Best Science Fiction Film of All Time

[IrishCanadian25]

2011 Zonie Awards

Nominees for Best Sci-Fi Film of All Time

Serenity

Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan

The Empite Strikes Back

Alien

Terminator 2

Blade Runner

2001: A Space Odyssey

Jurassic Park

The Fifth Element

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

War of the Worlds

E.T.

The Matrix

The Day The Earth Stood Still

Planet of the Apes


*discussion will be open until Friday, May 13th, on which date the polls will open and voting will be permitted. No spamming, no flaming.


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[Dave]

There are a lot of good movies in this field but I think there is only one epic movie that deserves to win this category and that goes to Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.

Star Wars is one of the biggest selling franchises In the entire history of film and some would argue that Empire Strikes Back is the crowning glory of one of the best movie series' that there has ever been. Being part of the Star Wars saga is hard enough, in regards to how much was and is expected of you but Empire totally smashed all of the preconceptions about Science Fiction movies and has gone down in the annals of film as being both one of the best sequels ever and one of the best movies to have ever been applied to the big screen.

I am a huge fan of the Star Wars saga and although I found it easier to watch the prequel trilogy, the original trilogy is where all of the hard work was done and the most was accomplished. One could also comment that Empire Strikes Back was the movie that really made the series take shape and everything else fell into place from then on. Personally, I think that it is a wonderfully thought out film that puts the original film, A New Hope, to shame simply because of how good it was. Not to say that A New Hope was bad, in fact it was one of the best movies I have ever seen. But Empire Strikes back just took the saga to new extremes and broke new ground. If it doesn't win here, then there is definitely something amiss because it damn well should.

In saying that, it does have some stiff competition. ET and The Matrix are the two films that immediately jump out at me. No one needs to tell anyone how good both of these movies are and I think that there is a case for both of them being strong runners here. The Matrix turned the genre on it;s head and was a huge blockbuster name. It has gone on to be one of the most talked-about movies in history and the reception it has been given in the social community has been overwhelming. Perhaps it was sullied by the sequels but that is not what we are looking at here. The Matrix will do well when the vote comes around.

Still, I have to go with Empire Strikes Back. It is everything you could ever want from a sequel and an independent movie.

 

[FSWWE]

It blows my mind, the reason that 2012: The Movie isn't nominated for that category...

But I have to go either with Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back...
This is a movie, made in the late 80's, so it is a Movie Industry Revolution, and should be everybody's pick...

It is part of the best saga of all time, Star Wars! In this movie, we cant even figure out that the technology that we see in recent movies wasn't even invented, because how good they shoot it...

The best plot, the greatest movie of a generation deserves the win in that category...

 

[Fizzy]

Gotta be The Empire Strikes Back. The movie had such an epic feel to it, and I consider it the best of the original movies. That is saying a whole lot considering how great the other two movies in the series were. The Empire Strikes Back gave us one of the best quotes of all time as well. It's a quote that everybody knows. The technology in the movie was un-paralleled in that day. Everything about the movie was awesome. There are some fucking great films up there, and I can honestly say I choose Star Wars to win it without a second thought. One of the greatest movies that has ever been made.

 

[Spidey Revivey]

I'm going with The Empire Strikes Back, and I'm not even a fan. The Star Wars Trilogy has held on as the best science fiction films to ever grace the silver screen. It has given us perhaps the greatest plot twist and it's very rare to ever have "the bad guys" come out with a victory by the end of the movie. This movie gave both, and kept from having corny moments unlike the others in the series. TESB will cement George Lucas's reputation in stone no matter what he does. And to me that's a hell of an accomplishment.

I clicked on this thread hoping that A Clockwork Orange would make the cut. Sadly not this time. Maybe next year

 

[jmt225]

Man, this is a hard one.

I've never been a fan of Science Fiction. Never have, never will. However, there are two movies nominated here that I absolutely adore, and that's Terminator 2: Judgment Day, and The Matrix. If They Live were nominated like it should have been then I really wouldn't have known what to go with, lol.

