Favorite sci-fi movies?

[max808]

8] Stargate (1994)
by Roland Emmerich & Mario Kassar
ultimate director's cut > 02:09:55
aspect ratio > 2.35:1 anamorphic
premiere > 28/10/1994 USA
budget > $55 million
box office > $196.6 million

Imagine Indiana Jones and Star Wars in the same universe and you get Stargate, Roland Emmerich's first foray into big budget sci-fi territory and his first certified blockbuster hit. Making a 300% return on investment it gave Emmerich a lot of room to expand on his apocalyptic visions of the future in Independence Day, establishing himself as Hollywood's very own Master of Disaster.

This movie, dare I say film, always held a special place in my heart and is one of my all time favorite sci-fi universes to inhabit. Alien technology has traditionally been linked to ancient Egypt and the pyramids and this storyline makes full use of that premise, much to my personal delight. It was Immanuel Velikovski's "Earth in upheaval", Erich von Däniken's "Chariots of the gods" and later Graham Hancock's "Fingerprints of the gods" that first exposed me to these bizarre theories about highly advanced civilizations that flourished in the distant past and left traces everywhere. According to some it's actually one of mainstream science's primary objectives to study and archive this forbidden archeology/technology and keep it hidden from the masses. Mr. von Däniken appeared on Coast to Coast not too long ago and he was treated like royalty by George Noory. He also tends to be more factual and less ideological than Zachariah Sitchin, who seems quite obsessed with the Anunaki and their obsession with gold for some reason. (Ancient Aliens Syndrome > I'm not saying it's aliens, but it's definitely aliens)

With art imitating life and vice versa, one fact that seems fiction to most is truth is usually stranger than fiction and I'm watching it dubbed in German to avoid hardcoded subtitles so some of that truth may get diluted or lost in translation altogether...

[grasshopper]

I really enjoyed reading thru this thread. Seems like I’ve seen about 75% of them!

I’ve got one that didn’t sneak in… ‘Lifeforce’. Sci-fi/horror.
https://youtu.be/0Il3DgDKSvo

[grasshopper]

And another one…
“Doomsday” (2008)
https://youtu.be/fJDVi0BMabU

Nothing seriously thought provoking, but a fun ride none the less.

[Naperville]

I suppose I'm no different and love a great SciFi flick. They rarely come along now. After you've seen them they change you.

2001 the original was fantastic. There have been a few others, but 2001 is a movie that stands out for the decades it has remained a must see movie.

I grew up watching Flash Gordon, and as fake as that is it's still fun to watch.

[RamZar]

In chronological order:


1. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
2. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)
3. Forbidden Planet (1956)
4. Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959)
5. The Time Machine (1960)
6. Planet of the Apes (1968)
7. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
8. Star Wars (1977)
9. Alien (1979)
10. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
11. Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
12. Blade Runner (1982)
13. The Thing (1982)
14. Terminator (1984)
15. Back to the Future (1985)
16. Brazil (1985)
17. Aliens (1986)
18. RoboCop (1987)
19. Predator (1987)
20. Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991)
21. Independence Day (1996)
22. Starship Troopers (1997)
23. The Fifth Element (1997)
24. The Matrix (1999)
25. Minority Report (2002)
26. Children of Men (2006)
27. Avatar (2009)
28. Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
29. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

[Doc Dan]

Have you folks seen Troll (2022)? I think it is a Norwegian film. Pretty good flick.

[James Y]

Have you folks seen Troll (2022)? I think it is a Norwegian film. Pretty good flick.

Haven't seen the 2022 Troll movie, but I've seen the 2010 Norwegian film Troll Hunter. IMO, one of the better movies in the "found footage" genre.

Jim

[riclaw]

Lots of really good entries here. That's one heck of a list, RamZar. I'd only add one, Oblivion (2013). It and Edge of Tomorrow (2014) are two Tom Cruise was cast perfectly in.

[JSumm]

Lots of really good entries here. That's one heck of a list, RamZar. I'd only add one, Oblivion (2013). It and Edge of Tomorrow (2014) are two Tom Cruise was cast perfectly in.

Love both of those!

