Summer Sci-Fi Challenge - Discussion Thread

[Mister Peepers]

The Goal is 100

This thread is for talking, not for listing. Listing goes here Summer Sci-Fi Challenge - List Thread

Challenge Starts July 1st at 12am EST

Challenge ends August 1st at 12 am EST

Rules Update
As long as the movie or show is obviously sci-fi, list it. Even if it's not listed as such at the 2 movie sites.

If anyone has a problem with something someone watches or just wants an opinion on if it's sci-fi or not, list the title here and I'll shoot it with laser or let it live.

Don't go crazy and start watching wrestling or some other obvious non-sci-fi movie/show because it'll probably be mentioned here and then it'll be kicked to the curb.

Rules

Movies/TV shows should be labeled sci-fi from either imdb.com or allmovie.com. Other labels don't matter as long as there is at least a sci-fi label from one of those sites. Fantasy/Sci-fi would be fine.

Sci-Fi documentaries are allowed but not DVD featurettes/interviews.

When I think of Sci-Fi documentaries, I'm thinking documentaries about UFOs, alien crash at Roswell, Area 51 and not so much about the making of movies.

As with the other challenges, the lists must be numbered or it won't count.

Movies count as 1 entry each.

TV shows count according to length as they are aired on TV(including commercials):

• 30 minute shows count as 1/4 an entry
• 1 hour shows count as 1/2 an entry
• 2 hour shows count as 1 entry

So you need 4, 30 minute shows for 1 entry or 2 60 minute shows or any combination that gets you to 1 entry. While X-Files has a runtime of around 43 minutes, on-air it's an hour show.

If it's short films that are 10 minutes or less, once you hit 23 minutes of watching them, you've reached one 30 minute show. This is based on the theory that the run time for a 30 minute show is between 22-24 minutes.

For mini series, do count each "day" that it aired (assuming that each day was a 2 hour block). For example, Dune: The Mini Series, would it be:

63. Dune: The Mini Series - Part I
64. Dune: The Mini Series - Part II
65. Dune: The Mini Seriies - Part III

When listing TV shows, keep them together for one entry.
Example:

65. Outer Limits:episode name / Futurama: episode name / Futurama: episode name

How do I list TV shows and other short stuff if I don't have enough for an entry?

At the bottom of your post/list, keep a Temp TV section. Add stuff there until you get enough for an entry.

Watching the movie with the commentary will count as an entry.

Watching multiple versions(theatrical and director's cut) of the same movie will also count.

Show what days you watched whatever it was you watched

Example

July 1:
1. alien
2. aliens

July 2:
3. aliens 3

NUMBER YOUR LISTS OR YOU WON'T HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN FABULOUS CASH AND PRIZES

The List Thread will be posted when the challenge begins.

Prizes of varying quality will be given to the top 3 people.

[fiver]

Sounds like fun to me. I'll try to participate as I have time during July. Glad you found a way to include television shows as sometimes that's all I have time to watch during the week.

Michael

[InnocentBlood]

ummm... some TV shows are like 45mins or so? how do we count that? for example each episode of The X-Files are like 45mins...

[starman9000]

I figured 1 hour meant shows that were aired at one hour like the X-files (so 43-46 minute shows on DVD count as one hour. There aren't too many shows out there that actually fall into an actual 30 minute or 1 hour category)

[RobCA]

I'm really looking forward to this. I went through my movies the other day, and made a list of the ones that qualify. I'm not a big sci-fi fan, so I didn't think I'd have that many, but I actually have a lot more than I thought. Over 50, but some of those are ones I'll probably save for other challenges that they also qualify for, like the horror challenge, Oscar challenge, etc.

I'll fill up the rest of the month with TV shows.

Rob

[Mister Peepers]

Originally Posted by starman9000

I figured 1 hour meant shows that were aired at one hour like the X-files (so 43-46 minute shows on DVD count as one hour. There aren't too many shows out there that actually fall into an actual 30 minute or 1 hour category)

Exactly. I updated the rules to explain this a little more clear.

[chris_sc77]

Question about commentary tracks: Usually I watch a movie then i watch/listen to the commentary track/s.
Are commentary tracks going to count as 1 in addition to the film counting as 1.?

[Mister Peepers]

Originally Posted by chris_sc77

Question about commentary tracks: Usually I watch a movie then i watch/listen to the commentary track/s.
Are commentary tracks going to count as 1 in addition to the film counting as 1.?

Yes.

You can also watch different cuts of the same film, like Aliens theatrical and the director's cut.

[terrycloth]

I can pretty much count on my hands how many sci fi movies iv seen.

Serenity
Starship Troopers 1/2
Dark City
Blade Runner
are the only ones that come to mind that iv enjoyed...


anyone wanna gimmi some ideas to fill my que with? to experience some good sci fi?

i have Firefly which i intend to finally watch and i plan on finally watching star wars and i wanna stay away from scifi horror since well i watch horror the other remaining months of the year

[cardsfan111]

I may not have much time in July to participate, but this might be the motivation I need to go through the X-File sets in my unwatched pile.

