Difference between revisions of "Theater Discussion Night"

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| style="background: #F9F9F9;" | '''25th''' || '''"[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070909/ Westworld]"(1973)'''<br>'''The Original Movie'''

Revision as of 11:22, 12 May 2018

Next Scheduled Movie
Movie: "The Island"
When: May 11th @ 9PM (21:00)
Where: Classroom
To Mini-Schedule

File:Tdn-theater-02a.png

RULES

THIS IS AN EDUCATIONAL MOVIE EVENT.
This event was originally conceived to have educational component in the form of discussions after a movie.
All movies selected for this event are to be fictional so that the discussions are fun in an effort to have interesting discussions about alternate realities, fictional places, plots, situations and time frames.
Considering the types of members FamiLAB usually has (typically intelligent), it was considered to be fun to have such an event and to get feedback (in the form of discussions) about the movies.
EVENT RULES:
1. MOST IMPORTANT: After the movie, there will be a discussion or this event will be cancelled for the foreseeable future. This is a "discussion" event, it says so in the event name.
We are subject to U.S. copyright law (Title 17, United States Code, Section 110) when this event is showing a movie.
We fall under "fair use" when we show a movie under the conditions that this event is conducted under.
"Fair use" only includes showing under specific conditions, those include commentary, criticism, education or research, otherwise it's a copyright violation and we will get seriously fined.
Currently, our event does include commentary, definitely criticism, plenty of educational components and I do a lot of research on the movie in order to create the questions we use as part of the post movie discussion and me answering some questions about the movie. So, our role is definitely in the fair use category. I feel our discussion is very beneficial to everyone who attends, and it's been a lot of fun so far.
If our events aren't educational then it's considered a "public viewing" and serious copyright violations are occurring.
Nothing about this type of event or FamiLAB's status (non-profit) makes any difference about copyright law regarding this event.
The discussions of this event are recorded/logged and then reviewed by an outside third party in order to keep this event educational and "fair use".
There is to be no debate on how the events are logged or should be logged.
Lloyd has already created the method of logging and takes care of this aspect and that aspect is not up for any discussion.
Lloyd already established a way to take care of the logging situation that currently satisfies the outside party who monitors the event logs.
Discussions must be carried out by the group, not just one person. All this means a discussion is mandatory for EVERY movie.
Lloyd records the discussion but he can't be the only person contributing to the discussion, basically the group has to participate.
Participants may remain anonymous but participation is required. If any person chooses not to participate on a regular basis, they will be asked not to attend.
2. Arrive before the movie is scheduled to begin. Preferably arrive 30 mins before the movie (8:30PM or 20:30). The event usually starts at 9PM (21:00), provided there aren't technical problems. There is usually plenty of time to arrive and find a suitable seat for the duration movie.
3. Do not make any major seating change of your classroom location during the movie. It's very distracting to the other guests.
4. There is to be NO cell phone conversations within the classroom during the movie. Please leave the classroom if you need to talk on your phone.
5. If you feel you need to use your laptop during the movie please sit in the back of the classroom so the light of your display doesn't distract others. If you're using your laptop you're obviously not watching the movie. So, do not distract those who ARE paying attention.
6. Do not sit in front of Lloyd. That means anywhere between him and the front of the classroom. There is a reason why he sits in the front.
This may seem like an extreme rule but there are reasons for it.
This is so Lloyd can have a clear view of the screen so he may be able to pay attention to the movie and view anything the playing software or the projector needs to show him regarding the viewing of the movie.
This rule is non-negotiable.
Rule #7 is also another reason people should not sit in front of Lloyd.
7. Do not sit between Lloyd's computer and the Bluetooth speakers used for the event. This is to prevent RF interference between his laptop and the speakers.
Many people have electronic devices with them and Lloyd just wants to prevent any possible RF interference.
8. Do not touch the speakers, that includes moving the speakers or change their direction orientation. The speakers don't belong to you, so don't feel you have the right to alter their use.
9. Do not ask questions or talk during the presentation of the movie. There's time for that after the movie.
10. Keep all of the classroom doors closed during the movie.
11. Keep all of the classroom lights off during the movie. This includes the lights on the electronics bench.
12. This event is for members of the lab. However, family members and friends are allowed provided they are with a member.
Most of the rules are non-negotiable but this is a flexible rule. Please at least be an adult literally and figuratively when attending this event.
Additionally, this rule may change considerably soon as it may be opened to outside visitors of the lab to save the event from being cancelled due to low attendance.
These rules were unfortunately created because of experiences from past events.
If you can't respect these rules then don't attend this event.
If you don't understand the rules or the need for them, do not to attend any of the events.
Lloyd reserves the right to change these rules without notice. So, check these rules often for unexpected updates.
Lastly, don't preach about these rules being in place. Lloyd has been complained to about rules by people who don't even attend the event.
Mandatory Movie Discussions:
  • If you attend, please be prepared to contribute to the discussion of the movie that is presented before the movie and after the movie.
  • Attendees who wish to not contribute to the discussion for single events are still welcome but are encouraged to change their mind as the discussion is one of the better aspects of our events.
  • The discussion section is NOT for discussing the "making of" the movie or the actors in the movie but instead to discuss the plot, ethics, and other aspects of the story of the movie.
Discussion Topics:
  • Please view our Discussion section for discussion topic suggestions.
  • Additionally, suggested discussion topics are listed on the "Discussion" tab section of this wiki page under their individual movie listings.
  • Other discussion topics are welcome and encouraged as they can greatly expand the potential for enhanced and fun discussions.

