Another point–it wasn’t necessary for the sun to be almost dead–a small reduction in its output ( call it a long period variable star) would
be enough to threaten the earth. And that could be the result of deep internal process change started LONG ago.

I could have written a much better movie–with accurate science, in my sleep. With no psychopathy, and lots about physics, the LHC, human culture adapting to the threat and the cooling, how the icarus ship was designed, and built ( there is where human ambivalence and religious
resistance can come in) and then the launching and the trip.

Penny

By the way, here is a more sensible way to turn on a star: You create an artifical small
black hole and send it into the interior of the star using a wormhole.
Both the wormhole and the black hole are created using mid 21 century
knowledge of higher dimensional string theory learned at the LHC after 20 years. The black hole absorbs star matter and creates an alternative
energy source.
Penny

In my opinion, it’s not the average “science fiction” movie … I think that – in a way and maybe taking a lot of liberties – it could be some sort of equivalent of some science fiction books … think Asimov, Poul Anderson, Robert A. Heinlein, Larry Niven, etc …

I liked the movie, a lot …

it’s not The Core … not at all …

I think there would be some errors and bad astronomy … some people on the IMDB boards posted about them … (I won’t mention the comments, to avoid spoilers) … but I don’t think those are a serious crime …

I really hope for an entry about the movie … =)

Yes, the premise *does* sound outrageous. Trust me when I say that the ‘mission to the Sun’ is to Sunshine what the ‘briefcase’ is to Pulp Fiction… It’s not like The Core (during which even my 10 year old son said ‘Wait! That’s not possible, is it?!’). It’s not like Event Horizon. It’s not a “disaster movie”. Don’t let the marketing people fool you…

The filmmakers (Alex Garland and Dany Boyle) want to use the film as a way to talk about science. They hired Brian Cox from CERN (my husband, actually) as science advisor. Brian admittedly had quite a time working out an explanation for why the Sun could be “dimming”. This is what he came up with.

The filmmakers are taking Brian around the world with them when they do press for the film so that he can talk to the world’s *film media* about science and CERN… which is no bad thing…

Both the filmmakers and the actors were so inspired and excited by their pre-filming scientific ‘education’ that one of the actors, Cillian Murphy (28 Days Later, Batman Begins, The Wind That Shakes the Barley) gave a talk at the Royal Society saying that he believes the work being done at CERN is ‘truly an heroic pursuit’.

I guess I can say what it is: the space ship viewed from space is going to be silent! (there’s hoping)

There are so many trilling science based stories to tell, why do sci-fi movies these days have to be based on a clueless premise? It can’t all be the fault of clueless audiences. It has something to do with the unseen asphixiation of the market.

Seeing as how we’re all science geeks here and there is a strong realtionship between science geekery and enjoyment of science fiction I figured I’d post it.
It is a quite enjoyable short story about the sun going out… the author is a fellow by the name of Sam Hughes – and not a bad writer of sci-fi shortstories.

Because there’s limits. If two cops on CSI jump into a police car, and the police cars flys across the city through the air with no explanation, that breaks the limits assuming it isn’t some fantasy Blade Runner sequence.

I consider myself pretty open minded when it comes to fiction. For example, I’m a hard core skeptic who really likes the show Medium, and my major crush on Patricia Arquette has *nothing* to do with it. Honest. I’m the local Mr. Science Guy, but I read a lot of fantasy along with my SF.

But why watch a bad movie with bad popcorn when I can see a good movie with good popcorn? There’s enough choices out there, or in my own home theater, so that I don’t have to watch crap.

There’s also the consideration that if people keep going to see bad movies, Hollywood will continue to make bad movies. If it’s really “so bad you have to see it” then at least wait until it shows up on television and won’t register as a ticket sale or rental.

Sundiver from David Brin gives good ideas on how a ship might survive inside the Sun’s atmosphere. One nice idea: an X-ray cooling pump laser.

So I read the comments, and was not surprised.

But then I did what is in-explicable. I downloaded the HD version, as recommended by Caesar at 9:45pm, and was faced with three size choices – I selected the 38Mb version (others were 84 and 134Mb), and was prepared to wait a while while it loaded. Took about 30 seconds I reckon, and stretching the screen to the full entent, viewed the trailer again and saw much, much more than on the piddly little version in lo def, with no way to enlarge it. (Not that it would be any use as the thing would pixellate and jerk even more!)

I am almost game to d/l the 134Mb one, as these are in Quicktime, I should be suitably impressed.

So I have a better appreciation of the trailer at least, and I would enjoy the movie when it comes out, especially for the effects, even if I have to suspend my scientific sensibilities (hopefully). Still, it’s a silly plot.

Ivan.

Some folks need to step back… cause emulating emotionless Vulcan’s really ISN’T cool.

Phil, seriously. I’m mean, c’mon. You have no thoughts about this movie and think the trailer is cool? Losing respect, man, losing respect.

I’m not even an amateur astronomer and I think I vomited a little in my mouth when I saw this trailer.

As for Sunshine, though… I’d like to say I have faith in Danny Boyle, but if anything having a quality filmmaker on board is going to make the premise all the more painful.

I enjoyed The Core because it was an awful movie that knew it was awful and just didn’t care all that much. I’m not sure I can stomach the same ridiculous premise in a film that intends to actually be good.

it’s not like they are galactic water heaters that can go out, and all you need to do is relight the pilot.

if the star is still there, it kind of has to keep doing its fusion reaction thing… right?