Board 8 > Gauntlet Crew Ranks Sci Fi Films I-2

(+) Yeah! (+)

c'mon just because it had one unforgivable plot twist you don't have to crucify the whole movie
---

Sometimes JONA is extremely unpredictable.
---

Karo aren't you so mad you want to post more?
---

So, I'm sure people will "wtf" at my #35 because people generally do in person when I mention I'm not very fond of it.

Fun facts: I originally had it in 39th but I decided to give it the benefit of the doubt a bit since I didn't have time to revisit it for the list and I realize my problems with it are a bit odd.

I wish someone recorded my expression when Sunshine turned into a horror movie. My jaw hit the floor and I had a huge goofy grin. It was a cool twist that put an already great movie over the top for me.
---

My favorite part of Sunshine was charon freaking the fuck out when faces of the previous crew started flashing in split second frames. I legally didn't notice the first two and had to rewind because my kneejerk reaction was that he was pulling my leg. It was great!
---

#13 - District 9 (2009)
Johnbobb - 3
Scarlet - 5
Charon - 7
Snake - 9
Stifled - 10
Genny - 12
JONA - 14
Karo - 22
Inviso - 22
KBM - 35
Wickle - 38
Total: 177

"Look at sci-fi and fantasy now and "non-human creatures as a metaphor for racism" has become a staple of the genre (an overused one at that). It wasn't always like that though, and District 9 is one of the films that really established it. What really makes District 9 good though is that it doesn't take the easy way out. This isn't Bright taking black people and replacing them with orcs and leaving it like that. This is a unique protrayal of a very specific race of aliens, brilliantly shown through the lens of African colonialism. It tackles heavy subjects without sugarcoating them. Neill Blomkamp never comes across as trying to bask in his own cleveness. District 9 is just an incredible sci-fi thriller that manages to be both fun to watch and thought-provoking." ~Johnbobb

"What It Is: An allegorical tale of life under Apartheid told through the lends of transient aliens.

Why It Matters: District 9 revitalized the think-piece sci fi genre and even landed a Best Picture nomination from the Academy, a pretty rare feat for sci fi.

What I Think: District 9 opens like The Third World Office, and you'd be forgiven if you thought that Wikus was meant to be the South African Michael Scott. But the movie extremely quickly proves itself to be a powerful, potent mix of Hotel Rwanda and Alien Nation. The documentary aspect very quietly melts into a an action film, but throughout the movie, I was really hit hard by my personal experiences in Sierra Leone. The danger, the visceral brutality, the mistreatment of a unwanted peoples, the segregation that is so utterly and infuriatingly demhumanizing, it all of course is representative of the Apartheid in South Africa. But spending time in Sierra Leona just a few short years after a deadly massacre jokingly referred to as a civil war, I was hit with a boulder to my chest, stopped dead in the tracks, in this poignant retelling of the events to which I had only been given the smallest of glimpses. District 9 is so startlingly accurate in how several African nations treated tribes or indigenous peoples, and it made me clench my teeth and bare my fist in anger. I imagine other users will also struck by that portrayal of just utter injustice, and that it hits close to them.

When the movie ramps up, it chooses to tie itself to individuals that are immensely flawed and unlikable on the surface. But in reality, the ignorance, the prejudice, these things really give character to the, erm, characters. And I feel so invested in seeing them evolve and change over time. Wikus himself isn't a hero, and he's not given a hero's resolution at the end. And more importantly, our alien centerpiece is just phenomenal. I never realized until District 9 how easily (or for how long) sci-fi has been spoon-feeding us the notion of monotonous alien races. It's mostly, "Hey we're Klingons and we're like this!" or "We're Predators and we do this!" Then we eventually get that one autonomous alien who is the conflicted exception to the stereotype rule - or, at best, an alien culture split into fractions by some kind of superficial/ideological difference. What District 9 presented was a much fresher and challenging concept to deal with: an alien race that doesn't have its shit together.
---

I feel like the detractors (aside from, and I'm gonna predict... Wickle has it last place because he hates swears and blood and likes the easy mode) are going to backseat drive the characters and plot because they don't like the characters, but you can't fantasy book movies to be exactly the way you want, or you end up with Marvel syndrome. This is a truly unique, culturally hard-hitting experience. And I fucking love it." ~scarlet

