Comment On geek movies (read: nonKatzBash) (Score 2) 154
Skip now if you are expecting another Katz Bashing.
Ok, without debating the point of what qualifies as a 'Geek Film', I think there is a quickly evolving genre of sci-tech films that are often mistakenly being grouped in the Geek/Nerd/Hacker bucket.
There is nothing new about the sci-tech genre of films, it has always existed but the context of the sci-tech has evolved. For the mass media, computers and programming are the modern equivalents of alchemy or building ion-based propellants for space ships - they are thrilling, exciting, and sometimes frightening subjects because most people do not understand the truth of the subject. The image of an all-powerful computer system or hacker that reads your email, crashes the NSA's software infrastructure, and then redirects all of your savings into a Swiss bank account is popular because of the 'mystery' that surrounds the sci-tech itself. This is not new, mass media has been doing this for hundreds of years - the thrill is in the unknown.
Why is "Pi" considered a 'Geek Film'? How many people in an average movie going audience could explain (or have even heard about) the Golden Spiral theory? Nothing that mysterious, but it's a mystery to most, so it carries the aura of excitement.
My opinion of a captivating sci-tech film is a recent indie called 'Cube'. It's sort of a Hitchcock-ian sci-fi thriller that exudes the threat of technology rather than slamming it down your throat (read: there are no "let's hack the mainframe" lines in this film). It's on tape. Go rent it.
-b
Ok, without debating the point of what qualifies as a 'Geek Film', I think there is a quickly evolving genre of sci-tech films that are often mistakenly being grouped in the Geek/Nerd/Hacker bucket.
There is nothing new about the sci-tech genre of films, it has always existed but the context of the sci-tech has evolved. For the mass media, computers and programming are the modern equivalents of alchemy or building ion-based propellants for space ships - they are thrilling, exciting, and sometimes frightening subjects because most people do not understand the truth of the subject. The image of an all-powerful computer system or hacker that reads your email, crashes the NSA's software infrastructure, and then redirects all of your savings into a Swiss bank account is popular because of the 'mystery' that surrounds the sci-tech itself. This is not new, mass media has been doing this for hundreds of years - the thrill is in the unknown.
Why is "Pi" considered a 'Geek Film'? How many people in an average movie going audience could explain (or have even heard about) the Golden Spiral theory? Nothing that mysterious, but it's a mystery to most, so it carries the aura of excitement.
My opinion of a captivating sci-tech film is a recent indie called 'Cube'. It's sort of a Hitchcock-ian sci-fi thriller that exudes the threat of technology rather than slamming it down your throat (read: there are no "let's hack the mainframe" lines in this film). It's on tape. Go rent it.
-b
