Top 25 Sci-Fi Movies: Part 5

Finally, we have reached the Top 10; the best of the best. These are the films that go down in history as the pinnacle of the science fiction genre. At this point, everyone should have seen these films, and if you have not, you probably should go watch them.

10: The Terminator

James Cameron's breakout film as a director, The Terminator is responsible for both Cameron's later success as well as the "Governator," aka Arnold Schwarzenegger, becoming a household name. As for the film itself, The Terminator set the standard for the killer robot movie. Despite being more than three decades old, the film is every bit as hard hitting and thrilling as it was all those years ago. Just be sure not to think about the time-travel aspect too long; your brain will start to hurt. On a personal note, along with Star Wars and a few other sci-fi films, The Terminator is one of the films that inspired my interest in computers as a kid, which led to my current career path in IT.

9: Serenity

A sequel film to Joss Whedon's unjustly cancelled cult-classic Firefly, Serenity might not have been the second season that we all wanted, but Whedon gave us just enough conclusion to satisfy the fans. While Serenity can be enjoyed as a standalone film, without watching the series much of the emotional impact and callbacks are missed, so be sure to watch the series first. To quote the opening song, “You can burn the land and boil the sea, but there's no place I can’t be since I've found Serenity.”

8: Jurassic Park

Jurassic Park changed filmmaking forever with its revolutionary CGI effects, and yet, thanks to Spielberg's superb direction, the effects never overshadow the rest of the movie. In addition to the CGI, Jurassic Park used many brilliant practical effects, all of which hold up better than almost anything today. Special Effects aside, Jurassic Park is a fun film full of thrills, excitement, and breathtaking sequences that are as awe-inspiring today as they were 20 years ago. The film is the near perfection of the Summer Blockbuster!

7: Blade Runner

Ever since watching Blade Runner three years ago, the film continues to climb my favorites list for one simple reason: I am still thinking about the film. Every so often, I find myself considering the mysteries of the film and its depiction of Artificial Intelligence. Sure, at first, the movie might have seemed slow, but after watching the original cut and the Final Cut, it is a film that is the definition of "Staying Power." Anytime that I reference "Staying Power" in my reviews, Blade Runner is the one that sets the bar, because no other film has been able to change my opinion without a second viewing than Blade Runner. Often times, when you think about a film in-depth, it starts to fall apart, unless it is a truly great film, and thus Blade Runner is truly among the greats.

6: Back to the Future

From the clever script to the witty dialogue to the quirky sense of humor, Back to the Future is the definition of a classic. Few films pack so much pure entertainment into 116 minutes than Back to the Future! Even though its time-travel logic is a little contradicting at times, where else can you find a film that is just so much fun to watch!

What do you think of this part of the list? Please comment below and check out the previous parts in the links below.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

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Jurassic World Sequel and Release Date Set

Not surprisingly, Jurassic World is getting a sequel! And it will be released on June 22, 2018. Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard will return to reprise their roles, but Colin Trevorrow is not guaranteed to direct the film. However, Steven Spielberg will executive-produce the film.

The problem with any sequel in the Jurassic franchise, including Jurassic World (my review here), is that there is no way to logically create a scenario for the film to make sense. After the failure of the original Jurassic Park, the Jurassic World park should have never been greenlit. However, I can give it a pass since this is a semi-reboot. So, what absurd scenario is going to be created for Pratt's character to return to working with dinosaurs? And how can the screenwriters bring something fresh to the Jurassic franchise? Since the first film, the writing for the Jurassic films have been poor, so I am skeptical whether or not they could accomplish something that writers have failed to do three times already. Well, I will go see it, and so will many others. I wonder if this will become the next Transformers franchise, by which I mean it makes a ton of cash regardless of quality. But then again, Jurassic World was a lot better than any of the Transformers films. Still, Jurassic World is now the third highest grossing film of all-time, which proves that quality isn't everything, because we all know the original Avengers is far superior. What do you think? Please comment below and let me know!

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Jurassic World Review

Jurassic World, the T-Rex sized box office giant that is breaking records, but is it worth the price of admission?

Going in, my expectations were high, yet not incredibly so. Unlike others, I never hyped up the film to expecting a "Modern Classic." Seriously, how could it match-up to the original Jurassic Park? Unless a new Jurassic film figures out a way to make the concept new and original, which Spielberg himself could not even accomplish, what do you expect? With that said, the trailers looked fun, but Chris Pratt was the only thing making me think this could be anything other than an entertaining blockbuster, so did it deliver? 

