The Great Recommendation Thread (Movie, TV, Anime, Cartoon)

[SecondTalon]

Seconding NewsRadio. Dave Foley, Phil Hartman, Stephen Root. Exchanges like
[Mr. James talks Dave into letting Lisa go undercover]
Dave: Mr. James, why are you so gung ho about this?
Jimmy James: Because investigative reporting is the lifesblood of American journalism. Besides, I lost my golf date this afternoon so I'm kinda bored.


Just.. uh.. remember there were only four seasons.

[Flightless_bird]

The one cartoon that will always cling to me because I loved it as a child is Tom and Jerry. And that's only from the first episode to the episode called "Tot watchers". Afterwards Hanna Barbera stopped making them and it started sucking, otherwise it's the most precious childhood TV show that I know, and I love how now when re watching some of the episode I can see and laugh at the jokes I did not understand as a child. I love how it's drawn and I love the odd conflicts between them. But the best episodes are the ones when they work together

[PatrickRsGhost]

The one cartoon that will always cling to me because I loved it as a child is Tom and Jerry. And that's only from the first episode to the episode called "Tot watchers". Afterwards Hanna Barbera stopped making them and it started sucking, otherwise it's the most precious childhood TV show that I know, and I love how now when re watching some of the episode I can see and laugh at the jokes I did not understand as a child. I love how it's drawn and I love the odd conflicts between them. But the best episodes are the ones when they work together

The Chuck Jones ones were pretty good, if only for the facial expressions. I will agree he made Tom to be more maniacal and evil than he really is. In the earlier cartoons, he's just a cat trying to catch Jerry, either because it's his job, especially when he was owned by Mammy Two-Shoes (the African-American woman seen in the earlier cartoons, usually wearing the stereotypical housecleaning clothes) or some couple that complained about how Tom does nothing but lay around all day.

I think the earlier ones (produced by MGM, under the direction of Fred Quimby) are better than the Hanna-Barbera ones, although the "Two Mouseketeers" shorts (there were 4 or 5) were pretty good, and like you said, the ones where they worked together, or were depicted as "friends" were good as well. One of my favorites in that last category would have to be "Neopolitan Mouse". In this cartoon,

Spoiler:

Tom and Jerry go to Naples, Italy on vacation. At first Tom chases Jerry off the ship, until a local mouse intervenes and saves Jerry, beating the living daylights out of Tom. The local mouse then comments (in Italian) something about how the big are always picking on the small (he represents this by holding his hand up to represent big, and lowers it to represent small), until he sees Tom being picked on by a local bully dog, to which he also helps Tom. The mouse then recognizes them both, asks if they are Tom and Jerry, and comments how he loves their cartoons. He then gives them a guided tour of Napoli (Naples).

Speaking of MGM, when people think of MGM cartoons, they often think of Tex Avery, whether it's the Droopy cartoons with the wolf, or the "Wolf and Red" cartoons, where the Wolf is chasing after some sexy dame that sings at some night club ("Red-Hot Riding Hood" and "Swing-Shift Cinderella" being the two most popular ones), or any other Avery cartoons, including the George and Junior cartoons, where the two bears, George and Lenny Junior are a couple of bums/hobos trying to find work, or else already have a job (in one cartoon they're forest rangers), but Junior always screws it up.

The Fred Quimby/Harman-Ising MGM cartoons are more heart-felt than the later cartoons. I think one of the best ones in this category would have to be "Peace on Earth". Released a year or two before World War II broke out, we see a religious message delivered in one of the most serious cartoons ever produced.

Spoiler:

It is Christmas in the town of Peaceville, inhabited solely by animals. A grandfather squirrel walks past a group of younger squirrels singing on a street corner about "Peace on Earth; Goodwill to men." Grandpa chuckles and wishes the boys a Merry Christmas and agrees about peace on Earth. He then shows up at his grandchildren's house, where he brings a Christmas wreath and wishes them a Merry Christmas, and also mentions peace on Earth, goodwill to men. One of the grandkids asks what men are. Grandpa says there are no men anymore, and then tells a story about how when he was their age, men did exist, and described what they looked like. We then see the depiction, with a man wearing a gas mask on his face, and the lenses on the eye holes of the mask flashing, and the air supply hose running down to a box strapped around his waste. One of the kids comments he's glad they're no longer around, since the description is terrifying. Grandpa goes on to describe how the men were always fighting over some silly thing, like how the meat-eaters took on the vegetarians, until only two were left, and then they shot each other. After the dust settles, the woodland creatures emerge from hiding, and gather at the ruins of a church. An owl is seen reading the bible, and Grandpa, just a "wee shaver" in the story, asks the owl what that thing was. The owl comments it looked like a book of rules the men refused to follow. The page the owl happened to be reading showed one of the Commandments: "Thou Shalt Not Kill". He flips a few pages, and then another passage appears: "Ye shall rebuild the old wastes." The woodland creatures agree about rebuilding, so using the dead soldiers' helmets and other things they find, they rebuild their forest into the city we saw at the beginning.

