what is your favorite science fiction film ?

Originally posted by Bob LaoTse

Bladerunner The director's cut is the best-- the narration in the theatrical version is distracting, and the ending is pathetic.
Brazil Great dystopian social commentary. Probably (sadly?) more accurate than 1984
2001, A Space Odyssey Dull and slow, but majestic.

My 3 favourites.




[edit on 15-1-2006 by Beelzebubba]

Originally posted by Beelzebubba

Originally posted by Bob LaoTse

Bladerunner The director's cut is the best-- the narration in the theatrical version is distracting, and the ending is pathetic.
Brazil Great dystopian social commentary. Probably (sadly?) more accurate than 1984
2001, A Space Odyssey Dull and slow, but majestic.

My 3 favourites.

2001 is the first movie that I really remember seeing. I saw it with my parents when it was in the theaters-- I must've been five at the time. It made a huge impact on me, and I've been a science fiction fan (and movie fan) ever since. It really is a thoughtful, complex movie, but it's a bit too slow for my tastes generally. I own a copy of it (of course), but I only watch it rarely.

Bladerunner and Brazil are both on my "most-watched" list. I have no idea how many times I've seen either of them. Dozens at least. Bladerunner is already making the transition from cult classic to simply classic. Decades from now, people will still be watching it and still be talking about it and still be wondering if Deckard's a replicant or not. (The answer is-- it doesn't matter. Either way, he's alive, he'll live, then he'll die. "It's too bad she won't live. But then again, who does?")

Brazil is probably the most pointed (and sadly prophetic) social commentary in existence. The background premise is a totalitarian government that maintains and expands its power in the name of fighting "terrorism," even if it has to manufacture the terrorism itself. The poor are entirely disenfranchised and the rich are distracted and self-indulgent. Those who are adminstering the government oppression are craven social climbers, thugs or both. The system is a mindless, ravening machine, and real heroes are rare. And doomed.

I've got a good friend who has watched it only once, and refuses to watch it again, just because of the ending. In a way, I don't blame him.

A piece of trivia-- the leopard print 'shoe hat' that Katherine Helmond wears in one scene was inspired by a sketch by Salvador Dali that's in the Dali museum in St. Petersburg, Florida.



[edit on 15-1-2006 by Bob LaoTse]

Originally posted by Bob LaoTse
Brazil
I've got a good friend who has watched it only once, and refuses to watch it again, just because of the ending. In a way, I don't blame him.

Which ending is that Bob? The 'Love Conquers All' version with the happily ever after ending or Gilliam's original ending, which was much more in keeping with the whole film.

The Criterion Collection's 'Brazil' boxset has both endings. If your friend has only seen the 'LCA' version, urge him to track down the version with Gilliam's darker, and controversial ending.

Originally posted by Beelzebubba

Originally posted by Bob LaoTse
Brazil
I've got a good friend who has watched it only once, and refuses to watch it again, just because of the ending. In a way, I don't blame him.

Which ending is that Bob? The 'Love Conquers All' version with the happily ever after ending or Gilliam's original ending, which was much more in keeping with the whole film.

WARNING!: This post contains a spoiler!


The original ending. I never even knew there was an alternate (I've only seen it on VHS).

I'm not sure how I feel about a "love conquers all" ending. The original ending is so dark and so discouraging (which is why my friend won't watch it again), but IMO it's sadly appropriate. In ways, the point of the entire movie is how the system destroys everyone sooner or later-- there is no "happily ever after" for anyone under such a system. The only options are to sell one's soul to it and live or stand up to it and die, and neither is a good choice.



[edit on 15-1-2006 by Bob LaoTse]

The 'LCA' version was a terrible ending that Gilliam was forced to create by the producers to make it more 'accessable' to the public. It also has an alternate opening.

Don't bother about seeing that one.

Plan 9 from Outer Space___ED Wood__ what can I say?
Creature From the Black Lagoon
Time Bandits
1984

Serenity-Nothing previous in this thread even comes close.
Donny Darko-Great movie.
War Of the Worlds, the new one-Great Sci fi/Horror
Alien-Classic
Aliens-Classic
As for the other Alien movies my parents haven't let me see them. Not because I'm not old enough, but because my parents say that they were so horrible.

startrek first contact
startrek voyage home
battlestar gallactica (yeah old school)

Would Matrix be grouped under sci-fi?

