It’s always been difficult to answer the “what’s your favorite movie” question. Being a ‘Sherlock’ of sorts with cinema, I simply have too much to factor in. A better response to the question should be, “which genre?” With this edition, I wanted to focus on the Sci-Fi genre. If I’m being honest with myself, I gravitate towards ‘types’ of films based upon mood just like anyone else but I also do a lot of my viewings in phases. Perhaps that’s why I’m writing this – lately I feel like I want to escape. What better genre of movie than science fiction?
Factors considered: Thought provocation, performances, writing, direction, and overall production (set pieces, cinematography, music, editing, etc.)
*This countdown starts with 16, because why not?
16. Her (2013)
This one is unfairly overlooked but it is likely due to the offbeat genres that director Spike Jonze (“Adaptation”, “Being John Malkovich”) continues to be known for. In this, we follow Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix), a depressed man who works as a writer of personal letters (for those that cannot write something personal themselves) and is dealing with the impending divorce of his childhood sweetheart (Rooney Mara). Still reeling and unhappy, Theodore ends up buying an operation system that is capable of learning on its own and has a personable voice. Theodore ends up selecting a female voice and naming the OS Samantha (voiced by Scarlett Johannson). Strangely, Theodore ends up developing a meaningful relationship with Samantha as she (the operating system) forces him to grow as a person. Theodore comes to terms with a lot in his life through Samantha. The two develop a relationship where the very nature of ‘love’ is questioned.
The film is insightful and makes you question how we relate to each other and how the concept of ‘love’ is subjective. We all feel alone and wish to ‘truly connect’ with another. Never has a film captured this so well.
15. The Last Starfighter (1984)
Doesn’t everyone remember this film fondly? This, along with “Tron”, was one of the first films to use a lot of CGI. Looking back at the effects, you’d likely shake your head but you have to admire what they were trying to accomplish. The premise is neat in that it follows how a teenager (Alex), living in a trailer park, is obsessed with the arcade game, Starfighter, in which he must protect “the Frontier” from Xur and the Ko-Dan Armada. After becoming the highest scoring player, he is approached by an alien named Centauri who explains that the arcade game was a test to find those ‘gifted’ so that they may help in the fight against well, Xur and the Ko-Dan Armada. There’s a lot of 1980s cheese here too, including a subplot that finds a cloned android of Alex trying to pass as the real Alex.
This story is inspiring and fun to think about. What if that video game you’ve spent hundreds of hours playing was actually meant for something? Furthermore, the filmmakers are trying to figure out how to make a sequel but the last rumblings have this in the form of a virtual reality video game. It’s ‘mission: stay tuned’ for anything further from ‘The Last Starfighter’.
14. Planet of the Apes (1968)
“Take you stinking paws off me, you damn dirty ape!” – George Taylor (Charlton Heston)
I’d be a fool not to include this. The story on which the film is based was conceived due to author Pierre Boulle’s fascination with the humanlike expressions of apes. This led Boulle to begin questioning the relationship between man and ape. The plot of the book, “La Planete des Singes”, focused more on human overreliance with technology (and our complacency) which led to our overruling by the apes.
Anyways, the film follows how an astronaut, George Taylor (played by Charlton Heston), crash lands on a planet run by (you guessed it) apes. The apes are captivated by Taylor as he can actually speak, unlike the rest of the humans they have enslaved. Taylor tries to use his intelligence to outsmart the apes but it really only leads him to the most shocking truth by the film’s end – the planet that he is actually on is a futuristic earth – where the fall of man led to the rise of apes. I would say spoiler alert but it’s been 40 plus years.
13. Dark City (1998)
A man, Robert Murdoch (Rufus Sewell), wakes up in a bathtub without any memory as to who he is. He receives a phone call warning him that people are after him and that he must leave. During the call, he also realizes that there is a brutalized corpse on the floor which suggests he is a serial killer. This puts him on the run for answers that leads him to venture out the only memory he seems to have – of a place called ‘Shell Beach’. Soon, Murdoch comes to find out there are seemingly ‘alien like’ creatures (referred to as ‘strangers’) after him, especially after exhibits the ability to ‘tune’, which are ‘mind powers’.