[RamZar]

Lots of really good entries here. That's one heck of a list, RamZar. I'd only add one, Oblivion (2013). It and Edge of Tomorrow (2014) are two Tom Cruise was cast perfectly in.

Personally, the best sci-fi starring Tom Cruise is Minority Report (2002) and it’s also the best sci-fi directed by Steven Spielberg.

Personally, the best decade for sci-fi movies was 1977-1987 with 12 classics.

1. Star Wars (1977)
2. Alien (1979)
3. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
4. Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
5. Blade Runner (1982)
6. The Thing (1982)
7. Terminator (1984)
8. Back to the Future (1985)
9. Brazil (1985)
10. Aliens (1986)
11. RoboCop (1987)
12. Predator (1987)

[Doc Dan]

Have you folks seen Troll (2022)? I think it is a Norwegian film. Pretty good flick.

Haven't seen the 2022 Troll movie, but I've seen the 2010 Norwegian film Troll Hunter. IMO, one of the better movies in the "found footage" genre.

Jim

The special effects are really good and it’s a fun movie. It blames Christians for the demise of the trolls however you want to take that..

[RamZar]

I went through the entire thread and was pleasantly surprised to see others had mentioned some of my personal favorites which I hadn’t mentioned before:

• The War of the Worlds (1953)
• The Mysterians (1957)
• Fantastic Voyage (1966)
• Quatermass and the Pit [Five Million Years to Earth] (1967)
• The Andromeda Strain (1971)
• A Clockwork Orange (1971)
• Soylent Green (1973)
• Westworld (1973)
• A Boy and His Dog (1975)
• Logan’s Run (1976)
• Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
• Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
• E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
• The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984)
• Dune (1984)
• Starman (1984)
• The Fly (1986)
• The Abyss (1989)
• Total Recall (1990)
• Jurassic Park (1993)
• Stargate (1994)
• 12 Monkeys (1995)
• Contact (1997)
• Dark City (1998)
• A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)
• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
• The Prestige (2006)
• Moon (2009)
• Inception (2010)
• Cloud Atlas (2012)
• Snowpiercer (2013)
• Her (2013)
• Gravity (2013)
• Pacific Rim (2013)
• Lucy (2014)
• Interstellar (2014)
• Ex Machina (2014)
• The Martian (2015)
• Arrival (2016)

[abbazaba]

Hands down:


See you at the party Richter!

[riclaw]

The Prestige still gives me chills just thinking about the lengths Hugh Jackman's character went to.

Pacific Rim, both original and sequel, are great popcorn flicks. John Boyega really shines in the sequel.

[RamZar]

I combined my two lists of Best SciFi Movies into one and sorted it chronologically:

1. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
2. The War of the Worlds (1953)
3. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)
4. Forbidden Planet (1956)
5. The Mysterians (1957)
6. Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959)
7. The Time Machine (1960)
8. Village of the Damned (1960)
9. Robinson Crusoe on Mars (1964)
10. Fantastic Voyage (1966)
11. Fahrenheit 451 (1966)
12. Quatermass and the Pit [Five Million Years to Earth] (1967)
13. Planet of the Apes (1968)
14. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
15. The Andromeda Strain (1971)
16. A Clockwork Orange (1971)
17. Slaughterhouse-Five (1972)
18. Fantastic Planet (1973)
19. Soylent Green (1973)
20. Westworld (1973)
21. Zardoz (1974)
22. A Boy and His Dog (1975)
23. Rollerball (1975)
24. The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976)
25. Logan’s Run (1976)
26. Demon Seed (1977)
27. Star Wars (1977)
28. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
29. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
30. Time after Time (1979)
31. Alien (1979)
32. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
33. Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981)
34. Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
35. Blade Runner (1982)
36. The Thing (1982)
37. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
38. The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984)
39. Dune (1984)
40. Starman (1984)
41. Terminator (1984)
42. Back to the Future (1985)
43. Enemy Mine (1985)
44. Brazil (1985)
45. Aliens (1986)
46. The Fly (1986)
47. RoboCop (1987)
48. Predator (1987)
49. They Live (1988)
50. The Abyss (1989)
51. Total Recall (1990)
52. Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991)
53. Jurassic Park (1993)
54. Demolition Man (1993)
55. Stargate (1994)
56. 12 Monkeys (1995)
57. Independence Day (1996)
58. Starship Troopers (1997)
59. The Fifth Element (1997)
60. Contact (1997)
61. Dark City (1998)
62. The Matrix (1999)
63. A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)
64. Minority Report (2002)
65. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
66. 2046 (2004)
67. Children of Men (2006)
68. The Prestige (2006)
69. Moon (2009)
70. Avatar (2009)
71. Inception (2010)
72. Cloud Atlas (2012)
73. Snowpiercer (2013)
74. Her (2013)
75. Gravity (2013)
76. Pacific Rim (2013)
77. Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
78. Lucy (2014)
79. Interstellar (2014)
80. Ex Machina (2014)
81. The Martian (2015)
82. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
83. Arrival (2016)

