The "Good Science Fiction Movie" Thread

[santiclaws]

A mention of a sci fi movie by trdi in another thread got me to thinking about all the good sci-fi movies that never get enough, or any, press as opposed to the big budget crap that tries to pass itself off as "sci-fi" but is just a turd sandwich with flying saucers or meteors/asteroids or aliens wreaking havoc.

So, how about recommendations of some good sic fi flicks? I want to know about good sci fi I haven't heard about.

Some of my recommendations:

Last Night - the one that got me thinking about it. A story about what people do knowing that "the end" is coming. In exactly six hours.

The Quiet Earth - What happens if you wake up one morning and realize that just about all of Earth's population has suddenly vanished?

Pi - I don't even know how to describe it. Looking for God in mathematical equations. A real head trip.

Dark City - A real stylish film noir, a murder mystery and a freaky alien movie. As a bonus, Jennifer Connelly looking the best she has ever looked.

Solaris - An old Russian movie based on a real trippy book by Stanislaw Lem. A ship orbits a living planet, that pops into existence people who the astronauts are thinking (and feeling guilty) about. "Event Horizon" was also loosely based on this book, but was Hollywodized and ended up being the aforementioned turd sandwich.

Children of Men - One of the best sci fi flicks in recent memory. What would happen if humainty suddenly lost the ability to reproduce?

Strange Days - YouTube taken to the nth degree - you can record not just plain video, but someone's entire experience straight from their brain, and then you can just "plug in" that recording into your own brain and feel what that person felt. And it is very addictive...

[schaggydog]

Equilibrium was pretty good. A society banned from experiencing any emotion, where art is banned and the people are drugged to keep them in line.

I also liked Final Cut with Robin Williams. It brought up some interesting moral questions with the idea of everyone's lives being recorded. Nothing is secret anymore. And how accurate do they portray the people's lives in the final movie presented at death? It's all subjective and too easy to manipulate.

You listed some pretty good films. Dark City is one of my all time favorites.

[BDTR]

*EDIT: Pictures make things fun!*

I love Pi, Solaris and Cildren Of Men! Strange Days was pretty good too.

Someone's going to say these eventually, so I'll go ahead and throw in...

Alien - Not only one of the best Sci-Fi movies, but one of the greatest suspense horror films ever made too. I'm pretty sure I don't have to you all about it though.


2001: A Space Odyssey - Evolution, the human spirit, psychedelia, non organic life, and the unknown... "Hello Dave"


The Thing - A team of scientists based in Antarctica find an alien virus that manifests itself into it's hosts from the inside out, using it's host's body as a disguise. Rampant paranoia ensues, along with some of the best animatronic puppet monsters I've ever seen.


Brazil - Terry Gilliam's masterpiece. A future that harks back to the 30's/50's Man-In-The-Gray-Flannel-Suit sence of no personal individuality, with a bit of 1984 everybodys-watching-you thrown in. The only version to see is the Criterion Collection version, or any true directors cut of the film, as the ending was deemed "too dark" by the studio and completely changed on it's theatrical run and on some home video releases.


THX-1138 - Lucas, why couldn't you have stayed serious? Humans are sedated by the unknown powers that be and herded like cattle to do their monotonous daily jobs. Robert Duvall stops taking his pills. Chase ensues.


Metropolis - Incredible and visionary silent movie by German legend Fritz Lang. In the future an elite and privileged royal class lives (basically literally) in the clouds, and a Prince stumbles into the dark, horrifying underworld of the everyman and his life is changed forever.

[trdi]

I will just have to go with my favorite movie, my signature is also a quote from it.

Blade Runner - what makes you human? Appearance? Check. Feelings? Check. Ability to forgive someone that killed your loved one? Check. And yet Roy Batty is not considered to be human.

Many people don't realize, that Deckard is also not human. So maybe the answer is: you are human if you think you are human?

The movie is worth watching many many times, because you always find something new to think about. Even if you are not in thinking mood, the visionary characteristic of the movie is very interesting.

[Len-Det64]

Originally Posted by trdi

I will just have to go with my favorite movie, my signature is also a quote from it.

