Dark Star

70s Sci Fi
4.5 Stars

Hugely enjoyable low-budg film by John Carpenter. This is by the screenwriter of Alien, but this is a comedy, almost a hippies in space kind of thing. Borders on existential comedy, although those aspects are a bit forced. Pokes a finger in the eye of machismo, the pacing is good, and it doesn't take itself seriously. Influenced by Dr. Strangelove and 2001, no doubt. Great rental.

Silent Running

Sci-Fi
3 stars

An interesting ecological sci-fi movie that showcases a few precursors of Star Wars. There are no women in this film, and for a rated G film, actually has a murder. I found the subject matter of this film very compelling, although Bruce Dern is a little strange for a leading figure and the movie follows the pattern of early 70s sci-fi with lots of quiet spaces and solitude as subject fodder. This movie is a bit preachy, but with our current climate crises, it seems loaded with foresight. The ending is provocative.