98 replies to this topic

[FLASHINGROOSTER]

I had to watch  A Scanner Darkly movie again it had been decades since I first watched it and it was fair to say my memory of it had almost disappeared. My appreciation for the visual style has grown over the years. I used to think of it as some sort of shitty animation or something but came to realize the value of having real actors reactions coupled with animation works quite well. Not to mention I think I understood it a whole lot better, smaller stuff like why Wynona Ryders character had the story about not liking being touched because she did too much coke, when the reality of it is well... maybe I don't want to spoil that bit but let's just say it ain't the coke that is making that decision

 

Anyway I enjoyed watching the mixture of drug culture and dystopian future's, later finding out that it was a Philip K Dick adaptation came as a pleasant surprise. In my lifetime that dude is arguably one of the godfathers of science fiction. I have enjoyed many of his works adapted over the years, from Bladerunner (which has my favorite title for source adaption title  "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep”) to a couple runners up with Total recall and minority report. One episode in the amazon web series dedicated to dick has one of my favorite hours of television ever, that one being based off his short story titled the hanging man. To think of the mind mutation that was created after blade runner came out alone has inspired so many modern science fiction avenues, from, books,video games, movies, and television

 

 

Anyway watching a Scanner Darkly has me craving some more so I thought it might be a good time to ask others what their favorites are?? Really it is impossible to pick one but if I had to do it off the top of my head, first thing that comes to mind is Bladerunner 2049. Controversial for some but that movie has so much grace and it is absolutely beautiful in my opinion. The score alone for a guy like me checks a ton of boxes. That makes me excited that the same Director was tasked for the Dune remake

 

 

I would love to hear your guys favorites even if they are obvious, and if you have a love of science fiction any recommendations that aren't obvious would be appreciated also. All post's are welcome even if your fav turns out to be battleship

 

 

 

[Skywatcher]

I have grown up on Science Fiction. I have to say in many ways I prefer books, as the minds eye draws IMO the best imagry. I have devoured well over 500 novels and books in the Sci-fi/ fantasy catagory in my life.

 

Movies, not near as many, but still a good assortment. I have a few favorites.

I have to start with an all time favorite, Forbidden Planet, released in 1956 it was way ahead of anything else for decades. It is still a great movie.

This is a small assortment because I can't think right now...

Some of these are favorites because they require a good stone to fully enjoy.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

Mars Attacks

The Fifth Element

The Abyss

Star Trek The Motion Picture

Silent Running

Alien

Avatar

 

No particular order on those,

[Coopdog]

I am with Sky on this one. Rondezvous with Rama series was absolutely astounding. Splinter of the Mind's eye and the next 3-4 books that turned into the Star Wars series is one of the main reasons I do not like the movies so much. So much good stuff to read out there, and the turn hollywood has taken is losing me more every day. 

[Baphom3t]

A Scanner Darkly is a good movie.
Waking Life is another good one in the same style as A Scanner Darkly.

Fantastic Voyage from 1966 is good. I wonder why they've never tried to remake that one.
I honestly like Valerian And The City Of 1,000 Planets.
Altered States - 1980 is a good movie.
Bug from 2006 is a good movie but it's not really a sci-fi movie.
Moon - 2009
Arrival - 2016
I'll throw Eight Legged Freaks - 2002 in for lulz.

I can give a few more recommendations, but they are not really sci-fi.

[FLASHINGROOSTER]

I like pretty much all of those one's you guys posted, and a few new ones too so that's great.

 

Gotta say you guys are right about the novel approach to pretty much any story, it usually is the better mechanism.  I got into reading forgotten realms fantasy books and can recall having a blast reading them. Never really got into science fiction reading for some strange reason. Perhaps and unfortunate side effect of too much dope smoking is I read less, my mind can wander too much and end up having to skip back a page or two.

