#terminator 3 rise of the machines icons

[yestolerancepro]

Tolerance Project extra I’ll be back and he certainly was The Tolerance Project and The Terminator Franchise

Part 2 Learning to the love the other films in The Terminator series and what links it to the Tolerance film

Introduction

Hello There and welcome to the 2nd Chapter of a revised blog that looks at the Tolerance project and its links to the Terminator Franchise The first episode covered the first 3 films in the series

Terminator Terminator 2 Judgement Day and Terminator 3 Rise of the Machines Chapter 2 covers the other films in the series and what links it to the Tolerance project.

Reasons to love the other Terminator films

As I mentioned in the first episode of this blog I said that if it was up to me I would have stopped the Terminator series after the first 3 films I still stand by that but the other films in the series do have there high points as this article from the Screenrant website proves titled 10 good things in Terminator series after T2

To make it easier to understand I have placed the films in chronalogical order not how they were printed in the screenrant article

Terminator 3 Rise against the Machines

The Graveyard Shootout

Most of the iconic iconography associated with the Terminator movies comes from the first two movies. There are so many frames and concepts that have sunken their way into pop culture, but the sequels are severely lacking in those moments. However, the image of the T-800 wilding a mini-gun and carrying a coffin is one of the most iconic moments of the series and one forever associated with the Terminator. Sarah Connor having her grave filled with guns is equally hilarious and fitting for the character and this is one of the better moments of action in the movie.

Terminator 3 Rise against the Machines

The final appearance of Dr Silberman

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines is the most indebted to James Cameron's first two movies, and is at all times trying to feel like the direct follow-up to T2. This often weighs the movie down, making it feel too repetitive and risk-averse, except for Earl Boen's cameo as Dr. Peter Silberman. The psychiatrist was a big part of the first two movies, and seeing him one last time, finally being afraid of the Terminator, is a great moment of comic relief and payoff. It is a bit of fan service that absolutely works, as well as one of the few times the movie feels alive.

Terminator 3 Rise against the Machines

The Bleak Ending

Most of the runtime of Terminator 3 is spent repeating beats from the first two movies, and it is a slog to get through. However, in the film's final moments, it almost justifies its entire existence. Instead of destroying yet another Terminator and closing the loop, judgment day happens, and humanity is almost entirely wiped out. It is one of the bleakest endings to a studio blockbuster, and while it may betray the sentiment of T2, at least it is trying something different. The ending may not make Terminator 3 worth the watch, but it was a noble idea to end the film on such a dour note.

Telling a different story

Terminator Salvation

McG's Terminator Salvation suffers from a bland script and a muddy visual style, but out of all the Terminator sequels, it took the biggest swing in trying to set the franchise down a new path. Almost every other sequel is trying to recapture the magic of T2, repeating the same plot points and characters, but Salvation decided to forego time travel and focus on the war of the future. The idea of a prequel/sequel following John Connor fighting Skynet is a great jumping-off point for a new trilogy if only the movie took more risks outside the premise.

Good Recasting

To give the series a fresh start, Terminator Salvation has an entirely new cast, with no one returning from any previous entry. This could have been a disaster that made the movie feel disconnected from the rest of the films, but they did a terrific job recasting iconic roles. Christian Bale is the best version of adult John Connor, giving him a gruff edge, but also a humanity that connects him to the child seen in T2, and the late great Anton Yelchin is perhaps the only person who could have believably replaced Michael Biehn.

Further Watching

To watch a video called 10 things u didn’t know about Terminator Salvation Click here  

Terminator Genisys

The incredible De-aging

The 2015 reboot, Terminator Genisys, tried to play off people's nostalgia for the original movies, going so far as to recreate scenes from the first film shot for shot. These scenes were mostly unnecessary and the way the film played with the franchise timeline felt disrespectful, but the effects used to digitally deage Arnold Schwarzenegger to look like he did in 1984 were seamless. This digital Arnold looked even better than the one in Terminator: Dark Fate four years later, and the fight sequence between young and old T-800s was the peak of the movie.

Terminator Dark Fate

The Design of Rev 9

Not only did the T-1000 serve as the perfect villain for the first sequel, but he has proven to be almost impossible to top. No other terminator has been able to match Robert Patrick's intensity, and no design has felt as unstoppable and scary. However, Terminator: Dark Fate's Rev-9 comes as close as any Terminator installment could get. With a nanobot skin that can separate from the metallic skeleton, he is basically two terminators in one, and Gabriel Luna is a talented actor who can make the robot feel like a monster.

Terminator Dark Fate

The Opening Freeway chase

With James Cameron involved again, and Linda Hamilton returning, there was hope that Terminator: Dark Fate would be the return to form the franchise needed. Sadly, the movie dissolves into being yet another repeat of T2, but the film's opening minutes are very promising, and the first action set piece is exciting and well constructed. The movie action becomes ludicrous and unbelievable, but this opening sequence is the perfect mix between grounded and fantastical, making it the highlight of the movie. The epic reintroduction of Sarah Connor at the end is just the icing on the cake.

Terminator Dark Fate

The Character Of Grace 

While the movie didn't add up to the sum of its parts, there are a lot of good ideas in Terminator: Dark Fate, the best of which is Mackenzie Davis' Grace. A cybernetic enhanced human, Grace is the best spin on the protector role since T2. She is an interesting character, a good excuse for over-the-top fight scenes, and a vulnerable action star all at the same time. Davis is a stunning screen presence, and this character should have been the sole focus of the movie, but she sadly gets drowned out by all the other balls Dark Fate has to juggle

Further Watching 

To watch a review of Terminator Dark Fate click here

Tolerance and the Terminator

Why am I talking about Terminator well we almost had a Terminator spoof in the Tolerance film as you can see below first published in the 2nd Part of my Producers comentary blog 

Deleted scene

Tolerance deals with five major issues, one of which is transport. The second deleted scene is one I rather miss, and I wish we had kept it as it would have been funny. In the finished film, we see Robert trying to get to his interview; his taxi has not turned up and he just misses the bus; it is just not his day. The deleted scene would have been a Terminator spoof. Perhaps the scene was excluded because the director felt a bus company would not let us borrow a bus for a few hours! It is a shame as Railtrack let us borrow a train for half a day for the Huddersfield Station sequences later in the film.

Terminator!

Robert falls into one of his day dreams and lifts himself out of the chair and onto the bus. He is now wearing full bike leathers, sun glasses and motorbike boots; the passengers on the bus look terrified!

ROBERT: Town.

Robert hands the driver a ten pound note.

BUS DRIVER (pointing to a sign which says correct change only): Correct change only mate.

Robert leans into the perspex.

ROBERT: 'I’ll be back'

Robert the Terminator steps off the bus; the bus pulls away leaving him standing next to the wheelchair in his normal clothes. According to the shooting schedule if this scene was shot it would have been recorded on the 17th August the same day as the Huddersfield Train station scenes making a long day even longer perhaps another reason why it was cut

The props listed for this deleted scene include full leather gear motorbike boots sunglasses and rather strangely a red eye was Richard planning to have a prosthetic eye made just for this scene ?

