Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2008 May 1

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May 1

Name of a movie

I remember seeing this movie late at night on TV quite a while ago (8-10 years? maybe less) but I have no idea what it's called and it's been bugging me ever since. No doubt a lot of the details are a bit fuzzy or just plain wrong, but this is basically what I recall about it: It is set in a near-future in which everyone in America is forced to be "average". Although it is set in the future, the whole look and feel in the first half of the movie is that of the 1950s. The main character is a teenager who is marked down in class for having too high grades, because he's deviating from the average/normal. He becomes dissilusioned with the world he finds himself in and enters into an underworld of illicit intellectual persuits. The scene I remember the most is when he goes to some kind of intellectual brothel where he pays a woman to play chess with him. Eventually he comes to the attention of the secret organization of above average people who are secretly orchestrating the whole society from behind the scenes. One of the special agents working for the society explains that they made the world like the 1950s because that was when America was at its happiest. He falls in love with the agent and they have sex. There's also scene where she shows him some previously forbidden movies from the popular culture of the past and says something about Macaulay Culkin, an injoke to the audience that implies that in this future Culkin went on to become a successful actor as an adult - presumably dating the movie to the early 90s, before Culkin quit acting? There's another scene around about here that talks about how the President of the United States is selected completely at random, to ensure that only the most average person gets the job. I forget exactly how it ends, but presumably the protaganist attempts to disrupt the status quo, because the last scene is him back at home, having had a lobotomy to ensure that he is now an average citizen again.

Ok hope that wasn't too unclear... I'm sure *someone* here knows this movie. --86.135.70.17 (talk) 00:20, 1 May 2008 (UTC)

The closest thing I could find by searching the googles was Harrison Bergeron. Maybe that's it? Digger3000 (talk) 04:47, 1 May 2008 (UTC)

Of course, we have articles . . . Harrison Bergeron, the original Kurt Vonnegut story and Harrison Bergeron (film), the TV production. --LarryMac | Talk 13:27, 1 May 2008 (UTC)

Thanks, that sounds exactly like it! --86.135.70.17 (talk) 14:28, 1 May 2008 (UTC)

Any suggestions?

I find myself with a bit too much spare time on my hands at the moment, so I'd like to get into a really good computer RPG. Now, I'm a bit picky when it comes to games, so I'll list my likes (and dislikes):

I loved Arcanum, Fallout 1 & 2 (and even tactics), Planescape, Deus Ex, bioshock (not really an RPG, but the Ayn Rand atmosphere...)

I can't stand Baldur's Gate (too complicated, too much like playing a simulation of a table-top RPG), and I thought Oblivion was a big disappointment (what's the point of an RPG where there's no point in leveling up?)

Basically, I'd like something (relatively) recent, and if possible not an unoriginal Sword&Sorcery. Any ideas?

Thanks a lot... —Preceding unsigned comment added by 213.103.238.164 (talk) 16:54, 1 May 2008 (UTC)

I know you didn't mention it but GTA IV should be released soon, if you like non linear games. It would certainly use up a lot of time. Zain Ebrahim (talk) 17:18, 1 May 2008 (UTC)

From what I gather, we're going to have to wait a few months before it's adapted for the PC. I tried reinstalling San Andreas, but those graphics are just too awful... 213.103.238.164 (talk) 17:21, 1 May 2008 (UTC)

I just found this. :) Looks like it's gonna have to wait til October. Zain Ebrahim (talk) 17:24, 1 May 2008 (UTC)

I agree the graphics weren't fantastic but I enjoyed the plot. I mean look at all these charatcers!. Zain Ebrahim (talk) 17:28, 1 May 2008 (UTC)

I recommend Sid Meier's Pirates! (2004) It's a bit light on RPG elements, but I like the atmosphere, the and the sense of mortality you get by having your character age. APL (talk) 18:21, 1 May 2008 (UTC)

World of Warcraft? --Nick910 (talk) 18:28, 1 May 2008 (UTC)

Perhaps you already know the answer is 42? So long, and thanks for all the fish. AtaruMoroboshi (talk) 18:43, 1 May 2008 (UTC)

I know you said you don't like Oblivion, but have you played around with the editor there. I found the game that the designers delivered for Morrowind not to my liking, but now have created a version with a different flow of tasks, a different outcome and had lots of fun designing stuff. (e.g. a house you could get by completing some tasks to get rid of "cave dwelling" and a guar that will serve as pack animal, but still runs off sometimes) Just an idea. Lisa4edit (talk) 22:12, 1 May 2008 (UTC)

Download BGB (a Gameboy emulator), then download a rom of Pokemon Yellow. Now that's some good stuff, especially if you like the nostalgia. bibliomaniac15 Do I have your trust? 05:07, 2 May 2008 (UTC)

Pokemon is now considered nostalgia? AtaruMoroboshi (talk) 14:36, 2 May 2008 (UTC)

Only if you were 7-12 at the time. bibliomaniac15 Do I have your trust? 21:24, 2 May 2008 (UTC)

One generation's Pac-Man is another generation's Metroid is another generation's Pokemon, nostalgia is the same for everyone, and Will Rogers said it best - "Things ain't as good as they used to be, and they probably never were." -- Ironmandius (talk) 03:58, 3 May 2008 (UTC)

I recommend Fable to everyone and anyone; easily my favourite game for the PC. More simplistic than Oblivion, but in a good way. Graphics are good, story is good, gameplay is great. It manages to be linear and non-linear at the same time. Matt Deres (talk) 03:24, 5 May 2008 (UTC)