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Let's hear it for tragically underrated sci-fi flicks
- Thread starter Funky Papa
- Start date
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Gotta agree with this. I remember loving Dark City when I saw it originally as a teenager. I recently re-watched it and found the movie to be cliche and predictable. The visuals are still fantastic though.
Insane Metal
Gold Member
I watched this as a child and loved it.
I don't really know if it's good or I liked it just because I was a child...
SlipperySlope
Banned
Does this count?
Does this count?
The plot revolves around time travel, so I'd say yes.
Indeed. Also some very strong performances by Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio.
I love this movie and I've never met anyone who likes it anywhere near as much as I do.
Still the greatest Director's Cut ever, I can't believe how much they butchered the film for the theatrical cut.
nincompoop
Banned
For a movie that was "way, way ahead of its time", it sure did seem like a rip off of a movie that came out 12 years earlier (Brainstorm).
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.
Loved the movie until they went underground. Then it took on a Clowns From Outer Space vibe.
Douglas Quaid
Member
Jurassic Park, before there was a Jurassic Park:
Oh, Westworld is the shit! Obviously low budget but it skillfully uses its means just like all great films. Simplistic but in a great way, like John Ford's westerns. Retro-futuristic but totally 1970s cheesy (which is totally badass)
I'd have to say The Terminator before there was a Terminator (dat cover)
The Technomancer
card-carrying scientician
I watched The Man Who Fell to Earth for the first time last night.
What an utterly bizarre film
What an utterly bizarre film
teruterubozu
Member
Like horror flicks, the problem with naming an "underrated" sci-fi film is that, if it's obscure, it probably has a loyal following.
ThoseDeafMutes
Member
The only movie I have ever fallen asleep during.
fierrotlepou
Member
ChubbyHuggs
Member
More unknown than underrated, since everyone I know that has seen it loves it.
My biology would show this for his genetics segment and that's how I found it. Such a good movie.
Cube Zero might count as unknown? I've heard a lot about Cube, and then a lot about how frigging terrible Cube 2 was (which is justified since it was awful), but the third movie/prequel doesn't come up a lot.
Cube Zero wasn't the greatest movie, but I liked it well enough and it was a good recovery from the cliff the second installment had jumped off of.
maquiladora
Member
Does this count?
God I love this movie. I had watched it many times and loved it while not realising something about the final scene on the plane. After watching it again for the xth time I suddenly realised that thing in the final scene I had have never noticed. Completely changed the ending of the movie and blew my mind.
i remember they made miniseries out of the TV show because fox spend so much money and almost went bankrupt.
Sorry but that sounds kinda stupid. I'll gladly take the science vs religion approach over that.
And 12 monkeys underrated? Come on, Pitt was even nominated for an Oscar.
There have been a few decent Asian time travel films in recent years that most people don't seem to know about (and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, of course!)
Cyborg She (2008) aka Cyborg Girl aka My Girlfriend is a Cyborg
Lonely guy meets a girl on his birthday, they hang out for a day and then she disappears.
Exactly a year later he meets her again, but this time she's more ... mechanical?
Fun sci-fi/comedy film with lots of nods to other sci-fi films, there's about 20 minutes in the middle that could have easily been cut out but the ending is really well done.
Summer Time Machine Blues (2005)
It's a very hot summer day in the science fiction club when the remote for the air conditioning breaks.
Luckily the nerds in the club have just stumbled across a time machine. All they need to do is travel back a day & steal the remote before it breaks. What could possibly go wrong?
This is a really funny film with all sorts of time travel hijinks, a whole film of scenes like that bit in Bill & Ted when they figure out how to get the keys to get Beethoven etc out of prison.
Cyborg She (2008) aka Cyborg Girl aka My Girlfriend is a Cyborg
Lonely guy meets a girl on his birthday, they hang out for a day and then she disappears.
Exactly a year later he meets her again, but this time she's more ... mechanical?
Fun sci-fi/comedy film with lots of nods to other sci-fi films, there's about 20 minutes in the middle that could have easily been cut out but the ending is really well done.
