Thread: Bloody Hollywood AGAIN.

Just watched Europa Report.
Well worth it. Unknown (to me) cast and, miracle of miracles, it's a straight science fiction story - not SF horror, not SF action, not SF anything... just SF.
Something that could (with a few changes ¹) been written by Asimov, or, more probably, Clarke.
Science fiction from when SF was about the wonder of it all.

So what's wrong?
This: I spent half the film waiting for the Big Bad to burst out of someone's stomach, or through the walls, or swoop down from another dimension.
It really did take a while to get into the swing of this is a real story about the actual possibilities ².
It's not "huge", it's not "spectacular" ³, it's not Hollywood.
But it IS a damned good genuine science fiction film.
Don't pass up the chance to see it.
"Compared to the breadth of knowledge yet to be known, what does your life actually matter?"
Now that's "golden age" SF.

Oh yeah - it also posits a genuine reason why women on space missions (especially long term ones) isn't really feasible [sup5[/sup].

1 It's done as a found footage story - which maybe wouldn't work in written form, but would have been fine as a linear tale.
2 Nuh, okay there was the obligatory "I'm running low on air and have to get back to the ship but I saw something just over there and I'm going to risk taking a look" followed, as ever, closely by "Oh shit I'm dead".
3 But, of course, it IS. It's about people, frail stubborn humans, venturing out into space - space! stars! OMG just LOOK at it! - and a genuine "Look upward, and share... the wonders I have seen" ⁴.
4 Sadly Chiana wasn't in it though.
5 They said it out loud - you're only allowed two pairs of shoes on the ship!

A movie with substance and meaning, without copious amounts of blood at intermittent sex scenes throughout? Sounds awful.

From the OP

5 They said it out loud - you're only allowed two pairs of shoes on the ship!

Keeping them pregnant and barefoot would solve the shoe problem but present with a host of others, I suppose?

Originally Posted by scheherazade

From the OP

5 They said it out loud - you're only allowed two pairs of shoes on the ship!

Keeping them pregnant and barefoot would solve the shoe problem but present with a host of others, I suppose?

Not the least of which might be Guinea Worms. joc

Darn, not on netflix

Dang....I'll miss it.....not enough special effects to make it real

Sometimes a trailer helps. I'd watch it.

That trailer could lead you into thinking it's a "monsters coming through the walls" type film.
I'm not saying it's misleading but how many people do you suppose would, after seeing the trailer, expect monsters?

Originally Posted by Dywyddyr

That trailer could lead you into thinking it's a "monsters coming through the walls" type film.
I'm not saying it's misleading but how many people do you suppose would, after seeing the trailer, expect monsters?

I don't know, but not getting what you expect is sometimes good. Any group of 6 people on that kind of adventure can be harry enough without any monsters. It's the kind of mission that has a very good chance of being a one way trip and you still make the choice to go on it. Then throw in some great space scenery and whatever might pass for human interaction in that situation and you have what might be a pretty good plot.

Originally Posted by Bad Robot

I don't know, but not getting what you expect is sometimes good.

I agree, in general. But.

Not getting what you expect means you have to reassess what you've already seen.
And, depending on whereabouts in the film that point occurs and how long it takes you to do so, affects the rest of the film to varying degrees.

I caught up fairly quickly with RED - I'd read the original comic and was looking forward to something far, far far, darker, but it was only about ten-twenty minutes or so in when I made the switch. And loved it.
On the other hand I was dragged by my (then) wife to see Costner's Robin Hood, about which I'd heard nothing prior to arriving at the cinema. It took far longer for me to realise it supposed to be funny (in that I'd gone in thinking it was going to be a serious treatment and had also not, up that point, found the "humorous aspects" to be particularly humorous). It's still not a film I'm enamoured of.

Originally Posted by Dywyddyr

Originally Posted by Bad Robot

I don't know, but not getting what you expect is sometimes good.

I agree, in general. But.

Not getting what you expect means you have to reassess what you've already seen.
And, depending on whereabouts in the film that point occurs and how long it takes you to do so, affects the rest of the film to varying degrees.

I caught up fairly quickly with RED - I'd read the original comic and was looking forward to something far, far far, darker, but it was only about ten-twenty minutes or so in when I made the switch. And loved it.
On the other hand I was dragged by my (then) wife to see Costner's Robin Hood, about which I'd heard nothing prior to arriving at the cinema. It took far longer for me to realise it supposed to be funny (in that I'd gone in thinking it was going to be a serious treatment and had also not, up that point, found the "humorous aspects" to be particularly humorous). It's still not a film I'm enamoured of.

