The Man From Earth (2007): EXCELLENT EXCELLENT EXCELLENT!!!!

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
WOW! I just watched "The Man From Earth" (2007) for the first time. I was leery when I read the synopsis, but the movie was a tour de force of writing. EXCELLENT movie! I strongly recommend it for anyone who has never seen it.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0756683/

IMdB synopsis:

An impromptu goodbye party for Professor John Oldman becomes a mysterious interrogation after the retiring scholar reveals to his colleagues he is an immortal who has walked the earth for 14,000 years.
Capture.JPG

That synopsis does not do this movie justice at all. Somehow, the brilliant writing in this movie takes a simple setting of a small cabin in the woods, and a single room with a fireplace. The characters are developed from the beginning of the movie to the end, and it was done with NO special effects or explosions or car chases or anything...all takes place in that cabin sitting around talking about John Oldman. This is a thinking person's movie...not dark, but mind-provoking. The end was so poignant...MUST SEE!
 

Bluce Ree

Tech Admin / Council Member
WOW! I just watched "The Man From Earth" (2007) for the first time. I was leery when I read the synopsis, but the movie was a tour de force of writing. EXCELLENT movie! I strongly recommend it for anyone who has never seen it.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0756683/

IMdB synopsis:


That synopsis does not do this movie justice at all. Somehow, the brilliant writing in this movie takes a simple setting of a small cabin in the woods, and a single room with a fireplace. The characters are developed from the beginning of the movie to the end, and it was done with NO special effects or explosions or car chases or anything...all takes place in that cabin sitting around talking about John Oldman. This is a thinking person's movie...not dark, but mind-provoking. The end was so poignant...MUST SEE!

You've become the proverbial kid in a candy store with your Netflix. :icon_lol:

I look forward to your reviews of these lesser known movies. I'm terrible at scrolling through the thousands of titles they have looking for something good.
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
You've become the proverbial kid in a candy store with your Netflix. :icon_lol:

I look forward to your reviews of these lesser known movies. I'm terrible at scrolling through the thousands of titles they have looking for something good.

If you like cerebral science fiction stories, then this is a MUST SEE. Its a tour de force of writing, and the interaction with our small cast is something you MUST see. I would never pick this up from the cover of the DVD or even reading the synopsis in it. But watching it was a real treat. You need to watch this movie! :) It has Dr Phlox from ST Enterprise in it (dont know his name, but you know who I mean). He does a great job in this flick. MUST SEE!

And yes, I LOVE Netflix!
 

Bluce Ree

Tech Admin / Council Member
If you like cerebral science fiction stories, then this is a MUST SEE. Its a tour de force of writing, and the interaction with our small cast is something you MUST see. I would never pick this up from the cover of the DVD or even reading the synopsis in it. But watching it was a real treat. You need to watch this movie! :) It has Dr Phlox from ST Enterprise in it (dont know his name, but you know who I mean). He does a great job in this flick. MUST SEE!

And yes, I LOVE Netflix!

I put the movie in my queue. I'll probably watch it tomorrow.

I also have Hulu on my PS3. Between Netflix and Hulu, there's really no reason I can see for me to pay for cable TV anymore. It's just too bad that Hulu+ doesn't have all the content available on regular Hulu. Why the networks make such a big hoopla over what you are and aren't allowed watching on whatever media they choose is such a cluster****.
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
I put the movie in my queue. I'll probably watch it tomorrow.

I also have Hulu on my PS3. Between Netflix and Hulu, there's really no reason I can see for me to pay for cable TV anymore. It's just too bad that Hulu+ doesn't have all the content available on regular Hulu. Why the networks make such a big hoopla over what you are and aren't allowed watching on whatever media they choose is such a clusterf**k.

How much is Hulu+, and is there advertising on it? That is the number one criteria...I am an Anti-Advertising Activist. :) I will cancel Netflix the very first time I see a commercial on it that I did not ask to see.
 

Bluce Ree

Tech Admin / Council Member
How much is Hulu+, and is there advertising on it? That is the number one criteria...I am an Anti-Advertising Activist. :) I will cancel Netflix the very first time I see a commercial on it that I did not ask to see.

Hulu+ is $7.99 / month. Same as Hulu, some shows aren't "licensed" by the content providers to be shown on your TV so they're only available on Hulu. The ones that are on Hulu+ usually have all episodes ever made available. No Stargate on Hulu+. But I did catch up on both seasons of Invisible Man the other day. :D
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
Hulu+ is $7.99 / month. Same as Hulu, some shows aren't "licensed" by the content providers to be shown on your TV so they're only available on Hulu. The ones that are on Hulu+ usually have all episodes ever made available. No Stargate on Hulu+. But I did catch up on both seasons of Invisible Man the other day. :D

What about commercials? None on Netflix, which is why I love it. Its the closest thing to what I have when I am watching my personal media library selections. It simply plays uninterrupted and no commercials. Is Hulu+ like that?
 

Bluce Ree

Tech Admin / Council Member
What about commercials? None on Netflix, which is why I love it. Its the closest thing to what I have when I am watching my personal media library selections. It simply plays uninterrupted and no commercials. Is Hulu+ like that?

Hulu+ has commercials but it's usually four 15-30 second commercials throughout the whole show. It's no different than regular Hulu except for the content. Netflix is unbeatable except for the fact that content is very late. at $7.99, Hulu+ on your TV isn't bad. Most shows will have the new episode available immediately after or the next day after it's aired. Way faster than regular Hulu.

