Math and Science Movies and TV Shows

[FulhamFan3]

After the horrible "Numb3rs" I would like to get a consensus on shows and movies with science and if anybody here liked them.

Infinity-starring mathew broderick. about richard feynman

Pi-Indie film about chaos theory

A Beautiful Mind-starring russel crowe. about john nash and game theory

IQ-starring Tim Robbins and Meg Ryan. love story with einstein in it

Numb3rs-math genius solve crimes. fancy 1337 speak title

Apollo 13-failed mission to the moon

That's all I can think of off the top of my head right now. I want this list to have realistic movies. That means fiction not science fiction. That means no Star Wars or Red Dwarf(which is the best show ever). Armageddon is kind of a toss up. So is The Core. From my short list you know what type of media I'm talking about.

edit: Totally forgot about Dante's Peak. Movie has a lot of science in it

 

[FulhamFan3]

The Manhattan Project

 

[arildno]

I liked "A beautiful mind"; though the book was more interesting

 

[FulhamFan3]

I thought a beautiful mind was fine but it could of been better. Especially after seeing nash's biography.

Another movie I thought of.

Real Genius-starring val kilmer. about a bunch of geeks at a tech school

 

[Les Sleeth]

Mr. Wizard

 

[Evo]

Beakman's World was great.

 

[Kakarot]

Beakman's World was great.

blasphemy
bill nye > beakman

 

[Evo]

blasphemy
bill nye > beakman

bill nye beakman

Beakman had a very large rat.

 

[franznietzsche]

After the horrible "Numb3rs" I would like to get a consensus on shows and movies with science and if anybody here liked them.

Infinity-starring mathew broderick. about richard feynman

Pi-Indie film about chaos theory

A Beautiful Mind-starring russel crowe. about john nash and game theory

IQ-starring Tim Robbins and Meg Ryan. love story with einstein in it

Numb3rs-math genius solve crimes. fancy 1337 speak title

Apollo 13-failed mission to the moon

That's all I can think of off the top of my head right now. I want this list to have realistic movies. That means fiction not science fiction. That means no Star Wars or Red Dwarf(which is the best show ever). Armageddon is kind of a toss up. So is The Core. From my short list you know what type of media I'm talking about.

edit: Totally forgot about Dante's Peak. Movie has a lot of science in it

Haven't seen or heard of infinity, but if its about feynman, i'll have too.

I've only heard bad things about Pi.

I loved a Beuatiful mind. Not filled with math, but whenever it did reference something (like nash equilibrium points) the example it made was at least applicable.

IQ was garbage from a scientific/mathematic point. I don't even know why i watched it, i was channel surfing and ran into that. Meh.

NUmb3rs, well yeah i laughed pretty hard at the 1337 title. Total garbage. Worse than IQ. IN IQ they made a pretense of producing false cold fusion papers. But all the people writing them knew they were false. They wanted tim robbins character to look smart to hook him up with einstein's niece.

Apollo 13 is probably the most accurate and valid out of all of them, with beautiful mind a close second.

The core makes every part of me want to die. Total garbage. No value whatsoever.

 

[dduardo]

Scientific American Frontiers is a pretty good show.

 

[Evo]

and NOVA, also a

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I got a kick out of Volcano; mainly since I used to work right across the street from the Hard Rock at Cedars Sinai Medical Cnt, and also because I like seeing LA get wiped out. It is interesting that sooner or later something like that will happen..okay, maybe everything except most of what happened in the movie. But a volcanic eruption that takes out a large city, or for that matter, even a good part of a state here in the US, is entirely possible, if not inevitable.

Mentioned recently in another thread, I think one of the best TV science shows ever was The Mechanical Universe.

 

[franznietzsche]

I got a kick out of Volcano; mainly since I used to work right across the street from the Hard Rock at Cedars Sinai Medical Cnt, and also because I like seeing LA get wiped out. It is interesting that sooner or later something like that will happen..okay, maybe everything except most of what happened in the movie. But a volcanic eruption that takes out a large city, or for that matter, even a good part of a state here in the US, is entirely possible, if not inevitable.

As i recall the tar pits were most geologically active when they sat over a hotspot, like yellowstone, but they don't anymore.

I could be wrong about this, but i think that's what they said last time i visited the tar pits.

 

[FulhamFan3]

I think some of you are missing the point. While beakman, bill nye and mr. wizard were all great shows, they were educational. I'm talking about media that is in a dramatic vein. Otherwise I would name 321 Contact, Square One and Beyond 2000.

While I'm at it I thought of another movie.

Young Einstein-starring yahoo serious. einstein splits the beer atom

 

[franznietzsche]

Young Einstein-starring yahoo serious. einstein splits the beer atom

Do i have permision to burn anyone associated with that idea? PLEASE!

