Film: Al's Top Sci-Fi Films Honorable Mentions

For anybody who's read my list of Top 100 Sci-Fi films, you may notice that it's not really an all-inclusive list.  I've tried my best to include all the important classics, my favorites, and the ones I felt were most enlightening, but there are still a good bunch that I find enjoyable or noteworthy.  There simply wasn't enough room to include everything, so I cut out a lot of the genre cross-overs (sci-fi horror, sci-fi comedies, sci-fi fantasy), certain cult favorites, and many common blockbusters.  It was still a pretty hard thing to do, for there are still quite a lot of sci-fi films outside of the top 100 list that I thoroughly loved.

Therefore, I thought it would be proper to compile this list of honorable mentions.  Below are a bunch of sci-fi films that are still worth seeing, but for some reason or another couldn't quite make it on my final list.  I think other sci-fi fans should get a kick out of these, and would encourage you to give many of them a try.
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Alien:  The film boasts some phenomenal style and designs, and it is fairly realistic in its space travel.  It is a great horror movie, so I ranked it high on my Top 100 Horror movies list.  For sci-fi, I favored the sequel more.

Appleseed Series:  Consists of a short cell-animated film from 1988, and two CGI-animated films from the 00's.  The original 1988 film is pretty neat, but the 2003 film and Appleseed:  Ex Machina are fairly cool.  There is plenty style and action, but also some neat portrayals of utopic society and robotics. 
 
Armageddon: A phenomenally-entertaining disaster movie with impressive pyrotechnics, amusing comedy, and a lot of heart.  The science isn't really all that solid (because, let's face it, planting a nuke on an asteroid will only make things worse), but it is a fine piece of blockbuster escapism.

Back to the Future Trilogy:  An imaginative and hip spin on time travel.  Makes for a fun comedy experience and a sublime storytelling experience.  Just a bit too light on the science to make it on the big list.

The Blob (1958):  It's a rather cheesy monster movie, but a classic of the genre.  I would rank it pretty high on my list of monster movies, but for sci-fi specifically, it didn't quite make the cut.

The Blob (1988):  This updated version of the classic monster movie is pretty intense and gnarly.  It makes for a pretty fun horror flick, but still falls short a little as sci-fi.

A Boy and His Dog:  I came pretty close to putting this one on the Top 100 list, because it is a very unique and different type of post-apocalyptic sci-fi.  It's funny at times, thrilling, sensual, quirky...really, the only reason this one didn't make it on the list is because it is a bit of a cheap film, and I personally favored many other apocalypse movies (like The Road Warrior and Book of Eli) over this one.

The Chronicles of Riddick:   I really enjoyed this more than the original Pitch Black, for I think they expanded on the Riddick universe in bold and extravagant directions that makes it more akin to movies like Star Wars or Dune.  In the end though, I had to give more props to PB for introducing the character in the first place, and for being less fantasy-like.  The Riddick sequels all seem to be guilty pleasures of mine anyway.
 
The Cowboy Bebop:  The Movie:  I really love this film and franchise; it is a phenomenally stylish and entertaining blend of sci-fi, film noir, and westerns.  It's exciting, funny, light-hearted stuff.  The characters are great.  The worldbuilding is great.  But in the grand scheme of things, the movie is not quite as deep or invoking as the TV series.  Besides, I put Serenity in the Top 100; isn't that enough?

Death Race (2008):  A really bloody, adrenaline-inducing dystopian movie that can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with The Running Man or Rollerball.  I think Paul WS Anderson's take on the Death Race story is pretty awesome.  However, it is a guilty pleasure to the end (to the point of ranking very high on my Top 100 Guilty Pleasures list), so it felt inappropriate to place it on the Top 100 Sci-Fi.
 
Deep Impact:  This came out right at the same time as Armageddon, so comparisons are inevitable.  While Armageddon was a pure popcorn flick with massive special effects, Deep Impact has only one disaster scene (it is a pretty incredible one though), and the rest of it is a more heartfelt drama.  I always felt this one was a bit sappy, but it is still worth seeing for sci-fi enthusiasts.

