# Best fantasy/sci-fi films



## Brian G Turner (Nov 24, 2002)

I'll start with a couple:

Star Wars (A New Hope) - [of course!]

Also - 

Conan the Barbarian - [superb soundtrack as well.]
Silent Running - [actually makes males cry.]


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## Archangel Scream (Nov 24, 2002)

Don't forget the Lord of the Rings films! 

Great soundtrack too!


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## mac1 (Nov 29, 2002)

LOTR:Fellowship (especially the collectors edition 4 disc DVD version), Alien,Aliens, Alien3, Star Wars (Original Triliogy), ST:First Contact, T2:Judgement Day, Dark City, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, and Dune.


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## Survivor (Dec 2, 2002)

*Just kidding around*

Does _Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon_ count as a fantasy?


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## mac1 (Dec 4, 2002)

Its a big over the top epic adventure where people can fly, and you can have your wishes granted by jumping off the top of Wu-Dan mountain. Sounds pretty fantasy to me, I have on occasion leapt off mountains myself in the hop that I too will return to the desert - all I get is another broken arm and a posse of people telling me I'm an idiot - they may have a point! Sure the film has elements of romance, martial arts, and morality, but in my opinion its still primarily a fantasy film!


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## Survivor (Dec 4, 2002)

But she doesn't get her wish granted...she doesn't have a faithful heart.  That's pretty much the whole point of the story.

As for the fighting, come on!


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## Brian G Turner (Dec 4, 2002)

> But she doesn't get her wish granted...



Doesn't she?  ???

I've only seen it the once, but was left with the feeling that - advised to be true to herself, yet constantly under pressure to conform to the wishes of pretty much every single character she interracts with - she therefore wishes for personal freedom. She leaves them all behind so that she can be free to shape herself.


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## Bremmer (Dec 5, 2002)

My votes go for (fantasy) Excalibur and (sci-fi) Blade Runner.

Generally I find most fantasy films to be a big let down - the stories and images on the screen rarely match the scale of what I expect (an active imagination is one of the plus points of growing up playing RPGs ... there are lots of down points as well thought  ). Sci-fi I tend to find very hit or miss - films or TV shows that rely on the fact that they are 'sci-fi' usually bore me. To often the need for characters and a story are completely overlooked.


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## Survivor (Dec 5, 2002)

Westerners!

One of the reasons that _Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon_ did so poorly in the Chinese market is that in the context of Chinese culture it is unambigously a total downer 

I thought it was a beautiful movie myself, but I really like depressing movies (a trait of westernized Chinese, we like being depressed).


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## Brian G Turner (Dec 6, 2002)

Ah…forgot to add - her freedom was death, yes? Does that tie-in with the tainted heart issue, in that her wish comes true, regardless?



> Generally I find most fantasy films to be a big let down - the stories and images on the screen rarely match the scale of what I expect



Yes, the problem of being able to [affordably] acheive on screen something approaching our imaginations. Perhaps the continued development of CGI will help address that issue - assuming they can get decent scriptwriters and actors to support such production projects!


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## Blade (Dec 6, 2002)

There are two films which stand out for me: Bladerunner and The Matrix.


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## Survivor (Dec 6, 2002)

Hah!  There's your problem.  It's not a lack of visual effects, 'tis the lack of _imagination_.  Filmmakers that think they can make a movie better just by increasing the special effects budget *coLucusugh* are the reason that movies fall short of our expectations.


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## nemesis (Dec 10, 2002)

Definitely it's the imagination that's missing. And there's always too much reliance on CGI. For backgrops it can work nicely. But for objects in motion too often they end up looking like shiny plastic toys. I refer you to the TIE fighters in the CGI'ed Star Wars (episode 4) and the lamentable Enterprise in the last Star Trek film, which was poor enough to not warrant my remembering it's title.


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## Archangel Scream (Dec 11, 2002)

Conan the Barbarian! Conan the Barbarian!


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## mac1 (Dec 12, 2002)

Ive got to agree, at least to some extent with nemesis, there is far too much reliance on CGI (I especially agree with your point about the Enterprise in Insurrection, the one in First contact which half CGI/half model looked Far better). The process of CGI has however got infinately better over the last 5-10 years, Final Fantasy:The Spirits Within, despite what anyone has to say looks scarily real. The only thing they haven't got completely right is the wieght distribution of large creatures, and human eyes. They look lifeless, vacant and slightly glassy. Then again they do say the eyes are windows to the soul. However any amount of incredible CGI will get film producers knowhere if they do not use it to create original films, with at least some grasp of realism. For the most part film writers have a tendancy to come up with the most ludicrous plots imaginable, simply to be original, and the result is the creation of films such as Final Fantasy (which I still love despite its blatant overambitiousness). On the other hand you cannot be too harsh as (In my humble opinion) never have been possible to bring The Lord Of The Rings to the big screen (and done justice to it), with old fashioned superimposition and modelwork. CGI is the future of filmaking, whether the filmwriters can come up with original stories is the real problem.


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## Survivor (Dec 15, 2002)

I don't believe that a story necessarily must be original to be good.  After all, none of Shakespeare's stories were original at all.

But a story _does_ have to be _creative_ to be any good.


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## nemesis (Dec 30, 2002)

Bladerunner has not dated badly at all. Still worth watching. I wonder when we will see a better DVD realease.


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## Kilroy (Jan 2, 2003)

Star Wars, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, DUNE!!!! (tv series, the other was hokey), The Matrix,  2001: A Space Odyssey (classic).

Best comedic Sci-fi;  Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home and Galaxy Quest.

Kilroy Was Here


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## mac1 (Apr 11, 2003)

Fantasy: Mononoke Hime.


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## dwndrgn (Jul 15, 2003)

One of my favorite sci fi films is Logan's Run.  Seeing it today kind of makes you cringe, but at the time I enjoyed it so much I dreamt about it for years later.

I also enjoyed The Beastmaster (the first one) but that may have been mostly due to the fact that at the time I first saw it I was a teenager and boy did he look nice in a loincloth!  ;D

I thought the TV miniseries V was done well.  

Yor, The Hunter from the Future is the worst film ever made and it fits into fantasy and sci fi!  I cringe just thinking about that one...

Bladerunner is still a great movie.  

I loved Conan but usually don't admit it.  You'll keep my secret won't you?


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## nemesis (Jul 18, 2003)

Conan is a respectable film. Probably because Swarzenegger barely speaks.


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## littlemissattitude (Jul 28, 2003)

First of all, I must agree that _Silent Running_ was a good film.  It got cast as a sort of knock-off to capitalize on the success of _2001_, but I thought it stood very well on its own, without any reference to earlier films.

