My SF/Horror Apocrypha
When I was what they now call "a tween," I was slightly obsessed with SF horror films, I think because they were kind of taboo in my family. I'm talking The Terminator and T2, Alien and Aliens, Predator and Predator 2. I specifically remember recording the Alien and Predator movies on VHS tapes, knowing my parents would be a little pissed off if they found out. (And yet, somehow, my dad was somehow swayed to take me to see T2 in the theaters...go figure.) These movies were awesome to me - like, if Star Wars was the inspired word of God, these movies helped make up the apocrypha.
In college, I remember seeing Alien: Resurrection and thinking it had it's moments (specifically the ones featuring Michael Wincott), but just wasn't as wicked awesome as it could've been. Aliens vs. Predator (the movie - the comic was okay) looked like a waste of time, but somehow, I ended up renting it and watching it on DVD. It was a complete waste of time and I didn't even bother with the sequel.
And yet, when I hear Ridley Scott is going to make not one, but two alien prequels, I can't help but get a little excited. It's cautious excitement, to be sure - really I don't really need a movie prequel explaining where the aliens came from, or what the space jockeys were all about - I kind of prefer the mystique and impact and WTF is THAT? feeling you get when you see this:
So, yeah, explaining that image does about as much for me as midichlorians, but, still. Ridley Scott's going to do another SF film and he sounds excited about it. Sure, I wish it was something original, but I'll take that over a bland-looking Robin Hood any year. (io9 says that the alien isn't going to be in the Alien prequel, but I'm not actually seeing that in the interview. Although like I said, what it does say doesn't make me any less cautious.)
On the other hand, I'm kind of thrilled by what I'm seeing about Predators. It doesn't look like it's trying to be the smartest SF horror movie on the block, but it looks fun (in a spine-ripping, kind of way).
OTOH, I still need to check out Avatar...
In college, I remember seeing Alien: Resurrection and thinking it had it's moments (specifically the ones featuring Michael Wincott), but just wasn't as wicked awesome as it could've been. Aliens vs. Predator (the movie - the comic was okay) looked like a waste of time, but somehow, I ended up renting it and watching it on DVD. It was a complete waste of time and I didn't even bother with the sequel.
And yet, when I hear Ridley Scott is going to make not one, but two alien prequels, I can't help but get a little excited. It's cautious excitement, to be sure - really I don't really need a movie prequel explaining where the aliens came from, or what the space jockeys were all about - I kind of prefer the mystique and impact and WTF is THAT? feeling you get when you see this:
So, yeah, explaining that image does about as much for me as midichlorians, but, still. Ridley Scott's going to do another SF film and he sounds excited about it. Sure, I wish it was something original, but I'll take that over a bland-looking Robin Hood any year. (io9 says that the alien isn't going to be in the Alien prequel, but I'm not actually seeing that in the interview. Although like I said, what it does say doesn't make me any less cautious.)
On the other hand, I'm kind of thrilled by what I'm seeing about Predators. It doesn't look like it's trying to be the smartest SF horror movie on the block, but it looks fun (in a spine-ripping, kind of way).
OTOH, I still need to check out Avatar...