Demolition Man:  Pretty exciting and often hilarious, this sci-fi action flick takes place in a crazy satirical utopia where curse words are forbidden, every restaurant is Taco Bell, every radio tune is a commercial jingle, and so on.  When you plop a 20th century brute in the middle of it all, you get a fairly entertaining thrill ride.  Just not quite enough for the Top 100.

E.T.: A seminal childhood tale of alien encounters, so full of heart and style.  It is a well-made classic with iconic scenes.  The only problem is, I've always felt it was a bit on the sappy side, and its replay value is questionable.  Still a film that's worth seeing at least once in a lifetime.

Evangelion Saga:  From Japan, Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of the best and most popular anime shows made.  It is an epic saga that combines huge battles, coming-of-age drama, theology, science, politics, and the actual apocalypse in a package that's consistently captivating.  The original show ended with in a rather weird way, so the End of Evangelion film was made to provide a more satisfactory ending.  That film is an incredibly hard-hitting experience, so full of epic action, but also some of the most startling and awe-inspiring end-of-the-world imagery ever committed to film.  It is by far the one and only film that shows the rapture as it could happen in science fiction.  But wait, that's not all! The series has recently been rebooted, starting with Evangelion 1.10:  You Are (Not) Alone, which replicates the original show's first five episodes with fresher animation quality.  Then there's Evangelion 2.0:  You Can (Not) Advance, which takes off in an incredibly awesome direction with new characters, new plot twists, and some incredible action.  Evangelion 3.0:  You Can (Not) Redo is available already in Asia, but has yet to be released in North America.  The fourth and final film is still in production and is set to be released in 2015.  As it is, the whole franchise is a fantastic experience, and all the films I've seen should be worthy of my Top 100 list.  I omitted them purposefully, because they are already represented in my Top 100 Asian films list, and I wanted to free up space for other stuff.

Event Horizon:   The film has a few cool ideas regarding the use of a black hole to travel through space.  However, it is a horror movie first and foremost, shoving all the science aside to favor paranormal encounters and a heck of a style.  This film ranks high on my Top 100 Horror movies list, and that's where it belongs.

Fantastic Planet:  Pretty bizarre French animated film that has giant aliens treating tiny human beings as pets.  The film is stylish and incredibly unique, even if its plot is a little dry.
 
Galaxy Quest:  A brilliant play on reality and fantasy that lampoons off of the Star Trek franchise to delivery equal amounts of laughter and thrills.  Galaxy Quest makes for a great comedy.  As far as sci-fi goes, it's a little far-fetched (although that's probably the point).

Ghostbusters:   A phenomenally classic hybrid of comedy and horror, but it all wouldn't really work without a few sci-fi tropes, such as the idea of a proton pack or containment unit.  A few good sci-fi ideas make the story workable, but it is a comedy to the core, with a little too much paranormal activity to really make this great on the sci-fi scale.

Gojirra:  In its original 1954 incarnation, Godzilla is one of the most original monster movies.  The titular monster has starred in more than 20 films since, always representing the danger and terror of the abuse of nuclear power.  It's a classic of the genre, but in the sci-fi perspective, it comes up a little dry.
 
Heavy Metal:  What's not to like? It's got hot babes, blood and gore, aliens on drugs, erotic robots, zombies, spaceships, weird glowing orbs, and more! It is a bit of a gaudy, trashy, juvenile film, but enjoyable for young dudes like myself.  It (and its follow-up, Heavy Metal 2000) made it on my guilty pleasures list, and I think it's the stuff pulp sci-fi and fantasy is made of.  But really, the original magazines are better yet.
 
The Hunger Games and The Hunger Games:  Catching Fire:  These films, based on Suzanne Collins' novels, represent the source material pretty well, and Jennifer Lawrence brings the main character to life phenomenally.  The films tap into the same dystopian ideas that make Battle Royale and The Running Man so hard-hitting, but for younger audiences.  The first film gets a lot of flack, mostly because the plot and characters won't make much sense to anybody who's not familiar with the books, and it's been accused of watering down the violence too much.  Catching Fire improves on most of these shortcomings, and is a consistently pleasing picture.  I think the franchise is a fine bit of sci-fi, but I'm kinda holding out to see how the Mockingjay films will turn out.

In Time:  I thought this film has a pretty unique idea (using actual life expectancy as currency), and it explored the implications pretty well.  But, I seem to be in the minority; the film has gotten mostly negative reviews.
 
