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Doncha love lists? The Thinking Person's Top Ten Sci-Fi Movies

Posted by Harmonia (A) on January 8, 2009 at 23:47:26

From that bastion of intellectual movie criticism...Rotten Tomatoes.com

In alphabetical order:

2001: A Space Odyssey
Blade Runner
Children Of Men
Close Encounters of The Third Kind
Dark City
Gattica
Planet Of The Apes (orig)
Primer
Sleeper
Solaris (Tarkovsky)

Lists are always good for argument and discussion, although, quite honestly, several of these aren't IMO the most intellectually challenging movies. I wouldn't argue about the merits of 2001, Blade Runner, Dark City or Children Of Men, or even Gattica, as they would all (except possibly the latter) be in my own top ten. Close Encounters could possibly make my list as well, although I'm famously allergic to Spielberg. I haven't seen Primer (but I've been meaning to get around to it.)

But..Sleeper? One of Allen's funniest movies but just how thoughtful is it? Don't think I would include Planet of the Apes, it hasn't worn that well for me.

I suppose Alien isn't brainy enough? Too much of a horror movie. Is A Clockwork Orange sci-fi?

But...

How could he leave out Brazil? The Man Who Fell To Earth? Abre Los Ojos (Open Your Eyes, the foreign version, not the icky Tom Cruise remake), LaJette (too short?) or its descendent 12 Monkeys? Pi? Sunshine? Andromeda Strain? The Truman Show? You could even make a case for A Boy & His Dog and THX1138 (I won't, but someone could.) Is 28 Days Later horror and not sci-fi? I would be strongly tempted to include Code 46 too. Is Donnie Darko not as complex as...Planet Of The Apes??? Any inmates seen the recent film The Man From Earth? While Solaris is one of Tarkovsky's best known films, wouldn't The Stalker also qualify as "sci-fi"? It's certainly a masterpiece.

Apparently fifties touchstones The Day The Earth Stood Still and Forbidden Planet aren't brainy enough by late 20th century standards. (Darn that Robby the Robot.) But wouldn't 5 Million Years To Earth (AKA Quatermass & The Pit) qualify? ("What color is the sky?" - "[sob]...it's...BROWN [choke}".)

No animated or silents made the list, thus no Metropolis, no Wall-E, no The Iron Giant, no anime (name your favorite).

What movies do you think should be included on a list of sci-fi for the "thinking person"? No SW please ;-) No actioners posing as sci-fi either (Terminator).

FYI - for those of you who like sci-fi braintwisters, the well regarded Timecrimes is making the rounds this winter. The time-travel Spanish film opens today at the Music Box in Chicago. I hope to see it there.

Edits: 01/09/09 01/09/09

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