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Another one I really loved:

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No love here for Logan's Run?

No love here for Dark City?

No love here for Matrix?

No love here for Star Wars Christmas Specials?

No love here for Cowboys v Aliens?

No love here for Riddicks?

No love here for Total Recalls?

I adore the Logan's Run novel and elements of the original film (Carousel was a terrific inclusion and left my young mind so blown I dreaded counting my star sign and birthdate because I thought I would brought to Carousel when I was 30). Peter Ustinoff still nixes the film for me though (I still think the novel handled Ballard much better). Looking beyond his inclusion there is some great stuff, especially when Logan goes back to the Sandman HQ and proclaims "there is no Sanctuary."

Dark City was interesting and Arnie Total Recall was entertaining if not LOL at some points.

The rest, I'll politely shelve as not my thing.
 
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Arrival and Interstellar have been really great when it comes to some of the more interesting scientific theories in regards to space and time.
 
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Star Wars:
  • Episode I: total crap
  • Episode II: pretty crappy
  • Episode III: pretty decent. Haden Christiansen can't act but I loved all the saber battles and Anakin slaughtering all the Younglings was pretty sweet
  • Episode IV: really good
  • Episode V: awesome
  • Episode VI: pretty good
  • EPisode VII: awesome!!!!
Huntn made a list I'd like to comment on:
"STNG series, the entire series! (TV) agree
Star Wars episodes 4-6 agree
Galaxie Quest nope
Matrix 1 and 2 and 3 although the second oracle was crap
Avatar meh
The Abyss 1000 times YES
Mad Max Fury Road agree
Alien best of the series
Aliens meh
Promethius worst movie ever. So many holes we could market it as a new Swiss cheese
Battle Star Gallactica (tv) nope
Twilight Zone (tv). Nope
Outer Limits (tv) nope
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) 1000 times he'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. ;)
How about a shoutout to Dune?
 
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Star Wars:
  • Episode I: total crap
  • Episode II: pretty crappy
  • Episode III: pretty decent. Haden Christiansen can't act but I loved all the saber battles and Anakin slaughtering all the Younglings was pretty sweet
  • Episode IV: really good
  • Episode V: awesome
  • Episode VI: pretty good
  • EPisode VII: awesome!!!!
Huntn made a list I'd like to comment on:
"STNG series, the entire series! (TV) agree
Star Wars episodes 4-6 agree
Galaxie Quest nope
Matrix 1 and 2 and 3 although the second oracle was crap
Avatar meh
The Abyss 1000 times YES
Mad Max Fury Road agree
Alien best of the series
Aliens meh
Promethius worst movie ever. So many holes we could market it as a new Swiss cheese
Battle Star Gallactica (tv) nope
Twilight Zone (tv). Nope
Outer Limits (tv) nope
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) 1000 times he'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. ;)
How about a shoutout to Dune?
Ok, I liked it, though the book(s) (everything written by Frank Herbert that is), Loved them probably my fave after Asimov's Foundation. I pretty much agree with your SW assessments.
 
Star Wars:
  • Episode I: total crap
  • Episode II: pretty crappy
  • Episode III: pretty decent. Haden Christiansen can't act but I loved all the saber battles and Anakin slaughtering all the Younglings was pretty sweet
  • Episode IV: really good
  • Episode V: awesome
  • Episode VI: pretty good
  • EPisode VII: awesome!!!!
Huntn made a list I'd like to comment on:
"STNG series, the entire series! (TV) agree
Star Wars episodes 4-6 agree
Galaxie Quest nope
Matrix 1 and 2 and 3 although the second oracle was crap
Avatar meh
The Abyss 1000 times YES
Mad Max Fury Road agree
Alien best of the series
Aliens meh
Promethius worst movie ever. So many holes we could market it as a new Swiss cheese
Battle Star Gallactica (tv) nope
Twilight Zone (tv). Nope
Outer Limits (tv) nope
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) 1000 times he'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. ;)
How about a shoutout to Dune?

Avatar is a solid story in the first 100% CGI created world. It's incredible, but I don't insist you agree with me. :)
Prometheus- what holes? :) My biggest complaint with that movie is characters feeling it's ok to take their frick'n helmets off. The atmosphere and cinematography are stellar. The story was acceptably good, actually intriguing, such as the animosity and feelings the Engineers had towards Earth.
 
Avatar is a solid story in the first 100% CGI created world. It's incredible, but I don't insist you agree with me. :)
Prometheus- what holes? :) My biggest complaint with that movie is characters feeling it's ok to take their frick'n helmets off. The atmosphere and cinematography are stellar. The story was acceptably good, actually intriguing, such as the animosity and feelings the Engineers had towards Earth.
I think the biggest hole was how they determined that they were at an alien military base. Why would the aliens leave a star map all over places on earth to a military base so far away? It makes no sense. Why would the captain leave his post with men lost in an uncharted world to go band the blond lead? Why would David go to the trouble of infecting that one guy when he had no idea what would happen? The "bad guys" were trying to kill that one woman who used machine to remove her alien, then after removing it they act like nothing ever happened? "Oh, you're covered in blood? No biggie. Let's chat about something else".
 
I think the biggest hole was how they determined that they were at an alien military base. Why would the aliens leave a star map all over places on earth to a military base so far away? It makes no sense. Why would the captain leave his post with men lost in an uncharted world to go band the blond lead? Why would David go to the trouble of infecting that one guy when he had no idea what would happen? The "bad guys" were trying to kill that one woman who used machine to remove her alien, then after removing it they act like nothing ever happened? "Oh, you're covered in blood? No biggie. Let's chat about something else".

