Movie Forums - My Top Ten Science Fiction Thread

Science Fiction

A literary or cinematic genre in which fantasy, typically based on speculative scientific discoveries or developments, environmental changes, space travel, or life on other planets, forms part of the plot or background.

Science fiction has undoubtedly brought us some of the greatest moments in Cinema History. From the first lightsaber lighting up, to the Bullet-time of the Matrix, Sci-Fi truly is one of the defining genere's of Cinema. The reason so many people have fell in love with movies, is because of the amazing imagery, and story of Science Fiction Movies. Science fiction movies cover all different sorts of topics, from time travel to robots, Aliens to the future, these movies let out mind run wild with the possibilities of such things. Horror Sci-Fi, Comedy Sci-Fi, Action Sci-Fi, Science Fiction can be used in so many unique ways to convey the ideas of the movie. Science fiction has been, and continues to be the defining genre of special effects, Creating images, and effects that we can only dream of.

Criteria

1. Only the best movie from trilogies will be on the list, in order to create a diverse list.

2. As long as a movie contains a major element of Sci-Fi, no matter if it it's a cross genre, it's Eligible.

3. These are my opinions, so if I leave something off you think should be on, don't bash me for it.

So Without further ado, I present the Top 10 in the amazing genre of Science Fiction Movies.

10. Back To The Future

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Back to the future is a perfect example of how to make a cross breed of two genre's, in this case Science Fiction and Comedy. Back to the Future deals of course with Time Travel, a staple of many Sci-Fi films. What sets Back to the Future apart is its ability to play with the time travel, and create interesting scenarios with it. When Marty pushes his Dad out of the way of the car and it hits him instead of his Dad, it creates a Paradox in time that ultimately will make him cease to exists, unless he can set things back to the way they were supposed to be. What takes place from there perfectly blends the Sci-Fi of Time Travel, the paradoxes of time, and of course hilarious situations and dialogue. The ending even shows that although Marty set things back the way they were supposed to be, things still changed by his presence in the past, and shows the dangers of time travel. Although in Marty's situation, the changes were for the better. Back to the Future though still remains the staple of how to make a Science Fiction film funny, and not loose any of the Sci-Fi of it.

Special Effects Analysis- The Special Effects of Back to the Future still hold up today. Although certainly not complicated by today's standards, the effects of a Car traveling through time are seamless even by today's standards. They might not be really flashy, but they work exceptionally well with the film, and make one of the most convincing time traveling Delorians, or time machine period in cinema history

9. Aliens

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Aliens was a shift from the Horror film that was Alien, to a more action oriented Sci-Fi film. But the shift didn't hurt the film at all; in fact, it created an even better film. Aliens plot revolves around the only survivor from the first movie, Ripley. Ripley has been drifting through space for 57 years, and is found, only to find that the Alien planet has been colonized by humans, and nobody believes her story. When contact is lost with the colony and the mission is sent to check it out, Ripley and a squad of marines go to the planet, and chaos ensues. The action in Aliens is superb, some of the best ever. The Atmosphere is great, creating just the right amount of suspense while the marines explore the deserted colony.
What set's this apart from many other films about aliens, is that the aliens in Aliens, are so unique, and mysterious. They don't all of there motives, they don't know everything about them. Yet, led by Ripley's knowledge of them and the fact the aliens are trying to kill them, The Marines battle it out with them. The characters in Aliens though are what really make this one of the best Sci-Fi films ever, each Marine has his/her own personality, and Weaver is spectacular as the strong Heroine Ripley. You get such a diverse amount of characters, and each is so unique, that it's a joy to watch them argue, talk, strategize. Everything is just so well crafted in this movie, that's its amazing. For being a staple of the Alien Action Sci-Fi film, Aliens gets the number nine spot.

Special Effects Analysis- The Special effects in Aliens are amazing. When there flying through space it looks good, but what is the real achievement of Aliens, is of course, the aliens themselves. They are exceptional. Easily some of the best looking, designed, and creative aliens ever conceived. There's just this aura about them that is undeniable. If you were in a dark room with an alien, these would most likely be the Aliens you would least want to be with. The movement by them is an achievement all its own, and is simply stunning, the way they move is so cool looking and is a great effect. Aliens’ effects are simply perfect.

