[Lawtan]

22) Alien

The First Alien Movie was a novel of both Science Fiction and Horror. Firstly, the cast of Alien at the time came from a largely unknown group of actors. It really worked on hard science fiction in explaining the traits of the Nostromo and the daily life of the crew. You actually have the crew arguing, talking, laughing, etc. – without the “sex equals death” trope or other such features.

Then there is the Alien itself. A biomechanical parasitic creature from surrealist H.R. Giger, it is an intelligent but sightless predator (a trait forgotten in other iterations in favor of a zombie horde). It outwits members of the crew through the vent systems.

It is different from Predator in that it is really set in space, on ships and all. It does not go for the “space is a special effect” that most sci-fi horror cheese movies go. In fact, it works to mock them. There is so little CGI stuff that the overall feel is more realistic. This may be one of the few successful hard science fiction movies I know of.

What made me realize this was a better work than most such things was listening to the dialogue. There aren’t stupid decisions made by anyone except the wife of the guy infected. The alien only gets in (isn’t frozen, detained, or shot) due to sabotage. Also, the tropes parodied in things like “Scream” are almost reversed in Alien. In addition, before Ripley became the James Cameron superhero, she was just a professional second-in-command trying to follow protocol. She wasn’t strong, or superhumanly brave, but she led everyone as best as she could.

Overall, I wish there were more subtle and human works like this out there. Stylized, but a style that I find timeless.

[Quiet Man Cometh]

23. Secondhand Lions (2003)

I tough I put this one up already but apparently not. Probably one of the most charming and entertaining movies I've seen, and some-what deceptive in appearances. I saw it on TV a lot but never watched. It's a film about a boy who is sent by his single mom to live with two bachelor uncles who are reputed to have piles of money stashed away somewhere. A heartwarming story of course, but it was glancing up at the scrolling credits that got me to actually watch it. Stuntmen, animal wranglers, can-can dancers...a far stretch from the rural setting general shown. And yes, there actually is a lion.

[Alatariel]

Spirited Away (2001)

Another Studio Ghibli movie. <3

[Quiet Man Cometh]

Good movie, but care to elaborate a little? I like to see more than just a title. Doesn't have to me much.

[Quiet Man Cometh]

a trait forgotten in other iterations in favor of a zombie horde.

Never really thought much of the sight thing, but then, I don't think it showed up much in the films either. I wouldn't use "zombie horde" as a comparison, more like something of a colony. More of something is not always inferior.

As to the CG, I don't really think the had the option of using much, so it was largely practical effects, but I think it shows a good example of what someone can do with practical effects rather than computer generated stuff. There's a werewolf horror film called Dog Soldiers that makes a point of using puppetry and make-up over CGI, and it also breaks horror stereotype by having the protagonists (professional soldiers) actually fighting back, and fighting back like hell.




25. Aliens 1986

A rare example of a good sequel. In the first film there was only one alien, (emphasized by Ripley in her briefing) and this one ups the ante by adding more. It's more survival horror as the genre goes I think, since heroism isn't all that practical in this situation.

A mercenary group goes to find out what happened to a planet colony that has fallen out of contact. Things don't go well. Simple plot, really, but as with the first film, it's characters and interactions that make it memorable. Lt. Ellen Ripley really is what I consider to be an ideal "strong female character" in the sense that she is a strong character, without there being any need to draw attention to her biological sex.

[Den]

26. Puppet Master (1989)

A synopsis of the movie I've found online states thusly:

Assailed by nightmarish visions, Alex Whitaker (Paul Le Mat) and his fellow psychics descend on the Bodega Bay Inn. There, they discover that their compatriot Neil (Jimmie F. Scaggs) has apparently committed suicide. But, as the gruesome visions continue, they sense that there's still something sinister afoot. When they find themselves hunted by a band of homicidal marionettes created by twisted puppeteer Andre Toulon (William Hickey), they discover they're right.

The movie spawned nine sequels, one of which was actually a prequel. The acting's cheesy and over the top, and it's just a terrible movie over all. This movie is also a cult classic. I'm more morbidly amused by the B-Movie plot and action than terrified, and I hope someday to have my own set of Puppets.