Blade Runner - what makes you human? Appearance? Check. Feelings? Check. Ability to forgive someone that killed your loved one? Check. And yet Roy Batty is not considered to be human.

Many people don't realize, that Deckard is also not human. So maybe the answer is: you are human if you think you are human?

The movie is worth watching many many times, because you always find something new to think about. Even if you are not in thinking mood, the visionary characteristic of the movie is very interesting.

That part of the film is complete theory not fact and left ambiguous on purpose so that the viewer could make a decision for themselves.

[santiclaws]

Originally Posted by Len-Det64

That part of the film is complete theory not fact and left ambiguous on purpose so that the viewer could make a decision for themselves.

It was not very ambiguous. Scott has said in interviews that Dekard is a replicant. Since the director says he's a replicant, and there is no suggestion in the original story that Dekard is a replicant, it would seem to follow that Dekard is a replicant in the movie. I personally am not sure that actually makes the story better or takes away from it, but there it is.

P.S. Can we also get a bit more off the beaten path here? Seriously, Alien, 2001, Blade Runner? I have a Blade Runner poster hanging in my living room and it was the first DVD I ever bought, and my gaming handle is usually Nexus6. C'mon, now, don't be bringing up A Clockwork Orange next.

I'll have to check out Equilibrium and Final Cut.

Just remembered another very good one: Gattaca.
And I forgot, not that far off the beaten path, but Twelve Monkeys. I actually like it better than Brazil.

The 1984 adaptation with John Hurt is pretty good, too.

[Annapurna]

Originally Posted by BDTR

I love Pi, Solaris and Cildren Of Men! Strange Days was pretty good too.

Someone's going to say these eventually, so I'll go ahead and throw in...

Alien - Not only one of the best Sci-Fi movies, but one of the greatest suspense horror films ever made too. I'm pretty sure I don't have to you all about it though.

2001: A Space Odyssey - Evolution, the human spirit, psychedelia, non organic life, and the unknown... "Hello Dave"

The Thing - A team of scientists based in Antarctica find an alien virus that manifests itself into it's hosts from the inside out, using it's host's body as a disguise. Rampant paranoia ensues, along with some of the best animatronic puppet monsters I've ever seen.

Brazil - Terry Gilliam's masterpiece. A future that harks back to the 30's/50's Man-In-The-Gray-Flannel-Suit sence of no personal individuality, with a bit of 1984 everybodys-watching-you thrown in. The only version to see is the Criterion Collection version, or any true directors cut of the film, as the ending was deemed "too dark" by the studio and completely changed on it's theatrical run and on some home video releases.

THX-1138 - Lucas, why couldn't you have stayed serious? Humans are sedated by the unknown powers that be and herded like cattle to do their monotonous daily jobs. Robert Duvall stops taking his pills. Chase ensues.

Metropolis - Incredible and visionary silent movie by German legend Fritz Lang. In the future an elite and privileged royal class lives (basically literally) in the clouds, and a Prince stumbles into the dark, horrifying underworld of the everyman and his life is changed forever.

Love this list + Blade Runner and A Clockwork Orange. THX-1138 is probably my favorite Lucas directed film, even more than Star Wars.

[Len-Det64]

Originally Posted by santiclaws

It was not very ambiguous. Scott has said in interviews that Dekard is a replicant. Since the director says he's a replicant, and there is no suggestion in the original story that Dekard is a replicant, it would seem to follow that Dekard is a replicant in the movie. I personally am not sure that actually makes the story better or takes away from it, but there it is.

The question of whether Deckard is intended to be a human or a replicant has been an ongoing controversy since the film's release. Both Michael Deeley (the producer) and Harrison Ford wanted Deckard to be human while Hampton Fancher (the screen writer) preferred ambiguity. Ridley Scott (the director) has confirmed that in his vision Deckard is a replicant.

Saying that Ridley Scott wanted the Deckard to be a replicant is NOT the end all to the issue. I would think that the intention of the writer carries more weight than the director.

