Political Movies that get a big 'MEH'

POSTED BY: chrisisall
UPDATED: Monday, September 18, 2023 03:48
VIEWED: 7113
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CHRISISALL

Friday, March 2, 2007 2:51 PM

Movies that were supposed to be good, but just made you ask, "So what?"

Red Dawn was like that for me. A big "Huh?"

GEEZER

Friday, March 2, 2007 3:24 PM

Hey Chris, Make up'a you damn mind!!!
"Keep the Shiny side up"

CHRISISALL

Friday, March 2, 2007 3:26 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Geezer:
Don't know about neo-cons, but "The American President" got a "Meh" out of me.

Actually, I found that movie to be....yeah, pretty 'meh'.

Mehisall

KANEMAN

Friday, March 2, 2007 3:47 PM

Is this only for neocons or what?

Just about any film from Stone or Moore.

CHRISISALL

Friday, March 2, 2007 4:06 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Geezer:
Hey Chris, Make up'a you damn mind!!!

Okay, It's made up now.
Rambo: First Blood Part 2- what a mess. Like there would actually be POW's held for no reason for THAT long...what a fantasy. At least Red Dawn was put out by a good writer/director, Rambo was a slap in the face to the memory of the actually very good First Blood.

The Trying to redeem himself Chrisisall

GEEZER

Friday, March 2, 2007 4:51 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:
Quote:
Originally posted by Geezer:
Hey Chris, Make up'a you damn mind!!!
Okay, It's made up now.
The Trying to redeem himself Chrisisall

The worst ever has got to be "Starship Troopers". So much possibility of an interesting, thought-provoking, intelligent movie, and it turned out a cheesy comic book (and that's an insult to comic books everywhere). It didn't make me go "Meh", it made me

"Keep the Shiny side up"

HERO

Friday, March 2, 2007 5:08 PM

Good movies that sucked:

1. The Marine
2. The Skorpion King
3. Cornholers 12 (The one with PirateNews.)
4. Starship Troopers
5. Star Trek V
6. Star Trek Insurrection
7. Star Trek Nemesis
8. Harry Potter and the Insert Movie Title Here
9. Little Miss Sunshine (because she didn't win the fracking contest...)

...and so on.

edited to add: 10. BATTLEFIELD EARTH
H

CHRISISALL

Friday, March 2, 2007 5:10 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Geezer:

The worst ever has got to be "Starship Troopers". It didn't make me go "Meh", it made me

It's like the FX took over the script (more like, threw it out, actually).
It started out interesting....

Tant pis Chrisisall

CHRISISALL

Friday, March 2, 2007 5:14 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Hero:
Good movies that sucked:

6. Star Trek Insurrection

Once again Hero, you prove your lack of good taste.

I...guess they were 'political' movies....if ya look at 'em that way....

Possibly political Chrisisall

RIGHTEOUS9

Friday, March 2, 2007 5:14 PM

wow,

I love Starship Troopers. The whole thing was so satyrical...

kind of like the war on terror.

when they pulled the big bug out at the end and declared that it was afraid....absolutely classic

CHRISISALL

Friday, March 2, 2007 5:19 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Righteous9:

when they pulled the big bug out at the end and declared that it was afraid....absolutely classic

Well...yeah, the whole commentary on war was okay...I guess it was trying to dip into the well of Robocop and Total Recall and shock us. The effect was sort of cartoon-y to me. Plus the ending that made it seem like part two was coming out later.

It had it's moments Chrisisall

RIGHTEOUS9

Friday, March 2, 2007 5:26 PM

As to political movies...

Syriana and traffic kind of both got a meh from me...neither was bad and they were both watchable...they really didn't make me look at anything differently. Maybe I need to see them again

Thank you For smoking was another one that really didn't do much for me throughout the whole movie, but the ending is interesting...a kind of possitive twist on the ugly side of American values...so maybe I should reserve judgement here too.

24, as far as television goes....I never really got further than the fourth or fifth episode. It was kind of like watching the fox news channel. Could your gas station attendant be a terrorist ready to blow up your city? Oh, and do you know where your daughter is?

RIGHTEOUS9

Friday, March 2, 2007 5:28 PM

yeah...cartoony, charicaturish, I kind of thought that was the point though

CHRISISALL

Friday, March 2, 2007 5:35 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Righteous9:

yeah...cartoony, charicaturish, I kind of thought that was the point though

Okay, the worst part was that I didn't feel any of the characters were real. I need at least one anchor in a movie, like HAL in 2001, or the movie loses me.

Hello, Chrisisall

COSMICFUGITIVE

Friday, March 2, 2007 5:50 PM

Quote:
Hero wrote:
edited to add: 10. BATTLEFIELD EARTH

*Shakes fist.* Damn it. Ya beat me to it.

*Thinks.*

Aeon Flux. It had some nice sci-fi elements in it, but the government/rebel storyline made me sleepy. I admire Charlize Theron as an actress, though this film took the biscuit.

What about THX 1138? Is it safe to mention that?

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[IMG]

[/IMG]

COSMICFUGITIVE

Friday, March 2, 2007 5:52 PM

Gah.. Double post.. Move along.. Nothing to see here.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[IMG] [/IMG]

CHRISISALL

Friday, March 2, 2007 5:52 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by CosmicFugitive:

What about THX 1138? Is it safe to mention that?

High concept; meh ending.

LUH Chrisisall

SABRI3L

Friday, March 2, 2007 6:41 PM

Little Miss Sunshine was better because she didn't win the contest.

