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[Erigu]

It's yellow.

Next-gen!

 

[daviyoung]

I did not say the talk would be only about bad movies. For example, are the Star Wars movies considered bad? Or Armageddon? Both have major issues from a scientific point.

Star Wars is as much science fiction as LOTR or Avatar. There are also going to be way more great science fiction films with bad science than good, that's how these things work. With bad science you get a wealth of possibility to create a worthy story, with good science you get Primer.

 

[endre]

And I agree completely. My idea wasn't about movie bashing, just about the science behind it.

 

[Photosynthesis]

Not quite a movie, but the BBC miniseries The Lost Room is amazing and really clever sci-fi. You know when you are watching a movie and think, "oh man, the smart thing for the the protagonist to do is such and such", and he never does? Well, in The Lost Room, they do exactly what you want them to do. It's very satisfying.

 

[chiQ]

Star Wars is as much science fiction as LOTR or Avatar. There are also going to be way more great science fiction films with bad science than good, that's how these things work. With bad science you get a wealth of possibility to create a worthy story, with good science you get Primer.

I wouldn't class LotR as sf at all.

Since so many others are disregarding the underrated bit I have to mention District 9. I'm not sure if it was at all underrated, but it is an awesome movie.

 

[Glorious_Paradox]

Not quite a movie, but the BBC miniseries The Lost Room is amazing and really clever sci-fi. You know when you are watching a movie and think, "oh man, the smart thing for the the protagonist to do is such and such", and he never does? Well, in The Lost Room, they do exactly what you want them to do. It's very satisfying.

Yes! I've been trying to raise awareness of this awesome show whenever I get a chance as well, so much quality entertainment =) Which reminds me, I need to get my DVD back from a friend I lent it to, as it's about that time of the year again when I go through another rewatch.

 

[Keavy_Rain]

Regarding Robot Jox, I fucking LOVE that movie and it and I have a long history.

I remembered seeing it on HBO as a kid and thinking it was the greatest thing ever. I had a home-made VHS copy (as in, recorded off of HBO) and it eventually died or was recorded over, I grew up, and I forgot about it.

Last summer, I got into bad movie podcasts and discovered The Bad Movie Fiends podcast and was intrigued by their rating system (1-5 Jox for enjoyable bad movies, 1-5 bags for unwatchable bad movies.) They said the Jox half of their rating system was for their favorite bad movie, Robot Jox. That name sounded familiar to me and I bought the DVD off of Amazon.

Imagine my shock when I re-discovered my childhood love and, yes, that movie holds up. I have adopted the Jox rating system myself, but have expanded it beyond bad movies.

As for my other favorite sci-fi movies, "The Running Man," "Omega Cop," "Judge Dredd" and "The Fifth Element" are all 5 Jox films along with Robot Jox in my book.

 

[Photosynthesis]

Yes! I've been trying to raise awareness of this awesome show whenever I get a chance as well, so much quality entertainment =) Which reminds me, I need to get my DVD back from a friend I lent it to, as it's about that time of the year again when I go through another rewatch.

Right? I've watched it last year around spring break, and it completely blew my mind. If I weren't completely swamped with school, I'd totally watch it again.

 

[Vanillalite]

I'm kinda shocked this hasn't been mentioned yet, although I guess perhaps that means it is highly regarded I know I've seen it get plenty of attention here on GAF, but it's a movie I feel would fit into any best of list when mentioning modern sci-fi films

Titan AE

I hadn't ever seen this movie before. Ended up watching it on instant streaming on Netflix with my GF. We both thoroughly enjoyed this one!

 

[nitewulf]

i didnt like Avalon, it was just very stylish visually...but this movie was more interesting, visually stunning as well, not great, but certainly a lot better than Avalon and Casshern which come up often in these threads:

 

[SCULLIBUNDO]

So guess who found the script for Sunshine this morning? This appears to be the second last draft of the film. Amazing to see that Capa's jump was a last minute thought apparently, because it wasn't in this script - which is a shooting script.

There are also a few extra things cut out. Most notably is a stronger relationship between Cassie and Capa. They even fuck in the O2 garden. Mace doesn't die in the coolant tank, he dies inside a massive switchboard trying to reconnect the system that will jettison the payload.

I had been looking for this script for the LONGEST FUCKING TIME. Great read. Garland is the fucking MAN. I really, really want him and Boyle to work together again. Getting a bit tired of Simon Beaufoy.

 

[SOME-MIST]

I think it was, though not in a huge way. I don't think it got nearly enough hoopla, including from me. The first time I watched it I was in totally the wrong mood and thought it was a bit meh. People talked about how much they liked it, but it really didn't capture the world's attention, as it should have.

It got pretty awesome ratings...and when I went to go see it in Chicago during a weekday afternoon, the show was pretty much sold out lol. not that my one show time represents "the world's attention", but I thought it was pretty hyped.

 

[noah111]

This thread deserves to be bumped, founds lots of great stuff in here to put on my to-watch list.

The Man from Earth

Soft-spoken and perhaps a bit dry, but an engrossing watch.

One of my favourite Sci-Fi movies. The first 5 minutes are very jarring because it makes the low-budget kind of obvious but after that, you cannot stop watching.

Indeed. I watched this the other day, not knowing anything about it going in, and still loved it. It sort of has a late 90s TV-series type of vibe to it, even though it's a 2007 movie, but it's smart.

I enjoyed the ending as well, the sort of underlying "you can't handle the truth" motif.

 

[Dariee]

Watched Dark City due to this topic. What a waste of time. That ending ruined the already 'hard to believe' story even more.

Saw Mr. Nobody being mentioned also. High expectations for that one.

 

[lunchtoast]

Was just listening to The Last Starfighter-Suite. So good.

 

[Net_Wrecker]

So underrated that it should be a crime. If you can someday watch it with an audience, please do. That ending causes so much shock and aww, man... Love this flick.

Just finished watching this, and although it's not a great movie (I think it loses something in the second half when they

Spoiler

change locations

), that ending was so unexpected and so good. Really thought it was heading for a

Spoiler

sad "dog dies, but lives on through the memories carried by his owner who now lives with his lady happily ever after"

ending, but what they did is so much better.

 

[PepsimanVsJoe]

Immortel

Totally worth seeing just for the visuals.

Gorgeous movie.

 

[Go319]

Frequency (2000)

Forgot to post this one, the drama/suspense in the movie overshadowed the sci-fi elements but i thought it was well done how the use of communicating outside time can effect past/current/future events.

holy crap i just watched this on your recommendation...ITS GREAT!!

thanks for the tip!

 

[SCULLIBUNDO]

What have you done.