http://intuitor.com/moviephysics
‘On this site, some of the top-grossing movies of the past decade have been reviewed from a scientist’s perspective. The reviews are written, for the most part, in laymen’s terms and are easy to understand. What they say are usually simple common-sense evaluations (aside from the occasional complex mathematical equation) but the average moviegoer probably does not think of movies from this perspective. In addition, we enjoyed the site because it made us feel more like a member of the intellectually elite community.
The most attractive reviews on the site are the big sci-fi names: “Star Wars: Episode I,” “A.I.,” and “The Matrix.” They provide a good example, not only for what you’re getting into when you read these reviews, but also what you’re getting into when you fall prey to Hollywood’s bright lights and special effects.
The review of “The Matrix” is cynically berating at points, but it also acknowledges the loopholes and outs set up by directors. The reviewer allows the Hackers to escape the laws of physics, but mere humans have to obey the laws. After working smoothly around the escapes from logic the Wachowski brothers built into the film, the article has this to say about the computer power problem in the movie:
“To cover itself, the movie throws in a quick mention that the human energy source powering the machines is combined with a source of fusion. This is like getting on a 747 and having the captain explain in great detail that the plane is rubber-band powered, then add that it also has four jet engines. Guess which power source gets it off the ground, duh.”
The whole Intuitor.com site is an impressive wealth of information. It is a good educational resource. The Insultingly Stupid Movie Physics page is the most eye-catching subsection of the site because it combines insult with intellect. As Zadie Smith writes in her first novel, “White Teeth,” “Can’t say fairer than that.”
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