Summer Time Machine Blues (2005)
It's a very hot summer day in the science fiction club when the remote for the air conditioning breaks.
Luckily the nerds in the club have just stumbled across a time machine. All they need to do is travel back a day & steal the remote before it breaks. What could possibly go wrong?
This is a really funny film with all sorts of time travel hijinks, a whole film of scenes like that bit in Bill & Ted when they figure out how to get the keys to get Beethoven etc out of prison.
SteveWinwood
Member
It's in a strange place, it's terribly and utterly boring if you haven't read the book and can still be if you have. So it has to appeal to fans of the books, but then it makes so many changes (and it would lose fans no matter how close or not it was anyway).
The only movie I've feel asleep during that I remember was the notebook.
maquiladora
Member
I don't think I've ever loved a film more than
SteveWinwood
Member
When he ages? And it keeps fading in? Is that how it ends? I forget...
Edit: and oh god brazil. If you ever want a shitty laugh watch the tv edit. How can you royally fuck up a film so badly.
SlipperySlope
Banned
I gave Dune one attempt when I was high about 10 years ago. Needless to say I had no idea WTF was going on and was bored.
I'd say Highlander, but for Highlander to be considered sci-fi you'd have to watch the atrocious second film, and then forget all about the second film anyway lest it taint your appreciation of the original.
Instead of that, it gave me the weirdest buddy movie ever.
You have got to be joking. Textbook example of a film being tragically overrated for me. Might have enjoyed it if I wasn't going in expecting a decent dose of hard sci-fi.
Instead of that, it gave me the weirdest buddy movie ever.
Sunshine's 3rd act only really bothered me on 1st watch cause I was disappointed they went that route.
On subsequent viewings when I know what to expect, I've warmed to it. The first 2 acts are AMAZING, some of the best sci-fi I've seen, easily. And the 3rd act has some really good stuff, like the guy trying to fix the cooling, and everything after Capa dons the spacesuit.. and the music and the visuals. My god, it's such a beautiful movie.
And I agree with Moon as underrated/overlooked. Not many people seem to know about it, but it's such a cool film.
Also I have to mention Deep Impact. Often gets clumped in with Armaggeddon as bad/cheesy disaster movies. Sometimes even with Deep Impact being called worse than Armaggeddon. Which is crazy. I love Deep Impact. It has awesome Robert Duvall being a hero. Young Elijah Wood escaping a tsunami. Best president ever in Morgan Freeman. What's not to like?
On subsequent viewings when I know what to expect, I've warmed to it. The first 2 acts are AMAZING, some of the best sci-fi I've seen, easily. And the 3rd act has some really good stuff, like the guy trying to fix the cooling, and everything after Capa dons the spacesuit.. and the music and the visuals. My god, it's such a beautiful movie.
And I agree with Moon as underrated/overlooked. Not many people seem to know about it, but it's such a cool film.
Also I have to mention Deep Impact. Often gets clumped in with Armaggeddon as bad/cheesy disaster movies. Sometimes even with Deep Impact being called worse than Armaggeddon. Which is crazy. I love Deep Impact. It has awesome Robert Duvall being a hero. Young Elijah Wood escaping a tsunami. Best president ever in Morgan Freeman. What's not to like?
..yes? go on. What was it??
Starman.
The Last Starfighter
I dunno where we got it from but this was the only movie we had on VHS for a long time that we actually purchased, everything else was taped from tv.
shit is engraved in my mind
Does this count?
love this movie, this and fear and loathing in las vegas had me convinced terry gilliam was a genius. Then I saw the rest of his movies.
SteveWinwood
Member
Isn't it the third one thats all about the barbarian that awoke under the ice? Also the second highlander is the biggest quality drop from movie to sequel ever.
IrishNinja
Member
I don't think I've ever loved a film more than
definitely one of the best out there, i forget the whole dystopian subgenre - i actually put this one over clockwork orange, personally.
shysaursoft
Member
The Man from Earth
Soft-spoken and perhaps a bit dry, but an engrossing watch.
