See the Full List Here: The Underrated Sci-Fi Masterpieces
After seeing 300 or so films a year, I've learned quite a few things about the moviegoing experience: Popcorn on an empty stomach is bad news, the majority of movies released each year are formulaic drivel – a waste of time even when seen for free - and the only thing sadder than seeing incoherence rewarded at the box office is witnessing something truly brilliant trail off into utter obscurity.
It's the forgotten (and ignored) greats that break my heart.
Over the last two months, we've set out on a mission to bring five underrated and unappreciated science-fiction masterpieces back from the shadows. To give them a second life on DVD. The task has been hard (see the first days of the debate here, and the 20 finalists here), but fun, and it's led me to add some 40 films back into my Netflix queue, eager to take a second glance. Over the holidays, it was Silent Running and Predator that unleashed debates in my family's Wisconsin living room, during my impromptu underrated film festival. Dad thought Silent Running was a treehugging disaster. There was much debate as to whether or not Predator counted as sci-fi. (We also argued plenty about my top 10 sci-fi films of the decade, as well as Tracey's top 10 video games of the decade and Lev's favorite sci-fi characters)
Needless to say, this project has left me conflicted. Why is it that so many smart movies fail to gain traction? How can stories of substance wither on the vine while fluff rakes in a windfall? How many other brilliant films from past generations have been lost due to a lack of distribution and ticket sales? If an epic plays to an empty theater, what's the point?
According to Techland readers, Techland staffers and my own personal biases, here they are: The five most underrated sci-fi masterpieces. (followed by both a video of our picks, and a quick look at the next five that didn't quite make the cut).
See the full list: The Underrated Sci-Fi Masterpieces
I find your list...acceptable. Glad you changed your mind about including Serenity.
Kemper
Jan. 9, 2010 18:13:pm
at 18:13:pm
This is a list for all of us, so given the comments from you and others, how could I not include!!
What are your thoughts though: Isn't it about time that we get Serenity 2? What's the holdup....
Steven James Snyder
Jan. 9, 2010 18:20:pm
at 18:20:pm
@ SJS - Please use your vast network of contacts in the entertainment industry to get an answer to this question: In an era where all studios talk about is the next big franchise, why isn't another Serenity movie on anyone's drawing board? Whedon has shown he can deliver the goods relatively cheaply and it's got a built-in fan base. Are the studios doing so well that they can turn their noses up at a movie that's almost guaranteed to return a profit, even if they aren't Avatar numbers? For the cost of one Land of the Lost, they could have made three or four Serenity's with money made on each. Me no understand Hollywood logic....
Kemper
Jan. 9, 2010 18:46:pm
at 18:46:pm
Here's a great movie that never gets mentioned and for the life of me I can't understand why:
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow
It's not an intellectual sci-fi movie, just a great fun adventure film with an amazing look. I feel like I was one of the 9 people that saw that in the theater and it tanked so badly it doesn't even seem to have found a 2nd life on cable or DVD (which I own and watch regularly). Even after the bad box office I would have thought for sure that Kerry Conran would be seen again on another project. His vision for that movie was so unique but his IMDB page has nothing beyond Sky Captain listed
charlieromeobravo
Jan. 9, 2010 20:53:pm
at 20:53:pm
I actually think a couple of these movies are severely OVER rated. Gattaca and Serenity are good, but great? I don't think so.
Having said that, Dark City is awesome, and absolutely deserves to be on this list.
loonyboi
Jan. 11, 2010 08:55:am
at 08:55:am
@crb - totally agree with the Sky Captain comments. I've been lobbying for that film from the get go.
And no Hitchhikers??? Please tell me that makes your no-less-underrated "rental list". Otherwise a largly pleasant list. Serenity sequel needs to happen. I cant stand seeing Alan Tudyk doing DirecTV commercials.
thebro88
Jan. 11, 2010 09:02:am
at 09:02:am
couldn't agree more with your first two picks...that of The Fountain and of Solaris, very, very underrated...it almost upsets me that more people don't see those two films the way I do, and that I don't have the faculty to explain it to them..subtle, beautiful, genius...and the soundtracks for both are amazing, I listen to them all the time..nice to see someone giving them their due..so if you haven't seen them...run, don't walk to the video store...
skilletheadmark
Jan. 11, 2010 09:07:am
at 09:07:am
where is Shane Carruth now? let's call him!
Lev Grossman
Jan. 11, 2010 09:58:am
at 09:58:am
Gattaca...yes! One of the most thought provoking and beautiful looking sci-fi movies I've ever seen. The scene where Jude Law is climbing a staircase shaped like a DNA strand just kills me.
And completely underrated. I've often believed that the main reason it flopped is because moviegoers couldn't pronounce the title and didn't know what it meant. For those of us in the know, the title is just one morsel of the brilliance behind this movie.
(Hyperbolic plug alert: When I was a lowly film critic, I reviewed Gattaca. A quote from my review appears on laserdisc and first-gen DVD sleeves. I called it "our generation's 2001.")
crispy
Jan. 11, 2010 10:13:am
at 10:13:am
Why didn't you include AI, I thought you were its staunch defender?
radiohank11
Jan. 11, 2010 10:19:am
at 10:19:am
I actually put a call out to try and get Shane last Thursday - have also already talked to Ethan about Gattaca!