Directed by: Colin Trevorrow

Genre: Sci-Fi, Action, Adventure

Release Date: June 12, 2015

Running Time: 124 minutes

MMPA rating: PG-13

The Good: Chris Pratt is excellent as expected, Genuinely thrilling, Impressive final action sequences, Entertaining kills, Iconic main theme, Likable lead characters, Raptor training is better than expected, High quality CGI, One decent brother moment, Owen Grady is an intelligent character,

The Bad: Silly subplot, Clichéd jerk older brother, The kids are unnecessary, Not enough practical effects, Various logical plot holes, Running in high heels?

Plot: 6.0/10- Jurassic World sets up a familiar plot that we all expected from the first two trailers. In the grand scheme of things, everything plays more or less out as expected with a few surprises. For one, the "Raptor Training" shown in the trailer actually works rather well and produces some of the best moments in the film (and a few of the worst) because there are certain aspects to it that defined my expectations.

Unfortunately, the film contains a plethora of logical flaws, plot holes, and a silly subplot. Let’s face it, at times, the movie is just dumb. Do these flaws detract from the entertainment? Thankfully, they do not, at least not too much, but many of the flaws are easily avoidable. With that said, compared to many modern action flicks, aside from the stellar comic book properties, the script is no worse than most.

Characterization: 7.0/10- Jurassic World's characters are a mixed bag. Owen Grady (Pratt's character) is one of the most sensible and intelligent characters that I have seen in a monster flick. He knows what to do and, even though he respects the dinosaurs, he knows that people are more important. Grady is the type of character that monster movies like this need. Claire Dearing is likable, yet her character is never defined well enough, and the romance is a little forced, but thankfully is not shoehorned too much.

The two Mitchell brothers are the typical clichéd annoying younger one and jerk older one that we have seen a hundred times. There are one or two good moments between the two, but, ultimately, the characters are unnecessary in the film, aside from one inconsequential side plot. D'Onofrio's character, Vic Hoskins, is terribly clichéd and should have been written differently. The rest of the supporting characters are decent, yet forgettable.

Direction: 8.5/10- Colin Trevorrow's direction might be a far cry from Spielberg's masterful direction in the original film, but he does an excellent job of creating the suspense and thrills that Jurassic World needs. There are scenes where I moved around in my seat as the characters were attacked by the dinosaurs, almost as if I was with them. With that said, the film lacks the threatening sense of suspense that one of the main characters will die.

As an action film, Trevorrow succeeds as well with the finale being insanely fun and entertaining to watch, even if it starts to turn into a Godzilla flick at one point. However, it did make me feel like a little kid watching these giant dinosaurs duking it out.

Acting: 7.9/10- Chris Pratt crews every second of screen time. He plays his character like a classic action hero, and it works so well. He is the reason the character is likable and the reason why any scene not involving a dinosaur is entertaining. Bryce Dallas Howard as Claire is adequate; she plays her role and that's just about it. Vincent D'Onofrio is, unfortunately, given weak material and asked to play a clichéd character on the verge of being corny at times. Nick Robinson and Ty Simpkins are not the worst as the two brothers, yet still pretty bad. Compared to his role as Harley in Iron Man 3, Simpkins gives a noticeably weaker performance, although that is probably more of the material's fault. 

Special effects: 8.9/10- In today's age of CGI blockbusters, few films can dazzle audiences with its special effects and Jurassic World is no exception. With that said, the CGI is very impressive at times. It most definitely gets the job done, and the detail for the Raptors is especially well executed.

Jurassic Park's special effects redefined the industry with its use of CGI. However, it was the use of practical animatronics during many of the close-up scenes that truly brought the dinosaurs to life, and that is where Jurassic World's FXs falters. An animatronic T-Rex head attacking children in the original Jurassic Park is far more frightening than a CGI one, and while the few scenes that used practical effects are excellent, they are not used nearly often enough.

Soundtrack: 7.7/10- As soon as the original Jurassic Park theme started playing, I got literal chills! It is one of the all-time classic film themes. Other than the original tracks, Michael Giacchino's score is somewhat generic, yet still very good. After listening to it once on YouTube, I do not feel the need to listen to it again.

Humor: 7.2/10- Chris Pratt delivers every comedic line to perfect, and he even makes some of the corny one-liners bad*ss. Jake Johnson is the comedic relief, and he kills it with many of the funniest lines. On the other hand, many of the one-liners where the actors turn and look at the camera are unintentionally humorous.

Entertainment Value: 9.4/10- There is no denying that Jurassic World is a blast to watch! From beginning to end, it is a thoroughly entertained experience that engrossed me in the film.