I would like to mention a couple of older (much older) science fiction films that I really like.  One is _The Day the Earth Stood Still_ (1951).  It so deserves its status as a classic.  Another science fiction film I really like is _Five Million Years to Earth _ (released in Britain as _Quartermass and the Pit_) (1968).  It is a British film.  It is part of series; I can't vouch for the rest of the series, but this one is great fun.

Yes, I like the newer stuff as well.  But I really like a good, old film once in a while.


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## Foxbat (Jul 28, 2003)

There are so many fine films and some already mentioned here. I love most 50s and 60s Sci-Fi..particularly films like The Day The Earth Caught Fire and This Island Earth. But there is one film which, despite its crappy effects and very obviously low budget production stands out and that is Dark Star.  John Carpenter has produced some other flawed yet entertaining films (They Live, Prince of Darkness) but Dask Star is probably my all-time favourite.


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## Brian G Turner (Jul 29, 2003)

Crikey - I forgot entirely about those older films. Quartermass and the Pit was actually a very spooky film when I watched it when younger. I'm sure I have vague memories of watching "The Day the Earth Caught Fire as well. 

As for "Dark Star" - maybe I should watch that again. I was quite young when I first watched it, so a lot probably went right over my head.


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## GnomeoftheWest (Aug 29, 2003)

ok...I'll show my age.

Invaders From Mars
Earth vs the Flying Saucers
It Came From Outer Space
War of the Worlds
Forbidden Planet


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## littlemissattitude (Aug 30, 2003)

Gnome -    I know what you mean.

Loved all those films (well, I've never managed to see "Forbidden Planet").  I think I've seen "Invaders from Mars" over twenty times.  When I was growing up in southern California, one of the local stations showed it about once a month there for awhile.

Also, I remember seeing "War of the Worlds" at the drive in when I was young - creeped me out big-time.  It must have been a re-release, as it first came out in 1953, which was before I was born.  I think I started hiding my face about the time that first space ship started opening - something about the way it started unscrewing open just scared the crap out of me.  I've seen it since, of course, but that is one of the indelible memories of my childhood.


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## BAYLOR (Dec 8, 2019)

The Hobbit trilogy of films.


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## hitmouse (Dec 8, 2019)

BAYLOR said:


> The Hobbit trilogy of films.


Really???


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## BAYLOR (Dec 8, 2019)

hitmouse said:


> Really???



I thought them very entertaining films.


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## BAYLOR (Dec 9, 2019)

The Diamajin Trilogy produced in the mid 1960's are terrific fantasy films.  The trilogy revolves around  Giant Samurai Warrior god  who in time of need,  comes to life to protect his followers against warriors and bandits.  These are wonderful films and even today they still hold up pretty well.


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## Vince W (Dec 9, 2019)

Fantasy films:
Conan the Barbarian, Willow, Highlander, The Princess Bride.

Science fiction films:
Blade Runner, The Black Hole, Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan, Outland, Alien, The Terminator, Minority Report.


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## BAYLOR (Dec 9, 2019)

Vince W said:


> Fantasy films:
> Conan the Barbarian, Willow, Highlander, The Princess Bride.
> 
> Science fiction films:
> Blade Runner, The Black Hole, Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan, Outland, Alien, The Terminator, Minority Report.



Absolutely


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## BAYLOR (Dec 9, 2019)

* X The Unknown 1*956  One the best classic science fiction films of all time and  a film that should have been part of the Quatermass canon.


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## Vince W (Dec 9, 2019)

There are others I would add including The Thing, Big Trouble in Little China, Back to the Future, Enemy Mine, and Alien Nation. This list could get extensive.


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## BAYLOR (Dec 9, 2019)

Vince W said:


> There are others I would add including The Thing, Big Trouble in Little China, Back to the Future, Enemy Mine, and Alien Nation. This list could get extensive.



The more the merrier.

Ive got plenty more to list.


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## Guttersnipe (Dec 28, 2019)

FANTASY 
Hellboy 2: The Golden Army
Big Trouble in Little China
Groundhog Day
Being John Malkovich
Pleasantville
Pan's Labyrinth 
Ghost

SCI-FI
Blade Runner
Tron
Logan's Run
Soylent Green
The Last Starfighter
Gattaca
Alien


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## BAYLOR (Dec 28, 2019)

*The Magic Serpent *1966 another great Japanese Fantasy  film .


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## Rodders (Dec 29, 2019)

I’d like to add The Explorers and The Goonies.

Two wonderful movies to grow up with.


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## hitmouse (Dec 29, 2019)

*Fantasy*
Excalibur
Monty Python's Holy Grail
Time Bandits
My Neighbour Totoro
Shaolin Soccer
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Hard to completely ignore the Harry Potter films.
Evil Dead II

*SF*
Blade Runner
Star Wars
2001
Alien & Aliens
Moon
Guardians of the Galaxy
Flash Gordon


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## AlexH (Dec 29, 2019)

Absolute favourites:

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)
The Man from Earth (2007)
Song of the Sea (2014)
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
Spirited Away (2001)
Moon (2009)
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
The Sword in the Stone (1963)
The Iron Giant (1999)

How many can I get away with listing?   I also love:

Another Earth (2011)
Big Fish (2003)
Avengers Assemble (2012)
Shaolin Soccer (2001)
Rogue One (2016)
WALL·E (2008)
Wonder Woman (2017)
Princess Mononoke (1997)
Blade Runner (1982)
Equilibrium (2002)
Big Hero 6 (2014)
Logan (2017)
Kung Fu Hustle (2004)
Timecrimes (2007)
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
Star Trek into Darkness (2013)
Wolf Children (2012)
Avatar (2009)
Your Name (2016)
Jurassic Park (1993)
The Illusionist (2006)
Stardust (2007)
Midnight in Paris (2011)
Jurassic World (2015)
Edward Scissorhands (1990)
Spider-Man 2 (2004)


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## Phyrebrat (Jan 16, 2020)

The Black Hole is a great riff on the Tempest and the ending is superbly dark. Esp for Dizznee.

pH


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## BT Jones (Feb 14, 2020)

Phyrebrat said:


> The Black Hole is a great riff on the Tempest and the ending is superbly dark. Esp for Dizznee.
> 
> pH


Agreed, very underrated. They don’t make ship models like that any more. Surprisingly dark for a Disney movie and the closing scene with the visions of hell and ascent to heaven are very vivid.


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## BT Jones (Feb 14, 2020)

My favoritie sci-fi movie is also my favorite movie of all time: Children of Men.

I absolutely love every second of it and the scary part is it’s increasingly relevant to our times.


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## Star-child (Feb 15, 2020)

12 Monkeys


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## olive (Feb 15, 2020)

A mixed, personal list. Edited to add a few.