"A very different take on aliens this time as rather than being elite, superior to humans in ever way creatures they are portrayed more like refugees from another country which we initially take care of but grow to resent. The parallels betweens the aliens in this movie and how we as a society treat those sorts of people who are "different" from us is thoughtful and insightful in my opinion. Not only does this film have a unique treatment for its aliens, but it is also filmed just as peerless in this category. While that style makes for an abrupt introduction to it, later on it also offers an uncommon viewpoint for the main character to interact from. District 10 is still coming some day... right?" ~Charon

"A fully realized world that feels like it could really be taken place in our real world, with heartbreaking conditions and discrimination. The bond between Wikus and Christopher Johnson had me rooting for them every step of the way, and as Wikus grows more human even as he becomes more monstrous in appearance, you will understand the true meaning of the film when you start substituting current real life situations for the ones in the film. A healthy dose of action never hurt anyone either. " ~Snake

"I absolutely loved the documentary style. While I wish the entire movie was filmed in that style, I understand why it had to switch to a present day perspective after a certain point. This was probably the only movie on the list I was actively rooting for the aliens to survive and/or murder humans. The angry military humans were even more angry than in most sci-fi jaunts, which could be a bit off-putting at times. But when those cool alien weapons turned them into a pile of goo, the poor human disposition made the splatter that much more satisfying.

Traviss Opinion: Soooo bad parent moment here. I forgot this was very much R and Travis watched it with me lmao. He kept asking about the aliens and the fireworks (people and humans getting blown up). He also pointed at a gun and said thats so dangerous!" ~Stifled

"District 9 was a clever twist on the standard alien invasion theme. Normally when aliens visit earth they either want to destroy all humanity or want to drain the planet of its resources, but these "prawns" just want to live. To this day I've yet to see another film where I'm expected to sympathize with the invaders quite like this one. "Christopher Johnson" for instance seems to have more humanity than Wickers- the human protagonist, and is much easier to root for, partly because Wickus is such a selfish tool admittedly." ~Genny

"I love the direction of the first half of the movie, with the documentary angle. Wikus is a likable guy and makes this movie better than what it is due to the actors strong performance. He really makes you feel bad for the situation that hes put in and has great reactions to whats going on. The theme of the movie is pretty obvious and the direction of the second half of the movie is not something I particularly liked but thought it was well done for what it was. " ~JONA
---

"This movie is an interesting concept where themes of racism and bigotry are explored via a group of aliens stranded on earth and mistreated horribly by the human race. The story is presented as a faux-documentary chronicling conditions in the alien concentration camp. Well, anyway up until they decide to abandon the whole tone of the movie in order to turn it into a silly scifi version of the wolfman where this guy is slowly transforming into one of the 'prawns' because he got his face sprayed by alien hyperdrive fuel. Because everyone knows that touching alien fuel will cause a complex biological chain reaction that will make you grow a fucking claw for a hand and goddammit this is seriously power rangers level stupidity.
It is a shame it implodes so catastrophically in the second half, because it really had a chance to add something fresh and new to the genre." ~Karo

"This movies style was very strange, because it starts off in a documentary format about the events that transpired during the course of the movie, and then shifts to a more standard storytelling format. Now, Im always a sucker for alien movies where mankind are the bad guys and the aliens are just strange to us, and this movie gives that storyline in spades. Sure, the main character is some human that had the misfortune of getting blasted with alien goo and turning into a hybrid monster, but thats okay, because we get to view his transformation as more than just a physical one. Wikus starts out as this douchey pencil-pusher, given the task of acting like a strongman and forcing Prawns out of their shantytown, and hes a typical racist, just acting big and bad even though hes a scrawny little wuss. But then we get to experience the hardships of alien life from his perspective, and its rather fascinating. The only thing that knocks the movie down a bit is that its just a little too gritty. Not that thats necessarily a bad thing, but the production design just wasnt entirely appealing is all. Still a perfectly good movie though. " ~Inviso

"I would call this a tale of two movies, but it's actually a tale of like five separate movies. It starts out as a sharply satirical mockumentary, which has me really engaged. This style is abandoned in the first ten, fifteen minutes, at which point the tone of the film bounces around between a slow-burn thriller, a gross-out horror movie, and mindless action. There are definitely good ideas at work here, but for me, the slapdash execution of the plot coupled with the off-putting visuals just kind of rubs me the wrong way. Clearly this is an unpopular opinion, as I'm one of the few people I know who isn't over the moon for this much-acclaimed Best Picture nominee, but in terms of Neill Blomkamp's filmography I actually preferred his much less successful 2015 effort Chappie, which I found much more consistent and had more strange and engaging characters. I can appreciate that this movie is a well-made, good example of allegory in modern sci fi, but it's not my thing as much as it seems to be everyone else's. And this movie did launch Sharlto Copley's career, even if his character's narrative here is maybe just a bit white-savior-y." ~KBM

"Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck. I decided to make this fucking write-up like the fucking dialogue of this fucking movie. Fucking splattered with fucking fucks because writers cannot fucking write a real fucking dialogue for this fucking shit. Fucking protagonist ruined this whole fucking movie, which had so much fucking potential if the fucking protagonist wasnt a fucking dumbshit. One fucking hour of the dude just fucking freaking out about every fucking thing and being a fucking irrational fuck. Was not a fun write-up to read? Was not a good movie to watch either." ~Wickle
---

The Outlander Game Part XXVIII: If You Lose Your Prawn, Flip the Chessboard
Wickle - 306
JONA - 271
Stifled - 268
KBM - 250
Snake - 241
Inviso - 213
Genny - 208
Karo - 199
Charon - 189
Scarlet - 188
Johnbobb - 178

KBM moves, but otherwise it's all quiet on the western front.
---

Wickle posted...

Fucking splattered with fucking fucks because writers cannot fucking write a real fucking dialogue for this fucking shit.

Man, this is such an hilariously ironic statement considering that, when I spent time in Sierra Leone, this is how a lot of people in Freetown talked.
---

I hear the fucking smog is the fucking reason why you have such beautiful fucking sunsets.
---

scarletspeed7 posted...

(aside from, and I'm gonna predict... Wickle has it last place because he hates swears and blood and likes the easy mode) ~scarlet

That feel... When the only reason Scar was wrong about this prediction... Is because I didn't ask if people got a way to understand Metropolis.

EDIT: Okay fine, he also underestimated my ranking for a movie that I know he'd guess bottom 10 for me anyway.
---

scarletspeed7 posted...

I'm gonna predict... Wickle has it last place because he hates swears and blood and likes the easy mode

scarletspeed7 posted...

I decided to make this fucking write-up like the fucking dialogue of this fucking movie. Fucking splattered with fucking fucks because writers cannot fucking write a real fucking dialogue for this fucking shit. ~Wickle

I laughed
---

Top 12 update for new page

The Terminator
Back to the Future
Aliens
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
12 Monkeys
The Matrix
Donnie Darko
Moon
Gravity
Interstellar
Edge of Tomorrow
Ex Machina
---

I technically want to root for 12 Monkeys next even though it's not the lowest movie I have left (sorry for list spoiler, but doesn't give that much information).

It's also possible still.
---

Boo.

Also yeah Wickle the dialogue in District 9 is very realistic from my visits to South Africa but... I can still see it being off-putting regardless of how accurate it is.
---

I guess as things are going on, I finally realized a major problem I have with movies. I will never give credit to a film for being realistic, and I even tend to hate on all of it. I look too much at movies to be awe-inspiring and setting a good example for future generations. Which is yes, why I hate 100% foul language regardless of the correctness of the society, and why I... Actually, I'll wait a bit for the second half of that.
---

Also, might as well talk about how Blade Runner is getting an anime, since relevant to this topic series.
---

WickIebee posted...

Also, might as well talk about how Blade Runner is getting an anime, since relevant to this topic series.

Oh fuck, I didn't know this was a thing until you posted.

Looks like they got good people behind it.
---

#12 - Gravity (2013)
Inviso - 4
Scarlet - 4
JONA - 7
Wickle - 10
KBM - 14
Genny - 16
Stifled - 17
Snake - 24
Charon - 26
Johnbobb - 27
Karo - 27
Total: 176

"This movie combines a bunch of elements that I LOVE in sci-fi movies. You have the disaster movie, where the main character/s are thrown into an unwinnable situation due to circumstances beyond their control. You have a sole astronaut trying to survive and deal with the fear and crippling loneliness of having everyone else taken away and being forced to fend for herself. You have just this AMAZING production design with not only the visual effects, but the audio effects as well. That opening scene with Ryan strapped into the extension arm and flying off into space triggered my claustrophobia and made me feel panic for her. Thats such an untenable situation to find yourself in. And the rest of the movie just keeps hitting her over and over again. When the ISS pod runs out of fuel, I teared up, because that resignation and willingness to give up and let death take her was such an emotional moment. But she perseveres and she improvises, and you just cant help but root for her to pull off a miracle and make it back to Earth. Its just a touching ending to a beautiful film." ~Inviso

"What It Is: The deadliest son of a bitch in space.

