Linkage via kc_anathema
The Eight Most Common Sci-Fi Visions of the Future (And Why They'll Never Happen)
Just about as awesome as it sounds, and twice as hilarious:
When and if man ever breaches the womb of our solar system and is born in earnest as an interstellar being, only one thing will be certain: It will be exactly like sailing. That, or the old West. Ever since Kirk set course by the stars and made way for the final frontier, the space opera's core concepts have been those of the sea: long voyages, a tight-knit crew and the unspoken threat of scurvy.
Now I'm kind of tempted to que up all the movies mentioned in the article and have an "Impossible Futures" marathon with the husband. Although...is it just me, or does the author omit a few great examples of some of his categories? I don't think "Waterworld" was in there anywhere, and considering how much fun he made of the extreme length in "2001" and "Bicentennial Man" this seems like a lost opportunity. Also, shouldn't "Independance Day" be given pride of place in the list of alien invasion movies that involve the aliens having a really stupid and obvious chink in their armor? Or doesn't that count because it's not really futuristic? Come to think of it, the aliens' flaw isn't that stupid either, which is sadly more than can be said of the method by which our heroes take advantage of said flaw.
ETA: And where the heck is "Equilibrium" in the Totalitarian Government category? That was a great flick! 1984 only with gun-fu and a hopeful ending.
Just about as awesome as it sounds, and twice as hilarious:
When and if man ever breaches the womb of our solar system and is born in earnest as an interstellar being, only one thing will be certain: It will be exactly like sailing. That, or the old West. Ever since Kirk set course by the stars and made way for the final frontier, the space opera's core concepts have been those of the sea: long voyages, a tight-knit crew and the unspoken threat of scurvy.
Now I'm kind of tempted to que up all the movies mentioned in the article and have an "Impossible Futures" marathon with the husband. Although...is it just me, or does the author omit a few great examples of some of his categories? I don't think "Waterworld" was in there anywhere, and considering how much fun he made of the extreme length in "2001" and "Bicentennial Man" this seems like a lost opportunity. Also, shouldn't "Independance Day" be given pride of place in the list of alien invasion movies that involve the aliens having a really stupid and obvious chink in their armor? Or doesn't that count because it's not really futuristic? Come to think of it, the aliens' flaw isn't that stupid either, which is sadly more than can be said of the method by which our heroes take advantage of said flaw.
ETA: And where the heck is "Equilibrium" in the Totalitarian Government category? That was a great flick! 1984 only with gun-fu and a hopeful ending.