6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
07-15-13 | 11:38 AM
#576
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
If you still haven't watched it yet, read this before you do http://www.cracked.com/article_18967...anings_p2.html
07-15-13 | 02:12 PM
#577
Thread Starter
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
I just watched an episode of Prophets of Science Fiction on Science, dealing with Isaac Asimov. It got me wondering, since the show talked about an entire series of books in the I, Robot story line, does anyone know if the movie was based on any one in particular? Or was it an amalgam of them all?
07-15-13 | 02:44 PM
#578
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
I just watched an episode of Prophets of Science Fiction on Science, dealing with Isaac Asimov. It got me wondering, since the show talked about an entire series of books in the I, Robot story line, does anyone know if the movie was based on any one in particular? Or was it an amalgam of them all?
Wikipedia says this:
For many years, fans hoped that any movie based on Asimov's Robot series would be based on an earlier screenplay written for Warner Brothers by Harlan Ellison with Asimov's personal support, which is generally perceived to be a relatively faithful treatment of the source material...
The film that was ultimately made originally had no connections with Asimov, originating as a screenplay written in 1995 by Jeff Vintar, entitled Hardwired... Vintar was brought back on the project and spent several years opening up his stage play-like mystery to meet the needs of a big budget studio film. Later he incorporated the Three Laws of Robotics, and replaced the character of Flynn with Susan Calvin, when the studio decided to use the name "I, Robot."
The film that was ultimately made originally had no connections with Asimov, originating as a screenplay written in 1995 by Jeff Vintar, entitled Hardwired... Vintar was brought back on the project and spent several years opening up his stage play-like mystery to meet the needs of a big budget studio film. Later he incorporated the Three Laws of Robotics, and replaced the character of Flynn with Susan Calvin, when the studio decided to use the name "I, Robot."
07-15-13 | 02:46 PM
#579
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Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
Finished season 2 of Game of Thrones! 
This show is finally starting to make sense for me as far as who's who and why they want to kill whomever. I started watching the season back when it came out on BD, but had to watch in fits and starts, and it wasn't making sense to me so I put it away for a while. Enter this challenge, and I finally had time to get through all the rest of the episodes, read the old weekly threads here, and really get into it. So I went back and watched the first two again since I could still get "credit" for them 
and they made much more sense. Now I really want to watch the first season again and will see if I can slip that in.
You guys missed the big brouhaha on forum name changes. 
I don't watch much anime (OK, like none other than Akira, Ghibli features, and random episodes sampled here and there), but I've always been intrigued by this particular series. Thanks for discussing it here.
This show is finally starting to make sense for me as far as who's who and why they want to kill whomever. I started watching the season back when it came out on BD, but had to watch in fits and starts, and it wasn't making sense to me so I put it away for a while. Enter this challenge, and I finally had time to get through all the rest of the episodes, read the old weekly threads here, and really get into it. So I went back and watched the first two again since I could still get "credit" for them and they made much more sense. Now I really want to watch the first season again and will see if I can slip that in.OK... I've been seeing all these posts from this person with a really odd name. I never noticed the "formerly known as" until I was looking up information about the Cyborg/Cybernetic Revolt checklist item. I see this name on the first post typically where the host begins everything. Realization sets in...
You're *Mister Peepers*!
You guys are *killing* me with the name changes... I have enough trouble keeping everyone straight without that too!
You're *Mister Peepers*!
You guys are *killing* me with the name changes... I have enough trouble keeping everyone straight without that too!
Two years ago, I bought the box set containing all eleven episodes of the anime sci-fi series, EDEN OF THE EAST (2009). I finally watched the first three episodes yesterday. It's about a young Japanese guy whose memories have been erased and all he has is a high-tech cellphone that pays for everything and connects him to a "concierge" named Juiz who gets him whatever he needs. He finds himself suddenly outside the White House, naked, with only the cellphone and a gun. He manages to elude the police and gets help from a Japanese student who's on her way back to Japan, which has been hit by inexplicable missile attacks. She had visited New York and has lots of pix she took of NYC landmarks, including the Freedom Tower, the first time I've seen this new landmark represented on film. Back in Japan, the guy, Akira, figures out his last address and it turns out to be a closed shopping mall and he just happens to have the key to get in.
It has the potential to be a true mind-tripping anime series, like "Gantz," "Serial Experiments Lain," and "Boogiepop Phantom," but we'll see as it develops. What I especially like is the frequent stream of movie references. When the two enter the empty, abandoned shopping mall, he says, "It's like something out of 'Dawn of the Dead.'" He also makes references to TAXI DRIVER and CINEMA PARADISO, among other films. When she requests a film to be shown in the mall's theater, she asks for "that French film about the dolphin and the diver" and they show something called THE COLD BLUE, with animated clips from it, although I think they mean Luc Besson's THE BIG BLUE.
