# Must See Sci-Fi Movies **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 6, 2000, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-sci-fi-movies/44403 "2000-12-06T23:38:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-sci-fi-movies/44403/21 "2000-12-07T19:58:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by paintsvillecom \* > \*\*And there is another movie which I have been trying to remember, but can’t think of. It’s truly a horrible, horrible movie, but it’s so bad that it should be on any must-see list just as a counterweight. It’s the one it’s set in a post-apocalyptic world where a guy and girl and another fellow are on the run from LA to NY (or vice versa?) and have to travel underground. The most memorable part of the movie for me is where they encounter some weirdo underground and the weirdo has the most memorable line of the movie – “You see, I’m sick in the head. I eat leeches.” – or words to that effect. I’ve tried to find it listed in IMDb using the quote search, but none of the searches for “leech” or “leeches” turn it up. Can anyone else remember? \*\* Are you possibly thinking of “Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man” starring Don Johnson and Mickey Rourke? ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-sci-fi-movies/44403/22 "2000-12-07T20:00:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by paintsvillecom \* > \*\*And there is another movie which I have been trying to remember, but can’t think of. It’s truly a horrible, horrible movie, but it’s so bad that it should be on any must-see list just as a counterweight. It’s the one it’s set in a post-apocalyptic world where a guy and girl and another fellow are on the run from LA to NY (or vice versa?) and have to travel underground. The most memorable part of the movie for me is where they encounter some weirdo underground and the weirdo has the most memorable line of the movie – “You see, I’m sick in the head. I eat leeches.” – or words to that effect. I’ve tried to find it listed in IMDb using the quote search, but none of the searches for “leech” or “leeches” turn it up. Can anyone else remember? \*\* Could you possibly be thinking of “Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man” starring Don Johnson and Mickey Rourke? Also, I didn’t see “Ghostbusters” mentioned. That’s a must see. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-sci-fi-movies/44403/23 "2000-12-07T20:27:27Z")
[li]Nosferatu[/li] [li]Things To Come[/li] [li]The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari\*[/li] - [sup]NOT REALLY SCI-FI BUT A GROUNDBREAKING FILM[/sup] ---
**Author:** ![paintsvillecom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/22d042/32.png) [@paintsvillecom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paintsvillecom)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-sci-fi-movies/44403/24 "2000-12-07T21:27:44Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by xizor \* \*\* > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by paintsvillecom \* > \*\*Could you possibly be thinking of “Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man” starring Don Johnson and Mickey Rourke? \*\* No, no, no. This movie contains no stars that I can remember. If it did, I could try to look up film credits of the principal actors. It was set pretty far in the future, and the environment was so horrible that the folks on the journey couldn’t risk going topside, so they had to travel cross country through underground parking garages. (Obviously, the entire country had become one huge metropolis.) Honestly, though it had been billed as a “cult classic,” this movie is entirely devoid of any redeeming social value. The only reason it sticks out in mind is the “leeches” quote. It’s the type which folks watch just to see how horrible a movie can be, like “Plan 9 from Outer Space.” Oooh … that’s another for the list. That opening scene is so hokey. I just love the line, “In the future, everyone will live in the future.” Cracks me up every time I think that was meant to be serious. ---
**Author:** ![penael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ea5d25/32.png) [@penael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penael)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2000, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-sci-fi-movies/44403/25 "2000-12-10T00:01:56Z")
Any of the Planet of the Apes movies!!! (duh) how could we have forgotten? ---
**Author:** ![paintsvillecom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/22d042/32.png) [@paintsvillecom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paintsvillecom)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2016, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-sci-fi-movies/44403/26 "2016-07-03T15:32:37Z")
> [@paintsvillecom](#): > > And there is another movie which I have been trying to remember, but can’t think of. It’s truly a horrible, horrible movie, but it’s so bad that it should be on any must-see list just as a counterweight. It’s the one it’s set in a post-apocalyptic world where a guy and girl and another fellow are on the run from LA to NY (or vice versa?) and have to travel underground. The most memorable part of the movie for me is where they encounter some weirdo underground and the weirdo has the most memorable line of the movie – “You see, I’m sick in the head. I eat leeches.” – or words to that effect. I’ve tried to find it listed in IMDb using the quote search, but none of the searches for “leech” or “leeches” turn it up. Can anyone else remember? In the extremely rare event that anyone stumbles across this thread in the future, I found myself asking the exact same question today. However, I did find the answer. The movie was Circuitry Man ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2016, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-sci-fi-movies/44403/27 "2016-07-03T17:01:02Z")