2001: A Space Odyssey (There is no other movie affected me and weirdly also my life like this movie.)
Blade Runner
E.T.
Alien (I will always love you)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Time Bandits
Willow
Labyrinth
The Terminator
Predator (Underrated. If I'm not mistaken, it is the first movie where the human is reduced to common prey in hunting as sports.)
Flatliners
Stargate
Twelve Monkeys
Contact
Jurassic Park
City of The Lost Children (When matrix was good)
Dark City (When matrix was still good)
Gattaca
Strange Days
Starship Troopers (Underrated, imo and even frowned upon in its time. LOL)
Donnie Darko
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Equilibrium (Underrated, imo.)
Galaxy Quest
District 9
Cloverfield
Cashback (Very underrated movie, imo. The social politics will always bash this movie. If you'd like to see it, don't read about it.)
Only Lovers Left Alive
Arrival

All that I can think right now. I love Lord of the Rings movies, even enjoyed the Hobbit trilogy, honestly because I didn't expect anything from it. Just remember about the first one though. Well, excuse for going back to the big screen Middle Earth.

I'll watch everything with alien it, I learned that resistance is futile. (I even enjoy Alien vs Predator movies.) I love Kong, Godzilla...kaiju movies. I'm just _myeh_ about the endings because humans get on top. I believe they're also some sort of a 'character marker' in humans in real life. Do you also know some people who watch these movies -sometimes more than once- and claim that the idea is so nonsense why do they even make these movies in the first place? I visualise Godzilla emerging from the sea -I live in a city on a shore- and walking around in slow motion while listening to them.  (It's not that they don't like it. Of course, they may not.) So they are extra special to me.


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## Venusian Broon (Feb 15, 2020)

Excellent list @olive, I have a great many of those in my own (ancient!) DVD collection,

I would have _Aliens _alongside with _Alien. _It's a different genre but a fantastic sequel that didn't fall into the trap of just producing a similar sequel. _Predator _is such a great movie because it subverts the 80s action flick that was _so _popular at the time.

I would add: _Inception, Mothman Prophecies (_A bit more pyschological horror/occult, but I'm lumping it with fantasy!) _A Scanner Darkly, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Donnie Darko, Dune (_for a good effort), _Existenz, Planet of the Apes (_Original version of course), _The Matrix (_but can watch all the sequels, although I recognise they are overblown, pretentious and flabby. The first was good.)

Also what about _The Thing?_ (John Carpenter, last of the animatronics version) The monster is from space, so it's sort of SF, right?   

Definitely Lord of the Rings, but only the Director's cut with about three extra hours of footage on the whole triliogy.

Other fantasy films...._Neverending story _definitely.


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## olive (Feb 15, 2020)

I added Close Encounters and Donnie Darko in time but forgot about others, most importantly the Planet of the Apes! I haven't seen _Existenz_ in that list and too long since I have seen a couple of others -Neverending Story, The Thing... honestly. Same with the Lost Boys for example. It's been 30 years since I have seen that movie and I really don't remember it, I was a child. I should watch it again.

Flatliners counts, doesn't it? (1990)


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## Boneman (Feb 15, 2020)

FREQUENCY Modern setting, brilliant whodunit, set around [spoiler alert] the ability of a detective to talk to his dead father in the past through CB radio during solar flares.


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## J-Sun (Feb 15, 2020)

This is in two parts where I echo what others have said and add some (unless I missed them being mentioned).

Already Mentioned
SF​2001​Alien​Aliens​Back to the Future​Blade Runner​Dark Star​The Day the Earth Stood Still​Galaxy Quest​Gattaca​Rogue One​Star Wars (original trilogy)​Starship Troopers (as satire)​The Terminator​Terminator 2​Fantasy​Edward Scissorhands​Groundhog Day​The Princess Bride​Raiders of the Lost Ark​Not Yet Mentioned
SF​2010​Buckaroo Banzai​Europa Report​Independence Day (not exactly as satire, but as something)​Invasion of the Body Snatchers (original)​The Martian​Men in Black​Fantasy/Horror​Beetlejuice​Christine​Frankenstein​Ghostbusters​Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl​Rango​Who Framed Roger Rabbit​
Some of the movies above maybe shouldn't have made the cut and there are a lot more that just missed this cut, of course. It's hard to decide where to draw the line. (Things like good superhero movies (_Batman_, _Iron Man_) are in this fuzzy area, though I was okay with leaving them off.) I had to add _Europa Report_ and _The Martian_, though, and I think this gets everything I'd have to include.

(There are also category issues. For instance, while I have plenty of funny movies on here, I left off _The Holy Grail_ which I think of more as "a Monty Python movie" and so more decisively as a comedy than a funny fantasy as such. Maybe I should have left off some more things I did include.)


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## dask (Feb 15, 2020)

Two movies I didn't see mentioned and should not be forgotten are:
*Westworld* (1973)
*A Journey To The Center Of The Earth* (1959)


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## Vince W (Feb 16, 2020)

Good call with Buckaroo Banzai @J-Sun. I wish I'd thought of it earlier.

I can't believe no one has mentioned *The Fifth Element*. It's one I've watched many times.
Other additions:

*Death Race 2000
They Live
Robocop* (the original one)
*The Fly* (Cronenberg's version)
*Outland* (an absolute classic in my mind)
*The Last Starfighter
Predator*


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## olive (Feb 16, 2020)

The Man from Earth

I can't believe I forgot The Fly.... 

Europa Report is an underrated movie.

I thought about The Fifth Element and Ghostbusters, I just omitted them.


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## Venusian Broon (Feb 16, 2020)

Yeah, I've got the Fifth Element as well. Very distinctive style and has its moments but I don't rate it.


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## olive (Feb 16, 2020)

The Abbys! (1989) I loved that movie so much. 

[Same with Back to the Future series. I love all these movies. It's just, I think personally I have some filter between entertaining vs introducing/inspiring; opening some new horizons. I have seen most of the major ones, old or new as a kid. It was a case of 'inquiring' at those ages. ]

*Question.* There was this scene in a movie, a robot takes something from the women's eye -a demonstration of skill- but the movie is about the robot trying to kill people. Maybe it is a famous movie that I can't just remember related to that scene. I couldn't find it. That's the first bad machine I met before Hal or T-800.


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## Narkalui (Feb 16, 2020)

BAYLOR said:


> The Hobbit trilogy of films.


*Holds up Baylor's coat*
Your coat Sir


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## Star-child (Feb 16, 2020)

Venusian Broon said:


> Yeah, I've got the Fifth Element as well. Very distinctive style and has its moments but I don't rate it.


