Best ever science fiction movie
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Ok - so the best ever science fiction books are going on over at another thread but what about best sci-fi movie of all time? One thing is sure - it can't be Dune...
I'm going to vote for Aliens because although that screaming Newt kid bugged the shit out of me I think that considering the limitations of the era this was an honest and inventive film that remains fresh to this day.
Compared to modern movies the script works, the plot actually existed and there were at least 4 or 5 identifiable characters who deepened over time and continued to behave in character. Close Encounters gets a special mention.
I also like Contact for the broadness of its view of the impact of an ET event. I love the intro of Contact though the movie does have its low moments. Starship Troopers deserves a nomination as the greatest ever sci-fi satire, and
Planet of the Apes gets my vote for best score (and best religious fundamentalist rib dig).
What do other people think?
"Experiments are the only means of knowledge at our disposal. The rest is poetry, imagination." Max Planck
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Well for me it's the Terminator, first Sci-fi movie that I recall watching from beginning to end when I was a kid, that wasn't cheesy. Aliens of course is up there and I liked Event Horizon a very underrated sci-fi/horror movie, and as for my last entry on this (there are just so many to add in my case) but for more recent Sci-Fi I vote for District 9
One movie coming out in summer 2010 is called "Annuniki" more less about the Samara gods that came to earth...an interesting story in itself. Here is info about them
http://www.crystalinks.com/nibiru.html
and the link to the preview
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rO7pd7vi4Qs
However, I would throw my vote for Dune as the best Sci-Fi book ever. That is, out of the ones I've read... which probably amount to a tenth of a percent of all of them...
I really, really dig Aliens. It has everything you need in a good movie: Good acting, bad acting (GAME OVER MAN!!! GAME OVER!!!), quotable lines (see above), scary monsters, guns spaceships, cinematography...
Did you know they did that whole movie with only three alien suits? Crazy how ingenious people were before computer graphics.
I try really hard to forget that they totally just threw away the Newt character two minutes into the next crappy installment of the Alien series. (There aren't ten good minutes in the rest of the whole damn series.)
As a runner up, I like Serenity, for coming the closest to the feel of the 1970s space cowboy movies and still using modern effects. It's what any one of the prequel Star Wars movies could have been if George Lucas wasn't an overgrown hyperactive eight year old.
The dialog in Serenity is fucking spot-on. It's very clever, witty, and yet sincere, and I love how Whedon incorporated future-Chinese into English, and created a hodge-podge society with its own jargon.
The action's amazing. The plot is compelling. The arch-villain is a badass. Most of the characters have a lot of depth.
Very good movie.
Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin
http://hambydammit.wordpress.com/
Books about atheism
I don't want to spoil the plot too soon, but the great war was probably because in dissent of how long should the kings rule, according to precession of equinoxes. It can be taken equally, that every constellation takes 30° or 2160 years, or siderically. Siderically, the taurus constellation takes about 200 years longer in the precession. So the god Marduk went to war 4 000 years ago, because his precedessor for the Taurus age wanted to remain on his throne for 200 years longer. So finally this might be a film with intelligent plot. I wonder if there will be any Biblical old-testament characters, like Abraham
Beings who deserve worship don't demand it. Beings who demand worship don't deserve it.
Yes the Annunuki, seems very interesting indeed I also read Sitchin book, which really makes much more sense then the evolution bull shit we are taught... esp the crap about the missing link, Lucy etc...
Also something worth note is near all the Bible stories are plagiarized from the Samara tablets..like the flood, The Adam -Even story, Eden, Sodom and Gomorrah etc...
Sitchin says these super humans came to earth and altered our DNA..80% ape..or earth creature ,and 20% theirs...
Anyway something to note our DNA has 46 chromosomes..even an monkey has 48..why do we have less? And why do we use only 10% of our brain capacity? And why do we have faulty DNA that gives a mans age at about 65 years, we can get all sorts of illnesses etc? Sounds indeed not the world of some powerful god but a lab experiment..