[max808]

I suppose I'm no different and love a great SciFi flick. They rarely come along now. After you've seen them they change you.

2001 the original was fantastic. There have been a few others, but 2001 is a movie that stands out for the decades it has remained a must see movie.

I grew up watching Flash Gordon, and as fake as that is it's still fun to watch.

2001 is exactly how you describe it, and Flash Gordon is one of the last classics left on my list to source, total cheesefest but fun, self-aware and the VFX from the seventies and eighties are quite hilarious. Funny how nobody ever mentions 2010: The Year We Make Contact from 1984...

[max808]

I combined my two lists of Best SciFi Movies into one and sorted it chronologically:

1. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
2. The War of the Worlds (1953)
3. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)
4. Forbidden Planet (1956)
5. The Mysterians (1957)
6. Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959)
7. The Time Machine (1960)
8. Village of the Damned (1960)
9. Robinson Crusoe on Mars (1964)
10. Fantastic Voyage (1966)
11. Fahrenheit 451 (1966)
12. Quatermass and the Pit [Five Million Years to Earth] (1967)
13. Planet of the Apes (1968)
14. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
15. The Andromeda Strain (1971)
16. A Clockwork Orange (1971)
17. Slaughterhouse-Five (1972)
18. Fantastic Planet (1973)
19. Soylent Green (1973)
20. Westworld (1973)
21. Zardoz (1974)
22. A Boy and His Dog (1975)
23. Rollerball (1975)
24. The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976)
25. Logan’s Run (1976)
26. Demon Seed (1977)
27. Star Wars (1977)
28. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
29. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
30. Time after Time (1979)
31. Alien (1979)
32. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
33. Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981)
34. Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
35. Blade Runner (1982)
36. The Thing (1982)
37. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
38. The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984)
39. Dune (1984)
40. Starman (1984)
41. Terminator (1984)
42. Back to the Future (1985)
43. Enemy Mine (1985)
44. Brazil (1985)
45. Aliens (1986)
46. The Fly (1986)
47. RoboCop (1987)
48. Predator (1987)
49. They Live (1988)
50. The Abyss (1989)
51. Total Recall (1990)
52. Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991)
53. Jurassic Park (1993)
54. Demolition Man (1993)
55. Stargate (1994)
56. 12 Monkeys (1995)
57. Independence Day (1996)
58. Starship Troopers (1997)
59. The Fifth Element (1997)
60. Contact (1997)
61. Dark City (1998)
62. The Matrix (1999)
63. A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)
64. Minority Report (2002)
65. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
66. 2046 (2004)
67. Children of Men (2006)
68. The Prestige (2006)
69. Moon (2009)
70. Avatar (2009)
71. Inception (2010)
72. Cloud Atlas (2012)
73. Snowpiercer (2013)
74. Her (2013)
75. Gravity (2013)
76. Pacific Rim (2013)
77. Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
78. Lucy (2014)
79. Interstellar (2014)
80. Ex Machina (2014)
81. The Martian (2015)
82. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
83. Arrival (2016)

Thank you Ramzar for your epic contribution and happy to see this thread gaining traction again. I'd like to get my last review done before the holidays and did Mars Attacks yesterday, also an alternative top 21 for your favorite decade, which I stretched a bit. Great to have you on board Sir.

