Book Review: Foundation (Isaac Asimov)

If you know sci-fi, chances are good that you would have at least heard of Asimov's Foundation series; it is one of the man's most celebrated works.  The first, original book in the series dives headlong into the distant future of our galaxy, which is turned into a sprawling space-faring empire.  The novel presents the interesting premise that the Empire is collapsing, and it's up to a group of scientists to lay down the foundation of a new era on a couple of backwater planets.  Upon doing so, the Foundation encounters one crisis after another, the resolutions of which will shape the way the future inevitably unfolds.

To be fair, the book has a very interesting premise, and it's the politics and social themes that make it worthwhile.  The story borrows much from historical references, such as the fall of the Roman Empire, to illustrate that social ruin can occur at any era.  The problems of the Galactic Empire in Foundation are pretty simple - the Empire simply spread itself too thin and was too centralized.  The Foundation provided a solution for long-term sustainment, not with the benefit of rich resources, but with the creation of a new religion that ultimately wins over the population and helps the Foundation resolve each new crisis.  Thus, the book provides interesting themes worth exploring, regarding the relationship between society, religion, and science.

Unfortunately, despite having a great setup and interesting content, I found the book's emphasis on politics to be extremely dry.  The book covers hundreds of years of events, so characters tend to come and go without receiving much development or investment.  There is no pathological or emotional anchor involved with the story to make me care for the events, outside of the social aspects.

I have no complaints about the writing; Asimov's prose is to-the-point and has decent dialogue.  This book doesn't have much description for the settings, which can make it a little harder to visualize, but it does paint a few fantastic planetscapes.  I personally would have appreciated more exposition with the events, since the story seems to jump ahead with little indication of what's exactly going on; you have to read the dialogue to get the gist of things.

Foundation is a book worth reading, so long as you don't mind a story that's politically-dense.  As a highly-tutted sci-fi classic, sci-fi fans should give it a try.

3/5 (Experience:  Poor | Story:  Pretty Good | Book:  Pretty Good)

Film Review: Guardians of the Galaxy (Revisited)

"Why would you want to save the galaxy?"

"Because I'm one of the idiots who lives in it!" - Bradley Cooper and Chris Pratt
--------------------
Back when Marvel kicked in Phase 1 of its cinematic universe, we all knew who Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, and Captain America were. All these films were destined to be hits to some degree. But...the Guardians of the Galaxy? Who are these a-holes? If you're like me and never read comics, you may be asking the same question. Seriously, a gun-totting raccoon? A walking tree? David Bautista? WTF?

If box office numbers are any indication, the risk paid off tremendously. The film wastes little time in plunging the audience into the deep end of the most outlandish and far-out reaches of the Marvel universe. From the desolate ruins of an abandoned planet to the thriving heart of an interstellar civilization, this space-faring adventure cuts across colorful nebulae and imaginative worlds, the likes of which have only ever been topped by the Star Wars universe. The film has no shortage of action, as characters fight with their fists, knives, and futuristic guns against an onslaught of bad guys. There is a huge all-out battle in the end, with thousands of space ships filling up the screen. In between the exciting parts, the film moves fast and fluidly with plenty of spot-on comedy, and just enough drama to give the characters a little more depth.

The story covers pretty basic ground, using the same old type of Macguffin that Avengers and Thor: The Dark World used. The villain of this film is a pretty flat, one-dimensional fellow who's best remembered for his presence, and little more. What makes this film stand out will be the protagonists. Peter Quill (the self-proclaimed "Star-Lord") has charm, but thanks to the film's opening scene, he provides an emotional anchor we can all latch onto. Drax is a warrior driven by vengeance, but is so blunt that he can't comprehend metaphors, and hilarity ensues. Gamora is a fierce fighter as well with an allure of her own. Rocket is a hard-drinking gun-happy raccoon with attitude. Groot is a walking tree, who can kick some butt, but also provides some of the most lovable moments. This whole gang is very much in the same vein of space outlaws as in Firefly or The Cowboy Bebop; each character provides enough emotional investment and attention so that they stand out and become heroes we can root for, no matter how bizarre or unlikely this union seems. The film is also loaded with a plethora of side characters, who all stand out in their own ways, to the point where I wished they could have had more to them (especially Thanos, who's obviously going to be a major player somewhere down the line; Nebula, who I thought was cooler than anything; the Collector, who's not given that much to do here; and Yondu, who clearly shares a history with Quill, but it's hard to tell where his loyalty is). Through the character interactions, the whole team emerges as a dysfunctional crew that stands up to tyranny in their own rebellious way, and their evolution from bickering individuals to literal Guardians of the Galaxy is quite the fun trip.

