Posts Tagged ‘science fiction’

Hollywood science: A tale of abuse and inspiration

Sunday, February 28th, 2010

Last week we covered a good chunk of a talk about science in the movies, but there’s still a bit more I want to touch on.

If you didn’t read the last post, here’s a recap of points made by scientists and Hollywood folks at a panel hosted by the Science and Entertainment Exchange:

  1. Science portrayed correctly in movies and TV shows more ‘em more plausible
  2. More plausibility means better, more profitable productions
  3. Scientists are cool if Hollywood distorts one or two big scientific concepts for a good story — but good science should always follow
  4. Hollywood (and the Internet) can influence millions more science-curious people than any professor in a classroom

National Academy of Science's Science and Entertainment ExchangeIn short, more accurately portrayed science in Hollywood benefits everyone. Mo learnin’, mo money.

That’s not to say that Hollywood elites and scientists have donned flowered garlands and are frolicking together barefoot in a Utopian garden of peace. Far from it.

Hollywood writers/producers and scientists may never get there, and you may shrug your shoulders at the notion. Yet I feel — and I know scientists do as well — that this is not just a fun, cerebral discussion for shits and giggles. It’s super important stuff. (more…)

Who watches the watchmen? Scientists do

Friday, February 19th, 2010

Watchmen movie posterScience is a ragdoll in Hollywood: a plot device that’s carelessly tossed around and repeatedly abused for entertainment value. (Well, I tortured my sister’s Raggedy Ann for fun… can’t speak for the rest of the planet.)

But hope has been brewing thanks to organizations such as the Science and Entertainment Exchange, an outfit designed to hook up Hollywood producers with enthusiastic scientists.

It also happens to be led by Jennifer Ouellette, a really great blogger I asked to join Discovery in 2008. She held a panel today at the 2010 annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) called “Watching the Watchmen and Cheering the Heroes: The Science of Superheroes.”

The purpose of the exchange goes like this: (more…)

Ten science things Avatar got right

Monday, January 11th, 2010

Avatar 3D interplanetary spaceshipAvatar, James Cameron’s new 3D-movie spectacular, is a veritable buffet of seemingly plausible science to wow us into suspending disbelief. So much so that some of us even walk away depressed.

It’s no secret that most movies are terrible about getting science correct. But because Avatar rises above the rest, it sounded fun to list what worked for this nerd.

Disclaimer: I think filmmakers need some artistic license. As long as a director tries to get something even close to correct, and the science isn’t be insultingly misrepresented — *coughTheCorecough* — you get an “A” for effort in my gradebook.

And some points for those who haven’t seen the movie:

  1. Go see it. Please crawl out from under your rock and slam down the $10-20 to see it (IMAX 3D is amazing). The plot is as predictable as a can of baked beans, but Cameron’s zeal for going all-out compensates for this and other flaws. I’ll leave it to film critics to discuss the artistic merits.
  2. Plot 101: Pandora is a lush green moon around a gas giant planet that’s unusually rich in a rare (and made-up) mineral called “Unobtainium.” It sells for $20 million a kilogram, and a company has set up a mining operation on the moon to rake in the dough. Problem is, the moon is inhabited by monstrously tall, blue, deadly, nature-loving humanoids called the Na’vi who are pissed that the “Sky People” are pillaging their beautiful world. We jump into the story as a spaceship full of people, including one Jake Sulley — a paraplegic marine who’s filling in for his genetically similar yet recently killed scientist brother –  arrives in orbit after 6 years of travel. Sulley’s mission: to control a (very expensive) part human, part-Na’vi clone to study, help make peace with the Pandora natives, and get them out of their mile-high tree village. Which of course sits on the richest pile of unobtainium in the area.
  3. Spoiler alert! Don’t read any further if you want to be surprised in the theater.

Without further adieu, ten things Avatar got right: (more…)