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 I haven't seen the movie Independence Day in 15+ years. Today, I wrote up a summary of the plot based on memory alone. I will watch the movie later and compare my memories of the movie to what actually happens in it. The Characters  Will Smith: hotshot air-force pilot; one of the few pilots who survives the initial invasion. Says “welcome to Earth!” at some point, which people often misremember as “Welcome to Earf” because they’re racist. Flies the mission to destroy the mothership.  The President: I don’t remember who plays this guy but he leads the world’s resistance by default because why wouldn’t America do that? I think he also used to be a pilot and flies the last mission, sacrificing himself at the end?  Jeff Goldblum: plays a nebbish scientist who gets wind of the invasion early and tries to warn everyone but no one listens until it’s too late! I think he figures out the weaknesses of the aliens after they go to Area 51. Also I think his wife died and that he’s like haunted by that or something? That might be another character (maybe the president? Or the other guy?) though.  Some Old Guy: I think he’s on vacation with his kids or grandkids or something in a big camper. They survive the invasion because they’re out in the middle of nowhere. He might also have been an airforce pilot or something because I remember a scene where someone is flying a crop duster early in the movie. He might actually be the one whose wife dies and who sacrifices himself? Maybe he’s related to Jeff Goldblum’s character?  Two (?) Kids: They’re with the old guy, they’re his kids or grandkids or something? Mostly there to try and appeal to younger audiences? I think the girl was older and the boy was younger. I don’t think they do anything pertinent to the plot though. Maybe Jeff Goldblum’s kids?  Is Randy Quaid In This Movie?: Is he? I think I remember him being in this. The Plot: - We start out in present day (1990s) earth. Everything starts out chill but then scientist guy gets and early warning that an alien fleet is approaching earth. His warnings are dismissed early on. I think people get some kind of heads up though because I remember scenes of people partying and/or greeting the aliens as friends. But OH NO they are not friends and blow those people up along with earth’s famous monuments (the white house, the pyramids, the eifel tower, mount rushmore?) and cities. I think the president escapes the white house at the last minute. - Earth’s militaries are completely overwhelmed by superior alien technology. At least one pilot escapes, Will Smith, who is so good that he manages to destroy an alien fighter through trickery (earth’s weapons maybe can’t damage them?) before he bails out of the plane. - Will Smith lands in the desert where he meets up with the family in the camper (maybe including Jeff Goldblum?) and tells them they’re near a military base. The old guy says “it’s not on the map” but guess what it’s Area 51 and it’s real. The president and Jeff Goldblum get there somehow. - At Area 51 government scientists have managed to capture one of the aliens and is studying/trying to interrogate it. There’s a scene where the alien breaks loose and manages to grab one of the scientists and then use his voice to tell the characters that the aliens are just here to strip the planet of its minerals and other resources before moving on, revealing that they have no real agenda other than acquisitive greed and are thoroughly rotten. This scene scared me pretty bad as a kid. Somehow though the scientists led by Jeff Goldbloom figure out that there is some weakness that the aliens have. - At this point, I keep getting Independence Day mixed up with other alien invasion movies that have more of a twist. Like I was thinking that the aliens were vulnerable to some common earth virus (War of the Worlds?) or water (Signs) or something. Anyway, I think they just find out that all the alien space crafts are controlled by a mothership which has some kind of structural vulnerability and a last minute desperate air assault using the few remaining aircraft the Earth (aka the United States) has is needed to destroy it (Star Wars). - Also, I think maybe they manage to get the alien fighter Will Smith shot down working again and either he or the president or something fly it during this mission. It might be the only thing with weapons that can damage the mothership. - The president gives a badass speech about fighting back against the aliens in which he again conflates the world with America and talks about the 4th of July. Then everyone goes on the mission (including the president who comes off the bench to be a badass pilot again. Maybe.). Someone, I think the president (or maybe Randy Quaid???), sacrifices himself so that Will Smith can take the shot that destroys the mothership (this might be the “Welcome to Earth!” moment). - The mothership is destroyed and all the ships it was controlling crash to the earth as people around the world celebrate in front of the few surviving monuments. - Oh poo poo, I think actually Will Smith has a girlfriend or something that he thought might have died and they reunite at the end. Okay that's it. We'll see how well my 9 year old brain internalized a pretty forgettable movie (imho). Time is a precious thing and it is easily squandered. |
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Nov 28, 2020 20:25
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| # ? Apr 25, 2024 03:15 |
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you forgot about the dog
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Nov 28, 2020 21:14
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Heather Papps posted:you forgot about the dog poo poo!!! |
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Nov 28, 2020 22:04
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Jeff Goldblum works for the government or something and has an extremely rad 90s Apple laptop with a satellite dish thing he can stick on the outside of his car to get network signal anywhere. He uses this laptop to hack into the alien mothership to ruin it by giving them a virus that shows skulls and x's on their screens. But they had to go into space to do that. Will Smith smokes a cigar and laments that he isn't at a barbecue that day while dragging the punched in face alien through the desert on his parachute. It's extremely easy for the government to find Will Smith in the desert sands. They find his crashed plane and follow the fresh prints. |
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Nov 28, 2020 22:31
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Randy Quaid prepared for that role by actually going crazy. |
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Nov 28, 2020 22:48
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the only thing i remember from that movie is america saving the day and everyone in the world celebrating 4th of july? |
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Nov 28, 2020 23:22
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Fml... Randy Quaid is the the old guy... 
