Thursday Movie Picks: Cyberpunk

a weekly series hosted by Wandering Through the Shelves

I don't know if you are aware and if it happened to you as well, but last Saturday people got some of their posts deleted by Google because apparently they violated malware and viruses policies. I was one of those people and I had to say goodbye to two of my posts, one of which was a Thursday Movie Picks. There were a couple of dark hours when I contemplated closing the blog — what's the point in writing if I have to see my content erased from the internet? — but thankfully it was just Google randomly deleting posts and then they fixed it. What I am trying to say is that basically our society is already dominated by technology and hence this week's theme fits to perfection with what happened last weekend. 

Blade Runner (1982) - Review

Set in 2019 Los Angeles, it follows a cop, Deckard (Harrison Ford), as he hunts down a group of replicants, humanoids created by man and used as slaves. I just loved this film. The story is simple but it is so compelling, and beautiful to look at — both Ford and the visuals. 

The Matrix (1999) - Review

For those of you who still haven't seen this film — I hope there's no such person —, this film is set in the future and follows a computer hacker, Neo (Keanu Reeves), as he joins the rebels to fight the Matrix, a simulated reality created by intelligent machines. It is a very interesting, philosophical film but at the same time it's filled with spectacular action. 

Upgrade (2018) - Review

Also set in the future, it follows a man (Logan Marshall-Green) who allows a computer genius (Harrison Gilbertson) to implant a chip in his head so that he can walk again as a mugging left him paralyzed. I'm surprised by how little of the film's plot I remember considering I rather enjoyed it at the time. I do remember the twist though. 

15 comments :

  1. I've heard really good things about Upgrade, so I may give it a watch. Blade Runner is on list of things to watch too.

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    1. As I said, I don't remember that much about it but it was a very enjoyable and engaging film.

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  2. Blade Runner has a great look but I can't say I'm overly fond of it. Of this genre it is one of the better ones with both Ford and Hauer well cast.

    I know I am in a slim minority but I hate, hate, hated The Matrix so much. Never saw any of the follow-ups.

    I've heard of Upgrade but since this isn't a genre that I like much I never sought it out.

    As I said this isn't one of my favored genres and I had the very devil of a time coming up with picks until I hit on the idea of using the three worst films I could think of (one of which also stars Keanu-that might make it seem that I don't like him but I do, just not in this sort of movie!)

    Freejack (1992)-Future technology has advanced to the point that rich elderly citizens can hire thieves such as Vacendak (Mick Jagger) to jump back in time to kidnap young people, return with them then have their brains transplanted into the clients’ bodies. Racer Alex Furlong (Emilio Estevez) is captured, he manages to break free but finds this new world a dangerous place. Extremely short on logic this misguided flick managed to corral Anthony Hopkins and Rene Russo as well as Jagger. They collect a paycheck, the audience suffers.

    Johnny Mnemonic (1995)-Implanted with a stash of information data courier Johnny (Keanu Reeves) must retrieve it within 48 hours or self-destruct. Guarded by turbo charged bodyguard Jane (Dina Meyer) but hunted by two foes he sets out to find the passwords needed to stop his death. When it’s not absurd it’s stupid.

    Moon 44 (1990)-A group of prisoners is enlisted by a mining corporation against a corporate war where interplanetary companies vie for control of dwindling resources on distant moons. Agent Felix Stone (Michael Pare) is sent to the title planet when problems arise. This pastiche of Aliens, Blade Runner and every other conceivable cyberpunk film holds a whopping zero score on Rotten Tomatoes.

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    1. I loved The Matrix and hated the sequels so, yeah, you didn't miss much by skipping them, especially since you didn't even like the first one.

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  3. I almost went with Upgrade too! We almost match on Blade Runner, I just used the sequel.

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    1. I had to use the original because I wasn't a huge fan of the sequel.

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  4. We match with Blade Runner which is such a great film. I am ok with The Matrix but I was never a huge fan of it but they should have stopped and never made the sequels because it didn’t make sense to me. I don’t know your last pic at all but it sounds interesting.

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    1. I don't know a single person who thinks the Matrix sequels make sense haha.

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  5. I have seen The Matrix...a long time ago but I think I was too young to really get it then and now I don't remember much about it. It's on my to rewatch list of movies.

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    1. If you do rewatch it, please skip the sequels as they are terrible.

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  6. Somehow I have never seen Blade Runner (I definitely need to change that) but we match with Matrix! :-D

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  7. Good picks! The Matrix is perfect for this theme. Ford is very fine to look at in Blade Runner and Blade Runner 2049 too, which was my pick. Upgrade sounds like a cool film too.

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    1. Upgrade is kind of forgettable but it's enjoyable.

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