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Topic: What's your favorite SciFi movie of all time? (Read 20159 times)
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Deus Siddis
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"The embryo is a newborn 'Starchild' (or one in process of realizing its potential), the thing David Bowman became. Of course it's a symbolic presentation of 'reality' (reality in 2001)."
Wish I new how to comment on that. . . 
"MoonTrap"
Is that the movie with Walter Koenig, where those aliens live in red pods and need humas/machines to build themselves into mechy things?
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VOiD
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Oh goody, a movie thread. Long-winded post here, sorry about that. I have a hard time deciding on only one film, so I thought I'd give you several of my favourites.
2001: A Space Odyssey. Kubrick, 1968
Frequently features in lists of the best movies of all time, yet those who have seen it often feel underwhelmed. Slow-paced, ponderous, tedious, and in parts, utterly nonsensical, that's how the criticism goes. I, for one, love it, and have no qualms on naming this one of my very favourite films of all time; yet I have a hard time explaining why. Perhaps it's because I've rarely seen a movie deal with themes of this magnitude (human evolution, a plot that spans millions of years, etc.), perhaps except the recent "Time Machine", which sucked utterly. Perhaps it's the lush, gorgeous imagery. Maybe the music does it. My best explanation, I guess, is that the absence of dialogue (only about 45 minutes of the film contains dialogue, which leaves about one hour and twenty-five minutes of music, sound effects, or complete silence) forces you to focus on the visual aspects. It is perhaps the only movie I've ever seen that couldn't work as anything but a movie. Most other movies concentrate on dialogue to tell the story, and let visuals and sound supplement that. Consequently, they could just as easily made the story into a theatre play, a radio show, or other things. The genius of 2001 is, I guess, to tell a story entirely by using images. Indeed, much of the little dialogue that can be found, are meaningless, polite phrases without connection to the plot. We're not exactly used to this way of making a movie, so much of it will seem to make no sense to the typical viewer. But I rant. Let's move on.
Le Voyage dans la Lune. Melies, 1902 ("Voyage to the Moon")
First real science fiction film, incredibly well made, with hand-painted scenery and (for 1902) amazing special effects. The hand-tinted original prints found a couple of years ago also makes it one of the first color pictures. The scenes have been copied and remade in film after film; Smashing Pumpkins' video for "Tonight, Tonight" copied many scenes. On a sad side note (from IMdB): "After finishing work on the film, George Melies intended to release it in America and thereby make lots of money. Unfortunately, Thomas A. Edison's film technicians had already secretly made copies of the film, which was showed across the USA within weeks. Melies never made any money from the film's American showings, and went broke several years later (while Edison made a fortune on the film.)"
Metropolis. Lang, 1927
Incredibly well-made silent classic. Great set-pieces and effects, a simple yet well-constructed plot, and a generally bleak view of the world. Oh yes, just my kind of movie. Well worth a look, even for those of you who don't really enjoy silents.
12 Monkeys. Gilliam, 1996
Not a purists sci-fi film (most of the action takes place in the present day), but it's one of the very best time-travel films ever made, IMO. Great plot, too.
Alien. Scott, 1977
The first one; I don't care much for the overblown action-flick that was "Aliens", and the two later films were not up to this standard. Anyway, classic movie in all respects. Giger's designs all over the place, and special effects that don't try to impress, they merely support the story, which in turn makes them more impressive. 
Blade Runner. Scott, 1982
Bleak, dark futuristic vision, with quite a few semblances to Metropolis I mentioned above. Vangelis' music adds a lot to the atmosphere. The non-directors cut features an upbeat ending, with pretty, lush pictures of Deckard and girlfriend riding their spacecraft over blossoming valleys(*) as they head to a better future; which actually ruins the entire movie. Be sure to watch the director's cut. From IMdB: "In a survey conducted by the UK newspaper The Guardian in 2004, 60 scientists selected this movie as the best science fiction movie of all time, just ahead of 2001: A Space Odyssey."
(*) unused footage from The Shining (1980)
A Clockwork Orange. Kubrick, 1971
Ultra-violent, ultra-controversial, ultra-great. The story itself takes place in the very near future, which barely makes it a science fiction film, but it's so good, it deserves a mention anyway. It's remarkable for being a film which portrays a story from the villain's point of view, without taking sides and without becoming moralistic.
"The embryo is a newborn 'Starchild' (or one in process of realizing its potential), the thing David Bowman became. Of course it's a symbolic presentation of 'reality' (reality in 2001)." Wish I new how to comment on that. . .
Read the book (by Arthur C Clarke), and you will know. It's that simple.