I try to keep open minded..not a follower of evolution, and not a Bible creationist either.. I think its a bit of both.
i like the classic old dystopia and technology gone wrong films. two of my favorites are westworld and thx 1138 (a good idea of what george lucas could have been capable of).
also i can't believe no one's mentioned 2001.
and star trek IV: the voyage home is definitely the funniest, if for no other reason than spock learning to swear. "the hell i don't!" "one damn minute, admiral!"
"I have never felt comfortable around people who talk about their feelings for Jesus, or any other deity for that matter, because they are usually none too bright. . . . Or maybe 'stupid' is a better way of saying it; but I have never seen much point in getting heavy with either stupid people or Jesus freaks, just as long as they don't bother me. In a world as weird and cruel as this one we have made for ourselves, I figure anybody who can find peace and personal happiness without ripping off somebody else deserves to be left alone. They will not inherit the earth, but then neither will I. . . . And I have learned to live, as it were, with the idea that I will never find peace and happiness, either. But as long as I know there's a pretty good chance I can get my hands on either one of them every once in a while, I do the best I can between high spots."
--Hunter S. Thompson
oh, and highlander 2.
that's right, 2. i don't care if it totally fucked up the mythology and has basically been ignored by the subsequent films. the idea of the shield protecting the earth after the ozone layer was depleted was pure genius.
though i always wondered, when macleod and ramirez were still aliens on zeist, before being incarnated as humans, why were they still named macleod and ramirez? then again, i always found it funny that christopher lambert, a french actor, plays a scotsman, and sean connery, who actually is scottish (and doesn't try to disguise his accent), plays a spaniard. oh, and lambert's scottish accent is dreadful.
still, highlander 2. pure sci-fi gold.
"I have never felt comfortable around people who talk about their feelings for Jesus, or any other deity for that matter, because they are usually none too bright. . . . Or maybe 'stupid' is a better way of saying it; but I have never seen much point in getting heavy with either stupid people or Jesus freaks, just as long as they don't bother me. In a world as weird and cruel as this one we have made for ourselves, I figure anybody who can find peace and personal happiness without ripping off somebody else deserves to be left alone. They will not inherit the earth, but then neither will I. . . . And I have learned to live, as it were, with the idea that I will never find peace and happiness, either. But as long as I know there's a pretty good chance I can get my hands on either one of them every once in a while, I do the best I can between high spots."
--Hunter S. Thompson
My bf introduced me to the Firefly series and then had me watch Serenity. I liked it a lot. That's where I'm casting my vote.
But I'm not a huge sci-fi fan so I really don't have much else to choose from.
We have 23 pairs of chromosomes, other primates have 48, because it has been found that one of our pairs appears to be made up of two of the primate chromosomes which have become joined end-to-end. That is the simple explanation. We still have about the same number of actual genes as our closest primate relatives.
There is no evolutionary advantage for us to survive well beyond the reproductive years, so our decrepit old-age is fully understandable from the standpoint of evolution.
It is a myth that 90% of our brain is not used. What is true is that at any one instant we may be only using about 10-20% of our brain, but over a range of activities, we use different parts of our brain, so ultimately pretty much all our brain gets used at some part of our day.
The Flood, G of E, Sodom and Gomorrah stories are the bullshit.
Alien visitors doesn't explain who designed them, so somewhere such beings must have been able to emerge by blind evolution. So why bring them in in the first place? Our imperfections are just what you expect from evolution, which has no guiding purpose. We are only 'just good enough' to survive and reproduce.
You really have swallowed a lot of crap there...
The truest comment there was that the least plausible explanation of any of it is a powerful God of any kind.
