Back to the Future was great. I still watch it if it comes on. I wish there were more well made time travel movies. It's always been fascinating to me.
You mean like light sabers, land speeders, tie-fighters, the force, the death star, droids, things like that? A&E had a 2-hour documentary exploring the scientific aspects of the technology of Star Wars and whether or not the laws of physics make any of it possible. With all due respect, I'm sorry that you missed the ethos of the entire saga. It’s been compared by many to a Shakespearian tragedy, a Wagner opera, and even real life events (the rise and fall of Nazi Germany, for instance). I find your lack of faith disturbing.
I once posted a thread a long time ago about the comparisons of Star Wars to The events of WW2. I'm sure if somebody with enough knowledge of both WW2 and the Star Wars saga pieced everything together, they could make a convincing argument that it was a near-perfect allegory.
Yeah. As much as the arrival scene has gotten referenced (V, ID4, etc.) seems like a no-brainer. Maybe the ending would be too much of a downer? Always thought the Overlords' physical appearance was a genius twist.
I really Like that movie No Love for. . . THE BROTHER FROM ANOTHER PLANET??!?!?! *smile* Rocket River
I know Morgan Freeman is trying to make Rendezvous with Rama and Tom Hanks is trying to make 3001. Someone needs to jump on Childhood's End.
I always like polls and threads like this, because it lets us cut loose and really think. I am one of those people who, as a kid of about 12 or 13 when Star Wars came out, experienced that 'life change' that a previous poster talked about. I understand exactly what he is talking about. Having said that, I think that calling Star Wars 'science fiction' is probably not entirely accurate. Yes, it is set in space, yes there are spacecraft and laser guns and aliens... but really, honestly, it is a fantasy fairy tale movie that is simply placed into a space setting. Its main plot points center around magic rather than science (despite Lucas unimaginably awful fumbling in the prequels trying to turn it into science by introducing 'midichlorians'). So even though it is possibly my favorite *movie* of all time, I would not include it on a true list of science fiction movies. with that in mind, then the question becomes one of dealing with the very vague term 'best'. What constitutes the 'best' science fiction movie? The most fun? The most scientifically plausible, or accurate? The best message? The best effects? The cool thing is, it is impossible to take a subject which is entirely subjective and put it in objective terms. That said, here are some of what I would consider to be among the 'best' Science Fiction movies ever - and I am not going to bother with the antiques, as MST3K seems to have ruined my ability to appreciate them anymore): The Time Machine 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Close Encounters Westworld 2001 Alien Aliens (whoever said they had not seen Aliens yet, oh my God, stop what you are doing and go watch that RIGHT NOW) Wrath of Khan Capricorn One Blade Runner Wargames Silent Running Tremors (yes, I think this falls under the heading of science fiction, but maybe not) Robocop The Abyss Terminator T2 Jurassic Park The Matrix Millenium Man (I have never understood why this movie never got any attention) Minority Report (yes, it is a lot better than most people seem willing to admit) Wall*E (the first half anyway) I know I have got to be leaving out a ton of great ones.. and I am not really even thinking of much in the last 10 years as among the 'greats' yet.. but there's a partial list anyway...and I know people will say things like 'Where's Total Recall??' .. well I have nevr been that big a fan of Total Recall.. it has some interesting concepts, but it was just a little too silly, and the effects were, well, not great.. not in the 'best ever' category anywya... and I am sure that newer movies liek Moon, District 9, and Avatar will all probably have tobe at least considered in a few years..
Damn, Nero, you and I gotta watch some movies sometime. I like every one on your list (that I've seen). I won't list any that have already been listed. Some honorable mentions The Thing (1984) Spaceballs Weird Science The Man With Two Brains Galaxy Quest do The Lord of the Ring movies count?
