Comments on: Insultingly Stupid Movie Physics takes filmmakers to task

By: Baruch Atta

Baruch Atta — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 19:51:25 +0000

If the physics are bad, then it is not science fiction, rather it is fantasy. You don’t need ghosts and unicorns to make it a genre fantasy.

By: josepher

josepher — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 19:07:03 +0000

@SpagCakes I’m ME now, but before my trip to the university I worked as roustabout for several years. I also know two astronauts personally. From my experience I would be willing to believe that taking rig hands and training them for space would be easier than getting astronauts to be able to work a rig.

By: John Craig

John Craig — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 18:31:43 +0000

But the more accurate the physics, the easier it is (by far) to suspend disbelief and to “get into” the story. I think that’s more and more important with the more nerdy and physics-minded you are, but it does apply to everyone intuitively. That’s why the latest computer games are getting more and more physics-accurate. Both the creators, and the players, at least intuitively know how much more enjoyable games can be as the physics improves.

By: jeff g

jeff g — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 17:57:42 +0000

Yeah, that really cuts down the wind resistance.

By: yu

yu — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 16:15:32 +0000

Oh come on!! Its entertainment not an MIT physics lecture. Just sit back and enjoy the fantasy. If you want to watch reality find a science show. Film is the world of make-believe and escapism .

By: SpagCakes

SpagCakes — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 15:20:10 +0000

@John Craig: I didn’t have time to worry about that. I was still stuck on the whole idea that it’s somehow easier for oil rig workers to become astronauts than for astronauts to learn how to operate a drill.

By: oneSTARman

oneSTARman — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 15:06:33 +0000

I am Proudly a NERD and an Engineer by trade. Being a Typical Nerd I enjoy FANTASY in Games and Movies and Literature – NOT Exclusively, but quite a lot. In order to Participate in this GENRE one must exercise a cognitive technique called ‘suspended disbelief’ – just for fun. I do Understand GROANING over ‘Silly Science’ in Science Fiction but I have other stuff to do so I do not concern myself over it much.

By: John Craig

John Craig — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 14:56:36 +0000

One of the many idiocies that get me is in Armageddon, where Bruce Willis and crew keep flying the space shuttle nose first towards the incoming asteroid.