Anyways, The Matrix was a movie I saw when it first came out, and I liked it. I didn't love it, but I liked it. I never did see any of the sequels. However, about a year ago I saw all the Matrix films on sale for only $5 and decided to pick it up. A few weeks later I finally sat down and watched The Matrix, and this time around I fucking LOVED it. The sequels I thought were terrible though, but that didn't take away from the first film for me.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day is a movie I've loved since I was a child. My mom raised me to love Arnold Schwarzenegger and his movies, and T2 was easily our favorite of the bunch (though we really loved Conan The Barbarian and Red Sonja as well). I've sat through this movie more times than I can count, and it has never gotten old, and I don't ever expect it to. Also, I dig the first one, and unlike most... I actually dig parts 3 and 4 as well. So the entire Terminator franchise has a special place in my heart, but T2 is by far and away my favorite.

Man, as I typed this up... it's really not a tough choice at all, T2 all the way. I loved The Matrix, but nothing beats that nostalgia feeling T2 brings to me. I'm not sure if I would say T2 is a better movie than The Matrix, but I definitely can say I love it more, which is why it gets my vote here.

 

[JGlass]

I'm voting for the film that gave us the biggest twist in movie history, an epic lightsaber duel, the first all out space age ground war, little green men that talk funny, and frozen carbonite... Star Wars Epidose V.

It's just a great film. You have two extremely compelling stories happening simultaneously between Han Solo, Leia, Chewbacca and Luke Skywalker's training with Yoda. Eventually, the two stories reconnect as Luke attempts to save his friends in Bespin, and it is here where one of the greatest scenes in the history of film takes place as Luke battles Darth Vader and soon learns the truth about his father's identity. Can you imagine the gasps in the theater when that twist came about? We sort of take it for granted now, but this was a HUGE shock to the first time viewers of the film.

This is a great, entertaining, absolutely amazing film, and in my book it's the obvious winner.

 

[Cookie]

The choice is obvious. I'm going with 2001: A Space Odyssey. It's a game-changer and has influenced pretty much all the other films on this list. It's also considered by many to be one of the greatest films of all-time, not just within the Sci Fi genre.

It's challenging, it's an epic, it's polarizing (or at least it was when it came out) and to me, a mark of a good piece of art is something that is able to incite the most positive and negative of reactions and allow them to combat each other. I can't even imagine seeing this when it came out in 1968 and not being blown away. It's a complete experience that demands nothing (except maybe patience) from its viewer and gives so much in return- breathtaking visual effects, the real and the surreal, the iconic classical music score, the jumps in time from prehistoric to futuristic, the use of silence (which at many times is absolutely terrifying) - it's just incredible.

Over the years many people have tried to read into it far too much but I just let it remain ambiguous. Any further explanation would ruin the sense of wonder and mystery. It's meant to let your imagination fill in the gaps. It highlights the magnificence of space, technology, and the fascination with life beyond Earth all the while tapping in to the aspects of human existence. And what really makes it the greatest of all-time is that the ideas it presents are absolutely still relevant today. I only wish my first viewing of this had been on a big screen.

 

[LSN80]

So Im glad that JMT and Cookie decided to be contrary, so I don't have to be the only one. Id hate to have to defend my position here.

If we're looking at the original versions of Planet of the Apes or War of The Worlds, then they certainly belong. But the remakes were both absolute trash, with poor storyline execution and uninspiring characters. Blade Runner is absolutely an abortion of a movie that's slow as hell and more concerned with special effects then it is with any semblance of a plot. The Fifth Element was intriguing with the camera work, but the actual film left much to be desired. Serenity is a poor continuation of the science fiction TV show Firefly, as the transition from TV to cinema was poor. The characters are largely uninspiring and lack depth.

