Best Star Wars/Sci Fi Movie?

[AdaminOz]

I like PM and AOTC. I think they aged well. I didn't like TFA. But I also liked TESB.

What's your most favourite?

What about Riddick, or Aliens, or Star Trek?

What's your most favourite?

And why?

 

[keysofanxiety]

My personal favourite is Jedi. Love the Emperor and the space Battle of Endor.

 

[decafjava]

I don't have one favourite. I liked the whole Star Wars saga/universe (even liked parts of the prequels) though gotta give a nod to TESB closely followed by ROTJ.

Big Trek fan since childhood too - TNG and TOS though what I saw of the following two series I liked. I liked all the Star Trek films actually. I also enjoyed the Reboots - well the first much more than the second and have not seen the third yet.

 

[ucfgrad93]

Star Wars - The Empire Strikes Back
Star Trek - The Wrath of Khan
ST:TNG - Yesterday's Enterprise

 

[Khalanad75]

My favorite Sci-Fi film is The Last Starfighter. Loved it as a kid so much I wore out our VHS tape. I recently watched it with my kids and they both loved it as well.

 

[Old Muley]

In the "Star" franchises, my favorites are:

Star Wars: A New Hope
Star Trek: Wrath of Khan

Blade Runner gets the nod for my favorite sci-if film of all time. That being said, I'm NOT looking forward to the sequel- just because Harrison Ford can reprise a role, doesn't mean he should reprise a role (i.e. "Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull")

 

[velocityg4]

Obviously the Star Wars Ewok Adventures are the best.🙄 One of those was the first Star Wars movie I saw as a kid. So I thought Star Wars sucked and had no interest in seeing any other. It wasn't until years later that a friend got me to watch A New Hope that I realized Star Wars was actually good.

Anyways I like the original cuts of A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back the best. Before Lucas took a steaming dump on them with CGI and basically gave fans the finger about any HD version of the originals. The Return of the Jedi is a bit drawn out. I don't particularly care for the prequels. The young Vader's archetype and sudden shift makes no sense. The new one is pretty good I've only seen it once so I don't have a strong opinion.

As for favorite Sci Fi movie. That is a much tougher choice. Their is a broad scope of categories.

For an Earth based dystopian future. I'd go with "Soylent Green". As the masses have really just become useless dead weight and a burden to be dealt with. "Logan's Run" is fun but the 30 year age cap sounds less plausible.

For calamities caused by science. I'd have to go with "Planet of the Apes" (original). Although "The Omega Man" is very close.

In the realm of Time Travel. I'd go with the original two "Terminator" movies. Although "Back to the Future" is a very close second place.

As for alien invasion movies. I'll stick with the original, "The Day the Earth Stood Still". Although Spielberg's "War of the World's" is quite good. "The Day the Earth Stood Still" is a bit more plausible as the threat is ended by diplomacy. Any movie where Earth wins the fight are implausible but fun to watch. All the makes "War of the World's" somewhat believable is that disease not man won the day.

In the general realm of space base Sci Fi. I like "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" best. I know it is way down the list for most Star Trek fans. They deal with a completely unknown entity which is a major threat. The threat is nullified by understanding and ultimately sacrifice not battle, cunning or tech miracles. I do like the other original crew movies as well. The TNG movies aren't watchable and the new ones while entertaining have no feeling or character. The original "Alien" is great but leans more towards horror than Sci Fi.

Although they don't make this list. I do favor John Carpenter's "The Thing", "Forbidden Planet", "The Andromeda Stain" and "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (1978).

Star Wars while entertaining. Has very little science. It is more of a tragedy or fantasy set in space. It focuses much more on mystical powers. Little explanation is given to the technical aspect. There are simply very fast space ships, energy swords and powerful weapons.

 

[Savor]

Spaceballs followed by Galaxy Quest...

"Diarrhea? Somebody get this guy some Pepto Bismol!"

Jk..

Empire and Sith. I actually do like the first two reboots of Star Trek. Not so much into sci-fi but I did enjoy the original Planet of the Apes as a child.

 

[kazmac]

Star Wars: Star Wars and Empire
Star Trek: Wrath of Khan
Sci Fi: Escape from New York (my all time favorite movie).
Alien: Toss up between the first two, though I still think Aliens is the best movie Cameron ever worked on.

 

[Mousse]

Star Wars: The Empire Strike Back (Darth Vader shows why he's one of the all time greatest villians😎)
Star Trek: First Contact (Battle the Battle of Sector 001 and Ephram Cochane ain't the picture perfect inventor written about in the history books😀)
Non Trek/Wars sci-fi: 2001 (because I'm old guy who doesn't care for the no story, big explosion, flashing CG of today's sci-fi movies😵)

 

[\-V-/]

The Phantom Menace!