Why It Matters: Gravity was the first in a string of big-budget blockbusters to be released in October, and it fared so well that we've been doing it ever since. It also was a major advancement in the special effects department for science fiction films... and it's the movie that pretty much put Neil DeGrasse Tyson on the map for Hollywood.

What I Think: Mission Control, I have a good feeling about this mission. It reminds me of the time I first saw Gravity years ago. I can count on my hands the number of movies that truly require a theatrical viewing. Gravity stands out among these films, so for my rewatch, I went to a friends house and commandeered his home theater for the evening. I also brought one of my best friends so I could watch it through new eyes. The experience Gravity creates is just so utterly unique. I think a great word to describe the opening 20 minutes is "disorienting". Very few movies cause you as a viewer to palpably feel the panic and tension of a main character. But Ryan is presented as an everyman character, on her first mission and still a little bit green despite her clear qualifications for repairwork. The smooth, charismatic Clooney eventually steers her in the right direction and, although he disappears partway through the movie, she channels him in such a simultaneously sweet and constructive way. But in the meantime, my God, the feeling of weightlessness this movie gives you. Have you ever been on a rollercoaster and right after tipping over the top edge, you begin the plummet down a large hill? There's a tingling sensation I get in the bottom of my feet, a sort-of apprehensive and futile feeling that causes them to scream out that they have no purchase. This movie actually gave me that exact feeling, and it was magnificent. I didn't think that sort of experience could be duplicated, but the sound editing, the visuals and music all contributed to a movie that is experiential.
---

I often talk about movies that are lightweight or have nothing to say. Gravity doesn't have something to say so much as something to show. Its desire is to open a window to a part of the universe most of us will never experience, and it does it perfectly, conveying the perception of the satellite belt magnificently. And by the time the experience begins to wear off, we're headed back to Earth with what it is, in my mind, the greatest piece of cinematic scoring in this decade. Magnificent.

Oh, and before I forgot, great random usage of Ed Harris as Mission Control. A little nod to Apollo 13."~scarlet

"The atmosphere of this movie is incredible. I bet it would be even better if seen in a movie theater. Its really good at giving that sense of dread and loneliness, especially when youre stuck in the vast area that is space. The cinematography is also great. Both Sandra Bullock and George Clooney do great at their roles. Its an incredible experience." ~JONA

"Clooneys character was really great. Bullocks not so much, but she was the star. It was a nice film, bit of an adventure with her trying to find a way to survive, though I wish we saw her get rescued. Its a nice alternative to something like Sunshine on this list, where that one is the direct opposite in theme and everything else. The hallucination scene was great." ~Wickle

"I've had very few theater-going experiences quite as breathtaking and memorable as seeing Gravity on the big screen for the first time. With the very first shot of the movie, the scary, unfathomable expansiveness of space, as well as the quiet, are palpable, and in the theater, it hit the entire audience like a truck. Alfonso Cuarn's signature long shots are taken to a new extreme here, and it's perfect for the atmosphere of the film. Sandra Bullock gives a heroic performance here; the best of her career. There are some imperfections here and there in the dialogue, but when I'm watching this movie, that's not something I'm thinking about. I'm holding my breath, hanging onto Sandra Bullock's every word, not even wanting to blink, getting totally wrapped up in her insane dilemma. And how about those effects? It's a rare movie indeed that manages to be this convincing in portraying zero-gravity, doubly impressive when we're talking about a movie that have a couple single shots that are a half-hour long. Sandra Bullock definitely should have won her Oscar for this rather than The Blind Side." ~KBM

"Gravity is a wild ride. Obviously the most impressive aspect of it is that's it's "filmed" like it's all one long shot with no edits and shifted perspectives. Ryan Stone is kind of pathetic and I did find it a little difficult to root for her safe return though." ~Genny

"I cant stress enough how well made this movie is. The feeling of isolation and claustrophobia somehow being created from there being far too much wide open space is indescribable. The acting was also really good, especially considering there was only a small handful of characters. But the true star of the movie was outer space.

