My Favorite Science Fiction Films

The Best Film Ever. Period.
Blade Runner is truly a work of art. It is a film that please your eyes, your brain, and your soul. Ridley Scott creates the most believable future put on film, and he crafts an ingenious story and memorable characters to back it up. The end result is a film so deep, so complex, and so entertaining, it becomes difficult to describe.

If you can survive it's slow pace, 2001 becomes a sci fi masterpiece with innovative special effects and a twisted narrative that truly shows the revolution that the movie was when it was released in 1968.

A powerful, graphic, and bleak look at a terrifyingly realistic future, Children of Men is the best film of the past decade.

Chilling, tense, and thrilling, Ridley Scott's masterpiece, Alien, has defined sci fi horror for the past 30 years.

A one of a kind visual experience, Metropolis' haunting, hallucinatory look and tone make it a film that stands the test of time.

One of the greatest sci-fi films ever made.

An amazing piece of film, and a more than worthy followup to one of the all time greats, Star Wars.

Terry Gilliam has weaved a masterpiece in Brazil, one that fully shows the capabilities of Gilliam's twisted, dark ideas.

Klaatu barada nikto.

2009 was full of major blockbusters and sequels. Some were good. Some were bad. But it was a movie that was made for $30 million that out-shined the rest in every category. That movie was District 9, a groundbreaking movie that once again proves science fiction isn't about special effects, but about stories and ideas for the inner mind of the human.
This movie was made by South African director Neill Blomkamp and produced by Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson. It was originally going to be an adaption of the video game HALO. Thank god that failed to launch.
District 9 is a twist on the sci-fi genre. In 1982, a ship came into the atmosphere and hovered over Johannesburg, South Africa. We, the humans, went into the ship and found poor, famished lizard-like aliens inside. So, we decided to be nice to them, and house them until their ship is fixed. Well, that day never came it seems, and the humans are getting ticked at the aliens. The citizens of Johannesburg are especially frustrated. When riots break out between the humans and alien "prawns", the government decides to relocate the aliens to a new area.
Enter Wikus van der Merwe, played by now-famous actor Sharlto Copley. He has been assigned to evict the aliens of out their slum-like homes. As he enters the area, we see how the prawns are oppressed by slum-like conditions and Nigerian gangsters. It truly is a dark look at what is happening in South Africa right now. So, while visiting one of these houses, Wikus finds an alien substance that causes him to be outcast from human society. How? I will not tell. So, Wikus is trying to find a way to return to the life he once had.
Don't ask me how, but the actors in this movie outshine a lot of famous actors that star in giant blockbusters. Sharlto Copley in this movie is amazing, and he deserved an Oscar. David James, who plays military officer Koobus Venter, is also amazing as somewhat of a racist towards the aliens. And then there's Jason Cope as an alien named Christopher Johnson. His character is written brilliantly, and his performance just amplifies the aura of his character.
Then there's the story, which in itself is spectacular. The story twists are brilliant and the plot plays out perfectly. The major thing you notice is that this story is making a political statement about how life in South Africa can be like. It deals with racism, poverty, and corruption in the government. But this movie deals not only with that, but with this question. How would modern society deal with alien visitors? Would we be nice or would we be harsh?
The visual effects in this movie are just as good, if not better than many mega-blockbusters. And this movie was made for $30 million? WOW. The special effects in this movie merge with the story so well that you feel like you're part of this world, that this is happening right now in South Africa.
District 9 is a sci fi masterpiece. It poses a genius question then answers it through an amazing story, brilliant characters, great dialogue, and awesome special effects. District 9 is a ten in my book.

Rating: 10 out of 10: Heavenly

By now, Christopher Nolan had established himself as a great director. He has revived the Batman series and brought us a flow of constantly great films. Now, he presents his greatest idea...THE DREAM POLICE!!!!!!! Not exactly, but it's pretty close. Inception is a revolution in modern cinema. This is a science fiction film based in dreams, which in itself is a whole new sub-genre of film. It becomes reminiscent of The Matrix, and while still not as groundbreaking, it's definitely more complicated.
Inception is a movie about Dom Cobb, played by Leonardo DiCaprio. Cobb is an extractor, or a dream thief. His job is to sneak into people's subconscious and steal their hidden secrets. This life has caused him to lose his wife and to be separated from his two kids. While working on a dream heist, the target, a billionaire named Saito, played by Ken Watanbe, is impressed by their work. Saito soon offers Cobb and his partner in crime, Arthur, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, a job. His company's rival is getting a new CEO, Robert Fischer Jr., played by Cillian Murphy. Saito wants Cobb to plant an idea into Fischer's head, which is to break up his gigantic energy conglomerate into individual companies. In return, Saito promises to help Cobb return to his regular life back in the States. Inception, or the planting of an idea in someone's head seems impossible to Cobb and Arthur, but they accept, because Cobb wants to go home. So they round up a team to help them pull off the heist, which include the young architect Ariadne, played by Ellen Page, the chemist Yusuf, played by Dileep Rao, and the guy who can impersonate anybody in dreams, Eames, played by rising star Tom Hardy. This movie transforms into something like the Ocean's Eleven of dreams, except smarter and more serious.
The story of Inception is, yes, original (Hallelujah!) and it is brilliant. Christopher Nolan has brought us many great movies, but none quite as remarkable or insightful as this. The story does get dark, but not as dark as say, District 9 or The Matrix. Inception does play out like a heist film. It's stylish, sleek, and smart fun. In a few words, it's a science fiction heist film. Heists are confusing so if you mix it with science fiction, you get very, very confusing.
The acting in this is great. Leonardo DiCaprio delivers a great performance and Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays off of him very well. Ellen Page does a great job and stands her ground with the bigger actors around her. Ken Watanbe, Cillian Murphy, and Dileep Rao all deliver good if not brilliant performances. But it's Tom Hardy that impressed me the most. he brought some additional life to this movie. He was the comedic relief and the witty charm that every heist film needs. Marion Cotillard though as Mal, Cobb's wife, was somewhat stale. Maybe it's how Nolan wrote her, but she could either be good, dull, or somewhat creepy.
Then there are the visual effects. The way they craft these dreams is incredible. These special effects are worth every penny of the ticket price. And thank god they steered away from 3D! That's the last thing I wanted to see in this film. The whole heist sequences are incredible from start to finish and they give you such an adrenaline rush that you're on the edge of your seat.
So the final word for Inception. Awesome. Breath-taking. Revolutionary. Best Movie of 2010. Heavenly.

Rating: 10 out of 10: Heavenly

Another masterful entry into the Steven Spielberg records.

An energetic, action packed triumph that outdoes the first in spectacle and emotion.

Think Blade Runner, except lighter, bigger, and faster but definitely not dumber and you have Minority Report.

How can a movie with main characters that don't talk for the whole film be good? It's made by PIXAR.

Mediocre acting can't hold back one of the greatest ideas put on screen; Dark City's moral and visual strength makes it a must see for any science fiction fan.

Is it cheesy at times? Yes. Is it dated at times? Yes again. But as a science fiction film, Planet of the Apes is an interesting, creative, and epic look at a backwards society that has become one of the most famous ideas ever placed on screen.

Stale acting doesn't hold back The Matrix from being a great sci-fi film and a legendary action flick.

While the beginning starts off mediocre, and the acting has a few rough spots, The Terminator ultimately becomes not only a good movie, but a sci-fi classic.

Just as he did with his Terminator franchise, James Cameron amps up the action and thrills in this second entry to the Alien saga.