Post by Jibbs on Oct 5, 2014 19:48:06 GMT -5
1980 Nova Awards
H.R. Giger Award:
And the WINNER of the H.R. Giger Award is...
Saturn 3 – “Hector”
Can’t go wrong with killer robots. (Unless you watch this movie)
Stan Winston Award:
And the WINNER of the Stan Winston Award is...
Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars revolutionized special effects, and the first sequel, Empire Strikes Back, gave us even more. Most notable in my mind is the AT-AT attack on Hoth.
James Cameron Award:
And the runners-up are...
Flash Gordon
I watched this in anticipation of nominating it for an Ed Wood Award, but I dunno, it was actually kind of fun. There’s just something about watching someone on a space Ski-Doo attacking a temple on an alien planet all to the soundtrack of Queen.
The Final Countdown
Dogfighting and attacks from WWII fighter planes…and F-14s.
And the WINNER of the James Cameron Award is...
Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back
Again: Hoth.
Ed Wood Award:
And the WINNER of the Ed Wood Award is...
Saturn 3
No contest; we already have a nominee for Ed Wood of the 80s. Horrible, dull, boring, poorly-acted piece of crap. Interesting cast, though, of Farrah Fawcett, Kirk Douglas and Harvey Keitel.
Most Original:
And the runners-up are...
Altered States
A weird, unsettling movie directed by Ken Russell. It’s not exactly hard sci-fi, more like psychological-horror-sci-fi. But it’s certainly unlike most things I’ve seen.
The Final Countdown
The premise is really the only thing this movie has going for it. It’s fun, but poorly executed made all the more frustrating by its potential. It’s amazing nobody has remade this movie. You’d think a movie about a “modern” aircraft carrier being pulled into a time warp into WWII would be interesting and incredibly exciting. F-14s shooting down Zeroes! Complex discussions about the ramifications of altering the outcome of WWII. Instead the movie is bogged down by these discussions in such a manner as if time travel has never been brought up in a movie before. And in the end there are NO attacks on the Japanese.
And the WINNER of the Most Original Award is...
Lathe of Heaven (TV Movie)
Adapted from one of my favorite science fiction novels, this is about a man who has the potential to remold the Earth based on his dreams and unconscious mind. With the help of a scientist, they remake the world better every day…except the scientist is also using it for personal gain.
It was remade again in 2002 and unfortunately neither are all that great.
Best TV Series:
And the WINNER of the Best TV Series is...
Doctor Who – Season 18.0
Ahh, the Tom Baker years.
Other 1980 sci-fi shows:
Galactica 1980 – Haven’t seen it. Horrible online ratings.
Blakes 7
Mork and Mindy – No thanks.
The Martian Chronicles (TV Mini-series) – I’ve been meaning to see this but I don’t think it’s supposed to be very good.
Grand Prize:
And the WINNER of the Nova Award is...
Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back
As “original” as 1980 turned out to be, it’s really no contest to give the award to The Empire Strikes Back, arguably the best of the Star Wars movies.
Middle Ground
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All the winners:[/size]
H.R. Giger Award: Saturn 3 - ”Hector”
Stan Winston Award: Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back
James Cameron Award: Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back
Ed Wood Award: Saturn 3
Most Original: The Lathe of Heaven (TV Movie)
Best TV Series: Doctor Who – Season 18.0
Grand Prize: Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back
[/p]Stan Winston Award: Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back
James Cameron Award: Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back
Ed Wood Award: Saturn 3
Most Original: The Lathe of Heaven (TV Movie)
Best TV Series: Doctor Who – Season 18.0
Grand Prize: Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back
1981 Nova Awards
H.R. Giger Award:
And the WINNER of the H.R. Giger Award is...
The Day of the Triffids (Mini-series) – “Triffids”
I’ve never seen this and I really didn’t have anything else to go with. So this year we get killer alien-plants.
Stan Winston Award:
And the runner-up is...
Escape From New York
Occasionally some “state-of-the-art” special effects were showcased in this movie, including a wire-frame diagram of New York which must have blown people’s minds.
And the WINNER of the Stan Winston Award is...
Time Bandits
Not so much cutting edge special effects as really great and creative ones. In this movie we see horses and supreme beings go through bedrooms, there are infinite pits, medieval battles, hellish landscapes, deserts blocked by glass barriers, and a giant who wears a boat for a hat. And that’s just a fraction.
James Cameron Award:
And the runner-up is...
Escape From New York
I’ll give this a nod even though people seem to enjoy this one a lot more than me. It certainly fits the bill for the award.
And the WINNER of the James Cameron Award is...
Time Bandits
This movie covers adventure, action and fun on almost every level and time period.
Ed Wood Award:
And the WINNER of the Ed Wood Award is...
The Incredible Shrinking Woman
I actually loved this movie as a kid and watched it quite a bit, so I caught it on TV maybe last year or so. It’s AWFUL. Lily Tomlin, who’s actually quite funny, is just irritating and loud and none of the comedy works in this movie despite a pretty good premise for a comedy.
Most Original:
And the WINNER of the Most Original Award is...
Time Bandits
Incredibly original. Not only the premise, but the characters, the adventures, action sequences, set designs and the COMPLETELY absurd ending.
Best TV Series:
And the WINNER of the Best TV Series is...
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Mini-series)
I think in the past I’ve used mini-series as nominees for movies instead of TV shows, but they’re pretty interchangeable and also I don’t want to give this award to Doctor Who 20 years in a row. Not that it's a bad show, it was pretty interesting.
Other 1980 sci-fi shows:
Blakes 7
Mork and Mindy
The Day of the Triffids (TV mini-series)
Grand Prize:
And the WINNER of the Nova Award is...
Time Bandits
It’s not Gilliam’s finest work, but I think it’s a pretty obvious choice for 1981. It’s incredibly creative , funny and adventurous.
Middle Ground
Scanners – Based on the most famous head explosion in film, I figured this would be a pretty cheesy movie, but actually it was a rather interesting one. The lead actor was awful, though. Some big choices were made at the end, some were rather good, like the final scene, but some weren't as inspired, such as the Empire Strikes Back twist. And it's a Cronenberg film, so naturally all the bad guys use shotguns for their killings to make them as grisly as possible. Perhaps I was just in the mood, but for once I think this added something to a film.
Outland – I didn’t get a lot out of this movie. Every time a scene was starting to show promise, it went on for twice as long as it should have. Also, it’s hardly science fiction as it could just as easily have taken place on an Earth factory.
[/spoiler]
All the winners:[/size]
H.R. Giger Award: The Day of the Triffids (Mini-series) – “Triffids”
Stan Winston Award: Time Bandits
James Cameron Award: Time Bandits
Ed Wood Award: The Incredible Shrinking Woman
Most Original: Time Bandits
Best TV Series: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Mini-series)
Grand Prize: Time Bandits
[/p]Stan Winston Award: Time Bandits
James Cameron Award: Time Bandits
Ed Wood Award: The Incredible Shrinking Woman
Most Original: Time Bandits
Best TV Series: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Mini-series)
Grand Prize: Time Bandits
1982 Nova Awards
H.R. Giger Award:
And the WINNER of the H.R. Giger Award is...
