I would definitely put 2002's Equilibrium on that list. Great Sci-fi Flick :)

Also, to be clear:

This post is focusing on science fiction, not fantasy. We'll probably do fantasy at some other point, especially since I think the AFI list for the top ten fantasy is a mess. But for now, stick to science fiction (i.e., don't nominate The Lord of the Rings or other films with elves, dwarves, demons, etc.).

2006's The Prestige. It has a brilliant cast, brilliant script, brilliant director, and is based on a modern classic by one of the best SF writers in the business. In fact, it's everything that most SF films aren't.

I'd also nominate 2007's Sunshine, although it has its detractors and maybe could have done with a stronger ending. Again, a fantastic cast, a great production design, and a bit more brains than your average blockbuster. I don't think anyone could have done a better job of portraying the terrifying size and power of the sun than director Danny Boyle.

Two spring to mind:

Gattaca, of course. A little too slow-moving for folks who associate "sci-fi" with action, but a great story with fascinating implications.

The Fifth Element. Style over substance, but the Matrix has that problem, too. Just a blast of a movie, and one that gets better with each viewing.

Also, I'm afraid I've got to vote against Mconley's choice of Equilbrium, which I found painfully awful, with one cool concept (the gun kata idea) mired in an awful plot with terrible direction, dialogue, and acting.

I assume we're going more for technically sound and influential films in the genre, rather than those we personally enjoy the most? Well good thing the following list fulfills both (at least for me):

1) Gattaca

2) The Fifth Element

3) Pitch Black

4) Appleseed

5) Minority Report

Honorable mentions include: Stargate; A.I.; The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy; Independence Day; I, Robot.

I obviously need to take my nose out of a book now and then. I haven't seen any of the 5 movies you listed - or any that the previous commenters mentioned, either.

Also, in the Spotless Mind paragraph, you said "an usual combination" - did you mean 'an UNusual combination'?

Children of Men - tops my list. Camera work that blew my mind, and a terrific performance by Michael Caine.

Hitchhiker's guide on the list for great fun and a theme song worthy of a sing-a-long!

+1 for The Fifth Element. It does a good job of mixing good story and fantastic visuals.

I also don't think you can find 10 "good" sci-fi movies that have been made after 1991. I'd argue you only need a top 5 list.

Oh yes, another vote for The Fifth Element. May not be a good film as such, but a very entertaining movie. Also, the visuals! I mean, what was that thing on Gary Oldman's head?

Throwing in some for consideration that haven't been mentioned yet...

28 days later (if zombie movies count)
X-men 1 and/or 2
Contact
Jurassic Park
Star Trek 8 (first contact)
The Truman Show
Men in Black
A.I. (very flawed, but also very interesting...)

Agree that Gattaca definitely deserves a spot. Along with Eternal Sushine and the Matrix, you have 3 that -have- to be in the top five IMO. Which leaves 2 slots to argue about...

I'd probably go ahead and put 12 Monkeys in, which leaves...I dunno...Jurassic Park. Done.

DIS-honorable mention: Star Wars 2 - Attack of the Clones, Matrix 2 and 3, Wild Wild West.

(I know it's not a popular choice, but I also have to put in for Independence Day for an honorable mention, my favorite guilty pleasure sf movie of the last 20 years...)

Donnie Darko must make the list. It might have remained on the edge as a weird pretentious philosophical conundrum of a movie if not for Jake Gyllenhaal's amazingly sympathetic psychotic smile and his character's deadpan naive acceptance that his life was majorly strange that week.

On the other hand, there's Serenity, which is a 2-hour roller-coaster ride of a love note to a great TV show and is jam-packed with shiny special effects. But I'm not sure how much of my vote for that is based on sentimentality over loving the show and Joss Whedon's whole body of work.

I will also put a word in for The Fifth Element. Awesomely fun movie with some slick visuals, a hot AND adorable leading lady ("Multipass!"), and a beautiful alien aria right in the middle of it all.

1) The Fifth Element
2) Minority Report
3) Donnie Darko
4) Iron Man
5) Stargate

Also: definite agreement on the inclusion of Akira and Ghost in the Shell.

Commenting specifically on The Fifth Element:

I love Bruce Willis movies where he gets all messed up but continues to fight, shoot, blow things up, etc.

I'm also a big Milla fan. Hot momma. Plus she knows crazy intergalactic karate. "Bigbaddaboom?"

I really like your choices......A solid 5 films. I went back and forth on movies and finally settled for films I could watch and re watch with the exception of one but it was so cool I had to list the film.

The Matrix
Changed movies. Blew my mind. Can watch it over and over.

The Chronicles of Riddick
I like the pacing and the visuals.

The Fifth Element
Funny, Action, Hot chick, Good Script, Seen it over 10 times.

Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind
Original. Well acted and filmed. Left me still thinking about it long after I watched.

Being John Malkovich
Funny. Trippy. Original. Seen it a few times.

Add another vote for Gattaca, one of the most thought-provoking SF films ever.

X2: X-Men United - The opening sequence in which Nightcrawler breaks into the White House is one of the best action sequences ever. There are a number of other great action scenes (e.g., Magneto's escape, Wolverine protecting the mansion, Wolverine vs. Deathstrike). The slow subversion of Pyro's character is how the conversion from Anakin Skywalker to Darth Vader should have been handled.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Serenity yet.

@ Eric James Stone.

Someone has. Scroll up.

I'd lose my Browncoat membership card if I didn't mention Serenity. It managed to be good for Firefly fans and newbies alike and the final fight scenes never gets old.

Two others I'd include are Men in Black and Galaxy Quest. Tommy Lee Jones was excellent as Agent K ("A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it."). Galaxy Quest has so much fun sending up Trek, Trekkies, and Trekkers!

As an aside, gotta love Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_science_fiction_films

Kerry- Thanks for spotting the typo. It's fixed. And you must absolutely see these movies. Eternal Sunshine especially!

I always find it hard to do a top 10 list, let alone a top 5. I find it always fluid.

Hmmmm....Tough.
I'm going to have to disagree with Akira--mostly because I think Ghost in the Shell and Neon Genesis Evangelion were so much better story-wise, while maintaining the sheer level of inventiveness and depth that Akira had.

I haven't even seen the Incredibles, but I might have to, now.
Ok, my top 5 would have to be:
1: The Prestige. Yeah. Something else....
2: Gattaca. It gets better and better...
3: 28 Days Later--It's horror, but science based horror, so fair game. It was a very small revolution.
4: Fifth Element--Style, baby, style.
5: Dark City--it was a new step. It showed things could be done with wheezy Kiefer Sutherland that had NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE. (Actually, I just thought it was really inventive and moody...)

Out of curiosity, was "Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind" burdened with Science Fiction cooties when it came out? I don't remember that being the case . . .

