What If: In the distant future, the world starts to become overrun with toxic jungles and giant bugs, and a princess has to stop warring kingdoms from incurring the giant bugs' wrath.
The Film: Despite its age, this anime film presents a world unlike anything that's been filmed before, straddling the line between an imaginative steampunk fantasy and harrowing post-apocalyptic future. In the midst of it all, the character of Nausicaa is most lovable, and provides a conduit to explore the bleak themes of war and environmental destruction. It's not subtle, but it is quite powerful and invoking, the film's vision is unique, and it is exciting the whole time.
My score: 5/5
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[Show spoiler]Contact
What If: Alien signals are intercepted from an array of satellite dishes, and they contain hidden instructions.
The Film: A strong character-based drama to the core, but with some plausible ideas and a firm focus on science-vs-spirituality. The characters come to represent all the different levels of those two opposing forces, but they come together to assert that we are not alone in the universe, because we have each other. Of course, the film also presents a fantastic view of the galaxy and the possibility of extraterrestrial life. It gets a bit sappy, the film definitely touches upon strong themes and concepts worth exploring.
My score: 4/5
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[Show spoiler] They Live
What If: Sunglasses make you see subliminal messages everywhere.
The Film: It's happening already. You can't go far in modern society without somebody trying to push a hidden agenda to you in secret. All our commercials, billboards, books, magazines, TV...it's all working to tell us what to do and how to live our lives. This film simply exposes that theme in a literal fashion, and crafts a small-scale action-packed thriller out of it. Despite the film's limitations, it boasts some big and fascinating ideas concerning modern consumerism and gentrification. Even today, these themes still resonate, and the film is still as exciting as it is interesting.
My score: 4.5/5
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[Show spoiler]The Road Warrior (Mad Max 2)
What If: After the fall of civilization, oil and gasoline become the most treasured commodities. A dude named Max has to protect a town, containing a huge amount of oil, from being pillaged.
The Film: The first Mad Max film was a pretty brutal dystopian flick, but this follow-up takes things a step further. It's a step further into the future, where the settings are more desolate and civilization is nonexistent. It's a step further into brutality, with even more savage gangs roaming the wastelands. It also steps up the action, with a plethora of awesome car-chase scenes with some of the most imaginative buggies and vehicles ever designed. It's a thrilling post-apocalyptic adventure, but I wouldn't be surprised if the search for precious oil could reach this level of mania some day.
What If: A fatally-wounded police officer is reborn as a cyborg. Then he takes a huge, juicy bite out of crime.
The Film: It's a short film, but it's jam-packed with action and ideas. The plot is tight, simple, but well-executed. It's set in an extreme, over-the-top world where extreme commercialization does little to cover up the extreme violence and extreme gentrification. Not only is the film perfectly entertaining, but it's also well-composed and laden with so much satire that it'd put Kurt Vonnegut to shame.
My score: 5/5
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[Show spoiler]Soylent Green
What If: In the future, when cities are overpopulated and resources are thin, a murder mystery leads a detective to learn a horrifying truth about society.
The Film: The film is pretty rough around the edges and hasn't aged well, but its story is fundamentally interesting, and the ideas resonate more and more the closer we get to this scary future. Overpopulation and resource depletion are real problems that we may be facing, and the film shows us a harrowing view of what the possible solutions could be if things get out of control. Even though the film is going on forty years old, its ideas are still relevant.
My score: 4/5
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[Show spoiler]Dredd
What If: Megacity 1 is a massive walled metropolis where judges serve as judge, jury, and executioner. Dredd is one such judge who is called upon to investigate deaths surrounding the distribution of a new drug; when he's trapped in a block with his rookie partner, all hell breaks loose.
The Film: Much edgier, darker, and more intense than 1995's Judge Dredd, this rendition of the character strikes the right chord as a gritty, R-rated dystopian action movie. Borrowing the basic storyline of The Raid, Dredd uses its limitations to let the action flow, to let the characters speak for themselves, and to let the scuzzy world of Megacity 1 take on a life of its own. It is a beautifully brutal world, and Dredd is a badass hero who can bring justice to it; it doesn't get much more awesome than that!
My score: 5/5
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[Show spoiler] Fantastic Voyage
What If: A special project shrinks a submarine with a group of people inside so that it can be injected into a dying man's body. Internal surgery ensues.
The Film: Sci-fi films have explored space and time, but Fantastic Voyage is one original picture that explores one place that few other films are able to: inner space, or the human body. With this clever premise of shrinking scientists and implanting them into a body, the film makes an odyssey out of the human anatomy, exploring all the different systems. There is peril to be had, as the characters fight against white blood cells and other anomalies. It's an insightful view of the microscopic world, and it makes for one refreshingly original concept.
My score: 4/5
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[Show spoiler]Forbidden Planet
What If: Space explorers land on a planet and wind up fighting an invisible monster.
The Film: When it comes to the sci-fi craze of the 50s, it doesn't get much more classic than this. The film features one cool flying saucer, one cool robot, and a cool planet with cool features and animals. The ending, however, presents one cool idea that unifies the whole picture and gives it more relevant meaning; despite all the dangers on Forbidden Planet, man might be the most dangerous thing of all...
What If: In the year 10,191, royal houses fight over control of a desert planet called Arrakis (aka Dune), which is the only source of the Spice Melange, which makes space travel possible.
The Film: This film was a pretty major flop at its time, and many would still call it gaudy, boring, or misconceived. Regardless, the film covers the basics of Frank Herbert's story, and it does so with a phenomenal amount of flair and style. David Lynch did his best to craft dreamy images and strong emotions, making the film immensely powerful.
What If: In the 24th century, the starship Enterprise encounters an old adversary named Khan, who commandeers the starship Reliant and project Genesis in a frantic bid for vengeance.