The rest of the movies here belong on the list, but the one that really sticks out as a personal preference here is The Matrix. I saw it in theatres 3 times when it first came out, and it never grew stale to me. The film of course is known for popularizing the idea of bullet time, the visual effect where the audience is able to see a scene taking place in slow motion. The film was innovative in the method of which the story unfolded, and the visuals and premise of the movie are outstanding. This is Keanu Reeves best work as Neo, and Hugo Wearing has a great turn as Agent Smith. This movie has everything: Stellar visuals, gorgeous special effects, an ingenious plot, a sympathetic protagonist, and a heartless antagonist. There are several phenomenal movies on this list, but The Matrix here is my choice.

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

Alien. I love Planet of the Apes too, but it gets edged out here by Alien. The sense of claustrophobia, the grand, twisted designs of both the set and the monster and the acting all come together to make this the greatest science fiction film. Sigourney Weaver cemented her place in history with this one and I truly believe it's superior to it's sequel. It's directed better, written better and acted better than Aliens and pretty much any other science fiction film. Alien merges the two genres of horror and sci-fi and it meshes them fantastically, taking both genres back to an early stage. Excellent film and the best sci-fi film ever.

 

[Wade's Public Transit Bomb]

Alien gets my vote of this list. I know that technology has made movie makers incredibly lazy and all, but I think Alien is one of the best movies from a production stand point too. There is never a moment watching it that you feel like "it's fake" when you are watching the Alien rip through stuff. The story is pretty damn good and it helps when you have one of the best actresses of all time in it. There are memorable moments left and right.

 

[Mac Attack]

Jurassic Park

This movie is clearly the best Sci-Fi movie out of the list because of the attention to detail that was put into the movie. They did a great job portraying the Dinosaurs and I think that this movie is a very good Sci-Fi movie. It actually gives you idea that a Jurassic Park could happen and I personally like this movie the best out of the list. The acting is actually pretty good and it was actually a very creative thing to do. Also I like Dinos quite a bit.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

As others have said, it has to be The Empire Strikes Back. Episode V is the best film in the entire Star Wars film saga. This film had everything you could ask for. There was the unlikely love story between Han Solo and Princess Leia, the action was great, we get to see the struggles Luke had to go through during his Jedi training with Yoda, and who could forget the jaw dropping shocker at the very end of this film. Vader revealing himself as Luke Skywalker's Father was truly shocking, because you really couldn't see it coming. And Lando's treachery was another great storyline in this film. The Empire Strikes Back is a thrill ride, and this is one of those films that you can watch over and over again.

I was tempted to go with Alien, but I've always felt Aliens was better. Aliens took everything to another level, and Newt was one of those characters who you really wanted to see survive. Alien is a damn fine film, but I think Aliens surpasses it by a lot.

 

[nightmare]

The case has already been made for the eventual winner- Empire Strikes Back. I recently found out my sister has never seen the film & i almost had a heart attack. Anyone who hasnt seen this movie is missing out on a very influential film in the past 50 years.


My second choice would have been Fifth Element tho. Besides introducing us all to the smoking hot Lelu , Bruce Willis was pretty bad ass. Not to mention the crazy ass ideas & the great Gary Oldman. Pretty damn good movie with an original storyline.

 

[jacdnwarrior]

Sci Fi, huh ? I have to admit I love science fiction films. It isn't the most easiest genre to work with. It can be expensive for film companies and unless its really good, it can be a huge money loser if it fails to engage an audience. But when it's done the way these films have been done, you can inspire a generation.

Here are my top five: Sorry there are a couple of ties.

5. Serenity, Blade Runner

Not the most high tech film, I've ever seen, it could use more film effects but it does have some humour in it and has a really good storyline that had me interested.
Blade Runner is really interesting to me. What it says about the human race ios extremely disturbing to me.

4. Alien/ The Fifth Element

Decent films. Alien I liked for the strong characters and the beast was frightening. The Fifth Element had Gary Oldman who was really good in it. Chris Rock could be annoying at times in it though.