*--------------------------------------------*
Forsaken Knitter of Cunning Jayne Hats

Hell on wheels

GEEZER

Friday, March 2, 2007 6:54 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:
Quote:
Originally posted by Righteous9:

when they pulled the big bug out at the end and declared that it was afraid....absolutely classic
Well...yeah, the whole commentary on war was okay...I guess it was trying to dip into the well of Robocop and Total Recall and shock us. The effect was sort of cartoon-y to me. Plus the ending that made it seem like part two was coming out later.

It had it's moments Chrisisall

Sorry, but I thought you knew:

http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/starshiptroopers2heroofthefedera
tion/index.html

"Keep the Shiny side up"

CHRISISALL

Friday, March 2, 2007 7:15 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Geezer:

Sorry, but I thought you knew:

http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/starshiptroopers2heroofthefedera
tion/index.html

Naw, that wasn't a REAL sequel, just kind of a side story in the same 'verse.

It too, had it's moments, but not that many. Still, impressive considering how much money they didn't have to work with!

Critic Chrisisall

SHINYED

Friday, March 2, 2007 7:20 PM

JOSSISAGOD

Friday, March 2, 2007 7:20 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Geezer:
Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:
Quote:
Originally posted by Righteous9:

when they pulled the big bug out at the end and declared that it was afraid....absolutely classic
Well...yeah, the whole commentary on war was okay...I guess it was trying to dip into the well of Robocop and Total Recall and shock us. The effect was sort of cartoon-y to me. Plus the ending that made it seem like part two was coming out later.

It had it's moments Chrisisall

Sorry, but I thought you knew:

http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/starshiptroopers2heroofthefedera
tion/index.html

"Keep the Shiny side up"

I don't think Chris is counting that part, 'cause if there's one movie that was MORE terrible than the oringinal it'd be Starship Troopers 2!

I enjoyed the original Starship Troopers as a comicbook-y cheese filled movie, and didn't read too much into it.

PS. Spielberg ROCKS!

Fe'nos Tol
JOSSIS(Most Definitely)AGOD

Self appointed Forsaken! Been on the list for a while now!

98% of teens have smoked pot, if you are one of the 2% that haven't, copy this into your signature.
"Look at me, I'm STUPID!" The Doctor.

CHRISISALL

Friday, March 2, 2007 7:23 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by ShinyEd:
For me the biggest "meh" in recent years was Star Wars Episodes 1,2,3.

Agreed.

Quote:

Other big "mehs" include :

Anything with George Clooney

Solaris was good.

Hey! Off topic!
We're supposed to be onto political movies here, how is Wedding Crashers political???

Politically bent Chrisisall

SHINYED

Friday, March 2, 2007 7:24 PM

Chris...sorry 'bout that. Sometimes I forget to actually read the topic post.

CHRISISALL

Friday, March 2, 2007 7:26 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by jossisagod:

I enjoyed the original Starship Troopers as a comicbook-y cheese filled movie, and didn't read too much into it.

All this talk of it made me go to the store. I just now bought Starship Troopers fo a measly $5.50; I like it at least that much.

Bug Chrisisall

SCHOONER

Friday, March 2, 2007 7:38 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:

Hey! Off topic!
We're supposed to be onto political movies here, how is Wedding Crashers political???

Politically bent Chrisisall

It's a political allegory for American foreign policy. Think about it; two guys who appear different but are actually really alike, who crash into other people's parties without being invited, for their own benefit.

ok, I'll shut up now

CHRISISALL

Friday, March 2, 2007 7:43 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by ShinyEd:
Chris...sorry 'bout that. Sometimes I forget to actually read the topic post.

No worries, just funnin'.

I actually like the political part of Star War 1, 2, & 3, it just the flicks themselves that suck.

Chrisisall

SIGNYM

Friday, March 2, 2007 7:51 PM

POLITICAL moves that made me go "meh"?

Fahrenheit 911- Sloppy and trivial.

An Inconvenient Truth- For beginners.

V for Vendetta- I really hate "revolution by superhero" stories

The Island- Uh puhleez!!

OTOH, political movies that shook me up...

Hearts and Minds- actual footage from the Vietnam war that never shown on TV

1984- much better than "V"

---------------------------------
Reality sucks. Especially when it contradicts our cherished ideas.

YINYANG

Friday, March 2, 2007 7:58 PM

Um... the only disappointment in this arena I can think of is Man of the Year. It's not necessarily that I didn't like the message, but that I felt the advertisers had to manipulate people into believing that it was a funny Robin Williams and ensemble flick that would remind me of The Daily Show. That left a bad taste in my mouth. (Plus, that one woman was... eh.)

SHINYED

Friday, March 2, 2007 8:11 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by SignyM:
POLITICAL moves that made me go "meh"?

Fahrenheit 911- Sloppy and trivial.

An Inconvenient Truth- For beginners.

V for Vendetta- I really hate "revolution by superhero" stories

The Island- Uh puhleez!!

OTOH, political movies that shook me up...

Hearts and Minds- actual footage from the Vietnam war that never shown on TV

1984- much better than "V"

I'm in 100% agreement with your post.

CHRISISALL

Friday, March 2, 2007 8:22 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by SignyM:

V for Vendetta- I really hate "revolution by superhero" stories

The Island- Uh puhleez!!

But they had cool action!
No, you're right, especially The Island...Michael Bay trying to do the message thing- hi-larious. Transformers is more his style, I think.

Another one: Equilibrium. It had all the elements, but again, an action film posing as relevent SF.

Give me Logan's Run.

Sandman Chrisisall

HERO

Friday, March 2, 2007 9:37 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by yinyang:
Um... the only disappointment in this arena I can think of is Man of the Year. It's not necessarily that I didn't like the message, but that I felt the advertisers had to manipulate people into believing that it was a funny Robin Williams and ensemble flick that would remind me of The Daily Show. That left a bad taste in my mouth. (Plus, that one woman was... eh.)

