Fun dumb Sci-Fi films

Stercus Accidit

You know what I mean when I say a dumb but fun sci-fi, a film that is on a low budget, questionable acting but a fun premise and style.

I'm in the mood for a few of these films and none spring to mind I havn't seen or seen to death, but I'll list a few for others.


-The cube, or cube, can't remember - 8 or so people stuck in a 3d cube maze filled with traps, simple, dumb but fun and worth a watch.

-Pitch Black - Not bad in any way really, if you havn't seen it, make a point of seeing it, a great film that draws you in to its little world.

-Pandorum - was new enough, again, trapped on a spaceship, monsters and mindless fun, easy to watch if you don't ask much of it.


Any recommendations for similar films? I recall one where they were on a spaceship, running out of air, another with a bomb and they nuke the wrong planet. I'm in the mood to watch a few of these films again, so any recommendations of similar films are welcome

Orim

Starship Troopers

Galvasean

HMUYA wrote: »

Starship Troopers

Care to elaborate? ¬_¬
Y'know based on the recent Charter update that says you can't list film titles without explaining why you have chosen them.

Morlar

Good Hunting!

DazMarz

-Minority Report: don't know if this can be properly classed as pure sci-fi; it blends in mixtures of Action/Neo-Noir/Crime/Thriller etc. But merely being set in 2054 A.D. and featuring flying cars and sonic boom weapons and such makes it one in my eyes!

A great bit of fun featuring Tom Cruise being chased down for a murder he has not yet committed. Max von Sydow is the mysterious police boss, Colin Farrell is the over-zealous Fed on Cruise's tail (and possibly wanting Cruise's job too). The technology is incredibly OTT ('sick sticks'?! surely the old fashion baton was a lot more effective... and less smelly!!!) but it is all in good fun.

Duggy747

+1 on Starship Troopers, I love that film (Micheal Ironside FTW)

It's just yer loud, over-the-top, satire sc-fi film that ticks the right boxes for action and violence.

Plus the SFX haven't dated bad either.

mike65

Escape From New York, great fun. Prison escape flick, zombie flick, disaster movie, gladiator action, western style shootouts, car chases, romantic entanglements er no. Carpenter drew the line there. The basic premise is entertaining and yet arguably built on an unlikely presumption - that the president isn't a meal before Snake Plissen has had chance to growl at Lee Van Cleef.

Still we won't let that get in the way of an enjoyable romp featuring plenty of action, exellent sets, moody music and a grizzled character cast.

Tusky

I always thought The Chronicles of Riddick was massively underrated. A very enjoyable sci-fi action adventure.

Bog

Stercus Accidit wrote: »

-The cube, or cube, can't remember - 8 or so people stuck in a 3d cube maze filled with traps, simple, dumb but fun and worth a watch.

I agree that it's worth a watch, but I don't necessarily agree with the 'dumb' part. Just because the premise might seem a little simplistic in the blurb, the actual film is an interesting look at stress, cooperation and basic human survival instincts.

Duggy747

Bog wrote: »

I agree that it's worth a watch, but I don't necessarily agree with the 'dumb' part. Just because the premise might seem a little simplistic in the blurb, the actual film is an interesting look at stress, cooperation and basic human survival instincts.

I watched it again not too long ago and found it to be very average after I noticed how off a lot of the acting was.

And that goddamn soundtrack drives me nuts (Cha-cha-cha-cha-cha.......)

Orim

Galvasean wrote: »

Care to elaborate? ¬_¬
Y'know based on the recent Charter update that says you can't list film titles without explaining why you have chosen them.

Sorry.

Good fun film. Generally Starship troopers is a pretty bad film but makes up with some some good set pieces and hammy acting.
The aliens in it to pretty well done and overall it makes for a good popcorn munching film.

BopNiblets

The Fifth Element
Why? Because, that's why!

Stercus Accidit

Good films mentioned so far, but I've seen 'em a few times. Hoping to see something a little less main stream and a bit more obscure, but enjoyable.

bluto63

I enjoy Total Recall. Fairly good idea for a film and I like looking at Arnie's horrible attempt at acting :P

Duggy747

bluto63 wrote: »

I enjoy Total Recall. Fairly good idea for a film and I like looking at Arnie's horrible attempt at acting :P

"NNnnnnnnnnnaaaarrrgghhhh!! You blu mai cova!!!!!!"

zimovain

Tusky wrote: »

I always thought The Chronicles of Riddick was massively underrated. A very enjoyable sci-fi action adventure.