The Incredible Hulk:  It's sci-fi in the sense that there's a bit of mad science involved.  The lore of the Hulk has always harkened back to the classic tale of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, for these are both stories where man and monster inhabit the same body and are at odds with each other.  The Incredible Hulk is a superhero movie first and foremost though; the science aspects as there, but it gets smashed up once the Hulk starts his rampage.

Invaders From Mars (1953):  This old-school thriller channels the same fears and paranoia of the McCarthy age, much in the same way movies like Invasion of the Body Snatchers and The Day the Earth Stood Still did.  This film tells its tale through the perspective of a little boy, making the events all the more freaky.  It is a classic, but it is also a bit cheap.
 
Iron Man:  I've heard that the military are already experimenting with creating suits of armor just like what we see in the Iron Man movies.  It is a concept that's been around for a while though; mechanical suits can be seen in video games, anime, and plenty of other movies.  Iron Man specifically takes the time to explore the suit's genesis and implications.  But once the suit's complete and Tony Stark takes off to the wild blue yonder, it becomes a classic superhero film to the core.  In sci-fi terms, it's a bit fluffy.

Lost in Space:  The film has lots of flash and style, but is brought down quite a bit by its overall campiness and silliness.  The film digs up an interesting time-twisting plot with some intriguing implications.  This one made it on my guilty pleasures list, but it's just a little too silly for the sci-fi list.
 
Man of Steel:  I love this movie.  Not only is it a rip-roaring onslaught of mass destruction, but it also depicts how the world could react to the presence of superpowered extraterrestrials.  In the end, it comes close to a War of the Worlds type of alien invasion.  I came close to posting this film on the sci-fi list, but in the end, its qualities as a superhero film totally eclipse the sci-fi aspects.

The Mist:  It's sci-fi in the sense that it's premise hinges on the idea that a military experiment went awry, and creatures from another dimension start invading.  It's HP Lovecraft influences are pretty blatant (in both the movie and novella).  However, I do believe it's best as a horror movie first and foremost, and it is my #3 pick in my Top 100 Horror movies list.  

NeoTokyo:   A pretty slick collection of anime shorts, two of which are definite sci-fi features that are well worth watching.  As cool as it is to see a futuristic death-race and a guy trying to convince a robot to stop building things, the feature overall falls just a little short of making it on the final list.
 
Omega Man:  The second adaptation of I Am Legend, featuring the ever-cool Charlton Hesten.  I've always enjoyed this film, watching the guy roaming around and confronting The Family, but it is a heavily-dated film, and the Will Smith film has taken over as the most earnest version of the tale.  Omega Man is better described as one of my guilty pleasures.
  
Robinson Crusoe on Mars:  A fundamental survivalist story on Mars.  Considering the time the film was made, it actually boasts some surprisingly realistic settings, to emphasize the harsh desolation that scientists of the time would have positively identified.  It still gets a bit far-out though.

A Scanner Darkly:  Probably the straightest adaptation of a PKD novel to date; it is pretty much scene-by-scene the same as the original book.  It is a funny tale at times with plenty to contemplate, but understanding the source material may help in appreciating the film, for it is a bit dry and weird.

Signs:  One of the better films by M. Night Shyamalan, Signs presents a more unique alien invasion story that focuses on the mystery of crop circles.  It's quite a slick and emotional thriller, but I didn't feel it had enough strength as a sci-fi film to make it on the list.

Solaris (2002):  I didn't actually like Steven Soderbergh's remake at first, but after seeing the original Russian film, I had to admit that the 2002 remake was tighter, slicker, and a different experience that's worthwhile in its own right.  While the Russian film focuses on more intellectual issues, this version handles the emotion and romance much better.  I think both films are worth seeing for their own merits; this one was just edged off the list by everything else.
 
Sphere:  A pretty straightforward adaptation of Michael Crichton's novel, which is a pretty neat story.  It is one of the very very few movies that takes place at the bottom of the ocean, and Sphere offers a fairly solid experience as a sci-fi thriller.  It just falls a little short of the Top 100; The Abyss is better yet.

Starman:  A fine and dandy tale of alien encounter, with earnest character-building and plenty of amusing comedy.  Unfortunately, I've always felt this film dragged a bit, and can get a bit sappy.