It wasn't funny. It was a drama with a character who was a comic. Kinda like Good Morning Vietnam, funny, but serious.

I liked it, but the whole drugging the only female main character was disturbing.

I liked the nobody fixed the election, it was just a mistake storyline. That made the corporate coverup more believable and less sinister.

H

CAUSAL

Friday, March 2, 2007 11:24 PM

Well, in the grand tradition of the thread, here goes with ignoring the thread title and forging ahead with my own category:

Movies that I know are bad, but love anyway

1. Soldier
2. Waterworld
3. Underworld
4. Sweet Home Alabama
5. The Day After Tomorrow (see? I'm not totally off topic!)
6. The Postman
7. Legally Blonde
8. Twister
9. *gulp* Stargate *ducks*
10. Star Wars Episode I (but only in my version, where I fast-forward through all Jar Jar and Anakin)

And what a bleeding shame about Starship Troopers. The book is phenomenal. Really sharp social and political commentary. And if you recommend it to anyone they turn up their nose because the movie sucked ass.

________________________________________________________________________
Grand High Poobah of the Mythical Land of Iowa, and Keeper of State Secrets

Captain, FFF.net Grammar Police

CHRISISALL

Friday, March 2, 2007 11:42 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Causal:

1. Soldier

5. The Day After Tomorrow (see? I'm not totally off topic!)

9. *gulp* Stargate *ducks*

I like these three, especially Stargate (extended cut, of course).

Quote:

And what a bleeding shame about Starship Troopers. ...the movie sucked ass.

I didn't think the movie was terrible on it's own...just compared to the novel.

BTW, I notified the Topic Police about the transgressions here.

Chrisisall

CAUSAL

Friday, March 2, 2007 11:44 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:
BTW, I notified the Topic Police about the transgressions here.

Hail Mary, full of grace, *mumblemumblemumble*

________________________________________________________________________
Grand High Poobah of the Mythical Land of Iowa, and Keeper of State Secrets

Captain, FFF.net Grammar Police

AURAPTOR

Saturday, March 3, 2007 12:30 AM

Quote:
Red Dawn was like that for me. A big "Huh?"

C'mon Chris... WOLVERINES!!!!

How can ya not feel the passion!! The patriotism?
Patrick Swazye ? Jennifer Grey ? Charlie Sheen ? Leah Thompson ?? POWERS BOOTHE ??

People love a happy ending. So every episode, I will explain once again that I don't like people. And then Mal will shoot someone. Someone we like. And their puppy. - Joss

" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. I worked that out myself.

FUTUREMRSFILLION

Saturday, March 3, 2007 12:33 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:
Movies that were supposed to be good, but just made you ask, "So what?"

Red Dawn was like that for me. A big "Huh?"

Come on! C. Thomas Howell, Patrick Swayze and Charlie Sheen? The only movie more of a manbabefest is the Outsiders!

----
Bestower of Titles, Designer of Tshirts, Maker of Mottos, Keeper of the Pyre, Owner of a too big Turnippy smelling coat with MR scratched in the neck (thanks FollowMal!)

I am on The List. We are The Forsaken and we aim to burn!
"We don't fear the reaper"

FORSAKEN original

AURAPTOR

Saturday, March 3, 2007 12:47 AM

Quote:
9. Little Miss Sunshine (because she didn't win the fracking contest...)

I thought that was the whole damn point, that she was too good to be judged by that group of tight assed,self absorbed, fake, plastic alliance scum.

I'm sure that was the point, wasn't it ?

People love a happy ending. So every episode, I will explain once again that I don't like people. And then Mal will shoot someone. Someone we like. And their puppy. - Joss

" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. I worked that out myself. "

CHRISISALL

Saturday, March 3, 2007 1:05 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by AURaptor:

C'mon Chris... WOLVERINES!!!!

How can ya not feel the passion!! The patriotism?
Patrick Swazye ? Jennifer Grey ? Charlie Sheen ? Leah Thompson ?? POWERS BOOTHE ??

As a pure fantasy, I guess it was compeling and stuff...the actors were top notch.
Anything with Powers Boothe is worth looking at (Rapid Fire! Yeah, baby!).

Emerald Forest Chrisisall

CHRISISALL

Saturday, March 3, 2007 1:08 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by FutureMrsFIllion:
The only movie more of a manbabefest is the Outsiders!

Charlie's Angels is more my speed.

Only God Will Judge Me Chrisisall

CHRISISALL

Saturday, March 3, 2007 1:09 AM

CHRISISALL! You're OFF TOPIC!!!!

CAUSAL

Saturday, March 3, 2007 1:26 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by AURaptor:
I thought that was the whole damn point, that she was too good to be judged by that group of tight assed,self absorbed, fake, plastic alliance scum.

I thought the point was that too much Nietszche will make you insane.

No, wait, that's the philosopher in me again.

But as a friend said, "You gotta be careful when you quote Nietszche, because if you quote the wrong part you look like f

ing Nazi."

________________________________________________________________________
Grand High Poobah of the Mythical Land of Iowa, and Keeper of State Secrets

Captain, FFF.net Grammar Police

ANTHONYT

Saturday, March 3, 2007 3:14 AM

My opinions...

Star Trek Insurrection - It did indeed suck. Not as much as Nemesis or Generations, though.

Red Dawn - I liked it.

Starship Troopers - Abominable butchering of the novel. What happened to the mobile infantry? Where are my cool armor suits? Why, Lord, why?!