Traviss Opinion: Travis got excited a few times and asked what was going on. Throughout the list, he was pretty focused on playing with his toys and didnt want to pay attention often, compared to the previous cartoon list. But I guess there was enough going on here to keep him interested.
" ~Stifled
---

"The Explorer debris scene is one of the best and most visually impressive sequences on the entire list. The film is simple but manages to make a real edge of your seat experience out of it. I just dont really remember the performances or characters that much which is kind of a shame. " ~Snake

"As much as I wanted to like this movie a bit more, I found it hard to. My biggest issue is that we're asked to care about the main character without really knowing anything about her. They just sort of drop these tidbits of information, like her daughter, throughout the film and you're supposed to care whether or not she makes it. Visually, it's a pretty good film and I'm no astronaut so I don't really notice how accurately this portrays the effects of gravity in space on a human. The big issue was the cast; it's very small, and in doing so a film has to rely on these scant few characters to hold your interest and make you invested in them. I just really wasn't due to how the story was told; it's more about the action sequences and near-death experiences than the riveting dialogue or depth I suppose. As a film based on just that, it's great. It's just up against things that aren't only that." ~charon

"Gravity is a weird case. This is quite possibly the most realistic portrayal of space ever shown in film, to the point where it's legitimately difficult to believe this wasn't actually filmed in space. Those incredible effects alone make this a movie worth seeing. It's space eye candy at its finest. That being said, Ryan Stone is terrible at her job and the film doesn't exactly have a lot going for it narratively. Still pleasant overall, though casting Sandra Bullock ultimately hurt it." ~Johnbobb

"A space shuttle crew is marooned in orbit after a bit of silliness where an exploding satellite somehow causes a chain reaction that collides with EVERY single object in orbit around the earth. Listen, do you not comprehend just how big space is? It isnt a like a pool table where you can pull a trick shot to knock the fucking hubble telescope into a side pocket.
Anyway, our heroine is a young astronaut whose role on the space mission is unclear, she is shown doing some mechanical work at the start of the film, but she was as incompetent at that as she is at every other aspect of space flight.
This brings us to the other major problem with the movie. The protagonist is a weak and brainless character who doesnt have a single creative thought on her own, and takes absolutely no initiative in anything. She just follows the suggestions of mr. texas douche to such a letter that one wonders why the fuck the movie is even about her.
When she finally runs out of instructions, she just curls up in a ball and cries about how she isnt a mommy anymore and tries to kill herself until her man comes back from the dead to tell her what to do.
This kind of extreme sexism makes it difficult to enjoy any other aspect of the movie, such as its impressive visual effects, and leaves one wondering how in the living hell did it get made in this day and age." ~Karo
---

The Outlander Game Part XXVIV: Woof Woof Woof.
Wickle - 308
JONA - 276
Stifled - 273
Snake - 253
KBM - 252
Inviso - 221
Karo - 214
Genny - 212
Charon - 203
Scarlet - 196
Johnbobb - 193

Top outlier feels pretty solidified, but second-place is clearly up for grabs.
---

Karo stupidly posted...

When she finally runs out of instructions, she just curls up in a ball and cries about how she isnt a mommy anymore and tries to kill herself until her man comes back from the dead to tell her what to do.
This kind of extreme sexism makes it difficult to enjoy any other aspect of the movie, such as its impressive visual effects, and leaves one wondering how in the living hell did it get made in this day and age.

This has to be one of the worst takes I've ever seen on this list. She's going to die. She's in the most extremely inhospitable environment a human has ever been. She's on her first fucking mission. And she has a dream where her brain is trying to rationalize things by using the only other person they hired for the movie, who happens to be on his umpteen millionth mission, as the constructively thinking, rational part of her brain. Her reaction is completely the type of reaction I would expect from a real person. I'm sorry that utterly asinine sort of behavior you get out of Arnie films isn't here, but this is much more tangible and relatable than gun-toting machismo with no internal reflection.

You've also never had an overabundance of adrenaline pumping through you. When I had the car accident on the Red River bridge where I nearly died, afterwards, I curled up in a ball in my parents' backseat and cried. And the tears weren't even out of anything so much as my body dealing with this poison coursing through the veins for no reason. I couldn't stop shaking. When you go through a traumatic event, your body has to process, and adrenaline causes some really extreme behavior in people, especially when they stop moving and the adrenaline keeps pumping. This was extremely realistic and it's not sexist at all. I watched this movie originally with a friend who had spent a tour in Iraq as a doctor, and he told me afterwards that it reminded him of what some of his buddies went through, in terms of how she reacted. After being under fire, people have a difficult to readjusting in that moment. And while they don't necessarily have PTSD, they were crying without even realizing it in the moments afterwards. You're just trying to suppress the adrenaline and think clearly. For Ryan, it's even worse because she's trying to do that while still in danger in a situation she isn't totally prepared for and facing odds that are overwhelming negative.