Overall: 7.9/10- Ultimately, Jurassic World is exactly what I expected: an incredibly fun action/monster flick with Chris Pratt’s brilliant charm. Sure, the plot is full of holes and the subplot is silly, but it delivers the thrills, excitement, and action lacking in many films today. In a summer monster flick, what more could you ask for?

Closing comments: Aside from stellar comic book adaptations and Mad Max, exciting action films are few and far between, and Jurassic World, while dumb at times, is just as poorly written as many of the action movies that you will find today, yet so much more entertaining to watch.

Watch if you like: Chris Pratt, Dinosaurs, Jurassic Park, Action, Fun, Entertainment,

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If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Jurassic World First Reaction

I finally got to see Jurassic World! Wow, I always open my reaction posts like that don’t I? I really need to think of something else, anyway.... First Reaction: I had a fun time. It is definitely worth seeing in the theater just for the spectacle alone. Otherwise, please check back for my review of the film tomorrow. Until my review, you can read reviews by fellow critics in the links below and if you wrote a review, please leave a link in the comments.

As for my moviegoing experience, it was good for the most part. After moving to a place where two kids were not behind, everything went fairly well until.... Apparently, some teens (between 14 and 16 years old) in the back of theaters were making so much of a raucous and cursing that the owner came out in the middle of the movie and told them to stop. At the end of the movie, someone else told them off too. Thankfully, I did not even hear them until before and after the movie, so it did not affect me at all. but it is something somewhat interesting. Has anything like this happened to you? Please let me know!

Review by Jordan

Review by Sarah

Review by Child of the 70s

Review by Rick (mild spoilers)

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Jurassic World Breaks Box Office Records!

Wow! Jurassic World smashes the world box office record like an angry T-Rex by grossing more than half a billion US dollars! Jurassic World now holds the record for the highest grossing movie worldwide with a whopping $511.8 million dollars and was number one in all 66 countries it debuted. Domestically, Jurassic World grossed $204 million, second only to Marvel's The Avengers with $207 million. The film was tracking at around $100 million, but it certainly surpassed everyone’s expectations! Chris Pratt is appearing to be more of a box office draw than anyone could have expected. What surprises me is that it is making so much money. Sure, the original Jurassic Park was incredible for the time, but the sequels.... Well, they sucked. Are you surprised by the film’s record breaking numbers? Do you plan to see the film in theaters? Please let me know in the comments, and check back tomorrow for the continuation of the Top 25 TV Shows of 2015.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Jurassic World Trailer 2 Review

The trailers keep rolling in with Jurassic World next to hit the internet! Jurassic World's second trailer appears to be more of the same with Chris Pratt stealing every second of it. With that said, there are some potential issues. For one, it seems that Chris Pratt has trained the raptors to be hunting dogs for him. It is kind of a strange idea, but if anyone can make it work, it’s Pratt. Also, Pratt asks the question that we are all thinking about the genetically modification: "Their dinosaurs, that's wow enough." Seriously, why try to create something new when dinosaurs are cool enough, but hey, the reasoning from a corporation perspective seems good enough. However, my main issue is that the CGI is not impressive. The original Jurassic Park's main appeal was the wow factor of something that audiences had never been done before, and while that is nearly impossible to recreate, World has to do something to set it apart from the rest of the sequel. However, Chris Pratt's innate likability goes a long way in making the film look so much better than it could have been otherwise. Other than that, we will just have to wait and see, but rest assured that I will be in the theaters to watch it.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Jurassic World Trailer

The trailer for Jurassic World is here, and it is rather impressive. Even though the original Jurassic Park is a classic, the sequels are not exactly good, but with Chris Pratt starring, Jurassic World is shaping up to to, what could, one of 2015's most fun adventures. At first, the trailer did not sell me with the kids going off to the park. However, when Chris Pratt stepped-into frame and a slower rendition of the Jurassic Park theme kicked in, the trailer sold me on the film. It may be a bit too similar to the original film, and no film will ever have the WOW-factor of showing dinosaurs for the first time on film, but Jurassic World will hopefully turn the franchise around. Chris Pratt is on a roll, and after watching Parks and Recreation, which he plays one of the best parts of the show, he can do no wrong right now. What did you think of the trailer? Please comment below and let me know.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Jurassic Park Review.

Because Jurassic Park is being released in 3D today, here is my review of the film in its native 2D formant.