A remake of the cartoon was released about 15 years later, during the Korean War/at the start of the Cold War, with a few added features (mainly about the atomic bomb), and a pastor church mouse in a church telling the story to a choir of church mice. It was titled "Good Will To Men", but wasn't as popular as the original.

[roband]

I don't know how people feel about newcomers starting new threads, but I suppose it's too late for that thought now.

I am looking for movie recommendations. Mainly sci-fi films, because I feel that (despite this being a genre I enjoy) I haven't seen the films that I should've. I've only started watching things like this recently and would like to hear what you guys would suggest.

Thanks


edit: Suggestions so far -

Spoiler:

2001: A Space Odyssey
Space Balls
Star Wars 4, 5, 6
Firefly (this one is a TV show)
Dollhouse (same here)
Serenity (movie sequel to Firefly)
Planet of the Apes, perhaps
Children of Men
Minority Report
Star Trek
Galaxy Quest (so funny...)
Fringe (another TV show)
by headprogrammingczar

Dark City (get the director's cut)
Solaris (I've only seen the Russian one, but I've heard the American remake is worthwhile and it might be a tad more accessible)
12 Monkeys
Primer (low budget, high quality)
District 9
Back to the Future
Gattaca
The 5th Element
Blade Runner (even if you don't like it, it influenced pretty much all sci-fi that came after it)
Brazil
A.I. (Not actually a good movie, but it fails in a very interesting way)
The Day the Earth Stood Still (not the new one)
by folkhero

Moon
Sunshine (think of it as a three-act movie, then pretend the last act doesn't exist)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
by headprogrammingczar again

ST:TNG First Contact
ST:TNG The Voyage Home
Flash Gordon
Cube
Doctor Who
by Phill

The Fountain
by Dashboard

The Running Man
Fahrenheit 451
Alien
Aliens
by Aleril

[headprogrammingczar]

2001: A Space Odyssey
Space Balls
Star Wars 4, 5, 6
Firefly (this one is a TV show)
Dollhouse (same here)
Serenity (movie sequel to Firefly)
Planet of the Apes, perhaps
Children of Men
Minority Report
Star Trek
Galaxy Quest (so funny...)
Fringe (another TV show)

And probably lots I am forgetting.

Edit: this would make a nice sticky

[roband]

Ok, so:

2001: A Space Odyssey - been meaning to watch this for a while, will acquire ASAP
Space Balls - added to list
Star Wars 4, 5, 6 - seen them multiple times, but never really watched
Firefly (this one is a TV show) - saw this in the last 6 months. Possibly my favourite thing ever.
Dollhouse (same here) - tried, but couldn't get into it
Serenity (movie sequel to Firefly) - also awesome
Planet of the Apes, perhaps - added to list
Children of Men - not heard of it, will look into
Minority Report - seen this lots of times, but was before I was interested in sci-fi, maybe I'd see it from a different angle on a rewatch
Star Trek - seen episodes of the TV show here and there, somewhat watchable but not fantastic
Galaxy Quest (so funny...) - not heard of, added to list
Fringe (another TV show) - again, not heard of, but will look into

Thanks again Nice to have somewhere to start

[Jesse]

For Dollhouse, just imagine that the first five episodes were crammed down into one episode of length, and then go form there, because it gets awesome form then on.

