My top 10 SciFi movies of all time

POSTED BY: Moss
UPDATED: Thursday, March 23, 2006 07:36
VIEWED: 18334
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MOSS

Friday, March 17, 2006 11:32 PM

1 2001- Boring but it's supposed to be. I seem to pick it out of the DVD collection every once in a while and I still thoroughly enjoy it. The closest thing to actually going into space. Read the book and you'll get the ending.
2 Empire Strikes Back - Dum dum dum dum de dum dum de dum. Being 10 at the time it first came out meant that I didn't quite get the end. Simply a stunning space opera. The asteroid chase scene is my favourite special effects sequence of all time.
3 Blade Runner - Depressing, thought provoking, dark. The film was made so much better by Vangellis's music, I also had the best s**g ever to the saxaphone music (bonus).
4 Star Wars A New Hope- This film opened the floodgates and made going to the cinema fun again. Seen it millions of times, so I just cant get excited about it any more but, oh the buzz seeing it for the first time, priceless. As legend has it Fox were going to cancel it at the last minute., by looking at the numbers of visitors to this web site looks as though Fox didn't learn a thing.
5. Forbidden Planet - First big budget space opera. I just love this film, don't know why.
6. Alien- Fly on the wall horrormentory, Special effects copied from 2001 Gives you the feeling of the scale of space. Created a new genre.
7. Serenity. I seem to have caused ripples further down this thread by placing this at number 7. I saw the TV show first, I really love the charactors and felt depressed for a week after seeing the final episode. Ultimately better than Star Wars, better stories and characters, but it owes something to the Star Wars Galaxy and it's fans. Im not going to watch the film too many times as I intend on savouring Serenity for as long as possible.
8. Fantastic Voyage- Saturday afternoon, still in my pagamas, cup of tea, no kids, large duvet, sofa, watch, enjoy. Aaah.
9. Contact - Same basic story as 2001, a bit cheesy at the end but the bit where Jody Foster hears the alien transmission for the first time still makes the hair on my neck stand on end. Some great special and camera effects and putting President Clinton in it was just spot on, probably the best opening sequence ever.
10. Dune- So many people didn't get it. I don't read much but seeing it made me read the book which is well recommended.

Almost made it:
5. Signs- The same old story, aliens invade earth but scared the bijees out of me. Didn't expect it to be much but wow this film is good. It doesn't rely on special effects, it's what you can't see that is so frightening. Too much emphasis on faith spoiled it.
Galaxy Quest: Makes you laugh. A lot.
Oh and Silent Running - Summed up the 60's, the minority standing up for what is right, being swallowed up by the corporate, consumer society. Blubbed & Blubbed at the end If you can't beat them you never will, Serenity/Firefly carriies on that scifi tradition keeping the hippy spirit alive.
Zardoz -
DarkStar -

If this thread grows, I'll keep a tally of everyones favourites and try to list the overall top 10. And before you all think that I am mad for not seeing Serenity over and over again, I have Firefly on constantly, in the background, on my PDA, on my PC, I even put it on when friends & family pop by and pretend that I'm not trying to brain wash them..I am 37 and thought that I grew out of this decades ago. My kids are too young to watch it, but my wife who hates scifi with a passion, loves the show and cried uncontrolably during the film.

"ok who ordered the poopoo platter"

GRIZWALD

Friday, March 17, 2006 11:44 PM

Another I'd squeeze in - maybe as #12 - is Metropolis.

____________________________________________________
They could not take the sky from them -
Our Big Damn Heroes made a film!
I'm gonna see Serenity then
go back the next morning and see it again.
Cuz no one at Fox knew this show had no equal
C'mon Universal, and greenlight the sequel!

Click on my profile for my Annoyingly Long List of Firefly Links.

MOSS

Saturday, March 18, 2006 12:08 AM

It's a film I've always been meaning to see..Perhaps I will.

MATTCOZ

Saturday, March 18, 2006 12:15 AM

Others:

Close Encounters of the Third Kind
The Matrix
Terminator 2

MOSS

Saturday, March 18, 2006 12:52 AM

Yes, all excellent!

LEGOLAD

Saturday, March 18, 2006 1:34 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Moss:
9. Contact - Same basic story as 2001, a bit cheesy at the end but the bit where Jody Foster hears the alien transmission for the first time still makes the hair on my neck stand on end. Some great special and camera effects, the best opening sequence ever.

Best opening sequence ever? That's quite a claim. It was fantastic, I agree, but it has a lot of competition, especially in the sci-fi/fantasy category: Star Wars, Two Towers, and X-Men 2 are the ones that stick out in my mind as particularly jaw-dropping the first time you see them. I don't think anything will ever manage to beat the opening shot in Star Wars.