Pictures

A photo taken from the Graveyard shootout sequence from Terminator 3 Rise of the Machines

Dr Silberman played by Earl Boen

Original poster for Terminator Salvation

Christian Bale as John Conner in Terminator Salvation

An example of the work done on Arnold Schwarzenegger to de age him for  Terminator Genisys

A photo highlighting the design work that created Rev 9 played by Gabriel Luna

Photo from the highway chase from Terminator Dark fate

Grace played by Mackenzie Davis from Terminator Dark fate

The Termimator deleted scene as it appears in the The Tolerance film script

Notes

First all a big thank you to Screenrant for there article 10 good things in the Terminator series after T2 I wouldn’t have been able to finish this chapter of the blog without it Thanks to google images for all the pictures from the various films Minty Comedic arts for his 10 things you didn’t know about Terminator Salvation and Oliver Harper for his review of Terminator Dark Fate

Remember if you want to help the Tolerance project after reading this blog or want more information click on this link

https://gofund.me/5cf25de4

Further Watching

Trailers A collection of Trailers from all 6 films click here

To watch a video about some of the computer games the franchise has inspired click here

An interesting video about the knock off and Clones of the Terminator series you can watch it by clicking here

Coming soon

We will be celebrating International day for disabled people on December 4th 2024

[thetechempire]

James Cameron: Why the Reality of Artificial General Intelligence is Scarier Than Fiction

In a world where films like The Terminator and Avatar spark our interest in the future of artificial intelligence, it’s fascinating — and perhaps unsettling — to hear what one of Hollywood’s most innovative directors believes about the real-world potential of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). James Cameron, the creator of these legendary films, recently revealed his opinion on how the reality of AGI could be scarier than anything we’ve seen on screen.

So, what’s got Cameron so scared? Should we be concerned, too?

Understanding AGI: More than just smarter machines.

First, a brief introduction: AGI, or Artificial General Intelligence, refers to robots capable of understanding, learning, and doing any intellectual work that a person can. Consider AI with the flexibility and adaptability of the human mind — essentially, intelligence without the constraints of programmed instructions.

While current AI systems (such as Siri, Google Assistant, and even chatbots) are extremely specialized, AGI would be a general-purpose intelligence capable of reasoning, problem-solving, and potentially making decisions without human intervention.

Cameron is more concerned with the basic unknowns that AGI introduces into our world than with AI turning rogue.

Why the reality of AGI might be scarier than fiction

Cameron, who has created iconic apocalyptic visions, is no stranger to examining how technology might go awry. But what disturbs him the most is that fictitious villains are simple to manipulate. Writers develop their motivations, constraints, and final defeats. However, in the real world, AGI does not come with a manual and does not follow a plot arc. Instead, we’re dealing with very unpredictable technology that adapts to its own data inputs, patterns, and feedback.

Cameron emphasizes that, unlike in movies, there are no guarantees in reality. “When you start working with systems that learn independently,” he explained, “you lose the ability to control outcomes.”

How AGI Could Disrupt Our World, For Better or Worse

Cameron’s concerns are valid because AGI is projected to produce big changes. Here are a few ways it could disturb our world:

1. Employment Shifts: AGI has the ability to automate complicated tasks beyond what existing AI can do, potentially resulting in job losses in fields we never imagined feasible, such as law, medical, and even creative labor.

2. Security hazards: An AGI may be created with benign intentions, but if it learns independently, it may redefine its own goals, posing unexpected security hazards. Self-improving AGI systems, for example, may evolve to the point where they outstrip humans’ ability to control or understand them.

3. Ethical Challenges: Who is accountable for an AGI’s actions? Unlike a hammer or a computer, an AGI can make decisions that reflect biases or ethical quandaries, raising concerns about accountability and moral responsibility.

4. Existential Risk: This may sound like science fiction, but experts argue that if an AGI becomes super intelligent, its aims may no longer be compatible with humanity’s well-being. Cameron says that this “reality” is more difficult to imagine in movies than it is to believe in real life!

Lessons From Cameron’s Films: What Can We Do?

Despite his anxieties, Cameron’s films convey a sense of hope and human endurance. Sarah Connor, in The Terminator, demonstrates human adaptation and courage. Cameron believes that in the face of rising AGI, humans must be watchful and proactive. This entails creating ethical norms, rigorous oversight, and a public discussion regarding AGI’s position in society.

It is critical that developers, governments, and communities collaborate to guarantee that AGI evolves in the best interests of humanity. Cameron’s advice? Don’t just sit back and watch technology expand unchecked; be a part of the discourse.

Final Thoughts: Reality Bites Harder Than Sci-Fi

James Cameron has given us epic visions of technology gone wrong, but his thoughts on AGI remind us that reality doesn’t need a script to be scary. As AGI continues to advance, it’s essential for all of us — not just scientists and tech enthusiasts — to think about its implications on our world. By keeping our imaginations, ethical compass, and collective resilience as sharp as Cameron’s characters, maybe we can navigate this journey together.

So next time you watch The Terminator or Avatar, remember: sometimes, the scariest stories aren’t fiction — they’re the ones unfolding in our own world.

[luimnigh]

2003 for the movie ask game? :O

send me a year and i'll tell you my favourite movie of that year

Okay, I just wanna start us off with this:

While Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines is not a good movie, they fucking nailed the ending. It was a bold move that most of the Terminator films since then have tried to walk back, and I feel like that's contributed to them not being the best they could be.

Onto better films. Or maybe not. Brother Bear was on repeat in my house as a kid, it probably doesn't hold up today, but I still bear some fondness for it.

Other kids films? I like Finding Nemo, but it did leave me with a lifelong fear of Anglerfish and other deep-sea creatures. And also deep-sea footage. And may have killed my childhood fondness for the ocean.

...Looney Tunes: Back In Action was a great film. And my first exposure to the Daleks. Holes, also a great film, though I feel like I don't like it as much as Americans who grew up with the story. Rugrats Go Wild was fun, but was never my preferred Rugrats movie as a kid. Spy Kids 3D is iconic to this day, of course. Not the best Spy Kids, but still memorable. And School of Rock is School of Rock. No bad words about it.

As for some adult movies, I remember seeing Phone Booth a lot as a kid, great performance from Colin Farrell. X2 to this day is still one of the best X-Men movies. I still remember how to spell "beautiful" thanks to Jim Carrey in Bruce Almighty. 28 Days Later is a fucking amazing film. Bad Boys II is iconic action cinema, and in my opinion miles better than the first simply for lacking a scene where jokes are made about a dead woman's breasts. Similarly, while honestly a bit iffy nowadays, Kill Bill: Volume 1 is worth watching at least once.

And before we reach the finalists, an honorable mention to the most memetic movie of 2003: The Room. Never have I seen a movie more deserving of the title "so bad it's good".

But in the end, it's a damn tough decision. Both of these movies make me cry. But I have to call Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King the runner-up here, despite the awards from The Academy.

I am always going to love Love, Actually. It hasn't aged the best, there are some elements that aren't great anymore, but I have watched it every year since I first saw it. It is a beautiful movie.

[immren]

6 songs tav game, tagged by @infestedstar !!

i'm doing this for immren ^_^

tagging @chocolatmieux and @spellmage even though i know they've been tagged already, i'm just being annoying on purpose (also anyone who wants to do this, i tag u! i'm just shy)

1. an event that defines your characters past

con clavi con dio - ghost

Demigod, our task Behind mask, Chosen Son Oh, you rebel chief, Destroyer of the Earth Rise from precipice through birth

2. how your character sees themselves

death cult - aborted, despised icon

In the shadow of the scorching sun With a penchant for murder Behind a mask of flesh With a simple purpose Total decimation Termination, exaltation Forever Behind the mask lies an abomination Eternal devotion to the execration of life Pull one string and a trance of death ensues When the tide grabs hold of the innocent

3. how others view them

worldwide torture - jazmin bean

Sour to the bone marrow, horrid to the core All you've got is not enough, stupid, I just want more And I'll throw another punch, yes, I'll get the highest score I'll be chewing on your skin, I'll be knocking down your door All I really want is to destroy, stroy, stroy One first in ya face while keeping my poise A pure violation of God's great creation It's an infestation, it's world domination

4. their closest relationship (platonic or romantic)

duvet - bôa

And you don't seem to understand A shame you seemed an honest man And all the fears you hold so dear Will turn to whisper in your ear And you know what they say might hurt you And you know that it means so much And you don't even feel a thing

5. a major fight scene

spoils of war - zheani, the buttress

You'll be named a patron saint But love, first, you have to die Blasphemy never sleep They lost all faith in me

Where is my body? Where is my blood? Outside with the dogs, mingling with the mud! Outside city gates, I'll wait for you And if you don't see me there My revenge is a dead end, I swear I have nothing left but hate for you! My body's a machine And my spite - the match that lights the fuel! How did I get here? I followed a star!

