We’ve already done the 2003 reboot of BSG, but we felt it was only right to include the original series as well (since it’s theme is just so awesome). This classic series is renowned for being, well, cheesy science fiction at it’s best. It’s characters are larger than life, the seriousness of the situation is…
Independence Day
Independence Day is a seminal 1996 science fiction/disaster film starring Bull Pullman (as President Whitmore), Will Smith (as Captain Steven Hiller, USMC) and Jeff Goldblum (as David Levinson). The film shows the effects of an alien expedition arriving at Earth and mankind’s attempts to resist the alien assault. The film was a major commercial success…
Transformers
Transformers is a 2007 sci-fi/action film based on the Transformers toys and cartoons developed by Hasbro in the 80’s. It is directed by Michael BAy (so expect lots of gratuitous special effects). Despite misxed reviews from critics and fans of the original toys (mostly quibbles over re-designs and so forth), the film was a major…
Zulu
Zulu is a classic historical war film, released in 1964 and directed by Cy Endfield, who wrote the screenplay along with John Prebble. It tells the story of the Battle Rorke’s Drift during the 1879 Anglo-Zulu War in Africa. As the film opens, it is revealed that a strong British force was crushed at Isandlwana,…
Jurassic Park
Jurassic Park is a 1993 science fiction/action/horror film, directed by Steven Spielberg and based on a 1990 novel of the same name by Michael Chrichton (who would help write the screenplay). The film tells the story of how a billionaire philanthropist, John Hammond, has created a wildlife park of dinosaurs, cloned from DNA preserved in…
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
Robin Hood is a 1991 Americna adventure film directed by Kevin Reynolds. It stars Kevin Costner, Morgan Freedom, Christian Slater and Alan Rickman, amongst others. It tells a heavily adapted version of the classic English legend of Robin Hood and his Merry Men and their fight against the evil Sheriff of Nottingham (being the bad…
Starship Troopers
Starship Troopers, a 1997 science fiction/action/parody, was directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Edward Neumeier. It is (incredibly loosely) based on the Robert Heinlein novel of the same name, but do not expect serious depictions of the book’s contents. In the future, Earth has become a space-faring Federation. However, after “the social scientists brought…
WarGames
WarGames is a 1983 Cold WAr science-fiction thriller written by Lawrence Lasker and Walter F. Parkes. The film stars Matthew Broderick as David Lightman, a highly intelligent but unmotivated young computer hacker. The film opens with an apparent nuclear war (revealed to be a readiness test), from the perspective of the silo crews. The senior…
Live Free or Die Hard
Live Free or Die Hard (released outside America as Die Hard 4.0) is the fourth entry in the Die Hard series and was released in 2007. John McClane has long since faded into obscurity after his bursts of fame from the earlier films, and is still estranged from his family. However, his quite life as…
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Master and Commander is a 2003 epic historical epic, directed and co-written by Peter Weir. It is an adaptation of three books from Patrick O’Brian’s 20-book Aubrey-Maturin series, which covers Jack Aubrey’s naval career. The film opens with the frigate HMS Surprise, commanded by “lucky Jack,” Captain Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe), being ordered to pursue…
Gladiator
Gladiator is a 2000 historical epic directed by Ridley Scott and starring Russel Crowe. Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius, a hero of the Roman Empire is selected to be Regent by the dying Emperor Marcus Aurelius, with the intent of turning Rome back into a Republic. However, the Emperor’s ambitious son Commodus learns of this…
1492: Conquest of Paradise
1492: Conquest of Paradise is a 1992 European historical film, released to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the discovery of the New World, telling the (heavily fictionalized) tale of Christopher Columbus’ voyage and it’s consequences. As the film opens, we see Columbus becoming obsessed with his potential voyage, but is unable to secure funds and…
Patriot Games
Patriot Games is a 1992 sequel to The Hunt for Red October (although the book it is based on is a prequel). Jack Ryan (this time played by Harrison Ford), whilst visiting London to give a lecture on naval history, witnesses an attack on members of the Royal Family (Lord Holmes, Secretary of STate for…
The Hunt for Red October
The Hunt for Red October is a 1990 American Cold War submarine thriller, starring Sean Connery as Captain First Rank Marko Ramius of the Soviet Navy and Alec Baldwin as Dr. Jack Ryan, a CIA analyst. The Soviet Navy have created a new engine system for their latest missile submarine, the Red October, which would…
Terminator 2: Judgement DAy
Terminator 2: Judgement Day is the 1991 sequel to The Terminator. Despite Sarah Connor’s best efforts, Skynet will still be created and bring about Judgement Day in the future. This happens because Cyberdyne Systems, an advanced computer company, recovers the CPU and an arm from the first Terminator that Sarah and Kyle Reese destroyed in…
Chariots of Fire
Chariots of Fire is a 1981 British historical drama about two athletes on the 1924 British Olympic Team. Eric Liddell is a devout Scotsman who runs for the glory of God, whilst his compatriot Harold Abrahams is an English Jew who competes as a way to overcome anti-Semitic prejudices. The film is considered a giant…