Sci-fi recommendations?

[Aningaaq]

Some think it might be cheesy but I really like "Alien Planet" based on the book. Fun series.

[GoSlash27]

Have you seen the 2004 BattleStar Galactica TV series and associated TV-movies? It was quite good. If you want 80's campy stuff (warning: I haven't seen this stuff in 30 yrs) there's Flash Gordon or Buck Rogers or the original BattleStar Galactica.

I'm completely hooked on this series! One of the most amazing series on TV, regardless of genre. Not exactly out of the mainstream, tho'.

Best,

-Slashy

[Wanderfound]

Lexx.

Immensely cheesy, but a lot of fun. Doesn't take itself too seriously.

Or if you're up for a classic, Blake's 7.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hrE-h5ZUII

[Tex_NL]

Lexx.

Immensely cheesy, but a lot of fun. Doesn't take itself too seriously.

You either love it or you hate it. Yes, it's somewhat original but the acting is crap and effects are hopelessly outdated. Lexx dates from the late 90's to early 00's. Even in the 70's or 80's those visual effects would have been below sub-standard.

[Wanderfound]

You either love it or you hate it. Yes, it's somewhat original but the acting is crap and effects are hopelessly outdated. Lexx dates from the late 90's to early 00's. Even in the 70's or 80's those visual effects would have been below sub-standard.

I'd actually say that it's fairly unoriginal (it has a lot in common with with Blake's 7 and Farscape, and most of the more original-by-TV-standards bits are lifted directly from literary SF). The acting is deliberately over the top; it takes a fair bit of skill to keep a straight face while you're chewing the scenery that hard.

And as for the special effects...well, compare it to the Blake's 7 clip. Now those were some dodgy special effects (didn't stop them from telling a great story, though). I watched Lexx in the 90's when it was first made; by the standards of the day, its SFX were actually pretty impressive. None of the early attempts at digital effects have dated well; the fakeness of them leaps out at a modern viewer.

Lexx definitely was a love-it-or-loathe-it show, though.

-

For genuinely awful no-redeeming-features-at-all TV SF, see Andromeda: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andromeda_(TV_series)

Yeesh.

[Samniss Arandeen]

For genuinely awful no-redeeming-features-at-all TV SF, see Andromeda: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andromeda_(TV_series)

Yeesh.

To know that that tv series came from Gene Roddenberry and had Kevin Sorbo in the lead role, and was still that awful. I contend that that, er..."show"...was about as faithful to whatever idea Roddenberry had as the Starship Troopers movies were to Heinlein's book.

Edited September 14, 2014 by B787_300
Removing profanity

[Tex_NL]

And still I'd prefer Andromeda over Lexx any day of the week.

[Aningaaq]

Both Starship Troopers and Andromeda were awesome.

[Samniss Arandeen]

Both Starship Troopers and Andromeda were awesome.

The Starship Troopers movies, in and of themselves, were okay. Decent. Middling. Average. Few things particularly bad, few things particularly good, all in all, just forgettable. If it didn't have the name attached, I'm sure it wouldn't have been remembered as it is. (On a side note, I know the guy directed Robocop, but this is also the same guy who poorly produced Showgirls, and that's an unforgivable sin in its own right.)

As an adaptation? HORRIBLE. Not just story and characters getting altered beyond recognition, but Heinlein's message and themes being completely reversed! When the Heinlein estate publicly came out with hatred for the movies, I honestly understand why. It means we won't get movies of Stranger in a Strange Land or The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, but when the ANIME of SST is more faithful than the movies, it would have been a sin for them not to.

Edited September 14, 2014 by B787_300
removing profanity

[Dispatcher]

As an adaptation? HORRIBLE. Not just story and characters getting altered beyond recognition, but Heinlein's message and themes being completely reversed! When the Heinlein estate publicly came out with hatred for the movies, I honestly understand why. It means we won't get movies of Stranger in a Strange Land or The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, but when the ANIME of SST is more faithful than the movies, it would have been a sin for them not to.

I lament that some classic novels have been turned into film or video tripe (simply by the fact that about the only thing shared in common are the titles in many cases). I also see this as the reason why the best (or at least less financially desperate) writers will hold out and not allow adaptations to the screen; or will demand creative control (i.e. they get the last word over the producer and director).

That said, "original" screenplays will continue to range from B movies and series to the epic. I'm hoping that we'll see more epic ones, relative to the lot.

Back on topic, I'm amazed by the variety of films posted or mentioned in this thread. I'll be checking out the ones I've missed in the past (and will happily avoid some that I've had the misfortune of seeing before).

[Wanderfound]

BTW, my favourite SF reviewer (James Nicoll) has been doing a Heinlein retrospective lately. James is one of the brightest, best-educated people I know, and his knowledge of SF is completely encyclopaedic, particularly at the "hard SF" end of the spectrum.

http://jamesdavisnicoll.com/reviews/series/the-great-heinlein-juveniles-plus-the-other-two-reread

Worth a look, both for Heinlein fans and those who loathe the man.

[rtxoff]

Just watched Z Nation S01E01, nice TV-show until the point where the baby turned into a Z. That was the most absurd thing i ever saw in a Zombo movie, just ridiculous. I guess the Zombie theme is already so sucked dry that they have to put in such stupid stuff into it.

[Dodgey]

Oh man all of my suggestions have been taken. One question though, I watched a fairly decent scifi movie a while ago. The premise is basically that of battle star Galatia as I remember, space based fighters launching of a mother ship as I remember it and there are two scenes that come to mind.

One is where after one of the battles one of the pilots gets stranded in his ship however he doesn't activate his rescue beacon for risk of being found by the enemy, meaning he is only rescued just before his oxygen runs out.

The other is set on the main ship, one of the fighters is being dumped overboard I think, it is being pushed by a wheeled pusher I guess.

I know its not much to go on but it's been bugging me for ages.

[Godot]

Could it be BSG the 2003er series?

I remember that Apollo once (I think in the attack on the resurrection ship) almost dies of Hypoxia and was only rescued in the last minute.4

And IIRC the deck crew of the Galactica also used motorised pushers on at least one occasion to push a wrecked fighter aside so that other fighters can land

[Samniss Arandeen]

BTW, my favourite SF reviewer (James Nicoll) has been doing a Heinlein retrospective lately. James is one of the brightest, best-educated people I know, and his knowledge of SF is completely encyclopaedic, particularly at the "hard SF" end of the spectrum.

http://jamesdavisnicoll.com/reviews/series/the-great-heinlein-juveniles-plus-the-other-two-reread

Worth a look, both for Heinlein fans and those who loathe the man.

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. That link has totally changed my life~

[Dodgey]

Could it be BSG the 2003er series?

I remember that Apollo once (I think in the attack on the resurrection ship) almost dies of Hypoxia and was only rescued in the last minute.4

And IIRC the deck crew of the Galactica also used motorised pushers on at least one occasion to push a wrecked fighter aside so that other fighters can land

Yea that sounds right, thanks.

[Wanderfound]

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. That link has totally changed my life~

I've been reading everything James writes since ye olde Usenet days. Check out his Livejournal as well; he usually has plenty of interesting things to say on non-SF topics as well.

[Las-pen]

Iron Sky

A watchable movie, though IMO it was a bit of a disappointment. Not nearly enough Space-nazis and way too much Sarah Palin.

Edited September 15, 2014 by Las-pen

[Godot]

But one has to admit that Sarah Palin was well done ... just like a copy of the real one