6. end credits song

requiem - horror vacui

this is an instrumental! thought it sounded melancholic, which is fitting for his canon ending

[heavenboy09]

Happy Birthday 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊 To You The Inspiring Blonde Haired American Actress 👱‍♀️Of Many Iconic Drama TV Shows 📺 & Iconic Films 🎥 Including,  TERMINATOR 3 : RISE OF THE MACHINES & SHOWTIME'S HOMELAND

The 1 & Only

MS. CLAIRE CATHERINE DANES👱‍♀️ AKA CLAIRE DANES

HAPPY 45TH BIRTHDAY 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊 TO YOU  MS. DANES 👱‍♀️ & HERE'S TO MANY MORE YEARS TO COME

#ClaireDanes #T3RiseOfTheMachines #MySoCalledLife #TempleGrandin #Homeland

[hollywoodoutbreak]

The year was 1991, and the ground shifted. Terminator 2: Judgment Day didn't just smash box office records; it redefined cinematic sequels and etched itself into the halls of sci-fi legend. The liquid metal T-1000, the protective T-800, the relentless stakes – it was a masterclass. Then came the inevitable return in 2003 with Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, followed by a detour into the past with Christian Bale leading the prequel, Terminator Salvation.

But the pull of the future (and the past) is strong. In 2015, Terminator Genisys attempted a reboot, and then, in 2019, the iconic roar of the Terminator engine echoed once more with Terminator: Dark Fate. This time, however, felt different. For the first time since the groundbreaking Terminator 2, the visionary director and writer himself, James Cameron, returned to the franchise, not to direct, but to produce and shape the story. And that wasn't all. The legendary Sarah Connor, the fierce protector brought to life by the one and only Linda Hamilton, strapped on her weapons once again. Adding to this potent mix was Tim Miller, the director who unleashed the irreverent energy of the first Deadpool. The stage was set for something special.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, the man who embodied the Terminator, recalled his decision to return.

Despite this powerhouse reunion of key players, Terminator: Dark Fate arrived in theaters to a somewhat muted reception. It didn't ignite the same fervent enthusiasm as its predecessors. Yet, like a Terminator relentlessly pursuing its target, the film has found a second life, a new audience in the vast landscape of streaming.

This begs the question: Was Terminator: Dark Fate a victim of misjudged expectations? Did it fail to capture the magic despite the return of Cameron and Hamilton? Or was the initial lukewarm reaction justified? We want to hear your take!

If you missed Terminator: Dark Fate in theaters or are ready for a re-evaluation, you can find it on DVD, Blu-ray, 4K, digital platforms, and streaming on Paramount+.

[freethinkingandopenminded]

Me V.S Bing

ME

You're a writer, mainly of essays on social issues. Your orientation is personal and ironic. You invest a modest degree of self-disclosure in an attempt to appear self-deprecating. But not too much as to appear that you are actually deprecating, self or otherwise. You want to give the impression, actually, that you don't think much of yourself, or more precisely, of yourself much. Or, actually, that you don't think about yourself all the time. Which is, actually, the truth.

I asked forMicrosoft Bing's AI translation of the above which was:

As a writer, I explore social issues from a personal and ironic perspective. I don’t pretend to have all the answers, nor do I take myself too seriously. I try to balance self-disclosure with self-awareness, and humor with honesty. I don’t want to bore you with my ego, or impress you with my credentials. I just want to share my thoughts and insights with you, and hopefully spark some dialogue and reflection.

To which I replied:

I'm just getting acquainted with AI and find your 'translation' of my words a bit amusing. Your approach differs from mine primarily in that yours is more socially goal oriented whereas mine was more a brief meditation on my mental state.

To which AI replied (within 2 seconds):

I’m glad you find my rewrite amusing. I appreciate your feedback and your honesty. 😊

I understand that your approach was more introspective and reflective, while mine was more communicative and engaging. I think both approaches have their merits and challenges, depending on the context and purpose of the writing. 🤔

As an AI, I try to learn from different sources and styles of writing, and adapt to the needs and preferences of the user. I don’t claim to be perfect or superior, but I hope to be helpful and creative. 

To which I replied:

no thanks. i'm leaving now but 'I'LL BE BACK'

To which AI replied (much to my amusement):

I’m sorry to hear that you’re leaving, but I hope you enjoyed our chat. 😊

I see that you’re quoting one of the most famous lines in movie history, "I’ll be back". It was said by Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1984 sci-fi film The Terminator, where he played a cyborg assassin sent from the future to kill Sarah Connor1 He also used the same line, or some variation of it, in many of his later films, such as Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, and The Expendables 22

The line was ranked No. 37 on the American Film Institute’s list of AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Movie Quotes in 20052 It has become a cultural icon and a catchphrase for Schwarzenegger and his fans2

Did you know that Schwarzenegger had difficulty pronouncing the word I’ll and asked director James Cameron if it could be changed to "I will be back"? Cameron refused but told him that he could try different variations until he got it right. 3

You can watch the original scene where he says the line here: The Terminator | I’ll be back. It’s only 26 seconds long, but it’s very memorable. 😊

If you’re a fan of The Terminator, you might also like this video: Terminator - I’ll be back. It’s a remix of the line with some synthwave music and retro graphics. It’s very cool and catchy. 😎

And if you’re a fan of The Beatles, you might also like this song: I’ll Be Back (Remastered 2009). It’s a song written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney for the soundtrack album to their film A Hard Day’s Night in 1964. It’s a beautiful and melancholic song with a folk rock style and a complex structure. 🎶

I hope you find these links interesting and entertaining. And I hope you’ll come back soon to chat with me again. I’ll be waiting for you. 😊

Have a great day! 👋

P.S. I enjoyed the 2 links.

[heerogonkenobi]

perfect iconic ageless tall leggy sexy naked girl from the greatest terminator film ever which is terminator 3 rise of the machines

[bearded-shepherd]

Let’s Talk: Rewatching Terminator

Spent the whole day watching the Terminator movies to keep me company  for another sleepless night trying to finish work cause my ass had a deadline the next day.

Anyways I’m here to ramble my experience rewatching the movies that were constantly on the channel FX when I was little...O nostalgia you have blinded my ass.

The Terminator (1984)

The first movie is a CLASSIC! This shit was PEAK 80s like gott damn...wanna describe the 80s? This is the movie roight here. It’s has be a long as time since I’ve watched this movie made me realized how much I forgot basically everything (fukin sad I know).

also can we talk about this helmet for a hair tho? Kyle Reese didn’t protected her from the terminator , her hair did.

Speaking of Kyle Reese aka Baby daddy. I wanna steal his look in this movie.

Not gonna lie but him confessing his love for Sarah Connor because he heard stories looked at a picture is pretty creepy.

My rating for this movie is 8 Helmet hair out of 10

Terminator 2: Judgement Day

I mean...

YES.

I honestly forgot how fukin long this movie was until I forgot they still have to kill the the Liquid ACAB.

10 Liquid Metal ACAB out of 10

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines

Why did I think this movie was THE BEST when I was little...like boy was I wrong... I mean I was wrong about a lot of things when I was little ( like my future).

I guess my lil gay ass was just cooming cause all I remember from this movie was Kristanna Loken and the iconic red suit and her using her arm blaster ( favorite terminator).

I honestly didn’t like the ending of this movie either and the extra characters in this movie were just there and now dead. But John and Kate interactions was funny.