Star Wars Episodes I, II, III, V, and VI:  I love Star Wars like a fiend, but I had to make the hard decision as to whether or not I can really consider the Star Wars franchise be be sci-fi in its purest form.  Really, it's a fantasy series with a sci-fi aesthetic; all the characters fulfill fantasy archetypes, the Force is a fantasy trope with no real science behind it (not counting the midichlorian thing that fans really hated), and the main focus of Star Wars is more on the overarching character developments and the good-vs-evil struggle...which has nothing to do with science.  Star Wars is great fantasy and very soft sci-fi; if I had to list one, I picked #4 because it was more original, it had the Death Star, and its vision was the most groundbreaking.  I felt it would be frivolous to include all six movies, regardless of how much I love them.
 
Super 8:  Pretty much the same caliber film and same type of child-like innocence as E.T., and it is an evenly-entertaining picture.  As much fun as the film is, it's not one that's stuck with me personally; I find its replay value limited, and I don't think the film offered much new to the genre.  I came close to posting it on the Top 100 list, but it fell just a little short.

Superman: The Movie:  The 1978 incarnation of Superman is an incredibly epic film.  Most of it is superhero fare, which is what held me back the most from posting it on the Top 100 list.  I do think the opening half-hour or so is great sci-fi stuff though, showing planet Krypton in its final days.  It is worth seeing, but the film is pretty dated and campy, and I found it hard to justify the entire film for a Top 100 Sci-Fi list specifically.

The Thing From Another World:  A solidly-made classic thriller with a chilling premise.  However, I always felt it was a little slow and dry.  I found John Carpenter's remake to be the best version of the tale, and I was compelled to favor that film for the Top 100 list (in addition to making it really high on my Top 100 Horror list).  Can't say that I'm as big of a fan of this original film though.
 
Things to Come:  A pretty unique snapshot of what futurists like HG Welles would have thought of human progress back in the 1930s.  The film boasts some unique images futurist visions, but it is rather dated with a generic story.  Would be worth a look for really die-hard sci-fi fans, but I don't think I'd call it essential.

Transformers:  All these films totally rock! But let's be real:  it's all style over substance, with incredibly weak science involved, and the plotlines are pretty weak.  These films are best seen for their nonstop action and 'splosions, but many of the most intelligent viewers are not so easily swayed by all this visual trickery.  I rightfully can't insult anyone's intelligence by including these shallow films on the Top 100 Sci-Fi list.  Would be more fitting on a Top 100 popcorn movies list of some kind.
 
A Trip to the Moon:  This is it:  the very first sci-fi film ever made, from way back in 1916.  It's extremely old-school, but the film dishes out some impressive images for its time, which harkens to the classic view of space travel before we really knew anything about space or the moon.  It's a fine, short piece of speculative fantasy, and an integral piece of cinema history.  

Upstream Color:  A very abstract film, with ideas that are somewhat sci-fi-ish, but still a bit dubious.  Too dubious to make it in my Top 100 list.  But it is a well-crafted film with extraordinary images and emotional power.  It's hard to tell what the film's trying to say, given its bizarre plot, but some online articles I've read indicate that there may be a science-vs-faith argument buried in there.  If nothing else though, it is a unique tale of brainwashing.

Vampire Hunter D:  Bloodlust:  This anime flick is easily one of the most entertaining films ever made, and it is one heck of an adventure.  It's an imaginative post-apocalyptic world full of strange creatures.  The setting may be sci-fi in nature, but this is still mostly a horror franchise.  I ranked this film high on my list of Top 100 Asian films, but it got edged out of the Top 100 Sci-Fi.

Westworld:  You know, I meant to put this one on the Top 100 list, but totally forgot to.  Do'h! It is a neat, original concept, and the film definitely has its moments.  But in the end, it is a bit of a dry picture, so I don't feel that bad about not listing it.  I think Jurassic Park took Crichton's original ideas and expanded on them in a more sublime manner.

World on a Wire:  An extremely long made-for-TV film from Germany, which includes some very sharp and smart ideas concerning information technology that would become an influence on the cyberpunk genre in general.  The film is quite a bit ahead of its time and it digs up some impressive in-depth ideas.  Unfortunately, I also found it to be a bit of a bore.