8. Jurassic Park

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Jurassic Park is one of those films that almost everybody loves. I remember sitting in the theater and watching this film, and being amazed at everything. The story, effects, characters everything comes together in this ground-breaking film. The idea that we could clone Dinosaurs and bring them to back to life is such an interesting concept. Jurassic park flawlessly looks at this possibility, looking at the benefits, and dangers of such a technology. Jurassic Park of course has amazing action too, the ability to make everything so intense, and captivating, seamlessly infusing Animatronics, and CGI is amazing. But once again, the amazing visuals are only part of the film. Like Aliens, Jurassic Park has a great cast of characters. You have the greedy business man who wants exploit the Dinosaurs. You have The Scientists who want to study them. And of course My favorite character, Ian Malcolm, the weary character who is against the whole idea of Cloning Dinosaurs.
Jurassic park is once again another example of how to infuse action, ideas, and characters into one amazing film. It creates great atmosphere, from the breathtaking first view of the dinosaurs, to the suspenseful chase by the Raptors. The film grabs you from the beginning and never let’s go. It raises so many questions, and possibilities like all great Sci-Fi films do. And of course how can I leave out one of the best parts of the film, the absolutely stunning score by John Williams. Jurassic Park is truly one of the best Sci-Fi films ever.

Special Effects Analysis- What can you say about Jurassic Park's effects that haven't been said before? They are simply amazing. They hold up exceptionally well even my today's standard. While T2 showed CGI could be done well, this showed that it could be used seamlessly with real, and non-real things. The animatronics is amazing too, and works very well with the CGI. But what makes the effects so good, is that they are so beautiful and artistic, the dinosaurs are easily some of the best looking ever put on film. Jurassic Park is one of those films people should take note of when tracing the development of Special Effects, because it certainly has played an important role.

7. The Abyss- The Director's Cut

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What makes the Abyss a unique movie, is that it's about Aliens, expect the Aliens live on earth, and instead of being in space, it's set underwater. The Original Abyss left many things unanswered, and had many plot holes. But when Cameron did his re-cut of it and added 30 min of footage to it, it created an entirely new experience, ending, and message. It made the Abyss a great movie, instead of just a good movie. The plot is that a nuclear sub has sunk, and a group of underwater oil drillers are called on by the Navy to check it out. But what they find is something they didn't expect. They find aliens, but the head Navy officer with them think it's the Russians, so he sends a Nuclear Warhead down the abyss to destroy them.
What happens after that contains some of the most amazing imagery, and gripping moments in Sci-Fi history. When the true nature of the Aliens is revealed, and they "give a message" to the Earth. The message of the film is strong and the ending is amazing. But again, The Abyss, like all the other great Sci-Fi movies has a diverse and intriguing croup of characters. Each interesting in there own right, but when put together create something special. The Science in the film isn't to far out there either; it's very intriguing, and fun to watch. The Abyss is an intriguing look at the underwater world and technology, and a amazing Sci-Fi film.

Special Effects Analysis- The special effects in the Abyss were a great breakthrough In CGI. The Water Monster that explores the Oil Rig was a huge breakthrough, which still looks very good today, and made possible the T-1000 in T2. The visualization of the Alien City is also amazing too. It has a very unique style, and has a brilliant color to it. The Tidal waves at the end of the movie blew me away when I first saw them, and still look stunning today. You can really tell in the abyss that all the effects and even the Aliens themselves have a certain influx with water, which makes them very fluid like, and makes everything look superb

6. Terminator 2

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Terminator 2 is one of the rare sequels that surpasses the original in almost every area. In the Original Terminator, The Terminator was sent back through time to Kill Sarah Connor so her son John Connor wouldn't be born, ensuring the Machines would win the post-apocalyptic war. But since he failed, another terminator, the T-1000, is sent back through time to Kill John Connor Himself. But this time, instead of a human to defend him, A terminator like the one from the first movie, is sent back to defend John, creating the set-up for one of the best Sci-Fi action movies ever produced. Terminator 2 undoubtedly has some of the best action ever, but even though it's filled with action, the story is always central to the movie.
As the movie progresses you can feel each character progress. John comes to grips with the fact that he's the savior of mankind, His mother Sarah Connor almost becomes the exact thing she hates, but ultimately the compassion in her saves her. And last a Machine, a terminator, learns the value of human life. Of course you also get one of the coolest and most memorable Villains ever. Again, this is another movie that raises a lot of questions about time travel. Can you really change the past, if changing the past that would eliminate the future where you came from, thus making you cease to exits in both periods? These are just some of the many questions a movie like T2 raises. But of course like many Science Fiction films, the action is what makes it really entertaining. And T2 contains some of the best, and most innovative action ever conceived. The sheer amount of destruction is just awesome, and of course you get a couple of really good chase scenes. For being one of the best Sci-Fi action films ever, Terminator 2 earns its place in the number six spot.