--Anthony

"Liberty must not be purchased at the cost of Humanity." --Captain Robert Henner

CAUSAL

Saturday, March 3, 2007 4:26 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by AnthonyT:
Starship Troopers - Abominable butchering of the novel. What happened to the mobile infantry? Where are my cool armor suits? Why, Lord, why?!

Yup. Exactly.

________________________________________________________________________
Grand High Poobah of the Mythical Land of Iowa, and Keeper of State Secrets

Captain, FFF.net Grammar Police

GINOBIFFARONI

Saturday, March 3, 2007 9:15 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:
Quote:
Originally posted by Geezer:

The worst ever has got to be "Starship Troopers". It didn't make me go "Meh", it made me

It's like the FX took over the script (more like, threw it out, actually).
It started out interesting....

Tant pis Chrisisall

They departed quite badly from a very good novel

" Fighting them at their own game
Murder for freedom the stab in the back
Women and children and cowards attack

Run to the hills run for your lives "

http://www.darklyrics.com/lyrics/ironmaiden/liveafterdeath.html#12

CHRISISALL

Saturday, March 3, 2007 4:09 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by AnthonyT:
My opinions...

Star Trek Insurrection - It did indeed suck.

Other than seeming like a glorified episode of the series as opposed to a full-blown movie (not a bad thing for me), what made it suck?
The only Trek movie I like better is Star Trek TMP (Director's Cut).

Curious Chrisisall

CHRISISALL

Saturday, March 3, 2007 4:15 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by GinoBiffaroni:

They departed quite badly from a very good novel

Just watched it last night...
apart from the tremendous visuals, there was a rather high 'meh' factor.
Okay, war bad, I get that. I just needed a little more characterization. By the end of the movie, I felt (again) like I just sat through a sermon. A hi-tek sermon.

Oh well Chrisisall

GINOBIFFARONI

Saturday, March 3, 2007 4:17 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:
Quote:
Originally posted by AnthonyT:
My opinions...

Star Trek Insurrection - It did indeed suck.
Other than seeming like a glorified episode of the series as opposed to a full-blown movie (not a bad thing for me), what made it suck?
The only Trek movie I like better is Star Trek TMP (Director's Cut).

Curious Chrisisall

I think the only good one of the bunch was Wrath of Khan

" Fighting them at their own game
Murder for freedom the stab in the back
Women and children and cowards attack

Run to the hills run for your lives "

http://www.darklyrics.com/lyrics/ironmaiden/liveafterdeath.html#12

CHRISISALL

Saturday, March 3, 2007 4:44 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by GinoBiffaroni:

I think the only good one of the bunch was Wrath of Khan

It was lively, yes.
But Khan's eighties high-hair? I don't recall seeing hair spray on the Botany Bay.
And what's with having a hard time finding a lifeless planet???? *brain circuits over-loading* MOST PLANETS ARE!!!!!!! I smell cheap and scientifically stupid plot device there.
And sensors and computers could not be so innacurate as to mistake Ceti-Alpha 5 for 6, even with the orbit change.
Gino, search your feelings, you know this to be true!

TMP was gold Chrisisall

CAUSAL

Saturday, March 3, 2007 4:53 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:
Okay, war bad, I get that. I just needed a little more characterization. By the end of the movie, I felt (again) like I just sat through a sermon. A hi-tek sermon.

The thing that killed me was that the book had some pretty scathing things to say about out modern political and military systems--and yet none of those messages came through in the film. The "message" of the film (which did, indeed, seem to be "war bad") is actually discussed and dismissed in the book. In one scene (occurring in a high school classroom) a student says basically that war is bad, because violence never solved anything. The reply was that violence actually has solved many things (to wit: the Holocaust). And then the instructor gives my absolute favorite line: “War is not violence and killing, pure and simple; war is controlled violence, for a purpose. The purpose of war is to support your government’s decisions by force.”

So yeah, what a crap movie.

________________________________________________________________________
Grand High Poobah of the Mythical Land of Iowa, and Keeper of State Secrets

Captain, FFF.net Grammar Police

CAUSAL

Saturday, March 3, 2007 4:58 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:
Quote:
Originally posted by GinoBiffaroni:

I think the only good one of the bunch was Wrath of Khan

It was lively, yes.
But Khan's eighties high-hair? I don't recall seeing hair spray on the Botany Bay.
And what's with having a hard time finding a lifeless planet???? *brain circuits over-loading* MOST PLANETS ARE!!!!!!! I smell cheap and scientifically stupid plot device there.
And sensors and computers could not be so innacurate as to mistake Ceti-Alpha 5 for 6, even with the orbit change.
Gino, search your feelings, you know this to be true!

TMP was gold Chrisisall

I smell a lot of nerdery comin' off this thread...

________________________________________________________________________
Grand High Poobah of the Mythical Land of Iowa, and Keeper of State Secrets

Captain, FFF.net Grammar Police

CHRISISALL

Saturday, March 3, 2007 5:02 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Causal:
In one scene (occurring in a high school classroom) a student says basically that war is bad, because violence never solved anything. The reply was that violence actually has solved many things (to wit: the Holocaust). And then the instructor gives my absolute favorite line: “War is not violence and killing, pure and simple; war is controlled violence, for a purpose. The purpose of war is to support your government’s decisions by force.”

They almost captured that one scene in the film, it was my favourite in the movie, a challenging moment...if only the whole film could have stayed on that level! Poking at our beliefs- that's great stuff.

Another tragic tale of wasted celluloid Chrisisall

CHRISISALL

Saturday, March 3, 2007 5:14 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Causal:

I smell a lot of nerdery comin' off this thread...

And as for Starship Troopers, NO life form could evolve an explosive device within itself capable of hitting asteroids (or ships) in orbit, and even so, an asteroid would take eons to reach Earth, and assuming even that, how could such a system be acurate to ANY degree????
More scientific stupidity.

