Favorite Sci-Fi? Why? Hi!

POSTED BY: Quicksand
UPDATED: Monday, June 28, 2004 13:17
VIEWED: 7506
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EST120

Thursday, June 17, 2004 1:11 PM

Quote:
I was wondering what sort of futuristic Sci-Fi all you browncoats were into before you got into "Firefly" .... and also during and after "Firefly," and how "Firefly" affected the sci-fi you watch (or read).

well, my favorite sci-fi movies/shows are (excluding fantasy):
Firefly
Pitch Black (the sequel was okay but i expounded on this enough already in another thread)
The Fifth Element (which is more of an action/comedy than true sci-fi)
Futurama (another more comedy than sci-fi but mortally funny)

i have never really been a big star wars or star trek fan.

i exclude fantasy because fantasy is not really sci-fi in my opinion and i hate it when i see classifications that label them as sci-fi/fantasy because they are not the same thing. disagree if you want, but this is just my opinion.

firefly has not really altered what i consider good sci-fi but it has changed what i think is good filmmaking or good tv. firefly really got me to pay attention to detail which makes the viewing experience so much more enjoyable. i am now more drawn to more character driven movies/shows and firefly was certainly like that. this is one of the main reasons why i was a little disappointed in the chronicles of riddick (but i have to stress again, the movie was not terrible, it was average!). anyway, i have already babbled enough and must get back to work!

STARPILOTGRAINGER

Thursday, June 17, 2004 1:34 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by est120:

i exclude fantasy because fantasy is not really sci-fi in my opinion and i hate it when i see classifications that label them as sci-fi/fantasy because they are not the same thing. disagree if you want, but this is just my opinion.

While I agree that fantasy and Sci-Fi aren't the same thing, I have no problem lumping them together (in fact, I use 'SF' to refer to both.. the SF meaning 'Speculative Fiction'), they complement each other and tend to appeal to the same types of people. Really, a lot of 'Sci-Fi' is just fantasy with futuristic props, so you get into arguments there too. That's why I just use SF and refer to both at once. ;)

Star Pilot Grainger
"Remember, the enemy's gate is down."
LJ: http://www.livejournal.com/users/newnumber6

BROWNCOAT1

Thursday, June 17, 2004 1:36 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Quicksand:

I was wondering what sort of futuristic Sci-Fi all you browncoats were into before you got into "Firefly" .... and also during and after "Firefly," and how "Firefly" affected the sci-fi you watch (or read).

I read in another thread how so-and-so liked "The Chronicles of Riddick" ... and while I maintain that the movie DID NOT suck, there are better sci-fi epics from our generation... among them, The Empire Strikes Back, and the directors cut of Aliens.

Who's with me?

___\_o_/___
--------------- (Qs)

Love the directors cut of Aliens. It was better than the original and flowed easier.

As to sci fi, I have always been into sci fi. As a kid I grew up on reruns of the original Star Trek series, Battlestar Galactica, and Buck Rogers. STNG was good, but got weak at the end. I liked STDS9, but hated Voyager.

I remember seeing Star Wars at a drive in as a kid and being completely blown away. I was hooked on the original trilogy (the "special editions"? Not so much) of SW.

I watch shows like Stargate SG1, B5, Red Dwarf, Sliders (first 2 seasons anyway), X Files (first 4 seasons), Buffy, Angel, the new Battlestar Galactica, and am looking forward to Stargate Atlantis. Never really could get into Farscape.

With all the movies and shows of the sci fi genre I have seen, none pulled me in like Firefly. I was never so passionate about saving a show or felt so devastated when one was cancelled. To me, Firefly was the pinnacle of sci fi, combining great writing w/ a great cast w/ superb chemistry. There will never be another like it.

"May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one."