It has the potential to be a true mind-tripping anime series, like "Gantz," "Serial Experiments Lain," and "Boogiepop Phantom," but we'll see as it develops. What I especially like is the frequent stream of movie references. When the two enter the empty, abandoned shopping mall, he says, "It's like something out of 'Dawn of the Dead.'" He also makes references to TAXI DRIVER and CINEMA PARADISO, among other films. When she requests a film to be shown in the mall's theater, she asks for "that French film about the dolphin and the diver" and they show something called THE COLD BLUE, with animated clips from it, although I think they mean Luc Besson's THE BIG BLUE.
07-15-13 | 05:01 PM
#580
Thread Starter
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
OK... I've been seeing all these posts from this person with a really odd name. I never noticed the "formerly known as" until I was looking up information about the Cyborg/Cybernetic Revolt checklist item. I see this name on the first post typically where the host begins everything. Realization sets in...
You're *Mister Peepers*!
You guys are *killing* me with the name changes... I have enough trouble keeping everyone straight without that too!
You're *Mister Peepers*!
You guys are *killing* me with the name changes... I have enough trouble keeping everyone straight without that too!
07-15-13 | 05:49 PM
#581
Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
I just watched an episode of Prophets of Science Fiction on Science, dealing with Isaac Asimov. It got me wondering, since the show talked about an entire series of books in the I, Robot story line, does anyone know if the movie was based on any one in particular? Or was it an amalgam of them all?
The movie was *very* loosely "inspired by" the first collection. It's basically some names from the stores and the Three Laws of Robotics thrown in a rather generic robot uprising film.
Again, from Wikipedia which sums it up very well:
...the premise of a robot uprising and of robots acting collectively as a direct threat of humanity appears nowhere in Asimov's writings, and indeed Asimov stated explicitly that his robot stories were written as a direct antithesis to this idea...
07-15-13 | 07:52 PM
#582
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
I watched the first two films in the Spy Kids franchise. I would definitely classify these as guilty pleasures - especially since I'm in my late twenties. I pick them up cheap on BD from Best Buy earlier this year and hadn't gotten around to watching them yet. Despite the cheese and the over-indulgence in body fluid humor, I find them silly and entertaining. I think part of it has to do with all the cameos.
Afterward, I watched Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) which is just wonderful. The original film is one of my favorite films; its such an compelling, elegant powerhouse of a film. Because of this, I was dubious about the reboot - possibly because J.J. Abrams's reboot of Star Trek left me feeling unfulfilled. While the new film eschews many of the themes of the original film, it sets up a nice story with really engaging characters and several very interesting trains of thought. What exactly is consciousness? What are the ramifications of animal cruelty to the society and people that enact or allow it to happen? I also like the James Franco's character has dubious ethics, allowing his personal feelings overshadow his judgement. (Though I will say that his boss's profiteering felt heavy-handed and forced. David Oyelowo is a good enough actor that he almost sells it, but I would have loved seeing his character get more development.)
Afterward, I watched Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) which is just wonderful. The original film is one of my favorite films; its such an compelling, elegant powerhouse of a film. Because of this, I was dubious about the reboot - possibly because J.J. Abrams's reboot of Star Trek left me feeling unfulfilled. While the new film eschews many of the themes of the original film, it sets up a nice story with really engaging characters and several very interesting trains of thought. What exactly is consciousness? What are the ramifications of animal cruelty to the society and people that enact or allow it to happen? I also like the James Franco's character has dubious ethics, allowing his personal feelings overshadow his judgement. (Though I will say that his boss's profiteering felt heavy-handed and forced. David Oyelowo is a good enough actor that he almost sells it, but I would have loved seeing his character get more development.)
07-15-13 | 09:29 PM
#583
Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
...Afterward, I watched Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) which is just wonderful. The original film is one of my favorite films; its such an compelling, elegant powerhouse of a film. Because of this, I was dubious about the reboot - possibly because J.J. Abrams's reboot of Star Trek left me feeling unfulfilled. While the new film eschews many of the themes of the original film, it sets up a nice story with really engaging characters and several very interesting trains of thought. What exactly is consciousness? What are the ramifications of animal cruelty to the society and people that enact or allow it to happen? I also like the James Franco's character has dubious ethics, allowing his personal feelings overshadow his judgement. (Though I will say that his boss's profiteering felt heavy-handed and forced. David Oyelowo is a good enough actor that he almost sells it, but I would have loved seeing his character get more development.)
Like you, I had reservations about Rise... but purchased it anyway. I watched it a few days ago and was *very* surprised at how much I enjoyed the film in spite of the many segments that felt obvious with their pretty much telegraphed "here's what's coming" scenes.