It is an easy film to discount due to the humor, over the top acting and pastiche of SF film references. But it does those things while offering some really original SF concepts, convincing visuals, real character jeopardy and great action. I think this kind of satirical presentation is more like Brazil and other Terry Gilliam films in having a core seriousness despite the packaging - which often can be more emotionally impactful than a straight drama. If you removed all the humor from Fifth Element, it would still be a convincing 


Speaking of Gilliam, *Brazil* ought to be on the SF list and the *Baron Munchausen* for fantasy. Gilliam is easily the most powerful speculative fictionary visionary working in film - especially when you consider that films like Star Wars or Blade Runner owe so much to a large team of visionaries for the success of the final product. Gilliam's films are much more his vision alone.


On Brazil, did Gilliam create a new aesthetic that falls between Steampunk and Cyberpunk? Sort of Valvepunk (valve=vacuum tube)?


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## BAYLOR (Feb 16, 2020)

Star-child said:


> It is an easy film to discount due to the humor, over the top acting and pastiche of SF film references. But it does those things while offering some really original SF concepts, convincing visuals, real character jeopardy and great action. I think this kind of satirical presentation is more like Brazil and other Terry Gilliam films in having a core seriousness despite the packaging - which often can be more emotionally impactful than a straight drama. If you removed all the humor from Fifth Element, it would still be a convincing
> 
> 
> Speaking of Gilliam, *Brazil* ought to be on the SF list and the *Baron Munchausen* for fantasy. Gilliam is easily the most powerful speculative fictionary visionary working in film - especially when you consider that films like Star Wars or Blade Runner owe so much to a large team of visionaries for the success of the final product. Gilliam's films are much more his vision alone.
> ...



Gillian also a did a nod or two  to 1984 as well.


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## Al Jackson (Feb 16, 2020)

The best time travel film nobody saw! The 2014 Predestination.


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## BAYLOR (Feb 16, 2020)

Star-child said:


> 12 Monkeys



One of Bruce willis best acting performances. Great film but,  hated the predictable and  bleak ending.


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## Star-child (Feb 16, 2020)

BAYLOR said:


> Gillian also a did a nod or two  to 1984 as well.


I don't think so. 1984 and Brave New World depict the control of populations through manipulation of information, attitudes and free will. Brazil depicts totalitarianism through bureaucracy - the characters appear to retain their own realistic opinions. The protagonist is not even a victim of the society as much as a rebel against it. 1984 is a

Every non-apocalyptic dystopian work created after 1984 isn't automatically a nod to 1984, anymore than 1984 was a repetition of Brave New World.


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## BAYLOR (Feb 16, 2020)

Star-child said:


> I don't think so. 1984 and Brave New World depict the control of populations through manipulation of information, attitudes and free will. Brazil depicts totalitarianism through bureaucracy - the characters appear to retain their own realistic opinions. The protagonist is not even a victim of the society as much as a rebel against it. 1984 is a
> 
> Every non-apocalyptic dystopian work created after 1984 isn't automatically a nod to 1984, anymore than 1984 was a repetition of Brave New World.



Thats a fair  point but in the case of   both 1984 an Brazil there some similarities thought thee is no Big Brother and no thought police per se in Brazil.


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## hitmouse (Feb 16, 2020)

Star-child said:


> I don't think so. 1984 and Brave New World depict the control of populations through manipulation of information, attitudes and free will. Brazil depicts totalitarianism through bureaucracy - the characters appear to retain their own realistic opinions. The protagonist is not even a victim of the society as much as a rebel against it. 1984 is a
> 
> Every non-apocalyptic dystopian work created after 1984 isn't automatically a nod to 1984, anymore than 1984 was a repetition of Brave New World.


You may be correct. It is just that every other critic and commentator since the film was released seems to see parallels with 1984.


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## AlexH (Feb 16, 2020)

Al Jackson said:


> The best time travel film nobody saw! The 2014 Predestination.
> View attachment 60506


I enjoyed Predestination but would give that title to Primer or Timecrimes, which combined probably far less people saw than Predestination.


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## Rodders (Feb 17, 2020)

Time Bandits. A brilliant movie.


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## Star-child (Feb 18, 2020)

Fantasy: The Dark Crystal.

SF: Tron.


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## BAYLOR (Feb 18, 2020)

The Dark Crystal  a great film and defiantly unique . I wonder how the Prequel tv series will compare?

I saw *Tron* when it first came out and was awe of it .  As for the sequel *Tron Legacy* , I like that film as well., I wish they done a sequel or two to it.

*Conan the Barbarian * 1982  I have soft spot for this particular film. A very entertaining film.


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## Al Jackson (Feb 18, 2020)

BAYLOR said:


> The Dark Crystal  a great film and defiantly unique . I wonder how the Prequel tv series will compare?
> 
> I saw *Tron* when it first came out and was awe of it .  As for the sequel *Tron Legacy* , I like that film as well., I wish they done a sequel or two to it.
> 
> *Conan the Barbarian * 1982  I have soft spot for this particular film. A very entertaining film.



I was not happy with the sequel to Conan the Barbarian,  the original was not a dump down of Robert E Howard, it was a sassy ADULT sword and sorcery fantasy with an edge to it. I can't think of another fantasy like it. I don't know if  Milius was offered the sequel or did not want to make it.  One could say LToR is adult but PG13 , I don't know of another R rated fantasy like the 1982 film.


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## Star-child (Feb 18, 2020)

Fantasy: Ravenous


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## olive (Feb 18, 2020)

Star-child said:


> Fantasy: Ravenous



Yes! Very underrated movie.


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## Vince W (Feb 18, 2020)

Al Jackson said:


> I was not happy with the sequel to Conan the Barbarian,  the original was not a dump down of Robert E Howard, it was a sassy ADULT sword and sorcery fantasy with an edge to it. I can't think of another fantasy like it. I don't know if  Milius was offered the sequel or did not want to make it.  One could say LToR is adult but PG13 , I don't know of another R rated fantasy like the 1982 film.


I don't think there is anyone that was happy with Conan the Destroyer.


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## Overread (Feb 18, 2020)

Many of mine have already been mentioned and its surprising how many I didn't think of until I read them and suggested here. However I'm shocked that there's one which you've all (far as I can see) missed.

DRAGONHEART - Surely this film deserves a place for several elements. Firstly its a bit like Jurassic Park for dragons in that its the first time we get a CGI dragon and film where the dragon is more than a guy in a costume filmed mostly in dark caves to hide the fact that its a guy in a costume; or stop motion or an enlarged iguana. Secondly its one of the few where one of the lead characters isn't human, an element often missing in a lot of movie-based fantasy I find. That the lead is a dragon, not even remotely bipedal, I think makes it stand above a good many others. Plus its your classic sword and dragon type adventuring tale. 
Sadly its 3 sequels never got the same budget nor managed to quite live up to the first film, although I must be honest and say I've only seen one fully (the second) and a bit of the 3rd. I need to properly see the last two as they might make a recovery. 

