Top 25 Sci-Fi Movies: Part 2

Part 2 of the Top 25 Science Fiction Movies list continues with several more entries in the list! If you missed Part 1, click here.

21: Pacific Rim

Japanese mecha anime brought to life, Pacific Rim is the definition of a fun popcorn flick! Sure, it might be a ripoff of Evangelion and the plot contains some holes, but that’s not the point. The robots, referred to as Jaegers, have a real sense of height to their movements, and not just CGI objects created to sell merchandise *coughTransformerscough*. 

Love it or hate it, Pacific Rim knows exactly what it is, a ridiculously fun action packed summer popcorn flick. It takes a genre that has been relegated to corny Japanese films and anime, and gives it the big-budget Hollywood treatment. In many ways, it is a first of its kind, for western media at least, and let’s hope that the sequel will be even better! 

20: The Thing (1982)

After repeated requests from fellow reviewer, Matthew Birkhofer, to watch and review John Carpenter's The Thing, I finally watched, and I was not disappointed. In the same vein of Ridley Scott's Alien, The Thing is a sci-fi horror thriller that you put you on the edge-of-your-seat at points. The film is also a remake of The Thing from Another World (1951), which makes The Thing one of the best remakes of all-time.

John Carpenter's direction might lack the sustained tension of other horror thrillers of the era, but when it tries to shock the viewer with gruesome violence and a few jump scares, it definitely succeeds. What appealed to me most are the practical effects used to portray The Thing. Sometimes it might look a little corny by today's standards, but as a fan of the art, the FX crew did excellent work on the film. A full review of the film will come eventually.

19: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

"KHAAAAN!" Of the many Star Trek films, The Wrath of Khan is, unquestionably, the iconic one in the franchise, and according to many, it is the best. For me, First Contact and the 2009 Star Trek might be the most fun for me, but The Wrath of Khan will always be the most memorable. It captures the core aspects of what makes Star Trek, Star Trek, whereas the 2009 film, as fun as it is, is closer to a Star Wars rip-off.

As for the film itself, the pacing a little slower than necessary, but it makes up for it with an engaging battle between Kirk and Khan. The battle contains many allusions to Moby Dick, which is referred in the film. An interesting fact is that Kirk and Khan never meet face-to-face, which mirrors a battle between two submarine captains. The most iconic and memorable part for me is in the climax, and if you have not seen film, I will not spoiler. I reference the scene when I am in front of a glass door with my brother, so you should know what I am talking if you have seen it. 

18: Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind

The film that launched the famed Studio Ghibli, and Hayao Miyazaki's second feature film, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind remains one of the best works by the Oscar winning director. Set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland where humanity survives on the remaining habitable land. However, unlike most post-apocalyptic films, Nausicaä takes a more optimistic approach as it conveys themes of environmentalism without being terribly overt.

At times the animation shows its age, but it is certainly on par with the Disney films of the era, except much more mature, yet still appropriate for most older children. It is the type of film that truly appeals to audiences of all ages.

Have you seen the movies in this part of the list? What do you think of the list so far? Please comment below, and check back tomorrow for my review of Interstellar!

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

Star Trek Into Darkness Review.

Thoughts: J.J. Abrams' fun 2009 reboot of the Star Trek franchise made the franchise relevant for the modern era, and four years later we finally have the long awaited Star Trek Into Darkness, but was it worth the wait?

After hearing of the mixed to positive reviews, my expectations for Into Darkness where mixed, I did not know what to expect from the movie. Upon watching it, I have to say that it did not disappoint in the slightest. While some of the die-heart Trekkies that are still mad about Abrams' reboot will have nothing new to enjoy, more open-minded fans of the franchise and fans of the reboot will have plenty to love, because Into Darkness was a blast! Although I did quite enjoy Abrams first Star Trek film, it lacked a strong villain that it so sorely needed, but Into Darkness completely kills it in that respect. Benedict Cumberbatch is far and above the best part of the entire movie; he absolutely killed it in his mysterious role as the film's villain and because the character's identity is a mysterious, I shall refer to the character as Cumberbatch. Despite this, Cumberbatch should have had much more screen-time because his character needed it. Cumberbatch played a rather compelling villain and throughout most of the movie I was actually more on Cumberbatch's side than Kirk and Spock's because he had justification for his actions. Thus far in 2013, Cumberbatch is the best villain of the year, although he will likely be bested by Hiddleston in the upcoming Thor: the Dark World by Loki/Tom Hiddleston.

Even though I was unfortunately spoiled as to the true identity of Cumberbatch's character, I already had my suspicions, so that did not detract from my enjoyment of the film. Star Trek Into Darkness is a film that deserves a full spoiler discussion, however this review will be spoiler free and, if the readers are interested, I will write a full spoiler discussion on the film in the future.

