MovieChat Forums > Antitrust (2001) Discussion > Realistic computer films.

Realistic computer films.


I would name this film and Wargames before any others that I have seen (Wargames because it was realistic culturally and technically to it's time period).

Yeah they both have flaws primarily in terms of exaggerating the power of computers, but they are much better then other computer films in respect to realism.

What other films top the list?

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Colossus: The Forbin Project would be a strong contender...

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Hey this is good topic, I`d like to know some more good films about computers, with an idea. Many films about computers are total *beep* for example Hackers is typical film, where director is using embarrassing video and 3D presentations of hacking, in real world, there`s only shell!!! Or film Blowfish: Operation Hacker, i really hate scene where the main character has to guess some pass, he has got about five monitors but he`s naturally always using only one, and all the time he`s saying "Come on, come on, come on!" and then he starts to blindfol :-/ It`s so stupid.

I really like Antitrust, it reflects real mentality of some geeks, the idea with programmers is super, and the final countdown at the end is amazing: "You are one or zero!" as super as the allusion on Bill Gates :-D

Does anyone know any of as good films as this? The thing with real mentality is really important...
I have some too: Hackers 2: Takedown
This is relative realistic too
And then: Revolution it`s something about Linux people (I haven`t seen it yet...)

Thanks for any inspirations and references on good films like this ;-)

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WarGames - realistic?!



“Killing me won't bring back your god-damn honey!” - Nicolas Cage

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The methods of hacking depicted in WarGames were highly realistic in the context of early 80's computer technology. The film still stands as one of the most technically accurate I.T.-related films of all time.

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What about where the kid is asked for a login for which he types "Falken" and there's no password? In the 80s did they just use a login name with no password?

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Dude, the password is JOSHUA.

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Quite often yes. No password. Though it quickly became costum to set a password. In those days when you were using a BBS you'd dial up and hang up. Then it would dial back to you provided youre authenticated to use that BBS (to a BBS at your work or so)

Wargames were realistic in the matter of wardialing. Thats about it if i recall the movie correctly.

The guessing of the launchsequence in the end was utterly crap.
Whats with a computer guessing a long number sequence with "guessing" one number at a time.
There is no way a computer (or you for that matter) could possibly know a number in a passsequence is correct unless you submit the whole string. Its often like that in movies i know. But its SO illogical.

Also. The numbers were guessed VERY slow. I worked with a small chip holding no more CPU power than an old computer from that time and it could have gotten that sequence alot faster.

And this was supposed to be a supercomputer..

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i quite liked sneakers

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Actually, there was a stupid flaw in Microsoft's SMB once that the authentication procedure would reject you as soon as you sent the first wrong character. Guessing a password looked pretty much exactly like in the movies. Although I seriously hope that this stupidity wasn't committed more than once. Once was too much.

Other than that, 23 is quite okay in its depiction of hacking although it degenerates into this paranoia stuff later on.

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In the 80ies there were lots of systems that didnt really use passwords but merely usernames so yes.

I dont really see Wargames as being realistic. Sure. The wardialing is somthing that existed. I heard a story about a guy who accidently got the phone to the presidents security bunker once.

The phreaking with the paperclip was also used back then..


The flashy screens in Hackers is naturally anything but realistic but looking at them as more of a graphic way of showing the hacking proccess makes it actually quite realistic in many ways. Though its obvious that most of it is made just for the entertainment.

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Hey, don't forget the "Hackers2: Operation Takedown", that's based on the real story of Kevin.
It's a great film.


Antitrust is great too =)

You may also like "Masterminds" - it's not concentrated on computers but it has a bit to do with this kind of thinking - one of the best films ever :)

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Takedown isn't Hackers 2.

Takedown is fairly realistic when compared to a lot of other movies, but still not all that realistic in essence. Of course movies need to make certain sacrifices to appeal to a large audience.

Btw. the story told in Takedown isn't really what happened to Kevin Mitnick. I recommend watching Freedom Downtime (documentary) about the hacking culture and Kevin Mitnick's endeavours in general. I did like Takedown as a film though. A lot of hackers diss the movie because it's written by Shimo and Markoff. And I can understand that a lot of people dislike it because it deviates so much from what really happened, but as a movie in general it's pretty good.

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hawking , the bbc doc on the physicist is pretty good.

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http://imdb.com/title/tt0159784/


Takedown aka Hakers2: Takedown

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Doesn't change the fact that it is not hackers 2. It was put up like that to draw a crowd.

Hackers 1995 - The one and only hackers featuring JLM and Angelina Jolie etc.
Takedown - A completely different movie about Kevin Mitnick written by Shimo and Markoff (ironic)

Some people bundle all 3 movies Hackers, Takedown, Antitrust into "Hackers 1 2 3" but It isn't right it's like I would say

Lassie
Beethoven aka Lassie 2

Just because it has dogs in it doesn't mean it's a sequel to the movie. IMDB has this Incorrect. None of the team from 1995 Hackers is in the Takedown movie it doesn't have the same producers or directors, it's 2 completely different movies.

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I know this is a very old reply but lets not forget that the real Kevin Mitnick Laughed when asked about this movie ;D... I like the movie yes but like you Id suggest anyone who wants to follow the real story of Kevin to look into the Free Kevin Movement history as well as Freedom downtime... Skeet Ulrich did portray Kevin quite nicely though. Very believable nerd

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23 (that german one, not the new one) and sneakers were kind of "realistic", too.

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The only good one I have seen so far is the german movie "23 - Nichts ist so wie es scheint" (1998) about the german hacker Karl Koch a.k.a. Hagbard Celine.
I didn't really like Wargames, and haven't seen Operation Takedown yet (though I do own it on VHS since a few years back).

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[deleted]

Hackers

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