 

I like to try to create my own soundtrack with various series when reading. This series would go good with lord of the rings music, or this one works better with NIN Ghost's albums ect. Sometimes the track doesn't fit the mood of the scene but when it does it fits like a well worn glove. Music with words is distracting but instrumental can add a nice little cherry on top to the experience. There is a memory function that gets activated from the music that is somehow apart from the memory of reading the series, its hard to explain. I know in my heart there is much to be gained from reading but the ease of computers and television seem to take center stage. Last time I read a few novels was during a vacation, it makes the perfect companion for all that waiting involved. Got home from the trip and told myself I should read more due to the enjoyment I get out if it, and then back to the digital media...

 

 

Was debating watching that forbidden planet and you guys just convinced me to give it a try. Sometimes those older movies can be real gems. Never heard  of that Silent Running so I will try that too. Damn it's been long enough all I can remember from the Abyss was the watery alien and the suit that deep dive suit where you breath liquid. Better get that one too. Have to try altered states as well. I have probably seen every copy of fantastic voyage but never the original shrink the craft down and travel inside someone's body story. Sure why not

 

Knew you guys would have some hidden stuff to watch out there. FWIW I thought I would hate that Valerian movie and it pleasantly surprised me, either I am a science fiction sucker or it actually was better than reviewed. The intro is fun for sure

 

 

The freshest material I have enjoyed recently is a series called raised by wolves on HBO max. It is in the future where interstellar travel has been achieved and earth has been decimated by war. Two warring factions that are portrayed as religions fanatics and atheist, the religious folk seem to be in control of the earth and war against the atheist's. So the religious faction builds arc type spaceships and sends them off to Keplar 22b to start a new earth. Add in a couple androids that were reprogrammed by an atheist on earth and he then sends them in a hyper rocket style transport that only robots could survive to Keplar 22b. So the main focus of the show is these two factions meeting up on the new planet. They soon start to discover the planet has a history that goes farther back than they assumed. I gotta say there is a crucial moment where they test the "belief" of the viewer as that is another one of the main theme's of the fiction. In that moment I found it at first difficult but later came to realize how effective it was at playing with the viewers emotions. For some I could see it being too much so fair warning. None the less its like nothing I have ever watched before so that it always a treat in the sci fi realm. I feel that is the job of good science fiction, to mutate your mind into thinking in a way it had never before.

 

 

 

 

Anyway I did manage to find a link to scanner if anyone is interested in watching it. Never heard of this site but it seemed to play just fine to me, audio perhaps a little soft

 

https://ok.ru/video/896805440253

 

Edited by FLASHINGROOSTER, 17 March 2021 - 03:11 PM.

[Oldpunk]

I'm just finishing The Fireman by Joe Hill. It's a pretty good read...not really sci fi. Kinda post apocalyptic.

It's a pretty good read. I got a few super good book series but it's been so long I don't remember the titles.

I just watched "space sweepers" on Netflix a while back. It really grabs ya by the eye sockets at first...then kinda drags. But a good flick.
Also on Netflix they've got "the history of future folk" really cheesy but if you haven't seen it. You should.

Cool to see a thread about this.

[Cuboid]

The BattleStar Galactica TV series from the 2000's was very good IMHO. I vaguely recall watching the original series being re-run when I was a little kid in the 80's. I've always had a soft spot for SciFi. TV/Movies/Books. There's good and bad in all formats.

 

I'm currently on a Peter F Hamilton book binge. https://en.wikipedia...ter_F._Hamilton

Just read recent/new 'Salvation Sequence' trilogy and just got 2nd hand early (90's) work of his, the Greg Mandel / Mindstar series. Previously read his Common Wealth Saga (2 books), and The Void Trilogy - which is  a real trip  - highly recommend that :)

 

SomaFM do a podcast where they get a SciFi author on to interview, and to read a bit from one of their books. https://somafm.com/sfinsf/index.html

I get to hear about authors I might never have heard about otherwise.

 

I watched Space Sweepers the other week on Netflix - surprisingly good. Definitley worth the watch.

[TVCasualty]

The BattleStar Galactica TV series from the 2000's was very good IMHO.

 

I liked that one, too, and was baffled when I read a lot of reviews stating it had a disappointing/terrible ending, or even "the worst" ending. I thought it was a great ending; one of the best among science fiction series IMO.