[Len-Det64]

Sci Fi Movies

The Time Machine (1960 Version.), Logans Run, The Road Warrior, Serenity, Sci-Fi Networks Dune Mini Series, Children of Dune Mini Series and Taken Mini Series.

I also enjoyed Sci-Fi Networks Tin Man Mini Series

[gescom]

in keeping with something in the original post, i suggest - Stalker: the "other" film by Andrei Tarkovsky. if you are into a movie allowing your mind to interpret a story being told to you without any spoonfeeding whatsoever... you MUST see this movie!

another equally uncoventional Science Fiction masterpiece...

Until The End OF The World: Wim Wenders' road movie in what i consider absolute true cyberpunk fashion. set in the final moments before civilization gets wiped out, this is one of my favorite movies ever. it also sets the standard (and in my opinion, remains unbeaten) for movie "soundtracks."

c'mon... William Hurt AND Max Von Sydow? both oh whom have also been a part of re-telling the greatest Science Fiction novel ever written? you cannot beat that!

[trdi]

Originally Posted by santiclaws

P.S. Can we also get a bit more off the beaten path here? Seriously, Alien, 2001, Blade Runner? I have a Blade Runner poster hanging in my living room and it was the first DVD I ever bought, and my gaming handle is usually Nexus6. C'mon, now, don't be bringing up A Clockwork Orange next.

My gaming handle is Nexus6mAA. I think every BR fan knows what those mAA mean? If anyone is playing poker @ PS, look for Nexus6mAA.

Originally Posted by Len-Det64

That part of the film is complete theory not fact and left ambiguous on purpose so that the viewer could make a decision for themselves.

Wrong.

Originally Posted by Len-Det64

The question of whether Deckard is intended to be a human or a replicant has been an ongoing controversy since the film's release. Both Michael Deeley (the producer) and Harrison Ford wanted Deckard to be human while Hampton Fancher (the screen writer) preferred ambiguity. Ridley Scott (the director) has confirmed that in his vision Deckard is a replicant.

Saying that Ridley Scott wanted the Deckard to be a replicant is NOT the end all to the issue. I would think that the intention of the writer carries more weight than the director.

They didn't want it to be OBVIOUS. But everyone knew Deckard was supposed to be a replicant. Everyone except Deckard. Ford asked Scott "Am I replicant?" And Scott asnwered: "No, you are human." He wanted him to believe he was human.

Novel author didn't want Deckard to be replicant. In the novel, Deckard is being tested on VK test and it was negative.

In the Director's cut there is absolutely no question about whether Deckard is a replicant or not. The unicorn dream and the unicorn at the end movie tells the whole story. Deckard also realizes it just before he jumps in the elevator. All three figurines Gaff made throughout the movie, were saying what HE was thinking about Deckard. He saw his dreams just like Deckard saw dreams of other replicants.

[gescom]

i have my own convoluted theory about Blade Runner.

[Len-Det64]

Originally Posted by trdi

Wrong.



They didn't want it to be OBVIOUS. But everyone knew Deckard was supposed to be a replicant. Everyone except Deckard. Ford asked Scott "Am I replicant?" And Scott asnwered: "No, you are human." He wanted him to believe he was human.

Novel author didn't want Deckard to be replicant. In the novel, Deckard is being tested on VK test and it was negative.

In the Director's cut there is absolutely no question about whether Deckard is a replicant or not. The unicorn dream and the unicorn at the end movie tells the whole story. Deckard also realizes it just before he jumps in the elevator. All three figurines Gaff made throughout the movie, were saying what HE was thinking about Deckard. He saw his dreams just like Deckard saw dreams of other replicants.

I don't want to spend anymore time on this in this thread. I have already explained that the argument can go either way and there are hundreds of resources on the web explaining this. If you want to be bull headed and believe your own theory go right ahead. The fact of the matter is that it was left ambiguous in the original movie despite Ridley Scott making a directors cut that was his own interpretation of the script, having explained earlier that Ridley Scott wanted Deckard to be a replicant. Ridley Scott's iterperetation is not the end all solutuion. I won't respond to any other quips from you on this subject.

[job]

Is Donnie Darko considered science fiction? If so, Donnie Darko FTW.