Spoiler

Just kidding

 

[Scepticalscribe]

None of the movies - not one - to my mind, matched the very best of what the TV series offered in terms of plot, narrative power, and what the cast were allowed to do, or, in other words, good, old fashioned character development.

CGI and special effects and a bloated budget are no substitute for a strong story, compelling dilemmas (ethical, moral, political and military and otherwise), and a good cast allowed to develop their characters, and show their skill with the help of a first rate script. At the end of the day you are telling a story, and everything else should support the telling of that tale - not supplant it, or detract from it, or distract from it.

While I liked quite a few of the original Star Trek - 'City On The Edge Of Forever' is outstanding - some of the very best of the STNG episodes are better than any of the movies from any of the franchises. (And yes, including Star Wars).

In an earlier post, @ucfgrad93 mentioned "Yesterday's Enterprise" which was an outstanding episode, dark, brooding, menacing, with the cast credibly fighting a doomed and mistaken war they couldn't win.

"Chain of Command" Part 1 & 2 were superb, as were the three episodes dealing with the Borg invasion and its aftermath "The Best of Both Worlds" (part one and two) and "Families" which followed immediately afterwards and dealt with Captain Picard's distress and PTSD.

"The Measure Of A Man" was another superlative episode.

 

[D.T.]

In the "Star" franchises, my favorites are:

Star Wars: A New Hope
Star Trek: Wrath of Khan

Blade Runner gets the nod for my favorite sci-if film of all time. That being said, I'm NOT looking forward to the sequel- just because Harrison Ford can reprise a role, doesn't mean he should reprise a role (i.e. "Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull")

Star Wars: Star Wars and Empire
Star Trek: Wrath of Khan
Sci Fi: Escape from New York (my all time favorite movie).
Alien: Toss up between the first two, though I still think Aliens is the best movie Cameron ever worked on.

I'm right on with both of you, SW: 1 and 2 ... ugh ... I mean, 4 and 5, Trek: WoK, with Blade runner, EfNY and Aliens being in my top 10 for the genre.

I also recognize the really variation in SciFi, from Space Opera, to Action, Horror, Cyberpunk, "Hard", etc.

 

[Apple fanboy]

My favorite Sci-Fi film is The Last Starfighter. Loved it as a kid so much I wore out our VHS tape. I recently watched it with my kids and they both loved it as well.

I'd forgotten about that film! I remember enjoying it as a kid. Might look it up as an adult.

As for favourite I enjoy all the original trilogy.
Hard to pick a favourite.
I love Empire but always want to watch Jedi straight after.
The prequels have there good bits. But Revenge is the stand out of the three.

I also enjoyed the new one. Personally I'm glad it was filmed in a familiar style. More live action, less cgi.

As for Star Trek I only really remember Wrath of Khan as being any good of the originals.
I'm not a big Shatner fan.

 

[C DM]

As far as general science fiction movies go, I'd go with The Matrix (the first/original one), as far as the storyline/idea, as far as the actual moviemaking (which certainly pushed things to a different level at that time). It might seem kind of cliche these days, but it definitely was something in its day.

As far as "space" goes, I'm a big fan of the whole Star Trek universe, although more in the TV sense than movies or anything else. Although I'd have to say Babylon 5 and the recent version of Battlestar Galactica are also up there (although also TV).
[doublepost=1477517381][/doublepost]

My favorite Sci-Fi film is The Last Starfighter. Loved it as a kid so much I wore out our VHS tape. I recently watched it with my kids and they both loved it as well.

That was definitely a good one. I remember another somewhat similar one that I really liked as a kid and only recently became reacquainted with: "Enemy Mine".

 

[D.T.]

As far as general science fiction movies go, I'd go with The Matrix (the first/original one), as far as the storyline/idea, as far as the actual moviemaking (which certainly pushed things to a different level at that time). It might seem kind of cliche these days, but it definitely was something in its day.

As far as "space" goes, I'm a big fan of the whole Star Trek universe, although more in the TV sense than movies or anything else. Although I'd have to say Babylon 5 and the recent version of Battlestar Galactica are also up there (although also TV).
[doublepost=1477517381][/doublepost]
That was definitely a good one. I remember another somewhat similar one that I really liked as a kid and only recently became reacquainted with: "Enemy Mine".

The first Matrix is pretty fantastic, I re-watch it regularly - I recently also rewatched the trilogy, while the two sequels don't hold up nearly as well on repeat viewing (mostly because they attempted to 'splain things they couldn't possibly ... and even the incredible fight sequences get worn out ...), some of it is really good - I think there's probably a _great_ single 2-1/2 movie in an edit of 2 and 3.