The Film: WhileStar Trek: The Motion Picture brought back the original Trek crew in one intriguing space opera adventure, it was a rather dry picture with a gaudy production value and pacing issues. This sequel sets the tone perfectly for a more action-packed adventure; the space battles are cool, the conflicts are tense, and Khan remains one of the most iconic villains of the lot. The film also has its share of cool ideas, including a warhead capable of terraforming a dead planet; with this as the centerpiece, the film underscores its dual-sided nature, as both a tool of creation and a weapon of mass destruction. With these dynamics at work, the film ultimately digs up some very strong death and rebirth themes, which in the grand scheme of the cosmos, is profound indeed.
What If: In the 24th century, a young Jim Kirk takes control of the starship Enterprise, and goes on an adventure to stop a Romulan adversary from destroying Earth.
The Film: After countless years of Star Trek adventures, JJ Abrams brings back the classic crew with fresh new faces and a fresh new look. The film is as vivid and stylish as they come (almost to the point of being annoying, with the lens flares and camera moves), and the action is phenomenal. The characters are as lovable as ever, brought to life perfectly by a fresh young cast. As far as the science goes, the classic gadgets of the Trek universe are on full display as always, but the film plays around a lot with alternate universes and time travel, which connects the new franchise with the old and clears the slate for a whole new series of adventures. It's a clever play on the classic sci-fi series, and given the success of both this film and Into Darkness, this new series will be here to stay for a while.
My score: 5/5
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[Show spoiler]Book of Eli
What If: A lone wanderer in the wastelands has to escort a special book to some special people.
The Film: Very few films have captured a post-apocalyptic landscape as bleak and desolate as this; Book of Eli is set in a vast, expansive, and drab world that has only otherwise been seen in the Fallout 3 video game. The film has its share of thrilling action (some of which might be a bit too unbelievable). It tells a story that's simple and fundamental, but with strong themes of faith. Combined with the film's smooth style, this is one of the most seminal end-of-the-world tales on film.
The Film: With the simple premise of astronauts struggling to survive in Earth's orbit, this film makes the most of its limitations and expands it greatly to become a thrilling, awe-inspiring spectacle. It is visually fantastic and harrowing to watch entire space shuttles and space stations being obliterated, and it is immensely suspenseful to watch the characters' fight for survival. It's not always 100% scientifically accurate, but a disaster like this is very plausible, and the film does its best to turn it into an invoking thrill ride.
What If: Human beings were originally created on Earth by an alien race called the Engineers; in the future, we send a mission in deep space to literally meet our makers.
The Film: Highly-anticipated as the prequel to Alien, Prometheus offers its share of scares, as alien life seems to evolve out of control and consume the crew of the starship Prometheus. At its core though, it's a marvelous sci-fi picture with its heart firmly set on exploration, even into the deepest and darkest truths of life's existence. The story is a fascinating parallel to the Prometheus myth. Plus, it has an awesome style and a top-notch production, making this one of the slickest and best-looking sci-fi/horror pictures ever made.
My score: 4.5/5
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[Show spoiler]Close Encounters of the Third Kind
What If: Aliens are coming.
The Film: Alien encounters have been documented with a wide range of responses; there have been fearful tales of abductions and otherworldly intrusions, and tales of wonderful spectacle. Close Encounters provides both, with a lot of mystery and conspiracy, which drives the story to a awe-inspiring show of light and music. It's probably one of the more realistic movies available regarding alien encounters, and it's refreshing that it's not always a threatening picture. By its end, it leaves the audience in a state of wonder, and it might make you look to the stars and wonder what life might up up there. It means something...this is important...
My score: 4/5
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[Show spoiler]The Time Machine (1960)
What If: Some guy invents a time machine and plays with it for a while.
The Film: A faithful adaptation of H.G. Welles' novel, the original Time Machine features some phenomenal special effects and a solid production value that brings this story to life in an imaginative way. Despite the film's age, it's still cool to see the time-lapse footage simulating the rushing passing of the years. The rest of the film is a pretty unique adventure, with signature themes of utopia and human progress. The story provided an insightful view of what could be lost in the passage of time, and what could be given to the future; the film is an admirable telling of this classic tale.
My score: 4/5
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[Show spoiler]Logan's Run
What If: In the distant future, everybody lives in domed cities, where life is perfect...and nobody lives past the age of 30...
The Film: The film hasn't aged that gracefully - it is laden with some rather weak and cheap-looking SFX and sets - and parts of it are a bit laughable. Regardless, it is a pretty cool story that emphasizes the dark side of a utopic society. The film offers its share of adventure and futuristic spectacle, and still has enough interesting ideas to make it a seminal sci-fi favorite.
My score: 4/5
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[Show spoiler]Akira
What If: In the futuristic city of NeoTokyo, some punk kid is picked up by the government and experimented on, unlocking latent psychic power that threatens the entire universe.
The Film: The film is long, it's densely-packed, and the story goes off in wild directions, but it still tells a hell of a tale with loads of incredible mass destruction. The settings are incredibly dystopic, the technology on display is really slick, and the ideas gets really far-out. It's not an easy film to understand, but it is easy to enjoy, and it is one of many that's helped western audiences break into anime films. For its thrilling action and concepts, the film stands as one of my favorite dystopian films of all time.
My score: 5/5
What If: For a second time, robots from the future send back an assassin to terminate the leader of the future resistance. And this time, another machine is sent back to protect the target.
