ALL SCI-FI

[Bud Brewster]

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I sure wish someone else would take a crack at posting on this thread. It's really easy, guys. Don't be shy.
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* A good movie-or-series about SPACE TRAVEL: Wing Commander (1999)

What made it so good: Not only do we get to see giant spacecraft zipping around between star systems with instantaneous "jumps" through hyperspace, we're treated to space battles that resemble World War II combat between space-going battleships, aircraft carriers, and fighters which resemble the classic prop driven planes of old. This movie does what I thought Star Wars: A New Hope was going to do in 1977 . . . but didn't quite manage.

* A disappointing movie-or-series about SPACE TRAVEL: They Came From Beyond Space (1967)

What made it disappointing: We're promised a trip to an alien Moon base in the final half of this rather lame British production, but I'm pretty sure we never get to see a single frame of film outside the shoddy sets that stand in for the extraterrestrial hangout. There's nothing worse that a movie that promises a little space travel and never really goes anywhere!
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Bud Brewster]

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* A good movie-or-series that blends SCI-FI and COMEDY: Man in the White Suit (1951)

What made it so good: Sir Alec Guinness is perfect as the brilliant and dedicated scientist who scares the crap out of the British textile industry by inventing a fabric that will put them all out of work. This is a very effective and enjoyable comedy.

* A disappointing movie-or-series that blends SCI-FI and COMEDY: Invasion of the Saucer Men (1957)

What made it disappointing: Rarely has a movie worked so hard to be both a comedy and a sci-fi story . . . and failed in both areas. I wonder what a skilled filmmaker could do with this idea? This movie just doesn't work. It's a shame, because all the elements are there.
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Bud Brewster]

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* A good movie-or-series with a NON-HUMANOID CREATURE or ALIEN: It Came From Outer Space (1953)

What made it so good: The magnificent alien in this movie has some good scenes and some not-so-good-scenes (like the 3-D doll's eye that sticks out at the audience) but there's not a single shot in the movie that really does it justice like the photo below.

This thing is a masterpiece!





* A disappointing movie-or-series about a NON-HUMANOID CREATURE or ALIEN: It Conquered the World (1956)

What made it disappointing: The flip side of that coin is this . . . which is a major embarrassment.



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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Bud Brewster]

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* A good movie-or-series about ALIEN VISITORS: The Space Children (1958)

What made it so good: I was ten years when I watched this movie from the back seat of a 1957 Ford at a drive-in theater. It rocked my world and changed my life. I loved it then, and I love it now. Peggy Webber played the mother of the family who encountered the strange alien in this great movie, and she's exchanged numerous emails with me over the years. She's a wonderful lady, the founder of C.A.R.T. — the California Artists Radio Theater.





* A disappointing movie-or-series about ALIEN VISITORS: Phantom From Space (1953)

What made it disappointing: Basically this movie is about an alien who crashes for unknown reasons, runs around trying to evade capture, strips out of his spacesuit despite needing it to survive, and carries a woman around in the climax for no discernible reason.



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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Ludi]

Peggy Webber - there's a familiar name from olde timey radio!
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ernestthesiger.org

[Bud Brewster]

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* A good movie-or-series that includes one-or-more ROBOTS or ANDROIDS: Surrogates (2009)

What made it so good: The whole idea that these hi-tech androids are being controlled by humans who chose not to interact with the real world is fascinating and scary at the same time. This movie apparently disappointed the folks who loved the book, but it stands on its own and delivers a hell of a good story.

* A disappointing movie-or-series that includes one-or-more ROBOTS or ANDROIDS: A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)

What made it disappointing: This is a misfire in SO many ways I can't sum it up in just a few words. The bottom line, I guess, is that it presents a future in which technology soars to incredible heights . . . while mankind goes to hell in a hand basket. I refused to accept such a bleak prognosis for humanity's fate.
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Bud Brewster]

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* A good movie about a MONSTER IN A CITY: It Came From Beneath the Sea

What made it so good: I love the way the monster's lone tentacle invades the streets, crushes the screaming people, and even pokes into a store and seems to "look around"!







And when the Army guys with the flame throwers force the tentacle back, it rears up and "faces off" with them for a few seconds, as if it's "staring down at them"!





* A disappointing movie about a MONSTER IN A CITY: Gorgo

What made it disappointing: Even though this British film tries hard to out do Godzilla (whose design I intensely dislike), it only manages to look a little bit better, and the movie never spawned a single sequel . . . unlike Godzilla, which seems to linger on and on in countless movies.



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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Zackuth]

I'll post as I can gather my lists together but I'll start with these two:

* A good movie-or-series about SPACE TRAVEL: First Men in the Moon.
What made it so good: The script is well thought out and does follow the source material, at least to a degree. The Harryhausen effects help lift the movie and the interaction between the characters is wonderful.

* A disappointing movie-or-series about SPACE TRAVEL: Lost In Space-1998
What made it disappointing: There are a couple of good points to the movie, but on the whole it was a bit disappointing. I liked the opening dogfight scene, but the movie becomes slow moving after that.

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* A good movie-or-series about TIME TRAVEL: 5ive Days to Midnight
What made it so good: This was a five part miniseries on the SciFi (not SyFy) channel. A physics professor find a briefcase with all the information about his unsolved murder that will happen five days in the future. The physicist tries to figure out who is going to kill him and if he can even stop his murder.
What made it good: This is a great whodunit thriller that never loses its science fiction roots. The time travel aspect is always there and in the forefront of the story.

