My Favorite Movies: Science Fiction

Last time I talked about horror, where we saw some killer aliens, a crazy businessman, a bloodthirsty shark, and a slacker zombie fighter. Today, we continue Favorite Movie Month with a shift in focus.

I’ll be moving on to another favorite (and incredibly misunderstood) genre of mine, science fiction. Let’s get it on…

“Children of Men”

Sometimes the best sci-fi is the stuff that doesn’t remove itself too far from the realm of believability. And while Alfonso Cuaron’s “Children of Men” may have a story that doesn’t quite seem plausible, it takes place in a world that isn’t too hard to imagine. That’s part of the appeal right there, and though it’s a film that I may not enjoy watching all the time, it’s one I love to re-visit time and time again. It’s just a great bit of filmmaking.

“Brazil”

Terry Gilliam’s blend of whimsy and oddball humor may not seem like the best thing to mix with a dystopian tale. But boy does he make it work. “Brazil” is a strange, appealing, unappealing, hilarious, depressing tale of totalitarian society, and by the end you’re really not quite sure what you’re supposed to be feeling. So, basically, it’s Gilliam through and through. And it’s Gilliam at his best. It’s such a strange and intriguing beast, there’s no way for me to not love it.

“Metropolis”

It isn’t a sci-fi list without this granddaddy on here. Master filmmaker Fritz Lang brought us this early example of the genre on film, and though 85 years have passed since it came out, it can still hang with the best of them. In its day it was cutting edge, with perplexing effects and a daring story. And though today it may look a little dated and feel incomplete (which it technically is, because even though there are more complete cuts in existence there are still scenes that have been lost), respect must be given. It may not be the first science fiction film (Georges Méliès beat him to it), but it was the first to master it, and it’s still a fantastic watch.

“The Empire Strikes Back”

Yoda, Lando, Hoth, Han is frozen in carbonite, Luke loses his hand and finds out Vader is his father, the list could go on and on but the general idea is that “Empire” has a lot of great, great stuff in it. It’s an absolute classic, a prime example of sci-fi as sheer entertainment, and most definitely the best entry in the “Star Wars” saga. I love it to pieces.

“2001: A Space Odyssey”

This film is a life-changer, it’s a piece of work that made me look at the entire world of film in a different light. Stanley Kubrick’s insistence on shying away from a traditional narrative makes watching this a brand-new experience every single time. And quite frankly, I think it’s the quintessential sci-fi film, the one that perfectly captures what the genre is truly about. Not only is it a favorite of mine, but I firmly believe that it’s one of the greatest films I’ve ever seen.

This was, by far, the hardest list to compile. And I’m sure that in the morning I’ll wake up and question some of my choices. But now that it’s out of the way, I can move on to some more lighthearted fare with comedy.


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