The Film: While the first Terminatorfilm presented an original story with a fresh, original style, this follow-up really cranks up the stakes and the action to a whole new level. Among the film's highlights, there are thrilling car chases, lots of shoot-outs, and scary encounters with an imaginatively-rendered liquid-metal robot. In between all the running-around and shooting, however, the film still has time to breathe and contemplate the deeper issues concerning nuclear war and humanity's destructive nature. With a cast of heartfelt characters, the film is as invoking as it is exciting, and it offers a pretty scary glimpse of what a robot-pocalyse could look like.
What If: There are thieves out there who steal ideas in people's dreams. Then, one day, they stage a daring operation to do the opposite: plant an idea in a person, via their dreams.
The Film: Some viewers have griped that this film is nothing more than a 2 hour slideshow, since it takes its time to introduce all its concepts and ideas with exposition. They are pretty slick ideas though, and they come together to rush the characters through a surreal labyrinth of multi-leveled dreamscapes. Each level has its own set of rules, which makes for a visually awesome spectacle. The story may not entice everybody, but the film is very slick, and it explores some fascinating implications of what it would be like to control and live through dreams.
My score: 5/5
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[Show spoiler]Brazil
What If: Some dude goes after the woman of his dreams, but after a series of bureaucratic mishaps and a sad twist of fate, he winds up being chased by the government.
The Film: This is a vision of the future that's simultaneously weird, crazy, funny, and sad. It's a world where bureaucracy runs everything, and even the slightest misspelling could mean life or death for a hapless citizen. Technology is just off-the-wall, with tubes, wires, and screens ordaining every cramped office space. The film does have a lot of bold vision, especially with the fantastic dream sequences, which contrast so much with everything else that it becomes clear that the future is an industrialist nightmare. The ending gives the film a lot more oomph as well (thank goodness Terry Gilliam fought to keep that ending intact).
The Love Conquers All version of the film can be seen on the Criterion Collection DVD and Blu-Ray editions, which cuts out nearly an hour of material, to represent what the studios would have originally wanted to release. It's extremely skimpy, and it'll make you appreciate the director's struggle to keep his original vision intact in the theatrical cut. Various other cuts are also available, varying in length.
My score: 4.5/5
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[Show spoiler]The Abyss
What If: Aliens are alive and well at the bottom of the ocean.
The Film: For whatever reason, tons of space movies have been made, but there have only been a few set in the deep ocean. The Abyss is the most definitive of the lot, for director James Cameron went through great lengths to give the film depth, texture, and realism. The film uses real underwater sets and diving scenes, filmed in an abandoned nuclear reactor; the entire cast and crew were strung-out and exhausted during the filming. More importantly though, the film offers a unique story full of excitement, suspense, wonder, and palpable tension. It has top-notch special effects (including some of the first-ever CGI effects). It tells a good story, with strong themes of humanity's destructive nature.
The director's cut of this film includes loads of additional footage, including an expanded ending that really ties up the film's themes and storyline in an invoking fashion. The film was great as it was, but this edition is better yet.
My score: 4.5/5
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[Show spoiler]Total Recall (1990)
What If: A man gets a virtual vacation implanted in his head, only to find that the implant awakens latent memories of a forgotten past. Or is it?
The Film: What an adventure; Total Recall is jam-packed with explosive action, bloody fights, imaginative SFX, and tight storytelling. The plot wanders from one thing to another fast and furiously, always dishing out a plethora of interesting and far-out ideas - everything from memory implants to mutants on Mars to instantly-changing fingernail polish to triple-breasted ladies, and more! The film has aged a bit, but thanks to its vision, its fast pacing, and a remarkable twist ending that'll make you double-guess the entire film, the film is pulp sci-fi adventure at its finest.
My score: 5/5
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[Show spoiler]Ghost in the Shell
What If: An elite cyberterrorist team hunts down a hacker with the ability to enter other people's minds and alter them.
The Film: This is not a film that particularly makes sense; the technobabble, the politics, and the brooding pacing makes it a pretty tough watch. However, it is a visually cool and intellectually-interesting piece of cyberpunk sci-fi, the likes of which has been influential in the Matrix trilogy. GITS has cool action and visuals, but in between, it gets into some deep philosophical questions regarding existence and the human spirit, especially in the context of cybernetic bodies and minds. The ultimate conclusion presents a pretty trippy element of death and rebirth.
Version 2.0 of this film features some updated animation and graphics. Purists may hate the changes, especially regarding the altered color scheme, but I thought it was pretty neat.
What If: A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away, an evil Galactic Empire is at war with the Rebel Alliance, and have built a moon-sized superweapon capable of destroying entire planets.
The Film: Back in 1977, an adventure like this hadn't been seen in a while, and a film like this had never been seen before. With phenomenal special effects and a lot of imaginative worldbuilding, Lucas' film set a new standard for filmmaking, and captivated thousands of people in an exhilarating world of fast spaceships, whimsical aliens, cool-looking robots, and a deeply mystical mythology. The story's been done before, but never with as many lovable characters or as much heart, and these aspects cemented this series as a perennial favorite of many to this day. In sci-fi terms, the film won't offer a whole lot of insight, but it is phenomenal for its overall vision.
Over the years, the film has been modified to include new footage and new SFX. Such changes have caused outrage among many fans; I personally was never bothered that much by them.
My score: 5/5
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[Show spoiler]2001: A Space Odyssey
What If: In the future, we send a deep space mission to Jupiter to check out some weird monolith thing. Then the computer goes nuts, and the film goes nuts along with it.
The Film: It's a long and slow-burning odyssey, but it is still a sight to behold. It's still one of the most realistic space movies available, paying close attention to how gravity, life support, and basic propulsion would actually work in space. The film uses some of the most beautiful model-work and photography, and the effects toward the end are extremely surreal and off-the-chain. It gets a little hard to understand what's going on with the film's finale (leading many viewers to formulate such far-out theories such as the "space zoo" idea). At the very least though, the film tracks human progress from the stone age to the space age, and suggests that the human odyssey through space and time is only just beginning...