 

Raised by Wolves is a new one that's pretty interesting. Reviews differ, but don't they always? The first two episodes were directed by Ridley Scott, and it shows. I enjoyed it, and it was approved for another season so you won't be potentially investing in a half-finished story if you watch it now, which gets annoying when a show isn't renewed.

 

 

I'm expecting the new Dune movie to be an instant classic. I will be traveling as far as I need to to see it on IMAX when it comes out.

[rockyfungus]

I need to try and read Dune again. Was borrowing the books and the guy insisted I read it chronologically, not starting with the original book...Not sure what was correct, but it was a chore. 

Blade Runner, Ex Machina, Cloud Atlas movie/book are super difficult but interesting concept. 
 

Primer; broke my brain and I get it but don't get it...Time travel done properly?

[Direct Link]

Edited by rockyfungus, 03 April 2021 - 12:43 PM.

[DarkNchildlike]

Philip k dick did this really weird work where he wrote constantly for days and am days and days about everything he could whether it made sense or not and said he broke down the barriers to the realm of physical and non physical dimensions and said he found places where the things we all imagine are realer than we are here and vice versa.

He did some lectures on this and had a serious spiritual awakening where he says he had something happen to him alot like what happens in his books one day a random black haired girl knocked on his door one day that was wearing the ichtys you know the fish symbol that represents jesus but before then it was vertical and meant the schism between worlds. But anyway he said that the dark haired girl who he imagines initiates conflict or a realization or a revelation to the protagonist in most of his works that he imagines or very similar knocks on his door one day and the ichtys is red and shines a light at his face or a glare of light shines off it and puts a giant information download or dump in his brain and he was awoke to the reality of reality and began writing the most important document he has ever written.

It's been a few years since I tried to dig in but it's called exegenesis I believe?

It's like 10,000 pages of ramblings. He said like how monks and spiritualists and whatnot will meditate to reach the schism he did this and just destroyed any meaning to words and images until I believe he left his body in which he made the ultimate realization of being a spirit from first hand experience and learning that you just simply don't need your body.

In fact if I remember correctly he believed that there is a huge conspiracy and we are literally being either kept here or that we just not being told the truth of reality and that many science fiction writers are shut up eventually or kept from gaining any leverage because it turns out that these stories we not down are real as or realer than we are and some of us are just able to pick it up and tune in to these other dimensions but because we don't know what we are doing we can't do anything with it. I don't know if there is a cabal keeping us from our spiritual realities or if it's just us but I agree SOMEWHAT.

May I post a little lecture thing I remember seeing about him? I believe he talks about the woman who wrote the matrix how some of us are hurt like she was banged up real bad in her life or shot or something and was given this dump or download of information which he believes is an actual event sometime or someplace. Others need mantras or write or dance or drum or meditate or what have you.

But anyways he considers this thing called exegenesis his most important work and college professors and students make a project of reading it and writing about it trying to make any sense of it they can. Something like 19 percent has been sort of translated if you will and you can sign up on a website to get access to it and join the project.

Even if it ain't all good. It's all good enough.

[DarkNchildlike]

Lol idk why but I'm always going on about stuff like this I guess. I really do love science fiction and fiction as well tho.

I've read the done books I can't remember any of the titles but may I suggest you look up the writer and novel author Isaac Asimov and let me think dang I can't remember the other writers I liked to read alot many years ago now.

I believe Isaac Asimov wrote wrote a book that I, Robot was made an adaptation out of.


Even if it ain't all good. It's all good enough.