If it's a SciFi movie, I'll probably want to go see it and make up my own mind about it's worth to me. However this movie could be the real thing in the not to distant future, so it's only a semi-SciFi movie or something close to that. It's almost something you can relate to in the here and now and that makes it a bit more exciting than it might otherwise be.

Originally Posted by Bad Robot

Sometimes a trailer helps. I'd watch it.

now I really do not like heights!

This movie got too much praise for being "realistic" or "scientifically accurate."

1. Why didn't they have sonar? You'd think that'd be a key instrument for underwater exploration.

2. EVA suits (space suits) have contingency thrusters: Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

3. Katya was a lunatic, as was the crew in general. Scientists don't zealously, impulsively risks their lives for the sake of scientific discovery. Scientific research is done under the assumption of personal well being. Not even the most fervent scientist in the world would give a hoot about scientific data if it meant putting their life in the path of direct harm.

4. People with families (spouse and kids) wouldn't volunteer for such a risky mission.

5. The way the blonde girl (Rosa?) kept implying that acquisition of scientific knowledge trumps self preservation was laughable. Not sure what the writers were thinking. These were caricatures of scientists.

Originally Posted by pikkiwoki

This movie got too much praise for being "realistic" or "scientifically accurate."

1. Why didn't they have sonar? You'd think that'd be a key instrument for underwater exploration.

2. EVA suits (space suits) have contingency thrusters: Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

3. Katya was a lunatic, as was the crew in general. Scientists don't zealously, impulsively risks their lives for the sake of scientific discovery. Scientific research is done under the assumption of personal well being. Not even the most fervent scientist in the world would give a hoot about scientific data if it meant putting their life in the path of direct harm.

4. People with families (spouse and kids) wouldn't volunteer for such a risky mission.

5. The way the blonde girl (Rosa?) kept implying that acquisition of scientific knowledge trumps self preservation was laughable. Not sure what the writers were thinking. These were caricatures of scientists.

I would tend to disagree with you in that lots of scientists put themselves in very dangerous situations. Just to name a few, storm chasers, vulcanologist, astronauts, deep sea explorers, cave explorers, jungle work. Whenever there is a great need for knowledge there will be people willing to put themselves in danger to get it.

Originally Posted by Bad Robot

Originally Posted by pikkiwoki

This movie got too much praise for being "realistic" or "scientifically accurate."

1. Why didn't they have sonar? You'd think that'd be a key instrument for underwater exploration.

2. EVA suits (space suits) have contingency thrusters: Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

3. Katya was a lunatic, as was the crew in general. Scientists don't zealously, impulsively risks their lives for the sake of scientific discovery. Scientific research is done under the assumption of personal well being. Not even the most fervent scientist in the world would give a hoot about scientific data if it meant putting their life in the path of direct harm.

4. People with families (spouse and kids) wouldn't volunteer for such a risky mission.

5. The way the blonde girl (Rosa?) kept implying that acquisition of scientific knowledge trumps self preservation was laughable. Not sure what the writers were thinking. These were caricatures of scientists.

I would tend to disagree with you in that lots of scientists put themselves in very dangerous situations. Just to name a few, storm chasers, vulcanologist, astronauts, deep sea explorers, cave explorers, jungle work. Whenever there is a great need for knowledge there will be people willing to put themselves in danger to get it.

Point taken, but I still found Katya unrealistically and cartoonishly impulsive and foolhardy.

Also, all those scientists you named deal with risks that, although unpredictable and dangerous, are still well known and predictable to at least some degree. Katya was in a totally unknown, unexplored, alien environment yet she was acting like a crazed idiot.

Originally Posted by pikkiwoki

Point taken, but I still found Katya unrealistically and cartoonishly impulsive and foolhardy.

Also, all those scientists you named deal with risks that, although unpredictable and dangerous, are still well known and predictable to at least some degree. Katya was in a totally unknown, unexplored, alien environment yet she was acting like a crazed idiot.

Until I see the movie, I can't really comment one way or the other. But yes I've seen some real stupidity in what could be very good movies otherwise.

Originally Posted by pikkiwoki

This movie got too much praise for being "realistic" or "scientifically accurate."

1. Why didn't they have sonar? You'd think that'd be a key instrument for underwater exploration.

2. EVA suits (space suits) have contingency thrusters: Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

3. Katya was a lunatic, as was the crew in general. Scientists don't zealously, impulsively risks their lives for the sake of scientific discovery. Scientific research is done under the assumption of personal well being. Not even the most fervent scientist in the world would give a hoot about scientific data if it meant putting their life in the path of direct harm.

