The Tarts Take On Sci-Fi Films

Tart Roundtable

By Rebecca Buchanan
August 1, 2006

The Question: What are your favorite Science Fiction films, and why do you like them so much?

Deanna: My favorite Sci-Fi films are Alien and Aliens. I've probably seen the latter about 20 times.

I enjoy them because I love the character of Ripley. She was one of the first "strong" female leads in Sci-Fi movies that I can remember. The films centered on her — she wasn't some accessory character who was merely a girlfriend to the main guy.

Ripley was a "real" person to me, too. She didn't wear tons of make-up and didn't dress in fancy clothes. I think she was in a jump suit for most of her life on screen. But she was "beautiful" because she was smart, intelligent and strong.

I also think Ripley has one of the greatest fight scenes — her battle with the queen alien from Aliens. When Ripley comes out in the Powerloader onto the dock and says, "Stay away from her, you bitch!" I knew a Sci-Fi icon was born. That has to be one of the best lines ever.

I wasn't really crazy about what happened to Ripley in the third and *shudder* fourth movies, but I'll forever be a fan of hers.

Katherine: Ah, science fiction .... I'll be quite frank, "hard" SF bores me silly. The best stories aren't about frikkin gadgets. The best SF stories are those that use the techno-fantasy setting as a backdrop or catalyst for the exploration of what it means to be human.

I've got a long list here, so I'm going to limit myself to five films.

Pitch Black. Okay, this low-budget SF/Horror movie does have a laughably stupid science mistake in it, but in terms of character study and sheer squirm in your seat suspense, Pitch Black is fascinating. (When you don't have a big effects budget, you have to actually have a decent story.) One of the things that I find so compelling about it is the fact that none of the main characters are good people. We have an anti-social murderer, a "better thee than me" ship's officer, and a drug addicted sadistic bounty hunter.

When the lights go out and the monsters come, we find out what makes everybody tick.

And, it's got Vin Diesel in it.

Alien "In space, nobody can hear you scream."

What I like about Alien so much is that it starts slow and builds. Corporate ship, doing some corporate stuff, bland rather 2001-esqe everything is nice and shiny future.

The thing about making new discoveries is that while some open the doors to wonder and amazing leaps forward, some discoveries spell disaster and that's what Alien is all about. The discoveries that doom, people cracking under the stress, and in the end, one person, Ellen Ripley, through a mixture of a few lucky breaks and her sheer steely will and ingenuity, survives.

In some ways, it's the human story writ small. All those aeons of evolution providing us with the tools we need to take on even the most unexpected challenges.

Aliens Ellen Ripley is back, kicking ass and taking names. This movie had a much bigger budget than Alien, and it shows in the huge action sequences and the fact that we get to see a lot more of the Geigeresque monsters.

But unlike the sequels, this movie still had substance over style, and gives us one of the strongest women characters ever to grace the silver screen — Ripley.

Also, what I like about it is that the catalyst driving the plot is ... corporate greed. And it's completely understandable and easy to rationalize and utterly chilling.

Minority Report Yeah, it's a fad to bash Tom Cruise. Screw that.

A lot of people I know were kind of bored by this movie (too much talking) or got all hung up by the fact that we live in the US, and people could never, ever be taken and detained or convicted of crimes without a trial, not in the US.

Post 9/11 this movie, which is all about the uses of power (both political and technological) and our responsibilities regarding the use of that power, becomes incredibly relevant and deeply
disturbing.

Do we want to live in a world that's safe? Do we want to live in a world where one's movements can be tracked 24/7? How do we balance the needs of the many versus the rights of the few?

The Matrix The sequels sucked rocks, being more about flashy FX than telling a coherent story. (They tried to have substance, but in the end, the focus on oooh-aaah! undermined it.)

To me, The Matrix is what happens when SF fires on all cylinders. Action. The wonders of technology. A deeply thought provoking story, that in some ways is the oldest of all, and yet is new.

Who am I? What is real? What are my priorities?

