Just looking for some recommendations because I’m in a sci fi mood. And btw, my favorite sci fi film is Planet of the Apes (original).

    • StillPaisleyCat@startrek.website
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      1 year ago

      Watching the original Alien in a theatre with a group of friends, almost none of whom had any idea what was coming, is one of those indelible experiences of my youth.

      So is lining up to see the original Star Wars (The Last Hope) after having been impressed by the trailer that was shown before ‘Robin and Marion’ the previous November. I never would have imagined after seeing it that the franchise would eventually evolve to be dystopian.

      One great 70s science fiction movie that I only got to see later on television was Silent Running. It deserves more attention.

    • Tigbitties@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      This is my pick. I wish the rest of the movies had the same feel. The set design was the best and told it’s own story. Aliens was a disappointment for me. I wanted them to explore the lore more.

  • Stamets@startrek.website
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    1 year ago

    Oh fuck. Hard question. I’m gonna answer with a couple because I can’t really rank them. That being said, they’re all in my top 10. Special shoutout to the last one.

    • Event Horizon: Just a good ol’ science fiction horror movie. I buy into the fan theory that it actually takes place in the early years of Warhammer 40k Universe.

    • Galaxy Quest: This is almost cheating. It’s not Star Trek but it has been called ‘The Best Star Trek movie’ so take that as you will.

    • Rocky Horror Picture Show: Could technically be classified as a science fiction movie. Just saying.

    • Moon: Sam Rockwell is a fantastic actor. Kevin Spacey is in it as a voice only role so that does ding the movie but it’s well worth it. I didn’t even recognize it was Kevin first time watching it. Performance from Sam Rockwell is incredible.

    • Hitchhikers Guide (2005): It gets a bad wrap because it’s not the greatest adaptation but it’s still a fun movie nonetheless.

    • Sunshine: Highly recommend not watching any trailers going into the movie and just enjoying the ride. If you don’t consider anything else on this list, consider this movie. Exceptionally well done. Stars Chris Evans, Cillian Murphy and even got good ol’ Michelle Yeoh in a considerably less evil role than Mirror Georgiou. The only thing you need to know about the movie is that its set not that far in the future. The Sun is dying and there’s a plan to restart the sun by flying a nuke into it the size of manhattan. Not a word of a lie, that is literally the plan. Don’t look up anything about the movie, just enjoy it. Trust me.

    • startrekexplained@startrek.websiteOP
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      1 year ago

      Event Horizon is legit one of the coolest movies I’ve ever seen. Galaxy Quest is one of the best Trek films ever ;)

      Haven’t seen the rest, and didn’t know Rocky Horror was sci fi, now i really gotta see it to see what all the fuss is about.

      • Stamets@startrek.website
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        1 year ago

        Don’t sleep on Sunshine!

        Also yeah Rocky Horror has a strange storyline so it could technically be classified as a sci-fi. It’s… odd. I love it. Best seen with strangers in a theater during Halloween though. There might be a showing near you. There’s usually at least one going on for it. Encouraged to throw shit at the screen and yell at the cast. It’s fantastic. Also tell me this song isn’t a fucking banger. Imagine the whole theater singing along to that. It’s a trip and I highly recommend trying to see it that way for your first time. If you tell anyone at one of those viewings you’re a RHPS Virgin you’ll get treated really well and they’ll be gung ho to get you in on the fun.

  • palitu@aussie.zone
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    1 year ago

    I do love the fifth element. Absolite classic, with what seems like ageless cinematography

  • jet@hackertalks.com
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    1 year ago

    Tv show:

    red dwarf

    Serial Experiments of Lain

    Movies:

    Ghost In the Shell

    Short Video:

    Please Hold

    • Bleeping Lobster@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Only a complete and utter smeghead would put Red Dwarf on a favourite scifi list. What are you, some kind of soup dispenser machine technician, second class?

    • Jaxia@toast.ooo
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      1 year ago

      Don’t forget Farscape and Babylon 5. Those two series are my favorite non-Star Trek sci-fi series.

        • StillPaisleyCat@startrek.website
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          Never could get into SG, and I really gave it a try.

          Farscape didn’t manage to captivate me in its first half season in the 90s which was too bad. I binged it with one of our household a few years back and love it now. It definitely suffered a post-TOS-like roughish Star Trek start to find its own voice and style.

          B5’s first season was made awful by the declining health of its lead that led to an interminable performance. I gave the second season a try, despite my concerns that Boxleitner would give too much of an All-American hero performance. He was great in the role and I became a solid B5 fan to the end.