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Nov 28, 2020 23:41
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wilkommen die earthezeit!! |
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Nov 29, 2020 00:00
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*Barack Obama somber voice* ladies and gentlemen, today the president is a dreamy single father |
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Nov 29, 2020 00:10
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hello boys. I’m baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack - dies instantly
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Nov 29, 2020 02:29
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VANISHER
HEATHER PAPPS
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Displeased Moo Cow posted:hello boys. I’m baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack who will care for his children? |
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Nov 29, 2020 07:26
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data was the scientist. data, from star trek |
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Nov 29, 2020 08:00
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deadking posted:- Oh poo poo, I think actually Will Smith has a girlfriend or something that he thought might have died and they reunite at the end. she defeated a wall of plasma by going round a corner |
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Nov 29, 2020 08:04
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Looking forward to reading your reactions to seeing it again, OP. |
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Nov 29, 2020 08:30
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I watched the movie last night. I think I remembered the plot of the movie fairly well while also forgetting a ton of stuff. I think I conflated every single scientist type character into Jeff Goldblum. I forgot about the SETI people and Data the weirdo Area 51 scientist and also Harvey Fierstein. I barely remembered Randy Quaid being in this and thought that the president did a lot of the stuff that his character does. When you think about it the Randy Quaid character and his kids have basically nothing to do with the movie until he sacrifices himself. The kids only seem to be in the movie so that its kind of sad when Randy Quaid dies. The oldest kid (there were three, not two) thought it was extremely epic when his dad flew into the alien ship and did not seem all that upset about it tbh. I did remember correctly that the president's wife dies but I thought that happened before the movie and basically forgot all of the stuff with her and with Jeff Goldblum's ex wife. I laughed a lot when it turned out the first lady survived her crash only to die of internal bleeding later (those doctors definitely didn't seem all that concerned). Oh also I had to look this up but the girl playing the president's daughter played Ann on Arrested Development so that's tight. I did remember the virus but it was a computer virus not a disease  canyoneer posted:Jeff Goldblum works for the government or something and has an extremely rad 90s Apple laptop with a satellite dish thing he can stick on the outside of his car to get network signal anywhere. I forgot all the details about what Jeff Goldblum was doing other than that he was key to beating the aliens on July 4th, Independence Day. Speaking of the movie takes place over like 2 days which means we beat an alien invasion in about 48 hours. Humanity rocks. Unfortunately I have to say that this movie did not hold up. I thought it was so kickass when I saw it in theaters but watching it now the action scenes are weirdly slow and clunky. I will give the movie a C, but my ability to remember it a cool B-, maybe a B since I correctly remembered that three of the main characters are fighter pilots (including the president!!). |
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Nov 29, 2020 17:52
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I always thought it was funny that independence means liberty and freedom from tyranny and stuff but in the film they're fighting to prevent the full on extinction of humanity, so in the president's big speech near the end they're basically declaring independence from being dead |
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Nov 29, 2020 18:46
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canyoneer posted:It's extremely easy for the government to find Will Smith in the desert sands. They find his crashed plane and follow the fresh prints. don't have much to add just wanted to say "nice thread op" and emptyquote this bit. thanks!