This film is crafted with solid and precise photography and editing. Acting is top-notch; you'd probably never expect much from this cast, but everybody does their best to make the characters stand out. Chris Pratt is not too shabby as the main hero; I enjoyed watching Zoe Saldana; Dave Bautista's performance is surprisingly solid; voices by Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel get the job done well. Everybody else contributes admirably. Writing is pretty good. This production spares no expense on the outlandish and imaginative sets, props, costumes, and special effects. Music is decent.

Guardians of the Galaxy is one of the most well-rounded blockbusters since Marvel's own Avengers. It balances action, comedy, and storytelling very well. It defies all the odds and presents this obscure group of misfits as a thrilling new franchise for the masses..

5/5 (Entertainment: Perfect | Content: Very Good | Film: Very Good)

TV Show Review: Stargate: Atlantis

Stargate, the film and the show that followed, explored the possibility of ancient alien structures serving as gateways to other worlds across the universe.  I honestly haven't seen much of SG-1, but it's a familiar structure, where a group of armed explorers go from world to world and confront a new problem every week.  In this spin-off series, however, the saga is elevated to the next level as the lost city of Atlantis is discovered, and then utilized as a forward base of operations for the Pegasus galaxy.  In this tangent of the Stargate universe, a new group of characters face a new group of otherworldly challenges.

The neat thing about SG:  Atlantis is that it requires little foreknowledge of SG-1; the connection between the two shows is pretty faint, and it is entirely possible to watch Atlantis on its own merits.  The bulk of the show focuses on a war between a race of vampiric aliens, known as the Wraith, but there are numerous other subplots and stand-alone episodes.  Many episodes have some pretty tense militaristic and political situations.  Some are loaded with action and thrills.  Some are just plain silly and humorous (there's even an episode that parodies a CSI episode).  There are a few that have some spectacular battle scenes.  Most of the episodes do offer something entertaining, and there are very few I'd consider dull.

The stories are generally fine and dandy; the overarching plot involving the Wraith is full of ups and downs, and it can get interesting as all the side-factions get involved.  Most of the stand-alone episodes have good stories.  But what makes them all work is the cast of characters, and they are a pretty fun bunch.  They fulfill the typical archetypes in science fiction, much like watching a typical Star Trek crew, but each team member has a personality that makes them lovable; it gets to the point where you can care for them, and you want to keep watching to make sure they get out of everything okay.  The show does pull off a few bold twists and developments with the characters, and it helps keep things from getting too stale.

This show is pretty well-filmed and edited.  Acting can be a little over-the-top, but it helps add to the personality of the characters and the show overall, and keeps it all fun.  Writing is okay.  This production has good-looking sets, props, and costumes.  Prosthetic effects aren't always convincing, but they are pretty cool.  Special effects are often pretty cool, but some have not aged well.  Music is not bad.

For its entire five seasons, Stargate:  Atlantis is consistently entertaining, not only because of its intriguing stories and thrilling action, but also because of its enjoyable group of characters.  It's worth watching for sci-fi fans.

4/5 (Entertainment:  Good | Stories:  Pretty Good | Show:  Good)

Favorite episodes:  Rising Parts 1 and 2, Thirty-Eight Minutes, Letters From Pegasus, The Siege Parts 1, 2, and 3, Runner, Instinct, Conversion, Epiphany, Critical Mass, The Long Goodbye, No Man's Land, Irresistible, The Real World, Echoes, Irresponsible, Sunday, Tabula Rasa, Trio, The Daedalus Variations, Inquisition, Brain Storm, Vegas, Enemy at the Gate, and probably more.

Book Review: Alternating Currents (Frederick Pohl)

This thin tome features ten short stories of varying lengths and subjects.  They all offer a small dose of intriguing and imaginative sci-fi, but some stories stand out more than others.  Fortunately, each one is pretty breezy and should entice genre fans sufficiently.

Of the stories, the ones that I found most captivating were Let the Ants Try (a bizarre tale in which we give ants a try at evolving and controlling the planet in place of humans), The Tunnel Under the World (a rather interesting mystery in which a man discovers that his life is not what it seems), and What To Do Until the Analyst Comes (an amusing yarn in which an addictive chewing gum is successfully marketed and it turns everyone kinda stupid).  A few of the other stories I found a little less captivating, but are still worthwhile.  The Mapmakers might be the most important tale here:  a solidly-written and suspenseful thriller about spacemen struggling to map their way across the stars (this story is especially noteworthy in the way it emphasizes the threat of uncontrolled heat in space travel, which doesn't radiate and therefore just keeps building; it's not something I see mentioned in other works).  Rafferty's Reasons is a rather intense tale with some interesting psychology.  Target One is a pretty neat idea (something that actually mirrors the premise of the Red Alert video games).  Grandy Devil seems like an odd inclusion to the collection, but it has its share of charm.  As for the remaining three, I barely remember what happens in Children of the Night, The Ghost Maker, and Pythias.  For whatever reason, I found those stories to drag a lot more, and nothing about them really connected with me.

