tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post5795018596341812652..comments2024-03-28T14:49:36.133-04:00Comments on John Kenneth Muir's Reflections on Cult Movies and Classic TV: Reader Top Ten: The Greatest Science Fiction Films, circa 2000 - 2013?John Kenneth Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629979615332893780noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-3755337680448959582013-08-28T22:18:51.322-04:002013-08-28T22:18:51.322-04:00Looper was a very well made action film that quest...Looper was a very well made action film that questions who we really are and whether free will exist.<br /><br />Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind questions love and memory in a similar way.<br /><br />Super 8 provides a nostalgic return to Spielberg's golden age without Spielberg himself.<br /><br />Moon is a tour de force performance by Sam Rockwell, enough said.<br /><br />Rise of the Planet of the Apes is the most intelligent re-imaging of a movie I have ever seen. <br /><br />A.I. is two thirds great ideas layeder on 100% fantastic visualization, in need of an editor who could tell the director he needs to stop.<br /><br />Minority Report is smart action conspiracy movie with an interesting and morally important theme and concept.<br /><br />John Carter is the Buck Rodgers version of Star Wars that I guess this generation didn't deserve.<br /><br />Battle L.A. is barely a science fiction but of all the alien invasion films it most accurately reflects how a well trained military that might be technologically over matched can still make a difference by following they creed.<br /><br />Signs was the last great film from M. Night and it was scary while asking some deeply thought out questions of faith. <br /><br />There may be others that I missed, but these stick out in the time period we are talking about. Richard Kirkhamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16428986542891346618noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-81774391697816405572013-08-28T19:42:37.016-04:002013-08-28T19:42:37.016-04:00SFF:
Thank you so much, my friend. I look forwar...SFF:<br /><br />Thank you so much, my friend. I look forward to the publication of your list tomorrow, and know it will meet with a great response from readers.<br /><br />District 9 looks to be the film to beat so far in this round of Reader Top Ten, though Ghost of Mars and Prometheus are really doing pretty respectably in the tally so far too.<br /><br />I would just like to say how much I enjoyed your review of Pacific Rim a few weeks back...<br /><br />best,<br />JohnJohn Kenneth Muirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15629979615332893780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-71973486601733792492013-08-28T14:48:42.911-04:002013-08-28T14:48:42.911-04:00John,
I wanted to say I enjoyed your list. I stil...John,<br />I wanted to say I enjoyed your list. I still haven't seen a few of them here. Ghosts Of Mars, Donnie Darko, Looper and Cloud Atlas. So, I will need to work them in somehow.<br /><br />But, before moving on to other terrific lists here I wanted to let you know that I really enjoyed your reflections on District 9, Prometheus and Donnie Darko. I especially want to go back and look at Minority Report based on your assessment here. It was very interesting.<br /><br />Look forward to the latest adventure into reader lists.<br />sffSFFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04256589316922398158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-85506736993305204292013-08-27T11:47:17.311-04:002013-08-27T11:47:17.311-04:00The funny thing is I did enjoy Ghosts of Mars as a...The funny thing is I did enjoy Ghosts of Mars as a silly fun movie even though I do consider to be the bottom of the barrel for Carpenter. I will have to watch it again. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02177047276980038401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-22562529375063748922013-08-27T09:57:00.378-04:002013-08-27T09:57:00.378-04:00Hi Bruce!