[Mister Peepers]

Originally Posted by terrycloth

I can pretty much count on my hands how many sci fi movies iv seen.

Serenity
Starship Troopers 1/2
Dark City
Blade Runner
are the only ones that come to mind that iv enjoyed...


anyone wanna gimmi some ideas to fill my que with? to experience some good sci fi?

i have Firefly which i intend to finally watch and i plan on finally watching star wars and i wanna stay away from scifi horror since well i watch horror the other remaining months of the year

TV shows: Futurama, Outer Limits, Battlestar Galactica, Buck Rogers

Movies: Terminator, 12 Monkeys, 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Matrix, Star Trek, Iron Man, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Planet of the Apes, The Invisible Man, The Holy Mountain, X-Men, Spider-Man, Superman, http://www.deepdiscount.com/viewprod...uctId=40529240, http://www.deepdiscount.com/viewprod...uctId=20888000

[Mister Peepers]

...and Mystery Science Theater 3000

[Mister Peepers]

I'm planning watching all unwatched movies:
unwatched movies out of my 50 movie sci-fi packs
Planet of the Apes set(the monkey one with all the movies and both tv shows)
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Matrix box set
Futurama movie
The Outer Limits show

or, I'll just go in alphabetical order of unwatched movies because I'm lazy.

[Living Deadpan]

Originally Posted by terrycloth

I can pretty much count on my hands how many sci fi movies iv seen.

Serenity
Starship Troopers 1/2
Dark City
Blade Runner
are the only ones that come to mind that iv enjoyed...


anyone wanna gimmi some ideas to fill my que with? to experience some good sci fi?

Hmm, well if you like Blade Runner and Dark City it sounds like you're into dystopian futurism: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dystopian_films

I recommend: Minority Report, A Scanner Darkly, THX-1138, Existenz & Videodrome.

Re: Starship Troopers, I love Robocop and Total Recall.

[Mister Peepers]

Originally Posted by Living Deadpan

Videodrome

Thanks for the reminder. I have the Criterion and my wife hasn't seen it yet.

I'll also show her They Live.

[Giles]

count me in

[HyperWeather]

I'm not really the biggest Sci-Fi fan, but thats probably because I haven't watched much, but this sounds like a fun way to watch more. Count me in .

(I think I'm just a sucker for these challenges)

[Mister Peepers]

If anyone's looking for stuff to watch, might I suggest Rifftrax.

They have a couple fan made Star Trek episodes, just came out with one for the X-Files movie and Alien is coming out Tuesday.

[drainout]

I think it's about time I got into one of these now. I have a bunch of sci-fi I have been meaning to watch.

[Numes]

Great. This sounds like fun.

Just out of curiosity, will the Holiday Challenge change to this format or will it stay with the same rules (everything counts as 1)

And a couple nit questions
1. What about shorts or something that are 10-15 minutes? I don't plan on watching anything like this, but it may come up for others.
2. For mini series, do you count each "day" that it aired (assuming that each day was a 2 hour block) or does it just count as one? For example, Dune: The Mini Series, would it be:

63. Dune: The Mini Series - Part I
64. Dune: The Mini Series - Part II
65. Dune: The Mini Seriies - Part III

or would it be
63. Dune: The Mini Series

[Mister Peepers]

Originally Posted by Numes

1. What about shorts or something that are 10-15 minutes? I don't plan on watching anything like this, but it may come up for others.
2. For mini series, do you count each "day" that it aired (assuming that each day was a 2 hour block) or does it just count as one? For example, Dune: The Mini Series, would it be:

63. Dune: The Mini Series - Part I
64. Dune: The Mini Series - Part II
65. Dune: The Mini Seriies - Part III

or would it be
63. Dune: The Mini Series

1. For something like 10-15 minutes, two of them would be about as long as a 30 minute TV show, so it would work like that. You could do 8 of those or do some combinations with longer stuff.

2. Each block would count as if it was it's own TV show. So in your example it would be:

63. Dune: The Mini Series - Part I
64. Dune: The Mini Series - Part II
65. Dune: The Mini Seriies - Part III

[WallyOPD]

I have a hard time just jumping in and watching an episode of a TV series without wanting to watch the whole series which doesn't really fit with the spirit of the challenge. Maybe I'll try to build some viewings around themes (time travel, alternate/parallel universe) that span series.

[Giles]

Originally Posted by Mister Peepers

1. For something like 10-15 minutes, two of them would be about as long as a 30 minute TV show, so it would work like that. You could do 8 of those or do some combinations with longer stuff.

so what about short films that might not even be 10 minutes?

[Mister Peepers]

Originally Posted by Giles

so what about short films that might not even be 10 minutes?

Sorry for missing your question for so long.

For short films like that, once you hit 23 minutes of watching them, you've reached one 30 minute show.

Why 23? Because most 30 minute shows are around 22-24 minutes long.

In other news, I picked up the roku netflix box and it's perfect for these challenges. Especially when it comes to tv shows. I have Battlestar Galactica, Sliders and some Outer Limits set for watching.

[Trevor]

I think I'm just going to do an X-Files marathon. I've been meaning to watch the entire series in order, and the new movie comes out at the end of the month.