          Two 1970s shows that are worthy of a watch, even if mostly only available on physical media, are Space 1999 and The Starlost. Both were significantly serialized in an era of episodic television, and both suffered bumpy starts and early cancellation. They still are far ahead of their time and the norms of 70s television.

          • startrekexplained@startrek.websiteOP
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            1 year ago

            I can see not getting into B5 or Farscape, as they’re kinda cheesy, but SG1 was basically just Star Trek without ships, it was the other major sci fi franchise I grew up with

            • StillPaisleyCat@startrek.website
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              As someone who watched TOS as a kid, SG didn’t feel like Star Trek without ships, but other friends and family feel otherwise. I was predisposed to like it as a MacGyver fan, but it never took.

              The cheesiness and pure lunacy of Farscape was actually a plus once I got past the early episodes. Bab5 started with a very austere pilot that was the opposite of cheesy, and that I liked. The first season was all over the place, but like 90s Trek show it did better once it found its groove.

              • startrekexplained@startrek.websiteOP
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                1 year ago

                B5 is aesthetically very cheesy, like the Centauri make me laugh whenever I see them. It’s why I ignored B5 totally as a kid in the 90s, I only watched it recently on Blu-Ray. Once you look past that, it’s actually a very good show.

                SG-1 feels like TNG/DS9/VOY to me, which isn’t a surprise to me because the creators were directly inspired by TNG. Not as good as TNG, but close enough.

  • Nmyownworld@startrek.website
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    1 year ago

    I don’t have a favorite, but many favorite science fiction films. Here are a few of them:

    The Andromeda Strain (1971)

    Dark City (1998)

    Thing From Another World (1951)

    • startrekexplained@startrek.websiteOP
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      1 year ago

      Never seen the original The Thing, should one day because its remake is like my favorite sci fi/horror film.

      Gotta see the other two too. Thanks for reminding me

      • Nmyownworld@startrek.website
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        1 year ago

        The Thing (1982) is another favorite film of mine. It’s a lot more faithful to John W. Campbell’s novella, “Who Goes There?” than the 1951 film, but I enjoy both takes.

  • ShranTheWaterPoloFan@startrek.website
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    1 year ago

    Coherence - a great small film.

    Gattaca - fun sci-fi film that feels ignored

    Moon - fantastic performance from Sam Rockwell

    Primer - confusing but the best time travel movie ever

    Dark City - I love this movie. It has problems, but it’s such a cool ride

    Existenz - very matrix like but unique and surprisingly good

    The institute - not sci-fi per say but a really cool documentary

  • EssentialCoffee@midwest.social
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    1 year ago

    It’s impossible to name just one, so here’s a couple.

    Metropolis

    Equilibrium

    Jurassic Park

    Galaxy Quest

    Robo Cop

    Face/Off (This one might be stretching a little, but it’s not possible without the sci-fi aspect, so I’m counting it).

  • Windows_Error_Noises@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    All of my favorites have been mentioned already (Yay!) but I want to mention The Signal - it surprised us with how much we enjoyed it, and it’s one we revisit from time to time. I don’t know if there’s much lore developed around it by now, but it’s a nice imagination prompt!

    Ooh, and Pandorum. Another comfort spooky

    Personal favorite is David Lynch’s Dune. All the good, all the bad, all the ridiculous production problems. I won’t go on, though, I’ll be here proselytizing all day on Herbert, Lynch, Dune, and making sure you always get final cut for filmmaking, or nothing (ya know, everyday problems).

  • Zabby [he/him]@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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    1 year ago

    Oh that’s definitely a hard question. My answer might vary a lot depending on whether I’m in a spooky atmospheric mood, an adventurous mood, or a deep thoughtful mood. Right now, I think my answer is going to be Arrival (2016). It touches on the fun topic of intelligent life landing on earth and trying to communicate with us.

  • Especially_the_lies@startrek.website
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    1 year ago

    Back to the Future (the whole trilogy)

    Alien (the first two, anyway)

    Ghostbusters I & II (I know it’s a comedy with horror elements, but the proton packs are definitely sci-fi, and so is the whole city of NY coming together in harmony during the 2nd movie)

    The Matrix (just the first one)

  • kamenLady@startrek.website
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    1 year ago

    Under the Skin - with Scarlett Johansson. There’s almost no dialogue. No exposition about anything, or names - just the short lifespan of an alien. Disguised as a woman, they’re part of what seems to be a hidden alien colony living amongst humans.

    The soundtrack is haunting, hypnotizing and beautiful.

    It’s also slow and sad.