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Nov 29, 2020 21:30
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deadking have you seen the second Independence Day?
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Nov 29, 2020 21:58
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I need it summarised also a section on “what happened to will?”
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Nov 29, 2020 22:22
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Displeased Moo Cow posted:
He punches alien, smokes cigar, and marries stripper. Not necessarily in that order. |
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Nov 30, 2020 00:45
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deadking posted:He punches alien, smokes cigar, and marries stripper. Not necessarily in that order. I was going to make another post, but my autocorrect typed "wool smooths" instead of Will Smith's and that's pretty noteworthy. |
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Nov 30, 2020 01:02
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deadking posted:He punches alien, smokes cigar, and marries stripper. Not necessarily in that order. I meant in the second one but this is just as satisfying
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Nov 30, 2020 02:25
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GODSPEED JOHN GLENN posted:I was going to make another post, but my autocorrect typed "wool smooths" instead of Will Smith's and that's pretty noteworthy. |
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Nov 30, 2020 09:08
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deadking posted:He punches alien, smokes cigar, and marries stripper. Not necessarily in that order. When you put it like this it sounds like you judged the first movie harshly. I dunno I have always romanticised tobacco use, it is probably just me. |
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Nov 30, 2020 09:10
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i got the fresh prints joke canyoneer. just saying I'm on top of this
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Nov 30, 2020 10:25
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checkmate!
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Nov 30, 2020 10:26
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thank you for after 15 years remembering that he very clearly says Earth with a prominent th sound because that particular racist Mandela effect poo poo is so pervasive
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Nov 30, 2020 10:33
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rear end-penny posted:deadking have you seen the second Independence Day? no, I assumed it was going to be not good. Is it worth it? rear end-penny posted:When you put it like this it sounds like you judged the first movie harshly. I dunno I have always romanticised tobacco use, it is probably just me. TBH I can't remember if I had any particular reaction as a 9 year old to Will Smith smoking. In either case i started smoking in college and still do off and on so either way it didn't work. I think health stuff aside smoking is cool as hell and would do it all the time if it didn't make me feel bad in my lungs and body. Displeased Moo Cow posted:I meant in the second one but this is just as satisfying whoops sorry 
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Nov 30, 2020 21:43
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it was pretty messed up when all the people on the building welcoming the aliens and celebrating got instagibbed by them. made me feel better when Will Smith punched the alien and said “welcome to earth”. i think those people should’ve done what he did instead |
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Nov 30, 2020 21:49
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if the crowd of people were a giant cluster of Will Smiths instead i think the aliens would’ve reconsidered charging up that laser |
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Nov 30, 2020 21:50
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deadking posted:no, I assumed it was going to be not good. Is it worth it? deadking posted:I think health stuff aside smoking is cool as hell and would do it all the time if it didn't make me feel bad in my lungs and body.  I was actually reminiscing with my oldest friend during a backyard social distance chill this summer, I had said that I have always been fascinated by smoking and he remembers a sculpture I made in elementary school of a tree smoking a cigar. I was blown away, because I def don't remember that but memory is hella fallible so his guess is as good as mine. |
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Nov 30, 2020 22:29
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they should make nation specific spin offs like, 6th of june dolf lundgren saves sweden and the world by smoking cigars and punching aliens and it turns out the aliens are vulnerable to questionable pizza toppings? and then everybody in the world celebrates independence from aliens by eating rotten fish |
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Nov 30, 2020 22:48
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Nosfereefer posted:they should make nation specific spin offs Not mentioned I'm the film, but the Mexicans defeated the aliens almost a full two months earlier. |
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Dec 1, 2020 04:10
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Now do Mars Attacks!, OP
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Dec 1, 2020 04:57
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Nosfereefer posted:they should make nation specific spin offs The fail french, waiting a week and a half to launch their crazy last minute gambit on July 14th (bastille day) and missing the whole thing. alnilam posted:Now do Mars Attacks!, OP I remember nothing about Mars Attacks except the aliens have heads that look like brain skulls and are weirdly horny for earth women. |
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Dec 1, 2020 19:42
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| # ? Apr 25, 2024 03:15 |
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they believe in flight no wait, that’s the other one.
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Dec 1, 2020 19:53
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