[max808]

9] Mars Attacks (1996)
by Tim Burton & Larry J. Franco
theatrical cut > 01:45:45
aspect ratio > 2.35:1 anamorphic
premiere > 13/12/1996 USA
budget > $70 million
box office > $101.4 million

Let's examine the star-studded cast in this delightful sci-fi parody that is equal parts hilarious and vicious at the same time:

- Jack Nicholson as stately President James Dale who obeys his wife and true Commander in Chief blindly and lives by the happy wife happy life moniker, also as shady Art Land, who is looking for some muscle to collect some debt in order to start up some new gambling franchise

- Glenn Close as posh First Lady Marsha Dale, who thinks Eleanor Roosevelt's drapes are hideous and need to be replaced immediately

- Annette Bening as idealistic Barbara Land, Art Land's alcoholic wife whose ideals can be bought for a handful of poker chips

- Pierce Brosnan as brilliant Professor Donald Kessler, who invented the universal translation machine, which leaves a lot lost in translation

- Danny DeVito as obnoxious Rude Gambler, degenerate lawyer who's always trying to find an angle and run the numbers

- Michael J. Fox as ambitious Jason Stone, overcompensating star reporter who's outraged that his girlfriend got the greatest scoop of all time instead of him

- Sarah Jessica Parker as vapid Nathalie Lake, gorgeous blonde reporter who normally covers beauty products but gets an exclusive live interview with a high ranking official regarding the alien invasion

- Jack Black as jarhead Billy Glenn Norris, bully, brother to Richie and pride of the Norris clan, who mistakes a magazine release for the trigger in the heat of combat

- Christina Applegate as nasty Sharona, Billy Glenn's willing girlfriend who loves to put out

- Lukas Haas as naive Richie Norris, dreamer and black sheep of the Norris clan who prefers not to think about Billy Glenn and the poor example he sets but instead focuses on taking care of grandma

- Nathalie Portman as innocent Taffy Dale, first daughter and total cutie who's a dreamer like Richie

- Martin Short as sleazy Press Secretary Jerry Ross, partisan douche who's cultivated some bad habits that easily get him and national security compromised as a result

- Tamara Curry as dropdead gorgeous Hooker #1, who leans into the rear window of a limo very elegantly

- Rebecca Broussard as dropdead gorgeous Hooker #2, who leans into the rear window of a limo very gracefully

- Lisa Marie as deadly Martian Girl, who infiltrates the White House on a covert mission to destabilize the Executive Branch of government

- Tom Jones as handsome nineties Tom Jones, who sings one of his greatest classics ever and charms everyone he comes into contact with

- Jim Brown as intimidating Byron Williams, heavyweight champion of the world who's grinding hard at the casino to make ends meet and treats visiting nuns like a true gentleman

- Pam Grier as foxy Louise Williams, ex-wife and single mom who's grinding hard to make ends meet as a busdriver and has 2 rebellious punk kids to deal with on top of that

- Rod Steiger as homicidal General Decker, who wants to nuke em and is eventually targeted by agents of karma

- Paul Winfield as cocky General Casey, who wants to reason with em and is instantly targeted by agents of karma

- Rance Howard as cautious Texan Investor, who tries to point out the fact that there's a war outside during a pitch meeting that ends prematurely

- Sylvia Sidney as charming Grandma Florence Norris, who ends up saving her boy and as a result all of humanity

Don't run... we are your friends!

[max808]

1] THX 1138 (1970)
2] The Omega Man (1971)
3] Solaris (1972)
4] Godzilla vs Megalon (1973)
5] Godzilla vs MechaGodzilla (1974)
6] Death Race 2000 (1975)
7] Phase IV (1976)
8] The War in Space (1977)
9] Warlords of Atlantis (1978)
10] The Black Hole (1979)
11] Flash Gordon (1980)
12] Scanners (1981)
13] Tron (1982)
14] Videodrome (1983)
15] The NeverEnding Story (1984)
16] LifeForce (1985)
17] Howard the Duck (1986)
18] Batteries Not Included (1987)
19] They Live (1988)
20] Honey I shrunk the Kids (1989)
21] Hardware (1990)

[max808]

Have you folks seen Troll (2022)? I think it is a Norwegian film. Pretty good flick.

Saw it last week and liked it but was rather distracted so watched it again later and liked it again. It was directed by the same guy that did the Tomb Raider reboot with my girl Alicia Vikander!