And it's not nerdy, imagine a Bond film where he's underwater and holds his breath for 20 minutes while fighting villains...at some point (3 minutes for me, probably 5-7 for the general audience) the audience will start to get the idea that reality is not being addressed here.

Nerd-man Chrisisall

CAUSAL

Saturday, March 3, 2007 5:17 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:
And as for Starship Troopers, NO life form could evolve an explosive device within itself capable of hitting asteroids (or ships) in orbit, and even so, an asteroid would take eons to reach Earth, and assuming even that, how could such a system be acurate to ANY degree????
More scientific stupidity.

And it's not nerdy, imagine a Bond film where he's underwater and holds his breath for 20 minutes while fighting villains...at some point (3 minutes for me, probably 5-7 for the general audience) the audience will start to get the idea that reality is not being addressed here.

Nerd-man Chrisisall

Whoa, you seem to have the misguided impression that nerdery is a bad thing. That was actually a compliment. I need more nerdery in my life. My best friend and nerd numero uno is out on a 6-month cruise, and my wife, bless her heart, is only a nerd by adoption, so I have to come here to get my geek on. Y'all are pretty good for that usually.

________________________________________________________________________
Grand High Poobah of the Mythical Land of Iowa, and Keeper of State Secrets

Captain, FFF.net Grammar Police

CHRISISALL

Saturday, March 3, 2007 5:25 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Causal:

I have to come here to get my geek on. Y'all are pretty good for that usually.

Have ya seen my theories on how gravity works on a Firefly? If you have, you'll know just HOW geek'd I can get...

Able to leap tall inconsistancies with a single bound Chrisisall

ANTHONYT

Saturday, March 3, 2007 5:47 PM

Star Trek: Insurrection
or
Star Trek vs. The Plastic Surgery People

This movie begins with data wigging-out on an alien planet which is under careful observation by secret Federation scientists.

Now, there are three interesting aspects about this scene.

1) Data is going insane, apparently as part of his 'secret good-guy programming.' But in the past, Data has always rationally done good guy things. Here he is unconsciously attacking people and exposing them.

2) We later learn that Data is doing these things because he sensed a violation of the Prime Directive was about to occur. What? Every time the Prime Directive is in danger, Data will turn into a wigged out freak?

3) Data himself (for all he knows) violates the Prime Directive in this scene.

But we move on.

It turns out that a Federation Admiral is working with the Son'a (Or, as I like to call them, The Plastic Surgery People) to relocate the Bak'u on the primitive planet below. This will enable the Federation and the Son'a to harvest The Fountain of Youth from the planet, and extend every lifespan in the Federation. Woo!

But despite studying these people from concealed observation posts, and walking amongst them, and doing all kinds of scientific whatsit, they never did a scan, apparently. Because otherwise the big dramatic reveal later on wouldn't be so dramatic. The Bak'u are the same people as the Son'a! They just decided to stop using technology 300 years ago, while the Son'a went back into the stars and became ugly.

And here I'm not entirely clear on something. The Bak'u planet isn't a Federation planet. And it's hidden in a weird plasma-storm region of space filled with Bad Gas. Why do the Son'a need to involve the Federation at all? Why not swoop in, massacre their technology-hating bretheren, get what they need, and leave? Why is this even a movie?

Well, clearly a people who can't master plastic surgery must be pretty dumb. After all, the Federation and the Cardassians have some pretty wicked plastic surgery. They can change a human into a Klingon, or a Cardassian into a Bajoran. But the Son'a can't make someone look younger without a godawful face-stretching machine that would make 20th century plastic surgeons wince.

So anyways, the Enterprise team splits into two parts. One part goes to the planet below, to fight a gorilla war against the Federation oppressors. They take with them some large and previously unseen bad-mojo Trek Weapons that look like huge missile launchers and cannons... but which will do nothing in the movie that a hand phaser couldn't accomplish. Meanwhile: Ground team gets youthful-frisky, and Worf gets acne!

The space team, led by Riker, will enjoy some of the lamest space battles of the Trek franchise as they race to tell Starfleet Command that they need to alter their horrible policies. Though the Enterprise is equipped with phasers and torpedoes that can fire weapons from thousands of kilometers away, it will defeat its opponents by diving to within 50 meters of their hulls, and by farting on them. Yes, farting on them. In a world where ANTIMATTER weapons are the norm, some Space Gas will defeat the bad guys.

Get some Gas-Ex, Son'a!

It's all really too bad. The basic idea of the film, that the Federation was violating its own policies in order to gain a benefit, was a good one. It harkens back to many incidents of Government exploiting native peoples to grab natural resources.

But the execution of the idea was so lame, that it became impossible to enjoy the film.

Incidentally, as far as Trek movies that feel like episodes is concerned, that would be The Motion Picture to a Tee! It's actually a re-hash of The Changeling, stretched to be movie length. And boy was it stretched. I remember the 30 minute FX shots of that film. Ugh.

All the films have their flaws, but the worst by far have got to be:

Movie 5 - The Search for God

Generations - Bring Kirk through time so that his fat, out of shape arse can beat up the guy who lean-

CAUSAL

Saturday, March 3, 2007 5:59 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:
Have ya seen my theories on how gravity works on a Firefly? If you have, you'll know just HOW geek'd I can get...

I guess this proves the point that there are different sorts of nerds. I, myself am a story nerd. I get deeply into the "mythology" of the show, and I geek out on that. I'm more than happy to overlook scientific problems and even minor plot inconsistencies if the world is believable. I'm less fascinated with the science of stuff, because I'm not much a science guy. I'm more philosophy/theology, so science, while occasionally very interesting to me, takes a back seat to other (and in my mind, bigger) questions. But hey, man, if you like to geek out on the techno stuff, more power to ya--prob takes more brains'n I got, anyhow.