Special Effects Analysis- Terminator 2 followed in the steps of the Abyss by taking CGI one step further. The CGI water monster in the Abyss was impressive, but The T-1000 showed that you could interact with humans and the environment on a truly great scale. When the T-1000 is shot, blown up, and melted, his liquid metal is exposed. This CGI effect is amazing because it looks so real, and works seamlessly with Robert Patrick who plays the T-1000. The explosion and action effects are also great too, considering there's so much of them. T2 really was a breakthrough in CGI technology, and advanced computer effects profoundly, making lots of other movies possible.

5. Minority Report

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The idea behind Minority Report comes from a short story by Philip K. Dick, which tells of the future where murder can be stopped thanks to the Precogs, who can predict murder. This adaptation by Spielberg is one of the most amazing Science Fiction movies I have ever seen. When John Anderton who is a precrime cop, finds that the precogs have predicted he will murder someone he doesn't even know. He goes on a quest to find out who this guy is, while being chased down by Precrime. From this point you get great visuals, superb foot chases, and amazing plot twists as you discover the true nature of the precogs. Tom Cruise gives an amazing performance as Anderton, and the scene where he confronts the man who he thinks killed his son, is one of the best and most emotionally charged scenes in any Sci-Fi film.
The Questions raised by Minority Report are also very important. If you could stop someone from committing a crime before they do it, are you violating there civil rights? This is just one question it raises in a whole series of them, that you could talk about for hours. Besides the Amazing story, and ideas, one of the best parts of Minority Report is the visual style. Spielberg manages to craft one of the most amazing visuals of what the future might be like. Blending Old and new technologies, the future world of 2054 is very believable and a joy to look at and watch. For being one of the most thought provoking, and beautiful Sci-Fi films, Minority Report is my number five Science Fiction Film.

Special Effects Analysis- Minority Report has probably some of the most amazing visual effects ever put on film. While not the most complicated ever attempted, they work seamlessly with the story, and create an amazing visual experience of a possible future. The CGI work is outstanding, and is barely noticeable. The Spiders are one of the coolest visualizations I've ever seen in A Sci-Fi film. Minority Report though, is just so damn good looking, and has such great detail that it really is amazing to watch.

4. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

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Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is a one of the most underrated Science Fiction movies ever. Even though people consider it to be the best Star Trek film, it's still not recognized as one of the best Sci-Fi films like it should be. This film combines everything you could want in a Science Fiction film, action, visuals, story, emotion; everything comes together in this picture and makes for an amazing movie. The dialogue is sharp, the acting superb, and the dual plot of Khan's revenge, and the Genesis Device work together flawlessly. The movie is so full of suspense too. From the first moment Checkov realizes the danger of the situation, you get a movie that captures you, and entertains you throughout
The Space battles between Khan and Kirk are really amazing. Two masters of strategy dueling it out, trying to guess the other man's move, just like a real life game of chess. I can without a doubt say that the space battles in Wrath of Khan are some of the best ever. But Without a doubt the best thing about The Wrath of Khan, is Kirk and Khan. The Hatred and rivalry between them is so real, you can just feel the hatred between them. Khan of course, played by Ricardo Montalban, is one of the best and most intriguing villains of all time. His cunning and use of quotes is brilliant and makes him one of the best characters ever. And Of Course how could I forget Kirk's Line "KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN". William Shattner gives his best performance as Kirk in this movie, and it really is an amazing performance. The thing though that stands out in many people's minds is the final emotionally moving ending where Spock gives his life to save everyone else’s life. For being the best Star Trek movie, which works on so many levels, The Wrath of Khan earns its place as the number four movie on my list.

Special Effects Analysis- The Special Effects in Wrath of Khan are very effective. Even though there not the most visual striking ever, they work very well, and still look very real. The Final Battle between Khan and Kirk is where they really shine. It's such an amazing battle and looks very good. The Nebula they fight in also looks very effective, and you never believe that they aren't in space.

3.2001: A Space Odyssey

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What would any Science Fiction List be without this breathtaking movie. 2001 has perhaps been the most debated Science-Fiction movie ever. What is the true meaning of it? Nobody may ever know, but as long as people watch this movie they will be fascinated by it. Some people may say it's boring, and overlong. Surely some of the space sequences are long, but can you imagine what it must have been like to be sitting in a theater in 1968 and seeing images of space, and space ships that looked so real, and so beautiful. It must have been amazing. Of course the visuals are amazing, but so is the story. The story might seem rather simple to some people, but when you actually look at it, it is real deep. It's a very open ended story that raises more questions then it answers, but the sheer number of interpretations this movie brings about has shown the story is really something special.
2001 might not be heavy on dialogue, but heavy dialogue isn't need for a movie like this. The visuals are the main focus, and the dialogue just helps move it along. The Dialogue though is still very sharp when it's there, and of course some of the best of it comes from HAL 9000. Who is easily the best character from the film, and one of the best villains ever. Of Course you could argue that HAL isn't a villain, but that's what makes 2001 so great; it has something for everyone, and so many meanings, so many levels. The sound in 2001 is also amazing, the blend of classical music is perfect, and the lifeless sound of space, Dave's breathing, and HAL's voice are all amazing as well. Kubrick has truly crafted a movie that people will talk about forever.