I was a huge B5 fan, though on a recent rewatch it kind of fell apart for me, some of it is still amazing, it's clear there were a couple of stop/starts as the shows future was questionable later in the series - I was a big Amiga user/owner, and did some indie video work with Video Toasters, so it was fun seeing the FX shots using that platform.

I went full circle with Battlestar, loved it when it was airing, then was miffed at the ending, then later re-watched and wound up really digging on the ending (refraining from spoilery discussion)

 

[Khalanad75]

As far as general science fiction movies go, I'd go with The Matrix (the first/original one), as far as the storyline/idea, as far as the actual moviemaking (which certainly pushed things to a different level at that time). It might seem kind of cliche these days, but it definitely was something in its day.

As far as "space" goes, I'm a big fan of the whole Star Trek universe, although more in the TV sense than movies or anything else. Although I'd have to say Babylon 5 and the recent version of Battlestar Galactica are also up there (although also TV).
[doublepost=1477517381][/doublepost]
That was definitely a good one. I remember another somewhat similar one that I really liked as a kid and only recently became reacquainted with: "Enemy Mine".

Enemy Mine was another good one.

 

[mildocjr]

Any Star Trek with Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner.

Star Wars 4, 5, and 6.

The Day the Earth Stood Still.

As far as TV shows, Star Trek (original series) and Twilight Zone.

The new Star Trek (2009) was pretty amazing considering it's a reboot but not really a reboot.

 

[Huntn]

Don't have A favorite but MANY, in no particular order:

STNG series, the entire series! (TV)
Star Wars episodes 4-6
Galaxie Quest
Matrix 1 and 2
Avatar
The Abyss
Mad Max Fury Road
Alien
Aliens
Promethius
Battle Star Gallactica (tv)
Twilight Zone (tv)
Outer Limits (tv)
2001
2010
Inception
ExMachina
Interstellar
Planet of the Apes (orig)
Forbidden Planet
Invaders From Mars
The Thing From Outer Space
The Thing (John Carpenter's)
The Walking Dead (tv)
A.I.
War of the Worlds (orig and remake)
Dr. Strangelove
The Terminator
Terminator II
Transformers (1 and 2)
The Island
Ghostbusters 1
Lord of the Rings 1,2,3 (technically fantasy)
X-Men 1 & 2
X-Men Wolverine Origins
Jurrasic Park
Spiderman 1 & 2
Hellboy 1
The ones I've momentarily overlooked. 😉

 

[Mousse]

Any Star Trek with Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner.

Even The Final Frontier? IMO, that was the worst Star Trek movie--the old, the new and and the remake. "What does God need with a starship?" That was the only good part of the entire movie.😛 That and Spock's rocket boots.😉

The Day the Earth Stood Still.

The original movie or the Keanu Reeves remake? I loved the old one; not so much the remake. I don't feel the tension of imminent planetary destruction in the remake. Klaatu's final spiel/warning at the end of the original was pretty chilling.

 

[arkitect]

Never mind it being the greatest SF film, it is still my favourite film bar none.

Blade Runner

Blade Runner gets the nod for my favorite sci-if film of all time.

🙂

That being said, I'm NOT looking forward to the sequel- just because Harrison Ford can reprise a role, doesn't mean he should reprise a role (i.e. "Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull")

Definitely agree. I was hoping that the rumours would just die away, but sadly, it has come to this. The lure of big money I guess.
Heh, ho…

 

[AustinIllini]

Never mind it being the greatest SF film, it is still my favourite film bar none.

Blade Runner

🙂

Definitely agree. I was hoping that the rumours would just die away, but sadly, it has come to this. The lure of big money I guess.
Heh, ho…

This. It's Blade Runner

*chasm*

Everything else.

And I'm angry about the sequel. It almost has to ruin the mystery of the first one.

 

[ejb190]

If you want to talk hard science fiction, have you seen Moon?

There have been a lot of good stories over the years, but I want movies and TV to show me something I have never seen (or read) before. And it gets harder the older I get!

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Never mind it being the greatest SF film, it is still my favourite film bar none.

Blade Runner

🙂

Definitely agree. I was hoping that the rumours would just die away, but sadly, it has come to this. The lure of big money I guess.
Heh, ho…

Agreed, Blade Runner is where film noir meets (intelligent) scifi: What a brilliant, brooding, atmospheric, disturbing movie. Fantastic cinematography, incredible lighting, excellent script, great soundtrack, Rutger Hauer, and a wonderful, thought-provoking, compelling and disturbing story, one that lingers long after the movie itself ends.

 

[Khalanad75]

If you want to talk hard science fiction, have you seen Moon?

There have been a lot of good stories over the years, but I want movies and TV to show me something I have never seen (or read) before. And it gets harder the older I get!

Moon was fantastic. I won tickets to see it and had no clue about it all. I left just amazed and happy at being able to see such a wonderful film for free.