Best non-alien pictures

[𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔈𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱𝔥 𝔓𝔞𝔰𝔰𝔢𝔫𝔤𝔢𝔯]

Yeah, but they only had a 5 million dollar budget for the entire movie - so don't be too hard on them SM.

[Nightmare Asylum]

I thought Moon looked stunning, myself.

[Hudson]

And they were quite obviously models in a number of shots.

I prefer a real object before my eyes on any given day. And also, I thought Moon looked terrific. The models and sets were great.

[SiL]

Yeah, but they only had a 5 million dollar budget for the entire movie - so don't be too hard on them SM.

But if a low-budget movie has shitty CGI, let's roll our eyes derisively and talk about how much CGI sucks!

[SM]

And they were quite obviously models in a number of shots.

I prefer a real object before my eyes on any given day. And also, I thought Moon looked terrific. The models and sets were great.

I'd prefer something the convinces me it's real - whether they used a model or computer to do it.

Moon is a great flick.  Doesn't change the fact there's some obvious Space 1999-esque model shots in it.

[Hudson]

whether they used a model or computer to do it.

And I've yet to see an example of a computer convincing me something is real in a sci-fi movie.

[SiL]

You have, you just didn't notice.

[Hudson]

You have, you just didn't notice.

Then what movie was it?

[SiL]

Most recent sci-fi movies you've watched that had big budgets will have had something in a shot somewhere you would've sworn was practical.

[Hudson]

Most recent sci-fi movies you've watched that had big budgets will have had something in a shot somewhere you would've sworn was practical.

I'm mostly talking about spaceships in sci-fi movies.

And I did see Pacific Rim over the summer and wasn't really impressed.

[SiL]

I'm mostly talking about spaceships in sci-fi movies.

I figured, but it's pretty asinine to say "nothing" has ever convinced you when really you just/i] mean spaceships.

[SM]

I couldn't see anything unconvincing about the spaceships in any of the new Star Wars flicks or Avatar.

Practically every film has digital manipulation these days, even if it's just tweaking stuff to remove unwanted elements from a the background of some romantic comedy.

[Hudson]

I couldn't see anything unconvincing about the spaceships in any of the new Star Wars flicks or Avatar.

Practically every film has digital manipulation these days, even if it's just tweaking stuff to remove unwanted elements from a the background of some romantic comedy.

But in Avatar and Episode III, my eyes "know" that it's not an actual object, whether it's a model or not. Even if a model doesn't look 100% real, I just enjoy that there's really something there on camera in front of me. I can't explain the feeling, maybe it's just joy. I feel joy when I see models used in sci-fi movies.

[SM]

I feel joy at thinking 'Wow that looks great!' rather than 'Wow what a great model!'

If I'm thinking the latter - it's not as great as it needs to be.

[Hudson]

I just feel joy at the models. I think it's the sentimentality of having seen such an inside glimpse of the Nostromo crew when they were in the hayday of commenting in that AXP thread.

EDIT:

Just to add to this, I love art. I understand the skill and patience that CG takes, and it's something I could never do so I respect the hell out of CG artists.

BUT, there's just something about the models, knowing that a person's hands were dirty with glue and paint and they put elbow grease into perfecting something. I just prefer that.