There's a way around Hulu+, though. Get the PlayOn media server for $40, which is DLNA compliant. Your DLNA device will find it on the network (i.e. most new TVs, Blueray players, PS3, Wii, Xbox360, etc) and you'll be able to stream regular Hulu right to your TV along with content from a ton of other websites, including CBS, ABC, NBC, Syfy, etc. It is a great streamed-content aggregater.

Ferocious Planet is on Syfylys right now. It's good to see Flanigan back on the screen in a military role. Really nostalgic. I think I'm going to treat myself to an SGA marathon this week on Netflix.
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
No Hulu+ for me, Im afraid!

Hulu+ has commercials but it's usually four 15-30 second commercials throughout the whole show. It's no different than regular Hulu except for the content. Netflix is unbeatable except for the fact that content is very late. at $7.99, Hulu+ on your TV isn't bad. Most shows will have the new episode available immediately after or the next day after it's aired. Way faster than regular Hulu.

There's a way around Hulu+, though. Get the PlayOn media server for $40, which is DLNA compliant. Your DLNA device will find it on the network (i.e. most new TVs, Blueray players, PS3, Wii, Xbox360, etc) and you'll be able to stream regular Hulu right to your TV along with content from a ton of other websites, including CBS, ABC, NBC, Syfy, etc. It is a great streamed-content aggregater.

Ferocious Planet is on Syfylys right now. It's good to see Flanigan back on the screen in a military role. Really nostalgic. I think I'm going to treat myself to an SGA marathon this week on Netflix.

I can wait for content if it is commercial-free. I dont think I have seen a commercial in its entirety in several YEARS. I cannot watch TV or cable live because they contain commercials. I do not listen to broadcast radio because of commercials. I play internet radio or a CD/MP3 selection instead. When I see or hear commercials I equate them with the SPAM in my mailbox, the begging panhandlers in front of liquor stores, the hard-sell salesman who shows up at your door in your security building and has ignored the NO SOLICITING sign and gotten in the front door somehow. I compare them to those flyers you find under your windshield when you leave the theater or the supermarket. I see THIS in my head when I see commercials:

advertisers.jpg
 

mzzz

Well Known GateFan
I watched it, the ending was kinda good but I was hoping for a little more. Some of it was fairly intelligent, some not so much. But I did like the originality of this story, was hoping for a bit more. I'll spoiler what I mean
It's obvious that he grew normally for a while but suddenly stopped aging. There must have been some thing that happened in his past to initiate that. I mean is his lack of aging like Logan? Where he just ages slowly? Or was it something that happened to him that gave him that immortal aspect? And another thing I didn't like was how easily the intellectuals believed his story to be an elaborate joke, but then again, most of us prefer to believe the lie rather than face the music.
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
I watched it, the ending was kinda good but I was hoping for a little more. Some of it was fairly intelligent, some not so much. But I did like the originality of this story, was hoping for a bit more. I'll spoiler what I mean
It's obvious that he grew normally for a while but suddenly stopped aging. There must have been some thing that happened in his past to initiate that. I mean is his lack of aging like Logan? Where he just ages slowly? Or was it something that happened to him that gave him that immortal aspect? And another thing I didn't like was how easily the intellectuals believed his story to be an elaborate joke, but then again, most of us prefer to believe the lie rather than face the music.

I thought about that too (in the spoiler). But I also liked the fact that John (the main character) was not a real scientist. He did not know why this was true for him. What impressed me most was the writing. They managed to take this story and tell it with less than 10 people, in a small one-room cabin, and keep me riveted for two hours or so. The ending was PERFECT! For me, this was a very intelligent movie. Great casting, great direction....a keeper for sure.
 

Tripler

Well Known GateFan
I enjoyed it very much . It was nice to see Warf's brother( Tony Todd) in it . He has such a wicked voice . Very notable just like ( James Earl Jones , who is my favorite actor ever ) I was very surprised by this little jem . Like you said OM1 . They do the whole thing in a cabin and pull it off brilliantly . It could be a great stage play also which is the way I felt while watching it . All the character,s made me want to know more about them . Again they did this very well :)
 

mzzz

Well Known GateFan
Yes, the writing of it was fantastic and packed a punch with little aesthetics, was pure story and a pretty good one. Kinda makes one wonder how it would hold up if it also had the backing up of graphics and such. I thought John had various degrees but some of his knowledge is outdated because he hasn't been able to keep up with all the recent advances? Was nice to see those guys in the movie though, two of them were in stargate, right?
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
Yes, the writing of it was fantastic and packed a punch with little aesthetics, was pure story and a pretty good one. Kinda makes one wonder how it would hold up if it also had the backing up of graphics and such. I thought John had various degrees but some of his knowledge is outdated because he hasn't been able to keep up with all the recent advances? Was nice to see those guys in the movie though, two of them were in stargate, right?

Yes, and one was in Star Trek (Dr Phlox from Enterprise was the Denobulan doctor).
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
I enjoyed it very much . It was nice to see Warf's brother( Tony Todd) in it . He has such a wicked voice . Very notable just like ( James Earl Jones , who is my favorite actor ever ) I was very surprised by this little jem . Like you said OM1 . They do the whole thing in a cabin and pull it off brilliantly . It could be a great stage play also which is the way I felt while watching it . All the character,s made me want to know more about them . Again they did this very well :)

Thats it! It did feel like a stage play! It could EASILY be done as a play, and I bet it was written as such before being turned into a movie. I was so surprised at how good it was.
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
Yes and Tony Todd played Kurn . Warf's brother in the STNG

Love Tony Todd. He was also the Jaffa Haikon in SG-1 as leader of the Sodan. He was in The Fourth Horseman.
 
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