OK, just ever so slightly delayed, but here.
Science fiction is pretty much a staple of a geek's existence. We gravitate to spaceships and dinosaurs around the same time other kids start going for the footballs and Barbie dolls. But there's more to sci-fi than just Star Trek and Star Wars, however. Sometimes it's hard sci-fi, like what we'd find in the pages of Analog or Issac Asimov's Magazine. Sometimes, it's softer sci-fi, leaning into towards science fantasy or delving into the more human aspects of sci-fi. These are ten that I think ought to be seen by just about everybody.
Primer – This is a perfect example of how to make a great “hard” sci-fi movie on a small budget and still have it be believable. Like any good movie involving time travel, this one will bake your noodle.
Donnie Darko – This one works as sci-fi, thriller, fantasy, and even horror to some extent. It's a skull twister, not only because of it's focus on time travel and the fate/free will argument, but the way it makes teen alienation strangely more understandable.
The Thirteenth Floor – A couple months after The Matrix came out, this one proposed that we might be living in a computer simulation in a more subtle fashion.
Serenity – The movie followup, and conclusion, to the TV series Firefly. Seeing the series isn't necessary to enjoy the movie, but it sure helps add to the enjoyment.
Silent Running – This one might be more disturbing now than it was when it was first released. The premise of containing chunks of Earth's biomes inside geodesic modules on board spacecraft is a little less academic these days.
Forbidden Planet – It's an oldie but a goodie. Also works as a monster movie. And it reminds you that Leslie Nielsen used to be a serious actor the same way Tom Hanks used to be a comedian.
A Boy And His Dog – While the world isn't quite as close to nuclear annihilation as it might have been years ago, this one strikes a definite chord for what life might be like when everything's been smashed down to bedrock.
Space Truckers - Not every sci-fi movie has to be super-serious. Sci-fi can also be a playground for comedy. Sometimes, really campy comedy. Dennis Hopper might have done this one for the paycheck, but he earned every penny.
Outland – Essentially “High Noon” set in space, it shows Sean Connery really can act beyond James Bond.
Rollerball – Not the shit remake that came out a couple years ago. The original. Yes, there's a definite '70s vibe to it. But it still works.
Next: Historical films
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