There is definite sexism on this list. This isn't that. If that's sexism, explain what I went through for just having a car hang over the side of a bridge?
---

Yeah, Jesus Christ thats a bad take, Karo.
---

The one time I saw Gravity I was kind of disappointed (though I don't think I hated it), and I haven't been particularly interested in giving it a re-watch.

Maybe a little bit.
---

Gravity was the one movie remaining left I didn't like back at 15. I'm going to mostly chalk up why I don't "get" the movie to the fact that I never saw it in theaters as I've heard many a time is necessary, including in these write-ups, but in some ways I think that could be considered an objective flaw in the movie if it's one note to the point where you lose that much by not having a great viewing atmosphere, sound system, etc.

But I think charon pinpointed why I just couldn't get into it beyond the obvious not viewing it in the perfect atmosphere. A bit of character development for the main before she gets sent into space, while making it lose artsy "look how fresh this movie is~" points, would probably improve the experience for me tremendously. The main being cast as a lesser known rather than Sandra Bullock may have helped get me immersed in too and let it click. I don't know. It's hard to know.
---

I think if you put a scene in the movie on Earth before the mission, you destroy the entire concept of the real-time "one-shot" style of the film, which is part of what creates the immersive experience in this movie. I totally get the idea that there's not a lot of development ahead of time for some people, and that's fine, but if you are talking about dismantling the entire construction of the film for it, I really think you've stopped providing criticism, and you've started fantasy booking the movie.

It's kind of like watching District 9 and saying, "I can't root for anyone in this movie. They should have made Wikus more likable."
---

scarletspeed7 posted...

you destroy the entire concept of the real-time "one-shot" style of the film

Yeah I know that's what I was referring to with artsy "look how fresh this movie is~" points.

That being said I think there's a way to maintain that immersion even if it involves just making the movie closer to a two hour runtime and just filming what's there identically and putting a sort of prologue first that takes place outside the real time single shot to make you actually care about the main.

But then it becomes less innovative and award baity, more easily assailed by critics who get low hanging fruit to criticize because now you can call it disjointed.
---

I really disagree that it's fresh or innovative. Rope springs to mind as another movie that does the same thing. That's a movie from 1948. High Noon, Phone Booth, Buried. It's just a stylistic choice. I don't think this movie is at all award bait-y, honestly. The concept of award bait is usually in the subject matter (ie: Tracy Jordan's Hard to Watch). I don't think there's anything wrong with disliking the movie because said style doesn't provide what you look for in movies, though.
---

Although I will say the cleaner way to do it would be to just cast an unknown in the main character slot.

Like to me if it's not Sandra Bullock, maybe I can get behind the main just on strength of her being "a real person who is in space and is not having a fun time." I see Sandra Bullock and my first thought is it's Sandra Bullock and it's an actor not a real person in space.

I'm not sure that's what Johnbobb was getting at when he said it, but if he did I think I agree with him?

In theory I don't hate immersive movies that are about creating an atmosphere as their main strength (I liked the not very well received Silent Hill movie a lot-- different kind of immersion entirely but I would say it's similar in terms of trying to create a unique feeling atmosphere) but yeah this movie was missing something for me and I don't entirely accept that it can all be not having viewed it in the theater.
---

I'm not saying it HAS to be viewed in theaters so much as just saying that, for me, the feeling i got from the movie can only be duplicated theatrically. Or maybe VR!

But a complaint about Sandra Bullock is totally fine because this is the only movie I've ever liked Sandra Bullock in, and honestly I think most actresses would do a great job in this role. The role writes itself. Angelina Jolie was the first choice for the role. I've always thought she would have been pretty good in it. Personally, I think someone like Claire Foy or Michelle Dockery would be a perfect fit.
---

Wickle still likes The Blind Side because Wickle has the movie maturity of a pre-teen.
---

Definitely agree Gravity is something that should be viewed on the real big screen. Poor char can't get that experience despite our 65? inch monitor. Just not the same.

Good to see Stone is a divisive character as predicted
---

GenesisSaga posted...

Poor char can't get that experience despite our 65? inch monitor. Just not the same.

To be fair lightning, ambient noise reduction, and sound system are probably more important than screen size, so if you're a fanatic you can probably get something passable at home. Of course it's probably easier to just watch something in a theater than get a genuine home theater experience but hey maybe someday if you feel ambitious... since it's not like Gravity is ever coming back to theaters,
---

Lopen posted...

since it's not like Gravity is ever coming back to theaters,

I wouldn't be so sure of that. It was generally well-received by critics and a lot of theaters run older movies like that all the time.