Im gonna take the impression it is and give that my as my personal favorite.

I still can't believe Barbarella made # 20.... it's basically an acid trip on the screen, and an excuse to show a naked Jane Fonda.... Nothing wrong with that...but one of the greats? No, can't agree there, hehe....

In no particular order here are my faves.

SW:EP5
Pitch Black
Chronicles of Riddick
Total Recall
2001
Stargate

Can't think of anything else atm.

Contact because of the 'realistic' elements.
Equilibrium because it reminds me of a bunch of SciFi novels (Brave New World, 1984...)
K-PAX because I love Kevin Spacey to death, and I really like the plotline.
Minority Report because... I don't know, just because it's cool.

Any paraniod B&W 1950's Sci-Fi. Replace soviets with space monsters or giant slugs and your well away!

Saw "Target Earth" yesterday, brilliant!

Anyone mention the Planet Of The Apes yet?? Time travel, Space flight, Talking monkeys.. err apes, sorry. "Get your stinking paws off me you damned dirty apes!!" Heston rules.

No particular order, but I'll hightlight a few that havent been mentioned.

ALIEN MOVIES:
The Abyss
Alien, Aliens, Alien Ressurrection
Predator 1,2
They Live
The Arrival Charlie Sheen plays a great paranoid scientist.
Independance Day
K-Pax
Close Encounters Of The Third Kind
Dark City
Spaceballs Does comedy count?("I bet she gives great helmet.")
StarWars 4,5,6
Stargate
The Last Starfighter We all secretly wish aliens would pick us to defend their planets based on our Galaga scores.
HOWARD THE DUCK HAHaHAHaHAHaHAhaHAhAHaaaaaa...i kill me.

FUTURE EARTH:
Serenity All new futuristic movies will be judged against this.
Planet Of The Apes
Soylent Green
Logans Run
The Running Man
Total Recall
Bladerunner
Westworld Yul Brynner is Evil Robot Cowboy, need i say more?
Akira
1984 (Sure books always better)
Fahrenheit 451 (again, book better, way better)
I, Robot c'mon, we all like Will Smith
Fifth Element
The Sixth Day
The Matrix, Animatrix
Minority Report
Aeon Flux anyone see this? Charlize.. !? Who wants to see Charlize VS Milla? me me me, CAT FIGHT!
A Clockwork Orange
Gattaca
Mad Max
Strange Days Porn direct to your brain, u wish you invented this.

HORROR:
Event Horizen Sam Neil, great crazy guy, like in In The Mouth Of Madness. I love this movie.

TIMETRAVEL:
Donnie Darko
12 Monkeys
Time Machine (Original with melting clay Morlocks!)
Altered States Mexican Witches + Drugs + Sensory Depravation = Man becomes Cave Man! Hilarious, then very wierd at the end. He time traveled by asteral projection.

INTERNET:
Hackers
Wargames Classic
Johnny Mnemonic
Ghost In The Shell
(and one movie I cant remember the title of..)

Let's see...there is so many... but here are some of mine.:
Forbidden Planet
The day the Earth Stood Still
Soylent Green
Dark City
Wizards..although I don"t know if that would be classed as sci-fi
Rocky HorrorPicture Show
Mad Max 1..the best
Star Wars ..all although the first 3 (most recent) seem more tech advanced than the middle
Escape from New york
The Demolition Man
Repo Man
They Live
Santa Claus conquers the Martians..hahaha
Most 50's sci-fi
Aeon Flux
and the list goes on...as I said there are soooo many

Ohh, ohh. Blade Runner.

Jak

My favorites:

Back To The Future (All 3)
Terminator (All of 'em)
Cube
War Of The Worlds (the new one)
Men In Black 1 & 2

If I could only pick one it would be "The Fifth Element"... Great direction, great cast etc.

Originally posted by FredT
If I could only pick one it would be "The Fifth Element"... Great direction, great cast etc.

There is only 2 types of people in the world. Those who like The Fifth Element, and those who don't.

I was 10 years old when 2001 came out. It blew me away!!