The best sci-fi movie of all time is:

[Simon F]

The real science fiction is a space opera. Babylon5 or such. It has to include space and aliens.

Are you implying that Jules Vernes "20000 Leagues Under the Sea" was not SF?

 

[Simon F]

I like the more dreamy, weird and ethereal Science Fiction movies. The type that makes you think and all that good stuff with the pondering and the talking and the dreaming and the confusement. The type that totally messes up your head after you leave the theater or contemplate in the living room.

You'd probably enjoy "The Quiet Earth" then. I've only seen it once but it was one of those sort of movies.

 

[WhiningKhan]

The real science fiction is a space opera. Babylon5 or such. It has to include space and aliens.

While that might be Hollywood's (and average Joe's) definition of science fiction, it's like claiming that real comedy must contain creamcakes and bushy-moustached policemen.

Not that I object to space operas per se, but the the 'science' part in them is indeed very far in the domain of fiction.

The world needs more Arthur C. Clarke's work filmed.

 

[London Geezer]

While that might be Hollywood's (and average Joe's) definition of science fiction, it's like claiming that real comedy must contain creamcakes and bushy-moustached policemen.

Not that I object to space operas per se, but the the 'science' part in them is indeed very far in the domain of fiction.

The world needs more Arthur C. Clarke's work filmed.

You called xxx an average Joe!

 

[Alejux]

I don't get why Aliens was listed, but not Alien. And Terminator 2 but not Terminator. IMO, the originals were as good or better then the sequels, specially when you value their originality.

Another miss, IMO, was CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE 3rd KIND.

Now if you consider movies that are not pure sci-fi, like DONNIE DARKO (which I loooooved), I would have to say my favorite movie is BRAZIL, by Terry Gillian..

 

[Sharkfood]

damn, I just wish Blade Runner would some day finally get a decent DVD release, it's been so long since I last saw it, must have been on a crappy VHS 10 years ago.

I actually bought a Laserdisc player for the Criterion Collection of Blade Runner LD, which IMO, is the best transfer available for the movie.

Too bad it's not the director's cut though. It's the original, US-audience version. Still beautiful quality. It was $$ at the time new though.

I loved Gattaca too and also got the laser of that movie for a great transfer/quality.

 

[Moloch]

The real science fiction is a space opera. Babylon5 or such. It has to include space and aliens.

This man knows what the fock he's talking about!

 

[Moloch]

Fuck no.
I like that movie.. but like.. hell no.

 

[Pete]

Holy barf. Event horizon? I nearly left the theater. Only other movie that I came close to walking out on was that Chow Yun Fat movie with Marky Mark.

I should look up The Good Earth.

 

[Fred]

Well I liked most of those movies listed T2, Bladerunner (prolly my fav) etc etc

However I have a soft spot for Solaris (the original), you really can't beat it and its absolutely brilliantly filmed.

Guilty pleasure 80s SF classics: Solar babies, Tron, Last starfighter, Mad Max, Total Recall, Screamers. I could go on...

 

[Fred]

The great thing about Sci Fi movies is.. Either they are instant classics and amongst the best movies ever made (eg 2001, Star Wars, Matrix, Bladerunner, T2 etc) or they are absolutely amongst the worst ever made, and hence totally enjoyable (eg Event Horizon, Starship troopers)

 

[ninelven]

For best cinematography anyway, I would say GATTACA wins easily. Overall, I would say Back to the Future or The 5th Element. Honorable mention: The Matrix, T1&T2, Galaxy Quest, Star Wars V.

Regarding Blade Runner, I watched the movie a fews years ago due to its continual good praise. While I found the movie reasonably enjoyable, I didn't see what was so impressive about it. I can understand the contemporary achievement, but I don't quite get the sentiment that so many people obviously share.

 

[ninelven]

Oh yeah, I forgot Screamers on my honorable mention list...

 

[_xxx_]

Are you implying that Jules Vernes "20000 Leagues Under the Sea" was not SF?

Technically yes, but that kind of movie/book is not what flickers in my mind when someones says SF. I think we need more names for sub-genres...

 

[_xxx_]

You called xxx an average Joe!

Ain't I?

 

[_xxx_]

I don't get why Aliens was listed, but not Alien. And Terminator 2 but not Terminator. IMO, the originals were as good or better then the sequels, specially when you value their originality.

Another miss, IMO, was CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE 3rd KIND.

Now if you consider movies that are not pure sci-fi, like DONNIE DARKO (which I loooooved), I would have to say my favorite movie is BRAZIL, by Terry Gillian..

I'd call that a sociocritical sarcastic comedy rather than SF.

EDIT: great movie, though

 

[Simon F]

I think we need more names for sub-genres...

That was a really awful pun.

 

[_xxx_]

That was a really awful pun.

Actually it was no pun

 

[hoom]

I vote 2001

The world needs more Arthur C. Clarke's work filmed.

Especially The City and the Stars

The debate over what is SF & what isn't is largely redundant, there are plenty of quite legitimate sub genres but its hard to compare properly across them eg Bad Taste can be called SF since it has brain eating aliens in a house shaped space ship and is thus totally awesome SF.

 

[Babel-17]

I actually bought a Laserdisc player for the Criterion Collection of Blade Runner LD, which IMO, is the best transfer available for the movie.

Too bad it's not the director's cut though. It's the original, US-audience version. Still beautiful quality. It was $$ at the time new though.

I loved Gattaca too and also got the laser of that movie for a great transfer/quality.

The director's cut has just recently been broadcast in HDTV (twice actually, the lesser of the two has excellent quality and the higher bitrate version is nothing short of amazing). Apparently it was taken from the recent remastering for the long anticipated, yet still stalled by legal wrangling, re-release of the DVD.