What If: You have six different people from six different eras doing six different things, but everything is connected...
The Film: Adapted pretty closely from David Mitchell's sprawling novel, the Cloud Atlas film takes a really random, seemingly unfilmable story, and brings it to life phenomenally. It is presented as a mosaic of multiple time spans and characters (as opposed to a nested structure; the random nature of the movie has not sat well with many viewers). Some of these stories are set in the past, some in the present, and some in the future. The most fantastic scenes show a dystopian era in cloned people serve a class of consumers. Some time later, after an apocalyptic cataclysm, the film focuses on a native and his chance meeting with space-faring settlers. Those are the most sci-fi driven aspects of the whole thing, but the film also explores a modern-day investigation on a power-plant conspiracy, an old fart getting incarcerated in a retirement home by accident, a dude hanging out with a famous composer, and a man on a voyage to find a cure for a parasite. It all seems random, but with the themes of past lives (reinforced cleverly by having the entire cast play multiple parts, crossing lines of race and gender even), the film maintains solid connections. It all serves to show a world that's simultaneously compassionate and brutal; it's a high-flying narrative that shows the best and worst of the human race.
What If: An alien craft appears, full of refugees, and humans conveniently contain them in a place called District 9.
The Film: Filmed with a lot of mock interviews and faux stock footage, District 9 purposefully looks as real as it can, and it is a pretty ugly picture. The film explores a harsh slum full of filth, poverty, corruption, and violence. The inhumanity and social decay shown on-screen is a very hard-hitting parallel to other slums and shantytowns around the world. To see this thinly-veiled as a story about aliens, however, is something refreshingly original and invoking.
My score: 5/5
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[Show spoiler]Planet of the Apes (1968)
What If: Astronauts land on a crazy planet where apes are the dominant intelligent species, and humans are stupid.
The Film: It's a ridiculous and absurd idea, but with Rod Sterling's sharp script, it's actually one of the smartest films in sci-fi history. Most of the film serves as a platform to underscore key themes on civil rights, as Taylor struggles to convince his captors that he's not just some dumb animal. The ending, however, is most iconic, and puts an invoking spin on the entire story. Despite the crazy camera work and some cheesiness, the film is as classic as they come.
My score: 4.5/5
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[Show spoiler]A.I.: Artificial Intelligence
What If: Scientists build a robot child with real human emotions.
The Film: A rather weird experience. This was originally a Kubrick idea, but adapted by Spielberg after the man's death, so there are elements of both directors in this film, and it makes for a rather bittersweet experience. Split into three acts, the film strikes a proper emotional tone in the first hour or so, showing the robot child trying to hard to bond with his parents. The second act becomes a Pinocchio-inspired journey, full of visual-effects wizardry and a dark sense of whimsey. The final act is just so far out-there, I thought it was brilliant. A.I. is a lengthy and meaty piece of sci-fi with lots to think about and a lot of feeling.
My score: 4/5
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[Show spoiler]The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
What If: A UFO lands in Washington DC, and there's an intense standoff between it and the Army.
The Film: In the midst of Cold War paranoia, this film presents the chillingly apocalyptic scenario in which trigger-happy human beings may inadvertently tick off the wrong aliens. Fear and paranoia permeate the whole picture, as Klaatu explores and discovers the best and worst of human society. Ultimately, the film makes a compelling plea for all people to disarm themselves and give peace a chance.
My score: 4.5/5
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[Show spoiler]Metropolis (1927)
What If: In a futuristic metropolis, a woman is replaced by a robotic doppelganger, which instigates a revolution.
The Film: Fritz Lang's film is not only an engrossing, visionary, epic piece of early sci-fi, it's also the one silent film I've enjoyed the most. It is pretty incredible to see how far things have come; what people envisioned for the future in 1927 is a pretty far cry from what we can envision now, in 2013 (where's all the biplanes and art deco buildings, come on!). The sets are huge and the action is ambitious, but what really makes Metropolis timeless is its impressionist visuals, which sublimely connect timeless ideas and emotions to the narrative. It is especially neat how it incorporates the passages of the Bible in the main plot. With great-looking visuals and an intriguing story, Metropolis is an essential classic.
Over the years, parts of the film have been lost. Be sure to find the releases that boast the Complete Edition, which includes as much footage as is currently available. In the 80s, the Giorgio Moroder version was also released, which includes color tinting and a bunch of Queen music, but is about an hour shorter; it's worth a look for fans.
My score: 5/5
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[Show spoiler]Minority Report
What If: People can be arrested for crimes before they happen.
The Film: A moody and stylish flick with a ton of great action and thrills. There are a lot of neat futuristic cars and gadgets on display (including the ever-cool computer displays controlled by hand movements, which are in use in some places today). It is also a pretty clever story that digs up some fundamental themes regarding free will and predetermination. There are some interesting themes of perception, and the film hints at some pretty ugly truths behind a seemingly-utopic society.
My score: 5/5
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[Show spoiler]Wall-E
What If: A lonely trash-digging robot hooks up with a robot from space, and they go on an adventure.
The Film: The film has a few somber parts; it is pretty sad to see the Earth left behind as a massive trash heap, with only Wall-E to clean up the mess. Some viewers have even taken offense to the film's portrayal of people as fat lazy blobs on hovering chairs. Unlike every other sci-fi picture, however, this one has that certain Pixar magic working for it, and it makes the film incredibly endearing. The comedy is phenomenal, the romance is super-cute without being sappy, and the characters succeed at being endearing (even when they can't speak much). It does get pretty far out, showing humanity's fate as weak space-faring consumerists who have lost touch with the Earth. Above all, the film presents a certain compassion, especially in the robot characters, which serve as tools that could save us all.
