Big fan of:

Sunshine.
Event Horizon.

Going out on a limb here a bit, but Sunshine is my favorite movie of the last 5 years. If they would re-do the hokey ending, it would be a masterpiece.

(06-07-2011 08:03 AM)DrTorch Wrote:  

PirateTreasureNC Wrote:Predator involved a alien species landing on earth and hunting humans. He used alien technology to hide himself, attack prey and combatants, and used his own lethal explosive to get out.

A stronger case, but I can see pros and cons calling Predator "sci fi".

I've thought about this a little more. For the record, I enjoyed Predator. And I think the *premise* makes for a potentially great scifi movie. The idea of an alien society that uses Earth as a human game preserve is actually pretty interesting. There are some very cool possibilities in the storytelling re hunting and the nature of intelligence and sentience. They could have shown us about life on the Predator's planet and given us background behind this trip to Earth. But they didn't do any of that. We ended up with a band of under-equipped but resourceful underdogs in a shootout with a bad guy who had a better technology and fluorescent blood (hey, without the blood it sounds like most Grisham novels). The technology/alien stuff, while important, is almost a gimmick.

I hated Predator. That was a horrible sci-fi movie. It was is a remake of one of the movies made about men hunting men, whether it's on an island, in the ghetto, or anywhere else. All they did is replace the human hunters with aliens, and they weren't even original aliens. The Predators came from a 1950s alien monster movie - and only the makeup was better. IMO the 1950s monster movie was the better movie. Predators just had better effects that overrode the weaknesses in the script...

Dr. Torch, why did you not include Jurassic Park? Was it not a true Sci-Fi movie in your opinion, or just not that good?

Also, I have a soft spot in my heart for Galaxy Quest. Yes, I know it's a spoof more than a true Sci-Fi movie but god any fan of Sci-Fi films should love that movie. Severely underrated as far as enjoyable, mindless movies go.

(06-08-2011 12:05 PM)UCF08 Wrote:  Dr. Torch, why did you not include Jurassic Park? Was it not a true Sci-Fi movie in your opinion, or just not that good?

Also, I have a soft spot in my heart for Galaxy Quest. Yes, I know it's a spoof more than a true Sci-Fi movie but god any fan of Sci-Fi films should love that movie. Severely underrated as far as enjoyable, mindless movies go.

Jurassic Park- I forgot about it, to be blunt. I probably spent a good 12-13 minutes putting the list together. Honestly was never taken by JP. Good concept, and many other good qualities, I can see why it would make some people's lists.

I love Galaxy Quest too. I think it's as much Sci-Fi as many other movies. I'm not sure it makes my top 10, but it's got a fighting chance. Great call!

I liked Galaxy Quest myself, even though it was kind of cheesy...

(06-08-2011 01:01 PM)bitcruncher Wrote:  I liked Galaxy Quest myself, even though it was kind of cheesy...

it was to Star Trek as Spaceballs was to Star Wars.

(06-08-2011 03:47 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  

(06-08-2011 01:01 PM)bitcruncher Wrote:  I liked Galaxy Quest myself, even though it was kind of cheesy...

it was to Star Trek as Spaceballs was to Star Wars.

There's nothing worthwhile about Spaceballs. Galaxy Quest was a good movie.

(06-08-2011 04:24 PM)DrTorch Wrote:  

(06-08-2011 03:47 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  

(06-08-2011 01:01 PM)bitcruncher Wrote:  I liked Galaxy Quest myself, even though it was kind of cheesy...

it was to Star Trek as Spaceballs was to Star Wars.

There's nothing worthwhile about Spaceballs. Galaxy Quest was a good movie.

Yeah, a pretty big disappointment from the guy who brought us The Producers, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein. Started to see this coming with High Anxiety. Thought he was turning things around with History of the World but then Spaceballs, Life Stinks, Robin Hood Men in Tights - yuck. Still, just on the first three above, plus Get Smart (the original TV series of course), he's still a genius and I'll forgive all his mistakes. (Plus, he married Ann Bancroft!)

ETA: I think, to keep this a little more on topic, it's worth mentioning that Young Frankenstein could be worthy of honorable mention on a list of Top 10 Scifi, if not actual placement on the list. (Comedy scifi is too narrow a category to have enough meaningful choices.)

Mel Brooks started out as a writer on Sid Caesar's Show of Shows, as did Jackie Mason, Carl Reiner, and several other prominent comedians...

(06-08-2011 06:42 PM)bitcruncher Wrote:  Mel Brooks started out as a writer on Sid Caesar's Show of Shows, as did Jackie Mason, Carl Reiner, and several other prominent comedians...

Yes, but I don't think he warranted legend status (in my book anyway) until the movies. Check out The 2000 Year Old Man for fun.