• Gattaca. It is just great in every way. I particularly like that it started with a "What if ... ?" that was relatively new to movies.
• Children of Men. It scratches the same itch as 28 Days After and they are both excellent, but CoM sticks with me more.
• Galaxy Quest. Smart, funny, well executed, and got my kids watching SF. With me.
• Butterfly Effect. I'm not sure why, but this one came to my mind right away. It's not perfect, but it hit me right where it aimed and it lingers in memory. If I were trying to be objective, I'd put Groundhog Day in this spot.
• X2: Wolverine Shreds Ass. This is the movie I point to when I want to demonstrate that action can be about something and not just cool. I also point to the excellent performances that make (e.g.) the scene between Logan and Bobby in the kitchen and the scene between Magneto and Pyro in the X-Jet work so well.

Gotta have at least one from the "what is real" category: Dark City, The Matrix, Thirteenth Floor, eXistenZ

Throw in a Space Opera like Serenity.

Maybe a comic-book or graphic novel adaptation where appropriate for Sci-Fi. (not thinking of one in particular at the moment, though IMDB seems to list V for Vendetta as SF...)

Ah-ha! Finally someone mentioned a movie I have seen - Galaxy Quest. I agree with Manny for all the same reasons - my kidlet loves that movie.

SF films to be classic should hopefully meet both the Kewl and the Thoughtful criteria. Kewl is easy. That's why one would even consider Equilibrium, a Matrix clone that *almost* worked.

Much as I love Serenity, I don't think it gets to the Thoughtful barrier. I adored Speed Racer, but that Skittles-colored confection will never be classic. Fifth Element is almost there. Iron Man might turn out to be a classic but I want to give it time (its bad science might just keep it from qualifying -- I can live with a massive power source, but I can't deal with falling through the roof, or with splatting on the wall without a scratch let alone not being turned into raspberry jam landing in the desert)

Gattaca, Eternal Sunshine, definitely. Danny Boyle's Sunshine might be a good candidate too.

1: Starship Troopers.
This movie depicts what has happened so often in human history, and will likely happen again and again: "This is your enemy, he will destroy you, your family and your homes, we need YOU to fight him, and no questions please." What makes this movie so special in my mind is that it's a very subtle satire on militarism and jingoism.

2: The Iron Giant.
Great story paired with great animation. Almost as good as The Incredibles.

3: Serenity.
Character-driven SciFi at its best.

4: The Man From Earth.
Not only proof that you can make a great SciFi movie completely without special effects, but also a great story.

5: Galaxy Quest.
Because it's such a loving parody of Star Trek and its fans.

Oh, Markus, Starship Troopers? Ships sinking in zero G? Complete lack of faith to the source by eliminating the powered suits that made the book worth reading? You're just asking for trouble recommending that one. I do concur with Iron Giant, though.

off topic quibble,

Best Bruce Willis movie: Tears of the Sun

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0314353/

Here is what I would add:

1) Dark City - seriously, almost 20 posts as I start to write this and this one hasn't been mentioned yet (OK, it's taken me an hour to write and on preview there are now a half dozen mentions :) )? Alex Proyas showed great promise with The Crow (not on my top 5 since '91, but on my top 10), but knocked it out of the park with this one. This is a hypnotic film from a visually inventive director and some of the best talent of our time. Plus, ANY film with Riff Raff gets a +1 To Hit in my book.

2) The Fifth Element - As much as I kinda don't want to include another Bruce Willis film, I have to - this one is just too good. Even when Gary Oldman and Chris Tucker (before he forgot how to act without Jackie Chan in the frame) are trying to see which one could go farthest over the top, this was still a great film. To me, this would not be a story out-of-place in the pages of Heavy Metal, and I always got the feeling that this would have been my ideal for a live-action HM movie.

3) Galaxy Quest - What The Incredibles did for Superhero films, GQ does for our entire Science Fiction subculture - the nerdgassings, the obsessiveness, the actors' attitudes, all of it. Hysterical every time.

4) Indepedence Day - Probably the one that most people would violently disagree with. I know, I know - plotholes you could drive a Death Star through (who knew Macs understood Alie-inux?), unrealistic science (outracing a fireball in a tunnel?) and jingoistic to an almost suffocating degree ("Today we celebrate our...Independence...Day", yeesh) this is nonetheless nothing if not the epitome of a summertime blockbuster popcorn movie - and sealed Will Smith as the King Of July 4th.

5) Solaris - OK, it's a remake of a Russian film based on a Stanislaw Lem story, but it is still a a great film, and a lot better film than some gave it credit for at the time. A very taught thriller, it makes my last spot on my Top 5 since 91.

@ Markus
Starship Troopers was subtle?

Hahahahhaha

@joelfinkle: Yeah, there are some ludicrous moments. But not its realistic depiction of (space) combat but the overall tone (militaristic society, dystopian setting, etc.) is what I like about the movie. Also, the parallels to America's War against Terrorism are there. Replace the Bugs with Terrorists...

Markus,

Verhooven's Starship Troopers (because it most certainly was NOT Heinlein's) wasn't even an effective joke, it just sucked. Stupid plotting, worse tactics, absolute travesty of a seminal classic of written Science Fiction.

@joelfinkle: And yes, I've read the book. The book and the movie are completely different and essentially only share the same title, and should probably be treated as such.

I'd give my votes to The Incredibles, Pitch Black, Fifth Element and Dark City, as others have already mentioned those. But there's one that hasn't been mentioned yet: Cube

In no particular order:

Serenity
The Fifth Element
The Prestige

Does Batman count as science fiction? Because I loved Batman Begins

Most of my favorite Science Fiction tends to be TV shows with long story arcs and lots of character development.

And I liked the 2nd and 3rd Matrix movies. So there.

1)Gattaca (1997)
2)Event Horizon(1997)
3)Next (2007)
4)Stargate (1994)
5)Supernova (2000)

Wasn't Cube made for TV? Have we been overlooking any other TV SF goodies?

For the purposes of this exercise, we should stick with movies that received a theatrical release.

Let's see:

Dark City
Pi
X2
Appleseed: Ex Machina
Serenity

As for fantasy, at least 8 of my top 10 would be Chinese or Japanese films like Lady Snowblood and The Bride With White Hair.

Aww, John, I guess that throws out my vote for Mansquito!

I cannot see this as a bad thing, JAJ.

Man, The Prestige is a fantastic choice. Because I'm so damn indie, I've got to put in a vote for Primer, which did sci-fi on the cheap right. And how about A Scanner Darkly? It has some style-over-substance moments, but all that surreal animation let Philip K. Dick's more hokey inventions stand up next to the schizophrenic pharmaceutical stuff.

Gattaca's a no-brainer, certainly. Thoughtful and beautifully shot.

I'd put The Truman Show on there, even if it does seem less far-fetched today than it did a decade ago.