Pixar also produced the short film Burn-E, which is bloody hilarious.
What If: A cyborg is sent back in time to assassinate the mother of the leader of the future rebellion.
The Film: The first and most original feature by James Cameron (not counting Piranha 2), The Terminator is a fresh and original story with a very simple but effective execution. The film is very sublimely directed and full of thrills. It is a thoughtful story though, playing around with time in interesting ways, and underscoring the terror of confronting an unstoppable machine. It is truly one of the most original and interesting sci-fi pictures ever made.
My score: 4.5/5
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[Show spoiler]Children of Men
What If: The human race becomes infertile.
The Film: This is still one of the most depressing pictures I've seen. The film has some pretty strong violence, some extremely mean characters, and loads of incredible action scenes (most of which are shot with incredibly long takes). Beneath it all, though, the film has a somber undertone, as the entire world lives, fights, and dies for the seemingly last time. At the same time, the film is all about hope, and it does reach a satisfying climax. The experience overall is hard-hitting and bleak, and it's highly effective at immersing the audience in a world caught in a downward spiral.
[Show spoiler]Blade Runner
"'More human than human' is our motto."
What If: Bounties are dished out for androids.
The Film: A very liberal adaptation of Philip K Dick's novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, which still stands as my top favorite book. Even the title begs the important question concerning artificial life. Do they dream? Do they feel? Do they fear death?
"That was my profession. Ex-cop. Ex-blade runner. Ex-killer."
Blade Runner strips away a lot of things from the book (no mention is made of the extinction of animals, Deckard never invests in a robot sheep, he doesn't have a wife, and the weird stuff about Mercer is nowhere to be seen). Regardless, the film still delivers a fantastic vision of the future. From the opening shots onward, it is a dark, bleak future, with massive monolithic buildings, and crowded seedy streets. There are a ton of weird details to behold, as Deckard traverses above and below the dystopian sprawl. The really scary thing is, the future could really look like this; there are supposedly places in Asia that look just like this film.
"All those moments will be lost in time... like tears in rain... Time to die."
This is a pretty slow film, and the plot never really takes precedence, but there is still enough to deduce some deeper feelings and thoughts regarding the film's world and the notion of androids running amok. It may even go so far as digging deep into the human soul and questioning what makes us human, and what defines our reality. Blade Runner is a stylish and somber film-noir hybrid that evokes intriguing questions and deep empathy.
My score: 4.5/5
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[Show spoiler]A Clockwork Orange
"It's funny how the colors of the real world only seem
really real when you viddy them on the screen."
What If: A violent hoodlum is subjected to an experimental procedure that brainwashes him and makes it so that he can never be violent.
The Film: Based pretty closely on Anthony Burgess' novel, Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange is one messed-up experience. As a film, it's extremely bold in its compositions, its extreme acting, and its visual extravagance. It's the story that's compelling though; the film has a pretty interesting and scary premise, and it illustrates the potential implications of brainwashing. In the end, you can't bottle up human impulses; the whole point of the story, and the meaning of the title, is that you can't go against one's own nature. The book goes on to explain that God reaps the juices from all of us, the oranges, but then what happens when He comes across an artificial orange? That is what Alex becomes: a person unable to function or defend himself in society, because he is nothing but a clockwork orange.
"It'll be your own torture. I hope to God it'll torture you to madness."
The film is pretty ugly with its violence and rape scenes (sadly, it's still not the worst I've ever seen). It is necessary to underscore the violence of young men, if not all human beings in general, before subjecting the character to the Ludovico procedure. Even though Alex is a scumbag throughout the picture, I couldn't help but to pity him as he's relentlessly brutalized and rendered unable to fight back; he got what was coming to him, and then some. But what really makes this whole situation messed up is that nothing really worked. The Ludovico procedure is reversed by the film's end, and Alex simply goes back to his old ways, gleefully and mockingly crying "I was cured alright!" The book, with its final chapter reinstated, takes it a step further by having Alex mature naturally on his own. The film, which omits that part, still asserts that natural growth is ideal, because no amount of artificial conditioning can really change a person on the inside.
"A man who cannot chose ceases to be a man."
The really sad thing about this is that Alex's problems could have been prevented through better parenting, but his parents are shown to be daft pushovers. Instead, Alex became a problem of society, and society took care of him in the most inhumane way possible. If values and discipline plummet even more than they already have, it wouldn't surprise me if things get this bad in the future.
My score: 5/5
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[Show spoiler]The Matrix
"Have you ever had a dream, Neo, that you were so sure was real?
What if you were unable to wake from that dream?
How would you know the difference between the dream world and the real world?"
What If: The world as you know it is a lie. What if we're all really living in a virtual reality being pumped directly into our brains, while a race of sentient machines feed off of our natural bodily energies? What's to stop us from bending, or breaking, the natural rules of physics? How would we know what's real and what isn't? Is this air we're breathing? Whoa.
The Film: It took a few viewings, but I learned to appreciate the finer nuances of The Matrix, and it has since found its place as my third-favorite franchise, and my top pick for favorite sci-fi film. If for no other reason than every viewing seems to dig up something fresh and new to observe and contemplate. Naturally, it will always be the action that'll draw me in; the special effects were really ground-breaking and inspiring at the time, the gunfights are explosive and incredible, and the kung-fu fighting is extremely well-choreographed.
"Like everyone else you were born into bondage. Into a prison that you
cannot taste or see or touch. A prison for your mind."