Favorite oxymorons: Gospel Truth, Rational Supernaturalist, Business Ethics, Christian Morality
"Theology is now little more than a branch of human ignorance. Indeed, it is ignorance with wings." - Sam Harris
The path to Truth lies via careful study of reality, not the dreams of our fallible minds - me
From the sublime to the ridiculous: Science -> Philosophy -> Theology
Best Sci-Fi....that's a hard queation. Wrath of Khan or Contact have my vote.
“Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid.”
Dark Star, bar none. Bestest EVAR.
I mean, a desperate existential conversation with a sentient bomb? PWNS!
I am a sci-fi fan but always fail at describing plots or memorizing lines. I DO recall Aliens making me feel both amazed and scared. I have seen it twice in my life and remember bits and pieces but I would rate it high on my list.
And I will never forget Invasion of the Body Snatchers ~ this freaked me out ~ and to this day I avoid any 'pod' I come across outside.
Slowly building a blog at ~
http://obsidianwords.wordpress.com/
I really liked Strange Days. Hey, and don't forget Soylent Green (it's made from yummy, yummy people, you know). Oh, and the classic oldies like The Day The Earth Stood Still and Forbidden Planet. Then there's Dr. Strangelove, of course.
The best movie ever, bar none:
Krull.
"Yes, I seriously believe that consciousness is a product of a natural process. I find that the neuroscientists, psychologists, and philosophers who proceed from that premise are the ones who are actually making useful contributions to our understanding of the mind." - PZ Myers
Since I first saw it in the early '80s, Star Wars has held #1 for me. No movies have ever topped it. However, everyone would know that already. So I'll get on with other sci-fi I loved.
Terminator 2 and Jurassic Park 1 were two awesome movies that also helped revolutionize film effects. After them, CGI was a must. Even for TV movies. Transformers 1 & 2 both pleasantly surprised me at how good they were. The original Planet of the Apes was amazing. Andromeda Strain I don't really remember anymore, except that it was good enough for me to remember it was good. Flight of the Navigator was the first movie I ever saw in theatres, and was also good enough to return twice, though I've not seen it since. Stargate sucked, but spawned at least one great TV series, so gets a mention. Sphere was almost as good as the book. A few of my other favourites have been mentioned: ET, Star Trek II & IV, Alien (noone mentioned Predator? Shame!), Contact, & Serenity.
Enlightened Atheist, Gaming God.
I'd also mention ST: First Contact, Independence Day, Back to the Future, Mad Max, Butterfly Effect, James Bond (noone can tell me those aren't sci-fi to an extent), War of the Worlds (original), Final Fantasy, The Fly, I Robot, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, Mars Attacks, The Matrix, Robocop, Short Circuit, Total Recall, Space Balls, and various Marvel and DC movies.
I probably could go on...
Enlightened Atheist, Gaming God.
Don't forget that the Kurgan was played by Clancy Brown. Sounds pretty Irish to me.
As far as Star Ship Troopers (also featuring Clancy Brown BTW), the film adaptation was really the worst since the first version of Dune. The original book on the other hand was pretty well done, although it was written for 16 year olds.
For best movies, there are many really well done ones.
Bicentennial Man was a really well done movie and a really good transition from the novel as well. Ditto Enemy Mine, although that was a novella in the original.
The other version of Dune, done by the sci-fi channel really stuck to the original pretty well.
Also:
The Abyss
Eagle Eye
Sphere
The Andromeda Stain (1971 version)
The Terminal Man
Star trek 2:Wrath of Khan
Astronaut Farmer
=
Like others I think Serenity was about the best Sci-Fi movie followed by Aliens. Also great were Pitch Black and Chronicles of Riddick.
Deserving mention are the Resident Evil movies and Underworld. Predator and 6th Day with Arnold were also great.
____________________________________________________________
"I guess it's time to ask if you live under high voltage power transmission lines which have been shown to cause stimulation of the fantasy centers of the brain due to electromagnetic waves?" - Me
"God is omnipotent, omniscient, omnibenevolent, - it says so right here on the label. If you have a mind capable of believing all three of these divine attributes simultaneously, I have a wonderful bargain for you. No checks please. Cash and in small bills." - Robert A Heinlein.