[LilLupie]

27. Paprika (2006)

"Paprika (パプリカ Papurika?) is a 2006 Japanese animated film co-written and directed by Satoshi Kon, based on Yasutaka Tsutsui's 1993 novel of the same name, about a research psychologist who uses a device that permits therapists to help patients by entering their dreams." Source

I saw my sister watch it once when she lived here still, but I was a bit too young and not into anime that didn't involve sparkles and magical girls to care.
Now I'm on a anime + animation movie watching mission, and I remembered this. It looks puzzling, intriguing, and some critics have said the quality was comparable to Miyazaki's Spirited Away (which I love.
And apparently, it was a film that inspired Nolan's Inception.

[Quiet Man Cometh]

It sounds similar to Cell from what you say there. I saw that one some time ago. I thought Paprika was a series. I first encountered it as a comic/manga/animation show at the city art gallery when I went last.

[LilLupie]

I had never heard of The Cell, do you recommend it?

[Quiet Man Cometh]

This is the IMDB rundown:

The Cell (2000) Horror/Sci-fi/Thriller

"An FBI agent persuades a social worker, who is adept with a new experimental technology, to enter the mind of a comatose serial killer in order to learn where he has hidden his latest kidnap victim."

I didn't catch all of the film (missed some of the beginning) but from what I see, it looks like that (future) people enter others' minds to do things like treat mental issues and such. It makes for surreal imagery, with a fair share of gore though, as we are in the mind of a serial killer. It's similar to the Matrix in a way, in that there's sort of 'mind territory' and getting the hang of functioning in a dream world.

[Poggio]

ouo watch it!

The Cell and Paprika are two of my favorite movies for different reasons. I must say that Tarsem, the director of The Cell and The Fall, has a way of ruining the endings of his movies but otherwise the movies are very pretty and can be philosophical.

From what I understand Inception is closer to Paprika down to the fact of nearly making some scenes the same in live action. The Cell, while the mind premise is the same it is different. Different motives between the characters and different aesthetics. Both are worth watching.Well anything by Satoshi Kon really. <3. Tarsem, I would not touch some of his movies but the Fall and The Cell are two I recommend.

[Quiet Man Cometh]

I haven't seen Inception outside of internet memes, so can't really say for that.

Shall I officially at "The Cell" to the list?

[Poggio]

Yes.
28: The Cell
Lots of people will bi-pass The Cell simply based on who acted in the film, however the film is one of those underrated classics that I believe is worth the watch. The movie revolves around a psychologist who has the technology to enter into a persons mind. She and her team, then delve into the psyche of their patients. They are given the task of helping a team of police find the the latest victim of a murderer. The story does a lot of interplay between the minds of the characters as they all eventually become connected. Through colorful splashes and surreal imagery, it is revealed why the characters made the choices that he did.

I feel as though there was a lot to this film that people missed and is worth looking at it with a fresh eye. Most of it has to deal with a surrealism in its aesthetics that I do not think many appreciated at the time. It is like Tim Burton, Tarsem's signature. I mean for a horrible example look at Mirror Mirror. The best Example of his work is The Fall. His signature being: bright colors, surreal costumes, dark undertones of the human mind and limits. Well worth the watch.

[Quiet Man Cometh]

I am pop-culturally stunted, so I didn't even recognize who was in it until I looked it up for the summary in my previous post. I usually call it a good thing when I don't see the actor behind the character.

Unless that actor is Alan Rickman. I like him. :)

[Poggio]

Oh Alan Rickman <3

I don't think she was a bad actor, I just don't think her character allowed for many emotions. Kind of Like Will Smith in After Earth. She was very emotional in Enough. And to be fair I believe that was the point. If you get too attached then you always drawn into your patients mind. I think if that movie came out now it would be more accepted. Especially after every actress now models their character after Bella Swan it seems.

[Lawtan]

29. October Sky

Here we have a biographical film about one of the major NASA members. It is honestly one of the best "follow your dreams" movies I have seen, because [spoilers]. It is also a tragic tale in some sense, and invokes the idea of legacy through the progress of things like the space program.

I will write more later. I will also add that my local area provided some of the Science fair stuff and stunt doubles for the movie. One reason my mom can't watch it - one of the stunt doubles (her student) died in a car accident afterwards.