"What is your favourite Science Fiction Film?" Topic

The scariest science fiction movie I ever saw was the original "Thing from Outer Space."

Forbidden Planet is just awesome.
Aslo would nominate When Worlds Collide, Mysterious Island, John Carter, Valley of the Gwanji(?) forgive any spelling mistake. Journey to the Center of the Earth.

I liked the original three Star Wars movies too, but I'm not sure they are "science fiction". Arthur C. Clarke described Star Wars as a "space western". I think most of what Hollywood produces in their attempt at science fiction is really action movies or soap operas set in the future or outer space.

Dune is perhaps one of the most underrated movies of all time. Classic s.f. Hugo award winning book in which the movie's director actually worked with the book's author. The critics didn't understand it; I think most of them can't read.

12 Monkeys

Alien – the sequels can't beat Ripley in skivvies!

skippy0001 – good point about Fifth Element (underrated film IMO).

As everyone noted many to choose from: Blade Runner, 2001, Total Recall (original), District 9, original 3 SW just because, ST: Wrath of Khan, Terminator, The Matrix, to name a few.

How about the original 'The Thing'? Howard Hawks film, can't beat that.

Battle Beyond the Stars :)

Evolution

Forbidden Planet
Alien
Planet of the Apes
Star Wars the first one. If only Lucas had stopped with the one film I would consider him a true master. Alas he made 4 too many sequels and prequels.

Brother From Another Planet
The Man Who Fell to Earth
Robocop whichv shows the true horror of privatization of government .
Blade runner
The Thing
The Day the Earth Stood Still the visit to Arlington gets me every time.

The number one is

2001

Avatar – for it's special effects.
Star Wars – classic.
Spaceballs – too funny.

Tell me you didn't nod your head at most. Too big an area for 'best' for me. Did hit the breaks at John Boy and the Magnificent Seven, though.

Star Wars and Firefly/Serenity may follow parts of the Western meme, but still Sci-Fi to me, and not the 'cheese' interpretation of the abbreviation.

Actually, Star Wars is a samurai movie, though Kurosawa DID admitted a deep debt to Westerns. ;->=

Might as well say Invasion… isn't Sci-Fi, it's a horror movie. As is Alien…

Doug

Serenity ("I aim to do me some mischief"); Aliens ("I say we take off and nuke 'em from orbit; it's the only way to be sure"); ST II: The Wrath of Khan ("He tasks me, and I shall have him!"); the original The Thing, featuring some of the best natural banter between characters I've ever seen.

Forgot "Galaxy Quest." Here I was being all serious.

Five Million Years to Earth / Quatermass and the Pit -- my vote for the most Lovecraftian movie ever (think "Shadow out of Time" or "Mountains of Madness").

The Thing (1982) -- closer to the original story and some of the most significant events happen off-camera. You have to deduce who the first victim is, for example.

Forbidden Planet -- a lot of id stuff was going on in 50s written SF; this is a great example from Hollywood.

The Stone Tape -- the script more than the BBC TV movie.

link

Silent Running

Since I agree with most of what has been listed let me submit a yet unmentioned title:

Robinson Crusoe on Mars

Considering the blank I was drawing on 'best' (a lot of wait till it comes out on tape/DVD over the years or see it on the tube), I'll probably go with Serenity. Would have loved to see that made as 2 or three movies, but better the one than none.

Close second is probably Galaxy Quest. Great sendup while still having some meat.

2001
Alien
Forbidden Planet, The Day the Earth Stood Still, & Metropolis all tie for third.

The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai
War of the Worlds (1953)
12 Monkeys
Fifth Element
Galaxy Quest
ST II: The Wrath of Khan
(These Movies I will watch at every opportunity)

There are some movies that I watch again and again
• Star Wars IV A New Hope
• Star Wars VI The Return of the Jedi
• Alien
• Avatar
• Predator
• Terminator 2
And a few which I admire but watch less often.
• Aliens
• District 9
• The Fifth Element
• Total Recall
• Robocop (new version)
• Gravity
• Terminator 1

And a few which I admire but watch less often.
• Gravity

Gravity is an odd one for me – I absolutely loved it at the cinema, but it's that rare film that really uses the 3D, surround sound and big screen, not just as gimmicks, but as a pretty much essential part of the film. So it'll never become a classic for me, simply because I wouldn't bother watching it on telly, but if the local cinema bung it on for one of their "throwback" screenings, I'll be all over that…. :-)