[folkhero]

Dark City (get the director's cut)
Solaris (I've only seen the Russian one, but I've heard the American remake is worthwhile and it might be a tad more accessible)
12 Monkeys
Primer (low budget, high quality)
District 9
Back to the Future
Gattaca
The 5th Element
Blade Runner (even if you don't like it, it influenced pretty much all sci-fi that came after it)
Brazil
A.I. (Not actually a good movie, but it fails in a very interesting way)
The Day the Earth Stood Still (not the new one)

[roband]

The only ones of those I've seen are District 9 (which I really enjoyed), Back to the Future (coincidentally, I saw this at the cinema yesterday, it's been remastered and rereleased - in the UK at least) and Blade Runner (which I flat out didn't understand or enjoy).
But thanks for the others!

[headprogrammingczar]

Moon
Sunshine (think of it as a three-act movie, then pretend the last act doesn't exist)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (not entirely sci-fi, but close enough; it's also the only good role Jim Carrey has ever been cast in, and whoever was director of photography is a goddamn genius)

Also, when I said Star Trek before, I meant the J J Abrams movie, although the one with Patrick Stewart might be good too.

[Phill]

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (not entirely sci-fi, but close enough; it's also the only good role Jim Carrey has ever been cast in, and whoever was director of photography is a goddamn genius)

Did you not like The Truman Show? I think I preferred that to Eternal Sunshine, although I've only seen it the once.

Also, when I said Star Trek before, I meant the J J Abrams movie, although the one with Patrick Stewart might be good too.

'The one with Patrick Stewart'? The only ST:TNG film I'd bother with is First Contact, but the original series films are quite good as well. Don't miss out the fourth film (The Voyage Home) - it's rubbish but it's hilarious. And, not wishing to spark off a holy war, you should probably watch the others as well...

Speaking of things which are rubbish but hilarious, check out Flash Gordon. I watched it last night and haven't laughed so hard in ages. Genius.

If you want something quite gritty and minimal check out 'Cube' which was a fairly low-budget indie flick but very good.

Oh, and it kind of goes without saying but if Star Trek can be mentioned then Doctor Who can also be mentioned. If you've not seen them check out the episodes 'The Empty Child / The Doctor Dances' (two-parter), 'Blink', 'The Impossible Planet / The Satan Pit' (two-parter), 'Midnight' - and then watch through all of series 5 (the latest one). Not all brilliant episodes but I think it only really makes sense if you watch all of it.

[GhostWolfe]

Blade Runner (which I flat out didn't understand or enjoy).

Was it the director's cut? I only saw this myself recently, and it didn't make much sense; but I've heard the theatrical cut was completely nonsensical.

Blade Runner really feels like the story was trying on some different plot lines for size, and then forgot to resolve half of them.

/angell

[roband]

Blade Runner (which I flat out didn't understand or enjoy).

Was it the director's cut? I only saw this myself recently, and it didn't make much sense; but I've heard the theatrical cut was completely nonsensical.

Blade Runner really feels like the story was trying on some different plot lines for size, and then forgot to resolve half of them.

/angell

I think it WAS the Director's Cut, but I could be wrong. To be honest, I wasn't in the best state of mind when I watched it, so it'll definitely get a rewatch at some point.

[Dasboard]

The Fountain is neat. You should see it.

It's also full of useful quotes you can use.

[Aleril]

The Running Man
Fahrenheit 451
Alien
Aliens


I'll add more later.

[roband]

Thanks for these guys, I'm adding them all to the 'spoiler' in the first post.

[roband]

Ok, I watched 2001: A Space Odyssey and flat out didn't get it.

I liked bits of it, but a lot of it was drawn out (which I suppose would've been suspenseful when it was released) and it was way too long with not enough happening.

[headprogrammingczar]

That's expected. Bear in mind though, that it was made so long ago that 9 years ago was the "distant future".

[Malice]

Ok, I watched 2001: A Space Odyssey and flat out didn't get it.

I liked bits of it, but a lot of it was drawn out (which I suppose would've been suspenseful when it was released) and it was way too long with not enough happening.

2001 isn't really a movie, per se. It's more like a work of art that happens to be in the medium of film. It's slow, and relatively plotless, because it is entirely a movie of ideas. The point is not suspense (usually), the point is to get you to consider what it is that you're watching and it what it is saying about humanity. If you got to the HAL part and went, "Finally, the story is starting," you did it wrong.

That said, it's certainly not for everybody. But you might want to consider coming back to it someday when you have more experience. It's the same as when somebody can't get into Tolstoy or Faulkner or Joyce--you're just not ready yet. No harm in that, and congratulations in trying something more challenging than the standard fare.

