I've seen all those you mention. I have several different versions and spinoffs of Ghost in the Shell awaiting view in my "New Movies" folder. I also have all the Cyberpunk and Shadowrun RPG manuals and novels in my ebook collection, although I don't actually play RPGs. I may discuss some of these in future articles on the impact of the cyberpunk future we're in or almost in.
See, these are two movies that, IF I were still willing to spend a lot of money physically going to the movies, I might have watched. These days, however, I have little interest in either dystopian or alien invasion movies. Despite being something of a "prepper", I tend to dismiss "TEOTWAWKI" concepts as too highly improbable and alien invasion is a trope that has been done to death.There are exceptions. I just watched the classic "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" recently. And I do have the "War of the Worlds" 2019 version to be watched at some point, mostly just to see what the modern take looks like.
Zombie movies and TV shows are another genre I prefer not to touch with a ten-foot-pole, although the "Resident Evil" franchise has its moments and I've watched all of them. I have the recent animated version in my "New Movies" folder. I watched the first season of "The Walking Dead" which was illustrative. The second season was so slow I stopped watching, although I did drop in on occasion in later seasons until I stopped altogether, and have never watched the prequel series or the current incarnation.
Let's face it - zombie movies are metaphors for how people live now. Ordinary people ARE the zombies. I can see zombies all day long if I want to. :-)
The problem with a lot of these genres is that they serve up a ton of characters behaving like morons. As I say, there are exceptions. But these days if it isn't an action movie, a superhero movie, a spy movie, a martial arts movies, a cyberpunk movie, or a sci-fi movie which doesn't involve aliens or dystopia, I probably won't watch it. I need to see someone doing something competently, even if they're the villain.
I re-watched "Colossus - The Forbin Project" this past week, a movie about AI taking over from 1970:
What with AI being in the news, I thought it was worth revisiting that movie. It holds up, despite the painful special effects representing 1970 computer technology. Check it out.
'Monsters' is a drama, unlike any invasion movie. 'Moon' was shot unrehearsed.
You're correct. Our society is zombiefied. Nevertheless, I can pick the best to watch and lose the rest e.g. The Walking Dead got better and better but making 6 spin-offs is almost as idiotic as someone watching them all.
Thanks, I will bookmark 'Colossus' but first, because of you, I have to rewatch 'Escape New York', 'Escape L.A.' and 'Warlock'.
Watch the "Diabolik", "Fantomas", "Kriminal" and "Dr. Mabuse" movies. :-) All French, Italian and German crime movies, some going back to the 1930's.
Not to mention China's "Operation Red Sea (2018)" - one of the better military movies I've seen recently, definitely on a par with anything the West has produced. Check it out:
I have 'Operation Red Sea' on backburner. My goal is to watch all the classics next year, to allow myself to sink into old times. I have compiled a helluva list and will add your recommendations.
So that you have something to do for the next 30 years, I recommend these:
MASTER DIRECTOR CHAN-WOOK PARK
1. Lady Vengeance (Korea crime vengeance 2005)
2. The Handmaiden (Korea drama thriller 2016)
3. Decision to Leave (Korea crime mystery romance 2022)
4. Oldboy (Korea action 2003)
5. I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK (Korea romcom 2006 )
WAR
1. Turtles Can Fly (Iran 2004)
2. In Syria aka Insyriated (Belgium location Lebanon 2017)
3. Downfall (Germany 2004)
4. All Quiet on the Western Front (Germany 2022)
5. Black Book (Netherlands 2006)
6. Kukushka aka The Cuckoo (Russia 2002)
7. Far from Men (France drama set Morocco 2014)
8. Son of Saul (Hungary 2015)
9. In Darkness (Poland 2011)
10. Wolyn aka Hatred (Poland set Ukraine 2016)
11. The Painted Bird (Czech 2020)
12. Stalingrad (Germany 1993)
13. The Front Line (Korea 2011)
14. Land of Mine (Denmark 2015)
15. Monos (Brazil 2019)
16. Pan’s Labyrinth (Mexico 2006)
17. The Third Half (Macedonia 2012)
18. Onoda, 10,000 Nights in the Jungle (Japan-France 2021)
19. Youth (China 2017)
20. The Eight Hundred (China EPIC)
FANTASY/SCI-FI
1. I Lost My Body (France profound animation 2019)
2. The Orphanage (Spain horror 2007)
3. Let the Right One In (Sweden dark fantasy 2008)
4. Air Doll (Japan fantasy 2009)
5. You Won't Be Alone (Macedonia art drama horror 2022)
6. Brand New Testament (Belgium comedy fantasy 2015)
7. Night Watch (Russia action fantasy 2004)
8. Day Watch (Russia action fantasy 2006)
9. Fish Story (Japan punk sci-fi dramedy 2009)
10. Along with the Gods 1 + 2 (Korea action fantasy 2017-2018)
WONDERFULLY WEIRD
1. Junk Head (Japan stop animation 2021)
2. Raw (France thriller 2016)
3. Taxidermia (Hungary horredy 2006)
4. Dogtooth (Greece twisted family drama 2009)
5. Antiporno (Japan LGBTQ twisted sex 2016 - Dir Sion Sono)
6. Symbol (Japan surreal twisted comedy fantasy 2009)
7. November (Estonia surreal twisted drama 2017)
8. Dancer in the Dark (Denmark drama 2000)
9. The Net (Korea drama 2016 - Dir Ki-duk Kim)
10. When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit (Germany 2020)
Thanks for the non-political chat but now I have to catch-up with the war. Be well.
