Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
 

I have watched the first two episodes as part of the challenge and really enjoyed them. They are a little bit gory but the story is entertaining.

Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
 

A rainy 4th of July is the perfect excuse for binge watching of the original Twilight Zone :)

Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
 

We just realized that we watched three movies with Sigourney Weaver today: Aliens, Galaxy Quest, and Ghostbusters. Too bad that's not a category for the checklist!

Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
 

Aww Indy24la I wish it would rain here. We have nothing but heat. 106 degree heat.

So I took a break from the challenge and took my dad to see The Lone Ranger. Awesomely funny movie. Johnny Depp surpassed himself in this. And if I could figure out a science fiction angle it would be on my list!

Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
 

By FBing about Firefly, I got a newb to watch an episode and now he's got the hots for Morena Baccarin.

My work here is done. :bdance:

Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
 

Got a couple of new viewings in last night but I was too tired to post. Godzilla, King of the Monsters! was pretty good but I like Gojira better. I finally saw a Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode! Pod People was an absolutely horrible film and I wouldn't have made it through 15 minutes of it if it weren't for the running commentary which was pretty funny. While I was listening to the guys/robots wax poetic on the bad movie I felt this compulsion to talk back to the film as well. They do make film viewing a participatory experience don't they.

Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
 

I'd say at least alternate history, and the last one might be post apocalyptic.

Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
 

I have to watch Gojira and King of the Monsters sometime this challenge as well, and like you I prefer the original.

Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
 

I too prefer Gojira. I would love to show both of these to a film class in order to talk about editing and how to construct a main character. Godzilla, King of the Monsters has some really unusual shots to work Raymond Burr into the narrative, and his character is one of the most passive protagonists ever.

Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
 

I just watched one of the better episodes of the original early 80s He-Man series, Teela's Quest.

Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
 

In my class on anime and Japanese pop culture, I showed clips from both versions back-to-back. I can't remember now what point I was illustrating, but it may have had to do with how the American edit downplayed the anti-nuke subtext of the original.

GOJIRA is a masterpiece, but GODZILLA deserves props for something very important: introducing baby boomers to Japanese cinema. I daresay it was the first foreign film most of us were exposed to. And this was at a time when, as a holdover from WWII, Japanese were still considered the enemy in the popular imagination. We even had a scare on my block, when I was little, that "the Japs invaded Washington DC!" GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS premiered on TV later that same year. Which was a big thrill, because that was none other than Perry Mason in Japan! (Burr had made GODZILLA in 1956 and then taken the lead role in the "Perry Mason" TV show the following year, which became hugely popular, so that when GODZILLA premiered on TV in 1958, Burr had become a household name, which made it an even bigger deal and helped attract viewers. I know we watched "Perry Mason" in my house, even when I was too little to understand all the legal fine points.)

And then RODAN, which had no American actors added to it, was shown on TV the following year (1959), making that the first "pure" Japanese film we were exposed to. And then the floodgates opened and Japanese monsters became part of our popular culture, too. And then "Astro Boy," "Gigantor," "Tobor the 8th Man," "Kimba" and "Speed Racer" came to U.S. TV. And in high school, I went to see SEVEN SAMURAI and YOJIMBO at a Japanese film festival. And the rest is history. But it all started with GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS.

Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
 

I just finished watching Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I did enjoy it-I think it's well done and they did the book justice. However, it's a bit hard to watch at times knowing what a butcher job they did on the next two movies in the series. I get when movies leave off bits of the book or change a slight bit, but the next two totally took the plot in their own hands (especially with Voyage of the Dawn Treader) and pretty much ruined them for me. It's pretty bad when low budget BBC can do a better job than a multimillion dollar movie.

The sad thing is, I still spent money on them as I'm still hoping that they get past The Silver Chair and manage to film the second half of the series for the first time! Even a bad job is better than nothing and I would love to see The Magician's Nephew, The Last Battle and The Horse and His Boy made into film.

Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
 

I'm a bit behind on my Star Trek episode remarks, so here are some quickies:

"The Enemy Within"
This is a tough episode to watch, if only for Evil Kirk's attempted rape of Yeoman Rand. Not just the scene itself, but the way it's handled. No one believes Rand - an entirely too common reaction to sexual assault complaints. Later, it's suggested that Kirk's inner rapist is part of what makes him a good leader and then there's the wholly unnerving final moment in which Spock seems to actually tease Rand that she liked Evil Kirk. It's an upsetting episode, but I can't deny that it's compelling.