3. Terminator 2

This film was a major movie in terms of the whole liquid steel villain angle. The effects was great and the story was pretty damn good. Linda Hamilton was a bloody monster in the pick

2. The Matrix

It kills me to have to choose put this film in this spot and not number one. I thought about this for a few minutes before deciding its place. The Matrix was a remarkable piece of work. While I do agree that the sequels weren't as good, I did like the second one, and found the third one to be marginal in the sense they complete the story. Also with the second one, there are some good fighting scenes in it and a highway scene that I think is arguably the best highway fight scene, I've seen. But the first one is the best and it's hard to top the first one.

The story of the Matrix is a compelling one, the idea of Kung Fu fighting with any cast other than Chinese or Asian Martial artists was a bold move, the film effects are incredible. It revolutionized the film industry and changed how films are made. When it first came out, I watched it more than five times in the movie theatres. I just couldn't get enough of it. But even though, it did all these things it just fell short of the spot and the film I picked. It is a masterpiece and a film that is clearly a film that awed a generation. But before this phenomena happened, there was another that started a long time ago in a galaxy far far away ....


1. Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

It's hard for me as a huge fan of the Star Wars franchise to actually not put it in the number one spot. I owned a stormtrooper toy, dressed up as Darth Vader for Halloween one year own the six dvds, numerous comics (from DarkHorse), and I also own a number of novels in the storyline. I think the franchise itself is really timeless as it's impacted the way films were made. It started (or seriously contributed to) the trend of blockbuster and the way films are merchandised and marketed. It contributed to the industry in ways few films have. The story was interesting, a story about a young man trying to find his way, a journey that will fulfill his and his family's destiny and save the universe. The special effects revolutionary, the characters very unique yet familiar at the same time. The series itself is testament to how great a story teller George Lucas and his production team really are. It isn't just great sci fi, it's remarkable storytelling period.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

2001, its the only one I'd classify as being purely a sci-fi film. Others I'd also say are either sci-fi horror/action/noir, etc.

 

[Smooth Sexual Chocolate]

I didn't even have to think twice about this one, the second I saw 2001: A Space Odyssey on this list that was it. Easily the best all time science fiction film, that movies has layers upon layers of mind warping thoughts. I only first saw the film three or four years ago, and it blew my fucking mind, in every literal sense of that phrase, IT BLEW MY FUCKING MIND.

In my opinion it's not only the greatest SciFy film of all time, but probably the greatest film ever made.

 

[JWGunslinger]

I have to go with Terminator 2
T2 is without a doubt the most bad ass SciFi film ever made, and Arnie's epic charecter is one that everyone is familiar whether they've seen the movie or not. The liquid metal bad guy played by Robert Patrick was brilliant and really made the movie interesting, but it's the original Terminator who makes this movie what it is.

 

[Loveless]

I really wanted to vote for Blade Runner as in my mind it's by far the best of the films nominated, both visually and in terms of story and message.
Then I looked at the results. There's no way I'm letting Star Wars (not sci-fi) or Terminator 2 (not sci-fi and an inferior sequel) win here. You can count my vote for 2001 : A Space Odysee. Kubrick over Cameron and Lucas every fucking day of the week.
Also, Inception really should have made this list.

 

[ShawnDiscipleSmith]

I'd give an honorable mention to Stargate myself, just for spawning 17 seasons of SG1, Atlantis and Universe. I'd say Star Wars or 2001 from the list

 

[Davi323]

I really wanted to vote for Empire, it is easily the best Star Wars movie, and I am a huge fan. However, I have to agree with Y2 Jake somewhat, it isn't really a pure Science Fiction movie, it is more of a fantasy movie that happens to be set in space. (I would also argue that Alien doesn't belong on the list either, as it is really a horror film, not sci-fi.)

With that said, my vote goes to 2001: A Space Odyssey. Of the films listed, it is the one that is the one that represents sci-fi in its purest form the best, and while some find it slow, for those of us with patience, it's the most intellectually engaging. One of the best films of all time.