Spoiler:
I'd say it's one of the better films in the franchise. I'm somewhat looking forward to the next film in the series. I've not felt that way since Beneath. However, taking into account the was this one is progressing towards the apes taking over it makes me wonder if a new update of POTA is down the road a bit to make the ending consistent with these updated beginnings.
07-15-13 | 09:51 PM
#584
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
I been working my way thru Once upon a time season 1 which I have been enjoying.
Also saw Pacific Rim in theaters today which has prolly been the most fun iv had in theaters this summer
picked up alot of titles at best buy for the U&S program that counts for this challenge
Also saw Pacific Rim in theaters today which has prolly been the most fun iv had in theaters this summer
picked up alot of titles at best buy for the U&S program that counts for this challenge
07-15-13 | 11:20 PM
#585
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
I thought ASM was just awful. Sub-plots and other things that happen just being forgotten and they tried to cram about a trilogy worth of Spider-Man character development into one film. He's a big nerd but oh, in 3 seconds the hottest girl in school is now in love with him and the bullies are all now cool with him. Cars hanging from the bridge, we'll do a little with that and then just leave them all to die. Spider-Man is a menac...oh New York loves him now.
There were, as I remember reading (but not really noticing, having rarely seen them) a LOT of random edits. The many and done-to-death "controversial" ones at least had some semblance of intent behind them - Young Anakin is the last time Vader was "good"; Han not shooting first makes him a bit less "bad", etc. But it's the apparently random erasing or 'correcting' of problems that no-one can even begin to understand that make the multiple remasterings really seem like nothing more than an attempt to part fans with money.
07-16-13 | 09:49 AM
#586
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
I honestly hope they take the actor's advice for this next film and just make Spider-Man gay and start having Joel Schumacher direct them. Just run the franchise into the ground until they reboot it in a couple of years.
07-16-13 | 10:18 AM
#587
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
I watched the first two films in the Spy Kids franchise. I would definitely classify these as guilty pleasures - especially since I'm in my late twenties. I pick them up cheap on BD from Best Buy earlier this year and hadn't gotten around to watching them yet. Despite the cheese and the over-indulgence in body fluid humor, I find them silly and entertaining. I think part of it has to do with all the cameos.
Unless you are watching these as your "Watch a movie and at least 2 sequels" checklist item, skip the third one. It was terrible.
Afterward, I watched Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) which is just wonderful. The original film is one of my favorite films; its such an compelling, elegant powerhouse of a film. Because of this, I was dubious about the reboot - possibly because J.J. Abrams's reboot of Star Trek left me feeling unfulfilled. While the new film eschews many of the themes of the original film, it sets up a nice story with really engaging characters and several very interesting trains of thought. What exactly is consciousness? What are the ramifications of animal cruelty to the society and people that enact or allow it to happen? I also like the James Franco's character has dubious ethics, allowing his personal feelings overshadow his judgement. (Though I will say that his boss's profiteering felt heavy-handed and forced. David Oyelowo is a good enough actor that he almost sells it, but I would have loved seeing his character get more development.)
I like the new Start Trek too, though. So, maybe I'm not picky enough!
07-16-13 | 10:22 AM
#589
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
I'll throw a challenge out there...
Since I just watched an episode of H.R. Pufnstuf. I challenge any one else to get an episode on their list too! Bonus points if you watched these as a kid as well!
Since I just watched an episode of H.R. Pufnstuf. I challenge any one else to get an episode on their list too! Bonus points if you watched these as a kid as well!
07-16-13 | 11:20 AM
#590
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
Pacific Rim was an interesting film. I do appreciate the fact that the writers and directors didn't shoehorn in a love story but just stuck to monsters battling robots. The two scientists were a wee bit annoying but there's always at least one annoying character in every disaster film.
I managed a Miyazaki double-feature this morning with Spirited Away and Princess Mononokie. Both were absolutely gorgeous from a visual standpoint. I can't believe it's taken me this long to see these films.
Can I get a ruling from the group: would Matrix Revolutions count as a film that takes place underneath the Earth? I figured with all the digging and the scenes in Zion it would count but you never know.
I managed a Miyazaki double-feature this morning with Spirited Away and Princess Mononokie. Both were absolutely gorgeous from a visual standpoint. I can't believe it's taken me this long to see these films.
Can I get a ruling from the group: would Matrix Revolutions count as a film that takes place underneath the Earth? I figured with all the digging and the scenes in Zion it would count but you never know.
07-16-13 | 11:44 AM
#591
Thread Starter
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
I managed a Miyazaki double-feature this morning with Spirited Away and Princess Mononokie. Both were absolutely gorgeous from a visual standpoint. I can't believe it's taken me this long to see these films.