Other suggestions:
Ray Harryhausen - yes he's not a film, but so many of his films deserve to be in a top Fantasy list. The various adventures of Sinbad to the Greek tales his stop motion brought to life skeletons and ogors and giants and sabrecats in a way that honestly was not beaten until Jurassic Park and CGI effects and large scale animatronics took off. 

Studio Ghibli - ok another "not a film" but only because there's so many fantastic works to their name. From heartwarming adventures like Castle in the Sky to mysterious tales of the far future in Nausicaa. They've even done a touch of Borrowing and some Earthsea too - both re-imagined in their own view. There's a very natural and wild beauty to a lot of their work and its also refreshing to get myths and ideas influenced from so far outside of the western tropes that we are used too. 




Sci-Fi
The Forbidden Planet. 

The Matrix Trilogy. Many would say just the first film, I personally never disliked the second and third, although I do think that the story telling leaves some gaping gaps in its tale that the viewer has to fill in. The Animatrix mini-series does start to fill in some of the gaps and gives some ideas that one can work with which will fill in some blanks; but it requires the viewer to put a lot of the story together to complete the picture. 

The Neverending Story


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## Laughingbuddha (Feb 18, 2020)

For me 2001: A Space Odyssey is hands down one of the best movies ever, not only Sci-Fi, but in general. As for modern (and by that I mean movies from new millenium) I noticed that no one mentioned 2009 movie Moon, which is definitely worth mentioning.


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## olive (Feb 18, 2020)

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (1990) It counts, doesn't it? It _should_.

Raw (2016)


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## olive (Feb 18, 2020)

Laughingbuddha said:


> For me 2001: A Space Odyssey is hands down one of the best movies ever, not only Sci-Fi, but in general. ...



 *E:* Were you going to write 'the best movie ever made' and then just decided otherwise? Just curious.


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## Laughingbuddha (Feb 18, 2020)

Sorry about my English. It tend to go rusty without the practice (((

What I mean is that the 2001 is not just the best Sci-Fi movie ever made, its the one of the best movies ever made.


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## olive (Feb 18, 2020)

Laughingbuddha said:


> Sorry about my English. It tend to go rusty without the practice (((
> 
> What I mean is that the 2001 is not just the best Sci-Fi movie ever made, its the one of the best movies ever made.



It has nothing to do with your English. I've just, viciously been hoping that somebody would say something close to that, that's all.


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## Al Jackson (Feb 18, 2020)

Laughingbuddha said:


> For me 2001: A Space Odyssey is hands down one of the best movies ever, not only Sci-Fi, but in general. As for modern (and by that I mean movies from new millenium) I noticed that no one mentioned 2009 movie Moon, which is definitely worth mentioning.


Yeah 2001 is only true blue solid through and through science fiction film I know of that is totally in the spirit of modern prose science fiction. Hard science with a transcendental Big Thinks story. Well... Kubrick did consider doing Childhood's End which is how Clarke got into the game of making the film. I know of prose science fiction that would be it's equal IF someone could adapt it but I don't think it will ever be done , example, Ursula K. Le Guin's Left Hand of Darkness... a faithful adaptation of that would take a genius and a dumb quirk of luck to get the money...……………. Clarke's Childhood's End was done by the SyFy channel , and it is a respectful adaptation, but they hyped some elements and added a soap-opera to the middle part so it came off as a bit muddled. … If someone did The Stars My Destination, as Bester wrote it, it would be a baroque space opera the likes of which no one has ever seen …. it has something like 7 screenplays written for it but nothing has ever happened.


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## BAYLOR (Feb 18, 2020)

Al Jackson said:


> Yeah 2001 is only true blue solid through and through science fiction film I know of that is totally in the spirit of modern prose science fiction. Hard science with a transcendental Big Thinks story. Well... Kubrick did consider doing Childhood's End which is how Clarke got into the game of making the film. I know of prose science fiction that would be it's equal IF someone could adapt it but I don't think it will ever be done , example, Ursula K. Le Guin's Left Hand of Darkness... a faithful adaptation of that would take a genius and a dumb quirk of luck to get the money...……………. Clarke's Childhood's End was done by the SyFy channel , and it is a respectful adaptation, but they hyped some elements and added a soap-opera to the middle part so it came off as a bit muddled. … If someone did The Stars My Destination, as Bester wrote it, it would be a baroque space opera the likes of which no one has ever seen …. it has something like 7 screenplays written for it but nothing has ever happened.



I did like the Syfy  Channels miniseries adaptation of Childhood'd End  .   Id would like to have seen Kubrick take on* Childhoods End , *it would have been grand  and If remember correctly,  didn't.  Ray Bradbury do a screenplay for proposed  Childs end movie in the late 1970's?   I remember seeing concept artwork for it in one the science  fiction Magazines , Im thinking it was  Starlog  magazine.  I seem to recall that Bradley was at one point, alos  working  on sequel story for *The Day The Earth Stood Still *which never got done. 

*The Stars My Destination* at  and *The Demolished Man* have both been optioned a number of times but for one reason or a anther, never seem to get made.


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## Star-child (Feb 18, 2020)

olive said:


> Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (1990) It counts, doesn't it? It _should_.


As SF? They do invent the steam engine.


The best dragon movie ever has not been represented: Dragonslayer.


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## Al Jackson (Feb 19, 2020)

BAYLOR said:


> I did like the Syfy  Channels miniseries adaptation of Childhood'd End  .   Id would like to have seen Kubrick take on* Childhoods End , *it would have been grand and If remember correctly,  didn't.  Ray Bradbury do a screenplay for proposed  Childs end movie in the late 1970's?   I remember seeing concept artwork for it in one the science  fiction Magazines , Im thinking it was  Starlog  magazine.  I seem to recall that Bradley was at one point, alos  working  on sequel story for *The Day The Earth Stood Still *which never got done.
> 
> *The Stars My Destination* at  and *The Demolished Man* have both been optioned a number of times but for one reason or a anther, never seem to get made.



Never heard of a screenplay by Bradbury for Childhood's End... Bradbury is a funny story.. above all things he wanted to be a screen writer, his early efforts Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (think was story only) and It Came From Outer Space (story and screenplay, screenplay not used, tho the backbone story is odd in having essentially indifferent alien invaders) , doing a great job with Moby Dick , Moby Dick and Something Wicked This Way Comes are the only long form film screenplays I know, Bradbury did a ton of TV many teleplays.... 
When I was at the 1965 Westercon where Bradbury read the first 25 pages of the screenplay he was writing for Alan Pakul and Robert Mulligan for The Martian Chronicles , to star Gregory Peck, it sounded great to me … but nothing came of it.  Later Bradbury's friend Richard Matheson wrote a TV miniseries which really didn't work... I think Bradbury's screenplay was better.


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## Ashley R (Feb 28, 2020)

When I was a teen I thought 2001 was the greatest SF movie, ever!

