The best space themed science fiction movie ever?

Post by **Vice** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 3:06 am

In your opinion, what is the best space themed science fiction movie of all time (can be old or new)? And what aspects about the movie made it the best to you?

verbosity · Post by **verbosity** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 9:43 am

Whoa! darn thats a hard question...........

I'm sure 2001 will probably come highly on the list ( even more impressive as when it was filmed we hadn't even seen the earth from space!!! ), not my choice though....

Alien is also possibly another good choice ( atmosphere and Drama being high qualities within this Film....)

But really can anyone choose anything else than Star wars ( my preference being : a new hope), Why? storyline/Plot, Atmosphere, Design, the best bad guy EVER and fantastic space battles ( though Jedi wins on that score

). Who could ask for more?

Although there is some merit to suggesting the last starfighter ( I'm just worried Vice is going to take his face off and recruit us into an intergalatic war.....)

tha_rami · Post by **tha_rami** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 12:20 pm

Hehe, being a total noob in the genre, my vote goes to Sunshine - a quite recent one.

It was more of a psychological film with sci-fi elements.

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 12:36 pm

Although Star Wars was more than one movie, it gets my vote.

...I never even saw it...

Wolfox · Post by **Wolfox** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 1:03 pm

Well, if TV series count as movies, for me it would be a tie between Babylon 5 and the new Battlestar Galactica. And I love both, basically, for the same reason: they make the space setting much more realistic than other movies.

coach · Post by **coach** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 2:01 pm

Originally posted by verbosity

Although there is some merit to suggesting the last starfighter ( I'm just worried Vice is going to take his face off and recruit us into an intergalatic war.....)

Good one!:D:D:D

OK, here's one for consideration because it was so ahead of its time in so many ways. Good psychological elements, clear Shakespearean roots, good character actors. A real classic...Forbidden Planet.

Post by **Vice** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 3:17 pm

If you're going to select a TV show, could you narrow it down to one particular episode as your favorite? And what about that episode made it the best 'movie' to you (and perhaps better than the other episodes)? Was it just the setting for B5 and BSG that made them better to you over anything else?

Very interesting mix. I don't think I had heard of 'Sunshine' before, I'll have to learn about it.

I don't think I've seen Forbidden Planet, sure sounds interesting with a blend of psychology, Shakespeare, and character acting.

coach · Post by **coach** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 3:38 pm

Originally posted by Vice

I don't think I've seen Forbidden Planet, sure sounds interesting with a blend of psychology, Shakespeare, and character acting.

Check out this link at the Internet Movie Database http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049223/ for Forbidden Planet. It was made in 1956, loosely based in Shakespeare's The Tempest, stars several actors who went on to do many character roles, and introduces "Robby the Robot".

verbosity · Post by **verbosity** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 3:44 pm

ok on Babylon 5, choosing an episode would be tricky...
Why I like it? it give fully rounded characters, with each race having its own internal conflicts, religons and diplomatic tactics. Each episode was a continuance effecting the episodes that followed and showing the repercussions. It also Pulled no punches, often showing endings that wouldn't be shown in other shows ( the costs of war and disease.

The setting had a LOT to do with it, but the depth of character development and avoiding easy answers. the story developed through myriad twist and turns through several threads, till you are not sure quite who is good and Bad ( though as in life no-one was really one nor the other).

Best episode? I'll have to go and find the name, but the invasion of the Narn by the centauri ( series 2 - I'll get the name and episode number if I can find it.

Wolfox · Post by **Wolfox** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 4:33 pm

Best episode is hard to judge... BSG is overall fantastic, and most of my favorite episodes are those related to character development, which would probably not fit in this question. One of my favorites is "33" (first episode of the series, after the miniseries); great space action, tension, overall fantastic storytelling and setting. My favorite overall, though, as far as "action" goes, is that one from which you posted a clip here recently - "Exodus, Part 2".

As to Babylon 5, I can't pinpoint a favorite episode, partly because I like almost everything about it, and partly because I have a hard time remembering individual episode names.

coach · Post by **coach** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 5:34 pm

Never paid too much attention to Babylon 5, saw an episode here and there, which is probably not the best way to appreciate it. Soooo...I went and added Series 1 to my Netflix queue.

After we've exhausted this thread, how about doing the worst ever?

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 6:54 pm

Even though everyone will automatically say Plan 9 from Outer Space???

coach · Post by **coach** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 8:28 pm

Originally posted by Jeremy
Even though everyone will automatically say Plan 9 from Outer Space???

Everyone didn't automatically say Star Wars to Vice's question. Besides, Plan 9 bashing is too easy.

Vice, when you say space-themed do you mean space combat, space travel, other worlds, or all of the above?

Post by **Vice** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 8:54 pm

All of the above. It could be set in space or use space as merely a backdrop for a planetary story. Could focus on exploration, adventure, or combat.

MMaggio · Post by **MMaggio** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 9:09 pm

Well... here I go...I have to pick a TV series and there's nothing you can put in a game that looks as hot as the Vulcan on "Enterpise".
If ever I was in love, she's the one. And any chance I would ever have is pure "Science Fiction"!

verbosity · Post by **verbosity** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 9:15 pm

Sometimes a Film is soo bad it becomes good,

I can see an argument for it to be the best film of all time

( Though that is just playing Devils advocate )

and Whoa ! MMaggio - no way!!!!