Being a fan of the franchise, Into Darkness featured many references that only those that have seen some of the old movies/TV show can appreciate, or, in the case of some Trek purists, despise. If you are one of those fans that dislike the movie because of the attempts to mimic the original, that is understandable.

Something of major importance to mention is that J.J. Abrams is directing Star Wars Ep. 7, which everyone already knows. Because of this, I was hoping to see if Abrams has the directing chops to pull off Star Wars and I have to say that Into Darkness' direction was rather impressive. Except for a few too many dang lens flares, Abrams did a great job.

One a side note, why is there no colon between "Trek" and "Into" in the title? I looked it up, the official name has no colon, so that makes the movie's title look weird.

Directed by: J. J. Abrams

Genre: Sci-Fi, Action, Action Adventure,

Release Date: May 17, 2013

Running Time: 133 minutes

MMPA rating: PG-13

The Good: Benedict Cumberbatch completely steals the show, Relentless pacing, Impressive action sequences, Superb directing by Abrams, Compelling villain, Tribble!, Several homages to classic Star Trek moments, Hilarious sense of humor, Brings back previously fantastic cast.

The Bad: Occasionally predictable, Minor plot holes,

Plot: The following plot summary is copied from Wikipedia.com.

In the year 2259, the Federation starship USS Enterprise has been sent to the planet Nibiru to study the development of primitive cultures. Captain James T. Kirk and Spock attempt to save the planet's inhabitants from a volcanic eruption. When Spock's life is endangered, Kirk violates the Prime Directive to rescue him, exposing the Enterprise to the planet's civilization. Kirk accuses Spock of showing little morality when they argue over the decision.

Summoned to Earth, Kirk loses command of the Enterprise as a result of his decision and Admiral Christopher Pike is reinstated as its commanding officer. When a secret Section 31 installation in London is bombed, Pike, Kirk, and Spock meet with Starfleet commanders to discuss the hunt for the culprit, Starfleet agent John Harrison, but Harrison attacks the meeting in a jumpship. Kirk destroys it, but Pike is killed and Harrison escapes by transporting to Kronos, the Klingon homeworld.

Watch the movie to see what happens next.

Plot: 8.1/10- As compelling of a villain Cumberbatch was, Into Darkness did have a great deal about Spock and Kirk's relationship. While that part was handled well, it is somewhat of a backtrack to what happened in the previous Trek movie with Spock and Kirk bickering. There where a few other minor aspects that where retreads of the previous Star Trek film as well. As for the main plot as a whole, it was quite good and well paced, even though some may not like the lightening pacing as much. Towards the end, there where a few minor plot holes and predictable parts that kind of detract from the movie. Other than those grievances, the rest of the plot is great and filled with fun and snappy dialogue, even if it is not as "deep" as some fans would like.

Action: 9.2/10- Abrams has really stepped up his action direction skills with Into Darkness. Most of the action sequences where riveting and well directed. There were only a few shots that were poorly framed or darkly lit. Cumberbatch's character was a beast in the action scenes and he was the main reason why many of the action scenes where as awesome as they were. Never before has there been this quality of action in a Star Trek film.

Acting: 8.5/10- As stated before, Cumberbatch was freaking awesome in his role. He had a menacing screen presence and made the character very compelling, although this is no surprise since Cumberbatch is amazing as Sherlock Holmes. The entire cast of the Enterprise from the previous film is great, without a single miscasting. Chris Pine as Captain James T. Kirk is even better than he was in the previous Trek film, and Zachary Quinto as Spock is good, but not particularly great in his role. Alice Eve, aka "Thumbnail Chick," was neither bad nor good in her role. Although no one else was noticeably bad, aside from Cumberbatch, the acting is not particularly special.

Special effects: 9.2/10- Although some of the effects are obviously CGI, the movie still looks great! The effects and setting are much improved compared to the previous Star Trek film. Fortunately, Abrams used a surprising amount of practical special effects and fully built sets, opposed to going all green screen.

Soundtrack: 9.2/10- The rendition of the classic Star Trek theme is done perfectly by Michael Giacchino and a few other tracks are homages to other Star Trek tracks from the past.

Comedy: 9.3/10- Star Trek Into Darkness is an often hilarious movie filled with humorous banter and quick quips.

Would I Watch This Again: While I would not consider buying the movie on Blu-Ray/DVD, Into Darkness was a lot of fun and certainly worth watching again.

Overall: 8.5/10- Overall Star Trek Into Darkness is a blast to watch and a fun space-adventure romp, however Cumberbatch is the main reason to watch the film because both his performance and character are the main things that make the movie memorable.

Closing comments: Some hardcore Trekkies and those who are not fans of Abrams first Star Trek will find little to like in the film, everyone else should enjoy the fun ride.

Recommended for: Sci-Fi fans, Star Trek fans, Cumberbatch fans, Action fans,

Please check back tomorrow for my review of the Wolverine.

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Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Review.

