Great Science Fiction
The best sci fi in my lifetime, from both tv and film.
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- CreatorGlen A. LarsonRonald D. MooreStarsEdward James OlmosMary McDonnellJamie BamberWhen an old enemy, the Cylons, resurface and obliterate the 12 colonies, the crew of the aged Galactica protect a small civilian fleet - the last of humanity - as they journey toward the fabled 13th colony, Earth.Excellent writing and acting. This series was so so on action but tops in every other way.
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsSigourney WeaverTom SkerrittJohn HurtThe crew of a commercial spacecraft encounters a deadly lifeform after investigating a mysterious transmission of unknown origin.Ripley's first encounter with the alien had me on the edge of my seat, biting my fingernails, and so amped I couldn't sleep that night. At the tender age of 13 the bar was set for all SF to com.
- DirectorJames CameronStarsSigourney WeaverMichael BiehnCarrie HennDecades after surviving the Nostromo incident, Ellen Ripley is sent out to re-establish contact with a terraforming colony but finds herself battling the Alien Queen and her offspring.Truly an action Sci Fi flick with wonderful tension and unforgettable characters. Aliens is also a source of many sayings and quotes -- the hallmark of a cult classic, but in a blockbuster hit.
- CreatorSydney NewmanStarsJodie WhittakerPeter CapaldiPearl MackieThe further adventures in time and space of the alien adventurer known as the Doctor and his companions from planet Earth.the Doctor is one of my favorite fictional characters of all time. The 2005-2011 series has much improved special effects, but that's not important compared to the performances of David Tennant, Matt Smith and Christopher Eccleston as incarnations of the fabulous Time Lord.
- DirectorJames CameronStarsArnold SchwarzeneggerLinda HamiltonMichael BiehnA human soldier is sent from 2029 to 1984 to stop an almost indestructible cyborg killing machine, sent from the same year, which has been programmed to execute a young woman whose unborn son is the key to humanity's future salvation.An original concept at the time, of a cyborg that could pass for human, and the machines of the future sending it back to exact vengeance upon humanity and win their war by changing the timeline. This movie had a small budget but great special effects for the '80s.
- DirectorJames CameronStarsArnold SchwarzeneggerLinda HamiltonEdward FurlongA cyborg, identical to the one who failed to kill Sarah Connor, must now protect her ten year old son John from an even more advanced and powerful cyborg.One of the rare sequels that surpasses the original.
- DirectorGeorge LucasStarsMark HamillHarrison FordCarrie FisherLuke Skywalker joins forces with a Jedi Knight, a cocky pilot, a Wookiee and two droids to save the galaxy from the Empire's world-destroying battle station, while also attempting to rescue Princess Leia from the mysterious Darth Vader.This famous film needs no introduction from the likes of me. If you don't know about Star Wars, you've been living under a rock all your life.
- DirectorIrvin KershnerStarsMark HamillHarrison FordCarrie FisherAfter the Rebel Alliance are overpowered by the Empire, Luke Skywalker begins his Jedi training with Yoda, while his friends are pursued across the galaxy by Darth Vader and bounty hunter Boba Fett.Another rare case of the sequel surpassing the original.
- CreatorGene RoddenberryStarsWilliam ShatnerLeonard NimoyDeForest KelleyIn the 23rd Century, Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise explore the galaxy and defend the United Federation of Planets.Iconic to say the least, I loved each and every episode of the original series. The crew of the starship Enterprise is a perfect blend of characters and that is really what made the show.
Technically this is a little ahead of my time but no SF list would be complete without it! - DirectorRobert WiseStarsWilliam ShatnerLeonard NimoyDeForest KelleyWhen an alien spacecraft of enormous power is spotted approaching Earth, Admiral James T. Kirk resumes command of the overhauled USS Enterprise in order to intercept it.A lot of people hated this first installment of the Star Trek movie franchise, and for a long while I agreed with the haters. STTMP did not keep the same tone and pacing that defined later ST films. However, this film deserves a second viewing in all it's restored glory; it is science fiction art. Look again and you may see what I mean.
- DirectorNicholas MeyerStarsWilliam ShatnerLeonard NimoyDeForest KelleyWith the assistance of the Enterprise crew, Admiral Kirk must stop an old nemesis, Khan Noonien Singh, from using the life-generating Genesis Device as the ultimate weapon.Wonderfully hammy, over-the-top performances made this film the iconic Star Trek film; and who can forget the best one-line quote ever: "Khaaaaaaaaaaaaan!!!"
- DirectorJ.J. AbramsStarsChris PineZachary QuintoSimon PeggThe brash James T. Kirk tries to live up to his father's legacy with Mr. Spock keeping him in check as a vengeful Romulan from the future creates black holes to destroy the Federation one planet at a time.I thought this reboot was brilliant -- and much-needed. The Star Trek franchise had been getting bogged down with so much cannon that it was limiting plots. Now we start afresh!
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsHenry ThomasDrew BarrymorePeter CoyoteA troubled child summons the courage to help a friendly alien escape from Earth and return to his home planet.Sci Fi with heart.
- DirectorAndrew NiccolStarsEthan HawkeUma ThurmanJude LawA genetically inferior man assumes the identity of a superior one in order to pursue his lifelong dream of space travel.Imagine a future dystopia where your genetic makeup determines your caste. This underappreciated film was perhaps too small budget to get much attention at the time of its release. IMO it's a gem of conceptual Sci Fi.