I've seen all of Mel Brooks stuff. IMO his best movies were collaborations with other people. He didn't know how to write an ending. That was obvious starting with Blazing Saddles...

(06-08-2011 04:24 PM)DrTorch Wrote:  

(06-08-2011 03:47 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  

(06-08-2011 01:01 PM)bitcruncher Wrote:  I liked Galaxy Quest myself, even though it was kind of cheesy...

it was to Star Trek as Spaceballs was to Star Wars.

There's nothing worthwhile about Spaceballs. Galaxy Quest was a good movie.

Spaceballs was a great parody of Star Wars.... WTH.

(06-08-2011 07:19 PM)bitcruncher Wrote:  I've seen all of Mel Brooks stuff. IMO his best movies were collaborations with other people. He didn't know how to write an ending. That was obvious starting with Blazing Saddles...

As much as I love BS I have to admit the ending did feel like he didn't know what to do and just went nuts. That said, there was some funny stuff there. And I hadn't realized that Young Frankenstein (I don't think there's much of a debate that this is his best film) was co-written by Gene Wilder. So I guess I agree with you there too.

(06-08-2011 07:42 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:   Spaceballs was a great parody of Star Wars.... WTH.

Parody, sure, but there is nothing "great" about Spaceballs.

I don't know. That scene where they went to Ludicrous Speed was pretty good satire...

You're kidding right? Spaceballs is timeless comedy

(06-09-2011 01:34 PM)gotigers1 Wrote:  You're kidding right? Spaceballs is timeless comedy

I'm not kidding. It's not timeless, it would make no sense prior to 1976 and makes little sense to people today who haven't seen the movie. Moreover, it came out so much later than Star Wars that it lost relevance.

As for comedy, it's not funny. It's a weak, childish effort at parody, with bad jokes, bad acting and bad effects.

In contrast, I wouldn't label Galaxy Quest a parody b/c it's a good movie that stands on its own. However, there is an obvious connection to Star Trek that enhanced the movie and established its appeal. It's a great example of how to play off a well known pop-culture icon w/o just imitating a 3rd rate circus clown.

Paul Blartt did the same thing, albeit the movie is nowhere near as good as Galaxy Quest. However, it was an amusing play on Die Hard w/o being insulting to the original film. The premise is a bit silly, but the characters see some development, and the parallels are apparent but understated.

Spaceballs is a guy on stage, screaming out knock-knock jokes, and claiming he's a hilarious parody of Steve Martin.

I'm sort of tired of agreeing with Torch so I'll offer this supplement instead: Mel Brooks' best films are rarely subtle. But even though they're filled with sophomoric, crude, silly humor his best work has a cleverness to it. It's satirical, subversive, and provocative. Spaceballs is none of that, coming off as ham-handed and giving the impression that he didn't put in the effort. It kind of seemed like he was being lazy, going for the easy laughs, except for...

(06-09-2011 01:50 PM)DrTorch Wrote:  Moreover, it came out so much later than Star Wars that it lost relevance.

I never understood this. If he was going to wait 10 years to put out this movie why does it feel like it was slapped together? I would have understood it more if he'd done this in 1978.

(06-09-2011 01:50 PM)DrTorch Wrote:  

(06-09-2011 01:34 PM)gotigers1 Wrote:  You're kidding right? Spaceballs is timeless comedy

I'm not kidding. It's not timeless, it would make no sense prior to 1976 and makes little sense to people today who haven't seen the movie. Moreover, it came out so much later than Star Wars that it lost relevance.

As for comedy, it's not funny. It's a weak, childish effort at parody, with bad jokes, bad acting and bad effects.

In contrast, I wouldn't label Galaxy Quest a parody b/c it's a good movie that stands on its own. However, there is an obvious connection to Star Trek that enhanced the movie and established its appeal. It's a great example of how to play off a well known pop-culture icon w/o just imitating a 3rd rate circus clown.

Paul Blartt did the same thing, albeit the movie is nowhere near as good as Galaxy Quest. However, it was an amusing play on Die Hard w/o being insulting to the original film. The premise is a bit silly, but the characters see some development, and the parallels are apparent but understated.

Spaceballs is a guy on stage, screaming out knock-knock jokes, and claiming he's a hilarious parody of Steve Martin.

WOW...tell us how you really feel.

Sapaceballs is one of my top comedies ever. The parody of Star Wars is great. Great cast.


************


I agree on Blazing Saddles though...epic till the Show Tunes ending... I don't even watch that part.

Young Frankenstein: EPIC.

Robin Hood: TOTAL SUCKAGE.

History of the World: Not bad.

The Producers (original): ok...

Silent Movie: from what I recall, I did like it

How about Dr. Strangelove? It qualified as sci-fi when it first came out...