 

[Ivan Seeking]

okay this should get a rise...

Mindwalk.

 

[Smurf]

has anyone said the matrix yet? yes? damnit!

oh well, I guess I'll go watch the core again all by myself.

 

[franznietzsche]

has anyone said the matrix yet? yes? damnit!

oh well, I guess I'll go watch the core again all by myself.

I didn't know you were a sado-masochist.

 

[cepheid]

^Yeah, and he tortures himself with implements made of...UNOBTAINIUM!

(*runs and hides*)

 

[tribdog]

^Yeah, and he tortures himself with implements made of...UNOBTAINIUM!

(*runs and hides*)

anyone who mentions the U word should be given an 8 hour ban to sit and reflect.

 

[Curious3141]

I can't believe Good Will Hunting hasn't been mentioned yet.

Other great movies with Math in them : It's My turn with the opening scene on Snake Lemma and Stand and Deliver where integration by parts is beautifully explained.

The Mirror has two faces (Barbara Streisand) : a brief explanation of the twin primes conjecture.

Sneakers : a very layman-like introduction to mathematical cryptography.

Little Man Tate : Surprisingly refreshing story about a child prodigy, some very basic mental math.

Perhaps the strangest mathematical references in any movie I've seen was in The Cube, where the prisoners had to figure out mathematical rules that governed the "safe" and "boobytrapped" cells or they died in the most grisly manner.

 

[tribdog]

Basic instinct-Sharon Stone got me interested in math when she divided her legs.

 

[Curious3141]

Basic instinct-Sharon Stone got me interested in math when she divided her legs.

She didn't divide, she showed us the bisection of acute angle.

And boy, was it a cute angle

 

[franznietzsche]

Basic instinct-Sharon Stone got me interested in math when she divided her legs.

IN the interrogation room, or in the bedroom?

 

[The_Professional]

Frequency is another good if not great science movie. Brian Greene made a special appearance though I don't remember the part.

 

[FulhamFan3]

Do i have permision to burn anyone associated with that idea? PLEASE!

You can destroy or compliment any film you want.


Sneakers is a good movie and Good Will Hunting is one of my absolute favorites.
The only movie Ben Afflec was any good in. Plus they talked about real math
without insulting it.

I hated the movie frequency. It was predictable and pretty much did whatever they wanted with logic and time travel to conviently fit the plot line. However to me this is sci-fi.

The Score-(Spoiler)has a scene where he uses a shockwave in a fluid to blowout a door.

 

[The_Professional]

I hated the movie frequency. It was predictable and pretty much did whatever they wanted with logic and time travel to conviently fit the plot line. However to me this is sci-fi.

What I like about it is they tried to make the movie believable in terms of Science without going overboard.

 

[Moonbear]

What about something like Stargate that is mostly science fiction but tries to incorporate the ocassional real science-ish concept to give credibility to the science fiction? For instance, last night they had on an episode where amidst all this complete fiction about some uncontrolled reaction of one fictional compound being converted to another fictional compound threatening to explode a fictional planet, they started talking about particle physics and muons. (I have no idea what they were talking about though, I was already drifting in and out of sleep while it was on and only woke up long enough to hear "muons" and "your knowledge of particle physics has improved" and fell back asleep...it only stuck in my mind because this thread came to mind as they said it).

 

[The_Professional]

Nobody mentioned MacGyver. Very interesting show. No matter how deep in trouble, he always finds a way to get out with just his swiss army knife, a piece of cloth and a pint of beer

One episode that stuck to mind is when he put some eggs into a non-functioning radiator on an old broken down jeep. Not sure if that would work in real life so debunk that

 

[Moonbear]

Nobody mentioned MacGyver. Very interesting show. No matter how deep in trouble, he always finds a way to get out with just his swiss army knife, a piece of cloth and a pint of beer

One episode that stuck to mind is when he put some eggs into a non-functioning radiator on an old broken down jeep. Not sure if that would work in real life so debunk that

My step-father who was a mechanic says it will work, at least as a temporary fix, but don't expect to be able to repair the radiator afterward. In other words, if you're stuck in the middle of nowhere and just happen to have an egg, it will help you get home, but you'll be replacing the whole radiator, not just repairing it, when you are done.

I loved how all his ideas really were based on theory at least. Like when he plugged a hole in a tank of sulfuric acid with candy bars...the resultant crusty black gunk is what you get when you mix sugar and sulfuric acid...not so sure it would keep a hole plugged since it's pretty porous, and don't think it would withstand much pressure behind it, but anyone who got past 7th grade science class knows how cool that reaction is to watch!

