Movies for hardcore sci-fi geeks

[sunrah]

I don't know if these were mentioned, because I think there not so well known. They're all reasonably low budget too so they won't be to everyones tastes, but they're pure sci-fi.

Code 46 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0345061/
This is a futuristic love story between "genetically incompatible" people.

Europa Report http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2051879/
Really boring space film, which I just loved. Just cool to see space sci-fi which doesn't turn into a gun fest.

Beyond the Black Rainbow http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1534085/
This is a very pretentious but beautiful looking film, but I have no idea what it's really about.

One Point 0 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0317042/
I really liked this one, it's full of cool consumer nanotech and corrupt, evil future corporations + the ever weird Udo Kier

Sleep Dealer http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0804529/
Is a commentary on the double standards applied to migrant workers, corporate ownership of natural resources and governmental collusion with business.Also Stalker and Solaris (1972) by Tarkovsky are real classics. Stalker is great, but both are kind of slow (and long!).
And most things by David Cronenberg like Videodrome and eXistenz - also Antiviral by Brandon Cronenberg (his son) is worth watching.

 

[Noisy Rhysling]

I liked "Europa Report", good take on social interactions in long-term flights. I can imagine someone watchingthat movie and taking notes.

 

[DaveC426913]

Yep Europa Report was ... unusual. But good.

 

[Noisy Rhysling]

What was the one with Bruce Dern where they had the last bits of natural terrain in domes out in space?

 

[enorbet]

Silent Running

 

[Noisy Rhysling]

Spasebo!

 

[cube137]

The latest incoming Star Trek movie doesn't have the Borgs. I missed the Borgs. What other movies have such theme?

I guess if we push AI to its maximum limits. We will only produce Borgs-like creatures. If you replace every neurons with electronic circuitry or assemble from scratch the latter. You will never create a fully sentient being with emotions. Or can you? This is why I'm interested in Borgs theme movies to explore the possibilities. I'm very interested in neurosciences.

 

[Borg]

The latest incoming Star Trek movie doesn't have the Borgs. I missed the Borgs. What other movies have such theme?

I guess if we push AI to its maximum limits. We will only produce Borgs-like creatures. If you replace every neurons with electronic circuitry or assemble from scratch the latter. You will never create a fully sentient being with emotions. Or can you? This is why I'm interested in Borgs theme movies to explore the possibilities. I'm very interested in neurosciences.

I'm sure that you will see them again.

 

[cube137]

I'm sure that you will see them again.

I want to be convinced the brain circuitry can create emotions on its own. But then.. if the amygdala was removed, the emotion of fear would be extinguished.. so there seems to be equal weights to each argument. I want movies that can convince me of either. Any such list of movies?

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I just watched the first couple of episodes of a series called Black Mirror. It has the flavor of the The Twilight Zone and Outer Limits but focuses on the effects of technology on the human condition. While based on an absurd premise, the first episode was entertaining and... a real porker.

Black Mirror is a British television anthology series created by Charlie Brooker that features speculative fiction with dark and sometimes satirical themes that examine modern society, particularly with regard to the unanticipated consequences of new technologies.[1] The series is produced by Zeppotron for Endemol.

Regarding the programme's content and structure, Brooker noted, "each episode has a different cast, a different setting, even a different reality. But they're all about the way we live now – and the way we might be living in 10 minutes' time if we're clumsy."[2] The series has received critical acclaim, and has seen an increase in interest internationally (particularly in the United States) after being added to Netflix.[3] Stephen King, in particular, has noted his interest in the series.[3][4]

wiki

 

[Bandersnatch]

Black Mirror is absolutely amazing. Every episode leaves you thinking for days.
And Fifteen Million Merits is just devastating.

 

[Fizica7]

Anyone seen and enjoyed either The Forth Kind or Dark Skies ?
Anybody knows similar movies to recommend?

