serious sci-fi by serious directors

[The Heart Collector]

what's some serious sci-fi made by serious directors?

examples

blade runner by ridley scott
2001: a space odyssey by stanley kubrick
solyaris by andrei tarkovsky
fahrenheit 451 by francois truffaut


recommend me.

[ilovemovies]

Contact by Robert Zemeckis
Gattaca by Andrew Niccol
Minority Report by Steven Spielberg
A.I.: Artificial Intelligence by Steven Spielberg

[SamSanchez]

Just looking through my sci-fi collection, here's a few:
12 Monkeys [dir. Terry Gilliam]
Sunshine [dir. Danny Boyle]
Alien [dir. Ridley Scott]
Aliens [dir. James Cameron]
Altered [dir. Ken Russell]
Andromeda Strain [dir. Robert Wise]
Day the Earth Stood Still [dir. Robert Wise]
Children of Men [dir. Alfonso Cuaron]
Dune [dir. David Lynch]
Fifth Element [dir. Luc Besson]
Gladiators [dir. Peter Watkins]
Invasion of the Body Snatchers [dir. Don Siegel]
Solaris [dir Steven Soderbergh]
A Scanner Darkly [dir. Richard Linklater]


And pretty much 75% of David Cronenberg's work

[The Postmaster General]

Close Encounters = Spielberg
Alien/Aliens - Scott/Cameron
Children of Men - Cuaron
Pi/The Fountain - Aronofsky
12 Monkeys - Gilliam

[Grand_Marquis]

Ooo yeah, "Contact" and "Gattaca" are both great examples.
Some people might disagree, but I'd include "The Andromeda Strain" as well. It was slow, but the science was at least competent, and it featured one of the few (possibly only) aliens in Hollywood history that didn't look humanoid.

[Superplasmatron]

Black Moon by louis malle

fantastic planet by René Laloux

[Drewza89]

Dark City - Alex Proyas

[seals_nav]

Can I mention Terminator 2: Judgement day by J. Cameron? Only because i'm a Termintor fan :P

[Le_Big_Mac]

Videodrome (David Cronenberg)
The Fly (David Cronenberg)
Alien (Ridley Scott)
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (Don Siegel)
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (Philip Kaufman)
The Thing From Another World (Christian Nyby)
The Thing (John Carpenter)
12 Monkeys (Terry Gilliam)

[Bourne101]

Sunshine- Danny Boyle
Children of Men- Alfonso Cuaron
Alien- Ridley Scott
Aliens- James Cameron

[The Heart Collector]

please stop recommending:

1. movies about space aliens eating/killing people.
2. movies everyone has already seen. ALIENS? wtf

[PreySlayDisplay]

please stop recommending:

1. movies about space aliens eating/killing people.
2. movies everyone has already seen. ALIENS? wtf


Well when you list Blade Runner and 2001 as examples, you should expect movies everyone has already seen because that's exactly the kind of movies you listed.

[LordSimen]

City of Lost Children - Marc Caro & Jean-Pierre Jeunet

[Buck Turgidson]

The Element of Crime - Lars Von Trier (the only film of his that I like.)

Brother From Another Planet - John Sayles. It's a bit goofy, but it has a serious undercurrent and John is definitely a top notch Director.

[Superplasmatron]

City of Lost Children - Marc Caro & Jean-Pierre Jeunet

One of the greatest films ever made.

[Digifruitella]

you want serious sci-fi? Then check out Tarkovsky's Stalker, it's based on a great novel by Brothers Strugatsky called "Roadside Picnic"

http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/2410/stalkerposterpx1.jpg

[arto_j]

The Man Who Fell to Earth
The Abyss
The Andromeda Strain

I'd also add Vincenzo Natali's underseen Cypher. Worth a look.

[The Heart Collector]

Well when you list Blade Runner and 2001 as examples, you should expect movies everyone has already seen because that's exactly the kind of movies you listed.

that makes absolutely no sense since i'm specifically saying I HAVE SEEN THESE POPULAR MOVIES: BLADE RUNNER, 2001.