I wonder if the OP knows that his movie is coming out this weekend… ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2016, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-sci-fi-movies/44403/28 "2016-07-03T19:32:00Z")
> [@RocknRoll\_Killing\_Machine](#): > > Dark City an amazing movie that I’ve never heard about from anyone. That was actually the first one that came to mind… Sphere Ender’s Game Species Mimic Lifeforce Weird Science Black Hole Johnny Mnemonic The Cell Men in Black Planet of the Apes The Day the Earth Stood Still I, Robot Pitch Black Chronicles of Riddick Space Balls Ultraviolet Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Total Recall The World’s End Aeon Flux I realize that some of these are stretching the scifi definition, but if you squint just right… ETA: I mean the original when there’s more than one release. ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2016, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-sci-fi-movies/44403/29 "2016-07-04T02:14:58Z")
I was really surprised when I saw “Ender’s Game”. It remainded remarkably faithful to the book and the changes that I noticed seemed reasonable to me for the change in medium for the story. I, Robot was a good movie, but disappointing at how “un-I, Robot the book” it was. You’ve seen Lifeforce? Man, everytime I mention that movie to someone they look at me like I have a third arm growing out of my forehead. Invasion of the Body Snatchers with Mr. Sutherland, I think is a must see. the pod people maybe ain’t zombies but still… can I throw in “Red Dwarf” even though its a tv series and not a movie? ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2016, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-sci-fi-movies/44403/30 "2016-07-04T02:19:35Z")
“Galaxy Quest”, funniest move I’ve ever seen in any genre, with a story line just as serious and plausible as most other sci-fi pictures. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2016, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-sci-fi-movies/44403/31 "2016-07-04T13:47:07Z")
Since there seems to be some interest in this zombie I’ll move it to CS. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2016, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-sci-fi-movies/44403/32 "2016-07-04T14:18:26Z")
I was born the year _Robinson Crusoe on Mars_ was released, and thanks to this thread, decided to watch it yesterday for the first time. It’s been remastered and released on DVD and Blu-ray. Great little movie! I’ll probably rewatch it from time to time. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2016, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-sci-fi-movies/44403/33 "2016-07-04T14:21:24Z")
> [@guestchaz](#): > > You’ve seen Lifeforce? Man, everytime I mention that movie to someone they look at me like I have a third arm growing out of my forehead. Ah, yes, _Lifeforce_, starring Mathilda May’s breasts, and a bunch of British actors. (Oh, yeah, and one gratuitous American. Whose character was the lead role in the novel. Whose character is supposedly the lead role in the movie. And he yet manages to make Raymond Burr’s contributions to _Godzilla_ look vitally important.) I’m kidding. I enjoyed the movie. But it’s very easy to make fun of. ---
**Author:** ![wintertime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c68b51/32.png) [@wintertime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wintertime)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2016, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-sci-fi-movies/44403/34 "2016-07-04T14:24:47Z")
_Ghost in the Shell_ (1995), highly influential Japanese manga; even nowadays worth a look. \*Gattaca \*(1997), the central message is seriously flawed, but it’s a thoughtful movie about the impact on human relations that gentech might have. \*Matrix \*(1999); so influential that any film buff should watch it once. _Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind_ (2004), not SF per se but since it includes a piece of tech not available (precise erasure of memory to forget anything burdensome), I’ll jump at the chance to recommend one of my favourite movies. \*Inception \*(2010), the top is a Red Herring. _Edge of Tomorrow_ (2014); great time travel movie, the end is far more ambiguous than it looks. _Ex Machina_ (2015); psychological chamber drama about a programmer who is invited by his genius boss to test an AI situated in a female body. It’s about identity, gender roles, the extent of human rights and the uncertainty of and from freedom. _The Martian_ (2015); you just can’t miss the chance to see Matt Damon be saved once again at incredible expense. Also, science - yeah! ---
