Last 15 Years of Science Fiction (Movies 25-21)

In honor of a good friend FINALLY watching the Star Wars movies.

Whether you have noticed or not, we are in a golden age of science fiction movies.  There is everything from ridiculous over-the-top action movies (Mad Max) to hard sci fi (Interstellar), and much of it is very good.  It has always been my favorite genre, mostly because you can do anything with it you want.  It is the most malleable genre, and authors and directors have long known this.  Since the 1950s they have been doing everything from making bold political statements (Planet of the Apes is a chastisement of racism) to social commentary (Invasion of the Body Snatchers) to just making a buck (take your pick).  This is still the case, of course, today.

This is the start of my picks for the top 25 science fiction movies of the past 15 years (so starting with 2001, sorry Pitch Black).  It does not include superhero movies, because I think of those as a completely separate genre.  It does not include a few others that people have labeled as science fiction, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Time Traveler's Wife, because I wanted to focus on "traditional" science fiction.  But certainly those types of movies prove the elasticity of the genre.  As all rankings and lists, it is a bit arbitrary since my opinion and list could very easily change tomorrow.  Feel free to agree or disagree with me.  Without further ado, #s 25-21:

25. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005)

Slightly breaking my own rule that Star Wars is not science fiction to make a probably controversial pick.  I love Star Wars.  I like the prequels.  They are not great, but they are entertaining at parts.  Revenge of the Sith has some great lightsaber battles, and the Jedi cull is rather heartbreaking.  It is easily the best of the prequels, and not that far off the originals.

24. Jurassic World (2015)

Ok, so some of my love for this might be nostalgia.  The story has some problems if you look at it too closely.  None of the problems take away from the fact that it was an extremely fun movie, and we got to see dinosaurs wrecking havoc and fighting each other.  It was what I wanted it to be, and sometimes that is enough.

23. Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)

A very good revival of one of the classic science fiction series.  It was an intriguing idea to go back and look at how the apes start to reach ascendance.  I also think, if you want it to be, and can be a good cautionary tale about genetic research and what not.  But really, it's a bunch of monkeys running around, which is fine in my book.

22. Dredd (2012)

I like the Stallone Judge Dredd.  I've never read the comics.  I understand the most recent Dredd is more faithful.  I don't know, but I do know it was a gritty, in-your-face action movie with some great and weird visuals.  I loved that Karl Urban wanted to be authentic and did not care about showing his face, one of the biggest complaints with Stallone's version.

21. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)

Good, better than its predecessor, but still cannot touch the original.  There are some major plot holes that ding it a little, though I'm always a fan of seeing monkeys with guns.  I am hopeful for the future of this series.