Frederick Pohl crafted each of these stories with a pretty solid blend of prose and dialogue; his writing tells just enough to set the scene, but he doesn't overdo it with the details.  His characters often show personality, and each story has a unique premise or twist worth telling.

If you're a sci-fi fan, this collection should be worth checking out.  Recommended.

4/5 (Entertainment:  Good | Stories:  Good | Book:  Good)

Film Review: Guardians of the Galaxy

"Why would you want to save the galaxy?"

"Because I'm one of the idiots who lives in it!" - Bradley Cooper and Chris Pratt

Back when Marvel kicked in Phase 1 of its cinematic universe, we all knew who Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, and Captain America were.  All these films were destined to be hits to some degree.  But...the Guardians of the Galaxy? Who are these a-holes? If you're like me and never read comics, you may be asking the same question.  Seriously, a gun-totting raccoon? A walking tree? David Bautista? And the guy who directed Slither? Marvel is taking some serious risks...

If box office numbers are any indication, the risk paid off tremendously.  The film wastes little time in plunging the audience into the deep end of the most outlandish and far-out reaches of the Marvel universe.  From the desolate ruins of an abandoned planet to the thriving heart of an interstellar civilization, this space-faring adventure cuts across colorful nebulae and imaginative worlds, the likes of which have only ever been topped by the Star Wars universe.  The film has no shortage of action, as characters fight with their fists, knives, and futuristic guns against an onslaught of bad guys.  There is a huge all-out battle in the end, with thousands of space ships filling up the screen.  In between the exciting parts, the film moves fast and fluidly with plenty of spot-on comedy, and just enough drama to give the characters a little more depth.

The story covers pretty basic ground, using the same old type of Macguffin that Avengers and Thor:  The Dark World used.  The villain of this film is a pretty flat, one-dimensional fellow who's best remembered for his presence, and little more.  What makes this film stand out will be the protagonists.  Peter Quill (the self-proclaimed "Star-Lord") has charm, but thanks to the film's opening scene, he provides an emotional anchor we can all latch onto.  Drax is a warrior driven by vengeance, but is so blunt that he can't comprehend metaphors, and hilarity ensues.  Gamora is a fierce fighter as well with an allure of her own.  Rocket is a hard-drinking gun-happy raccoon with attitude.  Groot is a walking tree, who can kick some butt, but also provides some of the most lovable moments.  This whole gang is very much in the same vein of space outlaws as in Firefly or The Cowboy Bebop; each character provides enough emotional investment and attention so that they stand out and become heroes we can root for, no matter how bizarre or unlikely this union seems.  The film is also loaded with a plethora of side characters, who all stand out in their own ways, to the point where I wished they could have had more to them (especially Thanos, who's obviously going to be a major player somewhere down the line; Nebula, who I thought was cooler than anything; the Collector, who's not given that much to do here; and Yondu, who clearly shares a history with Quill).

This film is crafted with solid and precise photography and editing.  Acting is top-notch; you'd probably never expect much from this cast, but everybody does their best to make the characters stand out.  Chris Pratt is not too shabby as the main hero; I enjoyed watching Zoe Saldana; Dave Bautista's performance is surprisingly solid; voices by Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel get the job done well.  Everybody else contributes admirably.  Writing is pretty good.  This production spares no expense on the outlandish and imaginative sets, props, costumes, and special effects.  Music is alright.

Guardians of the Galaxy is one of the most well-rounded blockbusters since Marvel's own Avengers.  It balances action, comedy, and storytelling very well.  It defies all the odds and presents this obscure group of misfits as a thrilling new franchise for the masses.  Best of all, it does so with diligent attention to the characters.

Recommended!

4.5/5 (Entertainment:  Very Good | Story:  Good | Film:  Very Good)

Manga Review: FLCL (Hajime Ueda)

What the F is FLCL? If you've seen the 6-episode anime series, you still may not know or care, other than it's one incredibly weird, wild, and trippy series where a kid sprouts robots from his head and keeps getting run over by a girl on a Vespa.  Yep, strange stuff indeed.