Beneath the surface level, however, The Matrix layers on numerous mysteries, some of which are solved, and others are purposefully left open. The big reveal half-way through the picture explains a lot of the crazy events that occur beforehand, and sets up the crazy action afterward, but the implications are pretty deep. Surely, if we are plugged into a virtual reality, with electric signals constantly streaming to our nervous systems, then how can we know we aren't living in a simulated world as we speak? Surely, this could account for all the weird mysteries of life (The Matrix Reloaded did explain that rogue programs account for such supernatural phenomenon as ghosts, aliens, werewolves, vampires, and other strange creatures). Above all, the film asserts that the mind transcends the body; only in believing in oneself and rejecting the constraints of the matrix did Neo learn to do the impossible over and over again.
"The body cannot live without the mind."
With this clever concept, the Watchowskis developed a fresh, original, and really cool universe full of hovercrafts, squid-like robots, and they put a menacing spin on the Men in Black mythos. They also inputted some clever rules and dynamics that not only made for an impressive spectacle, but helped make the concept creditable in the context of computer programming. Yes, if everything is a computer program, surely you can fly. Surely, you can hack into the world and summon weapons and objects at a whim. Or even, the machine could hack into you. The sequels would go on to have actual "back doors" and viruses in the matrix.
On top of all that, the film poses some staggering philosophical implications. Drawing from multiple disciplines, the film challenges the perception of reality (remember the line, "It is not the spoon that bends, it is only yourself"). It even draws a certain theological parallels, with its strong themes of death and rebirth, which morphs the main character from an average automaton office worker into "The One," a savoir to humanity. This prophecy comes full circle by the series' third film, in a rather unexpected fashion.
"Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is.
You have to see it for yourself."
At the time of its release, I remember everybody was blown away by the notions of The Matrix, for they were all pondering as to whether it is creditable that we could all be living in a virtual simulation. Scientists have actually given the theory credence. The film does a first-rate job of stimulating the senses with its epic action scenes and quality visuals, but it also stimulates the mind with its deep ideas and themes.
I've skimmed through portions of your list Al (great choices)...I have the entries bookmarked to read through in its entirety when I have some free time
I'm soooo behind on being able to watch my movies
Every time that I walk by my shelf something different catches my eye and I want to pop it in and enjoy...but alas, the time is not there
I realized yesterday that I DVR'd a couple flicks I had been wanting to check out "a little while back" and then checked the date...and it was over a year ago
I've skimmed through portions of your list Al (great choices)...I have the entries bookmarked to read through in its entirety when I have some free time
Right on! I hope you'll find something valuable there.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Diesel
I'm soooo behind on being able to watch my movies
Every time that I walk by my shelf something different catches my eye and I want to pop it in and enjoy...but alas, the time is not there
I know the feeling. I still got a bunch of blind-buys I'm working through (mostly foreign films and Criterions, so it's a bit of a dry run). Also set aside a bunch I wanted to see if I wanted to keep or not, so there hasn't been much time for me to peruse the shelf and rewatch old favorites. Have to kinda force myself to make time (was watching Soylent Green last night based on a random selection).
Quote:
Originally Posted by Diesel
I realized yesterday that I DVR'd a couple flicks I had been wanting to check out "a little while back" and then checked the date...and it was over a year ago
I never did get around to watching stuff I had on my SkyBox when I lived in England. If that box is still hanging around somewhere, it likely still has some movie called Yakuza recorded on it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Foggy
From Al's list:
[Show spoiler] What I've seen
Escape from New York ()
Ender's Game ()
Sunshine
Predator ()
Independence Day
Elysium
Battle Royale ()
Dark City
V for Vendetta
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Pacific Rim ()
I, Robot
Oblivion
The Thing (1982) ()
War of the Worlds (2005)
Knowing
Twelve Monkeys
Watchmen
Primer ()
Moon ()
The Road ()
Looper ()
The Island
Jurassic Park
Avatar
I am Legend
Starship Troopers
Aliens ()
Source Code
They Live
Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior ()
RoboCop
Dredd
Star Trek (2009)
The Book of Eli
Gravity
Prometheus
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Terminator 2: Judgement Day
Inception
Brazil
Total Recall (1990)
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
2001: A Space Odyssey
Cloud Atlas
District 9
A.I. Artificial Intelligence
Metropolis
Wall-E
The Terminator
Children of Men
Blade Runner
A Clockwork Orange
The Matrix
What I want to see
The Running Man
The Fly (1986)
Solaris
Timecrimes
Silent Running
Doomsday Book (Erm What!?!)
Akira
Planet of the Apes
Minority Report
Right on.
I think you'll like Cronnenberg's The Fly, it's wicked. I thought Doomsday Book was pretty interesting; glad I cound entice somebody with it. Minority Report is probably the biggest must-see there.
I think you'll like Cronnenberg's The Fly, it's wicked. I thought Doomsday Book was pretty interesting; glad I cound entice somebody with it. Minority Report is probably the biggest must-see there.
Doomsday Book sounds similar to a film I watched called Fish Story which I think would be up your alley. It's about a cynical old man and a record store owner having a huge debate over a under looked single that the record store owner believes will save the world.
Good news everyone! It's time for another one of Al's lists! Yaaaaayyyyyy...
This time, I'm finally tackling my favorite and most beloved genre: Al's Top 100 Sci-Fi!
The write-up is as follows. Will start the count-down soon...
[Show spoiler]Science fiction has been with me my whole life; it's become something of a passion, for it is the resounding element in all the movies I enjoy the most, in addition to all the book I love, the games I play, the comics I dabbled in, and even some of the music I listen to. There has always been something captivating about the genre; yes, the aliens, robots, high-tech gear, superhumans, zombies, and every other fantastic thing is always cool to behold, but there's more to it than those superficial aspects. Sci-fi in its truest form digs deep into politics, sociological issues, and even the human spirit itself, and it very boldly asks "what if?"
