Imagined Futures in Sci-fi: Fight Club

I am taking a course called "Utopia/Dystopia: Imagined Futures in Sci-fi" which focuses on science fiction films from the fifties to the present. I will be writing a few words about each of the films I watch in class.

Fight Club
Directed by David Fincher
Released October 15, 1999

Clearly I had seen this film before, but not in this context where we were looking at it as an examination of a near-future dystopia. The testerone-motivated "fight club" designed by a disillusioned insomniac mutates into a vicious and unstoppable cult with members deeply rooted in nearly every organization and capable of controlling major events. This concept is highly disturbing but is balanced by the extremely dark comedy throughout the film. Edward Norton and Brad Pitt play perfectly off each other, and Helena Bonham Carter does a great job as well. Director Fincher makes his films in a highly stylized manner, and this certainly shows it. From the pounding opening credits with furious music by the Dust Brothers, this is one intense thrill ride.

A-

Imagined Futures in Sci-fi: Brazil

I am taking a course called "Utopia/Dystopia: Imagined Futures in Sci-fi" which focuses on science fiction films from the fifties to the present. I will be writing a few words about each of the films I watch in class.

Brazil
Directed by Terry Gilliam
Released December 18, 1985

What an amazingly interesting film this is! Part dystopian future, part acid trip, this is one absolutely unforgettable and fairly incomprehensible film. It is so fascinating that I could hardly look away. Jonathan Pryce stars as a bureaucrat who becomes enchanted with a mysterious woman afterr an error occurs where an innocent man is arrested instead of a rogue heating engineer. Robert DeNiro's role as the rebel engineer, Tuttle, is classic. The art direction and scenery is dazzling. The script is wildly inventive in a really good way. I cannot say I understand it, but this is one film you should definitely see. Note: I saw the director's cut.

B+

Imagined Futures in Sci-fi: Gattaca

I am taking a course called "Utopia/Dystopia: Imagined Futures in Sci-fi" which focuses on science fiction films from the fifties to the present. I will be writing a few words about each of the films I watch in class.

Gattaca
Directed by Andrew Niccol
Released October 24, 1997

Andrew Niccol's vision of a not-too-distant future where potential is determined by genes is without question intriguing. The execution is a bit lacking, in that the dialogue is rather short and the acting is generally mediocre at best. Everyone's delivery falls flat and the scenes seem overly forced. Ethan Hawke is all panicked and nervous the whole movie, and Uma Thurman in particular is so stiff. The concept is fascinating, and the imagery is great. The film earned a deserved Oscar nomination for its art direction. Some people refer to "Gattaca" as a classic, but it is a rather a worthwhile attempt which served as a decent precursor to Niccol's next script the following year: "The Truman Show".

B-

Imagined Futures in Sci-fi: The Arrival

I am taking a course called "Utopia/Dystopia: Imagined Futures in Sci-fi" which focuses on science fiction films from the fifties to the present. I will be writing a few words about each of the films I watch in class.

The Arrival
Directed by David Twohy
Released May 31, 1996

Make it stop. It is so bad. Sure, it is beyond funny, but the writing, acting, directing, all of it are so horrible. Invading aliens who have extremely bendable knees and who can make themselves look like humans have never been so preposterously dumb. The cast features super-young Teri Polo and Richard Schiff before either of their careers actually took off and led to major roles for them in "Meet the Parents" and "The West Wing", respectively. Worst of all, worse than even the dismal writing and the corny visuals, is Charlie Sheen. Wearing large glasses and a goofy goatee, Sheen sports the same look in every scene (as my professor pointed out), which is one of shock and disbelief. Sheen is no acting genius, but this performance is just awful. So is this movie.

F

Imagined Futures in Sci-fi: Close Encounters

I am taking a course called "Utopia/Dystopia: Imagined Futures in Sci-fi" which focuses on science fiction films from the fifties to the present. I will be writing a few words about each of the films I watch in class.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Released November 16, 1977

When I first saw this movie however many number of years ago, I really did not like it. The music was grating and the plot, as I remembered, was a little weird. In the past few years, I had thought to myself that perhaps it was just the effect of being a child watching a complex movie. On the second viewing, it does not improve much. It is quite funny, but mostly for unintentional reasons, though I suspect Spielberg knew that was may have passed for dramatic quality back then might eventually become corny. Almost every aspect of this film is undeniably cheesy. I have never been a huge fan of Richard Dreyfuss, though he is certainly energetic enough. I still cannot understand how Melinda Dillon got an Oscar nomination for this film just calling out "Barry" the whole movie. As far as the utopian/dystopian value of the film goes, it is certainly a bright, idealistic one of the friendly alien who comes to communicate by using, what else - music.

C

Imagined Futures in Sci-fi: Idiocracy

I am taking a course called "Utopia/Dystopia: Imagined Futures in Sci-fi" which focuses on science fiction films from the fifties to the present. I will be writing a few words about each of the films I watch in class.

Idiocracy
Directed by Mike Judge
Released September 1, 2006 (briefly)

Mike Judge, the man behind "Office Space", helmed and wrote this ill-fated comedy about a future where people have become incredibly stupid. This film went almost straight to DVD after numerous delays. It is possible that this movie is smarter than it seems, but I definitely became just a bit dumber while watching it. Sure, there are merits to the clever concept of how the future will come about, but essentially this is stuffed with idiotic jokes straight out of "Dodgeball". It tries to be smart sure, but it is just a bit too...idiotic.

C-

Imagined Futures in Sci-fi: Fahrenheit 451

I am taking a course called "Utopia/Dystopia: Imagined Futures in Sci-fi" which focuses on science fiction films from the fifties to the present. I will be writing a few words about each of the films I watch in class.