Swordfish is a great cyberpunk movie too. Well directed and stylish. it captures the zeitgeist of the late 1990s and early 2000s before 911 and the war on terror. It has many plot twists, awesome speeches, crazy scenes and makes you wonder who the bad guy is.
Yes, indeed, I probably should have included it. Travolta's character was another one of the type I look to for inspiration. He was explicitly described by the character Axel Torvald's (an inside reference to Linus Torvalds, the inventor of the Linux operating system) as follows:
"He exists in a world beyond your world. What we only fantasize, he does. He lives a life where nothing is beyond. But you know what? It's all a facade. For all his charm and charisma, his wealth, his expensive toys... he's a driven, unflinching, calculating machine. He takes what he wants, when he wants... and disappears....You don't find him. He finds you."
This time you've mentioned several I've never heard of. I've bookmarked 'Warlock'. Check out 'Dark City', 'Strange Days' and 'Ghost in the Shell'.
I used to play the Cyberpunk board game in the early 90s.
I've seen all those you mention. I have several different versions and spinoffs of Ghost in the Shell awaiting view in my "New Movies" folder. I also have all the Cyberpunk and Shadowrun RPG manuals and novels in my ebook collection, although I don't actually play RPGs. I may discuss some of these in future articles on the impact of the cyberpunk future we're in or almost in.
No RPG for me too. Reading politics absorbs fun but I like to escape with a movie at day's end.
Not cyber but one of the best low budget sci-fis is 'Monsters'. Beautiful - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1470827/
The best indie sci-fi is 'Moon' - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1182345/
See, these are two movies that, IF I were still willing to spend a lot of money physically going to the movies, I might have watched. These days, however, I have little interest in either dystopian or alien invasion movies. Despite being something of a "prepper", I tend to dismiss "TEOTWAWKI" concepts as too highly improbable and alien invasion is a trope that has been done to death.There are exceptions. I just watched the classic "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" recently. And I do have the "War of the Worlds" 2019 version to be watched at some point, mostly just to see what the modern take looks like.
Zombie movies and TV shows are another genre I prefer not to touch with a ten-foot-pole, although the "Resident Evil" franchise has its moments and I've watched all of them. I have the recent animated version in my "New Movies" folder. I watched the first season of "The Walking Dead" which was illustrative. The second season was so slow I stopped watching, although I did drop in on occasion in later seasons until I stopped altogether, and have never watched the prequel series or the current incarnation.
Let's face it - zombie movies are metaphors for how people live now. Ordinary people ARE the zombies. I can see zombies all day long if I want to. :-)
The problem with a lot of these genres is that they serve up a ton of characters behaving like morons. As I say, there are exceptions. But these days if it isn't an action movie, a superhero movie, a spy movie, a martial arts movies, a cyberpunk movie, or a sci-fi movie which doesn't involve aliens or dystopia, I probably won't watch it. I need to see someone doing something competently, even if they're the villain.
I re-watched "Colossus - The Forbin Project" this past week, a movie about AI taking over from 1970:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colossus:_The_Forbin_Project
Movie Paradise has it: https://movieparadise.org/movies/colossus-the-forbin-project/
You can also watch it free on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/394729987
What with AI being in the news, I thought it was worth revisiting that movie. It holds up, despite the painful special effects representing 1970 computer technology. Check it out.
'Monsters' is a drama, unlike any invasion movie. 'Moon' was shot unrehearsed.
