My Top SF Films
On Sunday, I posted a few thoughts on Interstellar in which I concluded that: “I don’t think it’s made it into my “top” SF films.”
But then I immediately wondered what films I would put on that list. My very first qualifier on that has to be that I am not a big film-goer, so my viewing is not exhaustive, but nonetheless, I do have favourites, as follows:
Star Wars: (the real ‘first” movie)—because it’s fun and adventurous and had space ships and a real sense of worlds and space. Plus “A long time ago in a galaxy far far away…” was just magic! Space opera? You betcha—but I still enjoy watching it again from time to time. A big reason, I suspect, for that is because as the first film, Star Wars was spared the “overblown” elements that overwhelmed the sequels, with the exception of The Empire Strikes Back.
Blade Runner: For me, Blade Runner is all about atmosphere, chiefly the world and the world-weariness of Dekker. But it also takes a slant-wise look at a really important question, what makes a human being—only without any big speeches or heavy-handed philosophizing.
Alien/Aliens: Alien is atmospheric, eerie—and basically a great psychological thriller set in deep space. It’s also a really compelling take on what I regard as one of the great SFF themes, “person alone.”
Aliens is an equally great action movie set in space, but despite the difference in pace/focus it’s a sequel that really works for me—or it may be that the change in pace/focus is why it works as a sequel, rather than trying to do exactly the same thing over again.
Gattaca: Gattaca is another one of those “deceptively simple” stories, which in this case means that it takes one idea, the implications of genetic engineering in a near-future world, and works it through in a powerful and straightforward way, by focusing on the implications for human aspiration.
Deep Impact: I love this film, particularly because it actually has quite good science, as well great storytelling and interesting characters, including positive and interesting women characters. Personally I think it knocks Armageddon out of the ballpark.
Forbidden Planet: Although an oldie (it was made in 1956) and accordingly dated in some ways, I still think Forbidden Planet has a lot to recommend it in terms of classic SF storytelling, with space travel and interplanetary exploration that anticipates the Star Trek genre. But it’s also a story that is as much about human psychology and motivation as external action.
Galaxy Quest: Because it’s such a brilliant take-off of Star Trek, but also has it’s own story integrity. Always fun.
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Other films that are up there, too, include:
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ET: “phone home” remains in the lexicon, as does the image of the kids riding their BMX’s across the face of the moon
Contact: I was a little disappointed by the ending to Contact, but I loved the overall idea and the focus on how “first contact” might come about.
Terminator/Terminator2: for very similar reasons to Alien/Aliens in fact, although set on a pre-Apocalyptic Earth, rather than in space, plus I love Sarah Connor
The Matrix: So cool! (But what do you mean, sequels? I’m sure it’s a standalone film!)
Inception: If only because you’re never really sure what’s real and what isn’t!
Nice selection Helen.. many of those would appear on my list too. So glad you remembered ‘Forbidden Planet’ .. just saw that again a month of two ago.
Kind regards
Robin
“Forbidden Planet” is classic and I also think stands the test of time reasonably well, all things considered. I have yet to see 2001 A Space Odyssey, though, which is probably a SF-viewing solecism!
I love 2001 but my kids just don’t get it. I think it’s a pacing thing. The effects in Forbidden Planet are simply amazing given its age. The ‘monster of the id’ attacking the ship and getting caught in the fence is fantastic had-done animation. Beautiful.
Other great movies:
Dark City – Alex Proyas’s surreal mystery in which a guy wakes up in a bath with no memory of who he is in a city where it is never day.
Edge of Tommorrow – Tom Cruise’s Groundhog Day with aliens movie is a big action blockbuster but its really good.
District 9 – Neill Blomkamp’s aliens as under class set in South Africa where Sharlto Copley’s civil servant is exposed to an alien substance and finds himself changing.
I have read the book “2001: A Space Odyssey”, but for some reason have never managed to see the film. But several people have told me that the film is better than the book so I do feel that “one day” I shall have to watch it.
District 9 was a good film–I can’t believe I had forgotten it!
I haven’t seen either of the other two–I was interested in seeing “Edge of Tomorrow” but like many films when I’m in full-on writing mode, it slipped by me.:)
That’s a good selection of sci-fi films.
I agree on what you wrote about Blade Runner and Alien/Aliens. (They’ve been my favourite sci-fi films for a long time.)
District 9 is indeed an excellent film. It was something different.
Here’s a few good sci-fi films: Donnie Darko (2001), Brazil (1985), 12 Monkeys (1995), Mr. Nobody (1989) and Screamers (1995). Donnie Darko is a fascinating film, because it contains many different elements.
And here’s a couple of interesting sci-fi films that are worth watching if you’re interested in a combination of science fiction and horror: John Carpenter’s The Thing (1982) and Event Horizon (1997).
I haven’t seen Donnie Darko, but I have had a few friends praise it now so may have to make an effort to check it out soon(ish.) I am not big on horror, although obviously a film like Alien crosses that boundary. I have seen Event Horizon, but it kind of underwhelmed me in the end. Another film I could have mentioned is Children Of Men, which I enjoyed a lot more than I expected to. In fact it should probably be on my “top” list. Moon and Sunshine were both reasonable, too, but neither made the giddy heights of my personal “top” viewing.
Oops… I noticed that Mr. Nobody’s release date should be 2009 and not 1989. 😉