Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Sorry...

I'm buying "WALL-E" tomorrow, at which time I will start my review over. It'll be on in a few days.

I may also offer up a review of this decade's best film, "Minority Report." Yes, it's even better than "The Dark Knight." It's a staggering masterpiece of sci-fi pop entertainment and the best of the genre I've ever seen. I'll get into it a little later.

6 comments:

Actionman said...

I love Minority Report as well, but better than Bladerunner or 2001or Alien or some of the other seminal sci-fi classics?

I think it's one of The Beard's best films and it'd probably make my best of the decade piece (what fun that will be to write next year!).

I have been watching Wall*E over and over again. It's a masterpiece.

Joel said...

My list of greatest sci-fi films of all time (it's my favorite genre, so I have 10 good 'uns here...and I'm not counting the "Star Wars" films or the on-the-fence "Children of Men"):

1. Minority Report
2. 2001
3. Metropolis
4. WALL-E
5. A.I. Artificial Intelligence
6. Aliens (the masterful and terrifying 1986 James Cameron film)
7. E.T. (this is above all a sci-fi piece)
8. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (stands on its own, my friend; visual masterpiece)
9. The Matrix (best film of 1999--for me--and a new, innovative classic)
10. War of the Worlds (Spielberg's great remake)

Haven't seen "Blade Runner," but it's one of the few. I take my sci-fi very seriously. :P So, it's somewhere near the top of the list.

Joel said...

And, yes, as soon as I saw "Minority Report" last year, I knew that I had seen something that I would never forget and that it was the best science fiction film ever made, in my mind. It's the most rewarding experience I've had with the genre--emotionally, visually, storywise. It'll take something monstrous (literally, monstrous) to knock it off the top.

I think it's Spielberg's greatest achievement, and Spielberg's my favorite director. I've seen all but two of his films ("Sugarland Express," which I can't find, and "Schindler's List," which I am waiting for a while before seeing), and "Minority Report" is his most accomplished.

I watched it again today. Still left me staggering. And I was sitting down. Most ingenious freaking movie ever made.

Actionman said...

Intersting list for your top 10 sci-fier's. I too love the genre. Here's some of my favorites:

Bladerunner
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Alien
2001
Back to the Future 1-3
The Matrix
Children of Men
Terminator 2
Total Recall
Minority Report
Metropolis
12 Monkeys
Invasion of the Body Snatchers

You really should see Schindler's List. What's the hold up on that one?

Joel said...

I think "Children of Men" has sci-fi origins and definitely many attributes. It's in my top five films of the decade, but I see it as more of a drama with sci-fi elements. That said, the future it creates is frightening.

I haven't seen "Close Encounters" yet; I know, I can't believe it either. Or "Total Recall," "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (except the awful 2007 rip-off), or "12 Monkeys." As I said, much to watch. I'll be seeing all of these next summer. :D

The "Back to the Future" films are exceptional (the third is horrifically underrated, and I prefer it over the still-excellent second; nothing equals that first one), but I was strictly talking about singular, non-series films.

And I thought Ridley Scott's "Alien" was strong stuff (let's say, Top 15), but "Aliens" is one of the finest sequels ever.

Joel said...

Stinkin' keyboard...

Anyway,about "Schindler's List," I just feel weird about seeing it yet. I WILL see it, for sure, but not yet. The subject matter is touchy, so I'm just waiting it out.