The Thing – “The Thing”
I’m not a big fan of this movie, but this one is a no-brainer. Certainly one of the more original and memorable creatures in all sci-fi/horror.
Stan Winston Award:
And the runners-up are...
Blade Runner
Nominated more for its “visual” effects than “special” effects, Blade Runner is a marvel to look at with fantastic landscapes to open it up and great effects throughout.
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
The second Star Trek film gave us some pretty groundbreaking space battles.
And the WINNER of the Stan Winston Award is...
TRON
Known as the first film to truly embrace computer graphics. It may look a bit silly to us now, but it’s hard to not recognize the breakthrough.
James Cameron Award:
And the runners-up are...
The Thing
An occasionally fun and invigorating film.
Blade Runner
Not what I’d call an action film, but Blade Runner has plenty of action and suspense that should keep you on your toes for extended periods.
And the WINNER of the James Cameron Award is...
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Modeled as a submarine film in space, Wrath of Khan delivers as a solid good time all the way through.
Ed Wood Award:
And the WINNER of the Ed Wood Award is...
Firefox
A 2-star movie, but I suppose I have to give this award to something. Firefox appears to be a movie about a pilot who flies a mind-controlled fighter jet, but most of it is really an espionage movie. It goes at a slow, plodding pace and doesn't offer much originality. The final parts involving the theft and flight of the jet are a bit more interesting, but even this is bogged down by confusing editing and an incredibly unsatisfying final moment in the climax. Director Clint Eastwood has a few things to learn at this point.
Most Original:
And the runners-up are...
Blade Runner
It’s got a very ordinary story, but it has originality in other ways.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
This was still early in the “friendly aliens” era of science fiction (which disappeared as fast as it appeared) and we have Spielberg to thank for it.
And the WINNER of the Most Original Award is...
TRON
Make no mistake; this is a movie about entering a computer two years before William Gibson’s “Neuromancer” came out.
Best TV Series:
And the runner-up is...
Knight Rider – Season 1.0
I’ve never seen it…but I’m sure it’s great.
And the WINNER of the Best TV Series is...
Doctor Who – Season 19
Other 1980 sci-fi shows:
Mork and Mindy
Grand Prize:
And the runners-up are...
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
For a long time I didn’t care too much about E.T. and therefore reinforced that opinion by not watching it. But not too long ago I watched and realized it actually is a pretty great movie, even if you’re not a kid.
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Filled with many problems and plot holes, but it’s still a hell of a ride and one of the best Star Trek movies.
Old review:
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
Wrath of Khan is credited for reinventing Star Trek and making it the thinking man’s series that can just as well entertain as a popcorn flick. Structured like a submarine film, Wrath of Khan has a tremendous final 30-40 minutes with dazzling action, suspense, an always heartbreaking death scene, and a final few minutes that leaves the viewer with a strong sense of wonder. However, all of this makes up for a shoddy screenplay leading up to this finale.
Isn’t it convenient Khan is on a desert planet where a life form (and the only life form, at that) has the ability to control somebody’s mind? Why does Kirk’s son use the blunt side of the knife when coming at Kirk from behind, and only after then trying to kill him once he has his attention? Why does Khan think leaving Kirk and his crew on the moon “for all eternity” is a good punishment? Surely he doesn’t think people won’t come by to pick him up in a few weeks, at the most. And why is the detonator for the Genesis device conveniently on the bridge for Khan to use as he’s dying? (I’ve tried to avoid negative comments and nitpicking in these reviews, but I felt I would need to explain myself for a seemingly low placement of Wrath of Khan) Also, I’ve never liked that Kirk all of the sudden has a son. It doesn’t help that he’s an unlikeable boob with an 80s perm, either.
***.5/****
[/spoiler]
And the WINNER of the Nova Award is...
Blade Runner
Also a bit overrated, but Blade Runner is still a genius movie that’s a lot of fun to get lost in.
Middle Ground
Airplane II: The Sequel – Not done by the Zucker brothers (who have not watched it to this date), but still pretty damn funny. Highlight involves William Shatner as a space station captain.
[/spoiler]
[/spoiler]
[/spoiler]
All the winners:[/size]
H.R. Giger Award: The Thing – “The Thing”
Stan Winston Award: TRON
James Cameron Award: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Ed Wood Award: Firefox
Most Original: TRON
Best TV Series: Doctor Who – Season 19
Grand Prize: Blade Runner
[/p]Stan Winston Award: TRON
James Cameron Award: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Ed Wood Award: Firefox
Most Original: TRON
Best TV Series: Doctor Who – Season 19
Grand Prize: Blade Runner
1983 Nova Awards
H.R. Giger Award:
And the WINNER of the H.R. Giger Award is...
Star Wars: Episode VI – The Return of the Jedi - "Rancor"
And his poor owner.
Stan Winston Award:
And the runners-up are...
Videodrome
More strange Cronenberg make-up and effects in this one. Very, very strange.
Brainstorm
Directed by special effects pioneer Douglas Trumbell, there’s some pretty great special effects in this one, but not for much air time and it’s a bit reminiscent of this work on “2001: A Space Odyssey.”
And the WINNER of the Stan Winston Award is...
Star Wars: Episode VI – The Return of the Jedi
You just can’t beat early Star Wars and ILM for special effects.
James Cameron Award:
And the runner-up is...
WarGames
A very fun and tense movie.
And the WINNER of the James Cameron Award is...
Star Wars: Episode VI – The Return of the Jedi
I think we can see where this is going…despite this being the lesser of the original Star Wars movies.
Ed Wood Award:
And the WINNER of the Ed Wood Award is...
The Pod People
Ohhh, I watched enough of this one. Believe you me.
Most Original:
And the runners-up are...
Brainstorm
Brainstorm is about a device that can record human thought and play it back for other humans to experience. A fun idea, perhaps too fun, since the movie couldn’t seem to decide what it should really be about.
Here’s my review:
Brainstorm is about the development of a machine that can record memories and feelings and play them back for other people so that they can be felt in the same way. The movie covers the wide range of things this could be used for like, sex, marriage therapy, recreation, and teaching, but this is also its failing because the movie is never very coherent in all of these subthemes.
The movie has a couple highlights such as a dark scene where one of the scientists are dying and decide to record her brain at this moment. The movie even goes as far as having someone play it back and experience dying, extending through the universe, and going to heaven. Which brings me to the second cool thing about this movie which is the special effects. This movie was directed by Douglas Trumbull who only directed two movies, but is more well-known for his groundbreaking special effects work on 2001: A Space Odyssey, Close Encounters, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, and Blade Runner. And some of the special effects in this movie are very reminiscent of "2001."