________________________________________________________________________
Grand High Poobah of the Mythical Land of Iowa, and Keeper of State Secrets

Captain, FFF.net Grammar Police

CITIZEN

Saturday, March 3, 2007 7:24 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:
And as for Starship Troopers, NO life form could evolve an explosive device within itself capable of hitting asteroids (or ships) in orbit, and even so, an asteroid would take eons to reach Earth, and assuming even that, how could such a system be acurate to ANY degree????
More scientific stupidity.

Yeah, like an animal evolving deadly venom or acid, as if! It's pretty unlikely, but not impossible. What is impossible is for just a normal insect to reach those sorts of sizes. Insects don't have lungs, they breath through tubes all over their body and there is a big limit on the body size that can support. Not only that but an exo-skeleton can't support creatures much larger than insects we see around today on Earth.

As for how long it takes for the Asteroid to reach Earth it's not impossible that the bugs actually started they're attack eons ago, and it's not impossible to put an asteroid where you want it. Very hard and takes quite a bit of math as well as accurate astrography but not entirely impossible, afterall it's basically what NASA is doing right now. I suspect the bugs would have to have evolved some sort of radar for sensing where objects are, it's not as unbelievable as it may sound. Animals on Earth have developed Sonar, which is essentially much like Radar in theory, but using sound rather than radio waves, and animals on Earth have the ability to sense light radiation which is the same stuff as radio waves, just a different wavelength.

I'm not a fan of ST too much though, but one of the interesting things I find with it that most people seem to miss is the peculiar form of militaristic fascism prevalent within the society.

More insane ramblings by the people who brought you beeeer milkshakes!
No one can see their reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see.

ANTHONYT

Saturday, March 3, 2007 11:24 PM

Don't forget that sometime between the Original Series and the Next Generation, the entire Federation became anti-capital Communists.

"Money? What's that? We don't have money! Oh, yeah, we used to buy tribbles, and Scotty bought a boat, but now the idea of money is so foreign to us that Picard has no idea what an investment is, and is flabbergasted that someone might like to check their portfolio."

--Anthony

"Liberty must not be purchased at the cost of Humanity." --Captain Robert Henner

GINOBIFFARONI

Sunday, March 4, 2007 3:16 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Causal:
Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:
Okay, war bad, I get that. I just needed a little more characterization. By the end of the movie, I felt (again) like I just sat through a sermon. A hi-tek sermon.

The thing that killed me was that the book had some pretty scathing things to say about out modern political and military systems--and yet none of those messages came through in the film. The "message" of the film (which did, indeed, seem to be "war bad") is actually discussed and dismissed in the book. In one scene (occurring in a high school classroom) a student says basically that war is bad, because violence never solved anything. The reply was that violence actually has solved many things (to wit: the Holocaust). And then the instructor gives my absolute favorite line: “War is not violence and killing, pure and simple; war is controlled violence, for a purpose. The purpose of war is to support your government’s decisions by force.”

So yeah, what a crap movie.

________________________________________________________________________
Grand High Poobah of the Mythical Land of Iowa, and Keeper of State Secrets

Captain, FFF.net Grammar Police

I wonder what Heinlein would have thought of Bush and the present state of affairs, the Veterans of the novel rose to change the political system of the day because of such nonsense, I think he would be calling for a coup...

" Fighting them at their own game
Murder for freedom the stab in the back
Women and children and cowards attack

Run to the hills run for your lives "

http://www.darklyrics.com/lyrics/ironmaiden/liveafterdeath.html#12

GINOBIFFARONI

Sunday, March 4, 2007 3:20 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by citizen:
Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:
And as for Starship Troopers, NO life form could evolve an explosive device within itself capable of hitting asteroids (or ships) in orbit, and even so, an asteroid would take eons to reach Earth, and assuming even that, how could such a system be acurate to ANY degree????
More scientific stupidity.
Yeah, like an animal evolving deadly venom or acid, as if! It's pretty unlikely, but not impossible. What is impossible is for just a normal insect to reach those sorts of sizes. Insects don't have lungs, they breath through tubes all over their body and there is a big limit on the body size that can support. Not only that but an exo-skeleton can't support creatures much larger than insects we see around today on Earth.

As for how long it takes for the Asteroid to reach Earth it's not impossible that the bugs actually started they're attack eons ago, and it's not impossible to put an asteroid where you want it. Very hard and takes quite a bit of math as well as accurate astrography but not entirely impossible, afterall it's basically what NASA is doing right now. I suspect the bugs would have to have evolved some sort of radar for sensing where objects are, it's not as unbelievable as it may sound. Animals on Earth have developed Sonar, which is essentially much like Radar in theory, but using sound rather than radio waves, and animals on Earth have the ability to sense light radiation which is the same stuff as radio waves, just a different wavelength.

I'm not a fan of ST too much though, but one of the interesting things I find with it that most people seem to miss is the peculiar form of militaristic fascism prevalent within the society.

More insane ramblings by the people who brought you beeeer milkshakes!
No one can see their reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see.

I liked when the Centari of Babylon 5, used local asteroids as a means of planetary bombardment. Likely not accurate, but devastating.... and really cheap.

CHRISISALL

Sunday, March 4, 2007 3:52 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by AnthonyT:

Though the Enterprise is equipped with phasers and torpedoes that can fire weapons from thousands of kilometers away, it will defeat its opponents by diving to within 50 meters of their hulls, and by farting on them. Yes, farting on them. In a world where ANTIMATTER weapons are the norm, some Space Gas will defeat the bad guys.