Serenity. The language. My god, the language.

Children of Men is probably the best-directed movie I've seen since Kubrick died, and one of the most convincing dystopian futures we've seen on film.

The Iron Giant. "Su. Per. Man."

Honorable mention goes to the first Men In Black, which might not be a great piece of cinema, but was a helleva fun ride.

Spider-Man

1) Appleseed
Amazing story. Amazing animation.

2) Event Horizon
Nice meld of horror AND Sci-Fi elements.

3) Chronicles Of Riddick
Why does the Scalzi hate on this movie?

4) Final Fantasy- The Spirits WIthin
Unsurpassed CGI!!!

5) X2
The opening scene with Nightcrawler was simply EPIC!

1) Children of Men
Just absolutely everything a great SF movie should be.

2) 28 Days Later*
If it's fair game. And I think it should be, it's not any less SF than Predator or Aliens. I do think this will be one of the most influential indie SF/horror movies of our time.

3) City of the Lost Children*
This might be considered fantasy by some, but I think the SF elements are there. It had clones and a brain in a vat, for God's sakes!

4) Dark City
I hope Alex Proyas brings back his A game sometime soon. This movie had so much promise, dealt with a lot of the same things the Matrix did, and came out earlier.

5) Pitch Black
This film blew my mind. I keep hoping Vin Diesel will come back and somehow make up for Chronicles of Riddick

* should either 28 Days Later or City of the Lost Children be discounted, I'd vote for A Scanner Darkly. Great PKD movie and I think it could easily become a cult hit like Blade Runner.

Gattaca certainly gets an honorable mention from me, as does X2.

Leaving the five you picked intact, because I totally agree despite never having actually seen Ghost in the Shell, for my money the other five should be:

1. Dark City: Absolutely one of my favorite SF films ever made, and one of the most brilliant, period, in terms of cinematography, editing and mood. A thoroughly worthy noir heir to Blade Runner.

Dark City didn't make my list, but it is definitely up there. One of my favorite things: "Sleep"

My wife hates it when I do that to her. Freaks her out :)

The Butterfly Effect, The Matrix, Galaxy Quest

I wouldn't consider The Prestige as sci-fi. Actually, I guess it might pass as "steampunk," perhaps?

I admit to being partial to Chronicles of Riddick myself, but I know better than to put it on a "top" list of sci-fi films. While I give it great leeway in the mindless-fun-for-a-popcorn-movie category, I wouldn't exactly call it a paragon of sci-fi filmdom.

But Twohy's earlier film, Pitch Black, I think would be a nice contender for any top 10 sci-fi list. It plays heavily on tried and true horror tropes, of course, but done under a really cool sci-fi pretext that actually manages to not suck. And say what you will about Vin Diesl, but he was just perfect for the role the character of Riddick called for.

I would've liked to have seen Chronicles follow more in tone to its predecessor than to go the hackneyed space-opera route, but it is what it is.

Now if only David Twohy had made a movie out of the Xbox game based on the Riddick films -- Escape From Butcher Bay!

Folks, remember to leave a rationale for your choices as well. Just ticking off a context-free list of choices isn't that interesting. And I, for one, would like to see the reasoning behind nominating The Butterfly Effect for one of the 10 best science fiction films since 1991, because personally I thought it was pretty lame. But I'm willing to be convinced...

Let's see, I don't think I have any new movies to add, but here's my list:

Gattaca (really well made and well acted. Proves that SF doesn't always explosions and space ships.)

Star Trek: First Contact (the best of the TNG films and maybe the best ST film period)

Serenity (fun, and surprising, I'm not a huge Whedon/Firefly fan and I still loved this movie)

AI (I loved this and still don't understand why it is so maligned)

Iron Giant (Just a great movie. Up there with The Incredibles in my book.)

The only movie that's been mentioned a lot that I actively dislike is the Fifth Element, what a mess, even if it is a fun mess!

I saw Pi mentioned above but not Aronofsky's real(ly great) SF movie: The Fountain. Maybe a little arty for the company of what's being listed above, but I loved it.

In no particular order:

- Galaxy Quest
- Children of Men
- Serenity
- Sunshine
- The Iron Giant

Well, I guess I have to fix my list and add rationale:

1) The Fifth Element- I love Luc Besson's films. I especially love this one because it has so much to offer: Creepy Gary Oldman, awesome action hero Bruce Willis, hottie Milla Jovovich as the perfect being, Chris Tucker for the ultrafunny, plus scads of cool visuals. Wonderful, I've seen it 20+ times.
2) Minority Report-Start off with a PKD story. Yes, it's fairly loosely based on it, but you at least have a good foundation. Add in crazy Tom turning in a very good performance + incredible effects and you get a great scifi flick.
3) Donnie Darko-wow, this one was just a mindbender.
4) Iron Man-THIS is how a superhero movie is done. Spiderman 3, take notes. Epic battles, storyline actually based upon a storyline from the comic book, getting the writers of said comic book involved in the production, all awesome. Also, no musical numbers.
5) Stargate-I love aliens that have ties to ancient history. I'm a big sucker for theories that the pyramids have some connection to aliens.

1)Gattaca (1997) - eugenics isn't what its cracked up to be. how does a natural born survive in a world of supermen. what is perfection really?

2)Event Horizon(1997) - Hell is real and there is a ship that wants to take you there. Gore, spaceships, ID Travel, and a mad scientist. "Liberate mecum ex ferris"

3)Next (2007) - Phillip K Dick. The special effects didn't interfere with the story. How cool would it be to be able to try every possible option available to you. Also the idea that every time you look at the future you change the future.

4)Stargate (1994) - I love the "Egyptian gods were real" part. Also good that the people on the other side of the gate didn't speak English.

5)Supernova (2000) - The extra-dimensional object that can change you into a god/monster is pretty cool. the science of the movie is also very consistent.

And I, for one, would like to see the reasoning behind nominating The Butterfly Effect for one of the 10 best science fiction films since 1991, because personally I thought it was pretty lame. But I'm willing to be convinced...

Well, I said I don't know why it came to mind so strongly for my list. For some reason, it sticks with me in ways many movies that seem better don't. Groundhog Day is really good. I just don't think of it very often. I agree that Dark City is a great movie, but I didn't even remember that it existed until I saw it in someone's list here.

Of course, I also liked Quigley Down Under.

David J. Batista says:

I wouldn't consider The Prestige as sci-fi. Actually, I guess it might pass as "steampunk," perhaps?

A film doesn't have to be set in the future to be SF. Without being spoilery: The Prestige's plot revolves around the use of technology to create results that are not possible to achieve with the tech available at the time (or in this case, not currently either). It's as good a definition of SF as any.

(I also wanted to add that I deliberately left superhero movies and films that are more obviously horror-oriented off my list. Otherwise I would have put in Batman Begins and/or 28 Days Later.)