Probably a big reason that this movie was so jumbled was the death of Natalie Wood during production. Not all of her parts were filmed yet so they had to move a few scenes around, so the ending we see in this movie (which is pretty nuts) was likely never supposed to be at the end. Her death is also the reason the movie wasn't released in 1982 and held back, and her death is also why Douglas Trumbull ended his directorial career so early.
Videodrome
I didn’t really care for this movie, I would say Scanners is better, but it was certainly original in many ways.
Here’s my review:
I'm starting to get Cronenberg. He likes doing movies where a normal schmoe takes a journey of transformation both thematically, but much more obviously, physically. In Scanners a man goes from being able to read minds, to manipulating them and finally entering a new one and in The Fly a man goes from human to fly, of course.
Videodrome's problem was that this whole transformation process was a bit more vague and confusing this time. Personally, I don't like movies about hallucinations where you don't know what is real and what isn't because I like to know where I stand in a movie's story. If I wanted to figure out or complete a story in my head, I would make the movie myself. The fact is that the movie doesn't stand as science-fiction, but more like fantasy and magic since hallucinations are relative and cannot run a storyline that involves other characters who are presumably not hallucinating. The visuals in the movie were pretty interesting, but the movie rode on its metaphorical themes, which were a bit obvious, and I couldn't really get into it.
And the WINNER of the Most Original Award is...
WarGames
There had been plenty of evil robot/machine movies before this, but this movie is an entirely different being. What makes the machine in this movie so dangerous is that it’s programmed to be logically (well, OK, he’s kind of like HAL in that respect). And I don’t think there’re too many movies about a kid accidently provoking a nuclear war.
Best TV Series:
And the WINNER of the Best TV Series is...
Inspector Gadget – Season 1
65 episodes in one season. Suck it, Doctor Who.
Other 1980 sci-fi shows:
Doctor Who
Knight Rider
Grand Prize:
And the runner-up is...
WarGames
I haven’t seen it in a while but I used to watch it all the time and I’m sure it would still hold up. In a sea of Red Scare films, this one stands tall.
And the WINNER of the Nova Award is...
Star Wars: Episode VI – The Return of the Jedi
It’s derivative of the first two films, but it’s still great stuff. You just have to ignore the Ewoks…
Middle Ground
The Man With Two Brains – It was alright.
The Day After (TV Movie) – I’m not even sure if this counts as science-fiction. Anyway, if you want to see a truly haunting account of what nuclear war might be like, watch this movie.
Twilight Zone – The Movie – Very disappointing. Some things shouldn’t be adapted to the big screen. A couple of them are just rehashed episodes and the rest is forgettable.
The Dead Zone – Not bad, but probably a tough book to adapt. Here’s my review:
I liked the premise of this film and it appeared to be promising early on following a pretty intense premonition of a girl being trapped in a burning house. Christopher Walken's character was projected into the scene with burning objects all around him, and a goldfish bowl was boiling due to the heat. Unfortunately, the movie quickly lost its way. My theory is that since this was based off of a Stephen King book that it was very long and that's why the movie seemed to jump around too much. early on it's about his relationship with a woman, then it's about his psychic ability, but then he's tutoring a boy for some reason, and then a political story comes out of nowhere. There were interesting points along the way, but it was way too incoherent to be very engaging. Although, and once again, Cronenberg comes through with a very interesting final scene.
(My God, why does every one of "King's" movie's have to start with "Stephen King's:" ?)
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[/spoiler]
All the winners:[/size]
H.R. Giger Award: Star Wars: Episode VI – The Return of the Jedi – “Rancor”
Stan Winston Award: Star Wars: Episode VI – The Return of the Jedi
James Cameron Award: Star Wars: Episode VI – The Return of the Jedi
Ed Wood Award: The Pod People
Most Original: WarGames
Best TV Series: Inspector Gadget – Season 1
Grand Prize: Star Wars: Episode VI – The Return of the Jedi
[/p]Stan Winston Award: Star Wars: Episode VI – The Return of the Jedi
James Cameron Award: Star Wars: Episode VI – The Return of the Jedi
Ed Wood Award: The Pod People
Most Original: WarGames
Best TV Series: Inspector Gadget – Season 1
Grand Prize: Star Wars: Episode VI – The Return of the Jedi
1984 Nova Awards
H.R. Giger Award:
And the runner-up is...
Ghostbusters – “'Stay Puft' Marshmellow Man”
I realize Ghostbusters isn’t really science fiction and I won’t be including it in any other categories, but I needed to give this guy a nomination. So original.
And the WINNER of the H.R. Giger Award is...
The Terminator – “T-800”
Arguably the best evil robot in film. What makes it so great is its use of the uncanny valley to model its design after a human skeleton. It’s a modern Jason and the Argonauts villain (complete with stop-motion animation)
Stan Winston Award:
And the runners-up are...
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
A lighter one in terms of special effects and explosions (except the Enterprise), but it’s hard not to nominate a Star Trek film.
The Terminator
I almost gave the award to this movie without even thinking about it, until it occurred to me that for a huge portion of the movie there are no special effects to speak of (besides typical action stuff). But in the scenes that do showcase effects, they’re pretty great and standup well enough today. Some of the future scenes are clearly rear projection and the Terminator at the end is clearly stop-motion (though that makes it even creepier), but for its time it was pretty great.
And the WINNER of the Stan Winston Award is...
The Last Starfighter
The Last Starfighter is an interesting example of special effects. It’s proof that at the time you just couldn’t beat models, but it shows that computer animation isn’t going anywhere and it’s getting better all the time. Computer graphics haven’t gotten past its polygonal form yet, but what they’ve got so far is pretty impressive. There are also some pretty good sets on the alien world.
James Cameron Award:
And the runner-up is...
The Last Starfighter
A dumb movie, but it’s kind of fun in a cult classic sort of way.
And the WINNER of the James Cameron Award is...
The Terminator
Oh yeah.
Ed Wood Award:
And the runner-up is...
Red Dawn
I would probably get into an argument about this movie being classified as “science fiction” so I won’t give it the Nova, but something had to be said anyway. Something had to be said.
And the WINNER of the Ed Wood Award is...
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension
Yuck. It was like they were trying to make a cult classic, made it, and then patted themselves on the back.
Most Original:
And the runner-up is...
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension
Fine, it’s original, wanna fight about it?
And the WINNER of the Most Original Award is...
The Last Starfighter
I’ve always been a huge supporter of the originality of this film. More so the premise of recruiting someone to help fight an alien war through the release of a videogame that looked for the right skills. Brilliant.
Best TV Series:
And the runner-up is...
Transformers – Season 1
Sci-fi?
And the WINNER of the Best TV Series is...
V – Season 1.0
Other 1984 sci-fi shows:
Doctor Who
Knight Rider
Grand Prize:
And the runner-up is...