One thing you should be able to appreciate is the special effects, which were state of the art at the time, and so meticulously realized that when astronauts actually walked on the moon (which 2001 predates), they thought of that experience in terms of it being just like Kubrick's movie.

[Zohar]

2001 isn't really a movie, per se. It's more like a work of art that happens to be in the medium of film. It's slow, and relatively plotless, because it is entirely a movie of ideas. The point is not suspense (usually), the point is to get you to consider what it is that you're watching and it what it is saying about humanity. If you got to the HAL part and went, "Finally, the story is starting," you did it wrong.

Huh. I disagree pretty much with every single thing you wrote in that paragraph.

[roband]

One thing you should be able to appreciate is the special effects, which were state of the art at the time, and so meticulously realized that when astronauts actually walked on the moon (which 2001 predates), they thought of that experience in terms of it being just like Kubrick's movie.

Oh of course, the effects are fantastic. And the classical music set against the shots of the various spacecraft with the backdrop of space was awesome. But for 2 or 3 minutes at a time? Too long, for something to be entertaining.

[ArgonV]

Pink Floyd improved the movie tremendously.

And honestly, I think it's a bad thing the movie is plotless, since the book wasn't.

[Malice]

2001 isn't really a movie, per se. It's more like a work of art that happens to be in the medium of film. It's slow, and relatively plotless, because it is entirely a movie of ideas. The point is not suspense (usually), the point is to get you to consider what it is that you're watching and it what it is saying about humanity. If you got to the HAL part and went, "Finally, the story is starting," you did it wrong.

Huh. I disagree pretty much with every single thing you wrote in that paragraph.

Pistols at dawn, then?

[SecondTalon]

And honestly, I think it's a bad thing (the 2001: A Space Odyssey Movie) is plotless, since the book wasn't.

..wait, what?

How was the movie plotless? Now, I'll grant you it was a slow plot, sure.. but that just seemed to be a buildup for the What The Fuck Is Going On there at the end.

...which was awesome and in no way incomprehensible.

And hell, the 2-3 minute steady shots of a ship in space was to drive home the isolationism of the three protagonists (David, Frank, HAL) and how there was no one else out there except for them, and if something as incredibly minor as a tiny servo blew, they'd be completely fucked.

[Aiwendil42]

And hell, the 2-3 minute steady shots of a ship in space was to drive home the isolationism of the three protagonists (David, Frank, HAL) and how there was no one else out there except for them, and if something as incredibly minor as a tiny servo blew, they'd be completely fucked.

Plus, it's beautiful. When I hear people complain about these sequences, I think: why can't you just sit there and enjoy the beautiful images and music for a few minutes? Why do you need things to constantly be happening?

[Kimmo]

<3 2001.

It helps if you've read the book in the last few years, as I recall... feels like there's more going on then.

...I don't think anyone's mentioned Wall-E or Idiocracy. I really, really liked Moon.

I, Robot wasn't too bad. If you can call V for Vendetta scifi, that's gotta list pretty highly...

[dubsola]

Solaris (I've only seen the Russian one, but I've heard the American remake is worthwhile and it might be a tad more accessible)
12 Monkeys
Back to the Future
Gattaca
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

I second all of these suggestions. Solaris is a great film, beautiful imagery and soundtrack; 12 Monkeys is great for weirdness in the plot and characters; Back to the Future is a stone-cold classic, very easy going, Gattaca is also beautiful, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - while in no way is science fiction - is a pretty great movie regardless.

[Phill]

...I don't think anyone's mentioned Wall-E or Idiocracy. I really, really liked Moon.

I, Robot wasn't too bad. If you can call V for Vendetta scifi, that's gotta list pretty highly...

Idiocracy is funny, it's quite though-provoking although I'm not sure it could ever actually happen.

V for Vendetta is a very good film and worth watching whether it's sci-fi or not! I saw it last year (on fireworks night, appropriately enough), and it seemed spookily relevant. Although most of the way through the film I was thinking "if Hugo Weaving can talk like that, why doesn't he talk like that all the time?!"

[roband]

V for Vendetta is a great movie. I must watch it again soon.

I watched Eternal Sunshine.. last night. It was weird. I kinda liked it, but never really connected with it.
My main thought afterwards was

Spoiler:

if Kirsten Dunst's character hadn't sent the tapes out at the end, there'd be no point in the whole movie.

