The Movie Nerd Bible: Part II

[Mikester1290]

Oh yeah, good stuff, not surprising that many of these films are from the eighties, even the word "eighties" is horrible to look at and the music was even worse, but the films from that era..... Kick ass. To the MAX!

Anyway I was wondering, could we do a cheese-fest film list, I was thinking like, Independance day and defo-nukely Starship Troopers (the first one of course!)

Also another favourite film for me from the eighties was ROBOCOP. Just so noone forgets that one.

Also new startrek film would have been ok or even brilliant if there wasn't such a thing as Star Trek, i.e. Anything before that one came out.

"Ok so the new film avoided setting up any high concept sci-fi ideas and went for the action jugular, but that was what was needed, remember this film had to re-establish characters, and introduce them to the new audience, who hopefully with interest will dig up the older shows and movies and dvd and check what the fuss was about"

Said some guy in here.^^^^

These guys picking up the old Treks are gunna realise what JJ's done to Trek, (kill it) or they're going to think that the old Treks are crap because the special effects are dated or they don't have a clue why there's so many Vulcans about the place, "Hi Spock, or other Trek Vulcan being, sorry about when your planet got exploded by that evil Romulan guy" Oh hang on, noone said that> HAHAHAHAHAAA!

 

[wulfy42]

I've seen every movie on the list multiple times excepting maybe the star trek movies (I may have seen them more then once but not more then twice and honestly can't remember anymore it's been too long).

This list is made up of movies you have to try and avoid in my opinion because almost every one of them is replayed almost monthly (on different channels but still).

Most of the movies I thought should be on the list are. I'm glad Tron made it as i'm not sure everyone would agree that it should (I certainly do). I'm surprised at Big Trouble making it, although I loved the movie and have seen it many times. It is a great entertaining movie, but I'm not sure if it's exactly groundbreaking or brought anything new to films.

I'm a huge Dune fan, and I hate seeing the original movie Dune listed on there. I have seen it more then once only because I was hoping that watching it again later would make it better and to compare it to the mini-series. It was still a massive let down. One of the worst adaptations of a great book I have ever seen. I've re-read the dune series over 10 times but I HATE what they did to the movie.

Honestly though T2 at least should be mentioned (just the whole terminator series probably). I mean as much as Alien/s added to the space/alien science fiction genre, Terminator added to the science fiction robot/apacolyptic genre (basically defining it). I'd ditch Flash gordon and add Terminator.

Also I think some mini series might be nice to mention. The Stand for instance was a great mini-series (in my opinion) as just one example. I think in some cases mini-series have helped define genre's as well or done a better job then the movie you listed (such as the Dune Mini-series) at portraying a good book.

Perhaps another option would be to mention not just directors etc but in some cases the authors movies are based on. Steven King for instance has given us some fine gems over the years (or been in the inspiration for them) in movies. Often movies that are based on his books are not even identified (such as The Running Man based on a short story he wrote under the pen name Backman).

Anyway good attempt at a list, certainly all are worth watching at least. Some of them are iconic in my opinion and it's scary to think people have not seen them. I run into people who have not seen the original Star wars movies still all the time for instance.

As far as more recent movies post 1990....I agree they are probably too new to be on a list of must see movies or to have had a huge impact on current movies. Other then the Matrix (which made slow motion etc into an art form that has effected many more recent movies even including the recent Inception) I don't really think any movie post 1990 has had a HUGE effect on more recent movies.

I would like to see Movie Bob (Who's opinion I respect and usually agree with) continue to expand the list into genre's and suggested movies. Perhaps creating a list of top 20 movies from each field (Horror, Science Fiction, Comedy, Fantasy etc) that viewers should watch if they have not already. With netflix/Blockbuster online etc and DVR's etc there is no reason for people to miss out on watching these movies. These lists so far a great starting point but I think much more could be done to educate the masses in the best films of the past.

 

[2xDouble]

I'm sure everyone on this list complaining about which movies were included and which weren't completely read and understand the article(s). However, I'd like to remind everyone of the last paragraph, some seem to have missed or skipped over it...

Once again, this is not meant to be comprehensive or all-encompassing. Trust me, there are plenty of films I had to cut from here that I would leave if the space would allow it. But I think it's a solid sampler, and if you think there's anything I missed, please feel free to enlighten everyone in the comments.

That being said, I'd like to add:
1) All of Mel Brooks' movies. Most of them are hilareously nerdy, but still let you feel smart watching them. Brooks also perfected the movie parody such that all the ones out now suck (thank you very much, Wayans! jerk! *fist shake*)

2) Pretty much everything by Pixar. Modern animation at its finest.

3) The Princess Bride. Yeah, it's a little "girly", but not overblown (very much like Labyrinth). An marvelous swashbuckling fantasy adventure (and a way for the English to take credit for Zorro, heh).

4) Ghostbusters II. He had the first one on the list, and I do admit the sequel wasn't nearly as good. But it really dived into supernatural aspects of the human condition... and using the Statue of Liberty as a giant battle robot, which is just awesome.

Maybe Bob will do a "Part 3" (all the best nerd stuff comes in trilogies. Star Wars; Star Trek 2, 3, and 4; the Lord of the Rings, etc...), covering movies since 1989... and remembering to forget that "Indiana Jones" "4" exists.

 

[daftalchemist]

I'll probably get hated on for it, but I did not like Blade Runner. I attribute it to having read the book first, and being mesmerized by the story. Then Blade Runner came along and dumbed down the moral undertones, and honestly completely remade all of the characters. The only thing that made them like the book was that they had character names slapped onto them. I simply was not impressed.

 

[stickmangrit]

Also new Star Trek film would have been ok or even brilliant if there wasn't such a thing as Star Trek, i.e. Anything before that one came out.