Get some Gas-Ex, Son'a!

As Anya would say, "That's so funny, sweetie."
The drama was good, so I can forgive the flaws, if any.
And you HAVE to see the Director's Cut of TMP, it's WAY better and tighter (and shorter).

What does God want with a starship Chrisisall

CHRISISALL

Sunday, March 4, 2007 3:54 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by GinoBiffaroni:

I wonder what Heinlein would have thought of Bush and the present state of affairs, the Veterans of the novel rose to change the political system of the day because of such nonsense, I think he would be calling for a coup...

Definitly.

Tedisall

CHRISISALL

Sunday, March 4, 2007 3:57 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by citizen:
I suspect the bugs would have to have evolved some sort of radar for sensing where objects are, it's not as unbelievable as it may sound. Animals on Earth have developed Sonar, which is essentially much like Radar in theory, but using sound rather than radio waves, and animals on Earth have the ability to sense light radiation which is the same stuff as radio waves, just a different wavelength.

To that fanwank I say: "MEH."

Quote:

I'm not a fan of ST too much though, but one of the interesting things I find with it that most people seem to miss is the peculiar form of militaristic fascism prevalent within the society.

Not lost on me; it's the only interesting thing about the movie. And even so, it's stretched out- a one joke movie, as it were.

Citizen Chrisisall

FUTUREMRSFILLION

Sunday, March 4, 2007 4:08 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Causal:
Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:
Quote:
Originally posted by GinoBiffaroni:

I think the only good one of the bunch was Wrath of Khan

It was lively, yes.
But Khan's eighties high-hair? I don't recall seeing hair spray on the Botany Bay.
And what's with having a hard time finding a lifeless planet???? *brain circuits over-loading* MOST PLANETS ARE!!!!!!! I smell cheap and scientifically stupid plot device there.
And sensors and computers could not be so innacurate as to mistake Ceti-Alpha 5 for 6, even with the orbit change.
Gino, search your feelings, you know this to be true!

TMP was gold Chrisisall

I smell a lot of nerdery comin' off this thread...

________________________________________________________________________
Grand High Poobah of the Mythical Land of Iowa, and Keeper of State Secrets

Captain, FFF.net Grammar Police[/QUOTE

*FMF sniffs the air* is thatwhat I smell?

----
Bestower of Titles, Designer of Tshirts, Maker of Mottos, Keeper of the Pyre, Owner of a too big Turnippy smelling coat with MR scratched in the neck (thanks FollowMal!)

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FORSAKEN original

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CITIZEN

Sunday, March 4, 2007 11:13 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:
To that fanwank I say: "MEH."

How can it be a fanwank if I'm not a fan?

More insane ramblings by the people who brought you beeeer milkshakes!
No one can see their reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see.

CHRISISALL

Sunday, March 4, 2007 4:56 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by citizen:
How can it be a fanwank if I'm not a fan?

Excuse me.
'Non-Fanwank'.

Chrisisall

CANTTAKESKY

Monday, March 5, 2007 1:11 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:
All this talk of it made me go to the store. I just now bought Starship Troopers fo a measly $5.50; I like it at least that much.

The movie sucked like a video game (how fun is it to watch someone play a video game?). But I bought Starship Troopers in superbit so I can listen to that heavenly score by Basil Poledouris (may he rest in peace) in all its DTS glory.

There's another thread: which crappy movie had an awesome score. (Conan the Barbarian, anyone? Come to think of it, maybe Basil just picks crappy movies.)

Score-nerd Can't Take My Gorram Sky

--------------
Nullius in verba. (Take nobody's word.)

CANTTAKESKY

Monday, March 5, 2007 1:27 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:
Movies that were supposed to be good, but just made you ask, "So what?"

What is a "political" movie? Do you mean pseudo-documentaries with a clear political agenda such as Fahrenheit 911 or An Inconvenient Truth? Do you mean preachy movies (like Seabiscuit)? Anti-authoritarian futuristic sci-fi (like Total Recall)? Or any movie with a pro/con-"name your political position" message (like American President)?

Cause it seems to me like ALL movies have a pro/con message about something.

Personally, I don't much like being preached at, even if I agree with the sermon. I tend to like movies that show complexities and ambiguities of an issue. So pretty much every movie with a black-and-white, all good-vs.-all evil position is "meh" for me. So for example, Hotel Rwanda was "meh" whereas Sometimes in April was much better. Life is Beautiful was "meh," while Schindler's List was awesome.

Can't Take My Gorram Sky

--------------
Nullius in verba. (Take nobody's word.)

RIGHTEOUS9

Monday, March 5, 2007 4:11 PM

As to whether or not the bugs in starship troopers could have calculated an attack on specific planets...

one of the things I liked best about the movie was that there was never any direct evidence that the bugs were sentient....they seemed to work with a hive mind,

but maybe they were just randomly shooting their egg sacks off into space...maybe they weren't sucking out brains to get intel but just to get through the hard outer shell...

I thought the funniest part of the movie was that you could take this whole demonization of the bugs as fanatical overreaction to something that should have been dealt with more like pest control...

that was my take though

PIRATENEWS

Monday, March 5, 2007 4:34 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by SignyM:
POLITICAL moves that made me go "meh"?

Fahrenheit 911- Sloppy and trivial.

An Inconvenient Truth- For beginners.

