My faves:
10. Blade Runner
Almost a decade & a half earlier before Blade Runner, 2001: A Space Odyssey was one the first films to successfully marry the big budget sci-fi with a genre of a different theme (that of psychological thriller) so that all the high tech flashiness of science fiction acted as a contrasting backdrop to a darker side that resided underneath all the complicated buttons & wires of futuristic technology.
Then came Ridley Scott's Alien, which did the same for the darkside of sci-film, but now more in the method of the straight-up horror genre.
He followed that up with another marriage to sci-fi, but this time in the cinematic category of film noir. Now, with this story of replicant-hunter Rick Deckard, Scott depicts what lays beneath all the flashy neon lights that decorately symbolize the endless possiblities of the future, to tell a tale of the grit & grime layers of lost & forgotten cybo-souls that could only act as a foundation of those towering spires of technological brilliance that would allow the mortal men living in 'em to percieve themselves as gods.
Blade Runner is just as equally a visual stunner as the other famous sci-fi classic that Harrison Ford is famously known for, but now, instead of a distant galaxy far far away, it's in a distant future that is much more down to Earth.
9. Wall-E
It seems like these days, every season, an animated movie comes out displaying the next level of computer-generated visuals. For the year of 2008, it was this film & Kung Fu Panda. While not so surprising in that I (we?) expected the details in the graphics to be as detail & realistic as they were, it's still quite stunning to behold.
And even though Wall-E contains the basic formula elements one would expect from such a family film, it's still quite surprising how often & consistantly filmmakers are able to intergrate the amazing graphics into the quality of the storytelling in a manner that seems fresh & keeps the messages from feeling too cliche. At the rate that these types of highly sophisticated computer animated flicks are being released, it's remarkble that the ratio has been so much more good than bad.
A futuristic story that despite it's epic themes of environmentalism, technological over-dependence & the effects of idleness on the soul of humanity when it is stripped away from the natural strife of life, at it's heart, it's also an effective story of loneliness & longing between two computer-animated robots that despite their mechanical make-up, offer up enough heartfelt human emotion that is depicted with just a simple vocabulary that consists of nothing more than their names & a directive.
8. Equilibrium
This is kind of like a "The Matrix Unloaded".
A very stunningly stylish movie that features action sequences that any martial arts or straight-up action flick would be proud to call it's own. And even tho the story, like The Matrix, can lose it's audience every couple of turns and again, it does have a more solid & linear structure, making it is possible for the viewer to get back onto understanding it's premise.
Equilibrium did not have the big budget that it's computer themed bigger succeeding cousin had, therefore it came up with a concept called "Gun Kata", to allow for the insane bullet hails that make these types of gun-toting movies the kind that could cause even the hardiest NRA member to bust his own cap.
7. The Terminator 2
What does pure badassery from the future look like?
A big, muscular humanoid who likes to steal biker clothes, swing his shotgun on a high speed motorcycle, wear his sunglasses even at night, and is programmed to speak with a heavy-@ss Austrian accent.
This movie is one of those rare times where an original that was already pretty bad-ass is followed up by a sequel that is even more bad-asser.
As someone who enjoys the category of science fiction probably more than any other genre when it comes to films, I seriously think that Judgment Day, along with his efforts on Aliens, shows why there should be a law that states that James Cameron should be in charge of directing all sequels from now on.
After a going thru a summer recently that was epitomized by listlessly plotted blockbusters such as the other movie known as T-2 (Michael Bay's), this T-2 is a reminder that even though a certain degree of suspension of belief is required from one's brain in order to accept a movie about battling robots, you do not have to completely revert to the mind level of a five-year old in order to enjoy it.
Mannn.... I wish I was made outta liquid metal.
6. 2001: A Space Odyssey
In 2001, aliens come in the form of heavy monolith blocks.
And after escaping a death at the hands of a crafty computer that had taken on an evil sentient intelligence,
these aliens will sweep you up & send on you on the psychodelickest trip of your life.
And all without the use of drugs.
Damn.
Where was I during the year 2001 that I missed the party?
The very 1st. incredibly realistic portrayal of a sci-fi story. Great visuals back when this stuff was incredible difficult to create (without the help of computers). Also, a suspense thriller plotline that is masterfully & almost quietly delivered.
Plus, if you're not high whilst viewing this film, by the time you get to the ending, you will you feel as though you are.
