movies, music, quotes

0570 – Lost in Space (1998)

spacetime coordinates: 2058 Earth Alpha Prime

Major West [Launching the Jupiter-1]: And the monkey flips the switch.

Lost-in-Space-1998-movie-poster

Lost in Space is a 1998 American science-fiction adventure / comedy film directed by Stephen Hopkins, and starring William HurtMatt LeBlanc, and Gary Oldman.  The plot is adapted from the 1965–1968 CBS television series Lost in Space. The film focuses on the Robinson family, who undertake a voyage to a nearby star system to begin large-scale emigration from a soon-to-be uninhabitable Earth (due to the irreversible effects of pollution and Ozone depletion), but are thrown off course by a saboteur and must try to find their way home.

Several of the actors from the original TV series had cameos in the film. The television series Lost in Space (1965) was set in the future of 1997 – the year the film began production.

Major West: OK, last one to kill a bad guy buys the beer!

Lost In Space – Apollo 440

imdb

movies, quotes

0566 – Les aventures extraordinaires d’Adèle Blanc-Sec (2010)

spacetime coordinates: Paris, c. 1912

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The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec (French: Les Aventures extraordinaires d’Adèle Blanc-Sec), released as Adèle: Rise of the Mummy in Malaysia and Singapore,  is a 2010 French fantasy adventure feature film written and directed by Luc Besson.

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It is loosely based on the comic book series The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec by Jacques Tardi and, as in the comic, follows the eponymous writer and a number of recurring side characters in a succession of far-fetched incidents in 1910s Paris and beyond, in this episode revolving around parapsychology and ultra-advanced Ancient Egyptian technology, which both pastiche and subvert adventure and speculative fiction of the period.

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The film incorporates characters and events from several of the albums, in particular the first, “Adèle and the Beast”, first published in 1976, and the fourth, 1978’s “Mummies on Parade”.

cartel(5)

wiki   imdb

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“In Cairo ten years ago, in the museum, I saw all the mummies, torn out of their tombs, stripped of their flowers and gods, and laid out in plain wood cases under glass with their blackened faces exposed; on the walls an American scientist had put his X-ray photos of their skeletons, and the urn containing the entrails of Queen Hapshetshut was split open and brightly illuminated.”  Dangerous Emotions Alphonso Lingis

movies

551 – John Carter (2012)

spacetime coordinates: 1868 > 1881  Arizona Territory / dying planet of Barsoom – Red Martian city of Helium, predator Walking City of Zodanga

johncarter1 posterJohn Carter is a 2012 American science fiction action film directed by Andrew Stanton from a screenplay written by Stanton, Mark Andrews, and Michael Chabon.

The film is largely based on A Princess of Mars (1917), the first in a series of 11 novels by Edgar Rice Burroughs to feature the interplanetary hero John Carter (and in later volumes the adventures of his children with Dejah Thoris). The story was originally serialized in six monthly installments (from February through to July 1912) in the pulp magazine The All-Story; those chapters, originally titled “Under the Moons of Mars,” were then collected in hardcover five years later from publisher A. C. McClurg.

John Carter stars Taylor Kitsch in the title role, Lynn CollinsSamantha MortonMark StrongCiarán HindsDominic WestJames Purefoy, and Willem Dafoe. The film chronicles the first interplanetary adventure of John Carter and his attempts to mediate civil unrest amongst the warring kingdoms of Barsoom.

Several developments on a theatrical film adaptation of the Barsoom series emerged throughout the 20th century from various major studios and producers, with the earliest attempt dating back to the 1930s. Most of these efforts, however, ultimately stalled in development hell. In the late-2000s, Walt Disney Pictures began a concerted effort to develop a film adaptation of Burroughs’ works, after a previously-abandoned venture by the studio in the 1980s. The project was driven by Stanton, who had pressed Disney to renew the screen rights from the Burroughs estate. Stanton became director in 2009; this was his live-action debut, as his previous directorial work for Disney included the Pixar animated films, Finding Nemo (2003) and WALL-E (2008).