**Author:** ![blue\_infinity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blue_infinity/32/2817_2.png) [@blue\_infinity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blue_infinity)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2016, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-sci-fi-movies/44403/35 "2016-07-04T15:30:58Z")
A few recent ones: \*Sunshine Moon Under the Skin\* ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2016, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-sci-fi-movies/44403/36 "2016-07-04T15:32:02Z")
Primer ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2016, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-sci-fi-movies/44403/37 "2016-07-04T16:12:08Z")
The question in the OP is vague. Yeah, I know it was asked over 15 years ago, but it’s still not clear what the OP was asking. Is it asking what the most influential science fiction movies are or what the best science fiction movies are? Certainly some of the suggestions in this thread are hopelessly far from being influential. They may or may not be great films, but few people saw them and still remember them, so they didn’t influence anyone. For instance, in post #3, the “movie” _Earth: Star Voyager_ is mentioned. This was not a movie but an episode (shown on January 17 and 24 of 1988) of _The Wonderful World of Color_ (i.e., the weekly Disney program on American TV). It was intended to be a spin-off, but it didn’t get good ratings, so it wasn’t spun off. I have never seen it, so I have no idea if it’s good. The few reviews say that it’s O.K. Not only is there no mainstream fans for this, but I don’t know of any significant cult for it. Yes, I know a lot about cult science fiction movies, and this isn’t one: > **[Earth Star Voyager (1988) - Moria](https://www.moriareviews.com/sciencefiction/earth-star-voyager-1988.htm)** > > TV mini-series that came out the same time as Star Trek: The Next Generation. The idea of teenagers on a space mission didn't get audiences enthused > **["The Magical World of Disney" Earth Star Voyager: Part 1 (TV Episode 1988) -...](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095077/)** > > Earth Star Voyager: Part 1: Directed by James Goldstone. With Duncan Regehr, Brian McNamara, Julia Montgomery, Jason Michas. The Earth Star Voyager is a spaceship sent to another solar system to prepare it for colonization. Earth itself is horribly... > **[Earth Star Voyager](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_Star_Voyager)** > > Earth Star Voyager is the name of a science fiction television movie shown on The Disney Sunday Movie in 1988, on February 17 and February 24. The show aired as a two-part pilot, but was not picked up for a series. > In the year 2082, the Earth deep-space exploration vessel, Vanguard Explorer, has suffered heavy damage, due to the efforts of Captain Jacob "Jake" Brown trying to keep his ship out of the hands of mutineers led by his second-in-command, Vance Arthur. Feigning compliance, Jake attacks... ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2016, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-sci-fi-movies/44403/38 "2016-07-04T16:15:18Z")
Forbidden Planet 2001: A Space Odyssey Star Wars The Thing Aliens Blade Runner Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Gattaca The Matrix Galaxy Quest Interstellar The Martian ---
**Author:** ![wintertime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c68b51/32.png) [@wintertime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wintertime)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2016, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-sci-fi-movies/44403/39 "2016-07-04T16:23:17Z")
\*2046 \*(2004); pure Kar-Wai Wong, though calling it Sci Fi is, well … _The Fountain_ (2006); flawed? Yes. But wonderfully weird. If you don’t like Aronofsky’s style, avoid this movie. \* Children of Men\* (2006); brilliant dystopia. _Looper_ (2012); entertaining and clever time travel story. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2016, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-sci-fi-movies/44403/40 "2016-07-04T16:28:19Z")
_ **The Time Machine.** _ I prefer the 1960 version with Rod Taylor to the remake. I suppose George Pal’s _ **War of the Worlds** _ should go on the list too, though I would have much preferred to see a period version set in Victorian Britain than the “updated” version a la Orson Welles. _ **Them** _. _ **Invaders from Mars** _, which capitalized on the Red Chinese scare of the 1950s. _ **Mars Attacks** _. Hilarious! If we’re going to include TV series, _ **The Prisoner** _ and _ **The Time Tunnel** _. Both require complete suspension of disbelief. I may be a minority of one, but I much preferred _ **Star Trek: TMP** _ to _ **The Search for Spock** _. Don’t bother killing off a chracter if you’re just going to resurrect him in the next installment. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-sci-fi-movies/44403.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/must-see-sci-fi-movies/44403.md?page=3)