Now that you know Apple computers are in darn near every film that comes out these days, let’s say you’re interested in hosting an all-Apple video party for your pals. Hey, it’s gotta be better than yet another Trivial Pursuit tourney, and besides, everyone’s still sore from last weekend’s marathon Strip-Twister debacle. But what to rent? The choices are boundless and growing every day, but here’s a few recommended vids that feature PowerBooks, Performas, and downright weird prototypes that, for the most part, were never released on the domestic market (Japan, however, remains a well-known testing ground for some of the company’s more colorful products.)
— M.S.
Hackers (1995)
Despised by real-world hackers, this fanciful, oh-so-stylish take on teen compugeeks is chock full of wild prototype Macintoshes, not to mention Penn Gillette and a pre-Trainspotting Jonny Lee Miller. “There is no right and wrong. There is only fun and boring.” And way-cool PowerBooks.
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)
Saving the whales with 23rd-century Macs.
John Carpenter’s Escape from L.A. (1996)
John Carpenter’s sequel to his seminal East Coast opus is but a shadow of its precursor, but it’s still cool to see good old Snake Plissken using Macs to save the world.
Outbreak (1995)
Dustin Hoffman, Rene Russo, and one sick little monkey add up to lotsa yuks (in more ways than you might think). Once again, Macintosh saves the world from encroaching disaster, this time in the form of an unstoppable Ebola-esque plague.
The Net (1995)
And you thought Hackers was ridiculous? Sandra Bullock wins the goof trophy as she blunders through this inane, paranoid take on the inherent dangers of an online society. As always, Macintosh comes through in the end. Comedy for the whole family, although I doubt that was the intent.
This article appears in May 16 • 1997 and May 16 • 1997 (Cover).