Top 25 Sci-Fi movies/tv (1982-present)

[Darkwolf71]

Yes. Brazil is the comedy version of 1984 and Eternal Sunshine is the best bittersweet romance that Philip K. Dick didn't actually write but probably should have. Wait, what kind of films do you like? If you didn't like Children of Men it's possible that my advice ain't gonna work for you.

Heh, I was thinking the same thing. But, because you obviously feel so strongly about Children of Men, I'm gonna have to give it another go. Perhaps I missed something. (If so, I say it the fault of the marketing. As a film hailed as 'the 21st century's Blade Runner' it did not live up to the hype.)

 

[Villano]

These mainstream magazine lists are always horrible. A few years ago, I was flipping through a couple at the dentist's office and one had a top 10 anime and another was a giant monster movie list.

The anime one listed Akira, Steamboy, and Ninja Scroll (in other words, recent or well-known ones). The giant monster one was just insane. While it mentioned King Kong and Godzilla, it also included Jaws (it's a big fish, but I'd hardly call it a "giant monster") and some movie with a slightly-taller-than-the-average-man monster. It was something really bizarre like The Creature From The Black Lagoon or Frankenstein. I remember wondering if the writer was on crack.

 

[Darth K'Trava]

Babylon 5 should've been on there instead of Battlestar Galactica. IMO, B5 had much better story and was easier, MUCh easier, to jump in the middle without getting lost.....

And better story than wondering who's a cylon this week....

 

[HeavenShallBurn]

The list is absolute garbage, most of those don't even count as sci-fi

25. V: the Miniseries (1984)
24. Galaxy Quest (1999)
23. Dr. Who (1963-Present)
22. Quantum Leap (1989-1993) Might count as sci-fi but not top 25
21. Futurama (1999-2003)
20. Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003-2005) nice cartoon but SW isn't sci-fi
19. Starship Troopers (1997) sci-fi but not top 25
18. Heroes (2006-Present) not even sf
17. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) garbage though it can count as sci-fi due to themes
16. Total Recall (1990)
15. Firefly / Serenity (2002/2005)
14. Children of Men (2006) doesn't even count as sci-fi and garbage on top of it
13. The Terminator / Terminator 2 (1984 /1991)
12. Back to the Future (1985) not sci-fi
11. Lost (2004-Present) not sci-fi plus a contemptable story
10. The Thing (1982)
09. Aliens (1986)
08. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994) if any ST gets in it should be DS9 even though I'm tempted to throw it into the sci-fantasy category with SW and WH40K
07. E.T. (1982) not sci-fi and complete drivel on top of it
06. Brazil (1985) not really sci-fi and not very good either
05. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) see next generation above
04. X-Files (1993-2002) this had as much to do with the occult and supernatural as sci-fi if not more. Good but not sure it should be on THIS list
03. Blade Runner (1982)
02. Battlestar Galactica (2003-Present) it's sci-fi but if it shows up on this list at all it should be much lower
01. The Matrix (1999)

Where's are the greats of sci-fi?
B5
Red Dwarf
Gattica
Iron Giant (not great but could find a spot)
Farscape

I'm not even sure there have been enough actual sci-fi movies and series in the last twenty-five years to make for much competition in the top 25. Even though it's my favorite genre I have a hard time populating the list without dipping into the very mediocre.

 

[Mean Eyed Cat]

Since they insist on putting Futurama in the list (which wasn't very good)...

Dude, Futurama should be lower on the list. All hail Bender!

 

[Ed_Laprade]

I have the issue that featured this list in question, so allow me to make some comments on the selections:

- While they acknowledge the scope and ambition of Babylon 5, they admit it's not the easiest series to get into. What with it's overarching story and non episodic structure. Though they do regret not including it on the list.

Um, those are exactly the reasons it should be on the list! Oh, wait, that would mean the masses would have to actually think! Pardon me, my error.

 

[ssampier]

You mean aside from being the most beautifully shot film that year, the harrowing action sequences in the forest and the refugee camp, and the spot-on direction? Other than those?

I didn't care for CoM plot--much--but the cinematography gives me goose-bumps.

Goodbye Ruby Tuesday, who could hang a name on you?
When you change with ev'ry new day
Still I'm gonna miss you

Dude, Futurama should be lower on the list. All hail Bender!

Bite my shiny, metal ass.

 

[Mistwell]

The list is absolute garbage, most of those don't even count as sci-fi

25. V: the Miniseries (1984)
24. Galaxy Quest (1999)
23. Dr. Who (1963-Present)
22. Quantum Leap (1989-1993) Might count as sci-fi but not top 25
21. Futurama (1999-2003)
20. Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003-2005) nice cartoon but SW isn't sci-fi
19. Starship Troopers (1997) sci-fi but not top 25
18. Heroes (2006-Present) not even sf
17. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) garbage though it can count as sci-fi due to themes
16. Total Recall (1990)
15. Firefly / Serenity (2002/2005)
14. Children of Men (2006) doesn't even count as sci-fi and garbage on top of it
13. The Terminator / Terminator 2 (1984 /1991)
12. Back to the Future (1985) not sci-fi
11. Lost (2004-Present) not sci-fi plus a contemptable story
10. The Thing (1982)
09. Aliens (1986)
08. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994) if any ST gets in it should be DS9 even though I'm tempted to throw it into the sci-fantasy category with SW and WH40K
07. E.T. (1982) not sci-fi and complete drivel on top of it
06. Brazil (1985) not really sci-fi and not very good either
05. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) see next generation above
04. X-Files (1993-2002) this had as much to do with the occult and supernatural as sci-fi if not more. Good but not sure it should be on THIS list
03. Blade Runner (1982)
02. Battlestar Galactica (2003-Present) it's sci-fi but if it shows up on this list at all it should be much lower
01. The Matrix (1999)

Where's are the greats of sci-fi?
B5
Red Dwarf
Gattica
Iron Giant (not great but could find a spot)
Farscape

I'm not even sure there have been enough actual sci-fi movies and series in the last twenty-five years to make for much competition in the top 25. Even though it's my favorite genre I have a hard time populating the list without dipping into the very mediocre.

To me, your opinion of what is and is not sci-fi is far more strange than Entertainment Weekly's definition. Time travel not sci-fi? Star Wars not sci-fi? Aliens not sci-fi? Future settings not sci-fi?

 

[Orius]

That was posted a few days ago, and I remember thinking of it as a huge stinking pile of offal.

X-Files? Well, I suppose that would be there, but I don't think it deserves 3rd place. Maybe in the top 10 just because of it's popularity, but I always thought the show was absurd.

Star Trek. Ok, granted they probably don't want to overdo it on Trek, since there's so much of it. But it's the 800-pound gorilla here, and can't be easily ignored. At the very least, DS9 belongs on the list; it's the strongest of the modern Treks with great writing and characters, and of all the Trek series, it does more to flesh out the Trek universe.

No Stargate? The original movie was ok, if a bit forgetable, but Stargate SG-1 at 10 seasons is the one of the longest running Sci-fi series in American television. Even the mighty ST:TNG didn't last that long. Surely that's an accoplishment worth mentioning.

And no Babylon 5 is simply criminal.

 

[Mean Eyed Cat]

Bite my shiny, metal ass.

Ah, so you agree with me? Otherwise this could be offsnsive