Actually, The Matrix is what happens when Film springs forth in all its glory. And the fact that this movie didn't get a Best Picture nod (but picked up just about every technical award on the planet) shows how pedestrian the Academy can be indeed.

Honorable Mentions: The Terminator, Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Blade Runner, Brazil, Serenity, Dark City.

Kim: I have a lot I love; here are the stand-outs in no particular order:

The Matrix: good story, amazing special effects and most important to me with this film, cinematography that was just glorious. So many shots really looked like comic book panels, yet didn't feel forced. And I really liked all of the characters, from Trinity to Neo to Agent Smith to the Oracle ... well, I could list them all, really. They felt like fleshed out individuals, even those in smaller parts. And from her opening scene, I wanted to be Trinity. She was so cool! This is all in addition to a really good story — reality is merely a computer construct preventing us from seeing the truth of our own enslavement. Simple, but interesting and realized in a way that challenges our technological culture that relies so much on our own compliance.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (the Disney version): Captain Nemo (James Mason) is one of the earliest crushes I can remember having on a movie character — so lonely and noble. This movie also began my love of underwater Sci-Fi films, and of course its portrayal of the kraken was very influential. Finally, this excellent story of a brilliant man driven into exile by the inhumanity of his fellows was impressively adapted, especially given the limitations of 1954 special effects. After seeing this film, I desperately wanted to join the crew of the Nautilus, or at least have my own submarine that was controlled by playing an organ.

The Abyss: Another great undersea film, this one has great characters who work together in solid ensemble cast. While trying to rescue a sunken nuclear sub, Ed Harris and his crew encounter a mysterious presence in an ocean rift. Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio are brilliant together as an estranged couple who still understand each other better than anyone else could, and in the end, find they still trust and love each other as well. There is a stretch toward the end in which Harris and Mastrantonio have to essentially save each other in different, heartbreaking ways. I was impressed at the way this movie weaves some awesome action sequences together with much more character development than is usually seen in this kind of film, making the results of the action far more moving than we usually see in a blockbuster. And Ed Harris is so cute.

Time Bandits: I watched this quirky film of time traveling dwarves over and over again in college, and it never lost it's charm. A young boy named Kevin is kidnapped by six dwarves who've also stolen a map of creation that shows all the holes in space-time. Terry Gilliam produced and directed, while many other members of the Monty Python troupe starred, along with David Warner as Evil, Ian Holm as Napoleon, and Sean Connery as King Agamemnon. The dwarves have gotten fed up with their jobs in the Supreme Being's repair department, so they're off to strike it rich using the map to hop through time and space. The whole thing is delightful, and filled with humor that ranges from silly slapstick to quite grim.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind: I love this story because it captures the overwhelming feeling of wonder one might feel upon first meeting life from another world. The characters weren't glamorous or especially heroic, but they really show us, especially Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss) how something wondrous can drive us to give up everything, to become heroic. But the movie was even a little more interesting, because while it was one of the first to show aliens as benevolent, the effects of the visit were mixed. On the one hand, Roy gained an amazing opportunity to learn about these visitors; on the other, he abandoned his wife and kids, and I have really mixed feelings about that, which makes the film thought provoking. On top of everything else, this film saw the start of Spielberg's impressive career in Sci-Fi, and that in itself makes it important to me.

The Fifth Element: This film borders on being a guilty pleasure for me, because the story is pretty goofy. Bruce Willis plays a retired military-type living in a future that is technologically advanced, but socially and culturally the same (or a bit worse) than the world today. A giant sphere of evil approaches, only Milla Jovavich can save us, and ultimately she is saved from despair and enabled to do it by Willis's love. Like I said, this is no heavy hitter plotwise. But, I love this film because the society it envisions is complex and interesting and chaotically beautiful, and because the cast is terrific as an ensemble and as elements of that chaotic beauty. This is not the beautiful-people future we sometimes see in Sci-Fi films; rather these people, except for Leeloo, are pretty ordinary, and not especially noble. But somehow humanity appears lovable, which I really like. And, the aliens are cool, especially the Diva Plavalaguna and the Mondochiwans. Finally, from this movie's soundtrack (though not the actual track released) I discovered the musician Khaled, for which I will be forever grateful.