 

[Noisy Rhysling]

"Predistination", based on "All You Zombies". Good treatment of the original story, but with some original twists. I read the short story in 1964. The DVD was released in February.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Black Mirror is absolutely amazing. Every episode leaves you thinking for days.
And Fifteen Million Merits is just devastating.

Yeah, that was good. It reminded me a bit of Donald Trump. I just watched the third episode. Very good and definitely thought provoking! What if all of our life experiences were recorded first person and could be played back at any moment? A reality we may soon face.

Lifelogging - recording every single minute of your life - is quickly moving from science fiction fantasy to real life phenomenon. Of course to truly document every minute of your life today is still a daunting task. Although some people are already doing it...

http://singularityhub.com/2010/07/20/your-entire-life-recorded-lifelogging-goes-mainstream/

 

[Ivan Seeking]

The Perfect 46

This "science factual" feature film has been lauded by MIT Technology Review, Scientific American, Science, and the London Evening Standard as "a worryingly believable cautionary tale." The Perfect 46 explores the personal, professional, and social consequences that arise when a geneticist creates a website that pairs an individual with their ideal genetic partner for children.

Amazon Prime Movies

Set in the near future, 'The Perfect 46' documents the rise, and fall, of a fictional genome-matching service. A panel of experts weighed in after a recent screening at Stanford.

The company’s promise is simple, and alluring. Send it your sequenced genome, along with your partner’s, and its proprietary algorithm will determine whether your children will be born free of genetic defects — or not.

“Jesse [Darden, the company’s CEO] wasn’t going to cure the diseases; he would just breed them out. It made a lot of people uncomfortable,” says company senior vice president Ronald Khan, played by actor Sheldon Coolman, in The Perfect 46, a movie about the dilemmas of genetic screening and matchmaking...

https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-n...es-ethical-dilemmas-of-genetic-screening.html

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Black Mirror only has a handful of episodes but they were all good.

Another British Sci-Fi series that I just watched and really enjoyed is Humans.

Humans (stylised as HUM∀NS) is a British-American science fiction television series, with the first season debuting on 14 June 2015 on Channel 4 and AMC, and concluding on 2 August 2015.[1] Written by the British team Sam Vincent and Jonathan Brackley, based on the award-winning Swedish science fiction drama Real Humans, the series explores the themes of artificial intelligence and robotics, focusing on the social, cultural, and psychological impact of the invention of anthropomorphic robots called "synths". The series is produced jointly by AMC, Channel 4 and Kudos.[2] Eight episodes were produced for the first series,[3] with a second, eight-episode series scheduled to air in the UK in late 2016 and in the United States in 2017.[4]

Wiki

I read that they just started filming a second season. Yay! The first season was excellent.

Also, not hard sci-fi by any means but fun to watch - Under The Dome. It is a collaboration of Steven Spielberg and Stephen King. The science often makes me cringe but it's a creative story.

Under the Dome is an American science fiction mystery drama television series. It premiered on CBS on June 24, 2013,[1] and concluded on September 10, 2015.[2] The series was developed by Brian K. Vaughan and based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King.

Under the Dome tells the story of the residents of the fictional small town of Chester's Mill, when a massive, transparent, indestructible dome suddenly cuts them off from the rest of the world. Military forces, the government, and the media positioned outside the barrier attempt to break it down, while the residents trapped inside must find their own ways to survive with diminishing resources and rising tensions. A small group of people inside the dome must also unravel complicated mysteries in order to figure out what the dome is, where it came from, and when (and if) it will go away.

Wiki

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Sleep Dealer http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0804529/
Is a commentary on the double standards applied to migrant workers, corporate ownership of natural resources and governmental collusion with business..

Great movie and the first Mexican-made Science Fiction movie I'd ever seen.

 

[Bandersnatch]

Eh, Humans lost me when the

Spoiler

robot started to regain memory - it was just, I don't know, hamfisted?

.
The first half or so was great, though.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Eh, Humans lost me when the

Spoiler

robot started to regain memory - it was just, I don't know, hamfisted?

.
The first half or so was great, though.

