Movie Physics Reviews: Check Out Intuitor.com

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A discussion highlights a website that critiques the physics in movies, offering ratings like GP for good physics and XP for physics from an unknown universe. Participants find humor in the analysis and appreciate the effort to apply mathematical principles to film scenarios. The conversation touches on specific examples, such as Gandalf's fall in "The Lord of the Rings," where participants debate the physics of his descent compared to other objects. There is a consensus that while fictional physics can be entertaining, inaccuracies become frustrating, especially when a character is portrayed as a scientist. The discussion also notes a personal anecdote about the dangers of working with gasoline and electrical components, emphasizing the impact of cinematic portrayals on real-life perceptions. Overall, the thread balances enjoyment of films with a critical look at their scientific accuracy.
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I found a brilliant site that picks out the bad physics portrayed in many movies. It even has ratings like, GP (good physics), XP (physics from an unknown universe), ...

http://www.intuitor.com/moviephysics/

Enjoy!
 
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Although I have not read all of it, i found it funny. Cheers for that. Bright lights from bullets, I thought something was up. :biggrin:

The Bob (2004 ©)
 
Yeah and quite nice how they went into the effort of doing all the maths to proove it too! :smile:
 
Thats the reason why most films are non-fiction, stop picking holes in them and enjoy them.
 
My favourite: Unobtanium! :D
 
Andy said:
Thats the reason why most films are non-fiction, stop picking holes in them and enjoy them.

Maybe you could still enjoy them and later deal with the physics of it and learn something useful! :wink:
 
When Gandalf plummeted down the abyss in Moria at the beginning of TT, I was disgusted by the bad physics there.
Seemingly, a wizard in flowing robes experience a greater acceleration of gravity (or less air resistance?) than a sword!
Possibly, terminal velocities are reached faster in Middle-Earth, and thus, being more massive, Gandalf is able to overtake his sword.

However, even though the Balrog's wings seemed largely ineffectual, they're still huge, creating a lot of air resistance, and the sword ought to have passed beyond the
balrog prior to Gandalf overtaking it.

There does, of course, exist the slim possibility of Gandalf being able to manipulate the local gravitational fields a bit (him being a wizard and all), but if that were the case, PJ
really should have shown him chanting as he fell..(or perhaps not :biggrin:)
 
Oh, he was chanting - didn't you notice :wink:. What's the matter with you; applying 'normal' physics to wizards ? You've got to use Wizics ! :biggrin:
 
He was?? Damn, I have to see that film again..
 
  • #10
i would really like to see an action movie where not only do they apply good physics but also justification for shooting off all the machine guns. i just saw alien vs. predator and couldn’t get over bringing assault rifles to an archeological expedition in Antarctica. and what’s with everyone getting airtime after being punched/kicked and not getting disgustingly wounded lately?
 
  • #11
Wow...you actually saw AVP ? Boy, you must have an appetite for torture. :biggrin:
 
  • #12
I got dragged to see AVP by a friend of mine.

Oh, it was awful.

I have no problem with making up imaginary physics/science for movies, so long as it's set in a fantasy environment (Star Wars or LoTR, for example). What bothers me to no end is when they make up history or science and it's a (supposed) scientist relaying the garbage in the film.

Whenever one of the characters is a scientist, I know I'm going to hate the film.
 
  • #13
Interesting site. :smile:

I liked the article about the cigarettes and gasoline. Struck a special place with me since I replaced a Jeep's fuel pump for the first time this summer.

When you've assembled all the pump's wiring back together and insert the entire contraption back into a gasoline filled confined space and think how in just a few minutes (well, no more than a few hours, even for the home mechanic), you're going to turn the key in the ignition and send electricity through those very same wires while they're immersed in gasoline and ... Um, maybe I want to check that wiring just one more time, just in case.

One of those things I just never realized - and I'll never start my car with the quite the same confidence, again.
 
  • #14
When Gandalf plummeted down the abyss in Moria at the beginning of TT, I was disgusted by the bad physics there.
Seemingly, a wizard in flowing robes experience a greater acceleration of gravity (or less air resistance?) than a sword!
Possibly, terminal velocities are reached faster in Middle-Earth, and thus, being more massive, Gandalf is able to overtake his sword.

Ummm, isn't it obvious that Gandalf used his super wizard magic to make himself fall faster? Duh! :-p
 
  • #15
Entropy said:
Ummm, isn't it obvious that Gandalf used his super wizard magic to make himself fall faster? Duh! :-p

I DID make allowance for that fact!
 

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