Or you could look here:
http://www.palantir.net/2001/meanings/clarke2.html
And how could you not like Star Wars. It has more symbolism than the matrix, by ten fold.
Oh come on. If you can't prove it, don't claim it. There is a lot of symbolism in both films, the main difference, I suppose, is that Star Wars alludes more to legends and popular lore, while The Matrix contains more biblical references.
Metropolis (1929, silent)
First sci-fi movie,
Oh no, my friend. Not by a long stretch.  See above.
Here is a run-through of some pre-1950s scifi classics:
http://www.sandcastlevi.com/movies/sf-1900s.htm
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« Last Edit: May 11, 2005, 08:37:15 pm by VOiD »
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GeomanNL
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I rather liked Flash Gordon, and I'm mentioning it because it's not been mentioned yet. With music by Queen. And nice colorful sets, worthless special effects, and a crazy plot. I cannot help but like it
The Abyss; now that's a nice movie.
Star-wars chapter 1 was pretty cool too. A bit childish on some occasions, but imo that gives it something extra. It's funny, and it's on occasions a quite happy, delightful movie, let's put it that way. I can imagine the movie puts off people who take star-wars too seriously.
I also like Blade Runner. Unfortunately I bought the one without the voice-over comments, those gave it extra atmosphere.
Oh and how can I forget one of the best (if not the best) movies ever made: the Fifth Element !! So full of humour, irony, sarcasm, action-packed, it's simply awesome !! Although you do get tired of it when you watch it (at home of course) for the tenth time.
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« Last Edit: May 11, 2005, 08:56:33 pm by GeomanNL »
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Deus Siddis
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Alien:
This is one of the very best. Directors Cut is nice.
Matrix:
I don't think spoon bending is in the bible, nor is Maya.
2001:
It is different, but I don't think a movie should require an intruction manual.
Blade Runner:
Excellent Music, Great Feel, Great Concept, but Poor Acting (really takes it down a notch.)
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« Last Edit: May 11, 2005, 10:07:01 pm by Deus_Siddis »
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Deus Siddis
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Yea, everyone who likes that movie says that. The manual tells you that H.A.L. is I.B.M. with each letter having taken a step back, alphabetically.
I just feel that a movie should be able to stand on its own. I mean, needing an instruction manual for a game is bad, but needing one for a movie is much worse, in my opinion. (emphasis on "needing")
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michael
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"Metropolis. Lang, 1927
Incredibly well-made silent classic. Great set-pieces and effects, a simple yet well-constructed plot, and a generally bleak view of the world. Oh yes, just my kind of movie. Well worth a look, even for those of you who don't really enjoy silents"
is the anime version good?
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Chrispy
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Spoon bending is not in the bible. The matrix is the story of the second coming of jesus, so it will obviously be slightly different then the fist coming.
There is also a great deal of colour symbolism in the matrix. Every time agent smith is going to appear, there is a red light. Everytime he is foiled there is a yellow light. Everytime a goodguy is going to be alright there is green.
There is a lot of referance to water. Falling water is like the falling coding, and the matrix is falling coding, so they enfasize it a lot. It rains a lot, they squeegy windows a lot, the fire alarm goes off and showers the agents, the police officers are called wells and lake.
And just defending the second two movies, they were intended to be made after the first one, they werent just making money off of something that was already famous. They follow the plot just as it was hinted the plot would be followed in the first. They are quite different then the first though, so I could understand anyone not liking them. The trilogy is really wierd, so you either love it or hate it I guess.
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Deus Siddis
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There was a lot of shooting and fireballs in it too. Wonder what those symbolized. 
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GeomanNL
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I think those fireballs symbolize death and rebirth, like the phoenix.
Lead symbolizes heavy weight, I think it means that a bullet takes the heavy weight of life off your shoulders.
I liked episode two most. Great fight scenes
(and a nice story to back it up of course)
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« Last Edit: May 12, 2005, 03:48:06 am by GeomanNL »
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Chrispy
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Fighting represented conflict. The story is about war. Some of it represents outside sources, but some of it is simply the unique plot of the movies.
If theres something else I woudlnt be surprised but I dont know it right now.
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Achmed
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Is it just me or is VoID's list the most pathetically pseudo-intellectual thing ever? "I'm so sophisticated because I like boring old movies! Ooh!" Honestly, why not read literature if you want to pretend to be erudite? The only impression you're making is on your keyboard. . . .
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GeomanNL
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No, he mentioned 2 old movies so what? He's got alien and blade-runner in there, I like those as well.
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« Last Edit: May 12, 2005, 05:10:48 am by GeomanNL »
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