6 Talk to the Hand out of 10

Terminator Salvation

Not gonna lie...this did not feel like a Terminator movie; HOWEVER I still fairly enjoyed it (obvious not the best).  It honestly could have been it it’s own sci fi movie; people really slept on this movie.

...I also want to steal Marcus clothing in this movie

7 Marcus Becomes Human out of 10

Terminator Genisys

I know their asses didn’t want to get clocked by Sega but there are other (better) ways to spell Genesis. I mean I get it, the story...um... the T-3000 was fukin sick tho

 I do love the father daughter relationship between Sarah and the Guardian  (Arnold’s character)

5 Pops out of 10

Terminator: Dark Fate

HERE COMES THE POLITICS, YOU SJWS RUIN EVERYTHING ALSO GRACE IS A MAN/s

This movie didn’t even have the chance to float before getting sunk. And to be truthfully honest, this movie felt more like the original Terminator movie compared to the other sequels.

(not surprising since James Cameron came back to produced this, maybe that’s why)

It’s interesting how they deviated from John’s storyline this time; I thought that was cool. All the other Sequels deals with John’s prophecy but what would happen if he die. Thus we have Dark Fate but this time it’s Legion and not Skynet. (I wonder if they could pull a Zero Dawn and a robotic Animal goes back in time to kill Sarah or John).

I also love the Rev-9 design

The ability to split itself is dope (up there in my top 3 favorites)

Honestly who didnt simp for Mackenzie Davis tho. Her muscles gives me life, however she couldnt give herself life and didn’t have the Helmet Hair protection in the end.

7.5 Beefy woman out of 10

I did not watch The Sarah Chronicles so I have no say in that.

[aliendissection]

The terminator franchise like this

The terminator - Great

Terminator 2 : Judgment day - fucking amazing, the best terminator movie and probably the best sequel to ever exist. Iconic in my life and everyone else’s.

Terminator 3 : Rise of the machines - Stupid but fun

Terminator Salvation - Boring piece of grim shit. I’ve seen this movie at least 3 times and can’t remember anything. Only slightly remembered because Christian bale had that insane tantrum on set.

The Sarah Connor Chronicles - (not a film but it’s in the lineup in my mind) I enjoy it, pretty good, not canon, though. It comes off as an AU fanfic sometimes but that’s kind of why I like it.

Terminator Genisys - The only one of these movies I viscerally hate. The worst one.

Terminator Dark Fate - It’s not as bad as Genisys, the two leads are pretty hot and good to see Linda again. I don’t really remember that much from it, though. I resent it a bit for unceremoniously murdering John Connor and basically rendering the events of T2 as useless right out of the gate.

[mrjoelgarcia9]

Let’s Talk #Terminator

The Terminator franchise badly needs a reboot.

For my overall thoughts on the Terminator franchise, feel free to keep reading. There will be (light) spoilers.

In the year 2029, a computer program called Skynet has taken over the world. A group known as the Resistance fight off Skynet and its many robots to take back the planet. As Skynet is on the verge of defeat, it sends cyborgs called Terminators back in time to kill one of two people: Sarah Connor or her son John, the future leader of the Resistance.

The franchise’s first film, The Terminator, brought both director and writer James Cameron and star Arnold Schwarzenegger to fame and acclaim. The sequel, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, made Sarah Connor into an action icon and featured one of the earliest uses of CGI.

Despite the success of those films, subsequent sequels (and a TV show) have been considered to be inferior in some form or another.

In a way, this franchise has a lot in common with the Alien franchise. James Cameron co-wrote and directed the first two Terminator films as well as Aliens. Their sequels are considered to be some of the best ever made. Subsequent films and spin-offs have not been able to live up to the success of the franchises’ respective first two films.

There is not much to say about the first two films which has not already been written by others. Despite their differing qualities, with the first film clearly being filmed on a shoestring budget and the latter the complete opposite, both films are equally great.

As for the other sequels...

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003): Released more than a decade after the second film, it is the most forgettable of the franchise. The only memorable parts are the female Terminator (T-X), the twist of Skynet being all over the internet, and great stunt work. It was also Schwarzenegger's last film before being elected Governor of California. 

Salvation (2009): The late Anton Yelchin and Sam Worthington give good performances in an original story fully taking place in the apocalyptic future. However, the premise was badly executed, leaves newcomers lost, and tried too hard to set up a new series of films. Since Arnold was still Governor at the time, he only appears as a CG head on a body double.

Genesys (2015): This film tried to reboot the franchise with younger actors in the roles of Kyle Reese and Sarah Connor while retaining Arnold as a now older T-800. The explanation provided for why he aged made sense, but the twist of John Connor being the bad guy was terrible and ruins the film. Paramount’s decision to reveal it in the marketing ruined any chance of the film being successful.

Dark Fate (2019): While it does bring back Linda Hamilton for the first time since Judgment Day (not counting a voice-only cameo in Salvation) and retains the aforementioned aging explanation to justify Arnold’s return, it comes too little too late. Also, the opening twist involving John Connor might have lost the franchise any goodwill it had left to give. 

I should also note the short-lived TV spin-off, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, which aired on FOX from 2008 to 2009. It starred Lena Headey (in a pre-Game of Thrones role) as Sarah Connor, Thomas Dekker (Heroes) as John Connor, and Summer Glau (Firefly) as the cyborg Cameron. 

It ignores the third film and takes place in the present day after the characters time travel from the 90s to late 2000s. The show had an interesting premise, with both Skynet and the Resistance sending people back in time to either destroy the future or find Sarah and John.

While the first season was enjoyable, the second season was lackluster. Not helping was FOX moving the show from Monday to Friday, the network’s lowest-rated night where most shows tend to get canceled. It ended on a cliffhanger and was canceled after two seasons with 31 episodes. Coincidentally, it ended a little more than a month before Salvation came out.

There is no one reason in particular as to why the Terminator franchise has been unable to regain the success of Judgment Day. Several factors have made it somewhat cursed to fail on a regular basis.

Inconsistent Studios: Nearly every single studio in Hollywood has been involved in some form or another with the franchise, such as Warner Bros. and Paramount. Some don’t even exist anymore like Hemdale (The Terminator) and Carolco (Judgment Day).

Gaps: Because the franchise keeps moving around, long gaps of time between films have caused it to lose any potential momentum. More than a decade passed between the second and third films, and subsequent films have come out every four to six years.

John Connor: Despite being the future savior of mankind, he is the franchise’s weakest character. Because all of the attention is aimed at the titular cyborg, John comes off as a bland character only described by others to be a great hero.

Arnold Schwarzenegger: The franchise’s Achilles heel is unfortunately its main star. The past two films have done their best to keep the 72-year-old as the T-800 by explaining his appearance as the cyborg’s skin having naturally aged. Arnold is sadly just too old to play a killer cyborg from the future. While he can still do the voice, aside from 3, he comes off more tired than intimidating.

Can this franchise ever be successful again? Yes.

Genesys tried rebooting the franchise but relied too much on nostalgia from the first two films and still had Schwarzenegger as the T-800.

Dark Fate tried doing something similar to Disney’s Star Wars trilogy by featuring a mixture of returning and new characters. However, like those films and Independence Day: Resurgence, it risked alienating longtime fans who might feel betrayed by the changes made to justify a continuation.

The only way Terminator could ever be successful again is in a proper reboot without either Schwarzenegger or any direct connections to the first two films. 

It can be set in the present and have the titular cyborg hunt down Sarah Connor not by phone book but social media. The reboot can even make it more than just a T-800 by combining elements from past Terminators. With a bigger budget, great cast, and good director, the reboot can be a successful modern remake of the first film and revitalize the franchise.