Yeah, I can see that. I wonder if anyone would get my joke when I say she is

Spoiler

Synthil

PS. I thought ham fisted was a good description. For me it didn't detract too much but I agree.

Under the Dome is really bad that way but it's such a fun story I can't help but like it. I also enjoyed the short series Jericho, which is much the same in this regard.

 

[enorbet]

ping Ivan Seeking - I hadn't seen your post before just yesterday when I watched The Perfect 46. I am extremely impressed. It is not linear in time in that it jumps around a lot (example: recorded interviews) but it is never unnecessarily dense or hard to grasp as the plot unfolds, partly due to the superb sense of realism created. It isn't a "thrill a minute" roller coaster ride but more a serious "thinker" with extremely deep implications and questions. It lets, or maybe more accurately, forces the viewer to face real concerns in computing, genetics, business, government and public expectations. This film is truly a cut above.

 

[Bandersnatch]

Netflix's Stranger Things is fantastic. Nowhere near hard science - more like E.T. mixed with X-files. Oozes nostalgia for the olden Spielberg-slash-Cronenberg days, but manages to stand on its own too.
I couldn't help but binge-watch the whole series in one sitting.

 

[enorbet]

Hello - just wanted to take a moment to thank all those that recommended Black Mirror. It is superbly written and executed, often even when it "gets in the door sideways" still makes profound points that keep me thinking for days. The series is now on Netflix and I recommend it to any sort of Sci Fi lover as it is only just a short step removed from the present and has exceptional relevance.

 

[Bandersnatch]

Apparently, there's now 3rd season of Black Mirror available on Netflix. You know what to do.

Speaking of Netflix, they also have this show called 'The Expanse', which I've found to be right up my 'hardcore SF fan' alley. It's got bits of noir, political drama, mystery, and the good old 'me and me mates flying around in our spaceship' fun.
They get really quite a lot of the science right, and where they don't (sound in space, most noticeably) you can see how they made the decision for dramatic purposes rather than out of laziness or ignorance.
There are sensible-looking orbital manoeuvres and space combat, feasibly-imagined space stations and asteroid mining (if you've read the thread about mining asteroids we've got on PF you'll recognise some ideas), low and zero gravity and vacuum-related effects.
And all-around solid show, quite far on the hardness scale.

 

[enorbet]

Bandersnatch, apparently I need to borrow your Vorpal Sword to find "The Expanse" on Netflix. :) I searched for "expanse" and all I get is "related" videos. It's on Amazon but not available on Prime. Any hints?

 

[Bandersnatch]

I'm not sure how Netflix works exactly - maybe they've got regional restrictions? (I'm in central Europe)

 

[Noisy Rhysling]

View attachment 108787

I'm not sure how Netflix works exactly - maybe they've got regional restrictions? (I'm in central Europe)

https://www.finder.com/netflix-usa-vs-world-content

 

[enorbet]

Thanks for that link Noisy but it says that The Expanse is available in Singapore.. that's it.

 

[Noisy Rhysling]

Thanks for that link Noisy but it says that The Expanse is available in Singapore.. that's it.

You have to wait for it to show up on Youtube then?

 

[gleem]

Another recent Netflix release Is "Glitch" an Australian production. More like X-files. If you accept the premise the story is interesting.

 

[DaveC426913]

Another recent Netflix release Is "Glitch" an Australian production. More like X-files. If you accept the premise the story is interesting.

Just started watching that. Though its seems to be almost identical to The Returned.

 

[enorbet]

You have to wait for it to show up on Youtube then?

Or get a Singapore Sling-box? ;)

 

[Noisy Rhysling]

LOVED "The Arrival". The box of books...

 

[Bandersnatch]

Alright, I've got two new ones. Neither is strictly what I'd normally recommend to truly hardcore SF nerdy crowd, but they're worthwhile in their own way.