But yeah, as was said, I just think this style of movie doesn't appeal to my sense of what makes a great film. I didn't want to tank it too heavily, because I can appreciate it for what it is. It's just that what it is just isn't super awe inspiring to me.
---

#11 - The Terminator (1984)
Genny - 4
Inviso - 7
Scarlet - 8
Charon - 14
Stifled - 14
KBM - 15
Karo - 17
Snake - 19
Johnbobb - 23
JONA - 23
Wickle - 28
Total: 172

"I feel like The Terminator is objective best movie in its series. Though this doesn't necessarily make it my favorite, it is a solid enough film that it does make me question it (unlike Alien vs. Aliens where the answer is obvious)." ~Genny

"What is there to say about The Terminator that hasnt been said countless times by countless critics and analysts over the years? This is just an extremely strong time-travel sci-fi movie. I like the fact that the two time travelers (Reese and the Terminator itself) are introduced in such a strange and unexpected fashion. And were also introduced to their character via actions. The Terminator walks up to the street punks and rips out one of their hearts to get some clothes; Reese runs from the cops and has to be far subtler in his approach. It really highlights the David and Goliath nature of their rivalry. Meanwhile, we then get introduced to Sarah Connor, living just a normal, uneventful life until she finds out that two other Sarah Connors were killed, and starts to panic. The rest of the film is her trying to reconcile her role in not just this time traveler battle, but also in the salvation of the future. Its just a tight, well-paced story, and I think the writers did a good job of making Sarah the audience stand-in, so Reeses explanations and world-building work all the better." ~Inviso

"What It Is: Michael Biehn must save Sarah Connor when Kenny Omega comes a-callin', or else she will not be able to give birth to the most important figure of the 21st century... Chuck Bartowski.

Why It Matters: It kicked off one of the most well-known franchises in cinematic history, and it firmly started Arnie's career.

What I Think: It's awesome. For a film without much heft to it, it handles everything with a measured sense of pacing and suspense, keeping everything taut and maintaining a high level of stakes throughout. Everything feels like it matters in this film, and Michael Biehn does an admirable job of passing off the torch of badassery to Linda Hamilton near the end. Of course, the non-performance by Arnie is excellent. He clearly knows that he can't act, so doing nothing in a movie is a great career move. I really could give this a better write-up, but I feel like everyone else will say why this is a great little piece of sci fi history, and I'd rather get back to watching this episode of The Good Doctor than add sentences to something no one is going to read anyways." ~scarlet

"Though outshined by the sequel, the original is still an important and well-crafted classic. The twist with John sending his own father back in time to impregnate his mother is rather interesting, and it's too bad Kyle Reese didn't make it through the film because I quite liked him as a character. Then again, he will be born again... gotta love time travel. Anyway, even though Arnold didn't invent the role of unstoppable, cybernetic killing machine he plays it so efficiently that you'd think he did. I still feel like he makes a better protagonist, but it's hard to deny how imposing of a force he is in this movie. Not to mention his always quotable repertoire of one-liners." ~Charon
---

"In my book, this isnt in the same league as T2. But that doesnt take anything away from the fact that its still a really good movie. Ahnold (typo intended) is like a phone book serial killer, tracking down every last Sarah Conner to get the kill. Luckily, Linda Hamiltons fictional parents blessed her with a middle initial late in the alphabet! The action is pretty cool. The mythos for future installments is set up really well. And the police station sequence is quite excellent. I have a good time every time I watch it.

Traviss Opinion: lol nah. This is not a friendly film for a two year old. " ~Stifled

"For me, a child of the '90s, the original Terminator has proven to be an acquired taste. It's a movie that, despite James Cameron's technical expertise, looks very cheap, and definitely comes across as a movie that they tried to make before the necessary technology was available. There's also a LOT of shootout chase scenes well-done scenes, but by the end of the movie they get a little redundant after awhile. Despite these problems, though, the more I see of this one the more I appreciate and enjoy it. It's almost certainly the best-paced of Cameron's movies (probably because the effects were rudimentary enough he didn't want to linger on them for too long), moving at a taut and exciting clip throughout. Linda Hamilton is crazy badass, and Arnold Schwarzenegger couldn't be more perfect playing a weird future robot that doesn't know how to act like a human. (I'm not sure what Michael Biehn's excuse is probably it's just that Kyle Reese has never been a particularly interesting character.) It's easy for this to get overshadowed by its sequel, but it is still an iconic classic of '80s sci-fi action machismo in its own right. (Though I do have to say, the loud synth soundtrack in this one does get pretty overbearing at times. But, again, '80s. Par for the course.)" ~KBM