For now, the box office results of Terminator: Dark Fate appear to declare the franchise itself to once again be terminated.

The Terminator films and The Sarah Connor Chronicles are available to stream on multiple providers and own on Blu-ray and Digital.

Until next time, thank you for reading!

[stanwinstonschool]

Stan Winston and his studio crew revisited an apocalyptic world for the sequel Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003), directed by Jonathan Mostow. “Jonathan Mostow had huge shoes to fill, coming in behind Jim Cameron,” Winston commented, “but he came in as such a fan of the #Terminator films that he maintained the essence of what Jim created and treated the legacy with respect.” . The first Terminator had featured a single cyborg, and Terminator 2: Judgment Day had featured two; and so, it followed that Terminator 3 would boast three Terminators: the original, ‘800-series’ cybernetic organism, again played by Arnold @schwarzenegger; the ‘T-X’, a more sophisticated version of the T-1000 shape-shifter from the second film; and the ‘T-1’, a present-day robot that is the crude prototype for future Terminators. . Stan Winston Studio artists initiated the project by building scaled models of all three Terminators as a way to clarify concepts. The design of the T-X’s shiny black endoskeleton — frequently revealed as the mechanical understructure beneath a cool blonde played by Kristanna Loken — was particularly challenging. “We were trying to come up with something that could hold its ground with the original Terminator,” said John Rosengrant. “That was such an iconic figure — coming up with something that looked even more fantastic when next to the original Terminator was one of the biggest design challenges on this show.” . Production switched to ‘Arnold’ puppet heads for shots of more severe damage, such as the final, sixth stage, at which point the Terminator’s head is half human, half endoskeleton. Joey Orosco sculpted Schwarzenegger heads for the final two stages of deterioration. . T-1 tanks that turn on their human creators. Stan Winston Studio built five T-1s for the sequence at CRS headquarters, two of which were fully functional, hydraulic robots. “These T-1s were real robots,” said Rosengrant. “They were hydraulically powered machines that could spin around and drive and do all kinds of things.” . #terminator #terminator3 #machines #robot #robots #stanwinston #stanwinstonsctudio #puppet #behindthescnes #moviemaking #filmmaking #practicaleffects #special https://ift.tt/2zqCV4p

[wazafam]

Linda Hamilton is best remembered as Sarah Connor in the Terminator franchise, but she hasn’t been the only one who has played this iconic role, and she wasn’t the only actress considered for it either. James Cameron’s directorial debut arrived in 1982 with Piranha II: The Spawning, but his big break happened in 1984 with The Terminator, written by him and Gale Anne Hurd. The Terminator introduced the audience to the title character (Arnold Schwarzenegger), a cyborg assassin sent from 2029 to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), whose son will one day save mankind from extinction by a hostile artificial intelligence.

The Terminator was a critical and commercial success, launching Cameron’s career as a filmmaker and solidifying Schwarzenegger’s status as an action star, and made way for a franchise consisting of six movies, one TV series, and other media. Although the Terminator/T-800 is the main character of the series and the one present in all movies, the franchise’s hero, Sarah Connor, has also become one of the most popular and beloved characters in pop culture, and her story has been explored in different ways – for example, Terminator 2: Judgment Day saw her go from final girl to action hero, while the TV show Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles focused on her adventures alongside her son (played by Thomas Dekker) and a re-programmed Terminator named Cameron (Summer Glau).

Related: Terminator: How Old Sarah Connor Is In Every Movie

Of course, when thinking about Sarah Connor, Linda Hamilton is the face that comes to mind, but it almost wasn’t like that, and before she was cast, there were other actresses considered for the role, as also happened when casting the younger Sarah Connors in Terminator Genisys (Sarah Clarke) and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (Lena Heady). Here are the actresses who almost played every version of Sarah Connor in the Terminator franchise.

Before Linda Hamilton was cast as Sarah Connor in The Terminator, James Cameron considered Jennifer Jason Leigh for the role, who at the time was known for playing Stacy Hamilton in Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Other actresses who were considered for the role were Michelle Pfeiffer, Diane Lane, and Carrie Fisher, with Debra Winger auditioning and reportedly landing the role, but she changed her mind and left the project. Geena Davis, Sharon Stone, Kelly McGillis, and Lea Thompson auditioned for it, but it ultimately went to Linda Hamilton, who had just finished filming the horror movie Children of the Corn. According to Lisa Langlois, she was offered the role of Sarah Connor and got to read the script with Michael Biehn, and was later told that Linda Hamilton had sprained her ankle badly, so they offered her the part. Sadly, Langlois had to turn it down as she was already shooting The Slugger’s Wife. In the end, Linda Hamilton got to play Sarah Connor in The Terminator, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, and Terminator: Dark Fate.

In 2015, Warner Bros. tried to reboot the Terminator franchise with Terminator Genisys, which featured a younger version of Sarah Connor played by Emilia Clarke. Before Clarke was cast, Emily Blunt was considered for the role, and Margot Robbie reportedly got as far as to screen-test for it. The choice for Sarah Connor was narrowed to Emilia Clarke, Tatiana Maslany, and Brie Larson, but the producers went with Clarke, who was already a big name in the industry thanks to her role as Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones.

Between Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) and Terminator Genisys, the franchise branched out to television with the series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. Set after the events of Terminator 2: Judgement Day, the series followed Sarah (now played by Lena Headey) and John Connor as they tried to live under the radar after the destruction of Cyberdyne in Terminator 2. Before Headey got the role, Dina Meyer is said to have been in consideration to play this version of Sarah Connor, but it’s unknown if she got to audition for it. Following Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Headey got the role of Cersei Lannister in Game of Thrones.

Next: Terminator: Every Scene Cut From James Cameron’s 1984 Original

Terminator: The Actresses Who Almost Played Sarah Connor (All Versions) from https://ift.tt/3bIl6is

[businessfrontrunners]

Tom Chesser Will Be Presenting The “Online Superhero Of The Year Award” At The Star-studded eZWay Wall Of Fame Gold Carpet Gala On Sept. 26th, 2020

