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The Captain's Top Ten Science Fiction Movies
by captaind | Nov 17 '03
My Top Ten Science Fiction Movies of all time, plus a few honourable mentions.

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Comments on The Captain's Top Ten Science Fiction Movies" (47 total)  
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Date Written
Not by a Long Shot (Reply to this comment)
by cbd102578
I have to apologize because I seem to be under the impression that really good science fiction films had something to do with two things: story and character.

Your list of the ten best sci-fi films of all time is a travesty! Empire Strikes Back is indeed a classic, but Star Wars films have little to do with actual science, and indulge in fantasy instead. Now, both Silent Running and Bladerunner are true classics sir, but other than this obvious nod in their direction, this list is a major suck-fest.

You have the audacity to place JJ Abrams' "Star Trek" on this list?! Not only did this film destroy the entire Star Trek universe with its horrible excuse for a "story," but also did it make a fool of Leonard Nimoy with his cheesy Spock impressions, and the whole Kirk-as-fratboy farce! Junk film!

And what of Omega Man, Planet of the Apes, Soylent Green, Logan's Run, Alien, Aliens, The Terminator films, The Quiet Earth, Children of Men, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Time Machine, Metropolis, THX 1138, etc.? Come on!
Oct 02 '09
5:39 pm PDT

Re: La Jetee (Reply to this comment)
by captaind
Gah, missed your comment again!!!!

Many thanks for that link, will take a look.

CaptainD
Jul 20 '09
9:01 am PDT

La Jetee (Reply to this comment)
by scoutship
Complete

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RvmJan17q8

That's Marker's director's cut. There are also subtitled versions up at YouTube, too.
Dec 18 '08
2:41 pm PST

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Not sure... (Reply to this comment)
by captaind
The Day the Earth Stood Still did, at least, encourage me to rewatch the original - I wouldn't particularly advise going to see the remake though!!

I'm amazed that you actually saw the reply and took the time to give me some more suggestions - many thanks!



CaptainD

Dec 10 '08
2:23 pm PST

Re: Re: Re: Re: Not sure... (Reply to this comment)
by scoutship
lol How time flies.

Hey also if you get the chance try to watch that Blade Runner 'making of' documentary called "Dangerous Days," it comes with several of the new "Final Cut" packages and in my epinion is just fascinating for any number of reasons if you have any interest in the filmmaking process.

Blade Runner to me will always be a flawed quasi-masterpiece in its way. Too bad they let so many missed opportunities get past them plot-wise in doing the final cut work, it might've raised the general appeal of the story quite spectacularly and I don't mean only in terms of what they were forced to leave out, due to time & budget, during principle photography.

About the "interpretation" point, have you ever seen the Workprint version? Intriguing, but then maybe you don't have that much interest in the film in the first place.

Another recommendation is Chris Marker's La Jetee, which is the original film basis for Terry Gilliam's Twelve Monkeys.

Just sayin'. Especially with all these remakes (Forbidden Planet, The Day the Earth Stood Still, etc) on the cosmic horizon, lol.
Dec 07 '08
10:49 am PST

Re: Re: Re: Not sure... (Reply to this comment)
by captaind
Sorry, didn't see your comments until just now!

Will try to apply your suggestions - I do want to see 2001 again, just to see if I was in the wrong mood when I watched it before!

Thanks for the comments and apologies for the very long delay in replying...


CapainD
Nov 19 '08
8:54 am PST

Re: Re: Not sure... (Reply to this comment)
by scoutship
Just my epinion, but try to see 2001 in a Cinerama-type theater (though it was actually filmed in Super Panavision), makes a big difference. Kind of unique in the way the imagery forms an intentional 'running commentary' on the story aspects of the plot, combined the two add up to a 'theme' that is almost wholly absent seen on a small screen or any kind of cropped image.

Forbidden Planet (Cinemascope) is also a much different experience on the big (and wide) screen in a darkened theater (saw it that way at a SF film festival after several television viewings), fwiw.
Jun 30 '08
8:16 pm PDT

Re: What? No classics? (Reply to this comment)
by scoutship
I don't think Them (1954?) was Nimoy's first film, actually, I think that was a flick called Rhubarb (1951) and wasn't Zombies of the Stratosphere (1952) a movie serial or doesn't that count?
Jun 30 '08
8:09 pm PDT

Re: Re: Not sure... (Reply to this comment)
by scoutship
"...Were you talking about Scott with that though? (I don't really care about what he said either:) ) I think that the film should stand on its own without needed interpretation from the makers..."