Terminal Voyage
The "twist" of the movie is now probably quite old and overdone, but back in 1994, it was new to me.
It's true in my head. That's what I thought was going to happen at the end. I thought I had it all figured out. Then BAM, Freddy Kreuger.
Escape Goat
Member
I really liked that movie when I was a kid for the giant robot fights. I don't know if it holds up today. I haven't seen it in probably 20 years. I actually forgot about it until someone reminded me of it a few years ago. You never hear anyone talk about the movie.
All I remember is there was a bunch of tits in it. Do I recall correctly?
lunarworks
Member
The fonts on the '90s posters...
That...would've been a fucking awesome ending.
Event Horizon
I think this one's the only WS Anderson movie I've ever liked.
so much this
nobody has even heard of it
recommended to around 7 people, all of them liked/loved it
Holy shit, came to post this!!! What's up with this forum and first answers? Lol!
Messofanego
Banned
The Fountain (critically panned on release)
Hugh Jackman pours his heart out in his performance. An eternal sci-fi love story through the ages. One of the best scores with Clint Mansell. Does anyone have the director's commentary? (PM me if so)
Animatrix doesn't get enough love. WATCH IT ON YOUTUBE.
Second Renaissance is one of the most in-depth robot revolutions. This is all NIGHTMARE FUEL. Horrific imagery (that woman getting literally ripped to shreds is obscene), great score, memorable quotes, and the documentary approach with the narrator does wonders as a great emotional roller-coaster. The humans being made to laugh/cry because the Sentinels are poking at their brain centers has never left me, esp as now I'm a med student.
Kid's Story is such a good cyberpunk david vs goliath story, and I love that sketchy animation style. "Somebody tell me. Why it feels more real when I dream then when I'm awake?" This might have the most beautiful suicide scene, which isn't a spoiler since it starts that way.
Beyond has this child-like naivete towards an anomaly in the Matrix, that awe and wonder ripped straight from a kids adventure film from the 80s. DOVES IN SLOW MOTION.
Matriculated is a tragic robot/human love story. The ending is heart-breaking. The world of the Matrix here is so much more grim than the movies.
Hugh Jackman pours his heart out in his performance. An eternal sci-fi love story through the ages. One of the best scores with Clint Mansell. Does anyone have the director's commentary? (PM me if so)
Animatrix doesn't get enough love. WATCH IT ON YOUTUBE.
Second Renaissance is one of the most in-depth robot revolutions. This is all NIGHTMARE FUEL. Horrific imagery (that woman getting literally ripped to shreds is obscene), great score, memorable quotes, and the documentary approach with the narrator does wonders as a great emotional roller-coaster. The humans being made to laugh/cry because the Sentinels are poking at their brain centers has never left me, esp as now I'm a med student.
Kid's Story is such a good cyberpunk david vs goliath story, and I love that sketchy animation style. "Somebody tell me. Why it feels more real when I dream then when I'm awake?" This might have the most beautiful suicide scene, which isn't a spoiler since it starts that way.
Beyond has this child-like naivete towards an anomaly in the Matrix, that awe and wonder ripped straight from a kids adventure film from the 80s. DOVES IN SLOW MOTION.
Matriculated is a tragic robot/human love story. The ending is heart-breaking. The world of the Matrix here is so much more grim than the movies.
HammerOfThor
Member
I love how Netflix Instant has none of these =/
The Technomancer
card-carrying scientician
SteveWinwood
Member
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=428297
Shameless self promotion.
Edit: oh no one of my links borked!
TheKaeptain
Banned
Korean Animation. Wonderful Days aka Sky Blue
More unknown than underrated, since everyone I know that has seen it loves it.
My biology teacher had us watch Sophomore year of high school, great movie.
Jurassic Park, before there was a Jurassic Park:
Hell yes!!
Wasn't there another movie like this called Future World?
Came here to post this. Thanks boys!This probably counts
Cheesy in that 90's way but good
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