Best Sci-Fi Tournament - Round 1, Group A

[Iwritecode]

Well we are trying to decide the best film that's sci-fi so foremost we have to judge it on the filmic aspects (direction, acting, cinematography, score, script, etc) and not simply how science-fictiony it is. Melancholia has a rogue planet crashing into Earth, how is that not sci-fi!

I’ve skipped voting for movies that I thought were pretty good simply because I didn’t believe they were sci-fi. I doubt I’m alone in that thinking either. It goes back to the argument of whether it’s actually a sci-fi movie or it’s a (insert genre) with some sci-fi elements. IMO, we have a few of the latter in this tourney.

I’ve seen about 5 mins of Melancholia. I happened to catch it in the middle while flipping channels. I’ve been meaning to check it out but just haven’t had the time.

[mae]

Well, as we've discussed in the long nominations thread, where do you draw the line exactly? When does a film have enough sci-fi elements to qualify as a full-fledged sci-fi film? There are a couple of movies that made it into the 160 titles that certainly stretch the meaning of science fiction, but I don't think none is really out of place by a significant margin.

[Mattrick]

There's only a few films that were nominated I really thought are out of place, Hugo being at the top of the list.

[mae]

Agreed, but let's not rehash that again and take this poll off-topic

[Iwritecode]

I don’t think there is really a cut-and-dry definition of what is and what isn’t. Everyone has their own perspective. I think mine might be a little narrower than some others.

Although at least one of the movies I was referring to hasn’t gotten many votes at all. So I don’t feel so bad.

[pathoftheturtle]

I believe a precise definition of science fiction is possible.
I don't know what that is right now.
I know I'm not comfortable for us with the commercial definition which includes all types of speculative movies and potentially even nodding acquaintances to the broadest genre, from documentary to pure plotless imaginative imagry, grouped just by what might be expected to sell to a particular audience base.
This thread of course is not for debating the whole theory, but I think it's fine for individual voters to continue using individual judgment about what should not have qualified and good for as many as will to think about our ultimate end. Really, picking a Best Science Fiction Movie is neither the same as picking the best film the label can be applied to nor the same as picking the film the label can be applied to best.

[T-Dogz_AK47]

I believe a precise definition of science fiction is possible.
I don't know what that is right now.
I know I'm not comfortable with the commercial definition which includes all types of speculative movies and potentially even nodding acquaintances to the broadest genre, from documentary to pure plotless imaginative imagry grouped just by what will sell to a particular audience base.
This thread of course is not for debating the whole theory, but I think it's fine for individual voters to continue using individual judgment about what should not have qualified and good for as many as will to think about our ultimate end. Really, picking a Best Science Fiction Movie is neither the same as picking the best film the label can be applied to nor the same as picking a film the label can be applied to best.

Eh??? That doesn't even make sense.

[pathoftheturtle]

I think if we found a great example of what science fiction is all about, that wouldn't be enough if it was only kind of good, and that finding a great movie that was only kind of sci-fi would also be a fail. It needs to be both iconic and artful. Is that clearer?

[mae]

This is closing tomorrow, can't we get a bit more Melancholia love?

[Mattrick]

If I had time to watch it first I would vote for it.

[mae]

If I had time to watch it first I would vote for it.

It's streaming on Netflix: http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/70184165?trkid=13752289

[Ricky]

This is closing tomorrow, can't we get a bit more Melancholia love?

Just saw the votes and was going to say the same thing.

Just one more so it has a chance in a tie-breaker!

[Mattrick]

It's been in my queue for a few months but between watching my friends kids and leaving for my aunt's memorial tonight I have no time to watch it before the poll closes.

[pathoftheturtle]

Well, I liked it more than eXistenZ, so I would change my vote to give it a chance, but I'd rather just let The Fountain move on. That's a great movie, too.

[fernandito]

Group is closing today!

[mae]

Well, there goes Melancholia...

[fernandito]

The following nominees will advance to the next round

Children of Men
The Thing
Twelve Monkeys
Looper
Serenity


There will be a tie breaker for the sixth berth between
The Fountain
Omega Man

[Tommy]

Damn, eXistenZ was so close

[Iwritecode]

Damn, eXistenZ was so close

This was on last night. I caught it about a half-hour in. I watched for about 15 mins and it didn’t make any sense to me before I fell asleep.

It sounds interesting but it certainly looks like something I’d have to sit and watch from the beginning. Reading the Wiki entry about it, it sounds a little bit like the Matrix.