I picked up this manga volume believing that it would be the basis for the anime, but now I see that it's the other way around.  And it's a bit of a relief, because I was perplexed to find that I loved the anime way more than this manga.  As weird and convoluted as the anime got, it actually made sense after so many viewings.  I could watch the series and identify how each piece fits; with the manga, not so much.  It's like a massive remix of everything, and it just made it all confusing.

To be fair, it is a very easy thing to read.  The pages breeze by, thanks to the simple, to-the-point writing.  Artwork is stylishly crude and simple.  It's far from detailed or elegant, but that's also the beauty of it; it's like a form of minimalist pop art, and I can't help but to stop and stare at the weird, blocky, featureless faces on each page, because they look cool as they are.  However, the book misses a lot of the manic energy that made the anime so great, and the action scenes in the manga tend to be very blurred and confusing.

The story is where the book loses me completely, because as far as I can tell the story makes no sense at all.  Having seen the anime a few good times, to the point where I can understand it on a deeper level, I can tell that the manga hits up a lot of the same major events.  All the main characters are represented, and generally fulfill the same roles.  The minor characters receive more attention.  The problem I see is that there's no clear direction for the plot; it just wanders from one random scene to the other.  The characters have no evident motivation, so there's no natural progression from one scene to the next.  I think the worst thing is that all the elements I could draw connections with in the anime are flipped around so much that I can't figure them out in the book.  In the end, I was just confused.

As mentioned above, the manga is drawn with a heck of a style.  All the characters look really slick, and the world they inhabit is pretty well-rendered.  Writing is okay, but it doesn't explain much at all of the plot or characters, and it seems very simplistic overall.

The FLCL comic has a lot of craziness, but unlike the anime, there's no real semblance of method to make the madness palatable.  It could just be that I didn't "get it," and it might take more readings to fully appreciate.  Right now though, I just like the pretty pictures, and still value the anime version for having a stronger narrative, more compelling characters, and a batty style.

3/5 (Entertainment:  Pretty Good | Story:  Poor | Manga:  Pretty Good)

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.

Al's Top 100 Sci-Fi Films Part 5

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
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20: Inception

What If: There are thieves out there who steal ideas in people's dreams. Then, one day, they stage a daring operation to do the opposite: plant an idea in a person, via their dreams.

The Film: Some viewers have griped that this film is nothing more than a 2 hour slideshow, since it takes its time to introduce all its concepts and ideas with exposition. They are pretty slick ideas though, and they come together to rush the characters through a surreal labyrinth of multi-leveled dreamscapes. Each level has its own set of rules, which makes for a visually awesome spectacle. The story may not entice everybody, but the film is very slick, and it explores some fascinating implications of what it would be like to control and live through dreams.

My score: 5/5
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19: Brazil

What If: Some dude goes after the woman of his dreams, but after a series of bureaucratic mishaps and a sad twist of fate, he winds up being chased by the government.

The Film: This is a vision of the future that's simultaneously weird, crazy, funny, and sad. It's a world where bureaucracy runs everything, and even the slightest misspelling could mean life or death for a hapless citizen. Technology is just off-the-wall, with tubes, wires, and screens ordaining every cramped office space. The film does have a lot of bold vision, especially with the fantastic dream sequences, which contrast so much with everything else that it becomes clear that the future is an industrialist nightmare. The ending gives the film a lot more oomph as well (thank goodness Terry Gilliam fought to keep that ending intact).

The Love Conquers All version of the film can be seen on the Criterion Collection DVD and Blu-Ray editions, which cuts out nearly an hour of material, to represent what the studios would have originally wanted to release.  It's extremely skimpy, and it'll make you appreciate the director's struggle to keep his original vision intact in the theatrical cut.  Various other cuts are also available, varying in length.

My score: 4.5/5
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18: The Abyss

What If: Aliens are alive and well at the bottom of the ocean.

The Film:  For whatever reason, tons of space movies have been made, but there have only been a few set in the deep ocean. The Abyss is the most definitive of the lot, for director James Cameron went through great lengths to give the film depth, texture, and realism. The film uses real underwater sets and diving scenes, filmed in an abandoned nuclear reactor; the entire cast and crew were strung-out and exhausted during the filming. More importantly though, the film offers a unique story full of excitement, suspense, wonder, and palpable tension. It has top-notch special effects (including some of the first-ever CGI effects). It tells a good story, with strong themes of humanity's destructive nature.

The director's cut of this film includes loads of additional footage, including an expanded ending that really ties up the film's themes and storyline in an invoking fashion. The film was great as it was, but this edition is better yet.

My score: 4.5/5
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17: Total Recall (1990)

What If: A man gets a virtual vacation implanted in his head, only to find that the implant awakens latent memories of a forgotten past. Or is it?