He had to have been talking about Scott, as Dick died before the film ever screened.

As to a film standing on its own merits, I would agree, however the problem with Blade Runner is that an interpretation depends on which version you see, for example whether or not the unicorn reverie is included or not.
Jun 30 '08
7:38 pm PDT

Re: Not sure... (Reply to this comment)
by captaind
To be completely honest, I'm not sure how many of my own choices I'd 100% agree with on any given day! I intend to watch 2001 again sometime... maybe I was in the wrong mood, or too young. I really want to get hold of the BBC adaptations of "Day of teh Trifids" and "Brave New World", though they're mini-series not films.. Sigh... so much sci-fi, so little time!!

CaptainD
Jan 03 '07
2:36 pm PST

Re: Agreed with most... (Reply to this comment)
by captaind
Ooops... late reply!

Sorry, haven't seen that one... not sure whether what you said is a recommendation or not!! :-D


CaptainD
Jan 03 '07
2:34 pm PST

Not sure... (Reply to this comment)
by lammet
...I agree with your top 10 list (No 'Alien'? No 'Terminator'? Which 'War of the Worlds' do you mean? - Spielberg's abomination? 'Pitch Black' only at #7?) but we certainly agree on the superb 'Bladerunner' sitting at #1.

I am much more in agreement with your 10 worst list, though I think 'Space Odyddey 2001' should be out of it. One should not judge this film in the 'Matrix' era of digital wizardry but in the context of technology available at the time. As such, '2001' represents a cinematic milestone.

Interesting post though, that I enjoyed. Well done.

Sep 15 '06
3:44 pm PDT

Agreed with most... (Reply to this comment)
by Beatmonster
...but what about Moon Zero Two as a "So bad it's almost good" contender?

I'll be reading more.

Neil
Aug 04 '06
5:48 am PDT

Re: Missing movies (Reply to this comment)
by captaind
Hey Daniel!

thanks for the comments! As usual I agree with some of your choices and disagree with others - have you thought of posting your own list on this section?

CaptainD
Nov 30 '04
1:58 pm PST

Missing movies (Reply to this comment)
by danielse
Best: Robocop; Terminator 2; Total Recall; Planet of the Apes (not the Tim Burton version); Equilibrium; Logan's Run, The Matrix.

Worst: Space Truckers; Planet of the Apes (Tim Burton version); Robocop 3; The Matrix Revolutions.
Nov 29 '04
8:36 am PST

Re: Interesting list.... (Reply to this comment)
by captaind
Hey Alex!

Funny thing... when someone asks my opinion of something they've done, and I really don't like it but don't want to upset their feelings, I normally say it's interesting!!! (If it's even worse than that I say it's different...

What I really disliked about the two SW films was the choppy directing. To me there was absolutely no continuity to the films. I'm still looking forward the the third installment, though!

Thanks for the comment. :-D

CaptainD




Nov 22 '04
2:02 pm PST

Interesting list.... (Reply to this comment)
by alexdg1
...though I don't share your opinion about the prequels to Star Wars.



Other than that, I thought the list was pretty interesting.
Nov 20 '04
10:49 pm PST

Re: One in the same brain? (Reply to this comment)
by captaind
Donna...

If you think your brain has any siilarity with mine, and I were you, I'd be extremely worried! (If you follow me... which, if you do, is a worry in itself!)

Thanks for the compliemtn (I thnk that's what it was, anyway!).

CaptainUnsure
Apr 22 '04
3:53 pm PDT

One in the same brain? (Reply to this comment)
by logimom
Surely as your bottom-feeders go, I whole-heartedly agree with you, and your top picks are right up there with mine, too.

You are a true Sci-Fi fan...

Donna
Apr 19 '04
2:55 pm PDT

Re: Pretty good list (Reply to this comment)
by captaind
It's not hard... it's nearly impossible!
I mean, I've actually left out Forbidden Planet - and that was a great film.

Thanks for commenting! :-)

Dave
Dec 14 '03
3:57 am PST

Pretty good list (Reply to this comment)
by daumco
I actually agree with several of your choices. It seems the hard part of making such a list would be not forgeting about a couple worthy movies, then of course paring them down.