"Mudd's Women"
Somewhere at its heart, "Mudd's Women" challenges sexism but nobody bothered to tell its finale in which everyone is happy because they sexist standards of the day are kept intact. A shame, because there are some solid ideas until the last 10 minutes. Also: I totally dig Harry Mudd's Aussie hat and the Christmas ornament he wears for an earring. Best dressed dude in the 23rd Century? So far, yes!

"What Are Little Girls Made Of?"
I remember liking this one more than I did this time through. It felt slow and after "The Enemy Within" it doesn't feel quite as fresh. I dig Ruk, though, and I adore that Andrea, who lives in a system of caverns on an ice planet, wears overalls where the straps are the only thing covering her from the waist up. Because sometimes, form has to supersede function!

"Miri"
I'm sure the relationship between Kirk and Miri is meant to be tender and sweet, but it comes off as creepy. Maybe because I had just watched "The Enemy Within" 24 hours earlier? I do enjoy McCoy in this one. Also: Is the theme of this episode an indictment of how egocentric and shortsighted Baby Boomers were/are? I think it might be.

"Dagger of the Mind"
This one hit home for me, since in 2011 I checked into a mental health facility to treat my severe depression. I thought about this episode at the time. I think it informed my apprehensions. Thankfully, they proved unfounded and I was treated with compassion and respect as a patient. I was also thankful to find upon finally revisiting "Dagger of the Mind" that it, too, espouses compassion and respect for the mentally ill. I was very proud of Dr. McCoy in this episode. Could have done without the shoehorned subplot with Dr. Noel, though.

"The Corbomite Maneuver"
An all-time favorite! The tension throughout this episode is very well handled. Reminds me of a really taut submarine movie. The finale feels rushed, and I wonder whether they at least let Bailey go back to the Enterprise for his teddy bear, but I love that at the end of it, the episode isn't about confrontations but rather about xenophobia. Well played.

"The Menagerie" Part I <-- Winner: Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, 1967
The framing story is contrived, but I understand why it was necessary. They did a nice job casting a Jeffrey Hunter lookalike to play the injured Captain Pike. This one plays differently after having seen the reboot movies and gotten to know Pike 2.0. I feel like I cared more about Pike this time than in previous viewings.

"The Menagerie" Part II
Because Part II is a lot less about the Spock court-martial and a lot more about Pike's Talos IV adventure, I enjoyed this half a lot more. There are some solid, old school science-fiction themes in play between Pike and the Talosians that hold up well today. I also like how progressive a character Number One was. It's a shame she didn't carry over to the second pilot.

"The Conscience of the King"
Another personal fave, this one has a slow burn but a great payoff. The ethics of Kodos are interesting, especially the point he makes that if the supply ships hadn't been earlier than anticipated, he might have been hailed a hero instead of being condemned as a premature butcher. The murder mystery story is very well developed, as are the questions raised and implied about the prosecution and treatment of elderly war criminals.

Episodes Ranked

Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
 

Also, I revisited Close Encounters of the Third Kind this evening. From my Letterboxd diary:

SPOILER ALERT FOR ANYONE READING EMAILS

Close Encounters of the Third Kind
-X- 1970s (1977)
-X- Watch a film which was nominated for a Hugo or Saturn Award (N: Hugo, W: Saturn)
-X- Watch a Film From the Criterion Collection (Doesn't have to be Criterion Version) (LaserDisc #125)
-X- Watch a film directed/produced/written by Ed Wood/Steven Spielberg/Terry Gilliam
-X- PG
-X- First Contact

Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
 

This isn't really a spoiler but Spielberg has said repeatedly that he would change the ending of Close Encounters if he had made the film later. Roy's actions at the end seem odd to a lot of viewers but are totally in line with the child abandonment/endangerment theme Spielberg has going on in many of his early films.

Managed to watch two films filled with violent death and destruction. First up was Battle Royale which I really want to put in the horror subgenre b/c that movie scared the crap out of me. Hunger Games has nothing on this film and I can see why folks freaked out about it both here and in Japan. Somehow I don't think this film will get an American remake anytime soon.

Got to check off the Kurt Russell entry on the checklist by watching Soldier and it wasn't anything special. I completely missed the allusions to the fact that this film exists in the same universe as Blade Runner but that's the story imdb is telling me. If you're looking for a film where the main character doesn't say anything, I think Brother From Another Planet is a much better choice.

I really wish they'd release Ghostbusters 2 on blu. It's not as good as the original but it's a fun little film. Who doesn't love the Statue of Liberty walking to Jackie Wilson?

Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
 

I think that's part of my problem. In all the other Spielberg films, abandonment is shown to be a bad thing. In this film, though, those kids are obnoxious in every single frame. Teri Garr's Veronica offers Roy no support or sympathy beyond some reflexive comments to Roy's boss who fires him over the phone through her. Even that, we can assume was more because she wanted to try to save the income more than because she was protecting Roy.

When Veronica takes the kids and goes to her sister's, there's a sense of relief. Not just for Roy, but for us. We're glad to be rid of the whole lot of them. It isn't just the ending, then, that's the issue. It's the entirety of Roy's relationship with his family.

Having said that, it is kind of interesting to see the late 70s gender norms. Veronica essentially throws Roy under the bus for being a "crybaby" (as their son Brad puts it). It's curious, then, that Roy should be the progressive character - the man consumed by what is perceived to be a nervous breakdown - and his wife should be the one to punish him for failing to conform to her outdated views of manhood. Which is even stranger when you figure she's simultaneously not conforming to the parallel gender norm for a woman to be sympathetic, compassionate and supportive of her husband.

The whole thing is a mess!

When I showed it to my friend earlier in the week, she got a big kick out of that. It's pretty sweet. Completely ridiculous, but sweet.

Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
 

Well, at least it also counts as a Matheson checkmark.

Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
 

Thank you for saying that! I watched it with Travis and didn't pay attention to the actor names! -make that any crew names, it looks like he's the writer.

Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
 

A few comments on my viewings so far...

Watched the BBC episodes of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy for the first time in a long time. Nice to refresh my one liners again... "I wonder if it will be friends with me?" "Do you think it is the type of thing you're likely to say?"

Bought Dredd 3D yesterday for $13.50. Now I see why it was so cheap. Not the sort of movie I enjoy... Slow motion extremely gory violence. Couldn't imagine this in 3D. Was the original like this too?

Watched my first ever episode of Firefly though. That was very enjoyable except I kept having the urge to put Dr. Horrible on! :)

Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
 

Just finished a first time viewing of Men in Black 3. Josh Brolin really stole the show with his performance as the young agent K. :up:

Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
 

Extremely underrated, I think. My whole family enjoyed it.

Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
 

Good catch! I apparently copied and pasted the earlier version of the checklist that didn't have that.

We knocked out another three episodes of Star Trek tonight, which finished off my Disc 4.

"Balance of Terror"
I love everything about this episode, from the submarine-like combat to the Romulan helmets. Star Trek action has rarely been better than this one. What I found myself responding to more strongly tonight than when I first saw the episode in my youth was Dr. McCoy. In the hindsight of Iraq, I think it's easier to appreciate the significance of one guy speaking up in a room full of people planning an attack to question whether that's the right thing to do.

"Shore Leave"
This one is goofy fun, and offers a striking contrast to "Balance of Terror", showcasing the original series's sense of humor and whimsy. What I never knew until tonight, though, is that Barbara Baldavin plays Angela in both episodes, her only two appearances in the series in that role. It's especially conspicuous since she's clearly become involved with Rodriguez since "Balance of Terror". Guess Angela really was okay with Tomlinson dying! (Poor Tomlinson!)

"The Galileo Seven"
I dig the situation, but I have a few issues with this one. For one thing, the setup is obviously contrived. Kirk has standing orders to investigate quasars and quasar-like phenomenon wherever they are? And it just happens that they've run into one at the exact time they're transporting time-sensitive drugs? Not buying it. It's also tedious that Spock's authority is undermined and challenged every step of the way because he's not sufficiently emotional. I get that this is a character growth experience for him, but what was the lesson for anyone else? It should have been a lesson in disciplinary action! And what about Scotty, who is clearly on the same page as Spock but says not one word in his defense?

Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
 

I'd also never seen Firefly until the start of this month...

Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
 

I vote "yes" and "almost-certainly".

Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
 

The iconic, most famous character/image from Metropolis - the robotic Maria - is barely in the film. It morphs into a doppelganger of the real Maria shortly after its first seen, and then only pops up again briefly at the end. How fascinating! Brigitte Helm in her dual role is superb. The crazed, inspirational, robotic Maria is visibly insane - whether that's just the way she portrays the character, or whether the robot's programme is meant to become have become corrupted, I couldn't tell - and thus noticeably different from the 'real' one.

7 Days is at least as good as I remember it being, when it was being shuffled around BBC2 years ago. It's also a little daring to produce a time travel show where the build-up is more important than the backstep. Plus, the event and jeopardy in the pilot was far more realistic (dead Presidents; poison-gassed children) than many (most?) examples of the genre, which tend often to focus on one person that the viewer is merely told is important.