Children of Men would be a good one as well. I've always labelled that movie more as "speculative fiction" rather than outright science fiction, though.
Having said that, I know that the difference between the two is negligible much of the time.
Having said that, I know that the difference between the two is negligible much of the time.
I can't help but feel a little sad knowing that the likelihood of making a science fiction film that surpasses Blade Runner in terms of story, visual style, mood, character, and, yes, timelessness....is about 0.000001.
If I only had 20 minutes to explain what science fiction is all about to someone who had never heard of the concept, showing them 20 minutes of Blade Runner would be my plan of action. I can't think of another movie, or piece of media, or literature, that could do the same.
If anyone does, please fill me in immediately.
If I only had 20 minutes to explain what science fiction is all about to someone who had never heard of the concept, showing them 20 minutes of Blade Runner would be my plan of action. I can't think of another movie, or piece of media, or literature, that could do the same.
If anyone does, please fill me in immediately.
Did it have to look like they got it at Costco the day after Halloween? Or like they bought it off the studio that produced "Justice League XXX"?
Should have just gone with Jim Lee's redesign from the recent comic reboot. If they made a few modifications here and there (to make it look more modern...Jim's design does look a bit 1992), it would have probably worked well.
I can't imagine anyone watching this and taking it seriously. Actually, even as camp it falls flat on its face...
Should have just gone with Jim Lee's redesign from the recent comic reboot. If they made a few modifications here and there (to make it look more modern...Jim's design does look a bit 1992), it would have probably worked well.
I can't imagine anyone watching this and taking it seriously. Actually, even as camp it falls flat on its face...
@AraRichards: No shit. I'm the last guy that would approve censorship of books for children...but this definitely shouldn't have been marketed to kids. Ever.
Granted, I read them all in like grade 3...but the images really fucked with my 8-year-old mind. I wouldn't want to flip through this book TODAY, even.
Granted, I read them all in like grade 3...but the images really fucked with my 8-year-old mind. I wouldn't want to flip through this book TODAY, even.
@RizzRustbolt: A cross-dresser perhaps. But, murderous? That's a complete fabrication. He was hardly a champion of Western democracy, but for those 35 years that he "brutally" ruled the land we experienced the only real peace to grace the Balkans in over 400 years. I'd take him over the scum that followed any day.
@Belabras: I agree. And that's the strength of the Japanese broadcast system. It doesn't rely on "seasons" that may drag out a successful show forever, completely diluting the storyline, characters, themes, etc., and almost always preventing a punch-to-the-gut ending, like the one seen in "Cowboy Bebop," from taking place.
Ideally, every show would get one year to tell one story -- and tell it completely. If it's a ratings hit, give it a sequel somewhere down the line. Unless, of course, it ends like CB did. In that case don't fuck with it.
Ideally, every show would get one year to tell one story -- and tell it completely. If it's a ratings hit, give it a sequel somewhere down the line. Unless, of course, it ends like CB did. In that case don't fuck with it.
Didn't watch the trailer, but still the notion of gangsters (noir, rather) in a post-apocalyptic setting conjures up images of "Radioactive Dreams". I can't say I'd put faith in a film that's treading the grounds Albert Pyun has walked. Even if Radioactive Dreams was his "best" film.
I always wanted Jeff Fahey to make it to the big leagues in Hollywood. He makes for a good frost-eyed, creepy-as-hell villain.
But alas, without him all the Z-grade horror/sci-fi films would be 100% turd and no shine (mathematically speaking, Fahey's presence adds about 5% luster to an otherwise soul-less void of shit).
Thank god for Planet Terror and Machete, though. In a way I'm getting the best of both worlds with that.
I didn't know Steve was a fan of Independence Day!
Erm, how about we call this one a write-off and move on to Forever War. How about it Scott?
Speaking from experience, for every long-awaited project (movie, comic, novel, whatever) that ends up disappointing, something that I didn't fathom could be good turns out impressive. The first "Iron Man" film and the "Star Trek" reboot are examples of this. I didn't expect much, but found myself falling in love.