* A disappointing movie-or-series about TIME TRAVEL: A Sound of Thunder-2005
What made it disappointing: Trying to make a 20 minute movie into one that runs 1 hour and 43 minutes. Yikes what a mess. The illogic of the effects of the disruption of time makes this movie painful to watch; the changes in time come in waves based upon how life forms evolved so plant life is the first to change, then the lower life forms up to the higher life forms. Huh? What?

[Zackuth]

* A good movie-or-series WITH A VERY ORIGINAL PREMISE: Metropolis
What made it so good: The writing and directing are both tops. The acting is superb and the sets are almost another character in the movie. Certainly one of the best science fiction movies ever!

* A disappointing movie-or-series WITH A VERY ORIGINAL PREMISE: The Alien Factor — An alien transporting alien animals to an intergalactic zoo accidently crashes on earth, killing the pilot and releasing the animals. A second alien, taking the form of a human, comes to kill the animals.
What made it disappointing: I have said all this movie needed to be a good movie was a script, a director, and some actors.

[Bud Brewster]

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Zaruth, this thread was made for you! Brilliant work. sir. You nailed it.

I'll add another one just to keep things rolling.
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A good movie-or-series about GIANT PEOPLE: Attack of the 50-foot Woman (1993)

What made it so good: All the built-in humor which the concept deserves is right here, along with good special effects and a clever twist on the pay-off we desperately wanted in the 50s original (but did not get). This is an underrated gem.





A disappointing movie-or-series about GIANT PEOPLE: Attack of the 50 Ft Woman (1958)

What made it disappointing: Part of the problem was the budget, which was embarrassing small. As a result, we got a movie that made big promises (just look at the amazing poster!) but simply didn't deliver. And the funny ending that obviously should have occurred (the giant alien comes back to collect the giant girlfriend he created) doesn't happen. What a shame.



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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Zackuth]

* A good movie-or-series about ALIEN INVADERS: The War of the Worlds
What made it so good: Where to start. Great cast, great script, great direction, and great special effects. Just a great movie.

* A disappointing movie-or-series about ALIEN INVADERS: Battlefield Earth
What made it disappointing: Need I say more?

[Zackuth]

* A good movie-or-series that blends SCI-FI and COMEDY: Galaxy Quest
What made it so good: Everything made this a good movie. The script is well written, the acting is top notch, and the direction is great.

* A disappointing movie-or-series that blends SCI-FI and COMEDY: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy-2005
What made it disappointing: It strayed away from the source material a bit too much and ended up not grasping the humor of the novel. It has some funny moments but not enough.

[Zackuth]

* A good movie-or-series about a HUMANOID CREATURE or ALIEN: Without Warning - 1980

What made it so good: This low budget gem is just good filmmaking. While it does have some well known names (Jack Palance and Martin Landau in large rolls) it is the two unknowns (Tarah Nutter and Christopher S. Nelson) that carry the film. The script is smart and believable and the special effects are pretty good for a $150,000 movie.

* A disappointing movie-or-series about a HUMANOID CREATURE or ALIEN: The Day the Earth Stood Still - 2008

What made it disappointing: As a huge fan of the original, I was kinda looking forward to the remake. What I got was a film that has some of the same character names and no relation to the original. I quickly lost interest in the all-people-are-evil-and-need-to-be-destroyed storyline. The only thing better than the end of the movie is knowing I'll never have to watch it again.

[Zackuth]

* A good movie-or-series that includes at least one FLYING SAUCER: Babylon 5 (TV series)
What made it so good: I cannot say enough about how good the series is. The characters are well fleshed out, not cardboard cutouts that are more often seen. Even the supporting characters have personalities and a history. The writing is some of the best ever and the actors and actresses seemed to have embraced the story and characters.

* A disappointing movie-or-series that includes at least one FLYING SAUCER: The Thing (2011)
What made it disappointing: There are many problems creating a prequel, and this movie shows it. I'd like to bring up the fusing of Edvard/thing and Adam. While this is really a terrifying scene, it doesn't hold because the "fused" man is actually separating in the 1982 film as proved by the gaps in the teeth seen in the 1982 film. A radio signal from the space ship leads the people to the ship, and even though it had been signaling for several days, and the American base did not pick up on it? Possible, but not probable. I wanted to like the movie, but did not. When making a prequel, you cannot make your own movie (unless you make both); you have to make the beginning of someone else's.

[Zackuth]

A good movie-or-series about a POST APOCALYPTIC WORLD: World Without End (1956)

Four astronauts returning from a voyage to Mars are caught in a time warp and are propelled into a post-Apocalyptic Earth populated by mutants. The astronauts, knowing they cannot return home, must try and survive in this new world.

What made it so good: I first saw this movie in 2012 and really enjoyed it. It has some very good writing and a good cast. There are some things that don't really follow logically, like the fact the male population is wimpy and small while the women are hardy and voluptuous and some of the special effects are not that special but they do not take away from the story too much.

A disappointing movie-or-series about a POST APOCALYPTIC WORLD: Robot Monster (1953)
Ro-Man, an alien that looks remarkably like a gorilla in a diving helmet, has destroyed all but eight people on the planet Earth. He spends the entire film trying to finish off these survivors.

What made it disappointing: Where to begin? First of all, you know the budget of the film by the fact the alien robot is dressed in a gorilla suit and space helmet with antenna. The patriarch of the family is also a scientist who created a way to hide their location from Ro-Man. The youngest daughter and the assistant scientist fall for each other get married. The two are then allowed to leave the protection of this hiding technology and go on a honeymoon? The result is what you'd expect, both are found and killed. And the ending of the movie is just as illogical as the entire movie. I have only watched this twice, once as a kid and once a couple of years ago, both times the movie stunk!! IMDb generously gives this movie a 2.9 rating.