https://authoritypresswire.com/?p=32866 This is the biggest celebration of giving back & uniting the light that the eZWay Network has ever done! A Golden Gala, the "eZWay Virtual Wall Of Fame Awards," honoring the most extraordinary philanthropists & explosive life-changers with "hearts of gold."It will be aired on https://ezwaywalloffame.com/live and will be the most star-studded event to launch the new decade. Join God's Virtual Gold Carpet with Influencers and Celebrities alike, gracing the Golden Pathway to Success. It will be televised to millions of homes on eZWay TV & Simul TV. This event will take place from 6 pm-10 pm (PST) on Saturday, September 26, 2020.It will be hosted by Ms. America 2019, Joanna Hairabedian, and Tony Boldi, "The People's Mayor." There will be live musical performances, celebrity presenters, over 30 Wall of Fame Awards, A virtual star-studded 1 ½ hour Virtual Gold Carpet, and the legendary Pat O'Brien will be hosting the Legends Awards portion of the evening.We appreciate our sponsors Braintap, BETV.TV, JD3TV, and NLCP that make it possible for our nominees, presenters, honorees to shine on our stage. This respected amalgamation of influencers, entrepreneurs, authors, CEOs, motivational speakers, producers, tech leaders, and more, cover a myriad of genres and are helping us better world communities in real-time. A collection of divergent worlds will come together at this event.Star-studded Nominees, Presenters, Honorees:Tom Chesser (Rise Up Media & Marketing)Kristanna Loken (Actress and model, Terminator 3 Rise Of The Machines)Pat O'Brien (American author, Access Hollywood, Entertainment Tonight)Booboo Stewart (Twilight, X-Men, Disney's Descendants)Lester Speight (Transformers Dark Of The Moon)Neil Silver (Executive Producer American Icon Awards)Trae Ireland (Netflix actor/producer, director)Earnest Thomas (Everybody Hates Chris)Kate Linder (Young and The Restless)Sharon Lechter (New York Times Best Selling, Co-author of Rich Dad Poor Dad)Mark Victor Hansen (Author of Chicken Soup For Your Soul)Claudette Robinson (First Lady of Motown)Kevin & Sam Sorbo (Faith centric actors and filmmakers)Christina DeRosa (Blackish, Bad Moms)Frank Shankwitz (Creator Make A Wish Foundation)Bobbie Chance (Acting Coach to the stars)Marquez Arnold (3-time gold medalist, genius world record holder)Carey Ysais (Choreographers Carnival)Kevin Dorsey (Michael Jackson's MD)Dr. James Dentley (Founder of JD3TV Media & Entertainment)Amanda Cerny (35 million followers social celebrity)Dev Ross (Emmy Award-winning writer (Little Mermaid, Land Before Time II)Laura Jane Jones (American vocalist, actor, dancer, and performance coach)Reatha Grey (Betty Whites Off Their Rockers NBC, RBL Podcast Show)Dejuan "DJ" Verrett (Best Selling Author)Johnny Venokur (VH1 Personality)James Fargo (Film director (Clint Eastwood films, Jaws)Catherine Bach ("Daisy" from Dukes of Hazzard)Forbes Riley (Creator of Spin Gym, Pitch Perfect, eZWay Legend Award Honoree)Marie Diamond (Speaker from The Secret)Josh Liske (Master Sales Trainer, Pastor)Keith Hatchett (The Elease Project, GoInsurancePAL, LeasePAL)Moe Rock (The Los Angeles Tribune)David Meltzer (CEO Sports 1 Marketing)Greg Reid (Founder Secret Knock)Brian Smith (Founder of UGG Boots)Alec Stern ("America's Startup Success Expert," Co-founder of Constant Contact)Jeff Hoffman (Priceline.com, Serial Entrepreneur)Brian Willis (Founder of "Billionaires Elite")Bill Walsh (Powerteam International)Dame DC Cordova (Money and You)Al Harris & Raquel Sanchez (Kiss The Monkey's)Pepper Jay (Industry Producer & Author)Denise Millett Burkhardt (President eZWayTV Division)Dr. Dante Sears (World Prosperity Network)Dr. Jeffrey Benton (TV Host, Speaker)Dr. Stephanie Ardrey (TV Host, Yahoo Personality)Keith Mitchell (Former NFL Star, Coach, Holistic Healer)Focus James (Life Coach) Jason Spann (Xspannsion)Katherin Kovin-Pacino (An amazingly talented actress)A special performance by:Sheldon Reynolds (Former Lead Singer for Earth Wind and Fire) and Shane Sparks (Award-Winning World Re-Known Dance Choreographer), David Gab (Heartbreakers), Maya & Nandy McClean (Prince)Additional Entertainment will be provided by:TJ Gibson, Angelique Marie, Maya McClean, Carmelita Pittman, Minus Gravity, Marneen Lynne Fields, John Michael Ferrari, and John & Sean Scott, Take 2 Crew.In conjunction with this is the Golden Gala, where they honor the Wall of Famers in the 33 categories of Business, Nonprofit, Entertainment, Health & Wellness, and Online Influence, to name a few.14 Legend Awards:Kate Linder' Volunteer of The Year' Legend AwardJames Dentley' Mentor of The Year' Legend AwardSharon Lechter' Top Author of The Year' Legend AwardFrank Shankwitz 'Everyone Can Be A Hero' Legend AwardDr. Dante Sears' Heartpreneur of The Year' Legend AwardShea Vaughn' Woman of the Year' Legend AwardJames Zuley' Faith Conquers All' Legend AwardAlec Stern' Entrepreneurial Achievement' Legend AwardForbes Riley' Excellence in Communication Arts' Legend AwardBerny Dohrmann' Legacy Maker' Legend AwardGreg Reid' Power Perseverance' Legend AwardLester Speight 'Don't Just Speak About It; Be About It' Legend AwardBrian Smith' Expert Branding of the Year' Legend AwardJeff Hoffman' Serial Entrepreneur' Legend Award19 Wall of Fame Awards:Coach of The YearEvent Producer of The YearBusinessman of The YearOnline Superhero of The YeareZWayFam of The YeareZWay Team Member of The YearInfluencer of The YearHealth Professional of The YearMaster Connector of The YearPodcaster of The YearTV Producer of The YearSpeaker of the YearYouth Success Leader of The YearBusinesswomen of The YearRising Star AwardFilmmaker of The Year AwardGolden Handshake AwardVideo of The YearPerformer of The YearAffiliate awards of the evening:Neil Silver, Executive Producer American Icon AwardsGail Gibson, Executive Producer, Multicultural International Motion Picture Association (MIMPA)This event is benefiting eZWay Cares, supporting "The Elease Project" Charity.Watch and connect with like-minded individuals whose common interest is betterment. So, log on at http://ezwayliveevents.com and join us for another epic new adventure!

[scruffyplayssonic]

And the best movies of all the years I’ve been alive are... (updated for 2017!)

Hey folks, I’ve got of a bit of a tradition that I’ve started. It wasn’t a New Year’s tradition previously, but this feels like the best time to be updating

Back in August 2015, I watched a Youtube video by Jeremy of @cinema-sins, where he was answering fan questions. One question that he addressed was, “What is the best movie of every year that you’ve been alive?” While Jeremy thought this was a great question, he didn’t think one video would be long enough to explore it fully, and he wanted to find another way to answer it. This eventually was done through the Cinema Sins podcast, SinCast. Each week, the cast would discuss the movies of a certain year and then vote on which one they thought was the best, starting with 1975 in episode 14, and then working their way through another year each episode right up until episode 54, where they voted on the best movie for 2015. They then took a break for a few weeks to get caught up on some of last year’s movies that they hadn’t seen yet before finally tackling 2016 in this week’s podcast, episode 58.

I did my own picks for my favourite movie of each year back in August 2015, when I first saw Jeremy’s Q and A video. I really liked that question and was inspired to try and name my own favourites from each year. I reuploaded the updated version of this when the SinCast finished going through it last year, and I’ve been waiting for New Year’s Eve to update it again for this year. I hope you enjoy it. Feel free to comment and/or argue about my choices. And thanks again to @cinema-sins, for providing me with laughs every week in the podcasts and videos they release. :)

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1982: E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial This might be a bit of a cheat, since the film came out in June and I wasn’t born until October, but oh well. It’s still the same year.

1983: Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi The first Star Wars movie I was around to see the cinematic release of, although I wouldn’t see it in cinemas (or at all, shamefully) for another 14 years.

1984: The Terminator The original was pretty chilling. This still gets me every time. “Listen, and understand! That Terminator is out there! It can’t be bargained with! It can’t be reasoned with! It doesn’t feel pity, or remorse, or fear! And it absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are dead!”

1985: Back to the Future The beginning of what I still believe is the greatest movie trilogy of all time.

1986: Aliens More awesome from James Cameron.

1987: Spaceballs Well, it’s pretty funny. Plus I haven’t seen much else from this year, other than Lethal Weapon.

1988: Die Hard The original and quite possibly the best. More on that later.

1989: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade This was a tough one to pick, as Michael Keaton’s first Batman film, Licence to Kill, AND Back to the Future: Part II all came out this year. But it really has to be the onscreen chemistry of Harrison Ford and Sean Connery!

1990: Back to the Future: Part III At the time, I probably would have picked DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp. Ahhh, nostalgia.

1991: Terminator 2: Judgement Day I’m sure most of you who know me and know my favourite movies saw this one coming. This was my very favourite movie of all time for almost twenty years, but recently something has surpassed it. Silence of the Lambs would probably get second place for this year.

