Discussion on:

The 10 must-see geek movies of 2013

I usually abhor this but ... 'FIRST!'

Two 'Oz' movies, three Marvel films, but 'Monsters University' from Pixar is the only one that makes my 'Must See' list. I'll wait on 'Ender's Game' until I hear if torches and pitch are necessary.

The Hobbit is a short story, really. To stretch it into 3 films is the most obvious money grab yet to emanate from Hollyweed. Reviews indicate the 'filler' is just endless violence, as gratuitous as The Passion of Christ.

I'd pick something else for a 'must see list.'

Thanks for all the geekness, Jay. Best wishes wherever you end up.

The Hobbit is a 300 page book. It is not a "short story."

WoW 2013 look to have the potental of having good movies. I am both anxious and scared to see how things turn out.

And Jay hope you have fun doing whatever you will be doing next.

I liked 'em.

Yes, I'm willing to concede my taste in in my mouth.

The rest of 'em, you couldn't pay me to watch.

Oh and you made a spelling mistake in the comment about yet another superman film, the word boot does not start with re...

He didn't write it or direct it. "Devil" is a John Erick Dowdle film.

If you throw out the remakes (which are always pale imitations of the originals IMHO), the usual Hollywood "Throw money at it" schlock, and anything with Tom Cruise - what's left? Seriously? I am finding anymore that southeast Asia seems to be doing the truly engrossing Sci-fi/ fantasy. Something with talented writers instead of overpaid actors and overpriced "guts and gore" special effects.

thanks Jay

We were raised on the awe-inspiring and new-concept works of Spielberg, Lucas, and Kubrick. Carpenter and Zemekis added some horror and comedy, respectively, to that mix. But then we were slowly corrupted by the flash-bang of Bruckheimer, Cameron, and the Scott brothers. All of whom have done nice films. However, they've influenced a new batch of movie makers who've settled for more flash-banging than awe-inspiration. Abrams, Bay, Whedon and many more have opted for sensory-overloading FX than mind-blowing plots. Save for some indie films, one no longer has to think, "What does this mean?" The story is easy enough for a small child to understand. And thanks to an overwhelming amound of remakes and reboots one no longer has to wonder, "How is this story going to end?"

That one, does not belong here. Make a Twilight list, and put it there...

top of my list is a toss up between Iron Man (and this is RDJ's forth run at Tony Stark; he was in the Avengers as well) and Star Trek - Into The Darkness. ST might win out; the reboot of the movies with the last one sparked my interest...the graffics were fantastic and I really enjoyed the new crew.

Oblivion would be next; I like Tom Cruise in sci-fi, he rocked Minority Report.

After Earth is number 4 for me. I'm not so much interested in Will Smith in this one (although I love him in sci-fi too) as I am interested in Jaden. I seen him in The Day the Earth Stood Still and The Karate Kid, I'm quite interested in how good an actor he becomes and if he surpasses his father.

After these, ones, it'll be up in the air. I love sci-fi but not zombies so much and I don't really do animated sci-fi (unless it's something like James Cameron's Avatar). If I had to pick a fifth, it might be either the new Die Hard or GI Joe, meh, we'll see . Thanks again Jay.

edit to add: I will watch the Resident Evil series though, but that's about the only zombie type movies I watch.

interest in any of the others. Way too many of the directors ignore the original story line and original characters now, so they aren't worth it.

Boy, that made me feel my age. I was actually subscribing to Analog in 1977 -- and if I read Ender's Game when it appeared then, I don't remember it now. I do have a faint memory of skipping the O.S. Card stories, though. I think I may have considered him a blowhard. Haven't read any of his stuff since, either.

The Wikipedia article makes Ender's Game sound like a ripoff of Heinlein's Starship Trooper, complete with Bugs and raging Political Incorrectness.

in that they were both military sci-fi that featured a lot about training, and included military dictatorships. The core ideas were very different, Starship Troopers with it's idea of a vote for service, and Ender was a child fooled into into genocide.

As to what Hollywimps do with the story, well we'll see. I'll be amazed if they keep the core concept, because I can't see Speaker for the Dead happening at all.

Got to agree about Card though, paragraphs of genius amongst a plethora of banality.

I enjoyed much of his 'Alvin Maker' series. While still too wordy, I found it more accessible than most Ender works, which I think are too political and philosophical. Heck, even Game went on a bit too long. His Homecoming series is definitely too wordy and long. I haven't tried anything else since.

My wife has the same complaint about Anne Rice: authors who write just to see what lovely words they've written. Pat Conroy has the same professional affliction.

Ranges from brilliant to barely average, his other stuff, no hook for me, saying that political and philosophical challenges are the main things I read SF for. The science (or magic) aside from making sense and being consistent is just background to me.