5. Abyss (Director's Cut)
We humans are a species capable of our own destruction. Or of our own salvation.
And though sometimes, it's can seem like we're going down the road of total annihilation, there's still enough within us to choose otherwise.
At least, that's the kind of hope the water-breathing life-forms from outer space in this film seem to hold about us.
Personally, I think this is a James Cameron masterpiece. It's actually two stories in one. The alien storyline that provides the twist for the film, crossed over with the tension building plot involving the scientific crew & the naval SEAL team. And both plots, while differently paced, are still very excellently executed. Now, while the edited version that was originally released into theatres is a fine film, for my money, the uncut version is what truly reveals just how great this movie really is.
4. E.T., The Extra-Terrestrial
There's nothing that I can add that to this film that hasn't already been said. Lemme just say, after several years of this movie collecting dust on my video collection, I watched it with my 6 yr. old niece a couple of months ago, & I'll be honest with you,
I don't know which one of us left sitting there with more childlike awe & wonder on our faces.:
She, b'cuz she thought that E.T., was one amazing tale.
Or me, b'cuz I thought that Elliot's mom was one amazing tail.
3. The Empire Strikes Back
For the movie itself, again, what can I say that hasn't blah blah blah.
Instead, I'll just relay my opinion on the experience of this film.
This was back when movies would stay in theatres, not for weeks at a time, but for months.
I think that, on the majority, audiences today have been so desensitized from so-so blockbusters being released every other week-end, that they will never get 2 experience the feeling a big movie-event like Star Wars. The year of Empire was one of my fave summers ever as a kid. It was really cool knowing that I could hop on the city bus at any point during the season & go watch TESB. And every time that I did, the other audience members were just as excited 2 be seeing this film at the end of the summer as they were at the beginning. Every year that one of the 3 original films was released, you could not only feel the power of the "Force" within the air, but also, you could feel it in the air all season long.
2. Aliens
In this sequel to the non-plural installment of the series, Ripley, believe it or not, is back. And this time, she arms herself with some big guns & with an even bigger attitude of instead of squaring off against just one xenomorph, she's taking on a whole hive full of them. And their momma too.
This movie has everything that I look forward to in a sci-fi adventure. Suspenseful action, solid story, distinct characters (with great chemistry), great visuals, kick-@ss aliens, a turning plot-twist (we all thought for sure, that Bishop couldn't be trusted), & of course, a catch-phrase that made the entire theatre that I saw this movie in to roar ("Get away from her, you b#tch!").
Mannnn....I wish I had acid for blood.
1. Close Encounters Of The 3rd. Kind
Steven Speilberg's best film, as far as I'm concerned (yep, I like it even better that Jaws, as perfect as that film is).
In this one, the aliens have made contact.
And at first, that makes us humans afraid.
But when we finally come face to face with 'em, we realize that the fear we felt was based more on own insecurites than it was on these bug-eyed long-fingered lil' grey angels from space (though, you have to admit, the fact that they have a knack of kidnapping a few of our jet-fighters, not to mention a kid or two, & then instill mental images of their landing site in own minds, urging us to ruin a plateful of perfectly good mash potatoes, doesn't help much to quell our apprehension of the little buggers).
Up to the point in time that Close Encounters was first released in theatres, for me, this movie represented the most realistic handling of the story of making contact with aliens beings that I had ever seen. The manner in which it handled this theme is most likely what inspired later films like Contact & Signs, both which tried admirably to emulate the "validity" of Encounters. So convincing was the portrayal of this first contact, that upon my first viewing lo those many years ago, it made it almost believable for me that the idea of extra-terrestrials could actually be a reality. Also, it was done with such a sense of awe-inspiring hope & beauty, that even now, at my spirit-hardened age, it almost makes me wish that aliens do indeed exist (& maybe they do exist, but that's an entirely different website, altogether).
To this day, even with jaded eyes overwhelmed with modern CGI gimmicktry , the special effects in Close Encounters, combined with their elegant integration to the story's premise,
this film still leaves me with a sense of awe after each viewing.
The kind of awe that I used to feel as kid whenever I would look up all the stars in the sky on clear summer night, & wonder at all of the possibilities that must've been up there.
Mannnn....I wish a UFO would come down & fly me away into the limitless potential of space.
Sans anal-probes, of course.
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