I think you mean they're real footage of ants blown up to look 'scary.' Which means they look ridiculous. No expensive stop-motion in this flick; Bert believed in cheap.

What the — ?
Seriously, what's with Zemeckis these days? Has he gone mad? Why does he keep beating this mocap horse? The guy's a talented director, and he's made some good movies. Now it seems he's lost to us forever. It's depressing.

Canniballistic Humanoid Underground Dweller, from bad 80's movie.

Talos
The instant when he comes to life, turning his head to regard the tiny human interlopers with a squeal of tortured metal IS THE COOLEST MOMENT IN MOVIE HISTORY. At least that's what I thought when I was a kid. As an adult I could probably come up with some others that might rival it but it might still rate #1…

Sorry, I stand corrected: Scott's latest is a runaway train thriller called UNSTOPPABLE. THE WARRIORS remake may still shoot in L.A. but with the way studios chase atter tax incentives I doubt it.

Tony Scott's next
Remake of 'The Warriors' set in L.A. will be filmed in either Michigan or Pennsylvania. No I'm not kidding. They're chasing after tax incentives.

Many Doomsday Machines
The concept of ancient alien war machines still roaming the galaxy was lifted from Fred Saberhagen's Berserker stories.

Generations
I too have a lot of love for this first TNG flick. Patrick Stewart's acting really elevates the proceedings, and his style contrasts well with Shatner's. They both look like they're enjoying acting together.

I love this woman.
First of all, she's one of the best actresses in the business. Never gave a performance that wasn't topnotch, if not scene-stealing.

Puerto Ricans
Wasn't Commodore Mendez ('Menagerie I & II) Puerto Rican? He was cool.

Ballard's sci fi
My intro to Ballard's science fiction was a hardcover that includes both 'The Drowned World' and 'The Wind From Nowhere.' Excellent, unsettling, post-apocalyptic adventures with superb prose and atmosphere.

I'm with you on RYAN'S DAUGHTER danrimage. Jarre's music was a rock-solid foundation for a film story told as much as possible without dialogue.

THE LAST OF HIS KIND
I read that George R. Stewart was partly inspired by the true story of a California Native American who was discovered early in the 20th century as, literally, the last of his tribe. He knew nothing of our so-called Western civilization and no one was left who could speak his language. I…