[adamjohnson]

Does Sunshine count?

[echo_bravo]

Altered States (its pretty awesome though kind of dated) It revolves around some scientists messing around with some form of LSD and find a whole different dimension. (8/10)

Cube

Event Horizon

Sphere

Videodrome

Existenz

[MidnightAngel]

http://image.allmusic.com/00/adg/cov200/drt400/t453/t45374w32n4.jpg

http://image.allmusic.com/00/adg/cov200/drt500/t557/t55755vs83a.jpg

http://image.allmusic.com/00/adg/cov200/drt600/t645/t64566s9tsy.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/0c/Strangedays.jpeg/414px-Strangedays.jpeg

[Buck Turgidson]

you want serious sci-fi? Then check out Tarkovsky's Stalker, it's based on a great novel by Brothers Strugatsky called "Roadside Picnic" Great poster :cool:

Andrei always treats supernatural or advanced science elements seriously in his films. So does Cronenberg.

[outsyder]

Nice call on Strange Days. Pretty underrated movie. Written by James Cameron, but directed by Kathryn Bigelow, so it didn't get a lot of exposure.

Good performance from Ralph Fiennes.

[SamSanchez]

that makes absolutely no sense since i'm specifically saying I HAVE SEEN THESE POPULAR MOVIES: BLADE RUNNER, 2001.

To be fair, all you did say was to list sci-fi films by serious directors and you said "examples" and listed popular sci-fi films (with the exception of Tarkovsky and Truffaut, which are still somewhat popular, but not the same extent of Blade Runner and 2001). For the most part, people have just been doing what you asked of them.

I would say listing Final Cut (I haven't seen it, so I have no idea whether is good or not), would make much less sense than listing Aliens as Oscar Naim hasn't done anything (or enough) to qualify him as a "serious director". I'm just saying man.

[Grand_Marquis]

Though it would be nice if people's lists came with some explanation. I don't know why the OP would be mad at someone listing a well-known movie. I'd be more annoyed that people were just dumping film titles into the thread, without including a single reason for their choice. I mean, a few people did, but most of this thread so far is just a bunch near-meaningless titles.

But that's just me. Maybe I'm crazy.

[SamSanchez]

Well...its not that they are meaningless, at least not all of them. I provided a list that accomodated what was called for: Science Fiction films by Serious Directors. I'd say "serious directors" could be directors that have built their reputation by making a decent amount films with the majority of them being well-received and recognized as quality films by a majority of people. And since that's the basic idea of what the thread called for, of course the majority of the films are going to be pretty well-known, as they are by "serious directors". I don't think an explanation is exactly needed, just listening alone suffices as a recommendation. I do see where you're coming from to an extent, and a further explanation to a recommendation is always a positive, I just don't feel it is necessary when all is requested is a recommendation.

[The Heart Collector]

Though it would be nice if people's lists came with some explanation. I don't know why the OP would be mad at someone listing a well-known movie. I'd be more annoyed that people were just dumping film titles into the thread, without including a single reason for their choice. I mean, a few people did, but most of this thread so far is just a bunch near-meaningless titles.

But that's just me. Maybe I'm crazy.

the thread got a lot better, i was just getting mad because every movie listed was either something i'd already seen, or a movie that really doesn't fit the bell (The Fifth Element? seriously? that's not a serious sci-fi film).

To give you a point Sam, I probably shouldn't have listed Blade Runner since that's a little more action-y than the kind of stuff I was looking for and probably gave origin to most of the suggestions.

Some of the suggestions sound cool. I didn't know Element of Crime was sci-fi.

[SamSanchez]

Some of the suggestions sound cool. I didn't know Element of Crime was sci-fi.

Its definitely surreal and dream-like, but I don't think its sci-fi

[Oldskin]

Sunshine is pretty serious.

