# Sugggest me some fantasy and sci-fi movies **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 2, 2011, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sugggest-me-some-fantasy-and-sci-fi-movies/569952 "2011-02-02T23:32:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lars\_Aruns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c68b51/32.png) [@Lars\_Aruns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lars_Aruns)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sugggest-me-some-fantasy-and-sci-fi-movies/569952/1 "2011-02-02T23:32:30Z")
I had a hard time recently, both at home and in the workplace, but now things have been straightening out a bit and I have some free time these days. So I feel in the mood to watch some fantasy or science fiction movies. What do you guys advise? Just to give you an idea, I have previously watched the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the Princess Bride, Ladyhawke and Willow, as well as the Star Wars trilogy (prequels? they don’t exist), all the Star Trek series and Serenity (which I didn’t like). I feel like watching some epic adventure, with swords and sorcery and bad guys going _Muahahaha!_ while stroking their goatee, and starships whooshing in the void, lasers going _Phzoom! Phzoom!_, and happy endings. Happy endings are important. I don’t care if the actors are not top celebrities, or if the effects are a bit cheesy, as long as the movies are fun and enjoyable to watch. So hit me with your favourite titles, please! ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sugggest-me-some-fantasy-and-sci-fi-movies/569952/2 "2011-02-02T23:36:00Z")
_Conan the Barbarian_ is one of the few sword and sandal movies to come out of the '80s that holds up. Not so much the sequel, though. ---
**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:** [February 2, 2011, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sugggest-me-some-fantasy-and-sci-fi-movies/569952/3 "2011-02-02T23:40:04Z")
_Dragonslayer_ - wizard vs dragon, damsel in distress, great movie! ---
**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:** [February 2, 2011, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sugggest-me-some-fantasy-and-sci-fi-movies/569952/4 "2011-02-02T23:47:03Z")
_Stardust_ is Princess Bride-ish. _Krull_ is cheesy nonsense that I loved when I was 13. _Labyrinth_ is one of my favourite movies of all time. As is other Jim Henson fantasy movie _The Dark Crystal_. _The Neverending Story_ still thrills. The first one, from 1984, does at least. _The Scorpion King_ is mindless and almost tolerable. _Dragonheart_ isn’t too awful, if you can get past the distraction of Sean Connery’s distinctive voice coming from a dragon. _Legend_ is… a bit weird, but is by Ridley Scott, has Tom Cruise in it, and a compelling performance by Tim Curry. ---
**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:** [February 2, 2011, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sugggest-me-some-fantasy-and-sci-fi-movies/569952/5 "2011-02-02T23:53:06Z")
_The Beastmaster_ (1982) - sword-and-sorcery adventure starring Marc Singer about a guy who can supernaturally see through the eyes of his animal friends. Cheesy, but pretty dark and violent. Plus Tanya Roberts naked! ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sugggest-me-some-fantasy-and-sci-fi-movies/569952/6 "2011-02-02T23:54:20Z")
_Forbidden Planet Alien Aliens 2001: A Space Odyssey 2010 John Carpenter’s The Thing Bladerunner_ ---
**Author:** ![akira5822](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/53a042/32.png) [@akira5822](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/akira5822)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2011, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sugggest-me-some-fantasy-and-sci-fi-movies/569952/7 "2011-02-03T00:13:40Z")
Cheesy but fun > **[Amazon.com: The Ice Pirates : Robert Urich, Mary Crosby, Michael D. Roberts,...](https://www.amazon.com/Ice-Pirates-Robert-Urich/dp/B0006J28MS)** > > Product Description Ice Pirates (DVD)Robert Urich, Mary Crosby and Anjelica Huston star in this glorious send-up of the entire science fiction genre as an interstellar band of pirates steals from the rich to give to the poor, helps a... ---
**Author:** ![Lars\_Aruns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c68b51/32.png) [@Lars\_Aruns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lars_Aruns)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2011, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sugggest-me-some-fantasy-and-sci-fi-movies/569952/8 "2011-02-03T00:26:40Z")
A couple of comments… > [@teela\_brown](#): > > Forbidden Planet Looks worth a look. > [@teela\_brown](#): > > Alien No happy ending, I’m afraid. > [@teela\_brown](#): > > Aliens Not really a happy ending… > [@teela\_brown](#): > > 2001: A Space Odyssey No whooshing starships, and no moustache-curling bad guy… Nor does HAL goes _Muahaha_, that’s important. > [@teela\_brown](#): > > John Carpenter’s The Thing Um, more of a horror one, this. > [@teela\_brown](#): > > Bladerunner Lack of whooshing starships, or overacting bad guys, or happy endings. I do appreciate the suggestion, and I’m going to watch these again some time in the future, but for the moment I’d feel better with some feel-good stuff. Seriously, I’ve passed through a bad patch, and now I feel the need for some lighter entertainment. But thanks for the input, **teela**! ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2011, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sugggest-me-some-fantasy-and-sci-fi-movies/569952/9 "2011-02-03T00:27:00Z")
