Not the remake of Andromeda Strain! I have part 1 & 2 at the house from Netflix, but I contemplated skipping part 2 and just returning them. (I loved the book in high school.) I might have missed the mention: Predator It is not top of my list, but I thought it deserved a shout out.
Okay, I know everyone here wants to be different and show more of their personal taste in Sci-fi movies. I respect that, I really do. But I don’t know how anyone doesn’t put Star Wars (A New Hope) at the top of this list. If you’re in your mid-30’s to mid-40’s, that movie literally changed your life. No hyperbole. I was 8 years old when it first came out. I think I was pretty lucky because that is just about the perfect age to be when seeing it in the theatre for the first time. From the very first time I saw it (at the Meyerland theatre in Bellaire, TX) it was permanently seared into my consciousness. I still remember sitting in my seat with my jaw dropped down to the floor the first time I heard that opening theme and saw that Star Destroyer chasing that Blockade Runner. My life would never be the same. And then watching Darth Vader emerge from behind that smoke amidst all those dead Stormtroopers and rebel fighters? And hearing him breath for the first time? Are you kidding me?? Is there a better opening sequence to a movie ever? I think not.
I remember I was about 5 years old when I first rented Star Wars (A New Hope) when we got our brand new VCR, I hated Empire Strikes Back because SPOILER Han Solo got frozen in Carbonate and Luke's hand was cut off and I was like "oh man what a weak ending" even though it is probably the most brilliant 2nd act leading up to the conclusion ever. Return of the Jedi was my favorite, I watched it like 20 times.
I'll also give a mention to The Iron Giant. Don't scoff simply because its a cartoon. Magnificent movie.
A lot of the movies listed I've liked. But I may be the only person out there who objects to some of the contributions on the basis of them being "space movies" rather than "sci-fi." If there isn't any real scientific speculation being explored it seems to me just another adventure story that happens to take place in space. As for scientific speculation I can allow a fairly broad definition to include political science ideas. That said, even though I know it's everyones favorite movie series Star Wars just doesn't make the cut for me.
On the internet movie database, Empire Strikes Back is rated #10 on the Top 250 list. On a 1 to 10 scale, the average rating is 8.8 Votes Average Males 171,214 8.9 Females 21,150 8.5 Aged under 18 4,495 9.1 Males under 18 3,795 9.1 Females under 18 696 8.5 Aged 18-29 115,590 8.9 Males Aged 18-29 103,223 9.0 Females Aged 18-29 11,806 8.7 Aged 30-44 58,954 8.9 Males Aged 30-44 52,323 8.9 Females Aged 30-44 5,937 8.6 Aged 45+ 12,894 8.0 Males Aged 45+ 10,348 8.1 Females Aged 45+ 2,403 7.3
Star Wars was revolutionary. The Empire Strikes Back is Shakespearean. I got to give it to ESB. <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/64qf6cRijYU&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/64qf6cRijYU&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
I liked Back to the Future (all-time classic), Contact, and Gattaca. There are probably a bunch more but can't think of them now.