I do not wish to spoil the ending of such a great film but would mention that if you have even the slightest sway to the sci-fi realm, then I highly recommend this. This also blends sci-fi with the noir genre of the 1940s/1950s – not just with story but also aesthetics. The film is one of the first of its kind – this came out before “The Matrix” mind you.
12. Donnie Darko (2001)
This was an indie film that had a huge cult following and helped give Jake Gyllenhaal his big break. The story is set in 1988 when a troubled teenager, Donnie Darko, is told by a man named Frank (in a giant rabbit costume) that the world is going to end in 28 days. After sleep walking, Donnie comes home to a jet engine having fallen on his room in his family’s house (no one knows where the jet engine came from). We then begin to learn more about Donnie via his sessions with his psychotherapist and how his actions are perpetrated by his visits with Frank (whom his therapist believes are hallucinations). Donnie even starts acting oddly and begins to understand how time travel could theoretically work. We are then thrust in a series of events that leads to the mysterious jet engine in the beginning of the film. Many heralded the film for its deeply emotional themes, scientific explorations, and open ended conclusion that left many in great discussion.
11. Predator (1984)
An alien with cornrows hunts down people one by one until there’s one left – Dutch (Arnie Schwarzenegger). Okay, it’s slightly more complicated than that. A group of mercenaries are recruited to rescue an official in the jungles of Val Verde (which is a fictional South/Central American country or city used by Hollywood to avoid getting into legal or diplomatic disputes). They soon come to find out that they are actually there to help the CIA gather further intelligence after a US Armed Special Forces unit was brutally murdered. Shortly thereafter, the ‘predator’ gets to work and starts picking off the mercenaries one by one. It’s up to Ah-nold to take down the bada$$ predator. The cast is rounded out by some greats – Carl Weathers, Jesse Ventura, and Sonny Landham.
Fun Fact: Jean Claude Van Damme was the initial actor chosen to play the Predator.
10. Alien (1979)
The ultimate sci fi/horror film not only made us crawl outside our own skin, but introduced a wonderfully directed movie from the visionary Ridley Scott. It may be best described as venereal horror in that many of the alien designs were symbolic of sexual organs attacking their hosts. Certainly creepy and a visual masterpiece, the story focuses on a space crew that answers a supposed distress signal on an alien planet but discover that it was actually a warning. Of course, all goes to hell when a contaminated member is allowed access to the ship causing all sorts of problems. This is a must watch.
9. Total Recall (1990)
I wish I could shut up about this movie. I constantly think about it. Society is getting closer and closer to the short story by Philip K. Dick – “We Can Remember for You Wholesale”, on which this movie is based. The story finds a man who decides to get a memory implant of an adventure on the planet Mars. He begins to awake in mid-implant and escapes realizing that it has been a set up and that he isn’t who he thinks he is. His entire life has been implanted with what he thinks is his real life. This is the strongest notion of the film – the idea that memories can be implanted when in fact they never happened. By the film’s end, we are unsure if what Arnie accomplished was real or was just an implanted memory he was recalling.
“Consider that a divorce” – Douglas McQuaid (Arnie Schwarzenegger)
Even if you don’t like the genre, the film boasts plenty of one-liners and action sequences to please any Schwarzenegger fan. Also, this is the same director behind other great movies – “Robocop” and “Basic Instinct”.
8. Minority Report (2002)
Based upon “The Minority Report” short story by (you guessed it) Philip K. Dick, this loose adaptation stars a classic Tom Cruise as John Anderton, a Pre-Crime agent in 2054 Washington, D.C. The agency is essentially run by three pre-cogs and their recorded visions. While on assignment, Anderton sees a recording of himself murdering someone (in the future…duh) and in utter shock (and with the intent to prove his innocence), he goes on the run. Tom Cruise loves to run. Anyways, the film explores the implications of what a ‘pre-cog’ program would have on society and ethics. Can someone really be guilty of a crime they haven’t (yet) committed? If such a program existed, would you be able to manipulate the results?
