The Top 25 Sci-Fi Movies of the 21st Century | Deadline Nov 17 (REVISED, 2 days earlier!)

[The Stingray]

I was surprised to see that Never Let Me Go is listed as sci-fi on IMDb. It seems like there isn't much consistency in how they tag movies.

 

I haven't seen it, but isn't there like a huge sci-fi element to it?

[bed005]

To an extent it does, but I would say the sci-fi elements (until the twist is revealed) are secondary to the drama and relationship aspects of the film. It's just that we have found some other more blatantly sci-fi films that don't have the tag from IMDb.

[Avatree]

Working on my list at the moment. Struggling to think of 25 great modern sci-fi films (I know they don't all have to be amazing, but I don't want to be in the position of using mediocre films to fill out the 25)!

 

Also a bit unsure whether to add something like The World's End to the list, given that it's mostly a comedy with sci-fi elements as background. I know comedy and sci-fi are far from mutually exclusive but still.

[The Stingray]

Working on my list at the moment. Struggling to think of 25 great modern sci-fi films (I know they don't all have to be amazing, but I don't want to be in the position of using mediocre films to fill out the 25)!

 

Also a bit unsure whether to add something like The World's End to the list, given that it's mostly a comedy with sci-fi elements as background. I know comedy and sci-fi are far from mutually exclusive but still.

 

A Top 20 works as well.

[The Stingray]

FYC

 

[Kalel009Shel]

My top 15

 

1.  James Camerons Avatar

2. Terminator 2

 

3.Star Wars Empire Strikes Back

4. 2001

5. The Fly 1986 (Jeff Goldblum is the man!!)

6. Return of the Jedi

7. Back to the Future I

8. Jurassic Park]

9. The Matrix

10, Aliens

11. Terminator

12. The Abyss

13. Starman

14. Back to the Future II

15. Highlander

16. Transformers 

17. Robocop 1987

18. Total Recall (Ahnoldddd)

19. Planets of the Apes 2014

20. Blade Runner

[Fancyarcher]

To an extent it does, but I would say the sci-fi elements (until the twist is revealed) are secondary to the drama and relationship aspects of the film. It's just that we have found some other more blatantly sci-fi films that don't have the tag from IMDb.

 

That's IMDb for you.

Edited November 13, 2014 by Pokearcher

[Kalel009Shel]

That's IMDb for you.

hee hee. Poke and everyone what you think of my top sci-fis off my head?

[Fancyarcher]

I'm still working on my life, but...

 

Pretty good choices. A lot of classics. Your first two picks are not surprising, though I'm surprised that The Abyss is #12.

 

Still overall it's a fine list of mostly classic sci-fi films.

Edited November 13, 2014 by Pokearcher

[Kalel009Shel]

I'm still working on my life, but...

 

Pretty good choices. A lot of classics. Your first two picks are not surprising, though I'm surprised that The Abyss is #12.

 

Still overall it's a fine list of mostly classic sci-fi films.

Heh heh well they are not in particular order. Abyss and Jurassic Park should really be in my top 10.  I was shocked the Fly popped in my head, but Cronenberg is one hell of a director and the casting of Jeff as brundle seth is just jaw droppingly good. I think Jeff was robbed in not securing an Oscar for that role. The movie is wonderful

[Fancyarcher]

Heh heh well they are not in particular order. Abyss and Jurassic Park should really be in my top 10.  I was shocked the Fly popped in my head, but Cronenberg is one hell of a director and the casting of Jeff as brundle seth is just jaw droppingly good. I think Jeff was robbed in not securing an Oscar for that role. The movie is wonderful

 

If I made my list, The Fly would likely be in my top 20, which I'm still sorting out.

Edited November 13, 2014 by Pokearcher

[The Stingray]

Guys, read the title. We're doing best of the 21st century, not best of all time.

[Kalel009Shel]

Gnite my friends. Gnight Poke, Ash, Tele, Sting and all other cool friends and blessings to all.

 

---Going to catch some zzzs... Washing and dammit clothes taking too long to dry lol..

[Spidey Freak]

Never Let Me Go is definitely sci-fi. 