Caio,OMM
Dec 11 '03
5:56 pm PST

Re: Want Cheesy Sci-Fi? (Reply to this comment)
by captaind
Hey Pat!

You know, I've always wanted to see "Plan 9" but never been able to get hold of it - they say it's the worst film in history! (But can it possibly be worse than ST:V?!?!?)

The thing is, some films are just so bad that they're actually good... strange but true... (my sister loves the old Godzilla movies as they're so bad they're hysterical!)

Cheers,

Dave
Nov 30 '03
3:39 pm PST

Want Cheesy Sci-Fi? (Reply to this comment)
by pmills1210, pmills1210 is an Advisor on Epinions in Movies
I will recommend three Ed Wood films: "Bride Of The Monster," "Night Of The Ghouls," and "Plan 9 From Outer Space." At least he had one minor excuse for his cheesiness: he had budgets that are about the size of my paychecks. Thanks for sharing!
Sincerely, Pat
Nov 30 '03
8:43 am PST

Re: What? No classics? (Reply to this comment)
by captaind
Hmmm... nice list. You mentioned some I really love (Logan's Run - especially the creepy robot!), Farenheit 451, Forbidden Planet (well, until the monster was shown, anyway) - I just couldn't mention them all!!

Them... I just have to watch Leonard Nemoy getting eaten by an ant...

You should post your own list - you probably only need a few more sentences to what you've just written!!

Mucho Kudos etc,

Dave
Nov 27 '03
1:14 am PST

What? No classics? (Reply to this comment)
by oldcomixfan
Well, ok, you did mention War of the Worlds and 2001: A Space Nodessey.

Pitch Black, definitely Pitch Black with Vin Diesel before he got XXXed, and whatserface from Farscape.

My faves {in no particular order}.

Pitch Black. { such rare originality }

Stalker by Andrei Tarkovsky.{ yes, call me weird, but I was thoroughly suspended and mesmerized}

Mars Attacks {ack ack!}

War of the Worlds. {the original. the sound effects for the heat rays coming out of the wing tips can be perfectly simulated by "thrumming" the spring on a screen door - hours of fun while irritating the parental units}

I Married a Monster from Outer Space -original. {but don't we all?}

Forbidden Planet. { Mr. "Naked Gun " in a serious role as the saucer captain, which for some reason I find vastly amusing}

Them. {Leonard Nimoy gets eaten by an ant on a ship in his first film appearance, priceless!}

THX1138. { take your daily drugs or else. Donald Pleasance is weird as usual}

Invasion of the Body Snatchers. {ooh. Feel the Cold War paranoia!}

The Day the Earth Stood Still. { Nikto barracuda klaatu blah blah blah whatever}

Invaders from Mars. {Those commie agents, I mean Martians, are gonna infiltrate from within if we don't call in the Marines ASAP! Got copper?}

Bladerunner. {Philip K. Dick rulez! Read his books}

Fahrenheit 451. { Ray Bradbury! nuff said.}

Logan's Run. { Michael York and Jenny Agutter's legs}

Brazil. { it finally came true?}

Time Bandits. {delightfully "pythonesque"}

The Blob- original { For years afterwards I had to look under the bed just to be sure}

Equilibrium {aka "Pax Paxil"}. { I liked it better than the Matrix }

A Boy and His Dog. { Mr. "Miami Vice" and his talking dog look for chicks. how sweet, how weird}

Soylent Green. { "Get your hands off my people crackers, you bloody ape!" oops, wrong movie }

Plan 9 From Outer Space. {Ed Wood. so bad it's almost good}

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes. { who cut the cheese? phew!}

All the Alien movies. {forget Trinity Schminity; Sigourney can whup it with the best of 'em}

And hardly any of the B-rated, obscure crap on the Sci-Fi channel. {atrocious, totally atrocious and yawn-inducing}

I predict an adaptation of Crichton's latest book "Prey" any time now. I would say it's ...inevitable. If I see Jeff Goldblum in it I shall scream.

Oh, I could go on and on...

Kudos,

OCF











Nov 26 '03
8:15 pm PST

Re: weird science (Reply to this comment)
by captaind
Hey Brian!

I concede that the visuals on 5th Element were great, though I could never get used to Bruce's haircut... Pity it didn't have a better story to hold it all together. :-C

Have just persuaded my sister to lend me Galaxy Quest :-) the first 3 series of Futurama! Hurrah!

