Top 10 Sci-Fi Movies +1

#11 Battlestar Galactica (1978)

Battlestar Galactica was the first kid-friendly sci-fi disaster movie about the potential end of humanity. It was dark. Nuclear holocaust dark. And somehow it was also fun. It’s an episodic space faring road trip with adventures ranging from goofy to thought provoking. The show is iconic because it’s a made-for-movies TV show. It’s big. Cinematic special effects. Orchestral score. The stories may be for kids, but the actors and the directors took it seriously. It’s the triumph of the human spirit against the backdrop of good versus evil. Selfless heroes. Evil villains. And stories to make you cheer.

#10 Planet of the Apes (1968)

Planet of the Apes is a surreal experience. For one, Charleton Heston. Two, the film is allegory from top to bottom. It attempts to encompass all of human nature and history into one story. The inciting incident is actually the surprise twist at the end. The beginning of the movie is where we end up as humanity. You have religious apes, philosophical apes, judges, orators, scientists, military leaders and pacifists. So many scenes in this movie bring up the same question about a different topic, “Why are humans like that?” The ending is not happy. There’s no easy answer. But we are left with an imperative: Learn to get along, or destruction is inevitable.¹The original and the 2011 remake are both good movies, but for different reasons. The original is satire on the nature of man. The remake is more of an action movie about the unpredictable nature and dangers of discovery. I liked the remake. It’s a good story and well done, but it’s not really about the human condition outside of how we treat animals. Tim Burton’s version is well done because Burton is a great director. Somehow the story gets lost in its melodrama.

#9 Matrix (1999)

The Matrix is a classic sci-fi film tackling a classic subject: What does it mean to be human? In the movie, the machines provided a perfect world, a simulation, the humans could live in through virtual reality. In reality, they’re batteries for the machine. The humans rejected it and many died off. Why? Because humans need to struggle to thrive. When the simulation was changed to allow for struggle some humans figured out it was a simulation and didn’t like being slaves to the machine. The movie centers around being free to get back to the real world. Neo becomes a type and shadow of Jesus Christ because through his death and resurrection he brings salvation, freedom, to the people. This is good sci-fi because it reminds us to be more human and to be human is to struggle and be free. The more we depend on machines, the more we lose our humanity²Movies I like on this topic; Terminator, Terminator II, Terminator Salvation, but not the Matrix sequels. All three of the Matrix sequels are awful..

#8 Logan’s Run

Logan’s Run is terrifying. At least, it is today in 2023 because so much of it is becoming reality. Logan’s Run is one of those prophetic warnings about losing our humanity in an effort to achieve utopia. Without much work to do the people live hedonistic lifestyles. They think they’re free, but in reality, they are slaves living in a hermetically sealed bubble completely controlled by the government. They are blinded by hedonism and don’t realize no one lives past 30. In fact, the government ensures it. Those who try to run are killed and disintegrated. When Logan and Jessica do escape, they find people living free, happy in a world where work and risk make life worth living.

#7 The Iron Giant

Iron Giant is a fascinating movie. Released in 1999, it’s an homage to all the best elements of classic sci-fi from the 50’s and 60’s with some 70’s and 80’s culture thrown in to round it out. The robot alien from space is found by a young boy who keeps it as a pet and teaches it to be more human while the United States government is on a seek and destroy mission because it’s probably a secret weapon devised by the commies. It’s all there; melodrama, comedy, and a few life lessons. We learn about seeing the best in people and encouraging others to be their best. When the Giant makes the decision to be Superman instead of “a gun” it’s reminiscent of the Bible passage, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:21)”

#6 Signs (2002)

It’s not about aliens, but Signs is still a classic sci-fi movie from a smaller perspective. It’s an homage to the Twilight Zone³The Twilight Zone: To Serve Man is probably one of the greatest single television episodes ever produced. Find it. Watch it. and V⁴A cultural phenomenon at first, the V miniseries was an event. It exploded the Twilight Zone episode “To Serve Man” into a 3-hour movie. It was absolutely ground breaking for television sci-fi. And then they ruined it with a lackluster sequel mini-series and a truly awful regular series. And then there was the remake and the only thing good about that was Elizabeth Mitchell., but this time we’re tightly focused on a single family in rural Pennsylvania. But it’s not about the aliens. The invasion forces them to ask the questions; is there anyone watching out for us, or are we in this alone? The subtext of that question; Is there a god? Is there meaning to our existence? The story handles these questions masterfully with hope, anger, doubt, and unshakable faith. The story progresses quietly and the questions pile up until all is revealed at decision time. The movie answers the questions for us, but not really. You could still find room for doubt, but it’s not about forcing you to believe either. Faith in God is restored for the characters. The question remains for us; Do you see the signs?