Mini-Schedule for Upcoming TDN Events

May 2018 - Enclosed Cities and False Realities 2
25th "Westworld"(1973)
The Original Movie
June 2018 - Androids
8th "Bicentennial Man"
22nd "Ex Machina"
July 2018 - Androids 2
13th "Automata"
27th "A.I. Artificial Intelligence"
Movies with a strikethrough ("Movie") means it's been shown.
Movie titles are linked with their respective IMDb page.
Any event slot with Open means no movie has been planned for that day. Suggestions are welcome for that event.

Theater Discussion Night

Event Basics
What: This event features educational presentation of movies and select TV shows through the healthy discussion of each selected movie and TV show.
When:

General events are on the 2nd and 4th Friday of every month starting at 9PM (21:00).
Please see the FamiLAB Calendar for dates.
Special events are scheduled independently of regularly scheduled events.

Where: FamiLAB Classroom
Why: Discussion of movies brings added dimension to many movies and it just happens to be required for this event.
Who:

Lloyd Black organizes and hosts all "Theater Discussion Night" (known as TDN) general events.
Lloyd Black also organizes special events featuring Star Wars Night and Westworld Night events as well.

Standard guests are current adult FamiLAB Members.
Non-members and minors (under 18) must be accompanied by responsible current adult FamiLAB members.

How: Classroom video projector and movie screen plus Lloyd's own laptop.
Event Procedure:
9:00 PM
Pre-Movie Discussion: This is a casual discussion time when questions about the movie may be asked.
Additionally, at this time, an optional intermission time may be discussed and planned.
Movies exceeding 3 hours will have an intermission automatically planned.
Movie donations may be made at this time. Additionally, donations may be made at the end of the event.
9:30 PM
Movie Presentation Starts: Movie is played and there is to be NO discussion during this time.
At this time, attendees will be asked to silence their cell phones to respect the movie organizer and other attendees.
(Optional) Intermission
There is an option for an intermission to be planned for movies being shown.
This will be automatically planned for any movies that are 3 hours or longer in length.
The intermission duration will not be a set length and instead be for as long as needed for the comfort of attendees.
Some of the reasons for an intermission will be for obvious reasons.
Optionally an intermission is for a mid-movie discussion. This would be possibly for contemplating story development, character development and a possible conclusion of the movie story.
After Movie
Discussion
Movie has ended and discussion may start.
Movie duration can vary so there's no set time as to when this occurs.
Lloyd will start the discussion establishing the first discussion topic.
Lloyd will open the discussion to everyone else attending.
After Discussion
Attendees may suggest other movies and make movie donations at this time.
Double Feature
Double Feature events will have an intermission between movies and a discussion after each movie.
Time Exceptions
On occasion, the event may be delayed for the purpose of waiting for attendees. This could include a co-host or key guests who are important to the event. This is of course at the discretion of the primary host, Lloyd.
Event Organizers and Co-Hosts:
Organizers:
Lloyd organizes this event and moderates the discussion.
Co-Hosts
Co-Hosts may occasionally be present for special events.
Co-Hosts will be present when someone with a specialty can present information that would enhance the discussion and have additional information regard the topic of the movie or know more about the movie(s) themselves.
If you'd like to be involved with this event, offer to be a co-host.
Co-Hosting is an option if you're knowledgeable about the movie, subject matter of the movie being shown or other related aspect of the movie.
An example of this would be someone who's an expert on AI (Artificial Intelligence).
There are many movies featuring AI subject matter and a co-host would be highly beneficial in the discussion aspect of many movie showings which have AI in the movie story.
Some ways this could be beneficial would be to debunk some myths about AI, androids with AI, and etc. and compare the facts from the myths that the movie may present.
Attendance:
Attendees:
  • Please select your seat before the movie begins. Moving around disturbs others and may interfere with Lloyd's preparations. There is plenty of time to select your position in the room before the movie starts.
  • This is a members event.
  • Non-members may attend this event provided they are accompanied by a current member.
  • Minors are permitted provided they are accompanied by an adult member who is the parent or responsible adult member who they're familiar with.
  • Attendance is very casual and flexible. There is to be no Eventbrite listings for this event and never will be.
  • People may just come in as they desire as long as they try to attend from the beginning of the event until the end.
  • There isn't any RSVP policy for this event. However, please let Lloyd know whether you will or will not be attending.
  • If you plan on attending but are running late, please be respectful to everyone else attending and text Lloyd at 321-220-4013 or message him on Slack letting him know your planned arrival time so we can plan when the movie may begin.
  • Sentient AI driven androids, other forms of mobile sentient AI and AI driven advanced cyborgs are welcome as long as they can be respectful to the organic humans attending.