[Pterosaur]

Lots of great suggestions above. Here’s mine. Some are foreign, but if you have Netflix you can find them all.

Movies:
Donnie Darko
Death Note
Idiocracy
I Am Legend
Starship Troopers
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Terminator 1, 2, & Salvation
K-Pax
Edward Scissorhands
Being John Malkovich
A Clockwork Orange
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

TV:
Invader Zim
Fantastic 4: World’s Greatest Heroes (animated series, better than the films)
Torchwood
Cowboy Bebop
Farscape
Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles
Death Note (anime)

[SecondTalon]

Please remember this is not a general recommendation thread, but a thread to deliver a specific recommendation to a specific person based on their criteria.

... with occasional side-tracking discussions. Because they happen.

[roband]

Please remember this is not a general recommendation thread, but a thread to deliver a specific recommendation to a specific person based on their criteria.

... with occasional side-tracking discussions. Because they happen.

Yeah, but that said, I'll take all the recommendations I can get

Some good movies in that list of Pterosaur's (I lol'd at the non-inclusion of Terminator 3).
Some to revisit, some to discover, thanks!

[roband]

I just watched Tron (original).

I liked the idea behind it, and the execution, very much.

[GhostWolfe]

I just watched Tron (original).

I liked the idea behind it, and the execution, very much.

I <3 Tron (I only saw it recently myself). It's just so... adorable, the anthropomorphism of the computer programs. Something about it really appealed to me.

I can't wait from Tron: Legacy. I think the neon-on-black is going to work really well in 3D.

/angell

[roband]

Legacy is going to be in 3D? Wow that could really work.

One thing I will mention about the original is that I expected a lot more of the lightcycle game. Not sure why, but I always thought that was what the whole movie was about.

[krucifi]

This post had objectionable content.

these seem like a good start sorry for any repetitions im not exactly sober

See, this is exactly what I was talking about. Currently, we are still recommending films for roband. roband has pretty much asked for Sci-Fi flicks. Your list has... fuck, a bunch of shit and films already listed, many with reasons.

Don't just spam lists, people. -ST

[roband]

Thanks for the suggestions, but Hulk? Seroiously?
That's a bad movie.

[NeilFann]

Hi - related to the movie recommendation thread (from someone else), I need a TV series recommendation since we're about to finish the 4400. Series I've devoured, in order of greatness from greatest first:

Firefly
T: SCC
Dollhouse
BSG
Fringe
Dr Who (recent ones only)
Angel
Buffy
Torchwoord
Trublood
4400
Heroes

Lost is next - I've just ordered the first season as a tryout. Given my tastes, are there any obvious series I've missed? Bonus points for killer robots, vampires, Summer Glau and Joss Whedon. Negative points for high school kids having relationships and emotions.....

[ArgonV]

I'd say Farscape, it's one of the best series I've seen. There are episodes with killer robots and vampires! No Summer Glau though. There's occasional emotions and relationships (it's called character development), but no high-school kids (well, maybe Chiana).

And maybe Stargate SG-1? The first season is so-so, but it gets a lot better after that. It's also pretty light-hearted, no high-school-kid-emotions involved.

[Yubtzock]

Caprica has ended recently (at least somewhere) and it turns out it's ok show (if you watch all episodes) and does a good job of being prequel to BSG, so go check it out if you like. Be warned: It is *even more* of a sci-fi *drama* than BSG - at least the first few episodes after the pilot. Some people say it has been cancelled in a bad moment, but I think it's ok the way it is right now. (+Killer Robotz)

I've heard of "Being Human" (not "Human Being") being a good series. With vampires! I only got to watch the pilot (of one of the versions, I suspect it was the newer one), but the show seemed interesting and funny.

I can't see any Stargate on that list. Quick guide:
SG-1 - good one but very oldschool showmaking in the first couple seasons.
Atlantis - Quite connected to SG-1, I don't know if it's possible to watch it without SG-1, but AFAIR: seasons 8,9,10 of SG-1 and all 5 seasons of Atlantis have "a great many" adventures "indeed".
Universe - the latest iteration of SG series, NOT so good, but almost completely separate from previous ones (and even the 1994 movie), so feel free to check it out.
(I can't remember any vampires (unless you count the Wraith - Atlantis) but it's got Replicators (SG-1, Atlantis), robo-clones (SG-1) and stuff... also: Universe gets -1 for mature people with high school mentality and emotions)