I agree with a lot of your choices, though. If I had to decide on a top ten, it would probably read something like this:

1. 2001: Will always be the greatest sci-fi film ever made. Decades ahead of its time (and I don't mean the title), and I notice something new every time I watch it.

2. Empire Strikes Back: Other end of the sci-fi spectrum, and a contender for the best sequel ever made.

3. Serenity: ... ...I don't have to explain this, do I?

4. Star Wars: Pretty much the perfect sci-fi adventure movie. So corny, but the cast had enough talent and chemistry to pull it off.

5. Contact: Like Moss said, owes pretty much its entire existence to 2001, but then, so do a few hundred other movies. Best attempt at a believable, realistic "message from outer space" story, with a fantastic cast.

6. The Iron Giant: Yes, it's animated. It's also better than anything Disney has ever done, in my opinion. Great animation, fantastic script, with a great commentary on 50's paranoia, all wrapped up in a nice "kid's movie" package.

7. The Matrix: I know the dialogue is stupid. I know Keanu Reeves' acting skills are on par with those of butterscotch pudding. I can't help it; still one of the coolest movies I've ever seen.

8. Deep Impact: Anyone else think this movie was sorely underrated? Best disaster movie I've ever seen, personally.

9. Spider-Man 2: Don't know if this counts as sci-fi, but if so, I have to include it, despite the unbearably cheesy ending. I hated the first one, but this one's my favourite superhero film of all time.

10. Alien: Very flawed, but basically invented a genre. Has a fantastic atmosphere, cast, an incredibly unglamourous look at space travel, and one of the best monsters in movie history. Plus, who can forget the dinner scene? Poor John Hurt.

"We need a hood ornament."

MOSS

Saturday, March 18, 2006 1:52 AM

The point about the intro sequence of star wars being the best ever is right. Your point about the other end of the spectrum allows me to have a joint
best ever intro scene.

The intro oshot from Contact from earth out into the galaxy then into the universe really shows where we are in the scheme of things, it was a spiritual experience.

When I saw the intro to Star Wars I just thought whahoooooooooow, this is going to be good!!

Both spiritual experiences in their own way.

CRACKERS

Saturday, March 18, 2006 2:47 AM

I never really was a Star Wars fan although I liked all the films. Personally, I feel Episode 4 (forgot the title) had one of the best opening sequences I've ever seen.

And before you read my selections I better warn you I'm a real "Time Travel" fan.

My Pics:

1. The War of The Worlds - [1952 Version] Corny I know, but its the first Sci-Fi flic I ever saw and I just love it.

2. The Philadelphia Experiment - A great adaptation of a conspiratorial tale.

3. Serenity - Don't need to say anything here.

4. Battlestar Gallactica [2003 Version] - Grew up with original BSG on TV, and the cinema releases. With the the remake they have vastly improved on an already great foundation.

5. 12 Monkeys - Think the whole story and plot were just brilliant, even if it was another 'Time Travel' flic.

6. Equilibrium - Although the effects mirror the 'Matrix', I feel the story was a lot better scripted. The plot was fantastic and was one the best performances Christian Bale has ever done. I saw all three 'Matrix' films and still don't have a clue what the story was about.

7. War of The Worlds [2005 Version] - Was really concerned they would screw this up along with many other classic books, but was very impressed with the effects and that they stuck with the skeletal structure of the book.

8. The Terminator Series - I know it is suppossed to be one flic but Im not able to chose one over the other. Anyway - story, action & good looking women - what more could you ask for - LOL.

9. I'Robot - A fun, non serious, vegging out mood, sci-fi flic.

10. The Time Machine [2002 Version] - Fantastic recreation of a fatastic tale. I Also love their interpretation of the 'Morlocks'.

And If I can squeeze two more in even though I'm not sure they would fit here - anyway:

11. The Omega Man - Absolutely scared the crap out of me as a kid.

12. The Three Stooges Go To Mars - Always good for a laugh.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Being CRACKERS provides sanity in an insane world!

"I just don't want to take a lashing for something I'm not the cause of."

STROKINGMYPETER

Saturday, March 18, 2006 7:25 AM

what in the world? nobody except the original person with the first top ten list has mentioned blade runner? blade runner is my personal pick for best sci fi movie ever made. excellent movie. if you guys havn't seen it you really have to.

PAIN IS SCARY

TEALCANDTRIP

Saturday, March 18, 2006 8:02 AM

Does Spaceballs count? How about Stargate (the original movie)?

"I also hear that there's something called Firefly, which is either a canceled science-fiction television show or a new religion, I'm not clear on that. Either way, prayers for the resurrection are involved." – Lore Sjoberg

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