What's on your list of science fiction movie must haves? Mine: The Alien(s) collection. I suppose that includes Resurrection and both the AVP flicks. All Star Wars and Star Trek flicks. Akira Forbidden Planet All Hannibal movies (does horror count?) Hellboy 1 & 2 2001
A couple of Science fiction essentials: 2001: A Space Odyssey Solaris (the Tarkovsky original OFCOURSE) Alien (and Aliens, Alien3 to a lesser degree) Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan Blade Runner Planet of the Apes Gojira (the original '54) Forbidden Planet The Day The Earth Stood Still This Island Earth Serenity Westworld also maybe Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back (though I consider those fantasy in space)
Minority Report Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Terminator 2: Judgment Day X-Men 2 Fantasy: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Hero Indiana Jones I-IV The Lord of the Rings Star Wars I-VI Others I'm very glad to have which aren't essential: Frequency Galaxy Quest Serenity Spider-Man 1-2 Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country Star Trek VII: Generations X-Men The Chronicles of Riddick The Princess Bride Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
i dont wont to mention the ultra obvious, as thatll make for dull lists, but movies some may not have in their collection would be invasion of the body snatchers (the 70s remake!), westworld (im sure i heard there was a remake coming soon?), highlander (the first movie-so bad its good), and the videodrome (just plain weird)! ...come to think of it, these titles are obvious ... i need a bigger collection!
"Serenity" "Star Trek: Generations" "Pitch Black" (because I like that it's interesting [considering the plot] and it has some intelligence to it and it's not just a random monster killing film) "Groundhog Day" "Ghostbusters" "Dark City" "Willow" "Men In Black 1" "Final Destination 1" "Ghost"
Titles Not mentioned yet... Back to the Future Back to the Future, Part II Back to the Future, Part III Batman (1989) Superman Superman II The Dark Knight The Matrix As a completist, I'd include sequels, prequels and other companion pieces, but don't hold them up as classics.
Minority Report Contact Gattaca Alien & Aliens Blade Runner The Matrix Dark City The Final Countdown The Thing (Remake version) Donnie Darko (Director's Cut) Predator Total Recall The Terminator & Terminator II Children of Men Close Encounters of the Third Kind The Star Wars OT & Revenge of the Sith X-Men II Serenity Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978 version) 2001 & 2010 The Prestige The Truman Show E.T. A.I. A Clockwork Orange Star Trek 1, 2, 3, 6, & FC The Andromeda Strain Back to the Future 12 Monkeys Jurassic Park Forbidden Planet The Abyss The Iron Giant The Incredibles Titan A.E. Atlantis: The Lost Empire Pi War of the Worlds (Yeah, the Cruise version) Independence Day Jacob's Ladder The Fifth Element Superman 1 & 2 Akira Time After Time Men in Black Fahrenheit 451 The Road Warrior Ghostbusters
In no particular order: Star Wars: Episodes I - VI All ten Star Trek films Alien Aliens 2001: A Space Odyssey Blade Runner The Matrix, Reloaded and Revolutions Back to the Future Parts I, II and III The Day the Earth Stood Still (original) Total Recall Minority Report Soylent Green Close Encounters of the Third Kind Pitch Black The Terminator Terminator 2: Judgment Day Ghostbusters Serenity Predator Batman Begins, The Dark Knight Spider-Man, 2 and 3 Iron Man Videodrome Scanners Superman: The Movie and II Battle Royale Some of those fit in to the dystopian future kind of sci-fi but may not have any real sci-fi elements to them, however.
I'm a big sci-fi fan, and I do not own 100% of any poster's list thus far. Since taste is so subjective, I would call these movies "genre classics" or "worthy of consideration" rather than "must-haves." Even "must-see" would be more appropriate. Star Wars and 2001: A Space Odyssey should be seen by any serious fan of movies or sci-fi. I love the former and hate the latter, but both have been enormously influential on other movies and pop culture.
Good choices, but I am a purist, and to me science fiction, fantasy, and certainly horror are separate genres. They may overlap, sure, but it is that confusion that gives a bad name to science fiction sometimes. (To be fair, I must confess I enjoy, or consume, a lot of "horror", in spite of myself.) I just wish science fiction wasn't always considered a minor genre, or just "genre", you know? Anything "genre" is rated below non-genre in classical standards, and that's a shame. It encourages the production of blockbuster-type movies within genre rather than intelligent genre movies. And in my list, there would Soderbergh's Solaris, Screamers, Farenheit 451, (is it really science-fiction, though?) The Fifth Element, Philip Kaufman's Body Snatchers (1978) (although that pertains more to fantasy perhaps), Forbidden Planet for sure, The Star Wars movies, Terminator (the first), Soylent Green, Logan's Run, Outland perhaps... and I'm forgetting. Alien, although it creeps me out. It's a "must have seen". Pitch Black and maybe Ghosts of Mars. Oh no, I almost forgot Galaxy Quest! Close encounters of the Third Kind... Oh my God, I forgot so many great ones from that tall list up there!
The Day the Earth Stood Still (original) Star Wars I-VI ST: Wrath of Khan ST: First Contact Gojira Godzilla: King of the Monsters Mothra The War of the Worlds (1960's version) Close Encounters of the Third Kind The Blob (original) Invasion of the Body Snatchers Day of the Triffids Even though not sci-fi: Dr. Strangelove