On the "Alien" release in 1979:

"Critical reaction to the film was initially mixed. Some critics who were not usually favorable towards science fiction, such as Barry Norman of the BBC's Film series, were positive about the film's merits. Others, however, were not: Reviews by Variety, Sight and Sound, Vincent Canby and Leonard Maltin were mixed or negative. A review by Time Out said the film was an "empty bag of tricks whose production values and expensive trickery cannot disguise imaginative poverty"."

-Wikipedia

Thje coolest Planets I've ever experienced in Sci-fi are the four worlds from the "The Four Lords of the Diamond" A series of four science fiction novels by author Jack L. Chalker.

"The Warden Diamond is a system of four planets, each very different from the other, ruled by their own lords, collectively called “The Four Lords of the Diamond.” Each planet of the Diamond has its own special “Warden Organism,” a symbiotic microorganism that lives within the inhabitants of the planets. However, the organisms destroy their host when he or she leaves the Warden Diamond, making the planet system the ideal prison colony for the Confederacy, a massive space empire."

The series features four books, each centering on one of the four planets of:
"Lilith: A Snake in the Grass" (Del Rey 1981, ISBN 0-345-29369-X)
"Cerberus: A Wolf in the Fold" (Del Rey 1981, ISBN 0-345-31122-1)
"Charon: A Dragon at the Gate" (Del Rey 1982, ISBN 0-345-29370-3)
"Medusa: A Tiger by the Tail" (Del Rey 1983, ISBN 0-345-29372-X)


These books have repeatedly been in and out of press. I've bought them several times, then lent them out. Some of the most complex and thought out worlds I've experienced in sci-fi reading. Unfortunately, no movies were ever make. However unlikely, I am forever hopeful. ;:)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Lords_of_the_Diamond

This video has been seconded as a duplicate; transferring votes to the original video and killing this dupe - dupeof seconded with isdupe by lurgee.

Basically a *dupeof=http://videosift.com/video/Neil-deGrasse-Tyson-on-Science-Fiction-Movies
(starting at 1:30)

This video has been nominated as a duplicate of this video by SlipperyPete. If this nomination is seconded with *isdupe, the video will be killed and its votes transferred to the original.

>> ^SlipperyPete:

dead


Fixed and thanks.

Another vote for Altered Carbon.

I'd like to see The Stars My Destination too, though it might be one of those "be wary of what you ask for, you might get it" things.

"Although the novel has long been considered an "unfilmable" science fiction work,[18] the screen rights were reported in 2006 to have been acquired by Universal Pictures.[19]


>> ^ChaosEngine:

>> ^Mammaltron:
There's a vast wealth of untapped sci-fi stories out there, but no... we have to reheat the same old shit over and over.

Agreed. Altered Carbon would make a great movie but it's been in development hell for years. I'd love to see a Culture movie.
and those are just the first two that come to mind.

No, Jules Verne gave us the gift of science fiction... half a century before E.R.B.

>> ^therealblankman:

>> ^toferyu:
Talk abouty a shitty trailer !
Somebody thought editing meant splicing random .5 sec shots together one after the other.
Too bad.

You're right, but I still want to see the show based solely on the previous Battlestar Galactica series.
I actually watched, and sort of enjoyed Caprica- must have been the only one though. I feel that show was cancelled before it got its feet under it. Hopefully this new show will be the one that science fiction fans have been waiting for.


You're not alone in liking Caprica, I thought it was pretty darn good

I also think this one looks awesome too, despite the crappy epileptic trailer.

@Porksandwich I was really disappointed when they cancelled SGU, I was really in to it.

Oh I'm with you there, I'm such a big fan of BSG that this won't stop me from watching it :-)>> ^therealblankman:

>> ^toferyu:
Talk abouty a shitty trailer !
Somebody thought editing meant splicing random .5 sec shots together one after the other.
Too bad.

You're right, but I still want to see the show based solely on the previous Battlestar Galactica series.
I actually watched, and sort of enjoyed Caprica- must have been the only one though. I feel that show was cancelled before it got its feet under it. Hopefully this new show will be the one that science fiction fans have been waiting for.

>> ^toferyu:

Talk abouty a shitty trailer !
Somebody thought editing meant splicing random .5 sec shots together one after the other.
Too bad.


You're right, but I still want to see the show based solely on the previous Battlestar Galactica series.

I actually watched, and sort of enjoyed Caprica- must have been the only one though. I feel that show was cancelled before it got its feet under it. Hopefully this new show will be the one that science fiction fans have been waiting for.

Science fiction can justify anything because almost anything IS possible. Suspension of disbelief plays too much into our own environment and timeline -- think about your own life as a stage play 400 years ago and MAYBE you'll consider suspending it a bit more.

His hands glow when he touches a mobile device, so for crying out loud, maybe he has extra signals planted in his brain (via nanotech) to provide additional motor control via WiFi, thus steering the motorcycle with one hand. I just listened to a PhD in bioengineering at Wonder Con say that the idea of creating new signals in the brain for additional limb control is not so far fetched. ("Science in Science Fiction" panel by the authors of this book.)

However, lack of exposition in any shape or form does not work for me -- it's just fantasy at that point. I don't need to be eviscerated by constant exposition, but I need to at least know the ground rules. I felt like this was a subpar combination of Advent Children, the T2 motorcycle chase scene and every Half Life chase scene. More stimulation for my brains PLZ.

(On a side note: BUT! it was good fun and was made to display technical skill, not simply to be judged by a group of non-industry laymen, so upvote because the team who made this has TALENT.)

Lol, if you're disappointed I'll contribute $20 towards having your head examined by professionals.

>> ^ChaosEngine:

>> ^NetRunner:
Why Mass Effect is the Most Important Science Fiction Universe of Our Generation
If all you know of the series is this trailer, you have missed out, and need to go out and buy ME1 right now.
>> ^Nebosuke:
Bleh... let's combine 2 things we already have too much of in video games: alien apocalypse and zombies.


ok, I have just done exactly that. If I am disappoint, I will be expecting $20 worth of entertainment from you

>> ^NetRunner:

Why Mass Effect is the Most Important Science Fiction Universe of Our Generation
If all you know of the series is this trailer, you have missed out, and need to go out and buy ME1 right now.
>> ^Nebosuke:
Bleh... let's combine 2 things we already have too much of in video games: alien apocalypse and zombies.



ok, I have just done exactly that. If I am disappoint, I will be expecting $20 worth of entertainment from you

Why Mass Effect is the Most Important Science Fiction Universe of Our Generation

If all you know of the series is this trailer, you have missed out, and need to go out and buy ME1 right now.

>> ^Nebosuke:

Bleh... let's combine 2 things we already have too much of in video games: alien apocalypse and zombies.