V for Vendetta- I really hate "revolution by superhero" stories

F911 - all true, so not a movie, but it censored the fact that the Bush Gang perped the massacres, aka Operation Northwoods / Operation Gladio. Best clip was a catatonic Bush rocking back and forth in front of that insipid sign in school, as the robot airliners kicked NORAD's ass. Moore is a "Jewish" (non-semitic Khazar) POLITICIAN (elected to county school board when he was 18 so he could fire his high school principal), so his job at Disney was to blame the still-living Arab-Semitic "suicide" hijackers, who were never videotaped boarding any "hijacked" airliners on 9/11, and were not named on any passenger list (Jew Michael Eiser paid himself $100-million/year to own 20,000 slaves in Commie China).

There are now dozens of better 9/11 documentaries seeking arrest of Bush for treason:
www.piratenews.org/video-archive.html
www.piratenews.org/911con.html

Even the BBC (Big Brother Corp = MI5/6) reported WTC7 exploded 1 hour before it actually exploded:

Quote:

Time Stamp Confirms BBC Reported WTC 7 Collapse 26 Minutes In Advance
www.prisonplanet.com/articles/february2007/280207timestamp.htm

That's like Walter Cronkite reporting JFK Sr was shot dead 1 hour before he was actually shot... Like NY Times newspaper reporting Reagan was shot 1 hour before Bushes' family friend John Hinkley Jr was arrested for shooting Reagan (promoting Bush Sr to dictator 8 years early). Like CNN reporting USAma Bin Laden perped 9/11, before WTC 1&2 were hit.

V4V - A Jewish tale to glorify the Bush Crime Family's attempted terrorist bombing of British Parliament in 1605. Bush ancestor Constable Thomas Percy was gunned down, summarily executed and beheaded for his job as a crooked copster. http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/piratenewsrss/message/174

Bush ancestor touring Parliament in 2007
www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_publications_and_archives/parliamentar
y_archives/gunpowder_plot_400_pow.cfm

Starship Troopers 1 - IMDB TAGLINE: "Genocide doesn't compare to this." What instantly struck me was the Nazi imagery, selling Pentagon's & Police State's new use of NAZI-German helmets, which was extra funny that Joss made the same fashion statement against the evil Alliance. The decapitations, eviscerations and bloody amputations was an "anti-war" declaration, along with the insane antidiplomatic dialog of perpetrual war for perpetual peace, except somebody spun that into a military recruitment MKULTRATV advert for brain-damaged suckers and psychopunks. BUGS = A-RABS... What all such movies censor is that the greatest danger is from fake wars by the Shadow Govts of domestic terrorists working for the NWO bankster global dictatorship, who for over 100 years have been more powerful than any nation (they own all the paper money used by all Western govts). So a real script would have the Brain Bugs hanging out with the Rockefellers and Rothschilds at Bohemian Grove. Trivia - Casper is a "prince".

Quote:

In 2005, he produced and appeared in the reality series I Married a Princess, about his professional and personal life with Catherine Oxenberg, whose mother is Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casper_Van_Dien

Inc Truth - AlGaia was slaughtering 500,000 Iraqi babies in daily bombings between King George I and King George II. Gore is Bushes' royal cousin, as is Kerry/Kohen/Cohen. Oilman Gore spends millions of dollars electricuting his 5 mansions, and flies in his private jets spraying chemtrails to kill the sheeple. Solar System Warming is from the Sun, that's trillions of times more powerful than puny humans.

[qu

CITIZEN

Monday, March 5, 2007 5:21 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Righteous9:
one of the things I liked best about the movie was that there was never any direct evidence that the bugs were sentient....they seemed to work with a hive mind,

Save the use of traps and other intelligent tactics, the anti-aircraft fire being directed and concentrated. Whether they were individually sentient is irrelivent I think, it seems clear that they have a hive mind and that hive mind is intelligent and aware of itself.

More insane ramblings by the people who brought you beeeer milkshakes!
No one can see their reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see.

RIGHTEOUS9

Monday, March 5, 2007 6:50 PM

I don't remember the anti aircraft being directed neccesarily, but maybe I need to watch it again.yeah, I know they were blowing ships out of the sky with it...just thought it was poor logistics on the part of the starfleet to position it over birthing grounds or something.

and I figured that traps and ambushes didn't sound that far out of reach for bug intelligences...we've got examples of some of htose things in nature.

but maybe I got this idea how I thought the movie was going and ran too far with it

CITIZEN

Monday, March 5, 2007 6:56 PM

There's a quote during the film in refrence to it, the captain says something like "This isn't random or light" which indicates it was heavy and targeted.

As for the traps many animals lay traps, the funnel web spider for instance. However the funnel web always makes the same trap and uses it in the same way, varying types and uses of traps, using the enviroment to your advantage and the various tactics the bugs are actually portrayed using indicates to me that they are intelligent and using intelligent strategies.

More insane ramblings by the people who brought you beeeer milkshakes!
No one can see their reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see.

RIGHTEOUS9

Monday, March 5, 2007 7:11 PM

I'm not convinced by the captain's interpretation of whether or not the shots were random, mostly because it could rely on her expectations already, which would be the point,

but yeah, maybe the traps were more sophisticated than I remember.

CITIZEN

Monday, March 5, 2007 7:34 PM

Site Freaked out.

CITIZEN

Monday, March 5, 2007 7:42 PM

It did it again.

CITIZEN

Monday, March 5, 2007 8:14 PM

Well, I'm thinking of it in a narrative point of view. There is only one real use for that line, and that's too tell the viewer something it would be difficult to show, namely that the plasma is aimed at the ships. In fact her expectations were for it to be random and light.

More insane ramblings by the people who brought you beeeer milkshakes!
No one can see their reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see.

JAYNEZTOWN

Monday, September 18, 2023 3:48 AM

Primary Colors, Godfather III, Malcolm crap X, Apocalypse Now, Forest Gimp, The Ides of March