Steven James Snyder
Jan. 11, 2010 11:17:am
at 11:17:am
radiohank - AI's a masterpiece, but is it really underrated? It got some critical love when it came out, and can anything by Spielberg really be all that marginal? That was the debate I dealt with...make any sense? I also didn't want to eat up 2 spots on different lists with the same title. I guess I could have made it an honorable mention, due to the fact that the ending is so often misunderstood (in my humble opinion)
Steven James Snyder
Jan. 11, 2010 11:18:am
at 11:18:am
I'll echo a previous comment that the the list is "acceptable." Having The Fountain as a runner up and Serenity on the list though is an affront to all that is holy.
dmj23
Jan. 11, 2010 12:24:pm
at 12:24:pm
What about 12 Monkeys? I think it is a great movie. Although I am not sure if it is underrated or not, since it does star Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt.
titforrat
Jan. 11, 2010 12:40:pm
at 12:40:pm
Thank you for including Serenity. I am always pushing this film on people. Once they see it, they love it...and usually end up wanting to watch Firefly. If only they would make a sequal, but alas, there isn't enough money in it for the studio.
blizzard15
Jan. 11, 2010 21:22:pm
at 21:22:pm
Could any film be more underrated than "The Man from Earth," the final effort from the late Star Trek screenwriter, Jerome Bixby? Lovingly produced by his son, this unpretentious film has no A-list actors, no future-tech looking sets, no strange-looking aliens, not even any CGI or other special effects. It's the rare effort that goes all in on the most important part of any film: the story.
insightman
Jan. 11, 2010 21:44:pm
at 21:44:pm
Darren Aranofsky's Black and White Classic "Pi". Slightly less than timeless but deep and haunting.
wolvenspectre
Jan. 12, 2010 13:40:pm
at 13:40:pm
Also have to add Logans Run. It was a bit of recognition when it came out but only the nerdiest scifi fans watched it after that and mostly as a late night movie in the 80's.
It had amazing sets and was ambitious in its scope and was a full roller coaster ride in classic sci-fi sense but placed in a modernist futuristic world as only the late 60's to late 70's could produce.
wolvenspectre
Jan. 12, 2010 13:55:pm
at 13:55:pm
@steven- your reasons make sense to me although I don't recall many critics viewing AI too fondly when it came out. I'm sure they're out there, though.
radiohank11
Jan. 12, 2010 14:11:pm
at 14:11:pm
I think there's a certain amount of argument about Pi being Sci-Fi. It's a genre so casually applied to so many films, you really need to agree on a good definition in order to have a discussion.
Take a look at IMDB's list of the top sci-fi films. (http://www.imdb.com/Sections/Genres/Sci-Fi/average-vote). I mean V for Vendetta and Young Frankenstein are apparently included for some strange reason.
dmj23
Jan. 12, 2010 14:11:pm
at 14:11:pm
While it may not hit the top 5, I am somewhat dismayed that Groundhog Day was never considered. There's no SF whiz bang in it, it's just boiled down to the pure essence of it's SF premise: What if you lived the same day over and over again? And it's a comedy!
dholton
Jan. 12, 2010 19:11:pm
at 19:11:pm
eXistenZ (1999)
rombin
Jan. 12, 2010 19:23:pm
at 19:23:pm
Not one "masterpiece" mentioned in the entire piece. Underrated? Sometimes films aren't really underrated, they just suck. I mean, Gattaca and Sunshine are the snooziest of snoozers with absolutely no satisfying payoff. Dark City another severe disappointment that starts with promise. Solaris was slow and plodding (I understand the original was better). The Fountain was mostly incomprehensible and quite dull. (Seems to be the only common thread here.)
I know there are a lot of Serenity-heads out there, but that's another one that just left me cold (as extended television pilots often do...)
Sleeper was indeed a wonderful film, but not only was it not underrated and not a masterpiece, it's not sci-fi.
theswad
Jan. 12, 2010 20:29:pm
at 20:29:pm
I think Sunshine should have made the list and would've liked to read your opinion on it.
Iagree with the choices of Gttaca, my favorite movie of all time; and also Dark City definetely Proyas at his best. But i think i got one evrybody dismissed or passed over.
Jaccobs Ladder. I think one of the most shocking movie endings ever and an wretched trip through the mind, memories and fears of an agonizing man.
What does everybody think? Does this one count as underrated sci fi.
vylow76
Jan. 12, 2010 20:55:pm
at 20:55:pm
I suggest The Blood of Heroes, with Joan Chen and Rutger Hauer beating one another senseless with spare car parts in a post-apocalyptic desert.
The sickening violence is justified by a thrilling concept, a perfect script, imaginative costumes, and earnest choreography, as well as a turn by pre-MIB Vincent D'Onofrio, AKA Private Pyle from Platoon.
imattdotnet
Jan. 12, 2010 23:00:pm
at 23:00:pm