Sci-fi is a peculiar genre that attracts lots of viewers of different ages, beliefs, and social statuses. With large-scale scientific and technological advancements, humanity doesn’t only become healthier, more powerful, and confident but also starts acting in an arrogant, superior manner. People tend to ignore and even trample upon laws of nature which have been cherished since time immemorial. Therefore, high-quality sci-fi films that raise eternal, philosophical issues and discuss such important themes as the changing relationship between humans and nature, machine ethics, or freedom versus oppression draw so much public attention. Sci-fi movies are not a trivial entertainment genre whose main purpose is to elicit commercial success. They are deep, thought-provoking, and challenging. So, if you’re about to embark on a quest to explore masterpieces of sci-fi cinematographic art, you’ll find the list provided below particularly helpful.
Metropolis
“The mediator between the head and the hands must be the heart.” This sacramental phrase opens and finishes a 1927 silent film by Fritz Lang, Metropolis. Despite the fact the movie was created more than 90 years ago, this quote still hasn’t lost its relevance. On the contrary, in our profit-oriented information society enjoying the benefits of scientific and technological progress, Metropolis’ message resonates with millions. This film also fascinated me when I was a college student. I was taking a course in cinematography and our class was assigned to write an assignment on Metropolis. With the help of Edusson.com, one of the best online custom writing services, I managed to deliver a brilliant project, which was highly appraised by my professor.
The fact that Metropolis opens our list of the best sci-fi films is anything but accidental. Metropolis pioneered the genre of science fiction and heralded a new era in the history of cinematography. The movie portrays a typical dystopian society incapable of bridging the gap between the workers and the masters. Fortunately, there are people ready to put their lives on the altar of justice and universal good. Such were Freder and Maria, the main characters in Lang’s film.
If you’re eager to immerse yourself into the atmosphere of futuristic urban dystopia, Gothic dungeons and cathedrals, and find out whether the protagonists managed to accomplish their noble mission, you definitely should see Metropolis.
Independence Day
Though not even close to Metropolis in terms of its sophistication, psychological tension, and subtleness, Independence Day is fun and exceptionally patriotic. Regardless of whether you believe in the existence of extraterrestrial species, you’ll find the film captivating and not devoid of meaning.
Independence Day is a 1996 film directed by Roland Emmerich telling us about an alien invasion of Earth. As you might have guessed, the aliens are hostile and aiming to exterminate Earth’s human life and strip our planet of its natural resources. The violent attacks claim the lives of the millions and leave the remaining survivors broken-hearted, scared, but craving for revenge. Incapable of defeating the extraterrestrial saucers with either military aviation or even nuclear weaponry, a group of devastatingly courageous patriots manage to inflict damage on the aliens’ mothership, which leads to a coveted victory. You’ll get a portion of adrenaline and experience genuine emotions if you decide to watch this Hollywood sci-fi movie.
Minority Report
Steven Spielberg’s neo-noir thriller Minority Report was released in 2002. It’s a splendid mixture of an anti-utopian futuristic drama and a high-quality action film that both entertains viewers and makes them ponder the consequences of total control, abuse of power, and excessive reliance on scientific advances.
The action of Minority Report unfolds in the year 2054, where there are no murders thanks to a team of gifted psychics capable of predicting crimes before they actually happen. But as usual, the superficial ideal is ruined by some individuals’ distorted vision of social justice and fanaticism. But there are also good guys (such as Tom Cruise) ready to confront those assuming the role of infallible prosecutors and prove there is always a room for free will in the realm of pseudo-perfect predetermination.
Dark colors and shadows dominating the film are congruent with the atmosphere of suspense and moral ambiguity created by the director. You’re also welcome to participate in unraveling intricate philosophical mysteries and uncovering government’s malevolent plans along with the characters of Minority Report.
Ex Machina
Ex Machina is the 2014 sci-fi debut film by Alex Garland. It follows Caleb Smith (Domhnall Gleeson), a gifted young programmer, ordered to test a humanoid robot called Ava (Alicia Vikander). As the story progresses, the programmer feels attracted to the artificially created woman, as being intelligent and sensitive as a real human. Still, Ava seems to devise her own plan aimed at liberating herself from the cruelty and constraints imposed by her domineering master.
So, if you want to speculate on the main ethical issues related to the future use of intelligent robots, you must see Ex Machina.
Annihilation
We end our list with the relatively new sci-fi horror film Annihilation, also directed by Alex Garland. Annihilation received positive acclaim from the majority of critics, despite its being “too intellectual” and “too complicated.”
The film follows Lena (Natalie Portman), a professor and former soldier, who embarks on an expedition into the mysterious “Shimmer” along with other women. The team goes through ordeals suffering heavy losses. Finally, Lena, who is the only survivor, manages to reach the notorious lighthouse, the place generating mutated creatures and warping reality. Still, the humanoid awaiting the heroine at the destination doesn’t seem willing to let go of its new victim.
The mind-blowing films listed above can make you feel perplexed and fascinated, but they definitely won’t leave you indifferent. So, if you like mental challenges and non-trivial plotlines, you’re bound to watch them.