Next Movie

Movie: "The Island"
When: May 11th @ 9:00 PM (21:00)
Where: Classroom
Title: Released: Rating: Genre(s): Time Length:
The Island 2005 PG-13 Action, Adventure, Romance, Sci-Fi, Thriller 2 Hr 16 Mins

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The Suggested Movie List

Movies to be suggested should be primarily from the 80's science-fiction genre but can also range to other eras and genres as well, depending on the content of the movie.
All movies are to be fictional and enjoyable for the majority of viewers. This means no factual historical movies or documentaries.
Also, no movies that may cause unreasonable stress or trauma to the viewer. That content decision will be decided by Lloyd.
Movies with considerable religious or political themes similar to our current state of reality will not be considered.
Just because a movie is in the list doesn't mean it will be selected to be shown. This list is just to give options to pull from.
Current movies in the suggested list being considered are in not of any particular meaningful order or priority.
Movies in the list are just ideas and inspiration for possible movies to be shown.
Not all movies in the list are in Lloyd's personal collection. Some may need to be purchased ahead of time before an event.
Movies may be donated to Lloyd but are to be permanent donations, not loans.
Movie listings are color coded by MPAA rating:
G PG PG-13 R NC-17
"Unrated" and "Unknown" movies will be considered "Rated R" unless other information can be provided indicating what it should be rated as or equivalent to.

About the list table:

  • Movie titles are linked to their IMDb pages.
  • Movies are listed alphanumerically (by alphabetical or numerical order) for ease of searching and that's it, there are no other reasons for their order.
  • The additional information listed is for those who wish to look for certain ratings, genres, or time length.
  • Movie titles that are grayed out and with a 'strike through' are movies which have been shown. They remain on the list for reference purposes to track what movies have been previously displayed.

The Suggested List:

Title: Released: Rating: Genre(s): Time Length:
12 Monkeys (aka: Twelve Monkeys) 1995 R Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller 2 Hr 9 Mins
1408 2007 PG-13 Horror 1 Hr 44 Mins
2001: A Space Odyssey 1968 G Adventure, Sci-Fi 2 Hr 29 Mins
2010 1984 PG Adventure, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller 1 Hr 56 Mins
A Clockwork Orange 1971 NC-17 Crime, Drama, Sci-Fi 2 Hr 16 Mins
A.I. Artificial Intelligence 2001 PG-13 Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi 2 Hr 26 Mins
Altered States 1980 R Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller 1 Hr 42 Mins
Android 1982 PG Sci-Fi 1 Hr 20 Mins
Automata 2014 R Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller 1 Hr 49 Mins
Beetlejuice 1988 PG Comedy, Fantasy 1 Hr 32 Mins
Bicentennial Man 1999 PG Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi 2 Hr 12 Mins
The Black Hole 1979 PG Action, Sci-Fi 1 Hr 38 Mins
Blade Runner 1982 R Sci-Fi, Thriller 1 Hr 57 Mins
Brazil 1985 R Drama, Sci-Fi 2 Hr 12 Mins
The Brain That Wouldn't Die 1962 Unknown Horror, Sci-Fi 1 Hr 22 Mins
The Car 1977 PG Action, Horror, Mystery, Thriller 1 Hr 36 Mins
The Changeling 1980 R Horror 1 Hr 47 Mins
Christine 1983 R Horror 1 Hr 50 Mins
The City of Lost Children 1995 R Fantasy, Sci-Fi 1 Hr 52 Mins
Colossus: The Forbin Project 1970 PG Sci-Fi, Thriller 1 Hr 40 Mins
The Creeping Terror 1964 Unknown Horror, Sci-Fi 1 Hr 17 Mins
Dark City 1998 R Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller 1 Hr 40 Mins
The Dark Crystal 1982 PG Adventure, Family, Fantasy 1 Hr 33 Mins
Delicatessen 1991 R Comedy, Crime 1 Hr 39 Mins
Double Down 2005 PG-13 Action, Drama, Romance, Thriller 1 Hr 33 Mins
The Entity See Note #1 Below 1982 R Biography, Drama, Horror 2 Hr 5 Mins
Event Horizon 1997 R Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller 1 Hr 36 Mins
The Evil Dead See Note #1 Below 1981 NC-17 Horror 1 Hr 25 Mins
The Evil Dead See Note #1 Below 2013 R Fantasy, Horror 1 Hr 31 Mins
Ex Machina 2014 R Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller 1 Hr 48 Mins
Fahrenheit 451 1966 Not Rated Drama, Sci-Fi 1 Hr 52 Mins
Full Metal Jacket 1987 R Drama, War 1 Hr 56 mins
Galaxy of Terror 1981 R Action, Adventure, Horror, Sci-Fi 1 Hr 21 Mins
Gremlins 1984 PG Comedy, Fantasy, Horror 1 Hr 46 Mins
Gremlins 2: The New Batch 1990 PG-13 Comedy, Fantasy, Horror 1 Hr 46 Mins
The Haunting 1963 G Horror 1 Hr 52 Mins
The Haunting 1999 PG-13 Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Thriller 1 Hr 53 Mins
I, Robot 2004 PG-13 Action, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller 1 Hr 55 Mins
Insanitarium 2008 R Horror, Thriller 1 Hr 29 Mins
Insidious 2010 PG-13 Horror, Mystery, Thriller 1 Hr 43 Mins
Insidious: Chapter 2 2013 PG-13 Horror, Mystery, Thriller 1 Hr 46 Mins
Insidious: Chapter 3 2015 PG-13 Horror, Mystery, Thriller 1 Hr 37 Mins
In Time 2011 PG-13 Action, Crime, Drama 1 Hr 49 Min
The Island 2005 PG-13 Action, Adventure, Romance, Sci-Fi, Thriller 2 Hr 16 Mins
Labyrinth 1986 PG Adventure, Family, Fantasy, Musical 1 Hr 41 Mins
Lifeforce 1985 R Action, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller 1 Hr 56 Mins
Logan's Run 1976 PG Action, Sci-Fi 1 Hr 59 Mins
Maximum Overdrive 1986 R Action, Comedy, Horror, Sci-Fi 1 Hr 38 Mins
Network 1976 R Drama 2 Hr 1 Min
Outland 1981 R Action, Crime, Sci-Fi, Thriller 1 Hr 52 Mins
Pitch Black 2000 R Horror, Sci-Fi 1 Hr 49 Mins
Poltergeist 1982 PG Horror, Thriller 1 Hr 54 Mins
Poltergeist 2015 PG-13 Horror, Thriller 1 Hr 33 Mins
Repo The Genetic Opera 2008 R Horror, Musical, Sci-Fi 1 Hr 38 Mins
The Room 2003 R Drama 1 Hr 39 Mins
R.O.T.O.R. 1987 R Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller 1 Hr 30 Mins
RoboCop 1987 R Action, Crime, Sci-Fi, Thriller 1 Hr 42 Mins
RoboCop 2014 PG-13 Action, Crime, Sci-Fi, Thriller 1 Hr 57 Mins
Rose Red See Note #2 2002 PG-13 Horror, Mystery, Thriller 4 Hr 14 Mins
Rubber 2010 R Comedy, Horror 1 Hr 22 Mins
The Shining 1980 R Drama, Horror 2 Hr 26 Mins
Short Circuit 1986 PG Comedy, Family, Sci-Fi 1 Hr 38 Mins
Silent Running 1972 PG Drama, Sci-Fi 1 Hr 29 Mins
Stranger Than Fiction 2006 PG-13 Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance 1 Hr 53 Mins
The Terminator 1984 R Action, Sci-Fi 1 Hr 47 Mins
They Live 1988 R Action, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller 1 Hr 34 Mins
The Thing 1982 R Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi 1 Hr 49 Mins
Time Bandits 1981 PG Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Sci-Fi 1 hr 50 Mins
Transcendence 2014 PG-13 Drama, Mystery, Romance, Sci-Fi, Thriller 1 Hr 59 Mins
The Truman Show 1998 PG Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi 1 Hr 43 Mins
TRON 1982 PG Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi 1 Hr 36 Mins
TRON: Legacy 2010 PG Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi 2 Hr 5 Mins
Turbo Kid 2015 Unknown Action, Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi 1 Hr 33 Mins
Vanilla Sky 2001 R Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, Sci-Fi, Thriller 2 Hr 16 Mins
Vice 2015 R Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller 1 Hr 36 Mins
Waiting... 2005 R Comedy 1 Hr 34 Mins
Wargames 1983 PG Sci-Fi, Thriller 1 Hr 54 Mins
Westworld 1973 PG-13 Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller, Western 1 Hr 28 Mins
Wizards (Ralph Bakshi's) 1977 PG Animation, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi 1 Hr 20 Mins

("The Suggested List" table is maintained carefully by Lloyd. Please do not edit it without permission.)

Much of the information about the movies is retrieved from IMDb.
Some inaccurate information is possible and has been discovered.
So, please report any inaccuracies to Lloyd so that they may be corrected.
You may reach him via Slack, @lloyd.black or in the #theater_discussion Slack channel.

