Ask HN: What's a modern equivalent of the 80's "War Games" movie?

#1

Post by gur » Fri, Dec 12, 2008, 9:36 PM UTC

I saw "War Games" (1983) movie as a teenager and that changed my world. For a European guy like me, it was the first time I saw a home computer or a modem. Matthew Broderick's incarnation of an computer geek was so cool I was determined to become one. I didn't even know the term "hacker" but that movie definitely was influential enough to make me want being one of them.

That was back in the 80's. What movies (if any) are driving young hackers nowadays?

Re: Ask HN: What's a modern equivalent of the 80's "War Games" movie?

#2

Post by shutter » Fri, Dec 12, 2008, 11:26 PM UTC

Somewhat related: They made a WarGames sequel. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0865957/

I don't know of any hacker-related movies specifically, but I'd note a few sci-fi movies that inspired technological creativity: Flubber (the hovering robot), I Robot, Ironman. Also Futurama, in a somewhat different way.

Re: Ask HN: What's a modern equivalent of the 80's "War Games" movie?

#3

Post by ruddzw » Sat, Dec 13, 2008, 12:19 AM UTC

I'm inclined to just say WarGames. But the closest that I've seen in a more modern tone was Antitrust. None of my computer-inclined friends seemed to respect it though.

Re: Ask HN: What's a modern equivalent of the 80's "War Games" movie?

#4

Post by thorax » Sat, Dec 13, 2008, 7:37 AM UTC

Live Free or Die Hard maybe? War Games Dead Code? Antitrust?

Not sure if those are driving people, but they try to put kids in those sort of situations to help save the world.

Re: Ask HN: What's a modern equivalent of the 80's "War Games" movie?

#5

Post by manvsmachine » Sat, Dec 13, 2008, 6:21 PM UTC

Strangely enough, I'd say Iron Man. A lot of people I've talked to about the movie were more into Tony Stark's smart home tech than they were into the suit. I distinctly remember one female friend of mine who despises tech talk, asking me all about whether it would be possible to engineer those self-dimming window displays.

Maybe it's not as realistically grounded as others, but it definitely shows people why we do what we do: we like building cool stuff.

Re: Ask HN: What's a modern equivalent of the 80's "War Games" movie?

#6

Post by bemmu » Sun, Dec 14, 2008, 4:21 PM UTC

The feel of the computer culture back then was so different. Perhaps now the reality of the web itself is enough? We don't need movies about cyberspace any longer, it's here now, and that's exciting.