Inspired by the linked XKCD. Using 60% instead of 50% because that’s an easy filter to apply on rottentomatoes.
I’ll go first: I think “Sherlock Holmes: A game of Shadows” was awesome, from the plot to the characters ,and especially how they used screen-play to highlight how Sherlocks head works in these absurd ways.
Titan A.E. only got a 50% and it is incredible and still holds up!
Only 50%?! Holy crap! I guess they really don’t wanna live on Planet Bob.
“You can’t name a planet Bob.”
I, Robot, especially after reading the books. It functions as a combo of the books, but set roughly where the first book took place in, using a variant of the protagonist from the sequels. The robots taking over as they did, though, wasn’t really accurate, even just regarding the laws of robotics, but it worked for the movie’s conflict. In the books, they get a larger hold on humanity, but to help them go past Earth to become an intragalactic society. For a one-off, though, I can see the directions the movie took to give it that close-ended feeling. Also, the implications of robots and humans, and Spooner as a chracter were pretty faithful to the source material, IMO.
On the topic of Isaac Asimov stories on the big screen, I nominate Bicentennial man. 36% critic and 59% audience score respectively.
I thought it did a good with the themes it brought forth and Asimovs testing of the types of conflicts that would occur with Robots gaining sentience and humanity seeing them as just machines.
Despite the one event near the end that would create a conflict with the laws of Robotics and the effect it should have on a positronic brain.
Also James Horner’s awesome soundtrack.
I would have never guessed Bicentennial Man would have scores that low. It’s a great scifi and a really well made movie.
At worst, it sacrifices a strong ending for telling a complete scifi story, which many scifi movies do. (And I believe was the right call.)
I would say the only thing the movie has in common with the book is that it mentions the book’s main character and the laws of robotics. The book is all about weird behavior of robots that actually obey the laws but the movie just treats them as some corporate doublespeak.
Yeah, I don’t think Spooner is identical to Elijah Baley, but I see they connect on the technophobe aspects, if nothing else. It’s been a while since I’ve read the books, in other aspects they’re probably vastly different.
The main character in I, Robot is Dr. Susan Calvin. It also features Donovan and Powell. Elijah is from the robot trilogy, which happens centuries after I, Robot.
“The Caves of Steel” is very much part of the “I Robot” storyline, and not an important distinction here. I also expected Dr Susan Calvin, but when talking about what we actually got, it’s closest to an adaptation of the R. Daneel trilogy.
And anyway, on Asimov’s average scale, those years are right next to eachother. /s
I tend to like sci-fi in this category such as Stargate, Dune (1984), and the Riddick films.
TRON Legacy is my favorite of the bunch, however. Incredible soundtrack, gorgeous costume design, and plenty of character.
Stargate, Dune (1984), and the Riddick films
I like those too, in particular Dune and the Chronicles of Riddick, but they all have audience scores above 60% (and Stargate and Dune are from the last millennium if we’re sticking to that requirement).
TRON Legacy is one of those movies where I watch it purely for its visuals and music. It’s a let down in terms of story and action, but I stop everything to look at it when its on.
I loved the film, but I can’t think too hard about it. I treat it like a really long music video. It was such a fun watch.
I wanted to like TRON: Legacy. I didn’t.
There’s one reason the original TRON wouldn’t play today, and it’s not the 1980s fake computer graphics. It’s the pacing. TRON is slow. There’s no jitter. It looks like a 1980s video game, not a 21st-century video game.
Or, really, just contrast the Wendy Carlos score with the Daft Punk one. The original is majestic swoops through a digital dreamscape, not jitterbug pop for robot dancers.
A thought that may help you enjoy Tron: Legacy - The pacing and style changes are meant to represent the changes in computer technology and specifically gaming, between the eras when the two films came out.
In TRON, there’s a mechanistic pacing that reflects the early computer clock cycles.
In TRON: Legacy, there’s a lot of imagery and plotting around characters trying to find peace, or achieve slowness, or even just rythm - trying to escape the attention starved modern algorithm.
I really liked Tron Legacy. I keep hearing the next one in the works so cautiously awaiting to see what they release next.
If Daft Punk isn’t doing the music, I won’t even bother being interested
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is way better than anyone gives it credit for. It’s a really fun movie.
I also really like Vanilla Sky even though critics hate it. It’s a weird but good movie.
How Equilibrium has a 40% RT rating is beyond me. It’s amazing.
Yeah, I liked Prince of Persia as well! It’s nothing groundbreaking, but it’s a fun movie.
I’m pretty shocked to see Vanilla Sky rated that poorly. I recall it being a critical darling at the time.
I feel like prince of Persia missed on timing more than anything. It came out too close to dragon emperor imo. And the same year as clash of the titans. It’s a decent flick, but not good enough to outrun the comparisons on what all 3 did poorly. (Mostly dialog)
The Green hornet with Seth Rogen. I genuinely like it. It’s a good movie.
Tron: Legacy
This is one of my favourite movies of all time. The story, atmosphere, and music are absolutely amazing!
I like both of National Treasure movies. With 46% and 36% ratings
The Cable Guy with Jim Carrey. I thought it was hilarious.
Disney’s Atlantis.
God I love that movie.
I actually like:
- Hackers (31%)
- National Treasure (46%)
- Bandits (64%)
2004’s Van Helsing stands at 24%. It is silly but it is fun.
Chappie (32%)
I love that movie and have seen it several times. Directed by Noel Blompkamp (District 9) and starring Die Antwoord.
It’s extremely original and entertaining sci fi.
Kung Pow only has a 13% critic rating and I love that movie. 69% audience score though so that might disqualify it.
I remember quite liking Slackers when I saw it (haven’t rewatched it though, so my opinion might have changed). I think if this movie every time I hear the song “She’ll be comin’ 'round the mountain”.
The Big Hit
Movies I saw 20 years ago it seems when maybe my tastes (and me too let’s face it) were a little immature. Still love Kung Pow though
I really enjoyed Resident evil.
I love my zombie movies and there’s quite a few that score very low on RT.
The 13th Warrior.
Yes, it doesn’t follow the book 100%. Yes, there are some goofy or cheesy moments. For a 90s viking adventure though, I think it’s fun.
People might take issue with Banderas playing a Muslim, but Spain was once part of the caliphate that conquered northern Africa. Having a viking who speaks Greek, considering the Kievan Rus had explored the Mediterranean and fought for the Byzantines by now, added to the historical aspects of the story.
Even the original manuscripts get a bit fantasy, so I like to think of it as the movie reeled it back to a more historically accurate story over the greater fantasy on the book.