"Note #1" Information:

Movies flagged with "See Note #1 Below" have scenes with unusual sexual scenes and situations.
Minors are restricted and some viewers may choose to skip this movie when it's scheduled to be shown.
Below is information on each movie with the Note #1 flag and a description of the scenes in question.
Movie Specific Information:
Title: Released: Rating: Genre(s):
The Entity 1982 R Biography, Drama, Horror
Scene Info:
The scenes in "The Entity" that flagged this movie consist of rape by a paranormal 'entity' (thus the name) which is somewhat graphic and contains nudity. Some of it was done through special effects but the content is graphic and may be objectionable for some viewers.
The Evil Dead 1981 NC-17 Horror
The Evil Dead 2013 R Fantasy, Horror
Scene Info:
The scenes in both versions of "The Evil Dead" contain a woman being sexually violated by plants. The original movie from 1981 was more graphic with nudity. I have yet to see the unedited version the reboot in 2013 so I was only able to see a girl get restrained by plants but not stripped while some rather horrible looking root finds it's way up between her legs and suggests it enters her that way. The reboot just has a nasty violation that looks like it would kill a girl. However, I unfortunately need to watch it again to make a better comment about the scene in the reboot.
Some movies that mention 'Note #1" are going to be on the border of the restriction of 'no porn'. However, they're NOT porn, just strange and extremely suggestive so they are still being planned for showing.
The category of "hentai" in anime is often hardcore porn in many of the known videos. So, there will never be any hentai as to prevent the possibility of showing porn.
Additionally, any live action versions of any hentai title will be considered porn. So, there will never be a showing of any live action versions of any questionable hentai.

"Note #2" Information:

Movies that exceed 3 hours in duration will have an intermission during the event.
Intermissions will most likely last at least 15 minutes.
This is done for the comfort of event attendees.
Movie: "Rose Red"
The movie "Rose Red" lasts 4 hours and 14 mins. If this movie is ever shown it will be shown during one long event.
However, it will include an intermission so that people may take biological breaks, get food or drinks as needed, etc..

Star Wars Night

"Star Wars Night" was merged into Theater Discussion Night and therefore the Star Wars series will be shown occasionally during TDN events.

These movies are listed in chronological order based on the story of the series:

Title: Released: Rating: Genre(s): Time Length:
Episode I - The Phantom Menace 1999 PG Action, Adventure, Fantasy 2 Hr 16 Mins
Episode II - Attack of the Clones 2002 PG Action, Adventure, Fantasy 2 Hr 22 Mins
Episode III - Revenge of the Sith 2005 PG-13 Action, Adventure, Fantasy 2 Hr 20 Mins
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story 2016 PG-13 Action, Adventure, Fantasy 2 Hr 13 Mins
Episode IV - A New Hope 1977 PG Action, Adventure, Fantasy 2 Hr 1 Min
Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back 1980 PG Action, Adventure, Fantasy 2 Hr 4 Mins
Episode VI - Return of the Jedi 1983 PG Action, Adventure, Fantasy 2 Hr 11 Mins
Episode VII - The Force Awakens 2015 PG-13 Action, Adventure, Fantasy 2 Hr 16 Mins
Episode VIII - The Last Jedi 2017 PG-13 Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi 2 Hr 32 Mins

The animated series shown on TV are a TV show and therefore will not be shown during TDN events.

Westworld Night

Westworld Night events will be scheduled soon. Keep watching this section for new information about these special events.
These events will be two episodes each night. They will feature the first season initially and then progress into the second season.
There will also be requests for specific episodes if there's enough demand for them.
Please contact Lloyd Black for additional information by using Slack. Lloyd's name on Slack is @lloyd.black.
There are two channels on Slack for Westworld:
#tv-hbo-westworld (For general discussion)
#theater_westworld (Strictly for scheduling dates and times for "Westworld Night" events.)

Discussion

Basic Discussion Rules:

  • Please use some common sense when discussing the movie.
  • Please keep discussions peaceful, no arguments are to start. The whole experience is to be educational and enjoyed by everyone.
  • If the discussion is political due to the politics in the movie, please keep it reasonable.
  • Do NOT bring ANY current day politics into the discussion unless they're relevant to the movie.
This is NOT a platform for anyone's opinion of our current political state.
If an argument does start you will be required to leave immediately.
  • Additionally, DO NOT bring religion into the discussion unless it's directly related to the movie.
  • If religion is a part of the movie, DO NOT bring any heavily biased religious discussion into the discussion of the movie.
  • Do not bring your ego into the discussion. Nobody is right or wrong in discussing fictional movies.
  • Keep in mind that most everything discussed during a fictional movie is only theory, so please do not take opposing theories as fact or personal.

Possible general discussions could include the following:

  • Compare the ethics that existed in the fictional reality of the movie to ours.
  • Compare the fictional reality to our actual reality we're dealing with currently, is it better or worse.
  • How would the movie reality would evolve in it's future.
  • Compare the technology they have to ours. Is it better, worse, totally fictional, a joke, etc..
  • (Optional:) Compare the types of people. Are they even comparable in intelligence, etc..
  • Are the main characters likeable? Do you identify with the antagonist or the protagonist?