"A killer robot from the future is sent back in time to execute the mother of the human rebellion's leader before he is even born. A human soldier is also sent back to protect mommy dearest, and said protection also happens to involve him inserting his dick into her lady parts.
So yeah, John Conner was born because someone from the future came back to the past to bone his mom. A future that would have never happened if John hadn't already been born which means Kyle would never been sent back and.. You know what? Fuck time travel.
Most of the movie is the protagonists on the run from this metal menace in a series of mindless but still gripping action scenes with a good dose of Nike product placement.
However, the 'romance' between Sarah and Kyle is downright silly. Ain't nothing that gets a girl in the mood for some lovin' like nearly dying, witnessing several violent murders, and having all her friends killed! It is just so natural that she would want to randomly have sex with this guy after hearing his heartfelt story of how he fetishized a photograph of his best friend's mother!
The movie is still a classic, and they probably should have just left it at that, rather than fucking around with the franchise until it grew into the convoluted bullshit that it would eventually become. One should expect nothing less from hollywood." ~Karo
---

"The Terminator bends genres to great effect, and is never boring. All the classic lines you know and love are here, but its the cold and unfeeling non-stop monster that is the Terminator that makes this film as fantastic as it is. The future we get teased along with the gritty sci-fi score gives this movie a dark tone thats all its own." ~Snake

"This is just a little better than exactly what I was expecting. It's edges the line between horrifying and thrilling constantly, with Schwarzennegger's Terminator feeling like an unstoppable slasher monster, only with more guns. It's a little rough around the edges but I certainly wasn't bored. It's a simple concept executed well, almost never dropping its pace more than it needed to and keeping the audience entertained with great action, music and direction." ~Johnbobb

"Arnold Schwarzenegger is great in his role and provides an awesome, menacing aura. The movies got a great dark tone thats helped by the iconic soundtrack, composed by Kenny Omega and Brian Cage. The biggest thing going against the movie for me is that Kyle Reese and Sarah Connor, arent particularly great, with a pretty lame romance." ~JONA

"The distant future of 2027, where we will have laser guns, time travel, and cyborg technology. We got 9 years to make that happen. Also where you can travel back in time, fuck a girl youre meant to save and have her give birth to the man who sent you back in time. Also make sure we get her tits on screen, because thats totally a necessary scene, watching two characters grind naked. Also Arnolds dick and ass, also necessary. That said, story was okay, I just dont like the simple mindedness of the soldier trying to explain that hes from the future with cops and dont care for Sarah Connor." ~Wickle
---

The Outlander Game Part XXIX: Termin-Haters.
Wickle - 325
JONA - 288
Stifled - 276
Snake - 257
KBM - 256
Inviso - 225
Karo - 220
Genny - 219
Charon - 206
Johnbobb - 205
Scarlet - 199

With only one person lagging sub-200, the middle of the list is spread out pretty significantly at this point.
---

Your Top 10
Back to the Future
Aliens
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
12 Monkeys
The Matrix
Donnie Darko
Moon
Edge of Tomorrow
Interstellar
Ex Machina
---

Don't ever watch game of thrones, wickle
---

My next list is actually just porn parodies of this list and Wickle has to participate.

The best on THAT list is Moon.
---

Okay, so if people are gonna complain about Aliens beating Alien...I'm DEFINITELY gonna complain about T2 beating the original Terminator. Like...FUCK.
---

Inviso posted...

Okay, so if people are gonna complain about Aliens beating Alien...I'm DEFINITELY gonna complain about T2 beating the original Terminator. Like...FUCK.

In both cases, the sequel is superior. Correct list is correct.
---

Got 7/10 right in top 10 predix.
---

StifledSilence posted...

Inviso posted...

Okay, so if people are gonna complain about Aliens beating Alien...I'm DEFINITELY gonna complain about T2 beating the original Terminator. Like...FUCK.

In both cases, the sequel is superior. Correct list is correct.

T2 has an awful main character, which is FAR more detrimental to the film than the coolness of the T-1000 can offset.
---

Snake5555555555 posted...

Got 7/10 right in top 10 predix.

Could snake win that coveted Starbucks or whatever gift card?
---

PrinceKaro posted...

Don't ever watch game of thrones, wickle

Actually, many of the characters that are nude are prostitutes. I don't see the problem with it. Other scene I know is a rape scene... in a sense. Either way, there are times I cope with it because of the time setting. There are times I don't. I do have some semblance of realism.
---