RELFEXIVE

Thursday, June 17, 2004 1:52 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by StarPilotGrainger:
Quote:
Originally posted by est120:

i exclude fantasy because fantasy is not really sci-fi in my opinion and i hate it when i see classifications that label them as sci-fi/fantasy because they are not the same thing. disagree if you want, but this is just my opinion.

While I agree that fantasy and Sci-Fi aren't the same thing, I have no problem lumping them together (in fact, I use 'SF' to refer to both.. the SF meaning 'Speculative Fiction'), they complement each other and tend to appeal to the same types of people. Really, a lot of 'Sci-Fi' is just fantasy with futuristic props, so you get into arguments there too. That's why I just use SF and refer to both at once. ;)

Bear in mind that in a purely genre sense, 'Sci-Fi' contains the sub-genres 'science fiction' and 'science fantasy'.

Basically, 'science fiction' has tech that can be extrapolated from what we know about science today, while 'science fantasy' contains elements outside out current understanding.

If you slope around the solar system using rockets and solar sails, have rotating sections for "gravity" and only know humans that you shoot at with regular firearms, it's probably science fiction. Barring any monoliths, this is 2001.

If you blast around the universe with warp drive, shoot people with your blaster pistol, and have artificial gravity and forcefields, it's definitely science fantasy. Firefly, Farscape, Star Wars and Star Trek all go in this category.

And of course 'fantasy' is another genre (almost) entirely.

Just to add some unnecessary waffle to the proceedings

Mal: "We're not gonna die. We can't die, Bendis. You know why? Because we are so... very... pretty. We are just too pretty for God to let us die."

STARPILOTGRAINGER

Thursday, June 17, 2004 2:20 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by RelFexive:

Bear in mind that in a purely genre sense, 'Sci-Fi' contains the sub-genres 'science fiction' and 'science fantasy'.

Basically, 'science fiction' has tech that can be extrapolated from what we know about science today, while 'science fantasy' contains elements outside out current understanding.

If you slope around the solar system using rockets and solar sails, have rotating sections for "gravity" and only know humans that you shoot at with regular firearms, it's probably science fiction. Barring any monoliths, this is 2001.

If you blast around the universe with warp drive, shoot people with your blaster pistol, and have artificial gravity and forcefields, it's definitely science fantasy. Firefly, Farscape, Star Wars and Star Trek all go in this category.

And of course 'fantasy' is another genre (almost) entirely.

Just to add some unnecessary waffle to the proceedings

But it's only because some people choose to label them such. There aren't any universal definitions, really. Some people would call what you call 'Science Fantasy' as 'soft Sci-Fi' (allowing elements not known to be possible), with Hard SF strictly extrapolated by current laws (sometimes with a 'Okay, current laws of physics with _one_ exception, like FTL' clause). People argue over what is Hard SF all the time. Personally, I'd call something 'Science Fantasy' if it relies on elements that are, more or less, fantasy, like 'The Force', ghosts, etc, and the Science Fiction elements are pretty well props. Star Wars is Science Fantasy, IMHO, Star Trek is usually very soft Science Fiction, with the occasional Science Fantasy element. That's not to say one is better than the other, but I'd classify them differently. It's a fine line sometimes, and often depends on implementation (a story with 'prophecy' which is someone essentially magically seeing the future, or no source, is Science Fantasy. If a prophecy is a result of say, a highly sophisticated computer analysis of events, then it's Science Fiction. Telepathy and other ESP could go into either category, but usually if it's treated as a biological fact of some people, I'd call it Science Fiction.

But again, I don't think you'll ever find a universally agreed on definition of various SF categories. I call Firefly soft Science Fiction with a heavy Western influence.

Star Pilot Grainger
"Remember, the enemy's gate is down."
LJ: http://www.livejournal.com/users/newnumber6

RELFEXIVE

Thursday, June 17, 2004 2:49 PM

Oh, it's not hard and fast at all. After all, some things that seem fantastic might not be, and make an easy transition from the 'fantasy' side to the 'fiction' side. But the softer your 'fiction' becomes, the closer to 'fantasy' it gets.

