Top+10+Sci-Fi+Films

 his list is taken from Total Sci-fi online ( []) They compiled a list of the Greatest 100 Sci-fi films of all time. We have only included the top 10 here for your discussion, but please feel free to check out the list at []

Key areas for discussion (discuss on discussion tab at the top of the page): -
 * Which of these films have you seen?
 * What do you think of these films?
 * Which films would make it into your top 10 sci-fi films?

**1)** ** [|Blade Runner] ** **(1982)** ﻿  Like many of the movies on this list, Blade Runner was not a critical or commercial success on its initial release. Some critics at the time simply dismissed it as style over substance. Yet, along with its unforgettable depiction of a neon-lit LA that is essentially a mash-up of Western and Eastern cultures, Ridley Scott’s film is backed up by a real sense of sadness, fear and longing, and an often overlooked dry humour. As Deckard, Harrison Ford proved he could pull off a much darker hero than Han Solo, and Rutger Hauer gave the performance of his career as the psychotic, feral and ultimately tragic Roy Batty. A masterpiece. **2) 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)**  Stanley Kubrick’s grand, mind-bending trip into the unknown is science fiction of grand ideas. At times the film is as enigmatic as the universe itself, and Kubrick works in everything from human evolution to the perils of technology, and unlike many later spectacle-driven genre films, there is a real depth behind the groundbreaking special effects. Complex, strangely unsettling and magnificent.   **3) Star Wars (1977)** Iconic, spectacular, groundbreaking, epic in both scope and ambition - if you haven’t seen Star Wars then, well, you’re probably not interested in reading a list about SF movies. While it might not convey the big science fiction ideas of other movies on this list, Star Wars works because it is pure, escapist fun and because it successfully builds a believable, cohesive galaxy that we are still exploring to this day. <span style="color: #5a372b; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">**4) Alien (1979)**  <span style="color: #5a372b; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">On paper the plot sounds simple stuff: the crew of a spaceship are stalked by a relentless monster. Yet this is anything but a simple movie. It’s been much analysed by theorists for its portrayal of femininity (both in the strong heroine of Ripley and the film’s sexual imagery), while all of the crew members are complex and believable creations. And, of course, it’s incredibly frightening: the unveiling of Ash’s true identity is almost as scary as the xenomorph itself.   <span style="color: #5a372b; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">**5)** ** [|Metropolis] ** **(1927)** <span style="color: #5a372b; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Over 80 years since it was originally released, Metropolis retains its power to awe. Fritz Lang creates a dazzling (and much-aped) vision of an industrial dystopia, but after its 1927 premiere the film only existed in a heavily edited version until it enjoyed a full reconstruction in 2002. <span style="color: #5a372b; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">**6)** ** [|The Day the Earth Stood Still] ** **(1951)**  <span style="color: #5a372b; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">The definitive 1950s SF flick holds an obvious warning about the increasing brinkmanship between the USA and USSR, but the story of alien fugitive Klaatu actually unfolds in a calm and surprisingly realistic manner. The special effects, including the flying saucer and robot companion Gort, are a lot more convincing than in the 2008 CG-heavy remake.   <span style="color: #5a372b; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">**7) The Terminator (1984)** <span style="color: #5a372b; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">James Cameron works wonders on a minuscule budget in this tense and incredibly efficient thriller. The tantalising glimpses of the future war are more frightening than those seen in the recent big budget Terminator: Salvation, and Brad Fiedel provides one of the most memorable movie theme tunes of all time. And though he may not have troubled the Oscars, Schwarzenegger’s lack of emotional range is perfectly suited to the relentless killing machine. <span style="color: #5a372b; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">**8)** ** [|Planet of the Apes] ** **(1968)**  <span style="color: #5a372b; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">A dramatic crash landing and a shrieking shrivelled corpse signal the start of this intelligent allegory, made at the height of the cold war. Its ending is one of the most iconic moments in cinema, bringing to a close the first chapter of the first major science fiction franchise.   <span style="color: #5a372b; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">**9) E.T. (1982)** <span style="color: #5a372b; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">E.T. is warm-hearted without descending into mawkishness. In part this is down to natural performances from Henry Thomas and Drew Barrymore as the children who treat their alien visitor with respect and kindness – in contrast to most of the adults in the picture. In fact E.T. becomes kind of frightening in the second half with the doctors flocking around the little fellow and suits waving guns around (or rather less threatening walkie-talkies if you’re watching Spielberg’s revised version). <span style="color: #5a372b; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">**10) Solaris (1972)**  <span style="color: #5a372b; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Andrei Tarkovsky’s existential SF drama is often described as the Russian 2001 – but it’s much more than that. It’s a hypnotic, minimalist masterpiece, though these days it has as many detractors as fans. Steven Soderbergh directed a surprisingly successful remake in 2002.