Never heard of Serenity ~ just watched the trailer and it looks good
*adds to netflix list
Slowly building a blog at ~
http://obsidianwords.wordpress.com/
I've seen almost every movie mentioned in this thread so far. I don't know if I should be proud or sad.
Also, Idiocracy deserves it's place among dystopian films.
Theism is why we can't have nice things.
I'll have to add a vote for Serenity.
Honorable mentions to some of the enjoyable superhero blockbusters: Ironman and Spiderman come to mind
And I have a soft spot for some of the 70s sci-fi that is borderline cheesy:
Rollerball
Logan's Run
Omega Man
Responsibility: A detachable burden easily shifted to the shoulders of God, Fate, Fortune, Luck or one's neighbor. In the days of astrology it was customary to unload it upon a star. ~Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary, 1911
i can't help but recall a classic scene from family guy where chris has a conversation about lord of the rings with his boss (i'm paraphrasing):
"i'm just saying, sometimes you have to sacrifice spectacle for a coherent plot."
"have you ever seen krull?"
"no."
"yeah, you don't need to see krull."
"I have never felt comfortable around people who talk about their feelings for Jesus, or any other deity for that matter, because they are usually none too bright. . . . Or maybe 'stupid' is a better way of saying it; but I have never seen much point in getting heavy with either stupid people or Jesus freaks, just as long as they don't bother me. In a world as weird and cruel as this one we have made for ourselves, I figure anybody who can find peace and personal happiness without ripping off somebody else deserves to be left alone. They will not inherit the earth, but then neither will I. . . . And I have learned to live, as it were, with the idea that I will never find peace and happiness, either. But as long as I know there's a pretty good chance I can get my hands on either one of them every once in a while, I do the best I can between high spots."
--Hunter S. Thompson
I love Chris's movie comments. I can't help but think he's just channeling pure Seth Green.
Believe it or not, I have seen Krull at least ten or twelve times. First, it's on Netflix Instant View, and second, there are very few things as interesting when I'm too drunk to follow a plotline but still want lasers and magic.
Another movie that I'm a bit surprised hasn't been mentioned (or maybe I missed it) is Blade Runner. And speaking of Aliens, I'd go so far as to say that Blade Runner was Ridley Scott's more seasoned effort at dark sci-fi, and much more successful than Alien.
Also, very few people have heard of Dark City, but it's well worth watching. Let me just say, Jennifer Connelly. That's all. I just wanted to say, "Jennifer Connelly." It makes me happy to think of her. Very, very happy. Mmmmmmm.... Jennifer Connelly.
Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin
http://hambydammit.wordpress.com/
Books about atheism
seen it, love it, would definitely hit that.
"I have never felt comfortable around people who talk about their feelings for Jesus, or any other deity for that matter, because they are usually none too bright. . . . Or maybe 'stupid' is a better way of saying it; but I have never seen much point in getting heavy with either stupid people or Jesus freaks, just as long as they don't bother me. In a world as weird and cruel as this one we have made for ourselves, I figure anybody who can find peace and personal happiness without ripping off somebody else deserves to be left alone. They will not inherit the earth, but then neither will I. . . . And I have learned to live, as it were, with the idea that I will never find peace and happiness, either. But as long as I know there's a pretty good chance I can get my hands on either one of them every once in a while, I do the best I can between high spots."
--Hunter S. Thompson
Sunshine, Alien, Aliens, The Fountain (It's kinda sci-fi-ish), A Boy and His Dog, Enemy Mine, The Abyss, Strang days....
What's the deal with Serenity? I gave it a big fat "meh".
"Faith, Faith is an island in the setting sun,
but proof, proof is the bottom line for everyone."
Proof, Paul Simon
Nothing this hard should taste so beefy.
