T-CON Wrap-Up

Mission accomplished! I had a great time attending several entertaining sci-fi events, watch parties, and presentations during the week of T-CON. When I first arrived at the conference center with a friend, we aimlessly wandered the corridors for a bit since it was our first visit there. I even joked that we had been teleported into Backrooms, only with lighter-colored walls and less furniture. lol

The opening reception was fun, and we talked about which sci-fi books and films had a big impact on our lives. My first choice was Star Wars, and I saw the film when I was only 8 years old. Jessica6 was more than a little surprised at this bit of trivia, but I can still vividly remember that awesome opening with a star destroyer chasing Princess Leia's spacecraft.

Afterwards, I went into another room and voted for my favorite sci-fi movies from the 1960s to the 1970s. I also have to give a nod to John Carpenter's The Thing, which was not on the 1980s board. It featured awesome special effects and tons of gore from start to finish, and one of my father's college buddies even appeared in the movie. Check it out sometime if you have never seen The Thing.

I also hosted a few events at my cafe. We watched a documentary on the 1986 film Aliens, and it was interesting to see the tension between director James Cameron and his U.K. crew. You cannot argue with what ended up onscreen, though.

Also on my event schedule was a watch-party for a Twilight-Zone episode -- "Death Ship" written by famed sci-fi author Richard Matheson. This one was excellent, and I love the eerie and timeless appeal this series offers viewers.

I also decided to shamelessly extend T-Con for an additional day and host a screening of Aliens at Words and Lyrics Cafe. A few viewers had never seen Aliens before, and we had a nice time commenting on various aspects of the film as the terror unfolded. Francis7 opined that Aliens has a definite 1980s vibe while Ridley Scott's sets in Alien better stand the test of time.

It was also fun seeing everyone dressed up in their sci-fi gear during events. My red, Disky-designed top, sunglasses and hat gave me sort of a NASA vibe, according to a friend.  I have never been a cosplayer in real life, but I now have a better idea why people enjoy it so much. In closing, I have to say that I am already looking forward to next year's T-Con.

My Top Sci-Fi Movies

1960s- Planet of the Apes

I saw this one on television in the 1970s and loved it. Great story written by Rod Serling, and the costumes were nominated for an Academy Award. Probably deserved at least one Oscar. Epic ending that still has the power to shock!

1970s- Star Wars

I was a little kid when I saw this movie in the theater with my father, older sister, and brother in 1977. An amazing experience that inspired at least 5 years of collecting action figures, X-wings, TIE fighters, and even a toy Death Star with a trash compactor! I also remember having a huge crush on Princess Leia at the time.

1980s- Aliens

A perfect sequel to Alien, the 1979 film directed by Ridley Scott. This film has everything -- solid acting, a great performance by Sigourney Weaver, as well as outstanding visual effects. I also saw this one in a movie theater, and Aliens just barely nudges out The Empire Strikes Back for 1st place in my rankings.

1990s- Jurassic Park

I watched Jurassic Park with some friends in 1992 at a theater in Japan. Groundbreaking visual effects for the time, and I remember a kid bursting into tears in the theater during that scary T-Rex scene. I had also read the book prior to seeing the film; Michael Crichton's novel is much scarier than the movie, in my opinion.

2000s- Avatar

I liked this movie but did not love it, to be honest. The hype for Avatar was overwhelming, and I did not find the computer-generated Na'vi humanoids as convincing as any characters in Planet of the Apes. That being said, the world building in Avatar was very impressive, and I enjoyed the sequel even more.