Weird Movies

[Ry Vor]

Just an off topic thread.  Watching Starship Troopers as I do my other stuff.  I've seen it before and it is strangely fascinating to me, although I can see how lots of people would just dismiss it as fluff.  On some levels its just silly, but the underlying themes are a bit disturbing. 

What movies kind of surprise you for unexpected reasons?

[Rogal]

1)  Event Horizon: I am a huge Game Workshop fan and ex employee(not from the creative side) and this movie is a direct tie in to the warp and demons in the warp and warp travel. 
2) 13th Warrior: The best non DnD movie that is as close to DnD out there ( minus the hobbit).
3) I liked the Starship Trooper movie but it does have a lot of 3rd Reich over tones to it. (please do not judge me on my observations of this movie).
4) Inception:Fairly obvious ( I Think) are the overtones of what truly is reality and what is the reality of the mind vs reality of what is.
5) Dune: I hate reading, but I for some reason loved this movie and led me to read most of the books by Frank Herbert and his sons.  This also led me to play the Dune board game and all its official and unofficial expansions.  This game really reminds me of Alamaze and how different empires can work. If you play this game and have read the rules  of IX, The Tieliaxu, and the Lansraad, I really think this is what the potential Alamaze could become if you have players that really get in to the empire. 

[Ry Vor]

Yeah, I have seen all those movies and think any of them could be on the list, especially Dune, which I almost listed in the first post.  It was a pretty bad movie on a number of levels with stiff acting and poor direction, but somehow I watch it whenever it is on.  I was trying to get to the idea of movies that on the surface are bad or silly, but have redeeming under currents or qualities that you just don't expect.  Actually, the original Star Trek TV series might be the best example.  When it came out in the mid 1960's, it was panned, it did not get good ratings, and it was cancelled after a couple seasons.  It's interesting that since then, much of what was science fiction in Star Trek is here, like your "communicator".  

Inception is one of those movies you absolutely cannot watch just once, and say, "got it".  I have seen 13th Warrior at least four times. 

I guess another couple I would offer up would be Sin City and Reservoir Dogs (or probably any Quentin Terrantino movie for that matter). 

[Diamond Cutter]

Dune is a great looking movie. When I watch it I think "What if" The Police didn't break up and did another album after Synchronicity. If Sting wasn't so attractive back then what could've been…

Starship Troopers did have a 3rd Reich overtone intentionally.

I don't think any of these movies mentioned so far are really weird.

[Jumpingfist]

For weird I would likely go with Brazil.

Besides those mentioned already I real liked Blade Runner.

[Ry Vor]

"Weird" probably was not well chosen. Starship Troopers at times seems like its a spoof, but the cultural points are pretty cutting.

Synchronicity was a favorite of mine, but we've gotten plenty of good music out of Sting without the Police.

Brazil was a good example: a tech world where everything is broken.

For really weird without the redeeming qualities I would go with Naked Lunch and Trainspotting. Of course, an argument could be made for Twilight Zone.

[Hawk_]

GRy Vor"Weird" probably was not well chosen.  Starship Troopers at times seems like its a spoof, but the cultural points are pretty cutting.  

Synchronicity was a favorite of mine, but we've gotten plenty of good music out of Sting without the Police.

Brazil was a good example: a tech world where everything is broken.  

For really weird without the redeeming qualities I would go with Naked Lunch and Trainspotting.  Of course, an argument could be made for Twilight Zone.

King Arthur 2004 and Centurion 2010 both surprised me as better movies than I expected. King Arthur is a new twist on an old tale.


I agree 13th warrior is a good flick.  That duel scene is pretty great.

[Ry Vor]

I did enjoy (and own) King Arthur.  It is really the prevailing view on the legend of Arthur now and why I had Arthur as the king of the Celts in Fall of Rome, set around 451 AD.
(Instead of Arthur being much later in the high middle ages.)  You would enjoy Kingdom of Heaven if you haven't seen it.

On the theme of weird movies, I completely forgot about all the Zombie movies that have activist undertones.  Also, if you haven't seen "They Live", you might check it out.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096256/quotes

[Hawk_]

I did enjoy (and own) King Arthur.  It is really the prevailing view on the legend of Arthur now and why I had Arthur as the king of the Celts in Fall of Rome, set around 451 AD.
(Instead of Arthur being much later in the high middle ages.)  You would enjoy Kingdom of Heaven if you haven't seen it.

On the theme of weird movies, I completely forgot about all the Zombie movies that have activist undertones.  Also, if you haven't seen "They Live", you might check it out.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096256/quotes

I didn't realize that about the King Arthur movie.

Yes, Kingdom of Heaven was good historical story also.

I saw Rowdy Roddy in They Live in the theatre in 1988.   About the time I was playing in Alamaze game 15 I think.  Fun Flick.

[Drogo]

I'll never understand what I'm missing in Blade Runner. A lot of people love it but it just didn't appeal to me one bit.

Brazil I liked.