First is the British-made 'Anti Matter'. It kinda tries to pull of a Primer, but is not as committed to hardcore accuracy (so you do get e.g. monitors displaying 1s and 0s, as if that were readable by anyone, ever). But it's an interesting, and different than your run-of-the-mill SF film treatment. As for the plot, think of it as the standard Star Trek problem of what happens when you teleport a person.
Flawed, but a good watch nonetheless.

The second one, is the oddly titled: 'Science Fiction Volume One: The Osiris Child'. Now what is the tile meant to signify, I don't quite understand. But anyway.
It's a SF film reminiscent of what used to come out in the 80s and 90s - just a fun and well made, but fiercely original romp, working around its low budget to surprisingly good effect. There are some monsters, alright - although probably their design is the weakest part of the film. But mostly its the kind of fun you get when you watch Mad Max'es (also Aussie flicks) or perhaps more closely related, Pitch Black - there's an outline of a larger, fun world that is not over-explained, and you're just honed in on the immediate character drama for which the world is just a backdrop.
It's not terribly deep, but oh, so much fun. Seriously, it's been a while since I've experienced this kind of SF.Both films are notable for what can be achieved with a limited budget and a good idea. The first is made pretty much out of shots of Oxford, some indoor sets, and a few extras. The second one is mostly Australian desolation, a few bits of serviceable CGI, and very few SF sets.

 

[enorbet]

Both thumbs up for "The Arrival" ! It's not exactly monster fare. It isn't Space Opera. It doesn't have scantily clad Moon Maidens BUT it is up there on a par with 2001 and Contact. In fact in some ways it is even better because it is so believable with just a few teensy weensy A"suspend disbelief" points. The climax is truly excellent and a mind-blower.

 

[cube137]

No one has seen Avengers: Endgame yet?

Was it so boring no discussions here or the topic is banned temporary to avoid spoilers?

I admit I was a bit pissed as I read the spoiler in the headlines before watching it.

Once the dusts have settled, and most have watched it. Then someone start the thread. I want you to share the phrases that involved those scientific jargons. I couldn't remember the exact lines such as "Eigenvalues", etc. Also is Tony Stark a physicist? He can single handedly work out new theories as well as single handed build something more complex than LHC! He may be much brighter than Edward Witten who hasn't even built a jet pack yet. Tony Stark is just phenomenal!

 

[member 656954]

Both thumbs up for "The Arrival"

I was disappointed when I first saw The Arrival at the cinema, but watched it on TV a couple of years later, and changed my mind. Very emotive and quite intelligent.

ARQ wasn't bad, kind of a violent Groundhog Day premise that was pretty tense. And Ex Machina was good. Very thought provoking and I loved the ending.

But the hard sci fi movie that really blew my mind was Predestination. Based on Heinlein's "__All You Zombies__" short story, and wow, what an elaboration of the concept.

 

[Bandersnatch]

Anyone seen High Life? It's like a love child of Silent Running and Tarkovsky's Solaris.

 

[cube137]

I was disappointed when I first saw The Arrival at the cinema, but watched it on TV a couple of years later, and changed my mind. Very emotive and quite intelligent.

ARQ wasn't bad, kind of a violent Groundhog Day premise that was pretty tense. And Ex Machina was good. Very thought provoking and I loved the ending.

But the hard sci fi movie that really blew my mind was Predestination. Based on Heinlein's "__All You Zombies__" short story, and wow, what an elaboration of the concept.

I wanted my mind to be blown yesterday so I watched Predestination. Yes. It was superb!

More spectacular sci fi movies recommendations please? I'm tired of Thanos and alike already.

 

[pinball1970]

I wanted my mind to be blown yesterday so I watched Predestination. Yes. It was superb!

More spectacular sci fi movies recommendations please? I'm tired of Thanos and alike already.

Tolkien has just come out, I will be interested to see where he got his inspiration for LOTR and the Hobbit. He was in the great war so no doubt that will feature, I read 'the dead marshes' were based on the trenches but I don't know much else.

 

[DaveC426913]

Tolkien has just come out, I will be interested to see where he got his inspiration for LOTR and the Hobbit. He was in the great war so no doubt that will feature, I read 'the dead marshes' were based on the trenches but I don't know much else.

