# Recommend good Sci Fi/Fantasy movies. Challenge: I've seem them all already. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 8, 2009, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-sci-fi-fantasy-movies-challenge-ive-seem-them-all-already/520459 "2009-12-08T15:51:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![PookahMacPhellimey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pookahmacphellimey/32/3175_2.png) [@PookahMacPhellimey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PookahMacPhellimey)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-sci-fi-fantasy-movies-challenge-ive-seem-them-all-already/520459/61 "2009-12-16T13:34:26Z")
I bet you’ve already seen one of my top 3 films of all time: Pan’s Labyrinth, but just in case you haven’t : Pan’s Labyrinth. And anything by Guillermo del Tore, really ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-sci-fi-fantasy-movies-challenge-ive-seem-them-all-already/520459/62 "2009-12-16T14:24:09Z")
> [@PookahMacPhellimey](#): > > I bet you’ve already seen one of my top 3 films of all time: Pan’s Labyrinth, but just in case you haven’t : Pan’s Labyrinth. And anything by Guillermo del Tore, really Yup, seen it, and loved it. Wish there were more just like it. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-sci-fi-fantasy-movies-challenge-ive-seem-them-all-already/520459/63 "2009-12-16T14:27:51Z")
> [@pmwgreen](#): > > You might consider exploring Japanese sci-fi. Something by Miyazaki or … > > [Avalon (2001)](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0267287/) Wow, I’d forgotten that movie. It doesn’t make a lot of sense, but it’s very trippy and dreamy. Kind of along the lines of Existenz or 13th Floor or Matrix, but stranger. I need to see it again now. It’s by the guy behind Ghost in the Shell, BTW. Also, if you’re not sick of Vampires, try _Perfect Creature_. Interesting little vampire noir set in an alternate New Zealand. It’s obviously very low budget, and it’s not a great movie by any means, but it’s watchable and entertaining. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-sci-fi-fantasy-movies-challenge-ive-seem-them-all-already/520459/64 "2009-12-16T14:49:04Z")
Have you tried _Reign of Fire_, the post-apocalyptic dragon movie with Christian Bale? Matthew McConaughey as a crazed dragon hunter was a scream. 'Nother vote for _Outland_ (underrated flick, that), and _Brotherhood of the Wolf_—technically, the latter is based on a true story, too. (Albeit with fewer musketinjas) _The 13th Warrior_ is an OLD favorite of mine, and would be worth it for the soundtrack alone. The classic anime film _Akira_, if you haven’t seen it already. The latest dubbed version is actually intelligible now, if you’ve seen it before. Still incredible to consider how long ago it was made. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-sci-fi-fantasy-movies-challenge-ive-seem-them-all-already/520459/65 "2009-12-16T15:01:52Z")
I saw [Mutant Chronicles](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0490181/) a few weeks ago and it’s not that good. It kind of just runs through the paces of the genre if you know what I mean. Despite that, it has good enough performances from Ron Perlman, John Malkovich and Thomas Jane plus a coal burning hovering fighter bomber gunship thing that’s just crazy enough to make you enjoy the stupidity of the thought that someone decided that a coal furnace in a plane would work just as well as jet fuel. ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-sci-fi-fantasy-movies-challenge-ive-seem-them-all-already/520459/66 "2009-12-16T17:29:14Z")
If you like weird and dreamy, you could try [The Wild Blue Yonder](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443693/) by **Werner Herzog**. We enjoyed it in the cinema, but I’m not so sure it would hold your attention on the small screen if you prefer action and plot and stuff! ---
**Author:** ![Ruby\_Slippers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/94ad74/32.png) [@Ruby\_Slippers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby_Slippers)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-sci-fi-fantasy-movies-challenge-ive-seem-them-all-already/520459/67 "2009-12-16T17:42:56Z")
I can’t believe no one has yet mentioned my two favorite fantasy movies – \*The Princess Bride \*and _Willow_. And two that were originally made for the Sci Fi Channel (I really can’t even bring myself to type SyFy) – \*Tin Man \*and _Alice_, adaptations of _The Wizard of Oz_ and _Alice in Wonderland_ respectively. Each had a totally new look and feel, quite a bit darker than the original children’s movies. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-sci-fi-fantasy-movies-challenge-ive-seem-them-all-already/520459/68 "2009-12-16T19:22:56Z")