Starman
A lesser known science fiction film, perhaps for being low on tech and high on schmaltz, but a pretty solid film.
And the WINNER of the Nova Award is...
The Terminator
One of the very best.
Middle Ground
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock - Here's my review:
“The Search for Spock” often gets flak, though this is mostly for being a “pretty good” movie in between arguably the two best Star Trek movies. It also doesn’t help that it’s the middle film of a trilogy, when looking at the big picture.
What I previous thought of as odd pacing and narrative for this movie, I saw in a new light in my most recent viewing. There is an interesting duality to the plot involving Spock; one storyline involves his body, the other one his mind. Had this been done in the original series (it probably has, I don’t remember) it would’ve been done in a cheesy “my brain is in a jar” type way, but in movie form it is handled in a mature, uneasy fashion. The movie is about Spock, it’s named after him, and yet he’s hardly in the movie as we know him. (Spock is mostly behind the camera). Instead we are forced to remember what a great character Spock is from his absence, but also we watch the other characters risk their careers and life to get him back. It’s a character piece, but with some Klingons and explosions mixed in for fun.
It’s far from a perfect film. Its main problems include a Klingon subplot eerily familiar to the motive of Khan in just one movie previous, and the subplot that follows David and Saavik is a bit bland at times. Also, there’s a ridiculous part where Saavik blames David for the deaths of all the people in the movie just because he made the Genesis torpedo an inferior product. Why not just blame bank tellers for robbery shootings, too? But an exciting finish and a great performance by Christopher Lloyd allow this film to eke out a “good movie” rating.
***/****
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Dune – Great book, dopey movie. Good atmosphere, though.
1984 – I don’t remember it too well. Would it be redundant to say it’s too dreary?
2010: The Year We Make Contact – Not a great movie by any standards, but it certainly shouldn’t be crucified by film geeks who can’t contemplate the idea of a sequel to “2001: A Space Odyssey,” despite the fact that Arthur C Clarke wrote four books to the series. It’s a bit dull at times but it’s also pretty awesome at times, especially the ending.
Firestarter – Not available on Netflix. Must be great.
Dreamscape – Amusing. Here’s my review:
The scenes that actually involved Dennis Quaid entering people's dreams were really the only highlight; they were well done and had a fun Burton-esque quality to them. The rest of the movie was pretty boring and by-the-numbers.
It's interesting going through science fiction movies chronologically because you hit these patches in history where culture and/or technology really influenced the genre. Around 1982-1984 I have now watched The Dead Zone, The Manhattan Project, Dreamscape and Firefox, all involving the Cold War or nuclear weapons, even when most of the premises don't even require their use. Then I think about the movies I already know well like WarGames and The Terminator which are the same way, and perhaps even Back to the Future, which had no reason it had to include plutonium.
**/****
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[/spoiler]
[/spoiler]
All the winners:[/size]
H.R. Giger Award: The Terminator – “T-800”
Stan Winston Award: The Last Starfighter
James Cameron Award: The Terminator
Ed Wood Award: The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension
Most Original: The Last Starfighter
Best TV Series: V - Season 1.0
Grand Prize: The Terminator
[/p]Stan Winston Award: The Last Starfighter
James Cameron Award: The Terminator
Ed Wood Award: The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension
Most Original: The Last Starfighter
Best TV Series: V - Season 1.0
Grand Prize: The Terminator
1985 Nova Awards
H.R. Giger Award:
And the runner-up is...
Enemy Mine – “Dracs”
Technically, the main Drac in the movie turns out to be good, that’s kind of the point of the movie, but the alien race is the enemy, so I think it’s eligible.
And the WINNER of the H.R. Giger Award is...
Brazil – “Samurai Warrior”
Love this guy. If you look close, you can tell he’s covered with electronic components. Technology is literally attacking Ned Lowry at this point.
Stan Winston Award:
And the WINNER of the Stan Winston Award is...
Brazil
A bit of a weak year, so I’m giving it to Brazil for its set design and art direction.
James Cameron Award:
And the WINNER of the James Cameron Award is...
Back to the Future
Back to the Future kind of runs unopposed this year, not that it would matter. Back to the Future remains one of the most enjoyable and re-watchable movies of all time.
Ed Wood Award:
And the WINNER of the Ed Wood Award is...
Lifeforce
I wasn’t comfortable giving this to any of the movies I’ve seen, so I’m doing the mature thing and giving it to a movie I’ve never seen, but has a low imdb rating. And sounds really stupid.
Most Original:
And the runner-up is...
Cocoon
You don’t see too many movies centered around senior citizens and certainly not in the science fiction genre. Not very marketable. But the idea of mortality is a core sci-fi theme and it’s showcased here pretty well…actually I don’t remember, but it probably is.
And the WINNER of the Most Original Award is...
Brazil
I suppose not much is going on in the screenplay, typical monomyth stuff, but this film gets its originality from the whole package. The dystopian future set designs, the wacky but dark scenes and crazy characters.
Best TV Series:
And the runner-up is...
V – Season 1.5
And the WINNER of the Best TV Series is...
Twilight Zone – Season 1.0
Not as good as the original, of course, but better than the other stuff around this time.
Other 1985 sci-fi shows:
Transformers
Doctor Who
Knight Rider
Inspector Gadget
The Jetsons – Apparently this came back for a couple of years.
Small Wonder – Ooooo, so close. Maybe next year.
Grand Prize:
And the runners-up are...
Enemy Mine
This movie isn’t everyone’s cup of TV, but I like it.
Back to the Future
Tough break for Back to the Future, but it’s going to come in second place. While I didn’t count growing up, I think I may have seen this movie more than any other. Either this or Aladdin… Anyway, fantastic movie that works better as a whole trilogy so you can appreciate all the wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey stuff, but it still works very well as a standalone film.
And the WINNER of the Nova Award is...
Brazil
Ahh, Brazil. Before I really got into film I would call this my favorite movie. That’s not to say it’s not anymore, I just don’t like labeling movies my favorites these days. Brazil has everything I love in movies: science fiction, British humor, dark and tragic circumstances, and loads of creativity. I’ve heard it described as “1984,” but with technological oppression as opposed to plain old power. While so many science fiction works warn us of technology either through accidents or literal technological robots trying to eat us, Brazil managed to do it with subtlety, metaphor and class…and an exploding poop joke.
Middle Ground
Real Genius – Cute, in an 80s kind of way. Not much science fiction to speak of.
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All the winners:[/size]
H.R. Giger Award: Brazil – Samurai Warrior”
Stan Winston Award: Brazil
James Cameron Award: Back to the Future
Ed Wood Award: Lifeforce
Most Original: Brazil
Best TV Series: Twilight Zone- Season 1.0
Grand Prize: Brazil
[/p]Stan Winston Award: Brazil
James Cameron Award: Back to the Future
Ed Wood Award: Lifeforce
Most Original: Brazil
Best TV Series: Twilight Zone- Season 1.0
Grand Prize: Brazil
1986 Nova Awards
H.R. Giger Award:
And the runners-up are...