- DirectorAlex ProyasStarsRufus SewellKiefer SutherlandJennifer ConnellyA man struggles with memories of his past, which include a wife he cannot remember and a nightmarish world no one else ever seems to wake up from.Outstanding visual style and a creepy story arc; another underrated Sci Fi film that hopefully has gained the appreciation it deserves since its 1998 release.
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsHarrison FordRutger HauerSean YoungA blade runner must pursue and terminate four replicants who stole a ship in space and have returned to Earth to find their creator.The best of the Dystopia category, Blade Runner wins hands down due to its mood and style, but also a wonderfully written dramatic tension. BR poses some profound questions about what it means to be human. This film holds up very well even 30 years later. I prefer the theatrical release but others swear by the Director's cut. Some of the most memorable performances from the lead actors as well as the villains.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsTom CruiseColin FarrellSamantha MortonJohn works with the PreCrime police which stop crimes before they take place, with the help of three 'PreCogs' who can foresee crimes. Events ensue when John finds himself framed for a future murder.Phillip K D once again pens an original which translates to a fabulous SF film. Minority Report, like Blade Runner, works primarily due to the question it raises; in this case, about the ethics of capturing and imprisoning a suspect based on prophecy about his "future crimes".
This is my favorite Tom Cruise film of the "before he went crazy" category. - DirectorLana WachowskiLilly WachowskiStarsKeanu ReevesLaurence FishburneCarrie-Anne MossWhen a beautiful stranger leads computer hacker Neo to a forbidding underworld, he discovers the shocking truth--the life he knows is the elaborate deception of an evil cyber-intelligence.The Matrix is the ultimate in existentialist Sci Fi; it's cerebral but also has some fabulous eye candy. You will find yourself questioning all kinds of things about your own life. It's the kind of film that sticks with you for days after you fist watch it.
TM has cgi sfx that were state-of-the-art at the time, great action, great writing, and even memorable quotes. 13 years later it still looks great and is fun to watch; a true instant classic.
The role of Neo is the character that Keanu Reeves was born to play; well, that and Theodore Logan - CreatorChris CarterStarsDavid DuchovnyGillian AndersonMitch PileggiTwo F.B.I. Agents, Fox Mulder the believer and Dana Scully the skeptic, investigate the strange and unexplained, while hidden forces work to impede their efforts.Television Sci Fi owes quite a debt to The X Files for elevating the Sci Fi series genre to a quality experince that doesn't have to be shamefully hidden from one's friends. Special Agents Dana Scully and Fox Mulder are the savvy partners charged with investigating the FBI's "X files", paranormal cases that the regular division won't touch.
TXF has a lot of creepy monster stuff, but it's the alien conspiracy story arc that is so satisfying; that, and the perfect chemistry between the two leads. - CreatorJ.J. AbramsAlex KurtzmanRoberto OrciStarsAnna TorvJoshua JacksonJohn NobleAn F.B.I. agent is forced to work with an institutionalized scientist and his son in order to rationalize a brewing storm of unexplained phenomena.No doubt about it, Fringe was greatly influenced and inspired by the X files, but kudos to the outstanding writing and cast that -- dare I say it -- improves upon those influences.
Fringe is possibly a bit to cerebral for your average viewer; I say this with embarassment, I am not trying to compliment myself in any way, but let's just say it's a SF series that has good visual style and sfx, but that's not the point: fans of Fringe must have a good attention span in order to follow the overarching story arcs and the alternate universe concepts. Not many monsters or 'splosions, but a lot of great plotting. That said, it's a miracle Fringe has survived for 4 seasons in a Jersey Shore tv-scape. - DirectorChristopher NolanStarsLeonardo DiCaprioJoseph Gordon-LevittElliot PageA thief who steals corporate secrets through the use of dream-sharing technology is given the inverse task of planting an idea into the mind of a C.E.O., but his tragic past may doom the project and his team to disaster.A masterpiece of plotting and mystery, this film will no doubt spawn debates for decades to come.
- DirectorJames CameronStarsSam WorthingtonZoe SaldanaSigourney WeaverA paraplegic Marine dispatched to the moon Pandora on a unique mission becomes torn between following his orders and protecting the world he feels is his home.No doubt I'll get a lot of flack for adding "Dances With Wolves In Blue" to my Great SF list. Nonetheless, Avatar stands as the best SF eye candy to date, and director James Cameron is the evil mastermind that made 3D the Next Big Thing that's swallowed Hollywood.
Stunning visual style, seamless action sequences and tight pacing win Avatar the "greatest action SF" trophy of its decade. - DirectorStanley KubrickStarsKeir DulleaGary LockwoodWilliam SylvesterAfter uncovering a mysterious artifact buried beneath the Lunar surface, a spacecraft is sent to Jupiter to find its origins: a spacecraft manned by two men and the supercomputer HAL 9000.Brilliant.
A bit slow-paced for today's average movie-goer, but rich in iconic imagery and ideas. A top-quality production for its time. - DirectorNeill BlomkampStarsSharlto CopleyDavid JamesJason CopeViolence ensues after an extraterrestrial race forced to live in slum-like conditions on Earth finds a kindred spirit in a government agent exposed to their biotechnology.More philosophical about the nature of what it means to be human.
- DirectorKatsuhiro ÔtomoStarsMitsuo IwataNozomu SasakiMami KoyamaA secret military project endangers Neo-Tokyo when it turns a biker gang member into a rampaging psychic psychopath who can only be stopped by a teenager, his gang of biker friends and a group of psychics.Classic dystopian anime.