#5 E.T. The extra-terrestrial (1982)

ET was a cultural phenomenon. Not unlike Star Wars. This movie is a thematic follow up to Close Encounters⁵At some point in the development of E.T., Spielberg considered making it a sequel to Close Encounters of the Third Kind. He changed his mind, E.T. still feels as if it belongs in the same “cinematic universe.”. In fact, it’s Close Encounters from a kid’s view. It’s a simple story, but touches on so many themes: aliens, government overreach, scientific blind spots, divorce, family, friendship, brotherhood and love. It pulls you in and makes you part of the story. Throughout the movie you’re laughing, crying, on the edge of your seat, cheering for joy, and when E.T. finally gets to go home you’re happy for him, but miss him.

The true reversal of this story is not only is the alien friendly, but there’s no army shooting at it. The scientists are overzealous in their need-to-know, but they are not unwilling to listen. The siblings fight, but they take care of each other. Just like Signs, it’s not about the alien. It’s about us.

#4 Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn (1982)

As Star Wars was coming to an end, Star Trek was just finding its cinematic footing. The characters were back to form, but they had also grown. Kirk was dealing with middle age. Spock showed us how to be selfless and more human. McCoy was the friendly foil for both. The reveal of Khan as a nostalgic throwback sequel to a TV show was truly a first, if not THE first of its kind. As much as this was an adventure with space battles and phasers, it was also good science fiction asking those cosmic questions. Is it easier to destroy than create? Is how we handle death as important as how we handle life? Do the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one? It’s the intersection of intelligence and experience, logic and emotion, adventure and dialogue that make this story one that lasts.

Fun fact: There was a trailer for “Revenge of the Jedi” at the screening I attended.

#3 Return of the Jedi (1983)

In Jedi, we take a step back to where the story started, so we can take a final step forward. Our heroes have changed, but our villains haven’t. We finally meet Jabba the Hutt and the Emperor. We have a new and bigger Death Star, but it’s not the focal point like the original. They must destroy the Death Star, but Emperor Palpatine is the real enemy. It’s a classic good versus evil showdown. The evil Emperor is toying not just with Luke, but also Vader. We understand Vader is a pawn, but if he defeats Luke, it’s all over for the galaxy. This isn’t the action-packed conclusion of the first movie, or the twist ending of the second. This is heart wrenching as father attacks son and son attacks father. But when Vader turns on the Emperor it is a glorious redemption and my 12-year-old self couldn’t stop smiling.

The worst part is that it was over. Luke is just now a Jedi and the adventure is over? What happens next is left to my imagination. And that’s why I love these movies.

#2 The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

“Empire” is possibly the greatest sequel of all time. The opening scenes remind us there is a war going on. Luke’s training shows us how physically and emotionally demanding it is to be a Jedi. A Jedi is born with power, but they need to learn discipline through training. Otherwise, power leads to corruption. The end of the movie is a straight up shock to the system. The final battle itself breaks down into three parts. Vader is testing Luke to see if he’s really a threat. Vader fights Luke as an equal. Finally, in an all-out rage Vader attacks Luke, cutting off his hand and slicing through everything he holds to be true with the revelation he is Luke’s father. The movie ends with so many questions and we demand answers.

#1 Star Wars (1977)

I was six when Star Wars was released. It might be the first movie I ever saw. This movie imprinted on me because my love for it goes beyond the film, story and characters. This movie is what the themes present: archetypal. It is the default representation of Good versus Evil in space. It’s raw (it was originally) and each character, while not fully formed, represented an archetype. Luke is the hero. Han the anti-hero. Leia the revolutionary. Darth Vader is evil. The stakes are the galaxy, but we only caught a glimpse of that galaxy leaving the rest to imagination. You could imagine yourself a Jedi, a smuggler, a freedom fighter, or even a moisture farmer. The story challenges us to think outside ourselves, challenge evil, and do good.