The Fly – “The Fly”
Only truly shows up for a few seconds at the end, but it’s pretty bad-ass.
Critters – “Crites”
Really the only redeemable thing about this movie is the creatures, who although are clearly modeled after Gremlins, are pretty cool in how they move and attack.
And the WINNER of the H.R. Giger Award is...
Aliens – “Alien queen”
I still get knocked out by this design. Who doesn’t?
Stan Winston Award:
And the WINNER of the Stan Winston Award is...
Aliens
Another down year in special effects (even Star Trek is down to Earth this year), but Aliens still brings the goods in creature and set design.
James Cameron Award:
And the runner-up is...
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
Low on action, high on adventure.
And the WINNER of the James Cameron Award is...
Aliens
Surprise. It doesn’t get more Camerony than this.
Ed Wood Award:
And the WINNER of the Ed Wood Award is...
The Manhattan Project
Not “bad” in the usual sense of the Ed Wood award, just incredibly disjointed in its narrative and themes.
Here’s my review:
The Manhattan Project started off with a decent premise of a kid who discovers that there is a atomic weapons plant near his house and he wants to expose it. But I guess there were too many ideas swirling around during production, because about halfway through the movie the kid decides hey, what if I MADE an atomic bomb with the weapons-grade plutonium I just stole and bring it to a science fair? And then after he gets into trouble he decides he has to go on the lam, just like an innocent person would do. (Oh, and then he begins to arm it during the climax because of "mutually assured destruction.")
I'll admit there was something morbidly fascinating about watching a movie that took a relatively light-hearted approach about a kid who wants to make an atomic bomb, done in a way only a 80s movie could. There is literally a musical montage of him building a nuke. Movies like WarGames, E.T., and Goonies were all about kids behaving like adults and where the only "villains" were just adults or "the evil government" (and the Fratelli brothers, I suppose). This movie also combined this with the movies of the 80s involving the height of the Cold War, and ended up being a pretty interesting sample of the 80s genre...just not a good movie.
Really, the problem with the ever-changing plot can be centered on the main character, Paul, who follows a plot that makes sense from anyone else's perspective, but his lack of definable motives suddenly turns it into a ridiculous mess with an already hard-to-swallow premise.
*.5/****
Most Original:
And the runner-up is...
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
Space travelers go back in time to take humpback whales to the future to answer the call to a probe that is threatening Earth. From that sentence we know exactly which movie I’m talking about.
And the WINNER of the Most Original Award is...
Flight of the Navigator
I love the fun choices. It’s a kid’s Disney movie and I bet it doesn’t hold up very well as a film, but let’s not forget the interesting plot here. This movie has taken the somewhat popular idea of time relativity and used it to ostracize a boy from his family after an alien abduction. He’s safe and healthy, but he decides to take the risk and try to go back in time. Not bad.
Best TV Series:
And the WINNER of the Best TV Series is...
Twilight Zone – Season 1.5/2.0
Other 1986 sci-fi shows:
Doctor Who – Season 23
Knight Rider – Season 4.5
Alf
The Transformers
Small Wonder
Grand Prize:
And the runner-up is...
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
One of my favorite Star Trek films and actually one of the funniest “non-comedies” out there.
My old review:
The last film of a trilogy of sorts, the creators of the movies decided to have fun with this one. It’s got time travel and environmental messages, but the greatness of this film actually comes from the comedy of well-established characters as anachronisms in modern times (the 80s). Then there’s also the 8 or so one-liners from a recently re-logic-fied Spock which makes this film such a treasure. (“One damn minute, Admiral” will always be my favorite.)
But I still feel this movie doesn’t get enough credit for its ecological theme. Sure it’s a slight rip-off to the ending of Star Trek: The Motion Picture (though instead of threatening Earth’s destruction, this one is making it rain too much), but I think it does a great job to bring Roddenberry’s idea of 23rd century morals right to us in the 20th century, and serve judgment for what we’re doing to our planet. And I will never get over how cool the ending conversation between the whales and the probe is.
****/****
And the WINNER of the Nova Award is...
Aliens
I never get tired of this movie.
Here’s my old review:
Aliens is arguably the greatest action film of all time and yet it’s surprisingly low on action once you look close. Taking from the Jaws handbook there is a full hour without an Alien (in the 2:40 Special Edition) complete with one of the best “it’s a little too quiet” arrival scenes. The original Alien was great at what it set out to do, but it was also a man in a rubber suit. Now H.R. Giger’s alien is fully realized and completely bad-ass.
The slick, mouthing-off marine bunch seems cliché now, but only because half of the marine-based video games (Halo) have tried to recapture it. I wonder if Bill Paxton knew what he was starting. This movie should also get credit for perhaps introducing the first respectable female action hero.
The movie ends with the greatest of all finales. Not just the tremendous battle between the queen and Ripley in the walker, but the quieter, tenser scene leading up to it where she retrieves Newt and meets the queen and the nest. I’ll never stop smiling at “You now have 15 minutes to reach minimum safe distance.”
****/****
[/spoiler]
Middle Ground[/b]
The Fly – Horror's not really my thing, but I suppose I can see why this movie is highly regarded by some. And I can't say I didn't get some satisfaction from some of the gory elements. Especially the ending which was pretty powerful, though I wish Cronenberg would stop ending all his movies the same way.
Short Circuit – Cute, in an 80s kind of way. Not much science fiction to speak of.
[/spoiler]
[/spoiler]
All the winners:[/size]
H.R. Giger Award: Aliens – “Alien queen”
Stan Winston Award: Aliens
James Cameron Award: Aliens
Ed Wood Award: The Manhattan Project
Most Original: Flight of the Navigator
Best TV Series: Twilight Zone- Season 1.5/2.0
Grand Prize: Aliens
[/p]Stan Winston Award: Aliens
James Cameron Award: Aliens
Ed Wood Award: The Manhattan Project
Most Original: Flight of the Navigator
Best TV Series: Twilight Zone- Season 1.5/2.0
Grand Prize: Aliens
1987 Nova Awards
H.R. Giger Award:
And the runner-up is...
RoboCop – “ED-209”
It’s only a cameo, but it leaves a mark.
And the WINNER of the H.R. Giger Award is...
Predator – “Predator”
One ugly mother****er.
Stan Winston Award:
And the runner-up is...
RoboCop
Limited special effects and some of them are pretty dopey like the Delta City skylines, but otherwise notable in another weak year.
And the WINNER of the Stan Winston Award is...
Predator
Also limited, we only see CG when the Predator is cloaking, but it’s still a very memorable and well-done effect.
James Cameron Award:
And the runner-up is...
RoboCop
Not as deep a film as people would like to believe, but it is fun.
And the WINNER of the James Cameron Award is...