Now I just have to find time to watch them...

Dave

PS - Don't worry - I know Carl well enough to never take any notice of him!!!! :-P
Nov 25 '03
1:19 am PST

weird science (Reply to this comment)
by voxpoptart
Dang. I loved the Fifth Element. I certainly won't argue whether it made any sense, but i thought Luc Besson was clearly patching the movie together so he could make beautiful visuals full of great gadgets, and on that score i've rarely seen better.

On the other hand, you gave mad props to Galaxy Quest, so you're still okay by me. Don't worry about Carl's complaint that "This isn't science fiction!" - i mean, he's right, and if it was a book list i'd be on his side. But i can't name a single movie of real science fiction (maaaaaybe Blade Runner), and The Best and Worst Zero Sci-Fi Movies Ever would've been much less fun to read.

cheers,
- Brian
Nov 25 '03
12:21 am PST

Re: *grin* (Reply to this comment)
by captaind
"How about Contact or The Hidden?"

Hmmm... I like Jodie Foster, but I found Contact rather disappointing - it wasn't bad, but I didn't think it was particularly good either. Worth seeing though. For that sort of film, I think Gatacca was slightly better.

Can't comment on The Hidden as I haven't seen it yet - but it'll be next on my list of films to see now!

Thanks for the comments - and yeah, ROTJ was pretty good - didn't actually enjoy it much first time I saw it, but second time I appreciated it far more.

I don't know what Scott said about Bladerunner (yep I was talking about Dick) - but as you wouldn't care, if I find out, I sill won't tell you!!!

Ciao for now,

Dave
Nov 21 '03
1:06 am PST

*grin* (Reply to this comment)
by anderclayton
Well... I haven't seen Dark Star and will try to do it eventually...

I loved Pitch Black and it might be on my own top ten...

I prefer Star Wars to The Empire Strikes Back but would put all of the trilogy in my number one slot. Yeah yeah even Return of the Jedi. Take out the Ewoks and it is a pretty decent flick.

Really dug Harrison Bergeron but kinda waffle about it a bit. I will have to check it out from the library again but I had some fairly specific problems with it:) Really got into it though.

On Bladerunner :D I am of the sort that just doesn't really care what Dick said about the film... Ummmmmmmm... Were you talking about Scott with that though? (I don't really care about what he said either:) ) I think that the film should stand on its own without needed interpretation from the makers. It is all fun to argue back and forth (Did his eyes catch the light and if so, why?) but it ruins the fun if someone steps in to explain things outside of the content of a film...

Can't argue with Galaxy Quest in the least though. I saw it three times the first night I saw it in the theater! Mostly by chance (saw it the second time with a couple of girls, the third with a buddy) and I have to note that I didn't actually pay anything for seeing any of the shows (I was running the theater--it was the college one) but that is still a personal record:) Lots and lots of fun.

:) How about Contact or The Hidden?

Ander
Nov 21 '03
12:53 am PST

Re: Interesting list... (Reply to this comment)
by captaind
Hey Patrick!

Thanks for the comments. I personally found 2001 very boring, though the book was better. I guess it just didn't grab me in any good way... But then I was quite young when I saw it, so maybe if I watch it again now I'll appreciate it more - I know loads of people have it on their top ten list, and quite a few at number one.

Dave
Nov 19 '03
1:25 am PST

Interesting list... (Reply to this comment)
by st_patrick
though I'm disappointed you didn't add 2001. I understand though why it is some people don't like it.

Anyway, I hope to hear more from you.

Patrick
Nov 18 '03
8:46 pm PST

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Pitch Black... (Reply to this comment)
by captaind
Much wisdom you have.

Dave
Nov 18 '03
1:18 pm PST

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Pitch Black... (Reply to this comment)
by cosmoandgunner
Such dorks we are hmmmm?

Shelly
Nov 18 '03
7:36 am PST

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Pitch Black... (Reply to this comment)
by captaind
Your Jedi Mind Tricks will not work on my, Shelly-One-Konobi. I'm only interested in IS.

:-O}

Dave-Qui
Nov 18 '03
6:00 am PST

Re: Re: Re: Re: Pitch Black... (Reply to this comment)
by cosmoandgunner
You will tell no secrets (insert Jedi wave)

hahahahahaha
Shelly
Nov 18 '03
5:28 am PST

Re: Re: Re: Pitch Black... (Reply to this comment)
by captaind
I can't believe it... he PROMISED not to tell anyone!