Apocalyptic Movies:

  • In an apocalypse movie, what could've changed to prevent the apocalypse that occurred.
  • What will happen to that world after the apocalypse. (Providing the world still exists in some capacity.)
  • Could one person have been instrumental in changing the course of events.

AI (Artificial Intelligence):

Example Movies: "2001: A Space Odyssey", "2010", "Colossus: The Forbin Project"
  • What type of AI was featured in the movie.
  • What did the AI have in mind for the humans and could it have been changed.
  • What kind of OS could it have been running on or was it totally fictional.
  • Was the AI actually sentient and at what point did it become sentient.
  • Did it have assistance from a human to become sentient.
  • How did the AI evolve over the course of the movie and how long did it take.

Androids (also related to AI):

Example Movies: "Android", "Automata", "Bicentennial Man", "Ex Machina"
  • If androids looked similar to real people would you accept them as other people or just machines?
  • For men: If there were female looking androids that could pass for human (and anatomically correct) would you date them or avoid any romantic involvement?
  • For women: If there were male looking androids that could pass for human (and anatomically correct) would you date them or avoid any romantic involvement?
  • Do you believe androids can achieve sentient status or do you believe they can't obtain that status because they're not organic?
  • Could androids obtain sentient status by being sufficiently complex to obtain a soul?
  • Have you considered the implications of AI in androids becoming equal to or better than humans in intelligence?

Aliens (if applicable):

  • Are they even realistic? Too human? Too alien?
  • Would you accept them into our society if they were real?

False reality situations:

Example Movies: "The Matrix", "The Truman Show", "Dark City"
  • If you were to find out that your perceived reality was fake how would you feel about it?
  • If the situation was favorable to you, would you leave it anyway or stay?
  • Would you try to find out who made the environment you live in or stay away from them?
Additional discussion questions for this list are welcome. Please submit them to Lloyd Black on Slack @lloyd.black

Slack Channel for Theater Discussion Night

The Slack channel for Theater Discussion Night, #theater_discussion, is for general discussion of the event and movies in general.
The #theater_discussion channel is also one of the best ways to contact Lloyd regarding the events.
It's also good for discussing the movies shown or to be shown, and talking about movies in general whether they're on the list or not.
Please do not monopolize the channel for discussing certain movies or a sequence of movies like Star Wars, Star Trek or any other movies that follow a specific theme or story line.

Movie Rating System Information:

Basic Movie Rating Information:

Rated G: General Audiences. All ages admitted. Nothing that would offend parents for viewing by children.
Rated PG: Parental Guidance Suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.
Rated PG-13: Parents Strongly Cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.
Rated R: Restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Rated NC-17: Adults Only. No One 17 and Under Admitted. Clearly adult. Children are not admitted.
Not-Rated or Unrated: This means the movie has not been rated by the MPAA or is the "Unrated" version. Viewer discretion is advised.

For "Theater Discussion Night":

Unknown: No rating information was able to be found about the movie after many searches were conducted. Viewer discretion is advised.

Movie Selection and Presentation Process

If people are curious about how movies are selected, here is the process.

Selection and Presentation Process:
Suggestion
  • The selection process starts with a suggestion from someone or an idea that a certain movie may be fun to watch for everyone.
  • The movies shown are never voted upon.
  • Lack of voting is done for different reasons which are not presented but also because movies might be voted down due by people who have not seen the movie and are judging based on lack of accurate information.
  • If someone is rather passionate about a movie being shown, it can be brought up to Lloyd for special consideration. However, there is still no promise it will be selected.
Selection
  • The selection is done when a proper pre-purchase preview can be done. Usually, this is done using Netflix rental, streaming or Amazon's movie streaming service or from Lloyd's own video library.
  • If Lloyd doesn't already have it and it can't be rented, it may be purchased ahead of time if it's considered worthy of being added to the movie library.
  • Additionally, research is done to verify the story and quality of the movie.
  • Many movies will be turned down based on many factors. Some will even be not considered for the suggested movie list. Lloyd reserves the right to be selective on this process.
Acquisition
  • If Lloyd does not own the movie, he purchases it usually through Amazon.com choosing the DVD format by default or whatever is considered the best purchase option.
  • This purchase is usually for a movie that's not being shown at the next event. Usually, it's for the event in the following month or later.
  • Lloyd never selects movies that are only being rented. He only selects movies that he actually owns the original disc for.
  • Movies selected are not the property of FamiLAB. They are property of Lloyd Black and are part of his own movie library.
Preview
  • Lloyd then watches the movie completely, usually more than once. Previewing more than once is done to note if there's anything questionable or offensive.
  • Additionally, watching the movie more than once let's Lloyd catch things not always seen the first time.
  • An offensive movie doesn't mean it's not presented, it's just something to bring up during a pre-movie discussion to let attendees know about possible offensive content.
Wallpaper
  • Lloyd then searches for a movie poster for the movie selected. It is then combined with a suitable wallpaper image that is for showing before the movie is presented.
  • The wallpaper is made to be the size of 1920x1080 in size, as that's the display resolution of the projector as a monitor and his own HDTV at home being used for this purpose.
  • The wallpaper image is then set as the display wallpaper for the specific desktop background of the laptop for the specific output going to the projector. He always has more than one wallpaper.
Preparation for Presentation
  • Lloyd then makes a backup of the movie so that the movie may be played from his HDD used exclusively for this purpose.
  • The movie is test played coming from the HDD before it's considered safe to be played using that method.
  • However, the original movie disc to be shown is always brought with him to prove ownership and in the event that the movie backup doesn't work properly for some reason.
  • The decision of which media player is to be used is done. Usually, it's either PowerDVD 16 or VLC Media Player. VLC has become the player of choice recently.
Presentation (day of event)
  • Lloyd Black sets up the necessary hardware for this event at 8:00 PM - 8:30 PM. This consists of his personal laptop with accessories, movie HDD, Bluetooth speakers and HDMI cable.
  • The actual event starts at 9:00 PM. Attendees are asked to arrive before this time but the event may be delayed if additional attendees are expected to show.
  • Playing the movie is often done during the event at 9:30 PM but is preferred to be at 9:00PM (21:00). Again, this may be delayed if other people are expected and have notified Lloyd of this.
  • In the future, the movie may be shown specifically at 9:00PM not at 9:30PM.
  • In that situation, 9:30pm will be considered a "late start" if certain conditions are experienced which delay the showing.

