Story first. CGI/3D/Whatever LAST. I would rather watch a film with an amazing story but rubbish SFX than watch a film with a rubbish story

Space travel has become a dirty way of life dominated by derelicts, grease monkeys, thieves, and hard-boiled interplanetary traders such as Samuel Curtis (Cory McAbee), an astronaut from Earth who deals in rare goods, living or otherwise.

His mission begins with the unlikely delivery of a cat to a small outer-belt asteroid saloon where he meets his former dance partner, and renowned interplanetary fruit thief, the Blueberry Pirate (Joshua Taylor). As payment for his delivery of the cat, Curtis receives a homemade cloning device already in the process of creating a creature most rare in this space quadrant — a Real Live Girl.

At the suggestion of the Blueberry Pirate, Curtis takes the Real Live Girl to Jupiter where women have long been a mystery. There, he proposes a trade with the owner of Jupiter: the Real Live Girl clone for the Boy Who Actually Saw A Woman’s Breast (Gregory Russell Cook). The Boy Who Actually Saw A Woman’s Breast is regarded as royalty on the all-male mining planet of Jupiter because of his unique and exotic contact with a woman. It is Curtis’ intention to take The Boy to Venus and trade him for the remains of Johnny R., a man who spent his lifetime serving as a human stud for the Southern belles of Venus, a planet populated only by women. Upon returning Johnny R’s body to his bereaved family on earth, Curtis will receive a handsome reward.

While hashing out the plan with the Blueberry Pirate, Curtis is spotted by his nemesis, Professor Hess (Rocco Sisto). Possessed by an enigmatic obsession with Curtis, Hess is capable of killing only without reason; that is, unless his intended victim is someone with whom he has unresolved issues. Hess has been pursuing Samuel Curtis throughout the solar system in order that he might forgive him, then kill him. Along the way, Hess has executed each and every individual to come into contact with Curtis.

Unaware of this danger, Curtis sets forth on his mission.

After retrieving The Boy Who Actually Saw A Woman’s Breast from Jupiter, Curtis is contacted by Professor Hess, who makes his intentions known.

Fearful, Curtis and The Boy look for a place to hide. They come across a primitive space station constructed by Nevada State silver miners from the late 1800s. Inside they discover a small group of miners still alive, their bodies crippled and deformed by space atrophy. Unable to return home for fear that Earth’s gravity would kill them, two of the miners mated and give birth to a boy known as Body Suit (James Ransone). He has been raised in a suit of hydraulics to simulate Earth's gravity with his parent's intention of him eventually being sent home. In trade for supplies and sanctuary, Curtis agrees to deliver Body Suit to Earth.

Once they land on the lush planet of Venus, the terrain dramatically changes, and Curtis is inspired by a plan.

I'd argue that a science fiction film is one in which, if the science is removed, the plot fails. There are very few of them, but of those few, the SFX are not what make them.

But, and it's a big 'but', I'm not saying that the special effects make any science fiction film, just that the lack of special effects can ruin them.

So who's seen the full trailer for Ridley Scott's Prometheus?

I must admit, part of me thinks it looks awesome, while another (more rational) part worries that, like Avatar, it's going to be a case of multi-million-dollar-effects-budget and 27p spent on script writing.

Number one daughter is keen to see it, though, and since my wife has taken her to see all of the Twishite films I suppose the least I can do is take a risk on this one.

Well looks like a highly polished film, as can expected from a huge hollywood budget. I prefer my sci-fi a little more gritty such as in District9, but I will admit to looking forward to this film.
He is one director who knows how to create suspense and ramp it up to insane levels ( anybody remember the autogun scenes ?).
ETA:
That film sounds utterly bonkers. I think ill try and get hold of a copy!

So, would i be the only avid fan of silent running here then?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/American-Astrona...5258&sr=1-1 £73.95!

One good SF film with no need of SFX is Gattaca.

All I remember equilibrium for was trying to look like The Matrix when it was released on DVD to increase sales.

Ahhhh, Sorry Stan. Actually I haven't really spoilt anything there, it may even help you figure out what the hells going on, anyway, I'm pretty easily confused, I made a similar post after watching the Lion King.

I saw Prometheus the other day too and thought it was one of the worst films ever made. Absolute cack. I wish I hadn't wasted the stupidly large amount of money that it cost to go see it.