by Coppermine » Fri Jul 06, 2007 10:02 pm
You have to take into account that RT makes their lists based on average critical reception, rather than the timeless quality of the films themselves. Personally, I was dumbfounded by the absence of 2001, but that's just me... I do suggest checking out the movies you haven't heard of (as RT is more likely to include those films rather than those based merely on popularity) but here is a more reasonable Top 10 Sci Fi list from "The Guardian" that exercises more of the lasting power of a singular film rather than a narrow critical review. I'm sorry, the Brits are way ahead of us in creative taste... mostly because they don't have an FCC:
10. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
09. The Matrix (1999)
08. War of the Worlds (1953)
07. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
06. Terminator/T2: Judgment Day (1984, 1991)
05. Solaris (1972)
04. Alien (1979)
03. Star Wars (1977)
02. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
01. Blade Runner (1982)
I agree with this list 100% and I'm glad they combined the Terminator movies since they are part of the same story. Blade Runner is number 1, without a doubt, in my mind.
Can't wait for the re-release.
PS - I was surprised Aliens wasn't included, but arguably, Aliens is more of an action film while Alien is pure Sci-Fi; and based on that, Aliens is one of the best action films ever. But Alien is a sci-fi classic.
PPS - I saw "The Day the Earth Stood Still" when I was about 10 years old and, I swear, it changed my life! If you haven't seen it, you NEED to.
If you're a battery, you're either working or you're dead....