Can I get a ruling from the group: would Matrix Revolutions count as a film that takes place underneath the Earth? I figured with all the digging and the scenes in Zion it would count but you never know.
Can I get a ruling from the group: would Matrix Revolutions count as a film that takes place underneath the Earth? I figured with all the digging and the scenes in Zion it would count but you never know.
As for Matrix Revolutions, never seen it, so will go with group ruling on that.
I just tried watching Looper with Bruce Willis on one of the Starz channels and ended up turning it off. It seemed like it was a very surreal movie that I couldn't quite fathom.
07-16-13 | 01:19 PM
#592
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DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
I just watched an interesting Star Trek documentary called The Captains. William Shatner interviewed Star Trek Captains, mostly Enterprise Captains, buthe also interviewed Christopher Plummer as well. It also showed a segment at a convention, where William showed how good he is at working a crowd, he got a lot of laughs and he made me laugh too. I also saw that Avery Brooks is a very happy person. He smiled and laughed a lot during his interview while he played piano and sang.
07-16-13 | 02:26 PM
#593
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Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
And I know I have a DVD lying around somewhere. 
I watched a number of those Krofft shows: Land of the Lost, Sigmund and Sea Monsters, Elektra Woman and Dyna Girl. I got freaked out by one scene from the Bugaloos when they were tied to a record player and the needle was threatening them as they turned around. I wonder how that threat would translate to modern technology. I mean, there was the Goldfinger/Bond laser thing, but it's not quite the same.
07-16-13 | 02:51 PM
#594
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
I used to watch Pufnstuf! And I know I have a DVD lying around somewhere.
I watched a number of those Krofft shows: Land of the Lost, Sigmund and Sea Monsters, Elektra Woman and Dyna Girl. I got freaked out by one scene from the Bugaloos when they were tied to a record player and the needle was threatening them as they turned around. I wonder how that threat would translate to modern technology. I mean, there was the Goldfinger/Bond laser thing, but it's not quite the same.
And I know I have a DVD lying around somewhere. I watched a number of those Krofft shows: Land of the Lost, Sigmund and Sea Monsters, Elektra Woman and Dyna Girl. I got freaked out by one scene from the Bugaloos when they were tied to a record player and the needle was threatening them as they turned around. I wonder how that threat would translate to modern technology. I mean, there was the Goldfinger/Bond laser thing, but it's not quite the same.
07-16-13 | 08:08 PM
#595
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
I just watched an interesting Star Trek documentary called The Captains. William Shatner interviewed Star Trek Captains, mostly Enterprise Captains, buthe also interviewed Christopher Plummer as well. It also showed a segment at a convention, where William showed how good he is at working a crowd, he got a lot of laughs and he made me laugh too. I also saw that Avery Brooks is a very happy person. He smiled and laughed a lot during his interview while he played piano and sang.
The other takeaway I had was that I think Avery Brooks may have become insane.
I'd also recommend Mind Meld: Secrets Behind the Voyage of a Lifetime, a feature-length doc in which Shatner and Leonard Nimoy interview one another. It's up there with Inside the Actors Studio-level interviewing, with both actors sharing some very intimate things as well as their very differing approaches to the craft of acting.
07-16-13 | 08:42 PM
#596
Moderator
Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
I just watched an episode of Prophets of Science Fiction on Science, dealing with Isaac Asimov. It got me wondering, since the show talked about an entire series of books in the I, Robot story line, does anyone know if the movie was based on any one in particular? Or was it an amalgam of them all?
and I'm anxious to read Philip K. Dick's "The Man in the High Castle" now.
07-16-13 | 08:44 PM
#597
Moderator
07-16-13 | 11:50 PM
#598
07-17-13 | 12:03 AM
#599
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
I read on Wikipedia that the sequel is filming with a new director and cast; it's set to come out next year. I'm excited as long as it doesn't have subway mutants!
Had a television heavy day. Finished up season one of Doctor Who and absolutely loved it! David Tennant doesn't get the best introduction in "The Christmas Invasion" (coming off as haphazardly manipulative), but I'm excited to start the next season. Also watched more of Wolf's Rain which continues to be beautiful and enigmatic. Then finished up with some One Piece (got the second collection for my birthday).
07-17-13 | 02:34 AM
#600
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Re: 6th Annual Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge
I admit I was little confused when you first brought it up, as I'd just come from the animation challenge thread, and I was thinking "Even for a wild card, that's a pretty big stretch."
http://forum.dvdtalk.com/forum-feedb...ge-thread.html
(Came out of this thread: http://forum.dvdtalk.com/forum-feedb...ne-2013-a.html)