Amen to that, a great romp!

Karl Hungus

bluto63 wrote: »

I enjoy Total Recall. Fairly good idea for a film and I like looking at Arnie's horrible attempt at acting :P

That there is simply one of the best sci-fi action films there is. Whatever about Arnie's acting (I like the guy, always have, always will) you've got 2 of the greatest villain character actors in film history: Michael Ironside and Ronny Cox - a double whammy of badass. It could only have gotten better if they had Alan Rickman and completely the unholy trinity of bad guys.

Duggy747

Karl Hungus wrote: »

Michael Ironside and Ronny Cox - a double whammy of badass..

Arnie can't act but ya have to love him, one of a kind mountain of a man.

As for Ronny Cox, what a complete and utter bastard he is in Total Recall and Robocop

Technician: Sir, the oxygen level is bottoming out in Sector G. What do you want me to do about it?
Vilos Cohaagen: Don't do anything.
Technician: But they won't last an hour, sir.
Vilos Cohaagen: Fùck 'em. It'll be a good lesson to the others

karma_

Screamers is great science fiction low budget entertainment.

Stercus Accidit

karma_ wrote: »

Screamers is great science fiction low budget entertainment.

I remember that one, good fun also. I was young enough at the time, I was freaked out a bit by the ending

c - 13

I absolutely love total recall.

Screamers was a great call too, theres also a sequel to it which isnt bad either (not as good as the first on though IMO)

Optimalprimerib

Serenity is great fun. It is a movie version of joss whedons firefly but you dont need to watch it to enjoy the movie.

Guarantee you will want to after seeing it though

Pride Fighter

You cannot mention Totall Recall without mentioning The Running Man.

Killian, I'll be back:D:D

conorhal

You gotta go with some classics:

Them!
Earth versus the Flying Saucers
The Incredible Shrinking Man (Actually from a script by Richard Matheson and quite a tragic and poignant film to boot)
Barbarella
Forbiden Planet
The Day the Earth Stood Still
The Fly (original)
The Blob (Steve McQueen Version)


Lets not forget some 80's greats either, Mad Max 2, Critters, Flash Gordon, Strange Invaders, They Live or if you want to go super cheesey (attack of the Killer Tomatoes cheesey) anything by Roger Corman.

mike65

conorhal wrote: »

You gotta go with some classics:

Them! total classic
Earth versus the Flying Saucers dumb
The Incredible Shrinking Man (Actually from a script by Richard Matheson and quite a tragic and poignant film to boot) total classic
Barbarella dumb fun
Forbiden Planet total classic
The Day the Earth Stood Still total classic
The Fly (original) fun
The Blob (Steve McQueen Version) fun

Treat the classics with respect!

oxomash

Pride Fighter wrote: »

Killian, I'll be back:D:D

You forgot the retort...

Only in a re-run...Classic

I quite like Event Horizon as a sci-fi/horror mix !!!

Sleazus

oxomash wrote: »

I quite like Event Horizon as a sci-fi/horror mix !!!

I remember that gave me nightmares back when I was twelve. It looks very, very good as well - from what I recall.

lizardfudge

Stercus Accidit wrote: »

Any recommendations for similar films? I recall one where they were on a spaceship, running out of air, another with a bomb and they nuke the wrong planet. I'm in the mood to watch a few of these films again, so any recommendations of similar films are welcome

That vaguely reminds me of an Outer Limits episode actually.

I'd recommend Battle Beyond the Stars. Science fiction remake of The Magnificent Seven. Fairly low budget, but good fun with some great lines of dialogue and has an outstanding score.

Other ones I'd suggest are the original Critters and Tremors movies.

mike65

Battle Beyond the Stars had two outstanding assets.

M cebee

the kids seem to like 'land of the lost' for some reason

lizardfudge

mike65 wrote: »

Battle Beyond the Stars had two outstanding assets.

You've never seen a Valkyrie go down!

Lamper.sffc

Serenity is a great shout. Really good film.