Leigh has some good recommendations with Children of Men, The Prestige, and Dark City. Another would be City of Lost Children.

1. Being John Malkovich (1999): It plays on a lot of our social tendencies: projecting, voyeurism, celebrity worship and a mind-blowing premise. Wonderful movie.
2. Starship Troopers 1997): As much dissing as this movie gets, it's my "comfort" movie. Whenever I'm feeling down, I just put the DVD on, and it makes me feel better. No other SF movie has that effect on me! I totally agree with all the detractors, but I still love it!
3. Mars Attacks (1996): The best SF parody I've ever seen, plus it was directed by Tim Burton, plus it has an awesome, awesome cast! You can't tell me you don't stop and catch a scene or two if you see it playing on a TV near you.
4. The Matrix (1999): for everything that was said about it in all the previous posts. Game changer.
5. Cloverfield (2008): I hope this movie is an usher to a 21st century and beyond monster movies era. The suspense of the monster IS the main character in the movie. I know, way too soon to be a classic, but I think it will be a turning point.

Leigh, I know why The Prestige *might* be considered sci-fi, I was just pointing out that *I* don't consider it to be. And trust me, my barometer for good sci-fi extends well beyond the standard aliens and spaceships-go-boom paradigm (which can be fun, too).

It's just that in my own, personal, opinion I see The Prestige as more fantasy than sci-fi. However, as I said before, I do allow for the possibility of it passing as steampunk, which is a subset of both sci-fi and fantasy that can be quite engaging if done correctly.

I've read a couple of good steampunk novels from the likes of Stephen Baxter, Ian MacLeod, and Tim Powers (to name a few). And have even played a few good steampunk video games (Bioshock and Final Fantasy VI).

But how many steampunk movies are there? A lot, actually. Off the top of my head I would list Metropolis, Wild Wild West, and Back to the Future III in this category. Films like Van Helsing, League of Extraordinay Gentlemen, and Hellboy are another three.

Anyway, I guess The Prestige is in very good company, then. And it is an excellent movie, I don't deny. But whether it can be truly considered sci-fi is up to the beholder.

Some will say yes, some will say no.

Contact
Day After Tomorrow

Both of these felt like so-called "golden age, hard SF", which still has a special place in my heart. One can almost call them SF "procedurals", for the way the plots run along the "Rails of Science".

Some pre-1991 nominees:

The Andromeda Strain
Brother from Another Planet
The Quiet Earth

And my nominee for 10 *worst* SF movies since 1991:

What the Bleep Do We Know

Which is literally fictional science.

Donnie Darko: It's extraordinarily rare for me to say that a movie actually changed the way I look at the world (books, yes, but not so much movies), but this one actually did. Oh, and "Mad World" was the first song I loaded on my new iPod; gorgeous...

Ghost in the Shell II: Innocence: I actually prefer this one to the original (at least partially due to the changes in character design: much closer to the Stand Alone Complex tv series, which I adore), but both are fantastically great movies. One of the best things about GITS is the way the characters interact with each other, and Innocence shows more of that than the original did.

Serenity: Joss Whedon is my favorite screenwriter of all time; his style is interesting, fun, and quirky, and even if you don't think it's a great film, you can't deny that it's had a cultural impact, showing thousands of young people that grassroots movements can actually get things done. I just wish we could get people that interested in the electoral process...

Transformers: It's probably the anime fan in me, but I don't need anything beyond two giant robots wailing on each other to enjoy a movie, and these were extremely shiny, pretty robots. The fact that I really enjoyed the human actors, too, was icing on the cake. I go to the movies first and foremost to be entertained, and Transformers did that perfectly.

Galaxy Quest: Two words: Alan Rickman. No, seriously, there was nothing about this movie I didn't love; from the script to the casting to the effects, it's one of the best.

1) Gattaca - It brought to light multiple good thinking points on the progress of genetic technology. It also created a world with a unique look and feel the felt consistent through out. A+ film making.

2) Neon Genesis Evangelion - Cheating a bit with this one because it was a movie that only made sense if you had seen the entire TV series leading up to it. But this series and movie had a huge influence on the direction of pretty much all sci-fi anime after it. Giant Robots + philisophical musing on the nature of the soul = win

3) The Fountain - One of the longest labors of love going from concept to actualized film in the recent history of movie making. This film did something that hasn't been seen much in modern cinema that is a shame, it told a story of truly epic proportions with an eye for minimalism and subtlety at all turns. Another flop when it first opened that I personally believe will be heralded as a cult classic in 10 years time.

4) Solaris - Another film that valued minimalism and honest story telling over appeasing a larger market. The musing on the nature of love on display in this film is some of the best in film period, let alone in sci-fi.

5) Casshern - I put this here more for it's visual substance than anything, this film distilled the visual flare of recent anime conventions and visualized it into live action movie making, you can already see it's influence with such recent flicks as Dragon Tiger Gate.

David,

True enough.

And I might add, if you like steampunk and don't have an aversion to anime, you might want to check out Fullmetal Alchemist. The series (and finale movie) is complete and on DVD.

Contact - Because it has: a great female lead character, strong source material, the idea that Earth is not the center of the universe and a beginning attempt to discuss the relationship of science and religion/faith.

Fifth Element - Because it has: Bruce Willis upon whom I have a no-longer-secret crush, flying cars and Luc Besson's vision of the future.

Galaxy Quest - Because it has: the ability to make us laugh at ourselves and nerdgassing. And it's the only way to include Sigourney Weaver because the Alien movies after Aliens sucked.

Serenity - Because it is a good adventure with surprises.

I can't think of a fourth movie, but I've added Children of Men to the Netflix queue.

I chose my five before reading the comments in order to reduce bias, thus there is some redundancy.

My picks:

Jurassic Park (1993) - nature will find a way. This movie sticks it in the craw of scientism's massive hubris. Suck on that, crazy dinosaur-making science guy! Bonus points for having Samuel L. Jackson as a sys admin and Wayne Knight (Seinfeld's Newman) eaten by a dinosaur.

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie (1996) - Crow, Mike, and Tom Servo on the big screen! I'm a closet Mistie, sue me.

Gattaca (1997) - a personal favorite, I enjoy this movie's presentation of a future based on eugenics. Completely plausible in its prediction of social trends and having an empathetic human story. Did I mention Ernest Borgnine has a cameo? Talk about from here to eternity!

Deep Impact (1998) - some may suggest The Day After Tomorrow to represent the "total destruction of Earth as we know it" film, but I like this one, if for no other reason than Morgan Freeman is the president and that the government knew about the asteroid potentially destroying the Earth but didn't tell anyone. That, my friends, is believablity. Plus it has Richard Schiff (aka Toby Ziegler from The West Wing) and Frodo (aka Elijah Wood).