Fahrenheit 451
Directed by François Truffaut
Released November 14, 1966

There is absolutely an important lesson to be gleaned from this well-told story, but this film version hardly does it justice. The idea that firemen start the fires, to burn books, rather than put them out, is quite interesting. This is an ultimate example of a dystopian future, where all seems well when taken at face value, but behind the scenes, something sinister is truly going on. Montag is just like any dystopian protagonist, like Winston from "1984", who realizes his discontentment with society and tries to do something about that, starting first off with himself. This film is way too corny for its good, but the story is not completely lost, as long as you remember that what you are laughing about is not the future portrayed but rather how ridiculously it is portrayed.

C

Imagined Futures in Sci-fi: Dr. Strangelove

I am taking a course called "Utopia/Dystopia: Imagined Futures in Sci-fi" which focuses on science fiction films from the fifties to the present. I will be writing a few words about each of the films I watch in class.

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
Directed by Stanley Kubrick
Released January 29, 1964

Kubrick's brilliant classic follows the escapades of three different Peter Sellers characters: an English officer trying to talk a crazed general out of his plan, the somber and serious President of the United States, and the bizarre but memorable Dr. Strangelove. This comedy is defined well by its second title. The arms race may have slowed and faded to the back of everyone's minds, but the threat of a doomsday machine and nuclear annihilation are still important themes. From the film's not-so-subtle character names (General Jack Ripper) and cowboy hat-wearing majors to the dark humor and theme, this is one great and probably timeless movie. Peter Sellers and George C. Scott spearhead a tremendous and amazing cast that will keep you laughing for quite some time.

A-

Imagined Futures in Sci-fi: Zardoz

I am taking a course called "Utopia/Dystopia: Imagined Futures in Sci-fi" which focuses on science fiction films from the fifties to the present. I will be writing a few words about each of the films I watch in class.

Zardoz
Directed by John Booman
Released February 6, 1974

This has got to be one of the worst movies I have ever seen. The problem here is not the fact that it was made a while ago and might seem dated. The first scene features a talking head with a drawn-on goatee, and then another floating head decreeing that "the penis is evil." It does not get much better after that. The real mystery is just how few clothes everyone can wear. Sean Connery is beyond ridiculous as the token "brutal" who infiltrates a society of immortals. The story is inane and ridiculous, and sure there are echoes of "1984" and a message buried under the rubble of ludicrousness. Nonetheless, this movie is as crazy as you can get. It is hard to get through it because it is just so wholly preposterous. Try it if you dare.

F-

Imagined Futures in Sci-fi: Forbidden Planet

I am taking a course called "Utopia/Dystopia: Imagined Futures in Sci-fi" which focuses on science fiction films from the fifties to the present. I will be writing a few words about each of the films I watch in class.

Forbidden Planet
Directed by Fred M. Wilcox
Released March 15, 1956

This tale of a spaceship crew that finds a seemingly wonderful new world is a clear predecessor of fare like "Star Trek" and "Alien." It is also a film that, while evidently important for historical reasons, suffers far more than both "The Day the Earth Stood Still" and "Lost Horizon" because of its heavily outdated nature. The crew seems all too goofy, the lines too funny, and the girl who had never met humans is all too bizarre and eager to kiss all the men. The effects are beyond corny, and the mysterious villain looks way too much like the Tazmanian devil. The whole storyline is very Freudian in nature and definitely interesting, but the shock effect has been more than somewhat diminished over the past fifty years.

C

Imagined Futures in Sci-fi: Lost Horizon

I am taking a course called "Utopia/Dystopia: Imagined Futures in Sci-fi" which focuses on science fiction films from the fifties to the present. I will be writing a few words about each of the films I watch in class.

Lost Horizon
Directed by Frank Capra
Released September 1, 1937

This film is one of those that you can see the merits of and its place in the time it was released, but it has become irreproachably dated, to the point where nearly half the film is unintentionally funny. Regardless, the message of a peaceful utopia is pure, and while many people would not consider unlimited horse riding and singing lessons in a temperate community hidden away in the harsh, cold mountains their idea of perfection, the idea is clear. As a film, it succeeds remarkably well in firmly establishing its small cast of characters. Lead character Bob Conway is particularly likeable because we rarely see nowadays someone so willing to embrace the unknown without shooting at it or at least yelling at it first. H.B. Warner got a respectable Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Chang, the liaison between the utopian community and its guests. The film won Oscars for Best Art Direction and Best Film Editing, and I can certainly comment that the film fades in and out a lot but still feels completely connected. The film as it stands now is missing seven minutes of visual but not audio footage, so those parts are filled in effectively by still photographs. This is a well-made and important film whose effect might not be lost as long as you remember that most of the humor of the film is created by the difference between today's society and that of the 1930s.

B

Imagined Futures in Sci-fi: The Day the Earth Stood Still

I am taking a course called "Utopia/Dystopia: Imagined Futures in Sci-fi" which focuses on science fiction films from the fifties to the present. I will be writing a few words about each of the films I watch in class.

The Day the Earth Stood Still
Directed by Robert Wise
Released September 28, 1951

I really do enjoy watching this movie. I had seen it once before viewing it in this context. It is wonderfully corny but works remarkably well despite its obvious dated nature. The fact that it won a Golden Globe award for "Best Film Promoting International Understanding" is very telling of its signficance in the time as far as its importance to ideals of peace and war, and that does not even touch upon the fact that it was a crucial step in the evolution of science fiction. The immediate negative reaction of the people towards the arrival of the aliens and their first impulse towards fear, hatred, and violence serves a dual role in representing relations between both men and other men and men and the unknown. And I can honestly that I was actively interested every moment, something which I find rare when watching older films.

B+