Anyway... I'm a Scaper for sure. And B5 before that. Give me long plots, give me arcs, give me character development, give me intelligent stories and characters, give me plausible backgrounds and histories, give me drama, action, comedy and tragedy.

But most of all, give me entertainment and fun!

Mal: "We're not gonna die. We can't die, Bendis. You know why? Because we are so... very... pretty. We are just too pretty for God to let us die."

RAWDEAL

Thursday, June 17, 2004 5:45 PM

Besides Firefly I have been following Stargate SG1 from the beginning, but as they're just starting to show the fifth season over here I have resorted to getting all of my episodes from the net (with only a weeks delay after being shown in the US).

Before that I used to enjoy watching B5, never been that big of a fan of Star Trek but just because of the fact that it hast been shown much around here, Star Wars and Alien are always good to see.

-----------------------------------
Jayne: "Know what the chain of command is? It's the chain I beat you with till you understand who's in command."

THATWEIRDGIRL

Thursday, June 17, 2004 6:44 PM

TV
BG
ST--ots,ng,v,ds9,ent
Dr.Who
QL
Futurama
B5
Buck
V--miniseries, not too into the show
Time Trax
Andromeda--not many choices without cable

Movie
everything you all have listed
lots more that would take all day to list

Book
Hitchhiker series
6 Dune Chronicles
Bradbury
2001--all the others sucked
there is an entire thread about scifi novels

www.thatweirdgirl.com

EST120

Thursday, June 17, 2004 7:45 PM

Quote:

While I agree that fantasy and Sci-Fi aren't the same thing, I have no problem lumping them together (in fact, I use 'SF' to refer to both.. the SF meaning 'Speculative Fiction'), they complement each other and tend to appeal to the same types of people. Really, a lot of 'Sci-Fi' is just fantasy with futuristic props, so you get into arguments there too. That's why I just use SF and refer to both at once. ;)

i can understand that point of view. still, i prefer to keep them separate because it just does not feel right to me to classify movies like lord of the rings with movies like aliens. like someone else posted, though, these kinds of classifications are really arbitrary anyway because most movies cross multiple genres. i guess i feel that sci-fi is more based on science. futuristic or speculative engineering, biology etc. whereas fantasy is more whimsical, more ethereal and less grounded in fact as it is just imagination running wild (things like magic, etc.).

"i can't comprehend the ways that i miss you they come to light in my mistakes"
-neko case

MRSKBORG

Thursday, June 17, 2004 8:06 PM

Really good SciFi - Firefly obviously - good characters, good chemistry, good storylines and great acting. Stuff like this only comes along once in a while. Before that I watched Babylon 5 which although the first series wasn't wonderful it had a good enough arc to keep me hooked and the special effects were great - created on amiga which piqued my interest cos I had one at the time, and they were not afraid to take risks with their characters. Farscape too, you really need to follow it or you'll get lost quicly sometiimes. They realised early on that Krace wasn't nearly good enough as a bad guy and brought in the Scorpious character who was wonderful - you never quite knew where you stood with him..... I watch Stargate cos I like it and well, lets face it theres not much else going on. I like trek but DS9 will always be my favourite again they never seemed to be afraid to take risks.

As for movies The Original Star Wars films, Alien and Aliens, Bladerunner, Cube (although I think thats goes into the Horror genre) Matrix (not the sequels or prequels or whatever) Terminator and T2, The Abyss which is very underrated, Fifth Element, Twelve Monkeys, LOTR (yeah I know its fantasy but I can't separate them) Legend (again I know it's fantasy) and Highlander - I'm not quite sure which category that falls into but I love it anyway, not the 2nd or 3rd or the series for that matter, just that film.

And just for the fun of it Galaxy Quest, Red Dwarf, Spaceballs and Flash Gordon!

Hey, they just don't make stuff like this anymore!! Or they cancel the good stuff!

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