 

[franznietzsche]

What about something like Stargate that is mostly science fiction but tries to incorporate the ocassional real science-ish concept to give credibility to the science fiction? For instance, last night they had on an episode where amidst all this complete fiction about some uncontrolled reaction of one fictional compound being converted to another fictional compound threatening to explode a fictional planet, they started talking about particle physics and muons. (I have no idea what they were talking about though, I was already drifting in and out of sleep while it was on and only woke up long enough to hear "muons" and "your knowledge of particle physics has improved" and fell back asleep...it only stuck in my mind because this thread came to mind as they said it).

I love watching SG-1. Not great scientific value, but definitely good entertainment. To their credit however, i have yet to catch them making a mistake when they bring up real science.

 

[Gokul43201]

Ummm...Star Trek, TNG.

And Pi should not be included in the list. There is NO math in it...only crackpottery.

 

[Evo]

I "LOVE" Star Trek TNG!

 

[LogiX]

A.I. Artificial Intelligence
Red Planet
Mission to Mars
Solaris (wee bit wierd)


Ryan

 

[Curious3141]

^^ARRGHHH Solaris ! I hated that movie (the version with George Clooney, I haven't seen the other). Slow, plodding, pretentious and ultimately utterly pointless.

 

[plover]

Like when he plugged a hole in a tank of sulfuric acid with candy bars...the resultant crusty black gunk is what you get when you mix sugar and sulfuric acid...not so sure it would keep a hole plugged since it's pretty porous, and don't think it would withstand much pressure behind it, but anyone who got past 7th grade science class knows how cool that reaction is to watch!

I never saw this—apparently I had a deficient 7th grade science teacher...

 

[Zorodius]

Devoid of veracity though it may be, I enjoyed Pi a lot. It overflowed with genuine enthusiasm for its source material. We should be so lucky as to live in a society where everyone holds the sort of passion for the mystique of mathematics that was shown in Pi.

A Beautiful Mind and Apollo 13 were both enjoyable movies in my book, too. Numb3rs, on the other hand, is an abysmal series that is inaccurate to the point of being wantonly offensive to the viewer's intelligence, and is written, directed, casted, and acted so poorly that is is completely unenjoyable even as a pulp crime drama, disregarding the math gimmick.

Nobody has mentioned Enigma yet. That's probably for the best.

 

[tribdog]

I have two movie comments that have nothing to do with math or science about two movies that have nothing to do with math or science.
1) Every single time the mentally retarded guy in "Anchorman" opens his mouth I laugh.
2"50 First Dates" is a chick flick, but I must be feeling feminine because I liked it. My comment about it is: the ending is great and the ukelele version of "Somewhere over the Rainbow" is perfect.

 

[franznietzsche]

I have two movie comments that have nothing to do with math or science about two movies that have nothing to do with math or science.
1) Every single time the mentally retarded guy in "Anchorman" opens his mouth I laugh.
2"50 First Dates" is a chick flick, but I must be feeling feminine because I liked it. My comment about it is: the ending is great and the ukelele version of "Somewhere over the Rainbow" is perfect.

Tribdog's been neutered.

Dang it Moonbear!

 

[Moonbear]

Tribdog's been neutered.

Dang it Moonbear!

Yeah, I know. I think it was my fault. He broke himself and someone told me to fix him, and before any of us realized what was going on, there were two new jars next to the pickled onions. Oh, wait, I have to get back to the Suggestion Box and warn them that those aren't fava beans! I shouldn't drink and bake.

 

[franznietzsche]

Yeah, I know. I think it was my fault. He broke himself and someone told me to fix him, and before any of us realized what was going on, there were two new jars next to the pickled onions. Oh, wait, I have to get back to the Suggestion Box and warn them that those aren't fava beans! I shouldn't drink and bake.

DANG IT!

THATS SO NOT COOL.

 

[tribdog]

these aren't fava beans. They taste like fava beans.
I'm lying I don't know what fava beans taste like. I've never eaten fava beans. but I have eaten testicles. weird huh?

 

[Moonbear]

these aren't fava beans. They taste like fava beans.
I'm lying I don't know what fava beans taste like. I've never eaten fava beans. but I have eaten testicles. weird huh?

I don't even know what a fava bean is. Though, as I think about it, that probably wasn't a very flattering comparison, was it?

 

[tribdog]

fava beans aren't the same thing as Kiwi Fruit? maybe it was an insult.

 

[Moonbear]

Yep, I think it's an insult now that I had to look up what a fava bean is.
http://www.sfc.ucdavis.edu/pubs/brochures/favabean.html

Scarey little beans, aren't they?

Favism

Favism is an inherited disorder of certain individuals, particularly of southern European origin. These people have an enzyme deficiency expressed when fava beans are eaten, especially raw or partially cooked. Symptoms commonly include acute toxic hepatitis and those similar to influenza. Males are more commonly affected than females; mortality is almost entirely confined to children. Fava plant pollen in the respiratory tract also affects these people.