Non-Dorky Sci-fi

by Chris   ⋅   May 16, 2006   ⋅   Comment now   ⋅   Subscribe RSS  RSS

Okay, so I don’t have much time what with two finals in two days, but I thought I’d put up something fun. Here’s a list of thirteen sci-fi titles you can watch, enjoy, and admit enjoying without unleashing torrents of derisive laughter from your co-workers. This would be non Star Wars, non Star Trek, non tv-space-drama-turned-film kinda stuff. As always, if you have your own list of non-dorky sci fi feel free to post them below.

On with the show.

  • Alien - So awesome. No need to explain this one. Second and third are terrible though.
  • Blade Runner – Looks great even now. Far deeper than any of its recent imitators.
  • Cube – Canadian sci-fi horror. Space traps. Nice.
  • The Cell – Despite J-Lo’s bad acting, somewhat questionable subject matter, and terrible dialogue, this is a beautiful film. Tarsem needs to do another.
  • Flash Gordon – “Flash…..AAAA-AHHHHH! He’ll save every one of us.”
  • Event Horizon – Hellraiser in space…but not the Bloodlines kind. Say what you want about Paul W.S. Andreson, this film kicks ass.
  • Logan’s Run – “The Sexiest movie ever,” according to Ross Gellar. And it’s damn fun too.
  • Mad Max II (aka: The Road Warrior) – No explanation needed.
  • Predator – No explanation needed.
  • Space Hunter – Molly Ringwald, space motorcycles, and a nasty toe-looking horndog villain. I haven’t seen this one in years, so it may not be that great anymore, but I remember when I was younger I thought it was cool.
  • Starship Troopers – Social satire mixed with bug killing mayhem. Awesome.
  • Tank Girl — Lori Petti, a big tank, mutant kangaroos, and Naomi Watts before she was full of herself.
  • Terminator 2 – Again, no explanation needed.

These were just off the top of my head. Again, feel free to post your own list, or anything I may have missed, below.


Categories: MOVIES, Sci Fi, TV
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  1. I love Alien and Blade Runner, Cube and Event Horizon. Sam Neill is magnificently creepy even when he’s supposed to be a sort-of victim. The Cell was stylistic heaven even though it was J-Lo.. J-Lo??? Nooooo!! Starship Troopers was a lot of fun too.. I’ll always remember the puke scene, hehe. I still have yet to watch Logan’s Run, but with Ross’ description, I can’t wait!

    Kris Kobayashi-Nelson on May 17, 2006

  2. OK this is really sad, I’ve only seen Star Ship Troopers and Terminator 2. I thought star ship troopers was a good movie, although it was pretty bad acting. Oh well it was an original idea at the time.

    Tudor on May 17, 2006

  3. Nurse Betty. I liked that movie.

    Koko on May 17, 2006

  4. that’s kinda the point with Starship :)

    Nurse Betty?

    Chris Nelson on May 17, 2006

  5. You haven’t seen Alien yet Tudor?

    Kris Kobayashi-Nelson on May 17, 2006

  6. I’ve yet to see Cube but I hear it’s pretty cool. Alien, Terminator are classics that I never get tired of. Does Robocop count as SciFI?

    James on May 17, 2006

  7. Sure, he’s a cybergenetic humanoid resurrected from the dead as the ultimate crime-fighter.. I’d say that counts as sci-fi! Peter Weller is so funny.. I loved him in Naked Lunch.

    Kris Kobayashi-Nelson on May 17, 2006

  8. Escape from New York and Scanners

    Jerrell T. Figgins on May 19, 2006

  9. If you guys want more amusing Peter Weller, check out the low budget canadian Sci-Fi “SCREAMERS” Trashy fun.

    Other great sci-fi:

    SOLYARIS (1972, Russia). Classy and mature Science Fiction from Tarkovsky. Was remade (in a stripped down form) by Soderbergh a couple years ago starring George Clooney (as SOLARIS), focusing on the love story aspect, but ignoring most of the rest of the film…both versions are quite good for different reasons.

    PI. Darren Aronofsky’s film before his rythmic junkie flick “Requiem for a Dream”. It’s a low budget and effects free sci-fi/religion/math thriller. It’s good.

    GATTACA. Can’t believe you didn’t have GATTACA on that list. Stunning film. It’s hard to shake the image of Mormons in Space.

    PRIMER is a fun time travel movie guaranteed to twist up your brain as you try to unravel the entangled threads and nested time loops.

    VIDEODROME is a far better Cronenberg Sci-fi flick than Scanners (which is really over-rated).

    GHOST IN THE SHELL: INNOCENCE is a great riff on the nature of what being human actually is. Anime Philosophy.

    triflic on May 22, 2006

  10. Of course, Kubrick’s 2001 (obvious)

    Oh Yea, Flash Gordon, Logans Run and Space Hunter are pretty dorky, IMHO.

    Event Horizon is watchable, but goes off the rails to about the same degree as it succeeds.

    triflic on May 22, 2006

  11. I like Femalien.

    Mako on May 22, 2006

  12. I like Femalien too!

    Steve on May 25, 2006

  13. Triflic: All good suggestions. I had actually thought about including Solaris, Pi, Akira, and Ghost in the Shell, but then I decided against them. Not sure why, but Oh well.

    We have Primer in our queue, but we just haven’t had time to watch it yet :)

    I’d have to disagree with the Flash, Space Hunter, and Logan’s though. They’re retro cool!

    Steve & Mako. Never seen femalien. Don’t really think I want to :)

    Chris Nelson on May 26, 2006

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