Dax ( Jadzeia from DS9 ) is the cutest Star trek chickie ever !

Tiger · Post by **Tiger** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 11:26 pm

I'm a bit of a Babylon 5 fan

http://www.clivebanks.co.uk/B5%20Timeline.htm

Favourite space movie - Star Wars - boring, I know, but I saw it when I was young, and even though the x-wing flew down an airfix trench, it hooked me

Favourite oldie - Forbidden Planet - you need to get a copy Vice, to appreciate Leslie Nielsen as a 'serious' actor!

Best TV series - Star Trek Voyager - Season 4 episode 1 - the appearence of Seven of Nine - resistance? - whos resisting!

Chris

Oh - and there's a new Babylon 5 film coming out this month.

[Edited on 2-7-2007 by Tiger]

hangar18 · Post by **hangar18** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 1:50 am

For me its the Star wars series (parts 4-6), which I guess can be thought of as one giant movie. The aspects that made it absorbing were:

- the overall plot, while designed for kids, had plenty of meat to it
- the diversity and depth of the characters. All too often todays movies develope a "fringe" character with a very shallow background, purely to serve as a "look at the special effects" purpose as he gets blown up. The star wars characters had history which in turn added depth. E.g in the pub when Han solo says "boy these guys must be desperate, this could really save me", I straight away got the feeling of depth and history to the character and was intreged to find out more.
- Darth Vader (DV) for me was the ultimate "baddie", even his own army was scared of him due to his little tolerance for incompetence. As a result DV commanded alot of presence making every interaction very captivating.
- the fact the be all and end all in the story did not revolve entirely around a main character. For starters there were several main characters. Secondly, even the characters with smaller roles had a purpose and not necessarily related to the main characters which added to make the whole story seem authentic.

MasterMindLess · Post by **MasterMindLess** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 6:27 am

Well... This is a bit difficult....

Star Wars (especially the original trilogy) is high on my list, but I can't really say why, as I've been watching the originals for so long.... I like the ability that fighters like the X-Wing have to share power among engines, shields, and weapons, and the ability to give more power to one area of their shields ("Switch all power to front deflector screens").

Babylon 5 is great. I'd say that one of the big things that I like about it is the realism of space combat (one of my few complaints about Star Wars is that the fighters act like they're in an atmosphere). I also like the depth of plot.... At first, I thought that the episodes were all disconnected events, but as I watched more of it, I realized that most - if not all - tie into one major plotline. I haven't yet finished the first season, so my choice of favorite episode (though I don't really have a favorite anyway, just ones that stand out to me a bit more than others) will change, but I like the foreshadowing (along with the big battle between B5 and the raiders) of "Signs and Portents" (episode 13). Morden... Creepy guy....
"A Voice in the Wilderness" (2-part, episodes 18, 19) is another. Again, there's a big fight (between the outcasts and B5 and the Earth heavy cruiser), but I like the hint/idea/promise/whatever of really advanced tech....
"Babylon Squared" (episode 20) is another example of foreshadowing, though it's not so subtle this time....
Oh, and thanks for the link, Tiger...

I like the verse created in "Firefly" and "Serenity," with the western look on it, along with the corrupt, nearly all-powerful government, the American (or is it British? Whatever, they speak English...)-Chinese culture, Unification Day instead of Independence Day, psychics (although there seem to be many, many sci-fi verses with them), and the massive solar system (no hyperdrive, warp drive, IP (interplanetary) drive, or anything else of the sort, just realistic physics (accelerate to really fast speeds, then decelerate as you approach your destination) (or so I'm guessing)). Oh, and the idea of the entire ship being run by the engine ("Out of Gas").

That's all for now (I should probably get some sleep tonight)....

coach · Post by **coach** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 4:45 pm

Originally posted by verbosity
Sometimes a Film is soo bad it becomes good,

I can see an argument for it to be the best film of all time

( Though that is just playing Devils advocate )

There are many "better" films that are not nearly as well known as Plan 9. There are many bad films that no one has ever heard of, yet most people know Plan 9. What makes a film "good"? Direction? Acting? Plot? Or the impression it makes on the viewers, positive or negative?
And you do like playing Devil's Advocate.

:P

Dax ( Jadzeia from DS9 ) is the cutest Star trek chickie ever !

Absolutely agree about Dax!

vorlon31 · Post by **vorlon31** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 5:14 pm

babylon5 Pick any of the movies as they all tie in with the series universe which rocked.

Serenity - the firefly universe

Bjornson · Post by **Bjornson** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 3:39 pm

I'm also a fan of Firefly and Serenity, loved the characters. Probably the best series no one ever saw. Stripping salvage from wrecks, doing jobs for cash, sometimes taking cargo to places where it's worth a lot more cash...what's not to love?

tha_rami · Post by **tha_rami** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 5:32 pm

Did you ever get to see Sunshine, Vice?

Post by **Vice** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 6:13 pm

I think just the 'everybody dies' themed promo trailers on youtube.

tha_rami · Post by **tha_rami** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 7:40 pm

Haha. Go see the movie. It has some absurdities, but honestly, it's a good show about 'Apollo 13' like situations in the extreme.