[chasingbanky]

Dawn of the Dead - Romero

[adamjohnson]

If no one;s seen it, TIME OF THE WOLF is a great post-apocalyptic film.

Simply awesome.

[SamSanchez]

If no one;s seen it, TIME OF THE WOLF is a great post-apocalyptic film.

Simply awesome.


I could have sworn I added that, but nope, I'm wrong. But yeah, I love me some Michael Haneke.

[EVILxxx]

Dawn of the Dead - Romero
That's a bit of a stretch.

Escape from New York.
-John Carpenter

[Criminal Rock]

Kin dza dza

Brazil

Interstella 5555(although an animation, it's still badass)

Soylant Green

Solyris

Alejandro Jodorowsky's "El Topo", "Santa Sangre", and "Holy Mountain"

Fahrenheit 451

THX 1138

Nineeten Eighty four

[blk_flower]

The first Ghost in the Shell film had some pretty dark scenes or at least tried to provoke some kind of dark themes.

Basically in the end perhaps were all just be machines.

[Gordon]

That's a bit of a stretch.

Yeah, Bankey is fucking stupid.

[chasingbanky]

Yeah, Bankey is fucking stupid.

Where you from, Australia?

[Gordon]

Where you from, Australia?

Am I some kind of a tough guy? Actually, yeah. I'm built, and 90% chance in a physical fight you'd be begging me to stop beating your face into a wall if I had ever met you in reality. Am I going to fight you over the internet ? No, I need you like I need the toilet paper I just whiped my ass with.

[chasingbanky]

Am I some kind of a tough guy? Actually, yeah. I'm built, and 90% chance in a physical fight you'd be begging me to stop beating your face into a wall if I had ever met you in reality. Am I going to fight you over the internet ? No, I need you like I need the toilet paper I just whiped my ass with.

I don't like the cut of your jib.

[Gordon]

I don't like the cut of your jib.

what are you fucking stupid do you make up words now

[chasingbanky]

what are you fucking stupid do you make up words now

Let me lay some science on you... Jib as it is in the encyclopedia
–noun Nautical.
1. any of various triangular sails set forward of a forestaysail or fore-topmast staysail. Compare flying jib, inner jib.
2. the inner one of two such sails, set inward from a flying jib.
–adjective
3. of or pertaining to a jib: jib clew.
—Idiom
4. cut of one's jib, one's general appearance, mien, or manner: I could tell by the cut of his jib that he wasn't the kind of person I'd want to deal with.

Maybe you should go play final fantasy or something.

[Gordon]

uh like dude i dont play final fantasy bcuz its for poop wads and like im not ok? so just stop being such a dumb jerkbagh.

[chasingbanky]

uh like dude i dont play final fantasy bcuz its for poop wads and like im not ok? so just stop being such a dumb jerkbagh.

GOOOOOO Fuckkkkk yooooooooouuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrssssssssseeeeeeeellllll lllllfffffffffff

[Hoosier91]

Did anyone mention Batman and Batman Returns with Tim Burton?

[Criminal Rock]

:rolleyes::rolleyes:

[Drewza89]

Did anyone mention Batman and Batman Returns with Tim Burton?

Most superhero movies are not sci-fi. They fall more under the fantasy/action genres.

[EVILxxx]

I hope you guys are kidding with one another...

[Digifruitella]

Am I some kind of a tough guy? Actually, yeah. I'm built, and 90% chance in a physical fight you'd be begging me to stop beating your face into a wall if I had ever met you in reality. Am I going to fight you over the internet ? No, I need you like I need the toilet paper I just whiped my ass with.

Umm, LoL ?

[Dorrito the Imp]

What the fuck, Gordon? Bankey's right, your jib is a piece of shit. I wish you would stop jibbing all over these fucking boards with your jibtalk, you fuckin' jib.

Bankey, you are not toilet paper. You are paper constructed from the pulp of a mighty oak. Gordon is paper made from the pulp of lowly balsa, with which I wipe flies off my dick.

[dannywalker17]

Anyway....