Thoughts: Jurassic Park, one of the most revolutionary films in the field of computer generated effects and one of Steven Spielberg's best films. Possibly the most impressive aspect of Jurassic Park is the technical and special effects aspects of the film. Steven Spielberg changed the way films were made with the ground breaking CGI (Computer Generated Imagery). Despite the it being an "Effects" films, it never let the effects overpower the story, however, that is not to say the story is amazing or Oscar worthy, it just does not forget that it is a movie, not just a visual showcase, which some filmmakers forget. He uses visual effects as a means to tell the story not creating a story around the effects (looking at you Avatar). Also Spielberg was not afraid to make a violent film still within the PG-13 rating. There are severed arms and people being eaten alive by dinosaurs, yet the film is still fun and entertaining. Spielberg's directing is top notch as always, framing each shot perfectly and never uses the horrid "shaky-cam" effect.



Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Genre: Sci-Fi, Adventure, Suspense, Thriller,
Release date: June 11, 1993 (1993-06-11)
Running Time: 127 minutes (1993-06-11)
MMPA rating: PG-13


The Good: Revolutionary visual effects, Excellent John Williams soundtrack, Original concept, Packed with thrills, Realistic animatronic dinosaurs, Great directing,

The Bad:




Plot: Eccentric billionaire John Hammond (Richard Attenborough), CEO of InGen, has recently created Jurassic Park: a theme park populated with dinosaurs cloned from the DNA extracted from insects preserved in prehistoric amber. The park is located on Isla Nublar, a fictional island off Costa Rica's Pacific coast.
After a park worker is fatally attacked by a dinosaur, Hammond's investors, represented by their lawyer Donald Gennaro (Martin Ferrero), demand that experts visit the park and verify that it is safe. Gennaro invites Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum), a mathematician, while Hammond invites paleontologist Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neill) and paleobotanist Dr. Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern). They are joined on the island by Hammond's two grandchildren—Tim (Joseph Mazzello) and Lex Murphy (Ariana Richards). Hammond asks Malcolm, Grant, and Sattler what their thoughts are about having recreated dinosaur species. The three of them engage in an intense philosophical debate about the ethics of having cloned extinct dinosaurs with Gennaro being the only one to express optimism. The group sets off to explore the park while Hammond observes his guests along with Head Technician Ray Arnold (Samuel L. Jackson) and his game warden, Robert Muldoon (Bob Peck).
The head computer programmer, Dennis Nedry (Wayne Knight), is secretly in the employ of one of InGen's corporate rivals, and has been paid to steal fertilized dinosaur embryos. During his theft, Nedry deactivates the park's security system, allowing him access to the embryo storage. The rest of the group, who have been stranded in the park due to the system shutdown, are attacked by the Tyrannosaurus, which kills Gennaro. Grant and the children are able to escape.
Meanwhile, a fleeing Nedry crashes his jeep. He decides to use a winch on the front of his jeep to tie it to a tree that will bring him to the road to help him reach the dock. As he's tying the winch around the tree, He encounters a dilophosaurus which kills him.
Watch the movie to see what happens next.


Plot: 8.0/10- Despite a few clichés and ridiculous moments, Jurassic Park's plot is original and well written.

Action: 7.8/10- Although there are not many actual fights, about 1/3 into the film it is a non-stop thrill ride.

Jurassic Park does not have munch fighting which is fine but it does have a lot of chasing and suspense.


Acting: 7.9/10- Sam Neil was solid in the role, and gave a believable performance as the paleontologist. Laura Dern as Dr. Ellie Sattler was good, nothing memorable but not bad. Jeff Goldblum as Dr. Ian Malcolm was fun and played a memorable character. Surprisingly the child actors Ariana Richards and Joseph Mazzello were not very annoying overall. They had a few slightly annoying parts but good in the movie. Also Samuel L. Jackson had a brief role in the film and he makes any movie more bada**!


Special effects: 10/10- Some of the best effects ever put on screen! Although it is often praised for its use of CGI, there was a large amount filmed using animatronic for the close up shots that still looks better than anything CGI could have done. In terms of special effects Jurassic Park changed the way films were made and took a giant dinosaur leap forward in the world of special effects.


Soundtrack: 9.9/10- While it is not John Williams' absolute best as some say, it is one of his many amazing soundtracks that elevates the audience and gives the world a majestic feel to it and has more suspenseful Jaws like themes for other areas of the film.


Comedy: 7.6/10- Jurassic Park uses humor well and even makes a guy being eaten by a dinosaur funny in a dark humor kind of way.

Would I Watch This Again: Jurassic Park is one of those films that you can watch many times and still enjoy, so yes, I will watch it again.


Overall: 8.4/10- Overall Jurassic Park is exactly what it needs to be, a fun, thrilling summer Block Buster packed with stunning visual effects and one of the best examples of a fun summer film.