> [@Ruby\_Slippers](#): > > I can’t believe no one has yet mentioned my two favorite fantasy movies – \*The Princess Bride \*and _Willow_. I’m pretty sure this message board can detect whether you’ve seen Princess Bride, and if you haven’t, you can’t post until you have. 😃 > [@Ruby\_Slippers](#): > > And two that were originally made for the Sci Fi Channel (I really can’t even bring myself to type SyFy) – \*Tin Man \*and _Alice_, adaptations of _The Wizard of Oz_ and _Alice in Wonderland_ respectively. Each had a totally new look and feel, quite a bit darker than the original children’s movies. Tin Man was the reason I posted this thread: I’d randomly picked it from Netflix, and (I’m sorry) but I thought it was awful. I figured I had to do some better research next time, so thus, the thread. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-sci-fi-fantasy-movies-challenge-ive-seem-them-all-already/520459/69 "2009-12-16T22:52:09Z")
> [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](#): > > Despite that, it has good enough performances from… …Thomas Jane Ooh, I’d argue that point. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-sci-fi-fantasy-movies-challenge-ive-seem-them-all-already/520459/70 "2009-12-16T23:58:45Z")
If you like Beowulf-inspired stories (ala _The 13th Warrior_), then check out _ **Outlander** _, starring Jim “Jesus” Caviezel. It’s not great–good might even be a stretch, but I was entertained and it’s an interesting twist on the tale. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2009, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-sci-fi-fantasy-movies-challenge-ive-seem-them-all-already/520459/71 "2009-12-17T15:23:18Z")
[The 10th Kingdom](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0207275/), if you don’t mind a 7-hour miniseries. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2009, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-sci-fi-fantasy-movies-challenge-ive-seem-them-all-already/520459/72 "2009-12-17T15:27:42Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally Posted by Intergalactic Gladiator > Despite that, it has good enough performances from… …Thomas Jane > [@GuanoLad](#): > > Ooh, I’d argue that point. I said _good enough_, I didn’t say he was Master Thespian. 😉 ---
**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:** [December 17, 2009, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-sci-fi-fantasy-movies-challenge-ive-seem-them-all-already/520459/73 "2009-12-17T16:57:14Z")
[Vexille](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0970472/) [Journey To The Far Side Of The Sun](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064519/) [The Salute Of The Jugger](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094764/) ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-sci-fi-fantasy-movies-challenge-ive-seem-them-all-already/520459/74 "2009-12-21T05:32:09Z")
Icelandic title: Hraffin Flygur British title: When the Raven Flies U.S. title: Revenge of the Barbarians. :rolleyes: The plot is basically that of _Yojimbo_ or _Fistful of Dollars_, but with Vikings. Very good flick. The obnoxious American title I attribute to the fact that it was released in the USA in 1980, and the distributors were trying to cash in on _Conan the Barbarian_’s marketing. Finnish title: Ofelas U.S. title: Pathfinder Made in the late 1980s or early 1990s and released in art-house theaters. Remade in 2007 in English, with a big budget and wide release. The original is excellent. I have not seen the remake. I wanted to post links, but today my browser seems to crash every time I go to imdb. ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-sci-fi-fantasy-movies-challenge-ive-seem-them-all-already/520459/75 "2009-12-21T14:12:00Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > .Finnish title: Ofelas > U.S. title: Pathfinder > Made in the late 1980s or early 1990s and released in art-house theaters. Remade in 2007 in English, with a big budget and wide release. The original is excellent. I have not seen the remake.. The remake bombed and wasn’t even shown at the cinema advertising it as ‘coming soon’ over here. I wish I had seen it on the big screen; it’s shot in such dim light that it looks almost b&w a lot of the time and I’m sure loses a lot (well, some, anyway) in downsizing to a tv screen. Apart from that it is pretty run-of-the-mill though. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-sci-fi-fantasy-movies-challenge-ive-seem-them-all-already/520459.md?page=3)