When I rewatch it now I find it tedious. So here's my punt:

SF:
Forbidden Planet.
Star Wars.
Terminator.
Aliens.
Predator.
Robocop.
Star Gate.
The Matrix.

Fantasy:
Conan the Barbarian.
Princess Bride.
Lord of the Rings.
Stardust.
Solomon Kane.

Horror:
Alien.
The Thing.
The Keep.
Event Horizon.
Resident Evil.

Comedy:
Ghostbusters.
Groundhog Day.
Demolition Man.
The Mummy.
Galaxy Quest


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## tegeus-Cromis (Feb 28, 2020)

May I just say how happy I am that *A.I. *isn't on anyone's list? God, I hated that movie.


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## tegeus-Cromis (Feb 29, 2020)

*2001 *and *Blade Runner*/*Blade Runner 2049 *would be at the top of my "mainstream" list. Also *Being John Malkovich *and *Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind*. 

A few leser known, excellent ones:
*The Sacrifice *(Tarkovsky, 1986) -- SF/fantasy.
*Celine and Julie Go Boating *(Jacques Rivette, 1974) -- fantasy. I haven't seen his *Duelle *(1976), but based on the plot description, it's totally fantasy. And I love Rivette as a director. 
*The Hypothesis of the Stolen Painting *(Raul Ruiz, 1978) -- fantasy, Borgesian mystery
*The Three Crowns of the Sailor *(Raul Ruiz, 1983) -- fantasy, magic realism
*Hour of the Wolf *(Ingmar Bergman, 1968) -- fantasy, horror. His *The Seventh Seal* (1957) would obviously also qualify. 
David Lynch's *Lost Highway *(1997) and *Mulholland Dr. *(2001) -- um, Lynchian... 'Nuff said. 
Peter Greenaway's *The Falls *(1980) -- totally weird-ass post-cataclismic SFF, done documentary style. 
*Carnival of Souls *(Herk Harvey, 1962) -- indie horror. Eerie and amazing. 
*Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror *(F.W. Murnau, 1922). Basically Dracula. Gorgeous. 
*Black Moon *(Louis Malle, 1975) -- um, dystopian fantasy? 
*Pandora and the Flying Dutchman *(Albert Lewin, 1951). Fantasy. With Ava Gardner and James Mason. 
*Alphaville *(Godard, 1965). Futuristic noir. 
*Fahrenheit 451 *(Truffaut, 1966) -- no comment needed.
Etc etc.


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## Justin Swanton (Mar 3, 2020)

No-one's mentioned *Moon*. A real classic. It pulled off a more difficult feat than *12 Angry Men*: one actor (plus his robot) was the entire movie yet it didn't waver once.

Someone found the ending of *12 Monkeys* predictable. But did you spot what happened? After Cole (Willis) dies, Dr Jones is sitting next to Peters, who is now infected, having already opened the sealed container with the virus. So he will infect Peters, who will return to the future and infect the rest of the underground colony, killing off the last remnant of humanity.


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## AlexH (Mar 3, 2020)

Justin Swanton said:


> No-one's mentioned *Moon*. A real classic. It pulled off a more difficult feat than *12 Angry Men*: one actor (plus his robot) was the entire movie yet it didn't waver once.


I did! I love Moon!   



AlexH said:


> Absolute favourites:
> 
> The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
> Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)
> ...


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## Justin Swanton (Mar 3, 2020)

AlexH said:


> I did! I love Moon!



Oops.

I loved it because it had a human but also smart and twisty storyline, did not have any absurd premise at its core, and was flawlessly acted.


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## hitmouse (Mar 4, 2020)

Justin Swanton said:


> No-one's mentioned *Moon*. A real classic. It pulled off a more difficult feat than *12 Angry Men*: one actor (plus his robot) was the entire movie yet it didn't waver once.
> 
> Someone found the ending of *12 Monkeys* predictable. But did you spot what happened? After Cole (Willis) dies, Dr Jones is sitting next to Peters, who is now infected, having already opened the sealed container with the virus. So he will infect Peters, who will return to the future and infect the rest of the underground colony, killing off the last remnant of humanity.


12 Angry Men actually had more than one man in it, you know.


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## Justin Swanton (Mar 4, 2020)

hitmouse said:


> 12 Angry Men actually had more than one man in it, you know.



True. My point is that 12 men in one setting is easier than one man - OK 2 men - in two settings (inside moonbase and outside moonbase).


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## Star-child (Mar 4, 2020)

The single most fantastic film I can recall is The Dark Crystal.


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## -K2- (Mar 4, 2020)

Justin Swanton said:


> True. My point is that 12 men in one setting is easier than one man - OK 2 men - in two settings (inside moonbase and outside moonbase).



I liked Moon and thought it was clever besides well acted. However, if you want a real 1-man show, The Old Man and the Sea with Spencer Tracy is a great one. Don't forget the two man show of Hell in the Pacific with Lee Marvin and Toshiro Mifune where you only understand half the lines.

K2


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## Foxbat (Mar 5, 2020)

olive said:


> The Abbys! (1989) I loved that movie so much.
> 
> [Same with Back to the Future series. I love all these movies. It's just, I think personally I have some filter between entertaining vs introducing/inspiring; opening some new horizons. I have seen most of the major ones, old or new as a kid. It was a case of 'inquiring' at those ages. ]
> 
> *Question.* There was this scene in a movie, a robot takes something from the women's eye -a demonstration of skill- but the movie is about the robot trying to kill people. Maybe it is a famous movie that I can't just remember related to that scene. I couldn't find it. That's the first bad machine I met before Hal or T-800.


Hector. The robot in Saturn 3. The woman is Farrah Fawcett,


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## olive (Mar 5, 2020)

Foxbat said:


> Hector. The robot in Saturn 3. The woman is Farrah Fawcett,



Thak you!


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## BAYLOR (Mar 15, 2020)

Star-child said:


> As SF? They do invent the steam engine.
> 
> 
> The best dragon movie ever has not been represented: Dragonslayer.



*Dragonslayer * is a great film and  a classic . It had a stellar cast of actors which included  Sir Ralph Richardson .


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## BAYLOR (Mar 15, 2020)

*Gargoyles *1972 an underrated and  pretty much a forgotten film. It fits under the heading od science fiction film.


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## Narkalui (Mar 15, 2020)

I just watched Heavy Metal (1981) a very weird sci fi animation with far too much gratuitous nudity and sex. The writers probably thought they were being feministic but were just being naively misogynistic.

other than that it was a very interesting film...


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## BAYLOR (Mar 15, 2020)

Narkalui said:


> I just watched Heavy Metal (1981) a very weird sci fi animation with far too much gratuitous nudity and sex. The writers probably thought they were being feministic but were just being naively misogynistic.
> 
> other than that it was a very interesting film...



