Cyberpunk Club: What movie should we watch first?

August 31, 2015 9:46 AM

I'm thinking of what movie we should watch first for the cyberpunk club. I'm leaning towards Hackers since this year is the movie's 20th year anniversary and since it just came out on Bluray.

However we can start off with other cyberpunk movies. Maybe Blade Runner? And, if so, then which version? Maybe we can do a thing where we watch a different version each week or each month?

Here are some cyberpunk movies I have in mind:

Blade Runner
Hackers
Sneakers
Nirvana (1997 film)
The Ghost in the Shell movie
Akira
Matrix (maybe the trilogy as a whole or just the first one?)
Demolition Man
Strange Days
The Net

Just throwing it out there. Any ideas?

Also, we can obviously do series as well. I'm just thinking of starting out with a movie or two.

posted by I-baLL (21 comments total)

I should note that the level of difficulty of acquiring and watching any movie should come into play since some films are hard to get. Nirvana, last I checked, was on Netflix in the U.S. however I haven't checked its availability in other regions. That's the U.S.-dub though. The original Italian version, which has English subtitles and is longer with more scenes, dialogue, etc. seems to only be available by ordering the dvd. That's just one example.
posted by I-baLL at 10:43 AM on August 31, 2015

I have Sneakers and Strange Days on my to-watch list, if it helps.
posted by lmfsilva at 2:16 PM on August 31, 2015 [1 favorite]

How about some obscure ones (some deservedly so) to round out the list?

Until the End of the World
eXistenZ
Tetsuo: The Iron Man
Freejack (note: laughably bad.)
Runaway
Johnny Mnemonic
Max Headroom (BBC TV movie)
Virtuosity
posted by infinitewindow at 3:31 PM on August 31, 2015 [4 favorites]

And does Zardoz, technically about the haves and the have-nots in a post-singularity world, still count as cyberpunk?
posted by infinitewindow at 3:34 PM on August 31, 2015

Do the have-nots still have access to high technology? Because my personal baseline for cyberpunkdom is a penetration of high technology through all social classes.
posted by I-baLL at 6:00 PM on August 31, 2015

But the question still remains: what should we watch first? I vote Hackers.
posted by I-baLL at 6:01 PM on August 31, 2015

Hackers yes! Looks like Zardoz no.
posted by infinitewindow at 7:52 PM on August 31, 2015

Another +1 to watching Hackers first.
posted by hobgadling at 8:27 AM on September 1, 2015

Yes to Hackers.

Lawnmower Man should be on the list of future movies.
posted by naju at 5:36 PM on September 2, 2015

Zero Theorem?
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 10:22 PM on September 3, 2015

Also, maybe Primer?
posted by hobgadling at 5:43 AM on September 4, 2015

Robocop!
posted by rodlymight at 7:08 AM on September 4, 2015

I wouldn't recommend anyone watch Zero Theorem, club or no.
posted by codacorolla at 7:15 PM on September 4, 2015

Is the list restricted to Films? What about Mr Robot and ... take a beat... ok full-on-rimshot ...Scorpion?

Hackers or Johnny M.
posted by sammyo at 5:56 AM on September 7, 2015

I don't think it should be restricted to films. We can do the whole pantheon of Mr. Robot, Scorpion, and CSI: Cyber.

Looks like most of the votes are Hackers and since it's apparently on Netflix now in full 1080p I'll make a thread about it tonight or tomorrow.
posted by I-baLL at 11:07 AM on September 8, 2015

Uhm, i'll do it now.
posted by I-baLL at 7:00 PM on September 15, 2015

Posted!
posted by I-baLL at 7:24 PM on September 15, 2015

No Wargames?
posted by Chrysostom at 9:28 PM on September 15, 2015

So we did Hackers. What's next?
posted by I-baLL at 8:24 PM on September 28, 2015

I'd say Strange Days, but I can't find it streaming. How about Existenz?
posted by infinitewindow at 5:13 PM on September 30, 2015

Hmmm, how about that or Nirvana?
posted by I-baLL at 12:23 PM on October 4, 2015