Esther's comments (member since Nov 03, 2008)

Esther's comments from the Science Fiction Films group.

When I was about 15 we came home late and I turned on the TV to 'wind down' before sleeping.

I turned on in the middle of Blade Runner and was fascinated from the first second.
I think it was the moment I really became aware I was a scifi fan.

25 years later I own the box set and am still totally enthralled by this film.

Sandi wrote: "...My optometrist tells me to take out my contact lenses every night to prevent infections (even though they're extended wear), but I leave them in anyway. I like being able to see when I wake up...."
When I wore contacts I always had to have glasses as well so I could find my contacts in the morning!

My focus terminates at the end of my nose. I can hardly recognise my own children when I'm not wearing glasses.
Just looking for my glasses if I knock them off the beside table in the morning leads to tears or a panic attack.
That scene had me hyperventilating.

I turned this film on by mistake so missed the first bit of narration.
I really liked it and wanted the DVD am glad I waited and will now get the Director's Cut

I would choose Blade Runner because hubby bought me the 5 disc boxed set for my last birthday and I would love an excuse to have myself a marathon.

Kandice wrote: "I want to see Inheart, because my sons love the books. (Brendan Frasier won't hurt the film either;)"

I was surprised at the choice of Brendan Frazier , even more surprised when the author said she had written the character with him in mind. Inkheart the book is quite good but a bit slow and heavy.The reviews I've read say the film suffers from the same problems.

Event Horizon also gave me some nasty dreams. I watched because I like scifi and DH likes horror.

I had more or less managed to erase it from my mind and nearly ended up seeing it again but realised my mistake before the violence got into full swing.


'Silent Running' s one of my scifi favourites and now I want to watch Wall-e because my favourite film critic says there are similarities.
I watched 'Silent Running' on my on on a black/white portable when I was a pre-teen. It didn't upset me but made a great impression.

The first films that scared me out of sleep were 'The Omen' and 'Carrie'. I was a pre-teen and had such bad nightmares I pushed my Dad out of bed so I could sleep with my Mum!
'The Day After..' and 'Threads' were almost compulsory viewing. We discussed them the next day at school amongst ourselves and in Ethics class. For the most part I didn't believe nuclear war would actually happen so they didn't disturb my sleep.

Unlike 'Sybil' which my mother warned me not to watch. It haunted me for years and not just in my sleep.
I saw the preview of 'The Deep End of the Ocean' when my children were babies. The premise so upset me I would awake in tears in the middle of a panic attack.
Eventually I steeled myself to watch the film after friends told me it have a reasonably happy ending and I was OK.

I found Gattaca inspiring.
As someone who has always dreamed of being an astronaut I could identify with Vincent.
I appreciated the fact that although he is determined he isn't cruel.
In a 'thinking' film I am most critical about the emotions and relationships. Vincent and Irene, Vincent and his brother, Vincent and Jerome and Vincent and the world - I found all these relationships believable and ,thankfully, not overwrought or melodramatic.

As far as I was concerned the murder investigation was just a macguffin to add tension, introduce Vincent's brother and show Jerome at his best.

The solar panel scene is beautiful but my favourite scenes are the swimming scene and crossing the busy road. They are so tense and almost wordless but show us exactly who Vincent is.

I'm an Arhnold fan so Total Recall, True Lies ,Terminator are always a good way to pass the time.
In our family we have a classification of films 'No brain required' - perfect for this type of entertainment.

I also like Robocop and Starship Troopers.

Sometime I get fed up with all these directors that take themselves soooo seriously. Maybe it's not Bergman but it's fun.

Kandice wrote: "...I really enjoyed V for Vendetta. Obviously! the graphic novel was much, much better and deeper, but the movie was okay as far adaptations go..."

I had several big problems with V for Vendetta but the less controversial ones are:
Natalie Portman - she is always your middle class girl trying so hard to be bad but not succeeding.
Guy Fawkes Night - It is a night to celebrate the fact that Guy Fawkes did not succeed in blowing up Parliament but was in fact caught and executed, effectively putting an end to the Catholic Rebellion in England.
Who would chose that day as a symbol of hope in the struggle against tyrannical government?

Jim thanks for a good laugh.

I thought the first Matrix was excellent. The separate elements were not all original but the end result felt to me like something totally new.
The idea of this life being an illusion etc was quite mind blowing and the ultra-cool stylistic presentation kept me so detached from reality that the explanation didn't need to be believable.

I'm also a big John Woo fan so the action scenes made my heart go pitti-pat with joy.
It would certainly be near the top of my favourite films list.

The second film went deeper into the illusion, maybe too deep, but I felt it was a good first half of something. I liked Zion and the Highway chase scene pushed all the right buttons.
Number three was a big let down. Two had set the scene for something crazy but three was just meh.
I've had my fill of Christ analogies, thank you.