Equilibrium was a pretty low budget movie but still great.

Appleseed and Vexille are two pretty good sci fi anime movies.

JP Liz V1

Spaceballs - Mel Brooks masterpiece enough said

Lamper.sffc

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

Spaceballs - Mel Brooks masterpiece enough said

Insulting_Bitch

Not exactly a dumb sci fi but I highly recommend A Scanner Darkly.

Why? Robert Downey Jr mixed with really cool animation. Can't remember what it is called right now.


I second Spaceballs also, combing the desert cracks me up everytime.

Serenity is pretty cool too and you don't need to have seen Firefly but if you have, you will only enjoy it more.

Galvasean

Boa Versus Python. The epic tale of a super snake taht is on the loose eating people, so they send another cybernetically enchanced super snake out to stop it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFo0nZ9sanc

Oh yes, It don't get much more 'brain at the door' fun than this.

bluto63

Insulting_Bitch wrote: »

Not exactly a dumb sci fi but I highly recommend A Scanner Darkly.

Why? Robert Downey Jr mixed with really cool animation. Can't remember what it is called right now.

Rotoscoping. Great technique. Richard Linklater uses it in another of his films, Waking Life which is fantastic. I know it has nothing to do with this thread but I thought I'd throw it in while mentioning rotoscoping...

ziedth

equalibrium is def my pick. As good as the matrix imo, effects aren't the best by any means and the dialogue gp corny as hell but still love it.

helimachoptor

Yeah I'm a real big fan of Equilibrium I have to say.

regi

giant squid vs mega shark

Galvasean

regi wrote: »

giant squid vs mega shark

That's Mega Shark Versus Giant Octopus
[/pedantic]

Bar one outstanding scene it's not much to write home about I'm afraid

Knifey Spoony

I think "A Sound of Thunder" might fall under the dumb sci-fi category, saw it on TG4 a couple of weeks ago. Bascically a company organises trips back in time to hunt dinosaurs. During one of the trips some one steps on a butterfly which, of course, changes the course of evaluation. Acting and effects aren't great but still, like most dumb sci-fi films it is enjoyable.

gandalf

They Live for the best over the top fight in Sci-Fi History. It actually is a good commentary on the Regan era in America.

nyarlothothep

Innerspace, a great sci fi comedy classic, watched it on christmas day, so much fun featuring Robert Picardo, aka the doctor from Voyager as a southern american cowboy.

Robocop, you can't beat robocop.

BTTF trilogy is immense fun.

rednik

Scanners, Michael Ironside again.
Silent Running, Bruce Dern.
Logan's Run, Michael York.
Ghosts of Mars, John Carpenter directed.

constitutionus

im constantly surprise how many cheesy sci fi films i like turn out to be done by john carpenter.

only copped on when i went to buy a few off play.com. alot of the ones i'd recomend have already been meantioned but..

on the OP.

VIRUS was a pretty decent dumb film. deep blue sea too, if only for what happens to samuel jackson during his inspiring speach

for the life of me im not sure if KRULL would fall into this category, or wheter its a fantasy. either way i loved that as a kid.

EDIT.

Oooh , just thought of another. outlander, good ol trashy fun with an alien, a spaceman , and vikings (with irish accents ! )

edit 2 . sky captain and the world of tomorow. cheesy jude law alert but it looks great !

Stercus Accidit

Watched Dune yesterday, god awful stuff, but hilarious in parts, well worth having seen.

Skerries

Stercus Accidit wrote: »

Watched Dune yesterday, god awful stuff, but hilarious in parts, well worth having seen.

OI! Dune is a classic! a truly brilliant Sci-Fi flick

Dark Star was great, again a Carpenter film which had a talking bomb and surfing in space
to round off Carpenter films throw in The Thing
Time Bandits - dwarfs in time, brilliant
Lost in Space - the cheesy remake with Joey from Friends
Indepenence Day - White House go Boom!
Tron - nuff said

Hank Scorpio

12 monkeys, amazing movie starring bruce willis

Earthhorse

Total Recall is great. And I agree with Karl. Arnie's great in it. Not distracting at all. Perfect for the role in fact. It's not dumb though. Just check out this scene.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPikEIb6Xg0