As a point of clarification, Star Wars doesn't make the cut on the sci-fi score for me. I have not seen the A&E documentary. I think if you compare the way in which the elements you mentioned are introduced in the movie to the way in which other sci-fi stories explore a scientific idea you might see what I'm getting at. Here's an example: I Robot (the book, at any rate) is entirely about considering consciousness whereas the androids in Star Wars are basicly "people" made out of metal. As for whether the series is good as a space saga, maybe. I got so irritated with the fourth one (or first, however you count it) that I decided not to spend any time or money watching the last two. I will say that the acting improved dramatically. If you wait until you are an adult to watch Empire Strikes Back, as I did, you will see why I find the acting to be so painful. But plot wise I can understand its general appeal to others. There is definately a clear correlation between sex, age and the appeal of this sort of movie. I'm not in the oldest group sited (women in that group are most likely to dislike any fantasy or sci-fi movies) but I'll admit to being in my 30s. I think that one of the troubles I had with the original three movies is that there aren't any characters that I could either relate to or be attracted to. Except maybe Darth Vadar. He was pretty cool but rather nasty looking without the helmet. Leah is lame, the male characters have some pathetic lines. It just wasn't written for people like me. But a young male audience is drawn by very different aspects of the story. As to whether you can compare it to Shakespeare (I'm not enough of a Wagner fan to make any comment) I think Shakespeare had the genious of starting with simple and universal concepts and expanding them into whole plays rather well. The dialogue itself is genious. I haven't come across lines in Shakespeare to make me cringe. But that aside, I think that even if the story were ripped off of a tragedy quite directly I don't think it changes the problem that it is made for a targeted audience. 10 Things I Hate About You is entirely based on The Taming of the Shrew but young men generally don't care for the movie. As I said, in my mind Star Wars is properly classified as a space movie. As such I would put the entire series amoung the top 20 space movies I've ever seen. Partly because I don't think I've seen more than 20 and partly because the remainder are worse. So maybe even in the top 10 space movies.
LOL!! So Star Wars is now just "a space movie? Science fiction from wikipedia: Science fiction is a genre of fiction. It differs from fantasy in that, within the context of the story, its imaginary elements are largely possible within scientifically-established or scientifically-postulated laws of nature (though some elements in a story might still be pure imaginative speculation). Exploring the consequences of such differences is the traditional purpose of science fiction, making it a "literature of ideas". Science fiction is largely based on writing entertainingly and rationally about alternate possibilities in settings that are contrary to known reality. These may include: * A setting in the future, in alternative timelines, or in a historical past that contradicts known facts of history or the archeological record * A setting in outer space, on other worlds, or involving aliens[3] * Stories that involve technology or scientific principles that contradict known laws of nature[4] * Stories that involve discovery or application of new scientific principles, such as time travel or psionics, or new technology, such as nanotechnology, faster-than-light travel or robots, or of new and different political or social systems (e.g., a dystopia, or a situation where organized society has collapsed) Frankly you can't get any more sci-fi than Star Wars. To each his or her own.
I thoroughly enjoy these threads. It gives me a chance to increase the movie empire. That being said, with what I've seen so far it's gotta go to The Matrix and then Blade Runner.
Star Wars can be considered a space opera. The granddaddy of all of them (star trek, the original battle star, lost in space). I think the Twilight Zone would be considered to be more true to written sci-fi than the Hollywood blockbusters we have now. Part of Star Wars' magic is that it doesn't take itself seriously. I'm not in the crowd that compares it to a Shakespearean play. I guess Blade Runner would meet to your definitions of sci fi. Matrix is a good candidate for me. My all time favorite movie is Terminator 2. While it gravitates to the blockbuster definition, it's just a great story that enhances the original and adds its own imprint.
The thing is, it's not even about the human race, its a complete fantasy (even though some look human and it could be some sort a possible future). It's more fantasy that science fiction. I understand that take. But I think Star Wars has more science than something like Alien. Alien was just a horror movie in space but I would still consider it science fiction. Yet a lot of Star Wars' greatness was creating a believable alternate world. It has visuals and scope never created before. It's hard to remember how revolutionary it was for it's time. 1977
I suppose that within the confines of an internet discussion Wikipedia is the ultimate arbitrator. I think that definition is common but too broad, that's all. They don't have a definition for "space movie" do they? They just lump it in with sci-fi. On that note, randomly setting your story in the future doesn't cut it for me either. If Harry Potter were set 15 years from now would that suddenly move it out of fantasy and into sci-fi? How about Howard's End? Also, a story that simply contradicts known laws of nature? If you change a law consistantly throughout the story then explore how that effects things, sure. Otherwise why not include the Barbie Fairytopia series as sci-fi?
star wars is far more than a "space movie". I can somewhat see your argument, however when you consider the Force, then i think the 'just a space movie' label fails.