Leigh: My absolute favorite Sci-Fi films are probably Aliens and The Terminator (the first one). I think both movies feature great, strong female leads. For me, both movies have tons of rewatch value and are endlessly entertaining. Besides, I can't think of many other Sci-Fi movies, especially movies directed by a man, where the men end up wounded and the women drag them to safety — Kyle in Terminator and Hicks in Aliens — a nice change of pace, if you ask me. Nothing beats the scene in Terminator where Sarah starts barking orders at Kyle, "MOOOOOVE! ON YOUR FEET, SOLDIER!". I especially love the bond between Newt and Ripley in Aliens. Maybe it's a little pat, Newt having just lost her mother and Ripley her daughter, but it worked for me.

Marissa: After an initially bemused viewing, I fell madly in glee with Luc Besson's The Fifth Element (or, as some like to call it, "Leeloo Dallas Multipass"). It's a bit nuts and a lot nonsensical and random, but that's the joy of it; the over-the-top characters like Ruby Rhod (Chris Tucker) and Zorg (Gary Oldman), the crazy plot elements like the Diva Plavalaguna's aria and the assorted models who pop up as baddies and monsters, and Milla Jovovich talking in pidgin English and wearing designer orange rubberbands. What fun!

Apart from the films that I'd consider a given (The Star Wars Trilogy, Soylent Green) and the films that are deliciously awful (Total Recall, Waterworld), I would have to put the little-known Equilibrium on my list. I love post-apocalyptic dystopias, and this one stars Christian Bale as an emotionless enforcer of government regulations regarding 'sense crimes'. He eventually starts to see the flaws in the soma-like system and the climax is intriguing and exciting, but it's the gloriously choreographed fight-scenes in this one that stand out.

And finally, The Rocky Horror Picture Show. It counts! It has aliens! Aliens who like to sing and wear elaborate lingerie, but aliens nonetheless — and ones who definitely appreciate a science fiction double feature. *g*

Rebecca: I've lost track of how many Sci-Fi films I've seen over the years, so I'll just go with the ones that spring immediately to mind — after all, that means they made an impression, right?

Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure: goofball time travel antics. George Carlin. And that great class presentation at the end. Party on, Dudes!

The Fifth Element: futuristic save-the-world antics. Okay, Bruce Willis and Milla Jovovich had virtually no chemistry, but, hey, there's just so much else going on! Nasty aliens. Nasty corporate bajillionaire. Clueless military. That great fight scene on the cruise ship. The opera. And all the fun secondary characters, all of whom have personalities and quirks of their own. (Wasn't there supposed to be a sequel?)

GalaxyQuest: respectful, satirical homage. Who knew that a Tim Allen movie could be so clever and amusing? And, hey, it's got Sigourney Weaver and Alan Rickman. And a cool ship. And a nasty alien. And Sci-Fi geeks. And so many in-jokes that your head will spin.

The Last Starfighter: reluctant hero saves the galaxy. Okay, the computer effects are dated by today's standards, but the story holds up very well. It has all the classic elements: reluctant hero, distant love, pranksterish (almost) hero, stalwart mentor, malevolent villain (who escapes in the end!!). And that great final scene when Alex returns home to get Maggie. *sigh*

Sheena: I love Pitch Black and The Chronicles of Riddick. Vin Diesel is a major reason why (and Karl Urban in the second). They are entertaining and a bit on the dark side ... and Riddick's eyes and history are a very cool addition to story and character.

I also really like the old silent movie Metropolis (1927) by Fritz Lang. It has the very essence of Sci-Fi within it's tragic future, complete with a robot and some very cantankerous machinery. It is, in a word, classic. And it leaves you with a little mystery as about 25% of the film is considered lost forever.

War of the Worlds — the original 1953 movie starring Gene Barry. That glowing red eye snaking through the rubble of the house to find him and the woman is a scene that has always stuck with me. While the new Tom Cruise/Steven Spielberg version was excellent, it's the original I would prefer to have in my DVD library. It is well cast and still very scary with special effects that may seem dated now but were amazing then.