Being John Malkovich (1999) - perhaps this would be better listed under fantasy, but it raises great questions of ethics and identity. Plus, it's disturbingly hilarious.

That's my list and I'm sticking to it.

The movies that would be on my list have already been posted and commented on in this thread, but I'll chime in anyway:

-- Dark City (a couple of years before the Matrix, and with all of the visual panache of Metropolis and then some, it's a seriously overlooked movie.)

-- Gattaca (also a visually stylish movie that's poo-pooed by many, while they give a massive pass to the cheestastick effects of the "golden age" of SF cinema of the early days, and European movies in general, New Wave or otherwise that are high on style and skimpy on substance. This move has both.)

-- Children of Men (There's no excuse for this not being garnered as one of the greatest movies of all time in any genre, period.)

-- The Iron Giant (I agree with your Incredibles assessment for the same reasons I love this animated flick. Funny for me and my kids, with good themes and excellent pacing. It's no coincidence that they're made by the same guy. A classic for sure.)

-- Primer (a lot of lame movies make the cut simply because they were the first or what-have-you. You read the hype and take in the history of a certain flick and then you go "meh" after watching it. I think Primer turns the concept of timetravel movies on its ear, with a deceptively simple concept and an amazingly byzantine plot device, and the premise is based on a simple human desire--to be a hero, no matter how small a hero. Seriously, [SPOILERS] he decides to use his ability to time travel to make himself a hero by breaking up a fight (that involves guns) at a party. That's it, that's his big plan for using his awesome time travel device.[END] Seriously, another classic that gets better after each viewing, and also criminally overlooked.)

1. Primer - this $7,000 budget flick by Shane Carruth is both hard SF (as SF fans define it) and an excellent film (within the obvious constraints of its budget). Considering that Carruth shot to film, not video tape then edit on desktop as the makers of Blair Witch Project did, his achievement is even more remarkable. IFC's satellite channel shows this film occassionally, and ought to show it much more often - most of what you see on IFC doesn't even qualify as "indie." Carruth deserves a chance to show what he could do with a budget.

2. Final Cut - a film in which the director Omar Naim got good performances from the cast; specifically, one of the better performances Jim Caviezel has put in.

3. Fifth Element - while it does stress form over SF function, it's SUCH a good ride....

4. Andromeda Strain - the original 1971 version, boopy electronic sound track and everything (the recent remake was beneath mention and continues to be so). It was the first major hard SF cinematic release since Destination: Moon, and the first of a long list of films from Michael Crichton stories; some of them were even worth seeing more than once. This was the first of those.

5. Destination: Moon - Robert A, Heinlein's only cinematic release; while it is 1950s film SF, it's GOOD 1950's film SF, a definite distinction.

6. Contact - Carl Sagan's best work of fiction; the film adaptation removes a lot of emotional baggage (political and religious) from the story as he told it in the novel, leaving a thoughtful film in its wake.

7. Serenity - Joss Whedon's chance to cram all of Firefly into a feature film AND give us a new story to boot. He did all of that AND gave us a fantastic thrill ride in the bargain. His "making of" documentary is more entertaining than most other directors' FILMS.

8. 2001: A Space Odyssey - Stanley Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke ganged up on the film audiences of the world and clotheslined them; many first-time viewers wandered out of the theater stunned and disoriented, but they CAME BACK. Talk about pushing the boundaries... hard SF for hard SF fans.

9. On the Beach (the original, not the 2000 remake) - it's not really hard SF, more of a speculative morality tale (although the premise is just on the outside possible, as the nuclear club's membership expands to include the truly irrational, On the Beach becomes more and more plausible - and scary - as time goes on).

10. Dr. Strangelove - ostensibly based on hard SF novel "Red Alert," but palpably influenced by Herman Kahn's nonfiction "On Thermonuclear War," this is the funniest film on nuclear warfare ever made (not that this isn't a very small genre).

My 5 (since I'm sure there's several I've forgotten)
1) Fifth Element. Genre-bending at its best. All it's missing is a musical num...oh, wait, it has one. All's well. Note that Zorg & Korben never actually meet - genius.
2) Primer - really clever, and shows how much you can do with very little ($7k budget)
3) Dark City - possibly has even more style than Blade Runner, and is slick noir to boot.
4) Matrix - yeah, agreed. But then again, I liked the followups.
5) Ghost in the Shell - amazing anime.

Honorable mentions:
Equilibrium (uneven but fun, with a couple nifty ideas), Casshern (which has some amazing visuals and great scenes - definitely catch)

BTW John, I'm guessing from your comments re:12 Monkeys that you would agree that Brazil should not only be on the AFI list, but probably near the top?

I loved Pitch Black even though I normally do not like Vin Diesel. I thought he was great in this film. Also the style of the film was a fantastic way to increase the dramatic shift when day became night and the entire cinematography changed with that event. It reminded me of the effect in the original Wizard of Oz when it went from black and white to color. It affected me that much.

Number two would have to be 12 monkeys. Not to kiss up but simply because it was a great time travel movie. I also thought it was Bruce Willies best movie ever. Even Brad Pitt was acceptable in this film, which is more surprising that Bruce’s performance.

Number three would be Star Trek First Contact. I am NOT a Star Trek fan, but really liked this movie. It was fun and lighthearted in the midst of horrible humanity ending events. Well now that I read my own comments maybe I should rethink this pick.

Four would be Gothica and Five is Fifth Element for all the reasons listed by others.

Trying to avoid anything involving space travel or superheroes as part of the central theme, just because I've seen enough of those already (Though I agree with JS's assessment of "The Incredibles"). Also staying away from the 5 JS picked, in no particular order, and sticking to films in the past 15-20 years that I've actually seen:
1) The Truman Show - probably as close as we'll ever see to a traditional John W. Campbell "concept" story out of Hollywood, even if it it is lifted (in part) from Pohl and Kornbluth's "Space Merchants".
2) Contact - Well this one has space "travel", but not by the usual means. It shows a unique respect for science and the quest for knowledge. Most other "thoughtful" SF involves some sort of dystopia.
3) My steampunk/animated nomination would be (appropriately) "Steamboy". A lot of the science is bogus, but the social themes, character development and the visuals make a winner. From what I'm reading here, I might want to watch "The Prestige" and re-evaluate.
4) I'll go with "Minority Report" even though I only saw it on cable and had to leave off in the middle. The movie hits just as hard as the original story, though with a different flavor. Gratuitous Snark: Combine "Minority Report" with "The Truman Show" and you get "The Bush Administration".
5) For my traditional blockbuster, I'll select "Jurassic Park". Loved the movie as an action/adventure, the science was at least remotely plausible, and the dinosaurs made my day as much as the opening sequence of the original Star Wars did back in the 1970s.