What if we could fly into space? What would we find? What would alien life be like? What if they came to Earth? Would they be benevolent or hostile? What if there is an entire civilization of space-farring aliens?
What if we could invent a synthetic human being? Would it be really "alive"? Would it feel emotion? Would it even be self-aware? What if it decided it was superior to human beings? What's to stop it from turning on us?
What if society evolves in dangerous new directions? What if books are purposefully burned to keep the masses ignorant? What if overpopulation forces us to turn to other food sources? What if emotions are killed off completely? What if we could brainwash the citizens to be obedient and benevolent? What if we could turn every human being into a slave?
What if the day finally comes when the world as we know it is gone? What if nuclear war renders the Earth inhospitable? What if sentient machines decide to rid the world of humanity? What if aliens decide they want our planet? What if a plague raises the dead? What if evolution naturally causes some other race of beings to become superior? What would life be like after the apocalypse? Would civilization survive? Would human brutality prevail?
What if we could travel back in time? What would the future look like? What if there are extraterrestrials beneath the sea? What if aliens or machines look exactly like us? What if a real transporter beam is invented? What if history is different? What's up with crop circles?
The questions become endless, as you can see. Thus, the possibilities become endlessly imaginative, thought-provoking, and dynamic. Sci-fi is such a broad field overall that it can't be quantified that easily; at this point, sci-fi has branched out into the realms of pure fantasy, horror, romance, and even generic action and adventure. In spite of that, I found this to be a hard list to compile; where does one draw the line between sci-fi and everything else?
I determined that all the films on this list are best judged in strict "sci-fi" terms, as opposed to judging a film as horror, judging a film as a comedy, and so on. I tried to make it so that every film here will present a bold "what if" scenario, and would go on to portray staggering implications, or at least present a imaginative or fantastic universe. All films here are ranked not only as favorites of mine, but also in how deep or how good of a sci-fi picture I feel it is, or in how awe-inspiring its vision is. As my favorite genre, I had to pick through hundreds of quality and fun pictures to figure this list out; as it is, I think it's quite definitive, and most of these are must-sees for other sci-fi enthusiasts.
So here it is, Al's Top 100 Favorite Sci-Fi Movies! I hope you'll give them all a try, and enjoy them as much as I do.
Runner-up titles and honorable mentions:
[Show spoiler]
Armageddon
Deep Impact
Super 8
E.T.
A Trip to the Moon
World on a Wire
The Blob 1958
The Blob 1988
Man of Steel
Superman: The Movie
Iron Man
The Incredible Hulk
Robinson Crusoe on Mars
Things to Come
Alien
A Boy and His Dog
Death Race
Demolition Man
Hunger Games 1 and 2
Lost in Space
In Time
Omega Man
A Scanner Darkly
Sphere
Starman
Appleseed (all of them)
Cowboy Bebop
Evangelion
Galaxy Quest
Heavy Metal
Transformers
Fantastic Planet
Godzilla
The Thing From Another World
The Mist
Solaris 2002
Signs
[Show spoiler]Alien and The Mist only get honorable mention?
Really surprised at how long winded and talkie this film was. M. Night Shyamalan was right, its tonally perfect, but that can only get you so far. Its a gangster yawn fest thats done about as well as you can do it. The thing is, being technically sound can only get you so far. If I were a robot, this would get a higher grade. But Im not. Im a human, and I'd like to really care about a character, or enjoy having a film move me emotionally or wow me. The Godfather Part II left me a little cold. Very mechanical. Not disappointed because what I expected is what I got.
4/5
================
The Ides of March (2011)
Just went I began to lose hope in talkies my faith is restored in them with Ides of March. A brilliant fictional inside look at how dirty politics is. The most impressive part of the film is not the brilliant acting from the four leads, but rather its emotional pull. You truly feel for the characters. And their actions and reactions are completely believable. Thats something you dont see everyday in a Hollywood picture.
I really wish more talkies looked up to this film by putting real character motives and actions into the script instead of stuffing them with over the top melodrama and pretentiousness. What really surprised me is that George Clooney directed this. I hope the man takes on more pictures, hes such a breath of fresh air.
This films excels at almost every level. Pacing is brilliant, every scene pushes character development and the story forward. It never drags. Small talk is absolutely minimal, but admittedly necessary to give the characters real skin.
Really surprised at how long winded and talkie this film was. M. Night Shyamalan was right, its tonally perfect, but that can only get you so far. Its a gangster yawn fest thats done about as well as you can do it. The thing is, being technically sound can only get you so far. If I were a robot, this would get a higher grade. But Im not. Im a human, and I'd like to really care about a character, or enjoy having a film move me emotionally or wow me. The Godfather Part II left me a little cold. Very mechanical. Not disappointed because what I expected is what I got.
4/5
[Show spoiler]
family betrayal?
ancestor tales coming to america?
mystery - who is the rat?
and the best: the human struggle between forgiveness and vengence
[Show spoiler]Blade Runner
"'More human than human' is our motto."
What If: Bounties are dished out for androids.
The Film: A very liberal adaptation of Philip K Dick's novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, which still stands as my top favorite book. Even the title begs the important question concerning artificial life. Do they dream? Do they feel? Do they fear death?
"That was my profession. Ex-cop. Ex-blade runner. Ex-killer."
Blade Runner strips away a lot of things from the book (no mention is made of the extinction of animals, Deckard never invests in a robot sheep, he doesn't have a wife, and the weird stuff about Mercer is nowhere to be seen). Regardless, the film still delivers a fantastic vision of the future. From the opening shots onward, it is a dark, bleak future, with massive monolithic buildings, and crowded seedy streets. There are a ton of weird details to behold, as Deckard traverses above and below the dystopian sprawl. The really scary thing is, the future could really look like this; there are supposedly places in Asia that look just like this film.