"Ok so the new film avoided setting up any high concept sci-fi ideas and went for the action jugular, but that was what was needed, remember this film had to re-establish characters, and introduce them to the new audience, who hopefully with interest will dig up the older shows and movies and dvd and check what the fuss was about"

Said some guy in here.^^^^

These guys picking up the old Treks are gonna realize what JJ's done to Trek, (kill it)

so long as they don't pick up the Non-Motion Picture.
or Search for Spock.
or Final Frontier.
or Generations.
or Insurrection.
or Nemesis.

so yeah, as long as they stick to the four great-to-ok Trek movies, they'll realize that Abrams butchered a proud and brilliant franchise. otherwise they'll look at the series as a whole and realize that whilst Abrams Trek is nowhere near the high point of the franchise, it's still pretty fucking far from the bottom of the barrel.

 

[Lord_Ascendant]

The Lord_Ascendant is happy Moviebob included Labyrinth in this

 

[ProfessorLayton]

I was kind of expecting Terminator... but for anyone who happens to be reading this, both Network and Taxi Driver are movies that you have to see if you're into drama.

 

[dante brevity]

Seriously, NO movies from the past two decades, Bob? None? Someone either has an over-developed sense of nostalgia or had something else to do and stopped early. Terminator, Princess Bride, The Sixth Sense, Toy Story, Pulp Fiction need to be on any list of movies "nerds should have seen," not to mention a whole mess of new comic book movies, of which the first two "Spiderman"s are the crown, but were kicked off by "X-Men".

And how could you leave off "The Matrix"!? That one was important for nerds, for Hollywood, for America! It set a new standard for how sci-fi action movies would look in the CG age. Even if you don't like it, I think you'll admit that it deserves pride of place over "Big Trouble in Little China" or even "The Goonies"

Someone needs to make a third list...

EDIT - Just saw "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World" and, in a few years, nerds will probably be adding that movie to this list, too.

 

[Stabby Joe]

Terminator 1 and 2...

...that is all that needs to be said.

 

[willingdruid]

No Nekromantik or Tetsuo: the iron man?

FFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

 

[Mikester1290]

Also new Star Trek film would have been ok or even brilliant if there wasn't such a thing as Star Trek, i.e. Anything before that one came out.

"Ok so the new film avoided setting up any high concept sci-fi ideas and went for the action jugular, but that was what was needed, remember this film had to re-establish characters, and introduce them to the new audience, who hopefully with interest will dig up the older shows and movies and dvd and check what the fuss was about"

Said some guy in here.^^^^

These guys picking up the old Treks are gonna realize what JJ's done to Trek, (kill it)

so long as they don't pick up the Non-Motion Picture.
or Search for Spock.
or Final Frontier.
or Generations.
or Insurrection.
or Nemesis.

so yeah, as long as they stick to the four great-to-ok Trek movies, they'll realize that Abrams butchered a proud and brilliant franchise. otherwise they'll look at the series as a whole and realize that whilst Abrams Trek is nowhere near the high point of the franchise, it's still pretty fucking far from the bottom of the barrel.

Yeah, kinda get your point, but trek is still dead, yes, it did died, and JJ hasn't fixed it. Admit it, the guy just sucked the juice out of it like a vampire to make him live longer.

 

[pixiejedi]

I loved this list. I burnt the crap out of my Labrinth and Legend tapes as a kid. I made my husband watch the DVD's and he totally didn't get it. As pretty as Labrinth always seemed to me though, I think it might have been the precursor to Twilight sparkle with the metric ton of glitter on everyone and everything in that movie.

 

[thenumberthirteen]

The only problem I have is the insistence of Pre-Special Edition for Star Wars. I honestly don't care if Han Shot First, or if Hayden Christensen is Anakin's ghost.

Yeah. I get why you'd say the original trilogy over the prequels, but I like the 1997 and 2004 releases over the original. They're more polished. Although I don't like Anakin's ghost in the 2004 ones I mean Obi-Wan and Yoda look the same age as they died. Why would Anakin look 30 years younger?

 

[Scrythe]

I'm ashamed to admit that I've never seen Dune until fairly recently. My older brother got me into the Dune series, but confused the Frank Herbert's Dune (miniseries) to be the actual movie, so I grew up thinking that this 3-DVD monster was the movie - I don't watch much TV, so I have no idea what a "miniseries" is, or how long one is supposed to be, so I was quite disillusioned. >.>

Having said that, I still think that the miniseries is vastly superior to the movie, and any Dune fan should check it out. I assure you that it has no trace of Sting in a blue thong.

 

[mexicola]

Compared to the 1st part of the list at least I saw most of these movies, in my childhood if not any time recently. I don't like all of them but you can't argue how influential some of them are.

 

[whycantibelinus]

Would you believe that I actually have seen the ultra obscure "Big Trouble in Little China."

I don't know if I'd call that movie obscure, old doesn't equal obscure, plus any self respecting Kurt Russell fan should see this movie.

Pretty good list Bob. You should have put Young Frankenstein on that list though, also I'm Gonna Git You Sucka! Great, great films. :-D

 

[Andronicus]

I would replace Big Trouble with The Thing. But still a good list.

Funny. I was just about to say I'd change Escape From New York with the Thing. At any rate, surely the Thing deserves a place there? I wonder if it's one of the movies he cut...

 

[Scotty96Z]

All around an excellent list. These are the true gems of our time. It's just sad that Hollywood can't learn from these movies.

Still, you have to dig through a titanic mound of crap before you find a diamond. I guess the analogy holds true for the entertainment industry as well.

Thanks Bob!

 

[Scotty96Z]

Yeah, that did throw me for a loop as well. Why not just redo them all to look younger? Oh, right, continuity.

Honestly I think the scene should have stayed as it was in the original release.