5. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Ok, so the story is simple. Sometimes that is not a bad thing. Ok, Mad Max is not even the main
character. Who cares? It is one of the most exciting movies I have
ever seen, and proved without a doubt that practical effects are infinitely
better than an over dependence on CGI.
Fair caution: do not watch this if you do not like "weird"
science fiction, because this is about as weird as it gets.
4. Sunshine (2007)
Speaking of weird... The first time I saw this, I did not know
what to think. Avoiding spoilers,
because this is a movie that not enough people have seen, the third act takes a
huge turn that can make your head spin.
Regardless, it's fairly good hard science fiction and compelling
characters. Basically the good things I
said about Snowpiercer and Interstellar.
3. The Fountain (2006)
I'm still not really sure if this is
technically science fiction, but whatever.
This is another movie that will make your mind do loops and you will
keep thinking about it for days after you watch it. It is very bizarre, but the chemistry between
Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz and their performances keep the movie grounded. Make sure to stick around for one of the
great musical climaxes in film history.
2. Moon (2009)
Reportedly when shown to NASA scientists
this movie received a standing ovation.
I still have no idea how Sam Rockwell did not receive Best Actor, let
alone be even nominated, for what was essentially a one-man show. It is a great cautionary tale of where
science can take us if unchecked, but I will not say more and spoil it for
those who have not seen it (shame on you).
1. Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
Yes, Tom Cruise at #1. This movie blew me out of the water. Funny, exciting, thoughtful, everything you
want. The characters are actually well
thought out. The acting is top
notch. The action scenes are well done
with lots of real stunts (thanks to Cruise).
It basically is a Normandy Invasion movie set in the future. I cannot recommend this movie enough.
As a Sci-Fi fan myself, I'll say that the only ones I haven't seen out of your top 25 are Sunshine and The Fountain, although both are on my list to watch. I totally agree with the high marks for Moon, although I'd put it above Edge of Tomorrow due to the more thought provoking nature of the story.
ReplyDeleteI'm a bit surprised at the lack of Star Trek, especially Wrath of Khan and The Undiscovered Country, since I think both outdo some of your lower rated entries. I'm also curious as to whether you've seen a few others that rate highly on my list: District 9, Primer (which is a great hard sci-fi film), Children of Men, and Gattaca.
Those Star Trek movies are not on there because they are more than 15 years old. The new ones I do not like because they are not really Star Trek. I have seen District 9 and I thought it was ok. Perhaps I had high expectations going into it because I saw it rather late. Children of Men is also good, perhaps it should have been on the list. I have not seen Primer or Gattaca.
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