Best Sci Fi nominations + General updates throughout the tournament

[Mattrick]

Dude, I like you and want to support you and while your opinion is as valid as the next guys, lighten up a bit. You seem to be always well, depressed or ill at ease with stuff. Grab a bag of popcorn and just have some fun at the movies. Free your mind. It is invigorating sometimes.

The word is jaded, Merlin. I'm incredibly jaded. I'm jaded when it comes to blockbusters of pretty much any kind the past few years. But I'm most jaded about horror films. Haven't seen one in theatres since I was unfortunate enough to get advanced passes to, ugh, The Unborn. I just find so much of it completely dull and conventional. It seems rare the past few years for a blockbuster like Edge of Tomorrow to be as enjoyable to watch as it was. I think Edge of Tomorrow was the most enjoyable summer film since District 9 (excluding Batman) because it was fresh and inventive something new to experience.

[Still Servant]

There just isn't enough for me to be interested. The last trilogy wasn't very good. Abrams Star Trek movies were average. Disney doesn't have the best live action track record (at least for me, Pirates sucked and I'm indifferent about Marvel films). The last trilogy had a hook of 'birth of Vader/Collapse of Republic' to keep people (me at least) engaged. What does these new films have besides being 'new star wars films'? Mark Hamill in old age still not being able to act? The millenium falcon breaking Harrison Ford's ankle on set is a harbinger of doom for me lol

I understand not wanting to pay to see it, at least a ticket price. Maybe you can rent it or "use other means." In the end, you won't be able to say you hate it and how bad it is unless you've seen it.

[Mattrick]

Like I said, a good trailer and good word of mouth is what I'm going to need. If I lose faith in a franchise they need to woo me back lol

[pathoftheturtle]

Good news: they are sticking to mostly practical FX to recapture the feel of the OT and because a lot of feedback on the CGI splash of the last three was negative.

I agree totally about the ST casting. (Exception - Cumberbatch.) Bones and Scotty are the only thing I enjoy in the two new films. It could have been such a great series prequel if they'd just done it straight, had a little respect, maybe not quite so much generic blockbuster...

[DoctorDodge]

Good news: they are sticking to mostly practical FX to recapture the feel of the OT and because a lot of feedback on the CGI splash of the last three was negative.

I agree totally about the ST casting. (Exception - Cumberbatch.) Bones and Scotty are the only thing I enjoy in the two new films. It could have been such a great series prequel if they'd just done it straight, had a little respect, maybe not quite so much generic blockbuster...

Aka Judge Dredd and Johnny Alpha from Strontium Dog (in the latter case, in a couple of audios). And yeah, that idea that they're both in Star Trek still brings a smile to my geeky face. Still kinda makes me sad that we're not likely to see another 2000AD movie, especially Strontium Dog - a cross between the scifi western awesomeness of Firefly with the mutant warfare of X-Men, with Viking and Scottish bros to boot? Fuck yes, please!

Oh, and on Benedict Cumberbatch as Khan - I've said it once, I'll say it again: Khan Noonien Singh - because the first thing you think of when you hear that name is either Mexican or pale white English dude.

[pathoftheturtle]

Totally. I'm not completely up on the rules of the Screen Actor's Guild, but I know they do limit filmmakers' power to bring in an unknown actor for their ethnicity. And I love "Sherlock" but he hardly looks like a genetically-engineered supersoilder, amirite? So why bother if you can't improve on the admittedly flawed original? Revisiting Wrath was just such a conventional choice, anyway. It was already touched on in the 2009 film when Old Spock meets Pine. It's like these movies are constantly saying "We don't really know the whole history, but we skimmed through some popular highlights lists on IMDb."

In a similar vein, you could tell, even though it was never reported in so many words, that George Lucas was somehow thinking more about using his saga to advance his FX business when he sat down to work on the prequels than the other way around. Disappointment for those who cared so long about seeing the saga itself seriously advanced was natural. But it's still so hard to strongly hold that grudge unless your head is completely stuck in the clouds: the tools ILM developed are fantastic, and Lucas put so much of his profit right into education and other charities.

[mae]

Hoping Round 2 starts soon

[fernandito]

what films have you guys seen since the mini break?

[fernandito]

Working on sorting the groups for Round 2 now... should have the first groups up today, latest tomorrow morning

[divemaster]

what films have you guys seen since the mini break?

I watched Dredd and Gattaca. Liked both; perhaps Dredd a little more. Neither was a "can't miss it; I felt the earth move" movie. But both brought quality to the genre. Depending on the specific competition, I could see either getting a vote from me.

[fernandito]

Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd the first two groups for Round 2 are:

Group A
Akira
Cocoon
Contact
Dredd
Independence Day
Men In Black
Them
Total Recall


Group B
Back to the Future I
Children of Men
Demolition Man
District 9
Source Code
Starship Troopers
Sunshine
Time Bandits


This time, there will be groups of 8 and only the Top 4 will advance!

[Mattrick]

I haven't seen many and I'm going on vacation for ten days this weekend so I won't have much time to watch any I don't think. I can get on the internet up at the cottage so I'll vote if I can during my vacation.

[pathoftheturtle]

I watched Gravity.

I also rented Knowing. Even though that's not nominated, I'm curious about Alex Proyas after seeing Dark City.

[mae]

Sadly, Proyas never got back to the same level. His upcoming Ancient Egypt movie could be good though.

[Mattrick]

I'm curious about Alex Proyas after seeing Dark City.

What did you think of it?

[pathoftheturtle]

Oh, I'm not surprised to hear he's done nothing better. I'm curious anyway. And I don't really expect to like Knowing more than when I've avoided watching it in the past. I just decided to see.

[pathoftheturtle]

...Dark City.

What did you think of it?

Very good. It blends a lot of elements, most of them quite successfully.

[WeDealInLead]

I was just browsing Amazon and came across a movie adaptation of A Boy and His Dog by Harlan Ellison. It's already on its way to me. I'm pretty sure I'll be nominating it next time.

[WeDealInLead]

what films have you guys seen since the mini break?

I was at my mom's yesterday and saw she had Source Code on DVD. I asked if I could borrow it and she gave me this look and said, "It's yours." Oops. I'll try to watch it before that bracket closes, I saved one vote.

[pathoftheturtle]

I was just browsing Amazon and came across a movie adaptation of A Boy and His Dog by Harlan Ellison. It's already on its way to me. I'm pretty sure I'll be nominating it next time.

Not altogether the best adaptation.

[mae]

A good movie, too bad we didn't nominate it this time.

[needfulthings]

[fernandito]

I love A Boy And His Dog, but I don't think it's abstract nature and obscurity would have helped it advance far in this tournament. It's ridiculous how many sci fi elements we have now were present in that film.

[Still Servant]

what films have you guys seen since the mini break?

I was at my mom's yesterday and saw she had Source Code on DVD. I asked if I could borrow it and she gave me this look and said, "It's yours." Oops. I'll try to watch it before that bracket closes, I saved one vote.

Depends on what kinds of films she likes. My mom wouldn't like a movie like Source Code. She doesn't really like Sci-Fi, so in her case I wouldn't be able to gauge whether or not I would like a film like Source Code based off her reaction. That's probably different in your case.

I really enjoyed it.

[Merlin1958]

Okay, so I saw "Dredd" today. Better than the Stallone version, but not by too much. I guess I am just not a fan of the storyline/premise. Still pretty good shoot 'em up. Definitely Sci-Fi