>> ^NetRunner:
I half expected one of those Independence Day flying saucers to burst out of the leading edge.


Followed by everyone running screaming as the laser blasts tear up the sand!

I half expected one of those Independence Day flying saucers to burst out of the leading edge.

actually the Finnish temperature record has been broken a few times this summer;
37,2c from 35,9c in 1914

here's the (slightly) better quality original of the video;
http://www.hs.fi/thickbox/video/1135259206031
probably better to keep the youtube one though for reliability

the video reminds me a lot of independence day with the space ship moving within the clouds

Tags for this video have been changed from 'palmyra, fireworks, gone, wrong, 4th, july' to 'palmyra, pennsylvania, fireworks, gone, wrong, 4th of july, independence day' - edited by kronosposeidon

It's true the brits are a horrible breed. Well, I guess they'd be anglo-saxon's, right? Anyway, their colonies have all fallen apart except for a few including the US. You see, the US set forth to rid themselves of the bank of Britain but during the bank scares before the Depression the UK took control of our banking system. So, we are not in fact free. Independence Day is a myth - if you celebrated it in the early 1900's you'd be celebrating in a true and pure fashion but America is not independent any longer. Face the facts.

independence day

That "Independence Day" line never quite sounded right in my book.

...and yet in the next book, we go and land on Europa, and take out the subsequent monolith swarm trying to blot out the sun with virus straight out of Independence Day.

...and don't get me started on the whole moved-to-pedophile-friendly-Sri-Lanka thing.

2012 was like watching a really cool screensaver for 2 hours.

Avatar was like Kevin Kostner came back through time with a fully functioning holo-deck and asked if anyone felt like re-making some random oscar winning movie.

Neither will make you think terribly much, they use rather cliche classic storylines.. but Avatar has far more integrity to it in what it does do. The attention to detail in nearly every shot is amazing, despite being made by Kevin Kostner from the future. I will say 2012 was surprisingly good for an Emmirch flick though. It's up there with his civil war one.. definitely better then Independence Day (though I wasn't a big fan of that one)... not better then Avatar though, not even close.

There's a cute jab at James Cameron in 2012 btw, near the beginning.

>> ^rottenseed:
Oh so here's the deal. Computers are the spackle for shoddy writing. Computers are used by Hollywood both to fill in plot gaps and to provide an easy way to wrap up an episode, movie or get past a character's adversity. For more proof...watch "The Italian" job or "Oceans 11/12/13".


Or "Independence Day" (Did you know that AppleTalk is compatible with ALIEN FUCKING SPACESHIPS? It's true.)
Or "The Net" (Did you know that viruses actually sound like bacon? It's true.)

Future butterfly going to spend the day higher than high
You'll be beautiful confusion
Ooh, once I was you

I saw you caught between all the people out making the scene
And a bright ideal tomorrow
Ooh, don't go too far
Stay who you are

Everybody knows
Everybody knows
Everybody knows
You only live a day
But it's brilliant anyway

I saw you in a perfect place
It's going to happen soon but not today
So go to sleep and make the change
I'll meet you here tomorrow
Independence day
Independence day
Independence day

*quality *love

>> ^campionidelmondo:
I think Transformers was about space robots defeating other space robots.

Yes. Robots aided by Americans. I also seem to recall our FBI or CIA or something being involved, as well as our military. Some scenes took place on Air Force One...

As for the other movies, they're all pre-Bush. The international perception of american patriotism has taken a turn for the worse thanks to Dubya.

Ah, people can still handle American patriotism. The hatred isn't as intense or as widespread as some people seem to think. Of course it's there, but not to the point where G.I. Joe would be largely unwelcome. I don't know for sure, of course, but because I'm an ESL tutor at my university, I know many international students (South Korean, Mexican, Canadian, British, German, Vietnamese, Haitian, Bulgarian, South African, Romanian, and more). I've also had a Mexican roommate and a Canadian roommate. I've talked to several of these close friends about the international opinion of the U.S. (not just their own opinions), and it doesn't seem all THAT bleak. I'm not basing my opinion solely on this, but it helps.

Also, while some movies might seem very american to you, they sell well abroad because they have an easily relateable theme. Matrix told the story of man vs. machine, Independence Day man vs. aliens, Armageddon man vs. giant rock etc...

Don't be silly. Almost ALL movies have an easily relatable theme. My point is that all of these movies happen to feature American Man vs. Global Threat. What is more annoyingly ethnocentric and American than that?

>> ^thepinky:
... Some of the most popular and internationally highest-grossing American movies of all time are not only very American (Gone with the Wind, Titanic, Forrest Gump) but pretty ethnocentric. Independence Day, Transformers, The Matrix, and Armageddon are all enormously popular movies overseas. And guess what? They're all about American heroes defeating international threats! What is UP with that?

I think Transformers was about space robots defeating other space robots. As for the other movies, they're all pre-Bush. The international perception of american patriotism has taken a turn for the worse thanks to Dubya.

Also, while some movies might seem very american to you, they sell well abroad because they have an easily relateable theme. Matrix told the story of man vs. machine, Independence Day man vs. aliens, Armageddon man vs. giant rock etc...

Yeah, Earth! I like Earth. I got these boots on Earth.

When I say that it is ridiculous to completely alter G.I. Joe, I'm not saying, "AMERICA ROOLZ!" I'm not suggesting that this is evidence of a dark plot or frightening trend. You're right, Chilaxe. This was a business decision. But I think that it is a misguided business decision based on the assumption that in order for G.I. Joe to be more acceptable to global culture, it must be altered beyond recognition. This isn't true. Some of the most popular and internationally highest-grossing American movies of all time are not only very American (Gone with the Wind, Titanic, Forrest Gump) but pretty ethnocentric. Independence Day, Transformers, The Matrix, and Armageddon are all enormously popular movies overseas. And guess what? They're all about American heroes defeating international threats! What is UP with that?

I have no problem with filmmakers making our movies less ethnocentric. I welcome it. But G.I. JOE?!? Come on! I think that their marketing decision not only killed this movie in the states, but internationally. Domestic G.I. Joe fans hated this movie because of the alteration. It was a bad business decision that might possibly stem from a misguided "I hate America and so does everyone else" attitude. If they had just made a movie about G.I. Joe, people might have liked it.

Set in Florida: Aliens aren't even noticed amongst all the Haitians and ethnic tension. They end up buying a large block of mobile homes and learn to surf.

Set in California: The aliens get shot upon landing by gang members protecting their turf, drawing the attention of the government. They flee to Northern Cali where they're given refuge and a court battle for their civil rights ensues.

Set in New York: Basing what to do off the movies Independence Day and War of the Worlds the aliens are immediately blown out of the sky.

Set in Texas: All the aliens are thrown in the county jail till a Senator asks to speak with them alone. When he emerges from the room he declares Texas's succession from the union with the help of their new found allies.

Set somewhere in the Mid-West: The Church of Scientology declares their day has come, while other religious groups plea for the destruction of the evil (because they're ugly looking) creatures. The head of the Scientology church uses his vast wealth to build a hovercraft and an alien translator and uses it to have an audience with the aliens on their own ship. After listening to him speak for 30 minutes the alien leader who has been silent all this time looks up and says to him, "Are you fucking nuts?". They shoot him and leave our planet ordering it condemned for the sake of all other alien races.

Yeah, current setting for the movie probably works best.