot of Frodo and crew running in a cavern and they're all CG and you can tell because they are really bad low poly models.

 

[Dariee]

Not that old but children of men. Most people don't know how much cgi was in the movie.... actually most people probably think it didn't have any.

Here's my answer.

 

[Darkmakaimura]

Surprised no one has mentioned Avatar.

Movie has to be at least ten years old.

The Langoliers

Hardy har.

 

[pottuvoi]

Contact had some remarkable invisible effects and great FX overall. (It also shared original script with The Dig so it cannot be bad. )
The zoom.
Famous mirror scene.

Starship Troopers is still a marvell and has some best effect sequences ever created.

 

[Zeppelin]

Having recently re-watched all the LotR films I must say they all looked terrible.

I remember Jurassic Park looking kinda bad too when I saw it a year or so ago but watching that YouTube clip posted I must say it still holds up fairly well for it's age.

And I agree with the people posting The Matrix. Some of it's sets doesn't look too good but the CG parts are still very well done.