1. Star map- agree.
2. "Band the blond lead"- why not? They could not go out in the storm to help the guys who got lost and at that time they were unaware of dangerous critters.
3. DAVID was operating under orders to experiment. Unknown how much oversight he had.
4. "Bad guys"- not sure what the reference is. I think DAVID was the only one who knew about the alien in vitro. We don't know how much he was acting independently. Yes, they probably should of asked her (Elizabeth) what happened to her when she staggered in.
 
It took everything the first crew had to eliminate one alien. In "Aliens" the aliens were all little bitches. They died way to easily. Too much gun fire. I didn't like it.

Well, in Alien it was an unknown presence, skulking around in the dark vs. some miners, and in Aliens the Xenomorphs were up against a trained squad of colonial marines with high power weapons.

Alien = Gothic horror in space
Aliens = War /action movie in space

I love 'em both, each for very different reasons. At least we can probably agree that Aliens 3 and 4 were craptacular - though, that being said, Aliens 3 has a directors cut (the "Assembly Cut") that's _way_ better than the theatrical release. The director, David Fincher, has made some superb films (Seven, Fight Club, Social Network, Gone Girl), and has said several times with studio interference, re-writes, etc., the production was a Charlie Foxtrot.
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I consider Blade Runner (1982.) one of the best Sci-Fi movies.
And the blu-ray edition is fantastic.

One of my all time favorites across any genre, directed by Ridley Scott who of course also supplied his masterful touch on Alien (see above).

I can't recommend enough, check out The Final Cut version if you haven't - voiceovers removed, proper ending, re-shot scenes, remastered, it made a near perfect film pretty much perfect. :cool:
 
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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.
By this reasoning, books will always trump tv, which will always trump movies. In order of cost, they are much harder to make, hence it will be easier to find a good story in a book.

Having said that, I enjoy movies and I am glad there is quite a selection for "science fiction", and I quote the term because the genre seldom bases its story in science.

I have many favorites and I am surprised no one has mentioned 2001. I preferred the book, but the movie is well made for the 60s.

OK-- I just saw it was mentioned in passing on a list, but it really made me pick up the series and read also 2061 and 3001, which were not as magnificent, but equally eerie in some parts.

One recent good surprise was Arrival. For once, language takes center stage for a first contact.
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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.
Agreed, Moon was very well done.
 
A sci-fi movie that I didn't see mentioned yet, though I may have missed it, is Contact (1997). Also love the genre so that include much of what's been indicated so far, such as, STNG and Blade Runner.
 
I also can't believe anyone mentioned Robocop even in passing.

While not something I would pay to watch now, if not seen I think it should be on anyone's to watch list for the first time.

I remember watching it as a kid for the first time and the human cruelty portrayed I thought was an exaggeration... until I traveled and saw the world and... confirmed it :p

Also, it sucks that Detroit hasn't improved... sorry for any Detroit residents!

I love James Cameron's movies. He is very well polished and has very good ideas. I like how he portrays human interaction with tech and also how he portrays strong women. A highlight of Aliens is how the little girl is protected until the very end, which is very endearing.

I liked Avatar and while not as strong in story as Terminator and Aliens, the backstory and setting are superbly executed and very well researched.
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A sci-fi movie that I didn't see mentioned yet, though I may have missed it, is Contact (1997). Also love the genre so that include much of what's been indicated so far, such as, STNG and Blade Runner.
Based on Carl Sagan's book it was great to watch. Definitely a must see.
 
I also can't believe anyone mentioned Robocop even in passing.

While not something I would pay to watch now, if not seen I think it should be on anyone's to watch list for the first time.

I remember watching it as a kid for the first time and the human cruelty portrayed I thought was an exaggeration... until I traveled and saw the world and... confirmed it :p

Also, it sucks that Detroit hasn't improved... sorry for any Detroit residents!

I love James Cameron's movies. He is very well polished and has very good ideas. I like how he portrays human interaction with tech and also how he portrays strong women. A highlight of Aliens is how the little girl is protected until the very end, which is very endearing.

I liked Avatar and while not as strong in story as Terminator and Aliens, the backstory and setting are superbly executed and very well researched.
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Based on Carl Sagan's book it was great to watch. Definitely a must see.
Robocop shouldn't be even mentioned in a 'Best anything thread'! It was shocking. But the remake was almost criminally bad!
 
Robocop shouldn't be even mentioned in a 'Best anything thread'! It was shocking. But the remake was almost criminally bad!
I have not seen the re-make, but I just have too many things to do to follow remakes.

However, I believe Robocop should be seen in a dystopian / artificial intelligence / humanity analysis. It is not The Godfather, but surely worthy of mention :p

I am not a fan of remakes in general, they usually disappoint. I saw Ghostbusters 2016 and I laughed but is not as good as the original.

Since TV was mentioned and still on the topic of remakes, Westworld is a pretty good remake. Based on the book by Michael Chrichton, I am not a fan of his. I have found his stories lacking a little bit, but they seem to be popular hits: Jurassic Park, Westworld, etc. but the latest Westworld is very well made.
 
It took everything the first crew had to eliminate one alien. In "Aliens" the aliens were all little bitches. They died way to easily. Too much gun fire. I didn't like it.
This is a criticism of the film "Aliens", not "Alien". Alien came first.

Alien is a better film.
 
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