[FLASHINGROOSTER]

Sounds like I better check out that one on netflix

 

That Primer movie was neat, I think haha. That one would be better without the doobie, its confusing, like time travel should be I guess. A movie I told myself I need to watch again but never got there

 

There are some fairly good "low fi" movies out there, one that comes to mind is called The Endless. It is a lesser known movie, that benefits from that status, considering the less you know about it the better so I won't say to much. Worthy mention for sure. I think it was on Netflix but that could be regional

 

Talking about that movie reminded me about a different crazy movie that is too hard to accurately describe. Let's just say it involves a new drug that can transport a person through time and space.  It's called John dies at the end, the endless breaks into new territory and if you were to just watch one I would recommend it. While John dies at the end tries to mix a bit of humor and wackiness together with horror and science fiction. If you have ever seen Bubba Ho Tep starring cult favorite Bruce Campbell you might know what to expect

 

 

 

An interesting idea DarkNchildlike feel free to post away

Edited by FLASHINGROOSTER, 04 April 2021 - 11:04 AM.

[TVCasualty]

I believe Isaac Asimov wrote wrote a book that I, Robot was made an adaptation out of.

 

 

He did. The book was an anthology of stories titled I, Robot, lol.

 

He wrote a shitload of stories; I'd recommend checking out his (very) short story titled The Last Question.

[DarkNchildlike]

Bruce Campbell is so great.. lol

Bubba hotep was good. The new evil dead TV series was pretty cool. There is a new evil dead video game coming out I'm looking forward to that with high expectations for what I've seen of it.

Even if it ain't all good. It's all good enough.

[shiftingshadows]

free download = pdf

good short story

The Enchanted Village, by A E Van Vogt

https://epdf.pub/the...ed-village.html

[shiftingshadows]

some Free philip-k-dick pdfs

https://freeditorial...r/philip-k-dick

 

also a few free pdfs here

https://freeditorial...science-fiction

[Oldpunk]

I just started watching the series "the expanse" only on episode 4 but it's pretty good so far. It's about colonists on Mars. Earth's alliance. A space station between the two. And the politics/conflicts between them.

Pretty solid sci fi show.

[GORF]

Death world Trilogy by Harry Harrison featuring the STAINLESS STEEL RAT.

Any of his stories with that particular anti-hero are exceptional.

[FLASHINGROOSTER]

Yes I agree, the expanse does scratch that sci fi itch. I like the approach of the space technology. More realistic to our current technological limitations. Focusing on the colonization of our solar system. It does go down quite a rabbit hole by the time you get to season 4

 

 

Went and bought an E reader the other day I want to get back into more reading. I love it but always seem to take the lazy route of watching said entertainment. The media well seems to be drying up due to covid, and rather than re watch some old shows I decided it is time to get back to basics. I might have to add those recommendations to my list thanks guys

 

Grew up as an absolute star wars nerd. Playing the role playing game, collecting figures, comics, ect.  I used to have a crazy memory for every stupid side character in the original trilogy. Oh yeah that's the rancor trainer, he had planned to runaway with his beloved before Luke killed the beast. Or the back story of the IG series droids rising up to try to cause a robot revolution. That droid was in the movie for like three seconds haha. Or how Bobba Fett blew himself out of the sarlac pit by detonating his jet-pack....

 

The other major setting of my childhood being of course D&D. Harpels, and Mithril hall, Thay, Loth, Shadovar, Nethril, Dwarves, Ithiliads, cobolts lots and lots of cobolts, and of course Drizzt

 

The amount of useless information catalogued in my head is a little scary sometimes. Considering all the other productive things I could have done with said time.

 

If your a nerd like me getting back into a D&D setting provides an insanely staggering amount of cannon to try to process. Considering I basically only play around in forgotten realms. I can get off on just trying to remember the overwhelming amount of information. Definitely have an addiction prone, obsessive side of me that can get seriously locked into something with a ton of depth to it. Those dedicated wikapedia type sites are freaking awesome when trying to refresh the memory. Or to find out who the hell they are referencing in that sentence. "Oh that god during the time of troubles, got it.."

 

Considering that world is so wide, written by so many different authors yet all existing in the same time and space it really blows my mind up

Edited by FLASHINGROOSTER, 08 June 2021 - 03:13 PM.

[Oldpunk]

If you use the kindle app I've been reading the Dragonlands trilogy by Megg Jensen. It was free on Amazon. I burn through a lot of their free books and this one is actually pretty good.