Best Science Fiction

[BookStop]

Hey y'all. I want a list of really good science fiction films.

New, old, doesn't matter. Sweet special effects or limited budget - either is good. I wish to exclude space opera(not that there aren't some darn fine SO movies too), and science fiction with huge space battles and gun-toting mercenaries.

I want the odd, the thinkers, the cult classics. Blockbuster ok if you really, really think it's good.

Here's a small start:

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Gattaca
Soylent Green
AI - hey I really liked it
Invasion of the Body Snatchers - 1978 version
Stepford Wives - 1975

[pyan]

The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)

A classic, and still one of the most powerful condemnations of the folly of mankind ever made.

The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)

[bruno-1012]

Would have to agree with that one as well.

Although, how do you feel about the concept of the US - OK this guy comes from a race that has space travel, he has a giant robot that can obliterate any weapon we have he was able to block all non-critical power on the planet and he tells us that there are many more.....

As soon as possible lets mow him down with a machine gun. I mean the rest of his race won't be a little peeved about that will they?

[HardScienceFan]

UHHMM
The Midwich Cuckoos?

I thought AI was pretty good(and moving)

Eternal etc. was terrific

[Talysia]

I'll suggest War of the Worlds (the original version.)

[j. d. worthington]

The Lathe of Heaven (1980). Granted, this was a production for television (PBS), but a very intelligently done piece for all that.

The Lathe of Heaven (1980) (TV)

Charly (1968), from Flowers for Algernon:

Charly (1968)

Things to Come (1936):

Charly (1968)

First Men in the Moon (1964)

First Men in the Moon (1964)

When Worlds Collide (1951)

When Worlds Collide (1951)

I'd also have to vote for Silent Running, despite logical flaws you could drive a planetary system through, it's a wonderful film; The Midwich Cuckoos (Village of the Damned; 1960), and The Day the Earth Stood Still... However, I'd argue that the original of Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) is much more effective, on the whole -- especially as it was the product of the entire McCarthy era and can be seen as a critique of either side....

The Last Man on Earth (1964), which is a low budget, a bit rough-around-the-edges filming of Matheson's I Am Legend, but a very good film, for all that:

The Last Man on Earth (1964)

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) and A Clockwork Orange (1971), by Kubrick.

I'd also go for It Came from Outer Space (1953), which, under the guise of a horror film, took a completely different tack before things were over... and had a very good message for our time, as well.

The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957), which still remains one of the most intelligent sf films done, whatever could be done better now in the way of special effects (for its time, it was very highly ranked on this).

The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)

And some might argue this isn't a sf film, but I'd say it may well be... and the nominations for the Hugo that year indicated they thought so, too.... Last Year at Marienbad (L'Année dernière à Marienbad; 1961):

Année dernière à Marienbad, L' (1961)

At any rate, those are the ones that come to me right off the bat....

[dustinzgirl]

The Black Hole
Logan's Run (that movie still creeps me out)
Blade Runner
Running Man
(thats a lot of running, lol)
12 Monkeys
1984
Johnny Mnuemonic
Soylent Green
The Day After The Day After

I'm going to add Cyborg, although it is very mecenary, it is a freaking awesome movie.

And THX-1138 THX 1138 (1971) because Robert Duvall is a hottie, plus, that movie is creepy too.

There is also Metropolis (1927), which plays on AE late nights and that other channel that plays old movies at 2 am. I caught it a few times, and it was interesting. Metropolis (1927)

The Village of the Damned---god that movie was creepy with all those little blond kids. Then there is the Bad Seed, which wasn't as sci fi, but still pretty crazy kids. And then there are the other fun kid sci fis: Space Camp comes to mind

PS: There is another movie I wanted to list but I can not remember the name of it....Its a 1970-80 flick, and I remember the astronauts landing on the moon, the part that creeped me out and the only scene I really remember is one astronaut turned to the other and her face mask shield filled up with black oily stuff. Then she turned into a monster thing. It was kind of like The Thing, but in outer space. And I just can't remember the name!

[The_Warrior]

The cult classic A boy and His dog?

Some say it's the worst piece of bs ever made,and some say it's the best SF ever. I say it's one of those kind of films that you might have to watch a second time to get it.

[pyan]

One you really must see, if only the once!

Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959)

[j. d. worthington]

Originally Posted by pyan

One you really must see, if only the once!

Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959)

Oh, Pyan! They're looking for the best sf, not the worst films ever made... I mean, this one's so bad the Golden Turkey will hardly touch it... right up (or down) there with The Terror of Tiny Town....

The Terror of Tiny Town (1938)

As for A Boy and His God... except for that last line (which was in poor taste), it is a good film. I won't say it's the best, by any means, but it's a good film, definitely; and a respectable adaptation of Ellison's original story (though some things had to be changed, obviously).

[pyan]

You must see the worst as well - after all, there must be a base-line! As one of the reviews says:

If you have any interest in old movies, you should see this if you have the chance, as long as you can do so without paying for the privilege.

And another:

Plan 9 is some of the most fun you'll EVER have watching a movie. Almost every scene is so bad I broke out laughing. Few other movies achieve that kind of humor, whether intentional or not.

[iansales]

Worst sf film ever is Galaxina. It took me three goes to watch it. It is so bad it's not fun to watch.

Sorry, JD, I'm with those people who think Last Year at Marienbad is pretentious twaddle. I wouldn't recommend it to my own worst enemy :-)

OTOH, I second the mention of 2001: A Space Odyssey, and will also add The Man Who Fell to Earth, Galaxy of Terror, Immortal, Casshern, Avalon, Returner, Slaughterhouse Five, Primer and Millennium (I have a soft spot for it:-))

[iansales]

And Natural City.

[chrispenycate]

Nobody cites "Forbidden Planet"?

It was the first SF movie I ever saw, (and I haven't seen it since) so perhaps I'm seeing it through rose-coloured hindsight?

[j. d. worthington]

Originally Posted by chrispenycate

Nobody cites "Forbidden Planet"?

It was the first SF movie I ever saw, (and I haven't seen it since) so perhaps I'm seeing it through rose-coloured hindsight?

Would have, but the OP specified "no space opera"....

On Marienbad... obviously I don't agree; I found the film to work on a lot of levels, and it can be seen as a film about memory, or it can work as a strange sort of time-travel, or alternate realities tale, and it also has a quirky sense of humor I found enjoyable. Unlike a like of the French New Wave, I found this one quite approachable and enjoyable, myself....

But then... I thought Ulysses (save for the first part) was immense fun....