[Spidey Freak]

Which is completely without basis, given the 987236 copies of Jackman by the end of the film. Hell, Jackman sees a copy of himself made in front of his very own eyes. The only question is whether it is the copy or the original who gets transported.

 

The Tesla con theory:

 

In this theory, Borden never met Tesla (or only sought a pretty device to dress up his act) but sends the gullible Angier on a wild-goose chase to America. The money-strapped Tesla sees how gullible Angier is and decides to con him out of some money. Tesla and Alley string Angier along, taking his money and showing him a light show with the Tesla coil, until Angier starts to suspect and then they use the cat to lead Angier to the field. The hats and the cat in the field are placed there by either Tesla or Alley to try and convince Angier (after he is led there) that the machine duplicated. When Tesla believes that he has milked all the money he can out of Angier, he gives him the machine.

Angier, discovering the con, knows that he can not go to court as he would look like a fool. Tesla could claim all the money went for the "light show" and that Angier must be very confused to believe he was going to make a real teleporter instead of a faux-teleporter. Angier, realizing he was conned, decides to convince Borden of the same con, believing that, if he could convince Borden the trick was not an illusion but "real magic," it would prove that Angier was the better illusionist. He works up a better trick, using the device and presumably a double. He plans the trick and also has dummies in tanks created, hoping that the curious Borden would follow the tanks to the warehouse and see the "corpses on display," and suspect duplication.

In addition, he plans a secondary trick for Borden, in case he goes backstage. If Borden investigates during the act, Angier plans on killing the double, believing that Borden would be found guilty even if the jury only believed it was accidental, caused by sabotage. It did not even matter to him if the dead body was identified as him or a double. Cutter misidentifies the dead body, so Angier decides to remain "hidden" and moves into his real life as Lord Caldlow. When Borden is in jail, Angier again tries to convince Borden of the "duplication," by providing a journal which suggests how Tesla created a duplicating machine and not a teleporter. Borden is never convinced, though realizes how he was conned and is hanged.

Borden's twin (who were both taking turns as "Borden" and "Fallon") goes to the warehouse and shoots Angier. Angier finally realizes the simplicity of Borden's trick. Angier considers continuing with his plan to convince Borden of the duplication (thinking about telling him a story of shooting a duplicate) but realizes he is dying and has lost, so tells Borden how his goal was always to make the audience believe in the magic and try and forget that it was only an illusion.

 

Personally I prefer this as it is more fitting to the movie themes of illusions and misdirection.

Edited November 13, 2014 by Spidey Freak

[4815162342]

If The Prestige was an original movie, that theory could be plausible.

 

But it's based on a novel, and nothing explicit or implicit in the movie really diverges from the novel's setup of the Transported Man other than making it ambiguous whether Angier is transported or dropped.

 

 

 

Plus the theory you posted would entirely cripple and render moot Angier's fatalism and grief, which is a big motivation for his water tank beneath the stage, as it's his hope that he is the one who gets dropped every time so he can experience what his wife did.

Edited November 13, 2014 by 4815162342

[Avatree]

1. Moon

2. Rise of the Planet of the Apes

3. Super 8

4. Under the Skin

5. Avatar

6. Revenge of the Sith

7. Vanilla Sky

8. Star Trek

9. Her

10. Chronicle

11. Looper

12. Cloverfield

13. Source Code

14. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

15. K-PAX

16. Inception

17. Dredd

18. War of the Worlds

19. Paul

20. Star Trek Into Darkness

21. Pacific Rim

22. Perfect Sense

23. Attack of the Clones

24. The World's End

25. Transformers

 

 

Note that these are judged based on what they were designed to achieve. I don't think that Avatar is a more thoughtful film than Her, for instance.

[The Stingray]

3 days left!

[Ethan Hunt]

I guess I should finish my list

[Ethan Hunt]

1. Transformers

2. Transformers: Dark of the Moon

3. Source Code

4. I am Legend

5. Push

6. Rise of the Planet of the Apes

7. Catching Fire

8. Inception

9. Avatar

10. Pacific Rim

11. Wall-e

12. Star Trek 09

13. Oblivion

14. The Day the Earth stood Still

15.2012

Are you accepting 15 movie lists?