I probably need to re-watch "Eternal Sunshine" and give it another chance.

The reason Akira's not on the list is pretty simple - it's the American Film Institute, they only picked American movies. Check out the Western list - No Good, the Bad and The Ugly.

Paul D:

Hmmm, good point, although if that's the case, having "The Lord of the Rings" on the fantasy list is really stretching, since the only thing American about the production is Aragorn, two hobbits, and the money

I think from all the entries here you could probably compose a solid credible top 50 or top 25 list at least. I havn't read a film on anyone's list that I could say I absolutly hated. The Majority are really good films for one reason or another. Good topic!

Not in any order:
Signs
Gattaca
Primer
Galaxy Quest
Unbreakable

To me a great science fiction movie is about what questions the movie explores, not about the size of SF budgets. The movie has to be infinitely re-watchable, and survive on plot, characters, and discussion.
My choices would be :

1. Primer
- First time director Shane Carruth shows what you can do with little money and a great story. While not technically perfect (audio levels in a few spots) dedication pulls the movie off. Listen to the commentary about how they had to ADR the scene in the lab, syllable by syllable.

2. Gattaca
- A great look at the people-by-design curve we are taking as genetic engineering becomes reality. Good, if not great performances by primary and secondary casts.

3. Children of Men
- As others have mentioned the cinematography is astounding. It is really effective at bringing the audience into the scene, while doing a pretty effective job at not being noticeable. Although once you see it you can't stop noticing how long the shots go on for.

4. Dark City
- Many movies have touched on the amnesia plot point, and even more video games. Dark City out does them all in my opinion.

5. 12 Monkeys
A lot of movies fail to do a good plot twist. They either make it too easy, I guess to pat the head of people not quick on the uptake, or pull a Deus Ex Machina (ie. Lost). 12 Monkeys is one of Terry Gilliams best works. Brad Pitt nails the 'crazy act' perfectly in this movie, and Bruce Willis provides a stellar performance.

Honourable Mentions:
The Matrix - I can still watch this movie beginning to end.
The Fifth Element - unbelievable movie with a huge cult following (seriously look at the wiki
Iron Giant - Brad Bird, Pete Townshend, great cast, amazing heart.
Serenity - because Joss Whedon did a phenomenal job trying to make a movie for two crowds. Those that loved the show, and those that had never seen his work. While not perfect, I think he did a better job than most people will ever realize.

Well, I think all of these have been mentioned before, but what the hey -

1-Contact - the first time I saw the movie, I realized I was holding my breath and had to keep telling myself to breath...I wanted to BE Ellie...and it was awhile before I could even talk after I left the theater with my friends. They laughed at me...but then their lack of faith in the force...oops, wrong movie.
2 - Serenity - like catching up with old friends, who just happen to have a Firefly class space ship!
3 - Fifth Element - fun, campy, I own a copy and still watch it every time it's on the tube!
4 - Stargate - for someone that's somewhat of an Egyptology junkie, it posed some interesting points of view...like - the pyramid builders had help. Besides, it gave us ten fabulous years of Stargate: SG-1 AND two more movies PLUS Stargate: Atlantis, going on year four (I think). The movie that just keeps on giving!
5 - Chronicles of Riddick - dark and mysterious, the special effects are amazing. You keep what you kill...Hmmm...

Of course, of the original list as played last week, I think Blade Runner should have been higher than #6, and Star Wars (Original) and 2001: A Space Odyssey can just swap back and forth between top two spots. I've lost track over the years just how many times I've seen them.

thanks John, this exercise had given me some new movies to look for and some I want to go back and revisit.

Dark City is American by virtue of some stars and the money. Like a certain other virtual city (Matrix) it's all in Sydney, with a lot of Australians behind and in front of the camera.

Another title that misses by virtue of its non-US status is the Anglo-French-Luxembourgeois Renaissance which shows a very interesting futuristic Paris using only pure Black and White.

Fix that tag: Renaissance (2006).

It also perplexes me that Americans shoot SF films overseas that are either in the future or in some indeterminate world, all of which they expect users to grok, ... but they still move everything around in the local streetscape so that they can have LH-drive vehicles on the RH side of the road!!

Code 46, Michael Winterbottom's sci-fi story filmed in existing locations. Flawed, yes, but still thoughtful and challenging. Does a great line in globalisation, with characters dropping bits of Chinese in their speech, and there's a really cameo from Mick Jones of the Clash!

Also, Children of Men and the Fifth Element. Have to admit I absolutely loved Southland Tales as well, in all its incoherent glory.

1) Independence Day, which I must watch every Fourth of July.
2) Stargate, which spawned a host of TV shows with a strong following
3) Fifth Element: I love that movie.
4) Men In Black, camp, fun, sequels, action figures. You gotta love it unless you require your SF dark.
5) Jurassic Park - has anyone not seen it? Or the sequels? Or the action figures?
6) Serenity. A lot of people loved Firefly, myself included, and this is better. Gotta be one of the top 10.

The Prestige - on whether or not this is science fiction, I think it is. Sci fi isn't just about being futuristic, it's about changing the way you think about the world. I think the skeptical bent of The Prestige (it's not magic, it's trickery) qualifies it for being a sci fi movie.

This movie has a great story, great characters, and an interesting puzzle. It's tragic, but it's so damn good that I can't help watching it again.

Pitch Black - This movie is probably the best sci fi/action flick since alien. The visuals are stunning. It may not be as deep as other sci fi films, but it's damn fun.

Donnie Darko - I think someone already said mind-bending. It does make you think, and I love that about sci fi movies.

Dark City - Another movie that makes you think. It's almost like a precursor to the Matrix. The story is interesting and the visuals are appealing. It's rare that a film combines both.

28 Days Later (first half) - I think the movie fell apart a little after the dad died, but I still think it's a great zombie movie. It changed the genre, maybe not for the better because I don't think anyone's really captured what this movie was about. It's not about fast-moving zombies. Its about loss and hope.

1. Serenity
2. The Matrix
3. Truman Show (I had never considered it to be sci-fi, but with so many mentions above, I have to include it. It IS one of my favorite movies.)
4. Minority Report
5. Independece Day

No love for V is for Vendetta? I thought this was a better film than Children of God and several others listed above.
Starship Troopers, on the other hand, was a steaming pile of drek, imho. Has there ever been a good movie made from a Heinlein story? The Moon is a Harsh Mistress would be a terrific movie.

1. DARK CITY - Between this and THE CROW, Alex Proyas has done more for black leather outfits than a million S&M shops. Intelligent, great effects, and beautifully shot with the wackiest Keifer Sutherland performance not captured by police video.

2. PRIMER - Yeah, it doesn't really scream "Excitement" but the strength of PRIMER lies in its ability to treat time travel in a unique fashion and not simply use it as a crutch to keep a plot from crumbling.