I do know that the Hobbits got their legendary stoicism from the British folk during the war. Like the British Tolkien admired, Hobbits are all stiff upper lip, and just keep getting up and moving.

 

[pinball1970]

I do know that the Hobbits got their legendary stoicism from the British folk during the war. Like the British Tolkien admired, Hobbits are all stiff upper lip, and just keep getting up and moving.

I was obsessed with the books when I was a teenager but a bit disappointed with cartoon when I got round to seeing it. Too much was left out.
Not nearly as disappointed as when I saw Peter Jackson version, all that hype money and great actors and beautiful New Zealand sets and they still messed stuff up and made pointless additions and story changes.

I'll never forgive the Guardian for claiming the film was true to the book in the review I read.
The reviewers had probably read a precis or teachers notes.

 

[Glenstr]

Recently watched Train to Busan, a Korean zombie flick that was actually pretty good. I'm not really into the Zombie genre (other than ones like Zombieland & Shaun of the Dead etc) but this one was pretty entertaining. Worth a watch.

 

[DaveC426913]

Just watched Into the Spiderverse.
Gorgeous artwork.
Preposterously silly plot.
But highly entertaining in true Marvel form.

 

[member 656954]

Has The Titan been mentioned? It is embedded with science, and is entirely believable if you accept the premise of bioengineering a human to swim the methane seas of Titan

 

[enorbet]

BTW while this might be "bringing coals to Newcastle" I figured I'd better be perfectly clear that my reference and kudos above for The Arrival does not refer to the Charlie sheen movie of a few years earlier. I was referring to this one https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2543164/.

The Charlie Sheen movie isn't all that bad but it is like comparing 1990's Dick Tracy film to The Godfather in this case.

BTW while not a cinema house movie the TV series The Expanse is very decent. It's been mentioned here along with Black Mirror both of which i am indebted to this thread for the introduction. Isn't it great that a hard science forum also caters to serious imagination?

 

[Lord Crc]

Not sure if it's been mentioned, but I've been enjoying the Netflix series Dark. Not usual hard scifi, and ignore the few cases of technobabble but the core premise is handled a lot better than in most other sci-fi's IMHO.

 

[Arebennian]

Coherence, for anyone who is a fan of Primer and other low-budget, high-concept science fiction films. Zero special effects, and most of it takes place in a suburban dining room. It plays around with QM concepts - admittedly at the pop-sci level, but it's definitely no Endgame, and the ending is pretty fantastic. It's currently one of my favorite SF films.

Upstream Color, also by Shane Carruth of Primer fame, is another good one.

I enjoyed Annihilation a lot, though the book is better, and the film added a few dramatic elements that didn't need to be there. It's still pretty solid and the visual presentation is amazing.

 

[new6ton]

I watched Ghostbusters 2016 again to in time for Halloween mood. There were a lot of special effects and they lost hundreds of millions of dollars. I think the reason was they tried to make it as comedy. The story concept was sound yet those women like that blonde trying to act funny and silly was I think what destroyed it. It was just so uncalled for. They should have titled it 4 Stooges instead.

The last Ghostbusters movie was about opening gateway so that the realm of the ghosts or spirits would have access to our world.

I want to watch similar movies with same themes where there were gateways that got opened. Event Horizon and Hellboy was one of them. What have you watched that have stuff about gateways and opening them?

And in our physics. What are the gateways counterpart? Is it only wormhole, and nothing more?

 

[Bandersnatch]

What have you watched that have stuff about gateways and opening them?

Stargate
In the Mouth of Madness
The Gate
Pacific Rim

and of course:
The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe ;)

 

[new6ton]

Stargate
In the Mouth of Madness
The Gate
Pacific Rim

and of course:
The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe ;)

I haven't watched yet

1. The Gate
2. In the Mouth of Madness
3. The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe

Thanks. Will start looking for them. More guys!