# Best SF Film you have seen **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 13, 2018, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sf-film-you-have-seen/819514 "2018-08-13T14:00:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sf-film-you-have-seen/819514/41 "2018-08-14T01:54:05Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > In no particular order (chronological, I suppose): > > _Forbidden Planet_: To my knowledge, the only Shakespearean adaptation that’s ever been able to improve on the Immortal Bard. > > _2001_: Not only the best adaptation of any of the Grandmasters’ works, but the special effects blew away everything that had come before, and the story penetrated the popular consciousness in a way nothing previous had. > > _Star Wars_: We can debate whether fantasy on spaceships counts as science fiction. But there’s no debating that it was great. > > _Alien_ and _Aliens_: A great horror movie, followed up by a great action movie, both of which also happen to be great SF. > > _12 Monkeys_: Possibly the best time-travel story to ever see the Big Screen. > > _The Martian_: A sterling example of the much-neglected near-future realistic space travel subgenre. That’s a great list, but I’d also add **Darren’s** list to it. Especially _Dark City_, which is a bit obscure but was just fantastic. I’d also quibble with what you wrote about _2001_. The novel and the movie screenplay were written at the same time, so I don’t think it counts as an adaptation (if that’s what you meant). > [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > I’ll go with CE3K, because nostalgia, and because of the layers and layers of detail and worldbuilding. > > Also, Blade Runner, ET, and Dark City. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sf-film-you-have-seen/819514/42 "2018-08-14T02:16:07Z")
In the realm of “not yet mentioned” I’ll give a vote to: _Gravity_ ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sf-film-you-have-seen/819514/43 "2018-08-14T03:29:15Z")
_Dark City_ could have been a good movie, but it needed a much larger dose of making sense. **Dropo** , “great” does not mean “very good”. Consider that the economic state of the 1930s wasn’t good at all, but it was still great. Similarly, arguing about how good _Star Wars_ was says nothing about how great it was. **Uniqueorn** , _The Fifth Element_ was not a good movie, but what it was was an extremely fun movie. It hit that very fine target, impossible to aim for if you try, where everyone involved _knew_ that it was bad, but didn’t care, and camped it up. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sf-film-you-have-seen/819514/44 "2018-08-14T05:42:29Z")
> [@Dropo](#): > > I doubt you have seen _Battle Wizard_. It came out the same year as _Star Wars_. I will not try to describe this movie for you; the trailer should suffice: > > [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPVZxf5o2AE&index=4&list=PL20mo9R8Fn84HcM89TPheajzKlvD8WdhO](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPVZxf5o2AE&index=4&list=PL20mo9R8Fn84HcM89TPheajzKlvD8WdhO) That looks like a great movie - great for an MST3K version that is, if there is a dubbed version. I swear I could hear Crow somewhere in the background as I watched the trailer. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sf-film-you-have-seen/819514/45 "2018-08-14T06:17:03Z")
Tossing in a plug for Galaxy Quest. Sure it’s not the very best SF film ever but it’s a quality movie that has a place high on the list. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sf-film-you-have-seen/819514/46 "2018-08-14T08:09:48Z")
_Ghost in the Shell_ (the first anime movie - I like the live-action remake, personally, but not as much) _Akira_ _The City of Lost Children_ _Village of the Damned_(1960 version) and co-signing _The Martian_ & _Blade Runner_ ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sf-film-you-have-seen/819514/47 "2018-08-14T08:45:49Z")
There are some time travel films I especially like. _Déjà vu_ _Source Code_ another one which escapes me at the moment? I even liked _The Time Traveler’s Wife_, but I’m a sucker for sentimental love stories (which, come to think of it, _Déjà vu_ and _Source Code_ are also). ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sf-film-you-have-seen/819514/48 "2018-08-14T11:10:10Z")
[Android](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083557/?ref_=nv_sr_3), [Cronos](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104029/?ref_=nv_sr_1) and [Lifeforce](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089489/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1) all deserve more acclaim than they’ve gotten. ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sf-film-you-have-seen/819514/49 "2018-08-14T18:36:40Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Tossing in a plug for Galaxy Quest. Sure it’s not the very best SF film ever but it’s a quality movie that has a place high on the list. _ **Galaxy Quest** _ is the best Star Trek movie of all, just like _ **The Incredibles** _ is the best Fantastic Four movie of all. My fav sci-fi movies: Rocketeer Cosmic Voyage Forbidden Planet Rocketship X-M Gamera, Guardian of the Universe ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sf-film-you-have-seen/819514/50 "2018-08-14T20:14:39Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > I was four years old when my parents took me to see\* Forbidden Planet\*. You never forget your first. I was up off the floor and into my Father’s lap when we saw it on TV. I believe that Australian censors wouldn’t let them show the Id monster. ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sf-film-you-have-seen/819514/51 "2018-08-14T21:47:13Z")