Have you seen _Galaxy Quest_? And how about the _Back To the Future_ trilogy? ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2011, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sugggest-me-some-fantasy-and-sci-fi-movies/569952/10 "2011-02-03T01:23:15Z")
_Men in Black_ Lots of Blam (You hadda get your gun back, din’t 'cha. I _like_ this gun.) and happy endings all around, except for Edgar. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2011, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sugggest-me-some-fantasy-and-sci-fi-movies/569952/11 "2011-02-03T01:35:41Z")
Space Truckers 1996 Flash Gordon 1980 It has music from Queen. ++ Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow 2004 ---
**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:** [February 3, 2011, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sugggest-me-some-fantasy-and-sci-fi-movies/569952/12 "2011-02-03T01:39:16Z")
_ **The Last Starfighter** _ - very fun and feel-good sci-fi adventure movie with aliens, androids, and space battles. ---
**Author:** ![Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glory)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2011, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sugggest-me-some-fantasy-and-sci-fi-movies/569952/13 "2011-02-03T01:43:32Z")
Damn, I just came here to say the Last Starfighter! I will instead suggest Starman. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2011, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sugggest-me-some-fantasy-and-sci-fi-movies/569952/14 "2011-02-03T02:13:49Z")
The Fifth Element Hudson Hawk (kind of fits) The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension Shaun of the Dead Weird Science Real Genius Stargate Logan’s Run Capricorn One Flight of the Navigator Independence Day Some are kind of goofy, some have swooshing things (some don’t), but they are all great entertainment ---
**Author:** ![Reno\_Nevada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Reno\_Nevada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reno_Nevada)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2011, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sugggest-me-some-fantasy-and-sci-fi-movies/569952/15 "2011-02-03T02:27:46Z")
Big Trouble in Little China – Totally awesome Deathstalker – I can’t remember if it has a happy ending. I think so. The Sword and the Sorcerer Dungeons and Dragons – Big ol ball of cheese ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2011, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sugggest-me-some-fantasy-and-sci-fi-movies/569952/16 "2011-02-03T02:29:21Z")
_Ladyhawke_. It has Rutger Hauer on a big black horse, a dastardly curse, and Mathew Broderick looking about 12 years old as a scrappy thief/comic foil. Its a bit dark and broody but it does have a happy ending. A real Saturday afternoon fantasy flick. ---
**Author:** ![brocks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7feea3/32.png) [@brocks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brocks)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2011, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sugggest-me-some-fantasy-and-sci-fi-movies/569952/17 "2011-02-03T02:36:57Z")
Serenity. Best sci-fi movie I’ve ever seen. Be prepared to pay attention, because unlike most movies, the characters are smart, so anything that comes as a surprise to them will surprise you, too. After you see it, you will want to somehow obtain the DVDs of Firefly, the TV series it was based on. Sometimes they’re on sale pretty cheap on Amazon. ---
**Author:** ![Reno\_Nevada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Reno\_Nevada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reno_Nevada)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2011, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sugggest-me-some-fantasy-and-sci-fi-movies/569952/18 "2011-02-03T02:43:03Z")
You know, assuming: - We can interpret the “fantasy” very broadly, and - You are a guy Another movie for the list is multiple-Academy-award[sup]1[/sup] nominated film _Machete_. [sup]1[/sup] In an alternate reality, where films that are \*\*\*awesome \*\*\*are nominated over films about gay cowboys eating pudding. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2011, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sugggest-me-some-fantasy-and-sci-fi-movies/569952/19 "2011-02-03T02:54:19Z")
> [@Lars\_Aruns](#): > > … all the Star Trek series and \*\*Serenity \*\*( **which I didn’t like** ). … > [@brocks](#): > > **Serenity**. Best sci-fi movie I’ve ever seen. Be prepared to pay attention, because unlike most movies, the characters are smart, so anything that comes as a surprise to them will surprise you, too. > > After you see it, you will want to somehow obtain the DVDs of Firefly, the TV series it was based on. Sometimes they’re on sale pretty cheap on Amazon. By bolding and coloring above. This was pretty funny. ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_Hartwick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@Dave\_Hartwick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave_Hartwick)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2011, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sugggest-me-some-fantasy-and-sci-fi-movies/569952/20 "2011-02-03T03:05:24Z")
It’s a miniseries, actually, but fairy-tale and fantasy goofiness abounds in _The 10th Kingdom_. Dastardly villains, resourceful hero(ine)s, pop culture references, all that. [IMDB](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0207275/). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sugggest-me-some-fantasy-and-sci-fi-movies/569952.md?page=2)