Serenity, Aliens, Star Wars (first three) and Iron Sky.

the flame barrier
the atomic submarine
moon pilot
the time travelers
oblivion (in spite of Tom Cruise)
starclash (or crash, it has Caroline Munro)

no way to pick a fave

Sheer "fun factor" – The Last Starfighter

"… I think most of what Hollywood produces in their attempt at science fiction is really action movies or soap operas set in the future or outer space…"

As are most SF war games…

Avatar was a good movie but Today's gee Whiz special effects are Tomorrow's expectations and next week's "Ho Hum."

Avatar has a plot and good acting (in most cases) along with the Special Effects but I won't see it again – No 3D TV in the house.

As for Serenity as multiple movies, please, what is with the Multiple Movies mindset – tell the story. Rare exceptions exist (LOTR for Fantasy) but too often (The Hobbit) the story should be able to be told in 2 hours. If it needs multiple movies and is an Epic (back to LOTR as an example) then 2 hours (plus or minus a few minutes) should be able to deliver the message. If it takes more than 3 hours then maybe a series on TV is the better artistic/entertainment option. TV is a different media that allows an ongoing cast of characters to tell over long periods of time or complex/complicated plots better than a movie in 95% (or more) of the cases.

God help us from the Robert Jordan Wheel of Time syndrome in a movie.

I have never read a SF book (maybe Foundation series books? No, that is nostalgia talking,) that I wanted to see in a series of Movies. But that deserves it own thread?

Not much love for Star Trek. Okay then, I wont shy away from it.

Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan
Star Trek: First Contact

Others I like.

Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back
War of the Worlds (1953)
2001: A Space Odyssey
The first Starship Troopers movie

I like all the Star Trek films up to Undiscovered Country.

Untypically – my least favourite is probably The Voyage Home. And I really like the original Star Trek film (Star Trek The Motion Picture). For preference :

1. Star Trek Motion Picture
2. Wrath of Khan
3. Undiscovered Country
4. Search for Spock
5. The Final Frontier
6. Voyage home

Spaceballs

Wow most fans I know hated "Star Trek the Motion Picture" including me. It was re-hash of a classic Star Trek episode. I had the whole thing figured out early on. Everyone looked like they were attending a funeral. The bald headed chick was creepy. The uniforms were awful. It almost killed the franchise.

Remember the rule, odd year movies bad, even year movies good. Of the odd numbered movies "Search for Spock" was the best. I have to say The Final Frontier was maybe as bad or worse then the first movie. Never allow Shatner to direct!

War of the Worlds, 1953 is the best sci fi movie ever. Great actors, wonderful banter between them. The Martians have fantastic ships and weapons, and the Martian itself is very creepy. I watch it every six months.

Them! the giant ants movie is great too. I would love them to upgrade the original with CGI ants and show hundreds of them. The only thing wrong with that movie is the lack of ants, due to the special effects abilities at the time.

The Thing from outer space is also a great movie as is the Beast from 20,000 Fathoms. They seem also like an original and a sequel.

Robinson Crusoe on Mars is a very well done movie, with a re-use of the WOTW warmachines. I love the 52 star American flag. I have the DVD and the commentary and extras are very good at explaining some of the little extras that might escape your notice, like the flag.

Forbidden Planet was a wonderful movie. I could have been the start of a whole series of movies set in that universe. It was Star Trek before Star Trek was Star Trek.

I like 1950's sci fi so much I even have a Facebook page for it. link

Mike Bunkermeister Creek
Bunker Talk blog

"Them!"
Close Second: "The Empire Strikes Back"
"The Wrath of Khan"

Ray Bradbary's Martian Chronicles.

Aliens.

So many good films to chose from, that I cannot choose just one, but if I had to, it would be Blade Runner or Soylent Green or….
Blade Runner
Alien / Aliens
Galaxy Quest
Serenity
Android
Soylent Green
Back to the Future
Gattaca
Silent Running
The Invisible Man
The Time Machine
Terminator
The Last Man on Earth

Aliens or the first Terminator.

Honorary mention to Screamers.