4. People with families (spouse and kids) wouldn't volunteer for such a risky mission.

5. The way the blonde girl (Rosa?) kept implying that acquisition of scientific knowledge trumps self preservation was laughable. Not sure what the writers were thinking. These were caricatures of scientists.

Are you my mother?

Originally Posted by pikkiwoki

Scientists don't zealously, impulsively risks their lives for the sake of scientific discovery. Scientific research is done under the assumption of personal well being. Not even the most fervent scientist in the world would give a hoot about scientific data if it meant putting their life in the path of direct harm.

Exactly. And Marie Curie agrees with you.
As does Carl Scheele, Elizabeth Ascheim, Alexander Bogdanov and quite a few others...

Nice find, Sir Duck. Now I will be distracted for days trying to find a place to download it. Not sure I should thank you ; )

I wonder if you have seen the much lower budget film, Primer, and if so, what you think of it? It's available on Netflix, or at least used to be.

Haven't got round to Primer yet.
From what I understand it requires careful watching and my current state of mind is more suited to bubblegum cinema at the moment.
But it's on my "To be most definitely watched" list.

Originally Posted by danhanegan

Nice find, Sir Duck. Now I will be distracted for days trying to find a place to download it. Not sure I should thank you ; )

I wonder if you have seen the much lower budget film, Primer, and if so, what you think of it? It's available on Netflix, or at least used to be.

Yes it's still on Netflix. Damn! I just finished watching Spartacus: War of the Damned all 10 episodes blood and guts special effects and I'll never be the same again.

Originally Posted by Bad Robot

Originally Posted by danhanegan

Nice find, Sir Duck. Now I will be distracted for days trying to find a place to download it. Not sure I should thank you ; )

I wonder if you have seen the much lower budget film, Primer, and if so, what you think of it? It's available on Netflix, or at least used to be.

Yes it's still on Netflix. Damn! I just finished watching Spartacus: War of the Damned all 10 episodes blood and guts special effects and I'll never be the same again.

Of course you won't, lol. Life is a process and while some of us may be resistant to change, the fact remains that none of us are or can remain the same for the simple reason that every experience that we have gets reconfigured into who we are and who we will become. We are all the result of the random dice game of the universe arising from whence and ultimately returning to the same place.

That, and you would hardly fit the descriptor of 'average' or 'ordinary' based on my time of forum play with you.

Ahem.

That was 'forum play'..., NOT foreplay....

Originally Posted by scheherazade

Originally Posted by Bad Robot

Originally Posted by danhanegan

Nice find, Sir Duck. Now I will be distracted for days trying to find a place to download it. Not sure I should thank you ; )

I wonder if you have seen the much lower budget film, Primer, and if so, what you think of it? It's available on Netflix, or at least used to be.

Yes it's still on Netflix. Damn! I just finished watching Spartacus: War of the Damned all 10 episodes blood and guts special effects and I'll never be the same again.

Of course you won't, lol. Life is a process and while some of us may be resistant to change, the fact remains that none of us are or can remain the same for the simple reason that every experience that we have gets reconfigured into who we are and who we will become. We are all the result of the random dice game of the universe arising from whence and ultimately returning to the same place.

That, and you would hardly fit the descriptor of 'average' or 'ordinary' based on my time of forum play with you.

Ahem.

That was 'forum play'..., NOT foreplay....

It's mental foreplay then it's up to your husband to take advantage of an aroused female in close proximity.

Originally Posted by scheherazade

Originally Posted by Bad Robot

Originally Posted by danhanegan

Nice find, Sir Duck. Now I will be distracted for days trying to find a place to download it. Not sure I should thank you ; )

I wonder if you have seen the much lower budget film, Primer, and if so, what you think of it? It's available on Netflix, or at least used to be.

Yes it's still on Netflix. Damn! I just finished watching Spartacus: War of the Damned all 10 episodes blood and guts special effects and I'll never be the same again.

Of course you won't, lol. Life is a process and while some of us may be resistant to change, the fact remains that none of us are or can remain the same for the simple reason that every experience that we have gets reconfigured into who we are and who we will become. We are all the result of the random dice game of the universe arising from whence and ultimately returning to the same place.

That, and you would hardly fit the descriptor of 'average' or 'ordinary' based on my time of forum play with you.

Ahem.

That was 'forum play'..., NOT foreplay....

I think it was both! *L*