Due to the film’s poor box office performance, Disney cancelled any plans for a sequel (titled John Carter: The Gods of Mars) and trilogy Stanton had planned.

Cancelled sequel   

concept art   imdb

movies

0436 – Looper (2012)

spacetime coordinates: 2044  Kansas City < 2074  Shanghai

Looper is a 2012 American science fiction thriller film written and directed by Rian Johnson, and produced by Ram Bergman and James D. Stern. It stars Bruce WillisJoseph Gordon-Levitt, and Emily Blunt. It revolves around criminal syndicates using contracted killers called “loopers” to kill victims sent through time travel.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1276104/



James vs. His Future Self (2019)

spacetime coordinates: SudburyOntario, in 2018

James vs. His Future Self is a 2019 Canadian science fiction comedy film, directed by Jeremy Lalonde. The film stars Jonas Chernick as James, a scientist researching time travel whose life is turned upside down when his older self (Daniel Stern) arrives from 17 years in the future to demand that he stop. The cast also includes Cleopatra ColemanFrances ConroyTara Spencer-Nairn and Tommie-Amber Pirie. (wiki)

imdb   /   rottentomatoes

movies

0169 – AI

Ex Machina (2014) 

Ex Machina is a 2014 British-American science fiction psychological thriller film written and directed by Alex GarlandDomhnall GleesonAlicia VikanderSonoya Mizuno, and Oscar Isaac star in a story that follows a programmer who is invited by his CEO to administer the Turing test to an intelligent humanoid robot. Film based on The Tempest by William Shakespeare.

ex machina 3
ex machina (2014) – imdb

ex machina 2


I, Robot (2004) 

spacetime coordinates: 2035 Chicago

2004-i_robot-7I, Robot (stylized as i,robot) is a 2004 American science fiction action film directed by Alex Proyas. The screenplay by Jeff Vintar and Akiva Goldsman is from a screen story by Vintar, based on his original screenplay “Hardwired”, and suggested by Isaac Asimov‘s 1950 short-story collection of the same name. The film stars Will SmithBridget MoynahanBruce GreenwoodJames CromwellChi McBride, and Alan Tudyk. In 2035, highly intelligent robots fill public service positions throughout the dystopian world, operating under three rules to keep humans safe. Detective Del Spooner (Smith) investigates the alleged suicide of U.S. Robotics founder Alfred Lanning (Cromwell) and believes that a human-like robot (Tudyk) murdered him.

i robot
I, robot (2004) – imdb

Morgan (2016)

Morgan is a 2016 British-American science fiction thriller film directed by Luke Scott in his directorial debut, and written by Seth Owen. Film scored by Max Richter.

morgan
morgan (2016) – imdb

Bicentennial Man (1999)

spacetime coordinates: 2005 > 2048 >> 2205 San Francisco Bay Area / Washington, D.C.

Bicentennial Man is a 1999 American science fiction comedy-drama film starring Robin WilliamsSam NeillEmbeth Davidtz (in a dual role), Wendy Crewson, and Oliver Platt. Based on the 1992 novel The Positronic Man by Isaac Asimov and Robert Silverberg (which is itself based on Asimov’s original 1976 novelette “The Bicentennial Man“), the plot explores issues of humanityslaveryprejudicematurityintellectual freedomconformitysexlovemortality, and eternal life. The film, a co-production between Touchstone Pictures and Columbia Pictures, was directed by Chris Columbus.

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bicentennial man (1999) – imdb

Eva (2011) 

spacetime coordinates: 2043, Santa Irene

Eva is a 2011 science fiction film directed by Kike Maíllo. It had its world premiere on 7 September 2011 at the 68th Venice International Film Festival, where it was screened out of competition. The film stars Daniel BrühlMarta EturaLluís Homar and Alberto Ammann.

