What would it be like to find yourself imprisoned for no reason?
Cube (1997) is a psychological thriller in the sci-fi setting. It features mainly unknown actors, but you will probably recognize David Hewlett if you’ve seen Stargate Atlantis. The movie was directed by Vincenzo Natali. Summary: Six different people, each from a very different walk of life, awaken to find themselves inside a giant cube with thousands of possible rooms. Each has a skill that becomes clear when they must band together to get out: a cop, a math whiz, a building designer, a doctor, an escape master, and a disabled man. Each plays a part in their thrilling quest to find answers as to why they’ve been imprisoned. Watch the trailer here: First time I saw this movie is already quite some time ago, but I watched it many times after. I think I...
Is the next ice age standing on our proverbial doorstep?
The Day After Tomorrow (2004) is a science fiction disaster movie. It features Dennis Quaid and Donnie Darko (woops, I mean Jake Gyllenhaal) and was directed by Roland Emmerich. The movie depicts the possible effects of global warming, which eventually leads to a new ice age. A summary: As Paleoclimatologist Jack Hall was in Antartica, he discovers that a huge ice sheet has been sheared off. But what he did not know is that this event would trigger a massive climate shift that would effect the world population. Meanwhile, his son, Sam was with friends in New York to attend an event. There they discover that it has been raining non-stop for the past 3 weeks, and after a series of weather related disasters that occurred over the world. Everybody soon realizes that...
Would you risk your life to save a different race?
Today we’ll discuss Avatar (2009), ranked #21 of best sci-fi movies of all time! It features Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana and Sigourney Weaver and was directed by the director of Aliens, Titanic and Terminator: James Cameron. A summary: When his brother is killed in a robbery, paraplegic Marine Jake Sully decides to take his place in a mission on the distant world of Pandora. There he learns of greedy corporate figurehead Parker Selfridge’s intentions of driving off the native humanoid “Na’vi” in order to mine for the precious material scattered throughout their rich woodland. In exchange for the spinal surgery that will fix his legs, Jake gathers intel for the cooperating military unit spearheaded by gung-ho Colonel Quaritch, while...
How would people react to an alien encounter?
District 9 (2009) is a science fiction thriller, starring Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope and David James, it was written and directed by Neill Blomkamp and produced by LotR dude Peter Jackson. Summary: In 1982, a massive star ship bearing a bedraggled alien population, nicknamed “The Prawns,” appeared over Johannesburg, South Africa. Twenty-eight years later, the initial welcome by the human population has faded. The refugee camp where the aliens were located has deteriorated into a militarized ghetto called District 9, where they are confined and exploited in squalor. In 2010, the munitions corporation, Multi-National United, is contracted to forcibly evict the population with operative Wikus van der Merwe in charge. In this operation, Wikus is exposed...
Would you fight the authorities to get back your emotions?
This week’s Sci-fi movie analysis regards the movie Equilibrium (2002), featuring Christian Bale and Taye Diggs. The movie was written and directed by Kurt Wimmer. The movie synopsis: A man who dares to feel finds his life in danger in this cautionary science fiction drama. In the future, after a Third World War has decimated much of the Earth’s population, a new nation known as Libria rises up under the unquestioned leadership of Dupont (Angus MacFadyen). Believing human emotions and their expression were to blame for the failings of past societies, The Father has decreed that all citizens must take a daily dose of Prozia II, a drug which levels out the emotional landscape, and that all forms of creative expression are against the law; violating...
What would it be like to find out you’re a clone?
Some spoilers ahead! For this week’s sci-fi movie analysis I’d like to discuss the movie Moon (2009). It features Sam Rockwell, Kevin Spacey (as the voice of GERTY, a quite emotional robot) and is the debut of director Duncan Jones (the son of David Bowie), who also wrote the story. The plot summary: With only three weeks left in his three year contract, Sam Bell is getting anxious to finally return to Earth. He is the only occupant of a Moon-based manufacturing facility along with his computer and assistant, GERTY. The long period of time alone however has resulted in him talking to himself for the most part, or to his plants. Direct communication with Earth is not possible due to a long-standing communication malfunction but he does get an occasional...
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