I saw it when it came out 1981. It looked great on the big screen.

Taarna  was the best segment of the film .  She was cool and unforgettable !


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## BAYLOR (Apr 18, 2020)

*Clash of Titans* 1981   Special effects guru Ray Harryhausen's final film it was and still is a great and grand film with a stellar cast.   The 2010  is a decent movie with some pretty good character moments and performances   but it's dominated too much by  CGI effects which tends to  overwhelm the story.


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## Rodders (Apr 18, 2020)

Warlords of Atlantis, too. I remember it was the first film me and my Dad went to see together at the cinema.


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## HanaBi (Apr 18, 2020)

The original "War of the Worlds"
The original "The Time Machine"
Empire Strikes Back
Alien
Source Code
Close Encounters...
District 9
Metropolis
Terminator 2
The 5th Element
The Matrix
Star Trek: First Contact
Blade Runner 2049

I used to have a great affinity for the original Blade Runner, but all those moments were lost in time.


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## P Drysdale (Apr 18, 2020)

Don't think I saw any mention of Interstellar, but I think it's one of the best SF films we've had in years. And just for fun, Battle Beyond The Stars; maybe not the best, but my personal favourite retelling of Seven Samurai.


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## Narkalui (Apr 18, 2020)

How can you mention Terminator 2 without first mentioning The Terminator?

I though the 2010 Clash of the Titans was poor


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## HanaBi (Apr 18, 2020)

For me, the original Terminator just followed the usual premise, which although mildly interesting, did't rank very highly overall, and therefore wasn't quite worthy to be listed in my top SF Faves.


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## Narkalui (Apr 18, 2020)

Fair enough, I just feel it broke the mould of the Pursuit Thriller (?) at the time while also setting the template for the entire franchise. I mean, let's face it: all of the Terminator sequels (including Salvation to a lesser extent) have basically been remakes of The Terminator. Don't get me wrong, Terminator 2 is a truly excellent film, but when you grind it down to its bare bones, it is effectively just The Terminator with knobs on


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## HanaBi (Apr 18, 2020)

I would agree with your summation of T1 - it was a nice concept, and Arnie was quite exceptional as the rampant bad "guy". But the only novel twist that I really enjoyed was for Sarah Connor to ultimately kick ass rather than someone like Reece, the token dude!

T2, had far more polish and depth, even though the premise was the same, but I enjoyed it far more than T1.

I suppose the same could be said for Alien and Aliens. Alien was the bare bones concept, and Aliens had more polish (and far more money thrown at it), and yet ironically I preferred Alien to Aliens.

I guess I am just inconsistently weird


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## Narkalui (Apr 18, 2020)

HanaBi said:


> I guess I am just inconsistently weird



Glad to hear it


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## BAYLOR (Apr 20, 2020)

HanaBi said:


> I would agree with your summation of T1 - it was a nice concept, and Arnie was quite exceptional as the rampant bad "guy". But the only novel twist that I really enjoyed was for Sarah Connor to ultimately kick ass rather than someone like Reece, the token dude!
> 
> T2, had far more polish and depth, even though the premise was the same, but I enjoyed it far more than T1.
> 
> ...



Alien is a very film , probably Ridelsy Scots best film by far.  I saw it in the theaters in 1979 and it scared the crap out me, epically the Chestbusting scene.  James Camerons Follow up film waste mommy mind different but just as good. 

I do have a bit of soft spot for the First Alien Vs Predator film . I though Coll seeing those two together.


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## Toby Frost (Apr 28, 2020)

That's some crazy predictive text you've got there, Baylor!

I always saw _Alien_ as a horror film in space and _Aliens_ as a war film in space. Both are excellent but for me, _Alien_ just has the edge.


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## paranoid marvin (Apr 30, 2020)

Alien and Aliens are completely different types of film. One is in the horror genre the other in war. Both are great films for different reasons.

Terminator was a great film despite it's budget (around £6m). I have to disagree with other comments as I believe the film did have a number of novel concepts, which is one of the reasons that it did so well at the box office, was so popular and warranted a big-budget sequel. A sequel which cost 16 times that of the original and didn't have to worry about who to cast in the roles or even having to come up with the backstory. I must admit I do prefer the sequel as Arnie seems much more comfortable in his role as the good guy (great twist that btw) and the humour - whilst sporadic - when it does come is funny.

Probably best sci-fi film for me is Rogue One (I actually prefer this even to ESB) closely followed by Back To The Future 2. Best fantasy is Ghostbusters and Time Bandits.


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## KGeo777 (Apr 30, 2020)

Ignoring films that might be considered horror (although King Kong and Godzilla used to be defined as horror) ones I would consider significant/innovative:

King Kong 1933  F
Jason and the Argonauts  F
Gojira SF/F
Planet of the Apes 1968 SF
Colossus: the Forbin Project  SF
The Valley of Gwangi F
Master of the World SF
The Golden Voyage of Sinbad F
The Abominable Snowman SF
Superman the Movie SF/F
A L I E N  SF
The Terminator SF
Masters of the Universe F
Who Framed Roger Rabbit F

The Terminator was more interesting as a villain than a good guy. Reece is not meant to be a hero. Cameron has never made movies with strong male characters. They are always on the weak side. That's what's funny about the Terminator--people identified quite a bit with Arnie, especially when he was shooting up the police station--which horrified Cameron- he didn't seem to understand that people were not cheering the cop killing, they were cheering an uninhibited male character getting the job done and persevering over adversity which became increasingly rare in the studio system.
Biehn's performance is underappreciated though. He has the important task of anchoring the story as serious--that the future world is real and a threat. He had a lot to do despite the focus on Arnie.


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## Toby Frost (Apr 30, 2020)

I would have said that Reece and Corporal Hicks were both as hard as nails, personally. I think the Terminator (in the first film) is Arnie's best role, because he's so wooden and unsympathetic. He's just this lumbering machine, making a barely-tolerable job of passing for human, whose brain follows the simplest and most brutal route in any situation. I felt that the second film was a bigger, weaker rehash, without the stripped-down tension and with too much "nice" stuff: the wisecracking child and the Terminator being heartwarming.


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## KGeo777 (Apr 30, 2020)

Toby Frost said:


> I would have said that Reece and Corporal Hicks were both as hard as nails, personally. I think the Terminator (in the first film) is Arnie's best role, because he's so wooden and unsympathetic. He's just this lumbering machine, making a barely-tolerable job of passing for human, whose brain follows the simplest and most brutal route in any situation. I felt that the second film was a bigger, weaker rehash, without the stripped-down tension and with too much "nice" stuff: the wisecracking child and the Terminator being heartwarming.



Compared to older movies, Reece and especially Hicks are not very commanding as central male characters go (even compared to something 10 years removed like Doug McClure in The Land That Time Forgot) . But the former is  more active in the plot than in similar modern films. The Reece in Genesys was extremly weak.