Sure, Jennifer Connelly. But what about the big hokey hellraiserish dudes that kept saying "Shut it down!" every 10 minutes?
"Faith, Faith is an island in the setting sun,
but proof, proof is the bottom line for everyone."
Proof, Paul Simon
Nothing this hard should taste so beefy.
I would hit Jennifer Connelly harder. Frankly, hellraiserish dudes aren't my bag.
Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin
http://hambydammit.wordpress.com/
Books about atheism
I was watching her the other day in The Hulk and one thing leading to another I have to say The Hulk is a really interestingly-made film - probably the most three dimensional sci-fi film I've ever seen in 2D. Ang Lee is quality director.
"Experiments are the only means of knowledge at our disposal. The rest is poetry, imagination." Max Planck
Nice. If you want to see her do bad things plus a little nudity I highly recommend Requiem For a Dream. The reason I bring up the hellraiserish dudes is not because they're bonerific, but because that movie was horrible and they were a major factor in it's suckitude. I mean if you want to see some titties they're all over the internet. You don't have to watch bad movies anymore.
"Faith, Faith is an island in the setting sun,
but proof, proof is the bottom line for everyone."
Proof, Paul Simon
Nothing this hard should taste so beefy.
Serenity is great, probably better if you watched the series.
Oh, I own Requiem on DVD. I ain't no dummy. She also has a notable scene in Waking the Dead, a super-bonerific one in The Hot Spot (including some minor lesbian luvin with Virginia Madson), and if I recall correctly, she also had momentary nudity in Inventing the Abbotts.
Oh, yes. I'm familiar with Jennifer Connelly. This is one of those instances where I'll tolerate suckitude for the sake of a celebrity crush. It's not even the nudity, per se. She wasn't nude in Dark City. She's just hot, and I like her pouty face
Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin
http://hambydammit.wordpress.com/
Books about atheism
Fair enough. I don't remember much of Dark City except for "Shut it down!" I thoroughly despised it because of that.
"Faith, Faith is an island in the setting sun,
but proof, proof is the bottom line for everyone."
Proof, Paul Simon
Nothing this hard should taste so beefy.
For me, it's pretty much a tie between Stargate and The Fifth Element.
Serenity for pure sci-fi. No horror, just sci-fi. And some of the best dialogue anywhere in the 'verse. Plus Mal is an atheist :D
----
Jayne: Ain't logical. Cuttin' on his own face, rapin' and murdering - Hell, I'll kill a man in a fair fight... or if I think he's gonna start a fair fight, or if he bothers me, or if there's a woman, or if I'm gettin' paid - mostly only when I'm gettin' paid. But these Reavers... last ten years they show up like the bogeyman from stories. Eating people alive? Where's that get fun?
----
Operative: I have a warship in deep orbit, Captain. We locked onto Serenity's pulse beacon the moment you hit atmo. I can speak a word and send a missile to that exact location inside of three minutes.
Mal: You do that, you'd best make peace with your dear and fluffy lord.
----
Mal: This is how it is. Anybody doesn't wanna fly with me any more, this is your port of harbor. There's a lot of fine ways to die. I ain't waiting for the Alliance to choose mine.
----
Y'all got on this boat for different reasons, but y'all come to the same place. So now I'm asking more of you than I have before. Maybe all. Sure as I know anything, I know this - they will try again. Maybe on another world, maybe on this very ground swept clean. A year from now, ten? They'll swing back to the belief that they can make people... better. And I do not hold to that. So no more runnin'. I aim to misbehave.
----
Operative: Are you willing to die for your beliefs?
Mal: I am...*fires gun* 'Course, that ain't exactly plan A.
"Shepherd Book once said to me, 'If you can't do something smart, do something right.'" - Jayne
Personally subverting biological evolution in favor of social evolution every night I go to work!
I've got to see Serenity...and Bladerunner again...