Predator
Can’t go wrong with Schwarzenegger and science fiction.
Ed Wood Award:
And the WINNER of the Ed Wood Award is...
Spaceballs
Sorry, Mel Brooks isn’t really my thing most of the time.
Most Original:
And the runner-up is...
*batteries not included
This movie not only has interesting take on UFOs (handheld sized, likes fixing things, and filled with a miniaturized society…perhaps), but it also seems to make them more part of the B-story of a movie about people losing their apartment building.
And the WINNER of the Most Original Award is...
RoboCop
I struggled with this one as a winner. There have been cyborgs in movies before, but as far as I can see this was the first one to make a big point about a human having to turn into a robot. There are the Cybermen in Doctor Who, but those were mostly robots.
Best TV Series:
And the runner-up is...
Max Headroom- Season 1 & 2.0
Perhaps this is an unknown show, but it’s really a trip and needed a mention for its…uniqueness.
And the WINNER of the Best TV Series is...
Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season 1.0
It’s back!
Other 1987 sci-fi shows:
Doctor Who – Season 24
Alf
The Transformers
Small Wonder
Twilight Zone
Grand Prize:
And the WINNER of the Nova Award is...
Predator
Not a brilliant movie by any means, but solid entertainment throughout.
Middle Ground
The Running Man – Pretty bad, but not Ed Wood worthy.
Innerspace – A cute 80s movie about Dennis Quaid being shrunk down and flying around in Martin Short's body. It had a rough and confusing start, but once those two are together in the movie, it's pretty fun with some good jokes. The plot didn't always make sense (even relative to the premise), such as the transfer of Quaid over to Meg Ryan's body, but whatever. Did the movie have to end with a wedding, though?
[/spoiler]
All the winners:[/size]
H.R. Giger Award: Predator – “Predator”
Stan Winston Award: Predator
James Cameron Award: Predator
Ed Wood Award: Spaceballs
Most Original: RoboCop
Best TV Series: Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season 1.0
Grand Prize: Predator
[/p]Stan Winston Award: Predator
James Cameron Award: Predator
Ed Wood Award: Spaceballs
Most Original: RoboCop
Best TV Series: Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season 1.0
Grand Prize: Predator
1988 Nova Awardsi1330.photobucket.com/albums/w571/Jibbond/Sci-fi%20of%20the%20Year/late80s_zps3a78706e.jpg
H.R. Giger Award:
And the WINNER of the H.R. Giger Award is...
They Live – “Alien”
They were just so creepy. The black and white helped.
Stan Winston Award:
And the WINNER of the Stan Winston Award is...
Akira
There’s been a real drought of sci-fi special effects; I’m not sure why it is. So we’ll have to go with awesome animated, sci-fi effects.
James Cameron Award:
And the runner-up is...
They Live
The second half of this film fits this bill nicely.
And the WINNER of the James Cameron Award is...
Akira
Mind control, motorcycles, atomic bombs and super-organisms.
Ed Wood Award:
And the runners-up are...
My Stepmother is an Alien
The true category of 1988, as it were.
I used to watch this a lot as a kid, but I know now it’s pretty stupid. Creative, but stupid.
Earth Girls are Easy
Again, watched it as a kid. Interesting cast, though.
Short Circuit 2
This one I hardly remember but it HAS to be awful.
And the WINNER of the Ed Wood Award is...
Killer Klowns From Outer Space
I’m sorry, it still counts even if you’re trying to make crap.
(And an honorable mention to “Hobgoblins,” which I have not seen, but is said to be one of the worst movies of all time.)
Most Original:
And the runner-up is...
They Live
On the surface it doesn’t seem very original plot-wise, but it has a certain something.
And the WINNER of the Most Original Award is...
Akira
It gets pretty original at the end with the whole “the world is made of genetic material” stuff (though I’m not too happy about that part of the movie), but overall I’m not thrilled about awarding Akira this award. Though I suppose it stands out in many other ways as well.
Best TV Series:
And the runner-up is...
Mystery Science Theater 3000
I’m not sure if this counts, but I think it deserves a mention somewhere.
And the WINNER of the Best TV Series is...
Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season 1.5/2.0
Other 1988 sci-fi shows:
Doctor Who – Season 25
Red Dwarf
ALF
Twilight Zone
Small Wonder
Grand Prize:
And the runner-up is...
They Live
I have very mixed feelings on this movie. I really enjoyed a lot of it, but only when there weren't sustained shots of the main character walking and doing nothing to cool music. At first it was a good mood setter, but after a while it felt like they were filling up the movie to make sure that an adapted short story reached the 90 minute mark. And what the HELL was with that 10 minute fight scene? I couldn't tell if it was ridiculous or brilliant.
It's so hard to get a satire right, and for the most part, this one hit the right notes. At times it was over the top and blatant on its criticism of our class system, but that was actually a good thing. I'm not sure how a movie like this can get away with that and a movie such as District 9 can't, but it did. I think because this movie didn't take itself very seriously.
I loved the shots that involved the magical sunglasses. Yes, it was mainly to show the subliminal messages, but it was also in black and white with old fashioned-looking aliens with flying saucers to give it this creepy 1950s sci-fi vibe. The ending was also very well done.
I also learned from the viewing of this movie that the joke "I'm here to chew bubblegum and kick ass...and I'm all out of bubblegum" isn't a joke, but a quote from this movie. In retrospect I suppose I should have guessed that it was a quote from something, I guess I just didn't see it coming from a movie like this.
And the WINNER of the Nova Award is...
Akira
Akira might be the most jaw-dropping anime film I've seen in terms of animation, but the movie itself has always rubbed me the wrong way. I've never been much of a fan of "science" fiction films that deal with mind powers such as precognition or telekinesis, but I suppose as far as that sub-genre goes, this movie is pretty original and interesting. It's near the end when they get all mediclorian with the plot that I kind of lose interest in this idea of "Akira." Still, I appreciate any ending that takes a bold move such as this one and it is a very enjoyable movie.
Also, Kaneda is an annoying protagionist.
Middle Ground
Cocoon: The Return[/b] – I’ve probably seen this. I can’t imagine it was very good.
Alien Nation – It's Lethal Weapon if Riggs had an alien mask on. But not good. I almost nominated it for an Ed Wood, but it was getting busy in there.
Critters 2 – I think I picked on the Critters franchise enough.
Mac and Me –
[/spoiler]
[/spoiler]
All the winners:[/size]
H.R. Giger Award: They Live – “Alien”
Stan Winston Award: Akira
James Cameron Award: Akira
Ed Wood Award: Killer Klowns From Outer Space
Most Original: Akira
Best TV Series: Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season 1.5/2.0
Grand Prize: Akira
[/p]Stan Winston Award: Akira
James Cameron Award: Akira
Ed Wood Award: Killer Klowns From Outer Space
Most Original: Akira
Best TV Series: Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season 1.5/2.0
Grand Prize: Akira
1988 Nova Awardsi1330.photobucket.com/albums/w571/Jibbond/Sci-fi%20of%20the%20Year/late80s_zps3a78706e.jpg
H.R. Giger Award:
And the WINNER of the H.R. Giger Award is...