I wanted to second the motion for Gattaca and Sunshine, and add Metropolis, although that's pretty obvious.

Final Cut is serious sci-fi with an interesting premise, but it's an awful film.

[Hoosier91]

Would you consider Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind sci-fi at all?

The idea of it is science fiction, isn't it?

[chasingbanky]

Would you consider Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind sci-fi at all?

The idea of it is science fiction, isn't it?

That was completely science fiction... One of my favorites.

[God of War]

http://images.dvdempire.com/gen/movies/1192401h.jpg

[The Heart Collector]

i thought dawn of the dead was a reference to my thread about how its a horrible horrible movie with no redeeming qualities.

[Dorrito the Imp]

Can someone give me a cool-ass deep explanation of how defining a sci-fi film is more than just a question of setting?

[chasingbanky]

i thought dawn of the dead was a reference to my thread about how its a horrible horrible movie with no redeeming qualities.

I knew you'd get it. :cool:


Does Run Lola Run count as sci fi?

[Grand_Marquis]

Can someone give me a cool-ass deep explanation of how defining a sci-fi film is more than just a question of setting?

Haha, somehow, I get the impression you're being facetious. Regardless, I couldn't resist:

http://www.reason.com/news/show/36481.html
Search the phrase 'Is The Baroque Cycle science fiction'
;)

[The Heart Collector]

Can someone give me a cool-ass deep explanation of how defining a sci-fi film is more than just a question of setting?

Ideally it's a movie that uses scientific developments, real or imagined, to ask questions about humanity.

Blade Runner: what is 'human', identity, etc.
Solaris: what is 'human', what is God, what is real vs what is imagined in terms of a relationship
2001: what is humanity, where is it going to, etc.
Minority Report: what is free will, what is fair/unfair in terms of passing judgment
Gattaca: determinism, artificial selection, again what is fair/unfair
Artificial Intelligence: what is 'human', what is 'alive', etc.
Dark City: what is identity, what makes us human.

A good science-fiction film, in my opinion, comes up with some technological conceit and uses that to explore some issues that would be kinda hard to explore without it.

I mean yeah, technically Star Wars is "science-fiction", but how? if you remove the spaceships, its just some vague mysticism ... in space. Same with Alien. It's a horror movie. In space. The alien could be an animal, and the movie could be set in a jungle, and it really wouldn't be radically different.

[Hoosier91]

That was completely science fiction... One of my favorites.


It's one of my favorites as well.

[EVILxxx]

Equilibrium is another good one.

http://www.cyberpunkreview.com/images/equilibrium06.jpg

[Cronos]

Avalon

[Monotreme]

Are there any other die-hard sci-fi fans that were really disappointed in 2007? I mean, the only straight-up actual sci-fi film was Sunshine, which was good but stumbled in its final act the same way 28 Days Later did. Hopefully next year will have a little more to offer within the genre.

[chasingbanky]

Are there any other die-hard sci-fi fans that were really disappointed in 2007? I mean, the only straight-up actual sci-fi film was Sunshine, which was good but stumbled in its final act the same way 28 Days Later did. Hopefully next year will have a little more to offer within the genre.

Can't argue that... I loved 07 as a whole, but in terms of great genre fair, there was little... Planet Terror was probably the most enjoyable sci-fi film for me last year, and I really didn't care for it all that much. Like you said Sunshine and 28 weeks both had crap 3rd acts, but I really thought from the first 2 acts of those movies we would have been in for something special. Maybe this year.

[Cronos]

Sunshine was the best movie from last year.

[outsyder]

If you're really willing to branch outwards in the sci-fi genre, there are a number of anime films that I'd easily consider as great science fiction works.

[God of War]

Equilibrium is another good one.

http://www.cyberpunkreview.com/images/equilibrium06.jpg

That is my second favourite movie of all time, dude. And my favourite Christian Bale movie.

[chasingbanky]

Sunshine was the best movie from last year.


Really? Where'd you read that? Link or it didn't happen.