For reference, a copy of the movie is usually shown so it may play off of an external HDD and the original may be safely kept from damage and wear. All movies are shown from Lloyd's own equipment. They are not shown from another member's equipment as to keep things simple in legal situations regarding ownership and copyright situations. Lloyd retains legal copies of all movies shown. No copies (made from other sources) are to be shown of movies.

Ideas for Special Future Events

  • Lloyd is considering ideas for special TDN events.
1. The first is to watch a set of movies related to each other by topic (but not connected by story) in one long event rather than watch the selected movies over a sequence of weeks or months.
The first such event would be about AI (Artificial Intelligence). There are enough interesting movies with this topic in common to bring together movies to last several hours.
Such a set of themes for perhaps a double feature night could be: AI, paranormal events, apocalypse, controlled worlds/environments etc..
'Controlled environment' movies would be: Logan's Run, The Truman Show, Dark City, The Matrix, etc..
AI movies would be: Bicentennial Man, 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Terminator (anthology), Ex Machina, The Matrix (trilogy) and more.
I considered zombie themed movies but personally, the whole zombie thing is being beaten to death and it's no longer something I want to put together.
Discussions would take place before and after each movie and then have a conclusion or summary discussion at the very end.
This special event would include breaks to eat, drink and do any other necessary actions to sustain it's attendees and retain interest in the event.
Providing food for the attendees is also being considered. Pot luck buffet is a welcome idea if people are interested in contributing.
2. The second idea is to compile a set of short films that by themselves aren't long enough for an event individually.
The short films would have a theme in common in order to make them interesting to watch together.
A discussion would follow each short film and then a summary discussion would conclude the event.
Many short films last anywhere from 10 to 15 mins each. So, 6-12 short films may be watched that would equal a 90 or up to a 120 minute movie.
3. Another idea would be to watch a marathon of a sequence of movies that are part of the same story.
Examples include: The Matrix trilogy, Star Wars anthology (part of it anyway), Alien anthology (close enough connection to be included), Star Trek anthology (parts of it)
Again, this event would need to be planned so that it would start earlier in the day and end late at night.
4. Yet another idea would be to watch a special selected TV series such as "Firefly". A series of special events could let us watch the entire series.
If any series was worth watching like this and then discussing, it's "Firefly".
Yes, it's stated that TV shows won't be shown during this event, it also states that Lloyd can override this. Guess who's coming up with these ideas.

The Fine Print (Disclaimer)

  • Rules listed on the very top of this page are not the only rules for this event. Many rules may be common sense and are not listed due to making the list too long for easy review before an event.
  • Lloyd reserves the right to ask people to leave in the event that people refuse to obey the stated rules.
  • This event will not support any religious or political bias that is brought in by any guest.
  • All movies being shown are for educational purposes as these events also include a mandatory discussion. This is required aspect of this event as to avoid copyright violations.
  • Anyone objecting to the content of the movies are welcome to leave the event. (If you don't like the movie, don't watch it.)
  • In no way will this event ever be for sharing and/or copying movies by anyone attending.
  • For all events, the movie being shown will be coming only from Lloyd's laptop computer. (The only exception being if his laptop isn't functioning, in which case the event could be cancelled.)
  • Movies that are unable to be shown from Lloyd's laptop will be played from a player that will be owned by Lloyd.
  • All movies being shown are will be legally owned by Lloyd and will only come from his own DVD, HD DVD and Blu-ray collection.
  • The contents of this page are subject to change frequently and without notice.
  • Last but not least, only Lloyd reserves the right to override anything stated on this page.
  • All movies shown are from the original media purchased legally from reputable sources such as Amazon.com.
  • Software: All movies shown during the "Theater Discussion Night" are played from either "VLC Media Player" or "PowerDVD" from Cyberlink which is operated using an original, legally purchased license. Both applications were chosen simply for their ease of use, but PowerDVD failed in some instances.
  • Hardware: All movies are played using original hardware in Lloyd's laptop and are unmodified from it's original configuration. (It hasn't been modified to illegally copy movies or copy movies from other region codes outside of the US and it's territories.)
  • Also, being the event uses the classroom projector, Lloyd keeps extra bulbs on hand to replace the bulbs quickly and efficiently. So, please don't order bulbs unless told to do so, there's extra bulbs already available. Ask Lloyd for them before attempting to do it yourself. You may contact Lloyd by Slack @lloyd.black or by phone/text at 321-220-4013. He lives very close to the lab so response and replacement time should be fairly short.