I agree about Terminator 2.


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## Boaz (May 1, 2020)

Toby Frost said:


> I think the Terminator (in the first film) is Arnie's best role, because he's so wooden and unsympathetic.


I respectfully disagree.  His best fantasy role is Carnival in Rio with Arnold Schwarzenegger.  His aggressive behavior cross-cultural lessons are only matched by his pathetic pick up lines making friends with Brazilian women.  The fantasy lies in his belief that the hostess wants anything to do with him.  Bunga! Bunga!


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## BAYLOR (May 1, 2020)

Toby Frost said:


> That's some crazy predictive text you've got there, Baylor!
> 
> I always saw _Alien_ as a horror film in space and _Aliens_ as a war film in space. Both are excellent but for me, _Alien_ just has the edge.



I just noticed all my typos.  Why didn't I proofread them ?


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## BigBadBob141 (May 7, 2020)

Best S.F. simple, "Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets", if this one doesn't blow your socks off then you don't deserve to wear them!!!!!


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## JimC (May 7, 2020)

In no particular order:

Predestination (I wish Ginny could have seen it)
Forbidden Planet
The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951 black and white)
No Highway in the Sky
Portrait of Jennie
Destination Moon
T2
Alien
The Thing (the original with James Arness as the Thing)
The Machine
Blade Runner
Time After Time
The Thirteenth Floor
Cat People (1942 black and white)


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## Avelino de Castro (May 7, 2020)

Brian G Turner said:


> I'll start with a couple:
> 
> Star Wars (A New Hope) - [of course!]
> 
> ...


Logans Run, extremely well done as a movie, and for a laugh Total Recall with Arnold Shwarzenegger with Sharon Stone


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## Avelino de Castro (May 7, 2020)

Brian G Turner said:


> I'll start with a couple:
> 
> Star Wars (A New Hope) - [of course!]
> 
> ...


There's an obscure film version of Asimov's masterpiece sf story Nightfall.  Maybe one of the best sf stories ever.


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## J-Sun (May 7, 2020)

Maybe one of the worst SF films ever. 

"Well, maybe not that bad but, lord, it wasn't good."


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## paranoid marvin (May 8, 2020)

Oh, and can't forget Spaceballs. One of the few genuinely funny sf comedies. One of the very few times that I've laughed to tears when watching a movie.


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## Rodders (May 8, 2020)

Mel Brooks was a genius. High Anxiety (based around the work of Alfred Hitchcock) is my favourite.


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## BAYLOR (May 13, 2020)

paranoid marvin said:


> Oh, and can't forget Spaceballs. One of the few genuinely funny sf comedies. One of the very few times that I've laughed to tears when watching a movie.




This film still makes me laugh .  But Im disappointed that we never got the promised  sequel  *Spaceballs The Search for More Money.*


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## Murderfloof (May 24, 2020)

I found some good ideas in this thread, of movies I have not seen yet and old ones I could watch again. Some of my favorites...

2001
Star Trek, especially The Voyage Home and First Contact 
Star Wars Episodes 4-6
Blade Runner
Logan's Run
Enemy Mine
Contact
Moon
The Matrix (only the first one)
District 9
Galaxy Quest
Lord of the Rings trilogy
Princess Bride
Life of Pi
Harry Potter series


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## Don (May 24, 2020)

tegeus-Cromis said:


> *Carnival of Souls *(Herk Harvey, 1962) -- indie horror. Eerie and amazing.



It's available at archive.org. I started it once, but never finished it because something else needed doing and pushed it aside. Perhaps now's time to watch it fully.





__





						Carnival Of Souls : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
					

Carnival of Souls



					archive.org


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## paranoid marvin (May 25, 2020)

Does Escape from New York count? That was one heck of a film. The sequel not quite so much.


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## BAYLOR (May 25, 2020)

paranoid marvin said:


> Does Escape from New York count? That was one heck of a film. The sequel not quite so much.



The 1981 film is fun to watch.  The sequel is an absolutely useless film .


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## AlexH (Jul 18, 2020)

This is a good sci fi list. Timecrimes and Primer in the same list. 








						BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Screen Time - Ali Plumb's Top Five 21st Century Time Travel Sci-fi Movies
					

Ali Plumb's Top Five 21st Century Time Travel Sci-fi Movies




					www.bbc.co.uk


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## MarcUK001 (Jul 18, 2020)

There are so many... Bladerunner, The Matrix, The Martian, 2001 & 2010, Star Trek The Wrath of Khan.


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## BAYLOR (Jul 19, 2020)

Vince W said:


> Good call with Buckaroo Banzai @J-Sun. I wish I'd thought of it earlier.
> 
> I can't believe no one has mentioned *The Fifth Element*. It's one I've watched many times.
> Other additions:
> ...



All good choices and almost all slam dunk.

*Outland *is a well made film  and has  been describe  as *High Noon* in space helmet  .  That said , I dislike the film. The story wasn't the problem,  it was well done .  I couldn't  stand Sean Connery's sheriff  character. in fact,  there wasn't  one character in that whole  film that I liked.

*The Last Starfighter* . should have been the beginning of successful film franchise. This film is fun to watch and the CGI though a bit dated by todays standards was in 1984 a remarkably innovative achievement . This is a film I can watch again and again.


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## Vince W (Jul 19, 2020)

BAYLOR said:


> All good choices and almost all slam dunk.
> 
> *Outland *is a well made film  and has  been describe  as *High Noon* in space helmet  .  That said , I dislike the film. The story wasn't the problem,  it was well done .  I couldn't  stand Sean Connery's sheriff  character. in fact,  there wasn't  one character in that whole  film that I liked.
> 
> *The Last Starfighter* . should have been the beginning of successful film franchise. This film is fun to watch and the CGI though a bit dated by todays standards was in 1984 a remarkably innovative achievement . This is a film I can watch again and again.


In regards to *Outland*, Connery is a sheriff amongst a villiage of villains. It's hard to be a nice person when you have to watch your back at every turn. His wife did him a favour by leaving him and taking his son removing them from harm's path. If there's one likeable character it's Frances Sternhagen as the irrasable Doctor Lazarus. Maybe it's because this is a British film of an American western set in space that is off putting.


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## BAYLOR (Jul 20, 2020)

Vince W said:


> In regards to *Outland*, Connery is a sheriff amongst a villiage of villains. It's hard to be a nice person when you have to watch your back at every turn. His wife did him a favour by leaving him and taking his son removing them from harm's path. If there's one likeable character it's Frances Sternhagen as the irrasable Doctor Lazarus. Maybe it's because this is a British film of an American western set in space that is off putting.




It's a very good film.  And  your right, THE  character didn't have the luxury of being nice give that situation.


----------