And of course E.T the Extra-Terrestrial had to make my list. I would say it's one of the best Sci-Fi movies hands-down. It appeals to all ages and people with an amazing cast and a story that will reach into your very core and touch you.

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is an animated film by Hayao Miyazaki that is a bit Sci-Fi and fantasy. Like many Miyazaki films it has a theme of Man vs Nature, often with Man wielding technology and weapons. It is breathtakingly beautiful and full of tragedy, war, love, and courageous spirit.

Akira is another anime movie that must be on my list. It was one of the first DVDs I purchased. The visuals are first rate and so well done it's better than live-action. It's basically about a biker gang member who is turned into a rampaging psionic psychopath by a secret military project and he can only be stopped by friends and other psionics. It is also an anime free of the typical big eyes and colorful hair, and is actually a rather dark and scary story.

Wolfen: Surprisingly, I'm not really that into Sci-Fi. What I'm into is good characterization and imaginative settings; there just happens to be a lot of Sci-Fi films that include these things.

The original Star Wars films, despite the fact that they're a little hokey now, will always have a place in my heart. I can’t remember a time in my life when they weren't around, for one thing. And Luke Skywalker was my first crush. And there were plenty of fantasy elements, like the Force, which is really the bigger draw for me. Of the three films, Return of the Jedi was my fave, probably because of the Ewoks and the redemption of Vader, but really, I love all three very well. I wish I could say the same for the second trilogy ....

Of course I like the Star Trek films too, for pretty much the same reasons — though I'm not fond of all of them (I greatly disliked the last one, Nemesis). In fact, my favourite is probably the one with the least amount of tech in it — the fourth one, The Voyage Home. It was the displacement of the characters into such a low-tech setting that made it so interesting!

Tron was a lot of fun, an imaginative look at the inner workings of a computer. I love the little binary thing that floats around saying only yes and no, and the glowing lines on the costumes for all the programs. The Master Control Program scared the bejeezus outta me, I confess, but Bruce Boxleitner as Tron and Jeff Bridges as Flynn make it worth the risk of nightmares.

Some may argue that Ghostbusters is a fantasy, but it involves a lot of scientific premise — no matter how fake it may be, most of it is still intended to be science instead of magic! Hell, the Ghostbusters themselves are supposed to be scientists! Of course, it's the actors behind the characters that make this movie so worthwhile, especially Bill Murray. I've lost track of how many times I've seen this film!

The Transformers: The Movie might be animated, but I think it still counts: how much more Sci-Fi than giant, sentient robots can you get? And yet while they are robots, the characterization is strong enough that the human viewer can relate easily. And the music effin' rocks! I just pray that the new live-action film doesn’t end up a disappointment ....

I'm also a big fan of The Fifth Element. It's another film I never seem to tire of — I think I saw it at least three times in the theatres. While the film's setting (which is visually quite stunning) is very techno and futuristic, it's also a quirky, light-hearted, fun romp! C'mon, it's Bruce Willis, Chris Tucker, and Gary Oldman, for Frith's sake!

Treasure Planet, Disney's futuristic adaptation of Treasure Island, is a wonderful, vastly underappreciated work, and one of my very fave animated films. The relationship between hottie Jim Hawkins and Long John Silver is compelling, while the fantastical setting (the pirates are aliens, Silver is a Cyborg, and they sail galleons through a special area of space that has an atmosphere) makes it infinitely more interesting to me than the original tale. And the great songs by Goo-Goo Dolls front-man John Rzeznik help, too.

More recently, I adored Joss Whedon's Serenity — but then again, I was already a fan of the TV series, and I watched that because I was already a fan of Whedon, Nathan Fillion (Captain Mal), Gina Torres (Zoe), and Alan Tudyk (Wash). The series is also a bit easier to relate to, since the technology doesn’t seem all that far off from our own, and their daily lives are even a bit of a throwback to the old west.

Now if they'd finally do a Red Dwarf movie, I'd be the first in line ....