Not a space opera, but still sci-fi: _Inception_. Ingenious concept (a machine that allows a group of people to share dreams), strongly developed characters, beautifully creative special effects, intricate plot, and a wonderfully ambiguous ending. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sf-film-you-have-seen/819514/52 "2018-08-14T23:08:00Z")
My choices for the Best: 2001: A Space Odyssey Blade Runner 12 Monkeys but my favorite is Buckaroo Banzai. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sf-film-you-have-seen/819514/53 "2018-08-14T23:59:47Z")
Not a movie, but my favorite part of Rick and Morty is the 70’s theme song (think late 70’s early 80’s show that lasted 10 episodes) and the Sci-Fi. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2018, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sf-film-you-have-seen/819514/54 "2018-08-15T00:18:59Z")
Also not a movie, but the _Kids in The Hall_ “Aliens Probing” sketch was pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![DrForrester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8edcca/32.png) [@DrForrester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrForrester)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2018, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sf-film-you-have-seen/819514/55 "2018-08-15T00:40:05Z")
Moon 12 Monkeys - the movie, not the TV show Looper For the “not yet listed” crowd, I must confess that I really enjoyed [The Island](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0399201/). For whatever reason, people like to bash it. I thought it was loads of fun - much more than Mad Max or any of those other post-apocalyptic films. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2018, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sf-film-you-have-seen/819514/56 "2018-08-15T00:43:58Z")
I was in my 30s before I saw _Forbidden Planet_ for the first time, and it was still great. > [@](#): > > Quoth **Martin the Martian** : > > Not a space opera, but still sci-fi: Inception. Ingenious concept (a machine that allows a group of people to share dreams), strongly developed characters, beautifully creative special effects, intricate plot, and a wonderfully ambiguous ending. The movie it could have been would have been great. But there was so much potential there that they just left on the table. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2018, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sf-film-you-have-seen/819514/57 "2018-08-15T00:45:34Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > Also not a movie, but the _Kids in The Hall_ “Aliens Probing” sketch was pretty good. I like the “Double agent???” “So you know. Blow up planet repeat blow up planet” one. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2018, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sf-film-you-have-seen/819514/58 "2018-08-15T00:54:35Z")
57 posts in and not a single vote for **Interstellar**. I agree with that consensus… it, frankly, sucked. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2018, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sf-film-you-have-seen/819514/59 "2018-08-15T01:06:55Z")
-Forbidden planet -The Day the Earth Stood Still -Terminator 2 -2001 -Star Wars (for bringing big budget back to Sci Fi) -Babylon 5 (ok it was a space soap opera) K-Pax (makes me feel good) ---
**Author:** ![Panther\_Modern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac8455/32.png) [@Panther\_Modern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Panther_Modern)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2018, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sf-film-you-have-seen/819514/60 "2018-08-15T01:29:28Z")
> [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](#): > > Not a space opera, but still sci-fi: _Inception_. Ingenious concept (a machine that allows a group of people to share dreams), strongly developed characters, beautifully creative special effects, intricate plot, and a wonderfully ambiguous ending. Probably Christoper Nolan’s most original and best movie. It was, literally, mind bending. > [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > Not a movie, but my favorite part of Rick and Morty is the 70’s theme song (think late 70’s early 80’s show that lasted 10 episodes) and the Sci-Fi. ALl of Rick and Morty is good. > [@JohnT](#): > > 57 posts in and not a single vote for **Interstellar**. > > I agree with that consensus… it, frankly, sucked. Why, in your opinion, suck? I thought it was outstanding. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sf-film-you-have-seen/819514.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sf-film-you-have-seen/819514.md?page=4)