"All those moments will be lost in time... like tears in rain... Time to die."
This is a pretty slow film, and the plot never really takes precedence, but there is still enough to deduce some deeper feelings and thoughts regarding the film's world and the notion of androids running amok. It may even go so far as digging deep into the human soul and questioning what makes us human, and what defines our reality. Blade Runner is a stylish and somber film-noir hybrid that evokes intriguing questions and deep empathy.
My score: 4.5/5
-------------------- 2:
[Show spoiler]A Clockwork Orange
"It's funny how the colors of the real world only seem
really real when you viddy them on the screen."
What If: A violent hoodlum is subjected to an experimental procedure that brainwashes him and makes it so that he can never be violent.
The Film: Based pretty closely on Anthony Burgess' novel, Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange is one messed-up experience. As a film, it's extremely bold in its compositions, its extreme acting, and its visual extravagance. It's the story that's compelling though; the film has a pretty interesting and scary premise, and it illustrates the potential implications of brainwashing. In the end, you can't bottle up human impulses; the whole point of the story, and the meaning of the title, is that you can't go against one's own nature. The book goes on to explain that God reaps the juices from all of us, the oranges, but then what happens when He comes across an artificial orange? That is what Alex becomes: a person unable to function or defend himself in society, because he is nothing but a clockwork orange.
"It'll be your own torture. I hope to God it'll torture you to madness."
The film is pretty ugly with its violence and rape scenes (sadly, it's still not the worst I've ever seen). It is necessary to underscore the violence of young men, if not all human beings in general, before subjecting the character to the Ludovico procedure. Even though Alex is a scumbag throughout the picture, I couldn't help but to pity him as he's relentlessly brutalized and rendered unable to fight back; he got what was coming to him, and then some. But what really makes this whole situation messed up is that nothing really worked. The Ludovico procedure is reversed by the film's end, and Alex simply goes back to his old ways, gleefully and mockingly crying "I was cured alright!" The book, with its final chapter reinstated, takes it a step further by having Alex mature naturally on his own. The film, which omits that part, still asserts that natural growth is ideal, because no amount of artificial conditioning can really change a person on the inside.
"A man who cannot chose ceases to be a man."
The really sad thing about this is that Alex's problems could have been prevented through better parenting, but his parents are shown to be daft pushovers. Instead, Alex became a problem of society, and society took care of him in the most inhumane way possible. If values and discipline plummet even more than they already have, it wouldn't surprise me if things get this bad in the future.
My score: 5/5
-------------------- 1:
[Show spoiler]The Matrix
"Have you ever had a dream, Neo, that you were so sure was real?
What if you were unable to wake from that dream?
How would you know the difference between the dream world and the real world?"
What If: The world as you know it is a lie. What if we're all really living in a virtual reality being pumped directly into our brains, while a race of sentient machines feed off of our natural bodily energies? What's to stop us from bending, or breaking, the natural rules of physics? How would we know what's real and what isn't? Is this air we're breathing? Whoa.
The Film: It took a few viewings, but I learned to appreciate the finer nuances of The Matrix, and it has since found its place as my third-favorite franchise, and my top pick for favorite sci-fi film. If for no other reason than every viewing seems to dig up something fresh and new to observe and contemplate. Naturally, it will always be the action that'll draw me in; the special effects were really ground-breaking and inspiring at the time, the gunfights are explosive and incredible, and the kung-fu fighting is extremely well-choreographed.
"Like everyone else you were born into bondage. Into a prison that you
cannot taste or see or touch. A prison for your mind."
Beneath the surface level, however, The Matrix layers on numerous mysteries, some of which are solved, and others are purposefully left open. The big reveal half-way through the picture explains a lot of the crazy events that occur beforehand, and sets up the crazy action afterward, but the implications are pretty deep. Surely, if we are plugged into a virtual reality, with electric signals constantly streaming to our nervous systems, then how can we know we aren't living in a simulated world as we speak? Surely, this could account for all the weird mysteries of life (The Matrix Reloaded did explain that rogue programs account for such supernatural phenomenon as ghosts, aliens, werewolves, vampires, and other strange creatures). Above all, the film asserts that the mind transcends the body; only in believing in oneself and rejecting the constraints of the matrix did Neo learn to do the impossible over and over again.
"The body cannot live without the mind."
With this clever concept, the Watchowskis developed a fresh, original, and really cool universe full of hovercrafts, squid-like robots, and they put a menacing spin on the Men in Black mythos. They also inputted some clever rules and dynamics that not only made for an impressive spectacle, but helped make the concept creditable in the context of computer programming. Yes, if everything is a computer program, surely you can fly. Surely, you can hack into the world and summon weapons and objects at a whim. Or even, the machine could hack into you. The sequels would go on to have actual "back doors" and viruses in the matrix.
On top of all that, the film poses some staggering philosophical implications. Drawing from multiple disciplines, the film challenges the perception of reality (remember the line, "It is not the spoon that bends, it is only yourself"). It even draws a certain theological parallels, with its strong themes of death and rebirth, which morphs the main character from an average automaton office worker into "The One," a savoir to humanity. This prophecy comes full circle by the series' third film, in a rather unexpected fashion.
"Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is.
You have to see it for yourself."
At the time of its release, I remember everybody was blown away by the notions of The Matrix, for they were all pondering as to whether it is creditable that we could all be living in a virtual simulation. Scientists have actually given the theory credence. The film does a first-rate job of stimulating the senses with its epic action scenes and quality visuals, but it also stimulates the mind with its deep ideas and themes.
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