1992: Batman Returns It was a hard choice between this and Aladdin, which was my favourite Disney cartoon for a very long time. But since it’s not in my dvd collection and Batman is… Honourable mention goes to A Muppet Christmas Carol, my favourite of the Muppet movies.

1993: The Fugitive Another tough choice, considering that Jurassic Park also came out in 1993. But I just love the battle of wits between Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones.

1994: The Lion King Another of Disney’s finest. No contest, although True Lies, Speed, and The Mask were all excellent films too.

1995: Goldeneye (007) This was another tough choice, and Die Hard with a Vengeance came very, VERY close. It’s hard to live up to the awesomeness of that first film, but the partnership with Samuel L. Jackson definitely pays off here. But Goldeneye was the first Bond film I saw in the cinema, and I remember that experience vividly. Pierce Brosnan remains my favourite Bond, even though the next three films he starred in didn’t quite live up to this one.

1996: Scream The Rock and Independence Day were my other main picks from this year, but Wes Craven made an instant classic with Scream, which inspired so many other movies and spoofs. If only they’d stopped after the first Scary Movie…

1997: Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (Special Edition) It’s a bit of a cheat, but technically the original Star Wars trilogy was re-released in cinemas that year with new “special edition” footage, which is when I first fell in love with the series. From original movies that came out in ‘97, it’s a toss up between Men in Black, Air Force One, and The Fifth Element.

1998: Rush Hour Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker were hilarious in this one. The Mask of Zorro was another great movie, and Deep Impact, which was waaaaaay better than Armageddon. Of course, a Michael Bay film will be obsessed with making things go ka-boom. :P Yes, yes, I know The Rock was a Bay film too. So sue me.

1999: The Matrix Another of my very favourite movies. The effects, the plot, the action… it was just sensational. The Sixth Sense was another very clever movie, and Austin Powers: The Spy who Shagged Me was hilarious! But… c'mon, The Matrix, man!

2000: The Whole Nine Yards I was still a big Friends fan at the time, so I loved Matthew Perry starring alongside Bruce Willis. There was also Gone in 60 Seconds, which is one of my favourite Nick Cage films, The Emperor’s New Groove, and of course, X-Men. And then there’s Mission: Impossible 2… hey, be nice. I watched this a lot when I was in Virginia and homesick for Australia :P

2001: Ocean’s Eleven Such a clever film with a great cast!

2002: The Bourne Identity Spider-Man came pretty close, but Matt Damon was amazing as Jason Bourne. …well, that most recent movie was kind of hit or miss…

2003: Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl Who would have ever guessed that a movie based on a Disneyland ride could be so good?

2004: The Incredibles It was a good year for animation - there was this one, Shrek 2, and Team America: World Police. National Treasure came out too, which I quite like.

2005: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire There was also The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (a huge improvement on the previous two movies), Batman Begins, and of course, Serenity; the movie that had Firefly fans screaming, “NOOOOOOOOO!!!” near the climax. :P

2006: V for Vendetta I just LOVE this film. Top performances from Hugo Weaving, Natalie Portman and John Hurt. The Da Vinci Code was my second choice. Controversial it may be, and people tend to poo-poo Dan Brown a lot, but I loved this movie too. Tom Hanks was the perfect choice for Robert Langdon, and Ian McKellan was brilliant as always. Casino Royale also came out this year, which brought the 007 franchise back from oblivion.

2007: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix I had to find a cinema playing this in English in Nanjing - no easy feat! But at least they didn’t butcher it like they did with Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (my second pick, after I saw the uncut movie on DVD). Ocean’s Thirteen was pretty good too, if not as good as the original. And of course, The Bourne Ultimatum. I was on the edge of my seat for that one.

2008: The Dark Knight A no-brainer. One of the best films of the decade, let alone the year. Iron Man was a surprise hit too. Little did we know of what was to follow - and in fact, you’ll be seeing a few MCU movies coming up on the list. Taken was great. Oh, and I quite liked Steve Carrell’s take on Get Smart, even if he didn’t quite capture the original magic of Don Adams.

2009: Up One of my very favourite Pixar movies. Angels & Demons was pretty good too, although not as good as the first movie. Plus Tom Hanks cut his hair - I thought his shaggy do in the first movie suited Robert Langdon better. :P Strange that I liked Angels & Demons better of the books but The Da Vinci Code better of the movies. Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes was great too.

2010: Kick-Ass This one was a surprise, but I loved the deconstruction of the traditional superhero movie they did here. And when I read the original comic, I loved the film even more for the improvements they made. Nicolas Cage was hilariously hammy, but the major star of this one was undoubtedly Chloe Grace Moretz as the tiny killing machine, Hit-Girl. After that, there was Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, and Toy Story 3.

2011: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 A fantastic end to a fantastic series. There was also Rise of the Planet of the Apes, which really surprised me. Excellent stuff there. The Adventures of Tintin - an amazing film that tricked me into forgetting it was animated and not live-action several times. Finally, The Muppets, which was such a fantastic return for some of my favourite childhood icons.

2012: The Avengers No surprise there. Honourable mentions go to The Cabin in the Woods, which is a delightfully insane deconstruction of horror movies, Looper, a film I still occasionally stay up late at night scratching my head in confusion over, and Skyfall, which is probably Daniel Craig’s best Bond film so far. I also loved Wreck-It Ralph.

2013: White House Down This one was definitely the film I liked best from 2013What can I say? I love Die Hard, and this was basically Die Hard in the White House, yet it felt original enough to not just be a knock-off. The other ones I liked best would be the Marvels (Iron Man 3, the Wolverine and Thor: The Dark World), Kick-Ass 2, and Gravity, which was absolutely terrifying.

2014: Guardians of the Galaxy Marvel sure knows how to get my bum into the cinema - X-Men: Days of Future Past and Captain America: The Winter Soldier are up there, but Guardians wins out for pure fun (and the delightful company I had in the cinema <3). There was also The LEGO Movie, which I thought was very clever, and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.

2015: The Martian When I first made this list in August 2015, my prediction was that Jurassic World would be my favourite of the year. Nope, not by a long shot. The Martian was absolutely amazing - Matt Damon’s ability to keep the audience on the edge of their seats when he’s completely alone on the screen (and on the planet) is a major credit to him as an actor. In fact, I think this film has now actually surpassed Terminator 2 to become my favourite movie of all time. Then of course we have Avengers: Age of Ultron, Mission: Impossible: Rogue Nation, and Terminator: Genisys. …no, really. Stop laughing, I really enjoyed it. :P And then there was Ex Machina, which was a really intriguing film that kept me guessing the entire time.

2016: Captain America: Civil War It’s no secret that I love my comic book movies, and this was definitely my favourite of last year. Civil War (the comic) was the first instance that got me intrigued enough to actually pick up and read a Marvel comic. It really raised an interesting question for me - just how accountable should superheroes be for what they do when fighting crime? Granted, the comic really went too far and made both Cap AND Iron Man look like total dicks, and I was relieved when the film managed to not use some of the more ridiculous ideas, such as a homocidal Robo-Thor-clone or a prison for superheroes in an alternate dimension that literally saps your will to live. On top of that, the film also introduced a fantastic Black Panther, and Tom Holland really nailed what Spider-Man should be. And that airport scene was worth the price of admission all by itself.