As such, I no longer worry about my favorite franchise kicking me in the nuts. Something else will inevitably, and lovingly, nurse them back to health.
"What the hell is wrong with women or anybody enjoying stories about girls fucking sexy monsters?"
On the contrary, it's all the rage in Japan. However, they define the "sexy" part as having an extra set of tentacles.
@dimes: You miss the point entirely. "Parental Responsibility" aside, the studios are slowly moving away from films deemed "mature" for the simple fact that an R rating will inevitably result in a narrower target audience, and therefore less profit.
A great example of this is Live Free Or Die Hard. Fox was not willing to hand out the cash required to make that film if it wasn't going to be rated PG-13. They couldn't afford to, and as a result John McClane's signature line (you know the one I'm talking about) is gone.
As stupid as you think a PG-15 is (call it something else if you'd like; I was just throwing out a random name), the simple fact is that America's rating system, and the "rules" that determine what grade a film ultimately gets, are dated and irrelevant. They constrain film makers, and film making, pure and simple.
@dragonfliet: I have read that having more than one "fuck" in an otherwise linguistically clean film will automatically bump you up to an R from a PG-13, which is completely ridiculous. Why in the world should a movie like Hostel have the same rating as a film such as Superbad, which other than the excessive colorful language (and teen drinking) is relatively harmless? A rating that lies in between 13 and R would be more appropriate for the latter, I think.
And although it's true that a The Dark Knight has pushed the PG-13 rating pretty far, you can't say that a film like the one featured above would ever get anything but an R, based on the presence of nudity alone. It might be far less violent or disturbing than TDK, but the presence of something as silly as a human nipple puts the film in the same league as torture porn. Now THAT'S absurd.
@Josh Wimmer: I really want to recommend that you read the remaining Herbert-written books in the series, because I know it would allow you to expand upon some of the things you talked about above, but at the same time I would be telling you to dilute Dune's voice as a singular entity. And that would truly be a shame.
What I discovered as I read the remaining books was that none could match the original in scope, vision or uniqueness and, in the end, this realization wound up detracting from my enjoyment of Dune itself. By no means have the sequels ruined Dune for me, but it is frustrating knowing that that which follows can only disappoint when compared to the source material.
After "Children of Dune", I would actually recommend that you stop reading entirely, or even consider the remaining works to be set in an alternate universe, because Herbert gets into some really wonky shit from there on. It might have all tied up into a neat bow had Herbert lived to tell his tale completely (Chapterhouse ends on a maddening cliff-hanger), but as it stands, it’s kind of a mess. However, this is just my humble opinion; you might take away something altogether different from it.
Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson completed the series from notes (allegedly) left by Frank on how it should all come to a close, but quite honeslty, I have trouble believing this. Their stuff just reads like a cheap imitation of Frank’s work, and should have a big disclaimer written across the cover. To be avoided most definitely.
P.S. Love your coverage of past Hugos. Truly great stuff and I can’t wait for the next instalment!
When I see trailers for films like this I really see the need for the American rating system to have something between a PG-13 and an R. Like, a PG-15 or something. It would literally open the doors for a whole new genre of film-making.
Films could have the more "risque" aspects of European cinema such as the extra swearword here and there, some (tasteful) nudity sprinkled about, and a more mature level of story-telling that wouldn't simultaneously forfeit a wider audience in the way that an R-rating does.
Wow. Drugs WERE better in the 70's.
Anton Yelchin is apparently playing the lead role in a "Fright Night" remake that's being written by Marti Noxon (of Buffy & Mad Men fame). This might be our Twilight-killer ladies and gents. That's not too much to hope for is it?
[www.collider.com]
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Is it wrong that this just makes me want to see a Forever War movie all the sooner? I have never read "All You Need Is Kill" (great title, btw), but from the above outline it does seem awfully similar to Haldeman's novel (at least in theme, if not in content).
I don't know how prone the suits would be to shelling out the big bucks for Forever War if this bombs at the box office.
One would assume that an interstellar vehicle would be equipped to deal with James Van Allen's girdle in the sky. Alas, it does not appear to be so...