The film was directed by Steven Spielberg and includes an excellent musical score by John Williams and cinematography by Janusz Kaminski (“Schindler’s List”, “Saving Private Ryan”).
7. Back to the Future (1985)
“1.21 gigawatts?!!” – Dr. Emmett Brown (Christopher Lloyd)
One of the most fun time travel movies out there. Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) and scientist pal, Dr. Brown (Christopher Lloyd) (not sure how they ever met), take on an adventure when Marty McFly (from 1985) time travels to 1955. Once there, he must recruit Dr. Emmett Brown (who has yet to invent time travel) to get him back to 1985 and also prevent some other ‘events’ from occurring – the fate of Marty’s parents (and his own existence) and Dr. Brown’s at the hands of terrorists.
This movie is a staple of cinema not only because of the cool premise but also of the chemistry between Fox and Lloyd. The film can put anyone in a good mood (even if it doesn’t make logical sense). You can also add to the fact that almost everything about the film is iconic – the Delorean car, Marty’s ‘life preserver’, and the action set pieces – the lightning hitting the clock tower, Marty versus Biff and his goons, etc.
Fun Fact: Eric Stoltz was initially cast in the Marty McFly role and after a month into production was replaced with Michael J. Fox. This was supposedly due to the lack of on screen chemistry that was had between Lloyd and Stoltz.
6. Children of Men (2006)
The year is 2027 where two decades of human infertility has led to a chaotic world. The story follows a man, Theo (Clive Owen), who reluctantly helps a refugee to safety after he witnesses that she is actually pregnant. The film remains dynamic not just because of its premise but also the examinations of the fallout due to such a crisis. Political and social upheaval surrounds a group that is trying to help bring a child into the world. Themes of hope and faith are also explored.
The film features an excellent cast: Clive Owen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Julianne Moore, Michael Caine, Charlie Hunnam and Danny Huston. The film was directed by Alfonso Cuaron (“Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”, “A Little Princess” and “Gravity”). The story is based upon the book, “The Children of Men” by P.D. James.
5. The Matrix (1999)
“You think that’s air you’re breathing? Hmm…” – Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne)
No surprise to see this on here. This movie was a game changer and not just because of the revolutionary special effects but the philosophical notions embedded in the story. Would you want to live a lie (in the Matrix) or live in a post-apocalyptic world where a fight wages to destroy the machines’ hold on our consciousness? Also, is the very idea of ‘the Matrix’ plausible? This idea invokes emotions that liken to that of ‘Allegory of the Cave’ by Plato.
Even outside of this, we also get exceptional martial arts sequences that look like a plausible high flying/kicking kung fu movie from the 1970s. Oh and let us not forget about ‘bullet time’ and the advent of 360 degrees camera capturing technology. It is obvious many films copied this technique – “Swordfish”, “The One”, etc.
The film stars Keanu Reeves (who has a knack for picking excellent movies to be in), Laurence Fishburne, Carrie Anne Moss, and Hugo Weaving (always welcome in any movie).
4. Inception (2010)
You cannot simply sum up this film. It’s filled with ideas that range from how we conceptualize our dreams and reality to what we’d be faced with should we have the option to ‘share dreamspaces’. Christopher Nolan initially pitched a script to Warner Brothers Studios around 2002, and he would later be able to complete his film about dream stealers after he proved himself with movies like “The Prestige” and “The Dark Knight”. This remains a highly controversial film as to the many interpretations – which most revolved around which scene took place in reality and which was simply a dream. It seemed as though every viewer had a different interpretation of the story and this ignites discussion.
The special effects were top notch as were the performances from a stellar cast that includes: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Ellen Page, Michael Caine, Joseph Gordon Levitt and Cillian Murphy. This is close to a masterpiece.
3. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1969)
Can you imagine seeing this in the year it came out? I would be floored and not just with the visuals towards the end of the film. This Stanley Kubrick directed masterpiece is based upon the short story “The Sentinel” by Arthur C. Clarke. It follows a space crew, along with a sentient computer, Hal, on a voyage to Jupiter after they discover a black monolith affecting human evolution. The film is pivotal for examining many large ideas like existentialism, artificial intelligence, human evolution and extra-terrestrial life. The narrative heavily relies upon visuals and there is not much need for dialogue. You add in the moving classical music with pioneering, revolutionary visual effects, and you have a film that is at the top of any sci-fi movie lovers list.
You can’t call yourself a sci-fi aficionado and not see this film.
2. Blade Runner (1982)
This is a truly transcendent film and one of the first in cinema history to tackle themes such as existentialism and what it means to be ‘human’. The story follows a special police operative, Rick Deckard, who agrees to one last mission to hunt down a replicant, an android based clone of a human. These replicants are made to work on dangerous assignments off world but some of them return to Earth to extend their lives (as their life span is only a few years). The problem is that replicants are banned from Earth. As Deckard investigates, he encounters a replicant (Rachael) who believes she is human (thanks to the Tyrell Corporation that manufactured her). Rachael is given false memories to provide an emotional layer to her programming. This programming helps blur the line between human and replicant, thereby making Deckard’s job more difficult. The rogue replicants that Deckard are hunting wish to ask their creator, Tyrell, to extend their lives and are willing to do ‘questionable’ things in order to do so.
The film is also based on a Philip K. Dick book, “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep” and was directed by the master, Ridley Scott. One of the best sci-fi movies ever and you’d be hard pressed to find someone that disagrees with me.
1. Gattaca (1997)
The setting is ‘the not too distant future’ where humans are genetically altered to possess the best hereditary traits of their parents (can be viewed as a form of eugenics). The film brings about the potential problems of such a technology existing, which includes genetic discrimination. There are those labeled ‘valids’ and ‘in-valids’. We follow Vincent Freeman (Ethan Hawke), who was conceived naturally. Freeman tries everything to pass as a ‘valid’ so that he may accomplish his dream of becoming an astronaut. Along the way, he meets a tragic swimmer, Jerome Morrow (Jude Law), who was meant to be the best swimmer in the world but only received 2nd place and, as a result, placed himself in front of a car – leaving himself paralyzed.
Highly possible and thought provoking, this film examines how our genes could be the only factor in determining our life long dreams. Moreover, this touches upon how hard work and determination juxtaposes that with simply having the ‘tools’ in order to succeed. Just like the tagline for the film, ‘there is no gene for the human spirit’.
Well, there you have it. This is the ‘quintessential’ sci-fi movie list. A lot of factors went into these decisions but I did leave out a couple that I didn’t quite feel like ‘made the cut’.
Honorable Mentions:
“The Thirteenth Floor” (1999) – Thought provoking for sure but everything else about the film could have been better. This examines the concept of virtual reality.
“Solaris” (2002) – Beautiful sci/fi love story set in space and based upon the Russian original under the same title. Human emotion is explored via sci-fi elements. The concept of love is used as a means to help us better understand who we are.
“Ex-Machina” (2015) – A programmer is invited to the estate of his company’s CEO to run Turing tests on his latest creation – Ava.
“The Thing” (1982) – At a research facility in the Antarctic is turned upside down when a crew come into contact with an extraterrestrial life form that imitates other organisms. Paranoia sets in as many do not know who is or is not infected.
“Interstellar” (2014) – In the near future, the ability to harvest crops at a global level continue to wane. A secret NASA facility is set up to send astronauts via a wormhole to potentially hospital planets. The other ‘rub’ is that these are likely one way trips. Controversial and intriguing. This doesn’t get on the list due to its weak ‘family’ and ‘love’ sub plots that undermine the plausibility of the story. The film would be way more gratifying if they fixed these problems.
12. Frequency (2000)
11. X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
10. Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989)
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