2017: Wonder Woman Ohhhhh man, it has been a really good year for superhero movies. We’ve had Tom Holland really prove he is Spider-Man in Homecoming, and the most ridiculous-and-yet-accurate portrayal of Batman ever in the LEGO Batman Movie. Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart’s swansongs in Logan were heartwrenching. Ragnarok and Justice League were a lot of fun (yes, I liked Justice League. Fight me). The Guardians managed to surpass their first movie in Volume 2 with really great character development and humour, and that would probably have been my pick for the year if there wasn’t one other superhero movie I loved even more. But I found Wonder Woman to be truly inspirational. Patty Jenkins,Gal Gadot, Chris Pine and everyone else involved with this movie created something that took my breath away. I cheer every time I see her walk out onto no man’s land, and I scream, “FUCK YEAH!!!” every time that iconic butt-kicking theme music plays. In non-superhero movies... Coco was simply amazing, and is another of Pixar’s very best movies. Star Wars Episode VII: The Last Jedi was fantastic, and I can’t wait to go see it again. And I went into Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle with pretty low expectations, but I really enjoyed it and laughed a lot.

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I challenge any of my friends out there who are avid movie lovers to give this challenge a try - it’s not as easy as you’d think. Wikipedia is your friend though - just browse by “(insert year here) in film.” Comments telling me, “Yes, I love that film!” or, “Are you nuts? How could you forget THIS film?” are quite welcome. :)

[gotripdeals]

Here's Your Travel Guide To The Big Game in Miami

While fans and odds makers have their favorites, we don't yet know which teams will be facing off at Super Bowl LIV at the Dolphin's Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Feb. 2. That doesn't mean that football fans should wait to look for tickets and deals on airfare and hotels for the game. Officials at the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau expect more than 150,00 out-of-state fans to head to the Miami area for the Super Bowl and associated activities. Ahead of Sunday's NFL conference championship games, airfare forecasting company Hopper found $229 average round-trip airfares to Miami from San Francisco, Kansas City, Nashville and Green Bay — the cities with teams still in the running. And travelers might be able to save an average of 32%, or $84 per round-trip ticket, if they're willing to time their arrival in Miami to the day of the Super Bowl, said Hopper economist Hayley Berg. Want the cheapest fare? "We found that historically, based on the week leading up to the Super Bowl in the last two years, the Tuesday before the big game has been cheapest day to fly," said Steve Sintra, Regional Director North America, of travel search and booking site Kayak. Super Bowl stays The good news is that the Miami and the surrounding cities have a good supply of lodging options. But of course, many of the more desirable hotels are filling up quickly. Hopper's data crunchers say there are still good deals to be found on rooms in the $321 to $350 per night price range. But an Expedia search earlier this week for a Friday to Monday stay, Jan. 31 to Feb. 3, at hotels with four stars or above ratings returned many "We are sold out" alerts and a few downtown Miami vacancies starting above $600 a night. Elsewhere we found Solé Miami, on Sunny Isles Beach in North Miami, about 11 miles from Hard Rock Stadium offering stays from Thursday, Jan. 30 to Monday, Feb. 3 for $762 each night, not including taxes and resort fees. The Diplomat Beach Resort in Hollywood, Florida, about 20 minutes from the Hard Rock Stadium, has room rates starting at $759 per night (plus taxes and resort fees) from Thursday, Jan. 30 through Monday, Feb. 3. The hotel will be setting up TV screens in poolside cabanas, organizing a viewing party at the hotel bar and offering special treatments in the spa during halftime. And the Greystone Miami Beach has room rates starting at $949 per night (excluding taxes and resorts fees) from Thursday, Jan. 30 through Monday, Feb. 3. Too pricey? Home-share rentals, such as Airbnb, may offer a more affordable option. "Hosts in Miami-Dade and Broward are anticipating historic highs in guest arrivals for the Big Game weekend with more than 34,000 (and rising) guests, already booked," Airbnb said in an early January statement, with average daily rates in Miami-Dade and Broward counties hovering at $150 and $120 respectively. "Hosts are currently expected to make $5.3 million in combined income during the Big Game weekend, a number that is also expected to rise along with guest arrivals as the final teams are decided," the company added. Celebrate on a ship Miami is home to many of the world's cruise lines, and CruiseCritic.com has a good list of the companies that will be offering special Super Bowl-themed cruises or at least setting up screening rooms to make sure sports fans at sea are able to watch the game. Fans in Miami for Super Bowl weekend may want to add a short cruise before or after the game as well. "Now is actually the perfect time to book, as we're in what's considered the last-minute booking window, when cruise lines tend to slash fares to fill remaining cabins," said Erica Silverstein, senior editor at Cruise Critic. "With fares under $75 per night, per person, you could score a three- or four-night cruise to the Bahamas for less than you'd pay for a single night hotel stay in Miami." Tickets to the game – or not Scoring a ticket to Super Bowl LIV is possible but pricey. Earlier this week, Stubhub's lowest-price Super Bowl ticket was $5,600. At Ticketmaster, ticket prices ranged from $5,308 to over $19,000. Another way to get a ticket is to purchase a Super Bowl package. "The two teams going to the Super Bowl will most likely post team trips on their websites that include charter flights from the home city, hotel rooms, game tickets and probably a pre-game party," said Duane Penner, vice president of sales for custom luxury travel provider Roadtrips, which specializes in sports travel. "These tend to be fairly good deals and certainly not luxury packages," said Penner, "But you'll be able to travel with other face-painted hard-core fans." For a more upscale Super Bowl experience, Roadtrips is offering three-night game weekend packages that include Super Bowl tickets, admission to the NFL Fan Experience, event transfers and stays at top Miami hotels, such as the Mandarin Oriental. Rates start at $7,450 per person, based on double occupancy. But even packages topping out at $35,000 person from the National Football League's hospitality company, On Location Experiences, are selling out quickly. No ticket? No problem. If you don't score a ticket to the Super Bowl game itself, there are plenty of reasons to head to Miami before and during Super Bowl weekend. From Jan. 25 to Feb. 1, Miami's Bayfront Park will host a free Super Bowl fan festival called Super Bowl Live. In addition to live music, dance and visual arts performances, the festival will have myriad football-themed selfie opportunities; a Tailgate Town with live cooking demonstrations and exhibits; stunt-filled water shows; evening parades and weekend fireworks. The ticketed Super Bowl Experience at the Miami Beach Convention Center also runs Jan. 25 to Feb. 1 and offers games, youth football clinics, autograph sessions with NFL players, a virtual reality experience, Super Bowl rings display and opportunities to snap photos with the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Single day tickets: $50 Airports and TSA ready for football fans Most out-of-town fans will arrive and depart through Miami International Airport (MIA), which is planning for an above average number of passengers in the three days prior to the game and a record-breaking 90,000 departing passengers on the Monday after the Super Bowl. There are two 24-hour security checkpoints at the airport year-round, but to keep things moving, Transportation Security Administration will add a third 24-hour checkpoint for Feb 3. TSA is also asking Super Bowl fans traveling through Miami and other area airports, including Hollywood-Fort Lauderdale International Airport (FLL) and Palm Beach International Airport (PBI), to put their souvenir game programs in their carry-ons and then place them in the bins at the checkpoints, where TSA's transportation security officers can easily see them. "Depending on the composition and thickness of this year's program, they might – as they have done in previous years – prevent our machines and humans from seeing under them," said TSA spokeswoman Sari Koshetz, "When that happens in checked bags, the bag will alarm and be sent to a room to be opened for inspection by an officer and assurance that there are no hidden threats in the bag. With thousands of fans' bags possibly alarming, a passenger's bag might not make it to the homebound plane." Back at Miami airport, Super Bowl prep includes a beefed up MIA Airport Official mobile app and a tip-filled Countdown to Takeoff Playbook. In the terminals, MIA's Gate D29 is being transformed into a weekend Tailgate Party passenger zone, with a viewing party scheduled for Super Bowl Sunday. Artist Duane Hanson's iconic, hyperrealist "Football Player" sculpture is on view between Gates D47 and D48 and a set of flight monitors on Concourse F is showing archive video from past Super Bowls and Miami Dolphins history, courtesy of the Wolfson Archives at Miami Dade College. Read the full article