Eva was nominated in twelve categories at the 26th Goya Awards, scoring three wins—Best New Director, Best Supporting Actor and Best Special Effects. It earned nominations for Best Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Make Up and Hairstyles, Best Original Score, Best Original Screenplay, Best Production Design, Best Production Supervision and Best Sound. The film was also nominated for sixteen Gaudí Awards, winning five.

The film combines computer generated imagery of robots and engineering devices and retro clothing and props like a Saab 900 car. (wiki)

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eva (2011) – imdb

A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) 

spacetime coordinates: the 22nd century  Madison, New Jersey, resort town of Rouge City, the flooded ruins of Manhattan (rising sea levels from global warming have wiped out coastal cities, reducing the world’s population.)

A.I. Artificial Intelligence (also known as A.I.) is a 2001 American science fiction drama film directed by Steven Spielberg. The screenplay by Spielberg and screen story by Ian Watson were loosely based on the 1969 short story “Supertoys Last All Summer Long” by Brian Aldiss. The film stars Haley Joel OsmentJude LawFrances O’ConnorBrendan Gleeson and William Hurt. Set in a futuristic post-climate change society, A.I. tells the story of David (Osment), a childlike android uniquely programmed with the ability to love.

AI

Development of A.I. originally began with producer-director Stanley Kubrick, after he acquired the rights to Aldiss’ story in the early 1970s. Kubrick hired a series of writers until the mid-1990s, including Brian Aldiss, Bob Shaw, Ian Watson, and Sara Maitland. The film languished in protracted development for years, partly because Kubrick felt computer-generated imagery was not advanced enough to create the David character, whom he believed no child actor would convincingly portray. In 1995, Kubrick handed A.I. to Spielberg, but the film did not gain momentum until Kubrick’s death in 1999. Spielberg remained close to Watson’s film treatment for the screenplay.

Kubrick’s original concept art for A.I. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (2001) via @TIFF_NET

 A.I. is dedicated to Kubrick.

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artificial intelligence (2001) – imdb

Autómata (2014)

spacetime coordinates: 2044, 20 after solar flares irradiate the Earth, killing over 99% of the world’s population. The survivors gather in a network of safe cities and build primitive humanoid robots, called Pilgrims, to help rebuild and operate in the harsh environment.

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Autómata is a 2014 English-language science fiction action film directed by Gabe Ibáñez and starring Antonio Banderas. The film is co-written by Ibáñez with Igor Legarreta and Javier Sánchez Donate, and co-stars Birgitte Hjort SørensenMelanie GriffithDylan McDermottRobert Forster, and Tim McInnerny. (wiki)

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Autómata (2014) – imdb

The Machine (2013)

The Machine is a 2013 British science fiction thriller film directed and written by Caradog W. James. It stars Caity Lotz and Toby Stephens as computer scientists who create an artificial intelligence for the British military. (wiki) / rottentomatoes

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the machine (2013) – imdb

her (2013)

timespace coordinates: near future Los Angeles

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Her is a 2013 American romantic science-fiction drama film written, directed, and produced by Spike Jonze. It marks Jonze’s solo screenwriting debut. The film follows Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix), a man who develops a relationship with Samantha (Scarlett Johansson), an artificially intelligent virtual assistant personified through a female voice. The film also stars Amy AdamsRooney Mara, and Olivia Wilde.

imdb

movies

167 – Brand Upon the Brain! (2006)

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Brand Upon the Brain! A Remembrance in 12 Chapters  is an avant-garde silent film directed by Guy Maddin and shot in Seattle with local actors.

brand upon the brain

Guy reluctantly returns to his childhood home, an abandoned Canadian island, where his parents ran an orphanage. As Guy fulfils his dying mother’s request to paint the lighthouse which served as the orphanage, memories of strange events there overpower him. An undercover investigation by child author/detective Wendy & a revolt by the repressed children, blew open a cover-up by Guy’s parents. Wendy disguised herself as her brother Chance and discovered that Guy’s inventor father performed outré scientific experiments on the orphans.

brand upon the brain

imdb     wikipedia