They Live – “Alien”
They were just so creepy. The black and white helped.
Stan Winston Award:
And the WINNER of the Stan Winston Award is...
Akira
There’s been a real drought of sci-fi special effects; I’m not sure why it is. So we’ll have to go with awesome animated, sci-fi effects.
James Cameron Award:
And the runner-up is...
They Live
The second half of this film fits this bill nicely.
And the WINNER of the James Cameron Award is...
Akira
Mind control, motorcycles, atomic bombs and super-organisms.
Ed Wood Award:
And the runners-up are...
My Stepmother is an Alien
The true category of 1988, as it were.
I used to watch this a lot as a kid, but I know now it’s pretty stupid. Creative, but stupid.
Earth Girls are Easy
Again, watched it as a kid. Interesting cast, though.
Short Circuit 2
This one I hardly remember but it HAS to be awful.
And the WINNER of the Ed Wood Award is...
Killer Klowns From Outer Space
I’m sorry, it still counts even if you’re trying to make crap.
(And an honorable mention to “Hobgoblins,” which I have not seen, but is said to be one of the worst movies of all time.)
Most Original:
And the runner-up is...
They Live
On the surface it doesn’t seem very original plot-wise, but it has a certain something.
And the WINNER of the Most Original Award is...
Akira
It gets pretty original at the end with the whole “the world is made of genetic material” stuff (though I’m not too happy about that part of the movie), but overall I’m not thrilled about awarding Akira this award. Though I suppose it stands out in many other ways as well.
Best TV Series:
And the runner-up is...
Mystery Science Theater 3000
I’m not sure if this counts, but I think it deserves a mention somewhere.
And the WINNER of the Best TV Series is...
Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season 1.5/2.0
Other 1988 sci-fi shows:
Doctor Who – Season 25
Red Dwarf
ALF
Twilight Zone
Small Wonder
Grand Prize:
And the runner-up is...
They Live
I have very mixed feelings on this movie. I really enjoyed a lot of it, but only when there weren't sustained shots of the main character walking and doing nothing to cool music. At first it was a good mood setter, but after a while it felt like they were filling up the movie to make sure that an adapted short story reached the 90 minute mark. And what the HELL was with that 10 minute fight scene? I couldn't tell if it was ridiculous or brilliant.
It's so hard to get a satire right, and for the most part, this one hit the right notes. At times it was over the top and blatant on its criticism of our class system, but that was actually a good thing. I'm not sure how a movie like this can get away with that and a movie such as District 9 can't, but it did. I think because this movie didn't take itself very seriously.
I loved the shots that involved the magical sunglasses. Yes, it was mainly to show the subliminal messages, but it was also in black and white with old fashioned-looking aliens with flying saucers to give it this creepy 1950s sci-fi vibe. The ending was also very well done.
I also learned from the viewing of this movie that the joke "I'm here to chew bubblegum and kick ass...and I'm all out of bubblegum" isn't a joke, but a quote from this movie. In retrospect I suppose I should have guessed that it was a quote from something, I guess I just didn't see it coming from a movie like this.
And the WINNER of the Nova Award is...
Akira
Akira might be the most jaw-dropping anime film I've seen in terms of animation, but the movie itself has always rubbed me the wrong way. I've never been much of a fan of "science" fiction films that deal with mind powers such as precognition or telekinesis, but I suppose as far as that sub-genre goes, this movie is pretty original and interesting. It's near the end when they get all mediclorian with the plot that I kind of lose interest in this idea of "Akira." Still, I appreciate any ending that takes a bold move such as this one and it is a very enjoyable movie.
Also, Kaneda is an annoying protagionist.
Middle Ground
Cocoon: The Return[/b] – I’ve probably seen this. I can’t imagine it was very good.
Alien Nation – It's Lethal Weapon if Riggs had an alien mask on. But not good. I almost nominated it for an Ed Wood, but it was getting busy in there.
Critters 2 – I think I picked on the Critters franchise enough.
Mac and Me –
[/spoiler]
[/spoiler]
All the winners:[/size]
H.R. Giger Award: They Live – “Alien”
Stan Winston Award: Akira
James Cameron Award: Akira
Ed Wood Award: Killer Klowns From Outer Space
Most Original: Akira
Best TV Series: Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season 1.5/2.0
Grand Prize: Akira
[/p]Stan Winston Award: Akira
James Cameron Award: Akira
Ed Wood Award: Killer Klowns From Outer Space
Most Original: Akira
Best TV Series: Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season 1.5/2.0
Grand Prize: Akira
1989 Nova Awardsi1330.photobucket.com/albums/w571/Jibbond/Sci-fi%20of%20the%20Year/late80s_zps3a78706e.jpg
H.R. Giger Award:
And the WINNER of the H.R. Giger Award is...
The Abyss – “NTI”
I’m breaking my own rule here since they’re not evil, but I really have nothing else to go on. And they are kind of the antagonists at times.
Stan Winston Award:
And the runners-up are...
Back to the Future Part II
With some good old school special effects involving great sets and hoverboard effects, as well as flying DeLoreans , this movie gets a nod for sure.
The Abyss
I struggled long on who should win and I might be crazy to not give it to the extravagant “The Abyss,” but there it is. It has amazing effects in certain areas involving a water worm thing and of course the ending with all the creatures and the city.
And the WINNER of the Stan Winston Award is...
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
While “The Abyss” is impressive, it didn’t create an entire new world like this movie did. A lot of the computer graphics are cheap, but what sells this movie are the amazing props such as giant floors, ants, flies, oatmeal cookies, grass, Legos, screws, and Cheerios. This movie depended on special effects more than almost any movie.
James Cameron Award:
And the runner-up is...
Back to the Future Part II
Great adventure.
And the WINNER of the James Cameron Award is...
The Abyss
I didn’t intend to give this award to every Cameron sci-fi movie, but it’s also not a surprise that it happened.
Ed Wood Award:
And the WINNER of the Ed Wood Award is...
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
Not “bad” on the same level as some “Ed Wood” movies…but pretty close. It also pains me to give an Ed Wood award to a Star Trek movie when I never got to give a Grand Prize award to one. Though I suppose there’s still one left.
Old review:
“The Final Frontier” is a film plagued with a poor screenplay, swing-and-miss jokes, and it’s derivative of Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Where “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home” was fun and witty, this film has adolescent humor that is much too goofy, flippant and immature. This cavalier attitude in the writing finds its way into the bigger picture, as well. Seeing McCoy warn Kirk about the Klingons while wearing a denim jacket on the bridge of the Enterprise doesn’t sit well with me. Nor does a 30-second gag on the slow spelling of “Stand Back” in Morse code.