3. MINORITY REPORT - It's between this and BLADE RUNNER for Best Film Made of of a PKD story. Not as in "closest adaptation" but as "this is a great film that happens to have come from a PKD story." Does anyone do ideas and action combined better than Spielberg?

4. THE FOUNTAIN - One of the most visually stunning films to come out in the past 10 years. A wonderful love story stretched across time, I include this becuase visually it's something we hadn't seen in a long time.

5. CITY OF LOST CHILDREN - It's a fairy tale stuck inside a rusty coating of steam punk SF. It's got Ron Perlman. It's got evil siamese twins. It's got the custest, most precocious kids you'll find outside of the Little Rascals. It's French. I adore this movie.

I would leave out superhero movies from my list, just because I feel like that's a genre unto itself (and I shudder for actually using "unto" in a sentence - I hope I used it correctly). So even though I love your list, John, I'd replace THE INCREDILBES (which WOULD make my top 5 superhero movies of all time) and replace it with Brad Bird's IRON GIANT. Best 1950's SF movie to be made after the 1950's.

I'd replace "Ghost in the Shell" with "Ghost in the Shell 2: innocence," which is even more unusual and beautiful than Ghost in the Shell.

I had trouble narrowing my list down. So here you go:
1) Dark City--Alex Proyas and Lem Dobbs (co-screenwriter) outdid themselves. Fantastic production design.

2) Children of Men--could be looked on as one of the best movies of the decade when the dust clears; also, one of the very few movies to bring me to tears (at the climax, of course, during that amazing, six-minute tracking shot.)

3) Mission to Mars--Brian dePalma's film was trashed when it came out, and extremely unfairly. Charles Taylor at salon.com was the only major critic who defended it, and he was right. The film is smart, realistic, and filled with a sense of wonder about space, and there's a gut-wrenching moment halfway through.

4) Serenity.

5) Minority Report--the ending's a little too happy, but there's a nice twist towards the end that makes the movie *darker* than the short story (one character dies who lives in the story). Scott Frank & Steven Spielberg seem to be perfectly in tune.

Honorable mention: Primer, Gremlins 2 (technically 1990, but come on), Cube, A Scanner Darkly, and the underrated The 13th Floor. I suspect if I'd seen Renaissance, the animated French sci-fi noir, I'd put it on my list as well.

Saw the Fountain very recently, but I think Pi is smarter and accomplishes more of what it set out to do.

I just saw WALL-E today and loved it, and might even put it in place of "The Incredibles."

The wikipedia list for the 1990s also includes a movie called "The Strange Case of Senor Computer," which I'd like to see based on the title alone.

Children of Men: superb cinematography, compelling story, illicits raw emotions from the audience.

I am Legend: Will Smith's performance was superb, Excellent use of CG characters they were more than just fancy puppets but actual antognists crucial for moving the plot forward.

Equilibrium: Another movie set in a bleak future. The acting could have been better. However the story raised some important questions about human nature.

Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Got a kick out of seeing a classic SF story on the big screen.

Galaxy Quest: Feel good joyfest.

"WALL-E" is definitely on my list since yesterday. This dystopia gave me back what "Children of Men" stole away at the end. (If you've seen that flick, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.)
Not only are there breathtaking scenes of space, but the story keeps coming back to the central element that makes even a robot seem human -- love.

I throw my vote in for "The Fifth Element" as well. That cast couldn't have been better put together and the story was very well done. "Multi-pass!"

Yes, I too just saw WALL-E and I agree . . . this was one of the best sci-fi movies I've seen so far this year -- and most of last! Of course, it's no surprise being a Pixar film and all.

There was just so much sci-fi goodness in there. Quite surprising for a children's film. From the dystopian-type future Earth bogged down in ziggurat-like mountains of trash -- to a Romero-esque commentary on American consumerism -- to even an evil automaton mutiny aboard a ginormous cruise ship! What more can you want?

It was puzzling that so many of the children at my theater were bored during the film, a few of them fidgeting restless in their seats and even spilling out into the aisles in an attempt to escape.

Guess it wasn't quite their cup of tea, eh? The majority of the adults there, however, got a blast. I told my wife afterwards: Now *this* is what makes a great sci-fi movie! And I immediately thought of this article, naturally.

I thought maybe I'd be the first to add WALL-E to the list, but obviously not! The kids at the showing I attended were pretty well behaved, but this is definitely at least as good for teens - senior citizens as for the young ones. Just and overall excellent movie.

I'm only going to give two, both of which are in the sci-fi action category -
Serenity Combines rocking action, good dialog, fun, likable characters, and even provides the moral element of people trying to create a utopia who instead unleash hell.
Independence Day Even with all the incredible implausibilities, topped off by the two-minute disabling hack into a super-advanced alien computer system, this movie is just SO MUCH fun. The special effects are incredible and it even has it's poignant moment when Randy Quaid finds redemption by sacrificing himself for his kids.
BUT - I'm really leaving this comment to go back to the original list. Forbidden Planet has to be in any top 10 list. Great outer space story, effects, and a '50s era warning about unleashing our inner monsters.

I'll cross-reference your question with the list of sci-fi movies I've bothered to buy on DVD in the last 5 years, even though I have Netflix and can theoretically watch them for free whenever I want:

1. Primer
2. Hellboy (is that sci-fi? Whatevs, it's awesome)
3. Constantine (ditto)
4. Scanner Darkly
5. Minority Report
6. Dark City
7. Donnie Darko
8. Run Lola Run

First, one minor quibble with John Scalzi's listing of "12 Monkeys" -- fine film, and one of Terry Gilliam's best, but it was ripped off from the French film La Jetee. Now, that French film remains one of the most remarkable experimental films ever made -- tol d entirely as a series of still photographs, with nothing but voice-over narration, that 20-minute-long tour de force occupies a rarefied peak among the ranks of best experimental films. So if you want to include 12 Monkeys (and you can make a good argument for doing so), you should really include La Jetee even though the latter film from 1962 wasn't made after 1991.

Now, on to a list of 10 best science fiction film since 1991. I shall restrict myself solely to films not mentioned heretofore, by way of novelty. That still leaves plenty of choices.

PAPRIKA (Japanese, animated, 2006) Most Japanese animated science fiction films lack a personal dimension. They wow you with eye-frying visuals, but seldom deliver fully rounded human characters with deep inner conflicts, personal flaws. Most of all, they tend to lack plots in which the climax of the film integrates with the resolutions of the characters' personal torments. (Steamboy and Akira and Dominion: Tank Police, I'm lookin' at you!) However, Paprika offered a rare exception. The resolution of the protagonists' inner conflicts dovetailed nicely with the spectacular science fictional imagery of the denouement and the peripeteia of the hi-tech plot. But that's just one reason why Paprika belongs on the list of new science fiction classics. Another reason why this one qualifies as modern sci fi classic? The visuals. Yes, kiddies, the imagery in this film will pop your eyes out, skull f%$#k you, and bend your mind into a Klein bottle. Believe me, you've never seen anything like this. I the first time I saw this film, the opening sequence just blew me away...and then the titles start running, and it gets even wilder.