I realize too, that I did this on the f...Hi Bruce!<br /><br />I realize too, that I did this on the first day of school...so everyone gets homework! :)<br /><br />All my best!<br />JohnJohn Kenneth Muirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15629979615332893780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-72376189524411398892013-08-27T09:56:26.446-04:002013-08-27T09:56:26.446-04:00Hi SGB,
I love that film too, SGB. I agree with ...Hi SGB,<br /><br />I love that film too, SGB. I agree with you about the Western qualities of GOM (and Carpenter always says he's a director of westerns...)<br />John Kenneth Muirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15629979615332893780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-27258118951129831562013-08-27T09:54:12.040-04:002013-08-27T09:54:12.040-04:00Damn, now I have homework tonight! Gee thanks Jo...Damn, now I have homework tonight! Gee thanks John! (j/k)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17208998769953602789noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-52191360040462942032013-08-26T23:21:45.502-04:002013-08-26T23:21:45.502-04:00John I have always enjoyed John Carpenter's &...John I have always enjoyed John Carpenter's "Ghost of Mars" which for me is like watching a western and will be on my top ten list too.<br /><br />SGBSGBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07137406272001346149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-88087562607849835172013-08-26T21:02:08.315-04:002013-08-26T21:02:08.315-04:00Absolutely, Rob! We don't have to see every mo...Absolutely, Rob! We don't have to see every movie the same way. It would be a dull world if we did. But I would love to post your list, even if it is just five titles! That's cool with me...<br /><br />best<br />JohnJohn Kenneth Muirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15629979615332893780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-48120490515776086832013-08-26T20:33:29.422-04:002013-08-26T20:33:29.422-04:00We can agree to disagree on these. Roger Ebert was...We can agree to disagree on these. Roger Ebert was just as fallible as the rest of us with his opinions as are all "professional" reviewers. He did give Star Wars: The Phantom Menace four stars after all. As for the action in Ghost of Mars, I'm not denying it was a fun pulp movie in some regards but action does not a perfect movie make. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02177047276980038401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-28967893980259493072013-08-26T19:29:14.079-04:002013-08-26T19:29:14.079-04:00I respectfully disagree with both of you about Gho...I respectfully disagree with both of you about Ghosts of Mars, and with Rob about I Want to Believe as well. <br /><br />I love how Roger Ebert wrote about the latter film: "What I appreciated about "The X-Files: I Want to Believe" was that it involved actual questions of morality, just as "The Dark Knight" does. It's not simply about good and evil but about choices....The movie lacks a single explosion. It has firearms, but nobody is shot. The special effects would have been possible in the era of "Frankenstein." Lots of stunt people were used. I had the sensation of looking at real people in real spaces, not motion-capture in CGI spaces. There was a tangible quality to the film that made the suspense more effective because it involved the physical world." I couldn't agree more with that assessment. It's a seriously underrated film.<br /><br />And as far as Ghost of Mars is concerned, I have a good experiment for the naysayers. Go watch any science fiction action movie circa 2000 - 2001, and then re-screen Ghosts of Mars. Find one film where the action is better vetted on-screen. It will be a long search. I know...I tried. :)<br /><br />Thank you both for commenting!John Kenneth Muirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15629979615332893780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-57923066361722725052013-08-26T18:51:22.851-04:002013-08-26T18:51:22.851-04:00I would disagree with Ghost of Mars and The X-File...I would disagree with Ghost of Mars and The X-Files: I Want to Believe. I think they are both major stinkers and are easily the worst work of their respective creators. I am actually struggling to come up with more than five movies to include on the list. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02177047276980038401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-61640007490037962242013-08-26T18:44:18.756-04:002013-08-26T18:44:18.756-04:00But it features a flashback within a flashback wit...But it features a flashback within a flashback within a flashback. That's writing!Nocturntablehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13375869199314477363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-83871047231691324302013-08-26T18:14:31.967-04:002013-08-26T18:14:31.967-04:00Agree with everything on list....EXCEPT for John C...Agree with everything on list....EXCEPT for John Carpenter's "Ghost of Mars". You can mention the themes and his anti-authoritarian stance til you are blue in the face, but quite simply.... this is a horrible film from one of the true greats. Certainly, absolutely.... his worst film to date and on my list for the worst of the decade circa 2000-2010. Outside of that....the other 9 should be must see's. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04403136804402745524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-34564203357223151452013-08-26T17:25:27.618-04:002013-08-26T17:25:27.618-04:00Thanks Le0pard13! I look forward to your list.
be...Thanks Le0pard13! I look forward to your list.<br /><br />best,<br />JohnJohn Kenneth Muirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15629979615332893780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-60153330606652076402013-08-26T15:51:59.751-04:002013-08-26T15:51:59.751-04:00I will give it some thought, John! Thanks.I will give it some thought, John! Thanks.le0pard13https://www.blogger.com/profile/09421175808461787862noreply@blogger.com