# Recommend upbeat sci-fi/fantasy movies **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 16, 2016, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-upbeat-sci-fi-fantasy-movies/768760 "2016-10-16T19:40:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![thorvitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eb8c5e/32.png) [@thorvitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorvitz)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-upbeat-sci-fi-fantasy-movies/768760/1 "2016-10-16T19:40:48Z")
I loved Another Earth, Frequency, Source Code, Family Man, The Love Letter, At the Edhe of the Garden (Hallmark movie), The Lake House, The Kid, and Somewhere in Time. I’ll take less happy stuff as long as it’s provocative, not too violent or depressing. And has a great twist–e.g., Right At Your Door, Predestination, Deja Vu, & Triangle. ---
**Author:** ![Sefton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Sefton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sefton)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-upbeat-sci-fi-fantasy-movies/768760/2 "2016-10-16T20:58:44Z")
I enjoyed _Groundhog Day_, _Gattaca_, _Edge of Tomorrow_, and _Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind_. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-upbeat-sci-fi-fantasy-movies/768760/3 "2016-10-16T21:42:18Z")
> [@Sefton](#): > > _Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind_. I don’t think I’d classify Eternal Sunshine as “upbeat”, it continually baffles me that it’s filed under comedies. I guess because it has Jim Carrey in it? ---
**Author:** ![Uniqueorn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uniqueorn/32/2807_2.png) [@Uniqueorn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uniqueorn)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-upbeat-sci-fi-fantasy-movies/768760/4 "2016-10-16T21:58:24Z")
The Fifth Element. ---
**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:** [October 16, 2016, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-upbeat-sci-fi-fantasy-movies/768760/5 "2016-10-16T22:16:09Z")
_The Fifth Element_ certainly is a lot of fun-- Just don’t go into it expecting it to be a _good_ movie. And _Guardians of the Galaxy_ is similarly fun, and good besides. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2016, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-upbeat-sci-fi-fantasy-movies/768760/6 "2016-10-17T00:04:53Z")
“A Boy and His Dog.” As long as you like dogs better then women… Dennis ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2016, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-upbeat-sci-fi-fantasy-movies/768760/7 "2016-10-17T00:25:40Z")
**Gattaca** looks like a message movie, and part of what I love about it is that the movie takes great care to undermine its message, so that by the end it’s reasonable to argue about whether the protagonist is a hero or a selfish asshole. You may see the ending as triumphant or as awful, and that’s awesome. **Galaxy Quest** is not nearly so complex, but it’s damn fun. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2016, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-upbeat-sci-fi-fantasy-movies/768760/8 "2016-10-17T01:07:33Z")
Star Trek Beyond is a good very recent one. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2016, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-upbeat-sci-fi-fantasy-movies/768760/9 "2016-10-17T01:47:29Z")
_Tomorrowland_. Certainly flawed, but it was designed to be a anodyne to downbeat SF and I think it works well. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2016, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-upbeat-sci-fi-fantasy-movies/768760/10 "2016-10-17T05:23:45Z")
_Zathura_. Lightweight but entertaining. ---
**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:** [October 17, 2016, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-upbeat-sci-fi-fantasy-movies/768760/11 "2016-10-17T07:15:17Z")
Ever After About Time Ant Man Enchanted Explorers Paddington Kung Fu Panda Shaun The Sheep Now You See Me Innerspace The Lone Ranger John Carter The Martian Pirates of the Caribbean ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2016, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-upbeat-sci-fi-fantasy-movies/768760/12 "2016-10-17T07:28:35Z")
Star Man with Jeff Bridges. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2016, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-upbeat-sci-fi-fantasy-movies/768760/13 "2016-10-17T10:37:46Z")
[Upside Down](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1374992/combined) [Winter’s Tale](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1837709/combined) [Stardust](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0486655/combined) The Night at the Museum trilogy ---
**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:** [October 17, 2016, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-upbeat-sci-fi-fantasy-movies/768760/14 "2016-10-17T11:06:07Z")
Are we defining “fantasy” as “magic and/or whimsy,” or “swords and sorcery”? In any case, _Howl’s Moving Castle_ certainly seems to qualify. Along with most of Studio Ghibli’s oeuvre. And ditto on **RealityChuck** and **GuanoLad** ’s entries. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2016, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-upbeat-sci-fi-fantasy-movies/768760/15 "2016-10-17T12:49:17Z")
\*Dean Spanley \*is based on a story by Lord Dunsany. Beautifully shot in New Zealand (passing easily for Edwardian England). Starring Sam Neill, Jeremy Northam, Bryan Brown and late-period Peter O’Toole. It may be hard to find–but don’t read “about” it. Just watch it… ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2016, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-upbeat-sci-fi-fantasy-movies/768760/16 "2016-10-17T13:59:43Z")
Possibly too lightweight but there are always the **Bill and Ted** films plus the **Back to the Future** trilogy. Then there is **Brazil** as well. TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2016, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-upbeat-sci-fi-fantasy-movies/768760/17 "2016-10-17T14:26:29Z")
**What Dreams May Come** is a very pretty movie, with an upbeat ending. Whether good or not I leave to others to decide. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2016, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-upbeat-sci-fi-fantasy-movies/768760/18 "2016-10-17T14:57:29Z")
> [@TCMF-2L](#): > > Possibly too lightweight but there are always the **Bill and Ted** films plus the **Back to the Future** trilogy. > > Then there is **Brazil** as well. > > TCMF-2L Brazil is amazing. But the OP said “not too depressing.” Ahem. ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2016, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-upbeat-sci-fi-fantasy-movies/768760/19 "2016-10-17T15:28:14Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Brazil is amazing. But the OP said “not too depressing.” Ahem. Been a while since I watched it. It was a black comedy in my recollection and I do find entertainment in a lot of black comedy. Looked at the ending on Wikipedia for a reminder. Might not count as a ‘feelgood’ movie. TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2016, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-upbeat-sci-fi-fantasy-movies/768760/20 "2016-10-17T15:58:06Z")
Most of these suggestions aren’t science fiction, I observe. Howq about **The Last Mimzy Grand Tour: Disaster in Time** Both of these were sorta downer stories by Catherine L. Moore originally, but they got happy endings as movies If you liked Source Code, you might like **Moon** …written and directed by the same guy I highly recommend **Cloud Atlas** by the Waschowskis and Tim Twyker **2010** , despite its flaws **Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow** , which a lot of people hate, but which feels like a 1930s pulp adventure played straight. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-upbeat-sci-fi-fantasy-movies/768760.md?page=2)