Special Effects Analysis- I can only imagine how hard it must have been to make 2001 look as good as it does back way back in 1968. The visuals look amazing even to this day. You always believe they are in space, and the use of colors is amazing. 2001 is probably the first Space movie to actually look like they are in space. Everything looks more like a work or then a movie, and that’s what makes it so great. Even though movies now days have way more complicated space sequences, 2001 still looks good by today's standards. Kubrick has been called a visionary, and he certainly shows his visionary skills with 2001.

2. The Empire Strikes Back

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How do you improve upon one of the most beloved movies ever? Well The Empire Strikes Back does exactly this. Unlike some sequels, Empire doesn't rehash the plot of the first one. In fact it expands upon the story creating one of the best Science Fiction, not to mention one of the best films period. Every character is developed even more and is taken to a new place after the movie. New characters like Lando, are introduced, and make the already deep and interesting characters even better. Of Course there's more of everybody's favorite villain Darth Vader, who reveals one of the most shocking twists in his duel with Luke.
The new locations in Empire are also amazing, you get such a diversity of locations that it makes the film really unique and fun to watch. From Hoth, to Bespin, to the Asteroid field, each location is so unique and adds immensely to the movie. Instead of the Rebel Alliance being all victorious, in Empire they are scattered and have to go hide again from the Empire. Luke must be trained by Yoda, Leia and Han have to escape the empire. The plot works on so many levels, and has so many memorable moments. The Action of course, is a notch up from the original. You get a huge battle in the snow, an asteroid chase, and one of the most brutal lightsabers duels ever filmed. Everything about this film is just so good. The great score by John Williams doesn't hurt either, which creates a darker movie, and expands on the great score of the first movie. When a sequel to a movie is being made, take note of The Empire Strikes Back, because it truly is the best example of how to make a sequel better then the first.

Special Effects Analysis- Again, one of the best things about the original Star Wars was the effects. Empire greatly improves upon these effects, and makes them even better. The lightsabers look more real, the sequences in space look better, the hoth battle is amazing. Everything about it just looks amazing. Each location has its own unique visual style and helps make The Empire Strikes Back a unique sequel.

and finally .....

1. The Matrix

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What else would you expect to be my number one. What makes the Matrix such an amazing Science Fiction Film, is that it infuses so many ideas, so many plot elements, so much action, so many characters into one brilliant movie. Some people would say the Matrix rips off a bunch of different things, but I don't see it that way. The Matrix more or less uses these ideas for inspiration, to create a movie that has so many different things going for it. You have the War between the humans and the machines, the internal war inside the Matrix, conflicting humans who don't see eye to eye. The movie is so well constructed; the allegories so well thought out, that it's just an amazing experience.
Like all other great movies, you have a great cast of characters. Neo, Morpheus, Trinity, Smith, Cypher, all these characters just make the movie so good, and a joy to watch. The dialogue from them is great. Neo the passive Hero reflects his role through his dialogue, Morpehues the leader reflects his role through his dialogue, Agent Smith voice fits perfectly with his role. The Matrix has created so many great characters, and the story that surrounds them is amazing in itself. The idea that humans are used as energy to power machines, and we live inside a Matrix is such a great concept. Even though the idea of humans living in a simulated computer world has been written about, the way the Matrix uses it is such a triumph. It combines it with the Machines who rule the World, and inside of the Matrix you have the prophecy of the one. It's almost like the Matrix is the Gap between the humans and the Machines, and whoever controls the Matrix controls the world. Of course what so many people love about the Matrix is the Action. The Action is some of the best ever put on film, but it's not there for just show, it supports the story. The Directors of the Matrix, The Wachowski Bros. have truly created an amazing movie, which has every element you could want in a Sci-Fi film. These elements are each amazing in themselves, and when you put them altogether, you get the best Science Fiction Film Ever.

Special Effects Analysis- The Special Effects in the Matrix have been copied so much over the past couple of years that it's insane. Bullet Time is the staple effect of The Matrix, and I remember being in awe when I first saw it in The Matrix. It truly is a remarkable effect that can enhance an action scene when used right. Of Course another achievement of The Matrix is the CGI used to create the Hovercrafts, Sentinels, and Fetus Fields, and it really helps enhance the visuals of The Matrix. The Matrix without a doubt contains some of the most impressive, and innovative special effects of all time.

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