You're correct. Our society is zombiefied. Nevertheless, I can pick the best to watch and lose the rest e.g. The Walking Dead got better and better but making 6 spin-offs is almost as idiotic as someone watching them all.
Thanks, I will bookmark 'Colossus' but first, because of you, I have to rewatch 'Escape New York', 'Escape L.A.' and 'Warlock'.
You need foreign movies in your life.
"You need foreign movies in your life."
Watch the "Diabolik", "Fantomas", "Kriminal" and "Dr. Mabuse" movies. :-) All French, Italian and German crime movies, some going back to the 1930's.
Not to mention China's "Operation Red Sea (2018)" - one of the better military movies I've seen recently, definitely on a par with anything the West has produced. Check it out:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Red_Sea
OPERATION RED SEA Official Int'l Trailer | Intense Chinese Action War Film | Directed by Dante Lam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRNZjtOUpto
Excellent. I accept the "bitch slap" :)
I have 'Operation Red Sea' on backburner. My goal is to watch all the classics next year, to allow myself to sink into old times. I have compiled a helluva list and will add your recommendations.
So that you have something to do for the next 30 years, I recommend these:
MASTER DIRECTOR CHAN-WOOK PARK
1. Lady Vengeance (Korea crime vengeance 2005)
2. The Handmaiden (Korea drama thriller 2016)
3. Decision to Leave (Korea crime mystery romance 2022)
4. Oldboy (Korea action 2003)
5. I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK (Korea romcom 2006 )
WAR
1. Turtles Can Fly (Iran 2004)
2. In Syria aka Insyriated (Belgium location Lebanon 2017)
3. Downfall (Germany 2004)
4. All Quiet on the Western Front (Germany 2022)
5. Black Book (Netherlands 2006)
6. Kukushka aka The Cuckoo (Russia 2002)
7. Far from Men (France drama set Morocco 2014)
8. Son of Saul (Hungary 2015)
9. In Darkness (Poland 2011)
10. Wolyn aka Hatred (Poland set Ukraine 2016)
11. The Painted Bird (Czech 2020)
12. Stalingrad (Germany 1993)
13. The Front Line (Korea 2011)
14. Land of Mine (Denmark 2015)
15. Monos (Brazil 2019)
16. Pan’s Labyrinth (Mexico 2006)
17. The Third Half (Macedonia 2012)
18. Onoda, 10,000 Nights in the Jungle (Japan-France 2021)
19. Youth (China 2017)
20. The Eight Hundred (China EPIC)
FANTASY/SCI-FI
1. I Lost My Body (France profound animation 2019)
2. The Orphanage (Spain horror 2007)
3. Let the Right One In (Sweden dark fantasy 2008)
4. Air Doll (Japan fantasy 2009)
5. You Won't Be Alone (Macedonia art drama horror 2022)
6. Brand New Testament (Belgium comedy fantasy 2015)
7. Night Watch (Russia action fantasy 2004)
8. Day Watch (Russia action fantasy 2006)
9. Fish Story (Japan punk sci-fi dramedy 2009)
10. Along with the Gods 1 + 2 (Korea action fantasy 2017-2018)
WONDERFULLY WEIRD
1. Junk Head (Japan stop animation 2021)
2. Raw (France thriller 2016)
3. Taxidermia (Hungary horredy 2006)
4. Dogtooth (Greece twisted family drama 2009)
5. Antiporno (Japan LGBTQ twisted sex 2016 - Dir Sion Sono)
6. Symbol (Japan surreal twisted comedy fantasy 2009)
7. November (Estonia surreal twisted drama 2017)
8. Dancer in the Dark (Denmark drama 2000)
9. The Net (Korea drama 2016 - Dir Ki-duk Kim)
10. When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit (Germany 2020)
Thanks for the non-political chat but now I have to catch-up with the war. Be well.
Swordfish is a great cyberpunk movie too. Well directed and stylish. it captures the zeitgeist of the late 1990s and early 2000s before 911 and the war on terror. It has many plot twists, awesome speeches, crazy scenes and makes you wonder who the bad guy is.
Yes, indeed, I probably should have included it. Travolta's character was another one of the type I look to for inspiration. He was explicitly described by the character Axel Torvald's (an inside reference to Linus Torvalds, the inventor of the Linux operating system) as follows:
"He exists in a world beyond your world. What we only fantasize, he does. He lives a life where nothing is beyond. But you know what? It's all a facade. For all his charm and charisma, his wealth, his expensive toys... he's a driven, unflinching, calculating machine. He takes what he wants, when he wants... and disappears....You don't find him. He finds you."
Definitely someone to emulate.