The Acquisition of Movies for TDN Events

First, all movies played for TDN events are initially in DVD format. Please keep this in mind before donating or purchasing movies intended for this event. Blu-ray movies will not be accepted or viewed due to the need for Blu-ray players needing occasional updates which may render the movie unplayable under some circumstances. Typically, all movies being purchased for TDN events are done through Amazon.com: Movies and TV where the quality can be better anticipated and a new movie media is usually ensured.

All of these transactions are for ownership of movies. All movies for use at TDN events are to be owned by Lloyd. Under no condition will there be borrowed movies.
Lloyd does not play movies rented from Netflix. All movies have been legally purchased first.
The ONLY time Netflix has been used was to 'preview' a movie before legally purchasing a movie for use personally or for events.
Currently, there's only been two donations so far in the form of DVD movies.
Other situations are described below.

Movie Donations

Actual movie donations may be made directly to Lloyd in the form of original media of the movie.
These donations are to be made to Lloyd so he may claim legal ownership.
These donations may be used media but must be the original media, not a copy on previously blank media.
Please contact Lloyd if you wish to make a donation. Donations may be done before, or anytime you meet him or on an event night.
It's important to give the donation directly to Lloyd, not through anyone claiming to be associated with Lloyd.
If you wish to personally buy a movie for TDN events, that's acceptable if you contact Lloyd beforehand to make sure the movie is being considered
Or... to get suggestions from Lloyd for movies he's looking to possibly purchase specifically for TDN events.

Used Movie Purchases

Lloyd does NOT maintain a budget for this and will not accept proposals to purchase movies from someone.
Additionally, he will not be persuaded to purchase a movie. That's also a way to really piss him off.
Do not expect him to buy a movie from anyone even if it's on the suggested movie list.

Money Donations for the Event

1. For Buying Food and Movies

Donating cash money is acceptable in the form of tips in the provided "Tip Box" which goes towards purchasing mostly food.
The food that will be regularly purchased will be popcorn for everyone to enjoy. If there are any special flavorings desired please let Lloyd know through a DM or a message in the Slack #theater_discussion channel.
Tips are completely voluntary and NOT expected in any capacity. They are however very appreciated and will enhance the event in the form of food available for everyone attending.
We also accept money for purchasing movies but gift cards are encouraged for that aspect of donations.
The only type of gift cards accepted are for Amazon.com since there are a wide variety of movies available and purchases through Amazon may also help FamiLAB through the use of Amazon Smile.
All of purchases made through Amazon for TDN use "Amazon Smile" as Lloyd is a firm believer in helping FamiLAB using General Donations as well to support FamiLAB as much as possible.
eBay.com:
eBay.com is never used to purchase movies because it's not a reliable marketplace when requiring reliable media. The vendors available on eBay have occasionally sold illegal copies and incorrect movies.
Please be aware that donations towards TDN events are not tax deductible and are not associated with FamiLAB. Lloyd is only a booster member, NOT a board member or an authorized representative of FamiLAB.
Lloyd runs the Theater Discussion Night event personally and doesn't use any FamiLAB funds for any aspect of the event.
Lloyd's laptop, the Bluetooth speakers, and all movies used are his personal property.
Lloyd has not asked for nor received funds from FamiLAB to maintain the event.

2. Actual food donations - If you wish to donate in the form of buying food for the event.

Please communicate with Lloyd directly for this situation to discuss what would be acceptable food.
Bringing food to an event to be shared with everyone is acceptable but must be planned and previously discussed before an event where the food would be presented.
Lloyd does NOT maintain a budget for TDN events and will not reimburse people for things purchased for events without previous discussion.
Please contact Lloyd through Slack for this. A direct message would be best, his name on Slack is lloyd.black .
You may also bring the topic up on the slack channel for TDN which is #theater_discussion .

Some Informational Links Regarding Movies

IMDb (Internet Movie Database) - Popular Searchable Additional Movie information
MPAA Film Ratings Guide
FilmRatings.com (Searchable Movie Ratings)
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