You voted for it, so here is the review for "KHAAAAAAAN!"
Thoughts: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is possibly the most improved sequel compared to the previous film in the series. It is considered by many to be the best Star Trek film, although I still prefer First Contact, it is still one of the best. Wrath of Khan picks up on a story setup in the episode "Space Seed", which I have not seen, but the movie does give the audience enough information for things to make sense. Also it is not necessary (or even recommended) to watch the previous Star Trek film, which is fortunate, because it was terrible.
In the recent Abrams Star Trek there was a Starfleet test named "Kobayashi Maru" that trains cadets how to handle a "No Win" scenario, however Kirk discovered a way to win by cheating. I did not know at the time that it was a reference to Wrath of Khan, which makes the other movie better in retrospect.
Now about the villain Khan or as Kirk would say "KHAAAAAAAN!" played Ricardo Montalbán, who reprises his role of from the episode "Space Seed". He is a very flamboyant and absurdly over-the-top villain. Although he is fun to watch, it is sometimes difficult to actually take him seriously (more on Montalbán's performance below)


Directed by: Nicholas Meyer
Genre: Sci-Fi, Adventure,
Release Date: June 4, 1982
Running Time: 112 minutes
MMPA rating: PG


The Good: Much improved compared to previous movie, Top notch performances, Excellent and unexpected ending, Good use of humor, James Horner soundtrack,

The Bad:



Plot: The following plot summary is copied from Wikipedia.com.
The film opens with Lieutenant Saavik (Kirstie Alley) in command of the starship USS Enterprise. The vessel is on a rescue mission to save the crew of a damaged ship in the Neutral Zone along the border with Klingon space when it is attacked by Klingon cruisers and critically damaged. The "attack" is revealed to be a simulator training exercise known as the "Kobayashi Maru"; a no-win scenario designed to test the character of Starfleet officers. Admiral James T. Kirk oversees the simulator session of Captain Spock's trainees. Celebrating his birthday, Kirk is later joined for drinks by Dr. McCoy, who advises him to get a new command and not waste his career behind a desk.
The USS Reliant is on a mission to search for a lifeless planet for testing of the Genesis Device, a torpedo that reorganizes matter to create habitable worlds for colonization but can also destroy planets. Reliant officers Commander Pavel Chekov and Captain Clark Terrell beam down to the surface of a possible candidate planet, Ceti Alpha VI, where they are captured by genetically engineered tyrant Khan Noonien Singh. The Enterprise discovered Khan's ship adrift in space fifteen years previously; Kirk exiled Khan and his fellow supermen from 20th century Earth to Ceti Alpha V. Khan reveals that after they were marooned, Ceti Alpha VI exploded, destroying Ceti Alpha V's ecosystem and shifting its orbit.
Watch the movie to see what happens next.


Plot: 8.3/10- While there are a few dumb moments that Star Trek always has like sending the most important officers to recon on dangerous planets, but it is forgivable considering that it almost always happens in Star Trek. Although the pacing could have picked-up in a few areas, the concepts and themes were well executed. According to another critic's analysis, there are many allusions to classic works of literature such as Moby Dick.

Action: 6.4/10- There is not much action, however the space battle is well filmed similar to how submarines fought during World War II. There are a few short fist fight as well.

Acting: 8.0/10- William Shatner's was not nearly as corny as he was in the other movie or TV series and gave a solid performance. Leonard Nimoy as Spock gave an excellent performance, unfortunately he does not have significant screen-time until the later portion of the film. One of my favorite characters, Doctor McCoy played by DeForest Kelley, was hilarious as usual with his sarcastic wit and humor. Ricardo Montalbán's performance as Khan was campy and mostly fun to watch, even if he was not a very serious villain.

Special effects: 8.2/10- While I usually do not mind dated design and special effects, some of the spaceship's interior looked kind of cheesy. The other effects were solid overall but nothing compared to Star Wars five years earlier. Fortunately the Starfleet uniforms look much better than the previous film's ridiculous jump-suits.

Soundtrack: 8.0/10- Since famous composer, Jerry Goldsmith, was busy scoring other films, a relatively unknown composer at time by the name of James Horner composed the soundtrack. As any film score buff should know, he would later go on to compose scores for films such as Braveheart, Avatar, and The Amazing Spider-Man. His score was good, mostly taking cues from Goldsmith's classic theme.

Comedy: 7.8/10- While there is not a lot of humor throughout, what is there never feels out of place and works well within the context of the film.

Would I Watch This Again: If I decide to re-watch the Star Trek movies again, which I enviably will, this will definitely be worth a second viewing.

Overall: 8.0/10- Overall Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is easily one of the best Star Trek films to date and an excellent addition to the franchise.

Closing comments: Although I consider Wrath of Khan slightly overrated, nonetheless it was so much better than the previous entry in the franchise but the near perfect ending really makes the movie great.

Recommended for: Sci-Fi fans,


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