Okay - if you don't tell anyone, I won't tell anyone about your "friendship" with Yoda...

Dave
Nov 18 '03
12:59 am PST

Re: Off Topic!!! (Reply to this comment)
by captaind
You unwholsesome freak of nature!

How can you say Lightsabers aren't plausible technology??!?!?! I have a working prototype at home! - AND I know where you live.

Be afraid, be very... etc.

Irrational you are. Careful be - to the Dark Side of the Force you may stray.

Dave

Nov 18 '03
12:56 am PST

Re: =) Your Cheesy Biscuits... (Reply to this comment)
by captaind
Hey Erin!

I didn't say I didn't love them - just that they were cheesy! (Was not the cheesiest biscuit praised and called a "must see"?!?!?)

:-D

May your Cheese prosper and grow.

Dave
Nov 18 '03
12:53 am PST

Re: Re: Pitch Black... (Reply to this comment)
by cosmoandgunner
That's not what Bruce tells me..but I swear I won't tell ANYONE!

;-)
Shelly
Nov 17 '03
7:14 pm PST

=) Your Cheesy Biscuits... (Reply to this comment)
by erinrounds
were among my most favorite childhood movies. How can you not love them? Terrible effects and all.
Enjoyed the list.
=) Erin
Nov 17 '03
6:27 pm PST

Off Topic!!! (Reply to this comment)
by carl_lazarevic
This list contains multiple entries that are not sci fi, but Fantasy!!!

Star Wars, these films offer as much insight into science as Tolkiens Lord Of The Rings. Likewise to Fifth Element, and others. Science Fiction is more than just fiction, it's Science fiction. If it contains technology is has to be scientificaly plausible, or at least explained. The Force and Lighsabres are not yet plausible scientific theories, so they fall into the realms of Fantasy.

However I don't think Epinions offers a top 10 Fantasy movies section, so I'll rate you VH, with a dissapointing glance toward the lack of Tolkien. =D

Carl
Nov 17 '03
4:42 pm PST

Re: Good stuff (Reply to this comment)
by captaind
"Though I think you meant Sean Young, not Sean Penn in regards to Bladerunner. I'm sure Sean Penn would be please to know that you think he's beautiful, though"

OOPS!

Erm... I've changed it... I think I've typed Penn for Young before, only no-one noticed it last time! :-Y

I think you'll enjoy Pitch Black if you enjoyed Bladerunner. Well, I liked both, anyway!!!

Thanks for the correction!

Dave
Nov 17 '03
10:53 am PST

Re: Pitch Black... (Reply to this comment)
by captaind
Strangely, Bruce doesn't actually do much for me... :-O

I actually appreciated Pitch Black more when I thought about it afterwards - I guess it wasn't what I'd been expecting. I think that's why it was under-appreciated.

Dave

PS - No sarcastic comments this time Shelly?!??! You're losing your touch! :-d)
Nov 17 '03
10:51 am PST

Re: I wouldn't go so far (Reply to this comment)
by captaind
"To Wong Foo and Street Fighter come to mind)"

I am very glad to say that I haven't seen either of those films!!! :-D

I think "Batman & Robin" is another contender...

Dave

Nov 17 '03
10:49 am PST

Good stuff (Reply to this comment)
by Furie
Though I think you meant Sean Young, not Sean Penn in regards to Bladerunner. I'm sure Sean Penn would be please to know that you think he's beautiful, though. Good list, I still have to watch Pitch Black, though.

Ryan
Nov 17 '03
9:38 am PST

Pitch Black... (Reply to this comment)
by cosmoandgunner
was SOO underrated around my parts. I had never even heard of it until it was on a moive channel.

The Fifth Element wasn't a thinker by any means but I tell ya, I will watch the whole movie EVERYTIME it is on. Maybe it's all the bright colors....well and Bruce Willis. Surprisingly, it's the only DVD I can never find in stores.

Nice picks
Shelly
Nov 17 '03
8:55 am PST

I wouldn't go so far (Reply to this comment)
by sadgit
as to say that Star Trek V was the worst film ever made, worst Star Trek film perhaps, but surely outside that, there have been worse films. (To Wong Foo and Street Fighter come to mind).

Nice list though.
Nov 17 '03
8:40 am PST
   

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