At the heart of this movie is Sybok, and he’s by far the best thing going for it. He’s a Vulcan, but he’s conniving and he can laugh. He also has the ability to ease people of their pain in an interesting twist on the idea of “brainwashing.” However, there’s the added nonsense about him being the half-brother of Spock which is much more reminiscent of a sitcom twist. (Speaking of sitcoms, as much as I like the scene where Bones and Spock “face their pain,” both of them involve “daddy issues.” How original.) The character of Sybok is where the charm of the movie ends, as it follows the structure of “Star Trek: The Motion Picture,” makes the higher power bad this time, and throws in a Klingon for good measure (which is especially egregious in this case, as they already haphazardly threw in a Klingon in “Search for Spock.” However this Klingon is as adolescent as the script and in the end is forced to apologize by his patron.) Not only do both movies revolve around the encounter of a higher powered being, but in both cases a Vulcan uses an ill-advised mind meld on the being.
There are of course many other troublesome features to this movie. There’s the dance that Uhura “must” do to cause a diversion. There’s the scene where Uhura hits on Scotty (apparently she had been holding this in for years). There’s the revelation that it’s easier to hijack a starship than an airline (Kirk: “I’ll take you to the bridge” ??) For some reason it’s easy to get through the galactic barrier when in the past it wasn’t. This is explained by faith early on, but how do they explain that after it’s revealed that God isn’t home? (And why let the Klingons in, too?) Kirk getting left behind is contrived through a well-placed Klingon attack on the transporter room when only two of the three could leave just before. And to top it all off, the movie ends with Kirk, Spock and Bones singing “Row, Row, Row Your Boat.”
*.5/****
[/spoiler]
[/spoiler]
Most Original:
And the runners-up are...
Back to the Future Part II
Despite being a sequel I had to give this movie props for the brilliant idea of placing the plot halfway across the first movie. Ahhh, time travel.
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
Not the first shrinking movie, but it’s the first to really explore what can be done.
And the WINNER of the Most Original Award is...
Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure
Besides the phone booth being a parody of the TARDIS, this is wholly original.
Best TV Series:
And the runner-up is...
Quantum Leap – Season 1 & 2.0
And the WINNER of the Best TV Series is...
Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season 2.5/3.0
Other 1989 sci-fi shows:
Doctor Who – Season 26
Red Dwarf
ALF
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Twilight Zone
Small Wonder
Grand Prize:
And the runner-up is...
Back to the Future Part II
There are few movies like Back to the Future Part II. The pure joy of this movie is that a good portion of it takes place within the specific settings of the first movie. There are alternate realities but also overlaps of scenes that mesh in such a way that they could have existed “in the first movie” the whole time, but we just never saw it. And if you love time paradoxes, this is the movie for you. I think we’ve all had a lengthy conversation about 10 or more mistakes in the BTTF trilogy. But unlike any other movie, and beyond all logic, the “mistakes” make the trilogy/Part II all the richer.
I heard a good point about this movie. It’s one of the very few movies to paint the future in a good light. Usually there’s been a robot apocalypse by now, but in BTTF Part 2, we get to enjoy the good life, if only for a bit. Incidentally, the Cubs have only 1 more year before they have to beat Miami in the World Series. Would Tampa Bay count?
And the WINNER of the Nova Award is...
The Abyss
Putting aside the epic ending of this movie, as a whole, The Abyss is very sci-fi-lite. Throughout the 3 hour movie (Special Edition) there is probably only 15-20 minutes dealing with the aquatic race. This film simply succeeds as a tremendous action film, though oddly, because they’re underwater in ships and stations, it does feel like an outer space movie. The lesser of Cameron’s movies, and yet he still manages to create a wonderful movie.
The ending isn’t completely original; it’s very close to the message of The Day the Earth Stood Still. But it’s well done and has replay value like the rest of his movies.
Middle Ground
The Fly II[/b] – I’m sure this is awful, but I haven’t seen it and I’m done watching the bad ones for this project.
Cyborg – Ditto.
[/spoiler]
[/spoiler]
All the winners:[/size]
H.R. Giger Award: The Abyss – “NTI”
Stan Winston Award: Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
James Cameron Award: The Abyss
Ed Wood Award: Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
Most Original: Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure
Best TV Series: Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season 2.5/3.0
Grand Prize: The Abyss
[/p]Stan Winston Award: Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
James Cameron Award: The Abyss
Ed Wood Award: Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
Most Original: Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure
Best TV Series: Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season 2.5/3.0
Grand Prize: The Abyss
1980s Final Results
[/size]And once again I have put my favorite choices in the decade for each category in bold.
H.R Giger Award[/u]
1980: Saturn 3 - ”Hector”
1981: The Day of the Triffids (Mini-series) – “Triffids”
1982: The Thing – “The Thing”
1983: Star Wars: Episode VI – The Return of the Jedi – “Rancor”
1984: The Terminator – “T-800”
1985: Brazil – "Samurai Warrior”
1986: Aliens – “Alien queen”
1987: Predator – “Predator”
1988: They Live – “Alien”
1989: The Abyss – “NTI”
Stan Winston Award[/u]
1980: Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back
1981: Time Bandits
1982: TRON
1983: Star Wars: Episode VI – The Return of the Jedi
1984: The Last Starfighter
1985: Brazil
1986: Aliens
1987: Predator
1988: Akira
1989: Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
James Cameron Award[/u]
1980: Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back
1981: Time Bandits
1982: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
1983: Star Wars: Episode VI – The Return of the Jedi
1984: The Terminator
1985: Back to the Future
1986: Aliens
1987: Predator
1988: Akira
1989: The Abyss
Ed Wood Award[/u]
1980: Saturn 3
1981: The Incredible Shrinking Woman
1982: Firefox
1983: The Pod People
1984: The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension
1985: Lifeforce
1986: The Manhattan Project
1987: Spaceballs
1988: Killer Klowns From Outer Space
1989: Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
Most Original Award[/u]
1980: The Lathe of Heaven (TV Movie)
1981: Time Bandits
1982: TRON
1983: WarGames
1984: The Last Starfighter
1985: Brazil
1986: Flight of the Navigator
1987: RoboCop
1988: Akira
1989: Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure
Best TV Series Award[/u]
1980: Doctor Who – Season 18.0
1981: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Mini-series)
1982: Doctor Who – Season 19
1983: Inspector Gadget – Season 1
1984: V - Season 1.0
1985: Twilight Zone - Season 1.0
1986: Twilight Zone - Season 1.5/2.0
1987: Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season 1.0
1988: Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season 1.5/2.0
1989: Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season 2.5/3.0
Grand Prize
1980: Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back
1981: Time Bandits
1982: Blade Runner
1983: Star Wars: Episode VI – The Return of the Jedi
1984: The Terminator
1985: Brazil
1986: Aliens
1987: Predator
1988: Akira
1989: The Abyss[/p]