Nominally, a story about the theft of a device that lets someone control the minds of people undergoing psychotheraphy with a new technology (the DC mini), this Japanimation broadens out into both an affecting love story and a mini-Citizen-Kane-like exploration of the detective's troubled past. Really first rate on all counts. This one is a must-see. I've already watched this one about a dozen times, but still haven't gotten to the bottom of it.

THE HOST (South Korean, live action, 2006) Great updated 1950s monster movie that starts with a bang, but develops the characters of the family and slides into a personal drama that grabs you by the throat. It becomes much more than a Ray-Harryhausen-style creature feature (though it does that part very well too). The fact that it's set in South Korea makes it fresher and more interesting, and the resolution of the family's problems meshes nicely with the climax of the monster's attack. I have to say, the monster is just amazingly well done here -- the CGI is just seamless. You forget it's a computer animated creation, it seems completely real, and altogether terrifying. And yet, as well done as the CGI monster, the family of the abducted girl becomes even more real and more vividly memorable.

THE CELL (American, live action, 2000) Brainfrying imagery enhances this haunting psychological story of a therapist who must use experimental technology to enter the mind of a comatose serial killer to find his latest abductee, who is still alive. This one has a great twilight-zone-style ending (did she get the answer from the killer's mind? Or didn't she?), as well as a being a terrific mystery, and exploring some genuinely fascinating Freudian depths. This film looks like nothing else you've ever seen. It's particularly canny about the facades people erect to impress one another, and about the child inside the adult in each of us.

THE ARRIVAL (American, live action, 1996) "Have you seen the ruins, my friend?" This one rollicks along as a good old fashioned "the aliens are among us!" 50s monster flick updated with spiffy new CGI technology...and boy, does it work well! When Charlie Sheen infiltrates the secret Mexican underground alien base, the CGI artists pull out all the stops, and it's like This Island Earth crossed with Invasion of the Body Snatchers to the power of 666.

Now, some may object that this movie has modest goals, and true enough -- it aspires to no more than a hefty dose of classic alien invasion paranoia. But it pulls that off with panache, and many of the sequences remain great set pieces: the researcher standing brainboggled amid the wildflowers in the arctic, the alien assassin disguised as a Mexican viejo shapeshifting its legs and jumping away over a building, the scene where the alien destructor widget collapses all the equipment inside Charlie Sheen's attic, the scene inside the secret alien base, and of course the slam-bang finale where the alien weapon implodes the entire radio telescope.

Not a deep movie, but great fun, and a classic in the same sense that 20 Million Miles To Earth or Creature From the Black Lagoon remain classics: they're all sleek, streamlined finely honed machines designed to do one thing only, get under your skin and inject some wild-eyed paranoia, but they do it very very well.

TERMINATOR 2 (American, live action, 1991)
No Schwarzenegger fan I, this film works despite the Governator. This clearly qualifies as the greatest action film ever made for three reasons.

First, it subverts itself by coming out strongly for a feminine sensibility that values procreation over destruction and a passionate outcry against violence. For an action film that takes violence (the assault on the Cyberdyne building and the helicopter chase) and macho brutality (remember the fight between Arnold and the T-1000 in the steel mill?) to new levels, that's a fascinating yet dramatically effective paradox.

Second, this film excels at pressure-cooking its protagonists in heart-wrenching dilemmas: Sarah Conner finds herself forced to murder an innocent family man to save the human race...but she can't make herself pull the trigger. John Conner finds his newfound father-figure forced to destroy himself, and John knows it has to be done...but he can't stand to see him do it. And the Terminator finally becomes human in the only sense that matters, his ability to feel and care about humans, only to realize he has to kill himself. That's some serious dramatic weight.

Third, on top of all that, this film wallops you upside the head with a sledgehammer blow of some of the mind brainfying visual effects in film history, plus a series of some of the most spectacular chases in film history that just keep building like a series of afterburners kicking in on a supersonic jet.

Spice with one of the most exhilirating upbeat endings of any dystopian science fiction and garnish with superb performances by Linda Hamilton and Edward Furlong especially, and you've got an all-time classic.

By any standard a powerhouse of a film, and that true rarity in science fiction: a film that winds up focusing on people rather than rayguns, and a dystopian slice of future noir that nonetheless fights its way clear to ecstatic optimism at the end. The last lines of this film really stick with you: The unknown future rolls toward us. I face it for the first time with a sense of hope, because if a machine, a Terminator, can learn the value of human life, maybe we can, too.

TIMECOP (American, live action, 1994) Some critics slammed Jean-Claude Van Damme for his Johnny one-note performance here, but let's be honest: that's all some films call for (can you say The Terminator (1984)? How about Aliens (1986)? Or 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)?) The tremendous strength of this film lies in the excellent performances of its supporting cast (actually, I would fault Mia Sara's performance more than van Damme's here) including Ron Silver as a deliciously smooth villain, Bruce McGill in a great yet underrated turn as van Damme's TEC boss, and Gloria Reuben as a morally wobbly TEC agent with a heart of gold but a weakness for cash. That, and a great plot. The plot threads really come together by the end of the film in a climax that combines both personal catharsis and a dramatic resolution of the previous subplots.

This remains a significantly underrated film. The tragic personal dilemmas here, from Gloria Reuben's fatal decision to betray her trust as a TEC agent, to van Damme's personal tragedy involving the death of his wife and his brutally self-abnegating resolve, prior to the film's climax, not to change history to bring her back even though he yearns to do so, to Bruce McGill's spur-of-the-moment decision to sacrifice his life for his friend, elevate this time travel far above the level of a mere Heinleinesque "All You Zombies" exercise. Plus, this time travel flick actually takes the plunge -- it changes history, and not just once, but multiple times, and gets away with it. All too often, time travel films (like "12 Monkeys" I'm sad to say, or "The Time Travelers" (1964)) wind up devolving into exercises in fated predestination -- the heroes struggle mightily to change their fates, only to discover their "Appointment in Samarra" remains unchangeable. TIMECOP offers a breath of fresh air and not only changes history multiple times, but manages to slip in a passionately effective dramatic reversal in the process.

My top five films after 1991 are:

1. Galaxy Quest
2. Gattaca
3. Stargate
4. Pitch Black
and
5. Donnie Darko

I believe that the best sci fi should make you think after the film ends. Some popcorn is okay, just making you feel better but if you don't take away more than enjoyment then why was it a great film?

Honourable Mention to The Final Cut in 2004 with Robin Williams, a disturbing and original film.