Ultraviolet, Gattaca, MST3000, The Sleeper
Yes, Serenity. and the Firefly series. I saw the movie first, so I had to rent the series to get the background.
Mars Attacks. Hysterical, I think they stole every old prop from every old sci-fi movie they could find. "Indian Love Call" was so very appropriate.
Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension. "Mr. Wizard was a great scientist."
The Last Starfighter. First sci-fi movie to use CG. Truly. Really - says so in the DVD extras. LOL
Galaxy Quest.
LMFAO "Get a room, guys.........Hey, that's not right!"
Hmm.... seems like a theme. I have a very wacko sense of humor and I get bored if the movie is too self-consciously serious.
-- I feel so much better since I gave up trying to believe.
-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.
"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken
"If death isn't sweet oblivion, I will be severely disappointed" - Ruth M.
OK an MST3K fan. Me too.
Have you seen them do “The Horror at Party Beach”?
I have to ask because I live within walking distance to that beach. There is a bar about a block away that is filled with 65~70 year old drunks, including ancient drunk (former) chicks who were the extras in that flick. If you show up there after about lunch time, they are all drunk enough to talk about that one moment of fame that they all shared.
Fucking pathetic.
=
Must. See. Serenity. Go. Now. HURRY!!!
"Shepherd Book once said to me, 'If you can't do something smart, do something right.'" - Jayne
Personally subverting biological evolution in favor of social evolution every night I go to work!
Sunshine by far is the best
"Very funny Scotty; now beam down our clothes."
VEGETARIAN: Ancient Hindu word for "lousy hunter"
If man was formed from dirt, why is there still dirt?
Need to see it again to take in the acting but the effects were awesome. 3D Alien sex. Wow.
"Experiments are the only means of knowledge at our disposal. The rest is poetry, imagination." Max Planck
... ya, you dont see that to often...
Face-hugger rape, and those Speices movies aside
What Would Kharn Do?
Gonna have to add that to the old Blockbuster queue. Yay!
How can not believing in something that is backed up with no empirical evidence be less scientific than believing in something that not only has no empirical evidence but actually goes against the laws of the universe and in many cases actually contradicts itself? - Ricky Gervais
Yea Avatar was great
I have watched many bsci fi movies but some of my favorite sci fi movies are
Planet of the Apes
Children of Men
Mad Max
Dark City
Event Horizon
all the above movies are my best sci fi movie collection and a always like to watch them again and again.
Rambo Finch
Sunshine kicks ass on so many levels. Donnie Darko and Source Code were awesome. MIB... And let's not forget SuckerPunch!
The Man from Earth is unquestionably the best SF movie ever. SF means not horror in disguise, not space opera, not special effects not nothing but hard science fiction that John Campbell would have published.
If you do not know who John W. Campbell was you do not know what science fiction is.
Jews stole the land. The owners want it back. That is all anyone needs to know about Israel. That is all there is to know about Israel.
www.ussliberty.org
www.giwersworld.org/made-in-alexandria/index.html
www.giwersworld.org/00_files/zion-hit-points.phtml
I enjoyed that movie. I also liked PI... can think of a lot of good ones that I have later looked back on and disliked. The Matrix, the first one is one of my favourites. Space Odyssey 2001.
"Don't seek these laws to understand. Only the mad can comprehend..." -- George Cosbuc
Thanks for sharing information about it. I also like to watch fiction movies. Its looking really interesting.
Hmm, best scifi movie is tough. as it's hard for me to untangle 'best' from 'favorite' Favorite Scifi movies are ones like Limitless (hated the brain percentage myth that was perpetrated though), Them! was also a good one, in fact it was one of the few giant creature features that I watch for something other than the so bad it's good category (aside from Kaiju movies). If I were going to go for honest best I'd have to say The Thing. Good characterization, kept the audience guessing, excellent practical effects.
As far as TV shows go since that came up, I'd say Babylon 5.