Should You See it in 3D?: While I will not being seeing it in 3D due to the tickets prices and that I have already seen it, die-heart fans will surely be watching it again. For first time viewers, if you happen to have a over abundance of cash laying around for some reason, go watch it in theaters or save your money for Iron Man 3 early next month, that is what I am doing.

Closing comments: While it is not one of the true "Best Films Ever Made", it is an absolute must watch for anyone, because of how influential it was at the time and its classic status.

Recommended for: Sci-Fi movie fans, Adventure movie fans,

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Jurassic Park Review.

If you have seen the movie please give it any score from 1 to 10.


Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Genre: Sci-Fi, Adventure, Suspense
Release date: June 11, 1993 (1993-06-11)
Running Time: June 11, 1993 (1993-06-11)
MMPA rating: PG-13


The Good: Revolutionary CGI(Computer-generated imagery) for the dinosaurs that still hold up well today, The animatronics used for the close ups of dinosaurs look real, Excellent John Williams soundtrack,


The Bad:




Plot: Eccentric billionaire John Hammond (Richard Attenborough), CEO of InGen, has recently created Jurassic Park: a theme park populated with dinosaurs cloned from the DNA extracted from insects preserved in prehistoric amber. The park is located on Isla Nublar, a fictional island off Costa Rica's Pacific coast.
After a park worker is fatally attacked by a dinosaur, Hammond's investors, represented by their lawyer Donald Gennaro (Martin Ferrero), demand that experts visit the park and verify that it is safe. Gennaro invites Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum), a mathematician, while Hammond invites paleontologist Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neill) and paleobotanist Dr. Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern). They are joined on the island by Hammond's two grandchildren—Tim (Joseph Mazzello) and Lex Murphy (Ariana Richards). Hammond asks Malcolm, Grant, and Sattler what their thoughts are about having recreated dinosaur species. The three of them engage in an intense philosophical debate about the ethics of having cloned extinct dinosaurs with Gennaro being the only one to express optimism. The group sets off to explore the park while Hammond observes his guests along with Head Technician Ray Arnold (Samuel L. Jackson) and his game warden, Robert Muldoon (Bob Peck).
The head computer programmer, Dennis Nedry (Wayne Knight), is secretly in the employ of one of InGen's corporate rivals, and has been paid to steal fertilized dinosaur embryos. During his theft, Nedry deactivates the park's security system, allowing him access to the embryo storage. The rest of the group, who have been stranded in the park due to the system shutdown, are attacked by the Tyrannosaurus, which kills Gennaro. Grant and the children are able to escape.
Meanwhile, a fleeing Nedry crashes his jeep. He decides to use a winch on the front of his jeep to tie it to a tree that will bring him to the road to help him reach the dock. As he's tying the winch around the tree, He encounters a dilophosaurus which kills him.
Ellie and Muldoon try to find Alan and the children, but to no avail. Then they find Ian under the demolished bathroom. As they try to look for the children deep inside the jungle, Ian realizes the Tyrannosaurus is near. He orders Ellie and Muldoon to flee, with the Tyrannosaurus chasing after them. The three of them are able to escape in their jeep.
Meanwhile, Alan and the children climb up a high tree to avoid the Tyrannosaurus, and in a distance from the tree, they can see a family of "Brachiosaurus".
Back at the Visitor's center, being unable to decipher Nedry's code to reactivate the security fences, the group decides to take the drastic measure of rebooting the entire park's computer and electrical network. Arnold refuses at first by worrying that the park's network might not come back on at all, But Hammond pressures him by saying that people are dying. Arnold, along with Ellie, Hammond, Muldoon and Malcolm, shut down the park's grid and retreat to the emergency bunker, from where Arnold heads to the maintenance bunker to reboot the system. When he doesn't return, Ellie and Muldoon decides to head for the bunker. Watch the movie to see what happens next.


Plot: 7.9/10- The plot is original and moves along at a good pace.

Action: 7.8/10- Jurassic Park does not have munch fighting which is fine but it does have a lot of chasing and suspense.


Acting: 7.9/10- There weren't any stand out exceptional performances but the cast as solid.


Special effects: 10/10- For its time the effects were amazing and they still hold up well today,


Soundtrack: 9.0/10- John Williams does it again.


Comedy: 6.8/10- Jurassic Park is not a comedy but it did have some humorous moments.


Overall: 8.0/10- Overall Jurassic Park is very good movie and one of the most visually stunning movies for its time.


Closing comments: If you like sci-fi or adventure movies you need to check out Jurassic Park.

Recommended for: Sci-Fi movie fans, Adventure movie fans,