Hi Kamilla
Don't apologize for bring up science fiction. It is an excellent medium for exploring "what if questions" with respect to technology and
science and its impact on ethics, metaphysics, theology, etc.
> Kamilla ludwig wrote:
>
> I was wondering if listmembers would care to suggest the two or three best movies in a few of categories.
>
> 1) Science Fiction - where the movie makes the best use of science, including possible future space travel technology.
Very few movies depict space travel realistically. Even the otherwise superb "Apollo 13" had sound in space. Argh!!! The best was
"2001" with is realistic and functional spacecraft (although the carousel on "Discovery" was to small to be workable), the brilliant
zero-G toilet instructions", and no sound in vacuum. "2010" was close second, with excellent depiction of the Jovian system, great
spacecraft design ("Leonov") and depiction of aerobreaking using inflatable heatshields. James Cameron has a film about a Mars mission
in the works. The visuals of this look very good and are very workable. I hope the plot will be better than Titanic though!
"Abyss" wasn't bad, the underwater technology was good (not surprisingly, as it was filmed largely underwater), and all the human
technology is either in service or in the test stage (even the liquid breathing). The aliens were well conceived and truly alien, which
makes a change from the normal CIG or man in rubber suit approach.
Good depiction of scientists doing are even rarer. "The Andromeda Strain" is one of the best. I am biased towards "Dantes Peak" (hero
geologist in James Bond mode, saves town population, gets the girl), but the volcanic eruption is well depicted, although the sequence of
events is compressed. The only real error I recall is the eruption of basaltic lava from an rhyo-dacitic volcano. "Volcano" wasn't bad
either, and did show disaster relief workers in a more realistic light than most disaster movies.
>
>
> 2) Apocalypse - where the movie best shows the world as it might be after a nuclear disaster or after a major meteor hits the earth.
"The War Game" is the best post nuclear film, with its documentary style. The only impact related film I have seen is the old "Meteor"
movie, so really can't comment on this sub genre.
>
> 3) Technology - movies that show the possibilities of top of the line computer technology, especially hacking and espionage.
Bit of a luddite in this regard, so will let others comment. But 2001 and 2010 both say some interesting things about AI, especially
2010, where Hal's psychosis is analyzed and there is the poignant response by the backup HAL 9000 computer on trial disconnection ("Will
I dream?").
>
> I appreciate any suggestions you can give in these categories. Private replies are fine, I realize this somewhat off topic.
As I said above, the real challenge of SF is to the questions it raises for our perception of the world, attitude to technology,
metaphysics, etc., as well as the impact on science and technology on our world views and world pictures.
Some of most interesting movies in this line I have found include Solaris, 2001, 2010, Gattaca, The Truman Show, The Matrix, Blade
Runner, Contact, Cocoon, and Abyss.
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Kamilla
GB
Jonathan
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