The Film: What an adventure; Total Recall is jam-packed with explosive action, bloody fights, imaginative SFX, and tight storytelling. The plot wanders from one thing to another fast and furiously, always dishing out a plethora of interesting and far-out ideas - everything from memory implants to mutants on Mars to instantly-changing fingernail polish to triple-breasted ladies, and more! The film has aged a bit, but thanks to its vision, its fast pacing, and a remarkable twist ending that'll make you double-guess the entire film, the film is pulp sci-fi adventure at its finest.

My score: 5/5
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16: Ghost in the Shell

What If: An elite cyberterrorist team hunts down a hacker with the ability to enter other people's minds and alter them.

The Film:  This is not a film that particularly makes sense; the technobabble, the politics, and the brooding pacing makes it a pretty tough watch. However, it is a visually cool and intellectually-interesting piece of cyberpunk sci-fi, the likes of which has been influential in the Matrix trilogy. GITS has cool action and visuals, but in between, it gets into some deep philosophical questions regarding existence and the human spirit, especially in the context of cybernetic bodies and minds. The ultimate conclusion presents a pretty trippy element of death and rebirth.

Version 2.0 of this film features some updated animation and graphics. Purists may hate the changes, especially regarding the altered color scheme, but I thought it was pretty neat.

My score: 4.5/5
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15: Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope

What If: A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away, an evil Galactic Empire is at war with the Rebel Alliance, and have built a moon-sized superweapon capable of destroying entire planets.

The Film: Back in 1977, an adventure like this hadn't been seen in a while, and a film like this had never been seen before. With phenomenal special effects and a lot of imaginative worldbuilding, Lucas' film set a new standard for filmmaking, and captivated thousands of people in an exhilarating world of fast spaceships, whimsical aliens, cool-looking robots, and a deeply mystical mythology. The story's been done before, but never with as many lovable characters or as much heart, and these aspects cemented this series as a perennial favorite of many to this day. In sci-fi terms, the film won't offer a whole lot of insight, but it is phenomenal for its overall vision.

Over the years, the film has been modified to include new footage and new SFX. Such changes have caused outrage among many fans; I personally was never bothered that much by them.

My score: 5/5
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14: 2001: A Space Odyssey

What If: In the future, we send a deep space mission to Jupiter to check out some weird monolith thing. Then the computer goes nuts, and the film goes nuts along with it.

The Film: It's a long and slow-burning odyssey, but it is still a sight to behold. It's still one of the most realistic space movies available, paying close attention to how gravity, life support, and basic propulsion would actually work in space. The film uses some of the most beautiful model-work and photography, and the effects toward the end are extremely surreal and off-the-chain. It gets a little hard to understand what's going on with the film's finale (leading many viewers to formulate such far-out theories such as the "space zoo" idea). At the very least though, the film tracks human progress from the stone age to the space age, and suggests that the human odyssey through space and time is only just beginning...

My score: 4/5
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13: Cloud Atlas

What If: You have six different people from six different eras doing six different things, but everything is connected...

The Film: Adapted pretty closely from David Mitchell's sprawling novel, the Cloud Atlas film takes a really random, seemingly unfilmable story, and brings it to life phenomenally. It is presented as a mosaic of multiple time spans and characters (as opposed to a nested structure; the random nature of the movie has not sat well with many viewers). Some of these stories are set in the past, some in the present, and some in the future. The most fantastic scenes show a dystopian era in cloned people serve a class of consumers. Some time later, after an apocalyptic cataclysm, the film focuses on a native and his chance meeting with space-faring settlers. Those are the most sci-fi driven aspects of the whole thing, but the film also explores a modern-day investigation on a power-plant conspiracy, an old fart getting incarcerated in a retirement home by accident, a dude hanging out with a famous composer, and a man on a voyage to find a cure for a parasite. It all seems random, but with the themes of past lives (reinforced cleverly by having the entire cast play multiple parts, crossing lines of race and gender even), the film maintains solid connections. It all serves to show a world that's simultaneously compassionate and brutal; it's a high-flying narrative that shows the best and worst of the human race.

My score: 5/5
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12: District 9

What If: An alien craft appears, full of refugees, and humans conveniently contain them in a place called District 9.

The Film: Filmed with a lot of mock interviews and faux stock footage, District 9 purposefully looks as real as it can, and it is a pretty ugly picture. The film explores a harsh slum full of filth, poverty, corruption, and violence. The inhumanity and social decay shown on-screen is a very hard-hitting parallel to other slums and shantytowns around the world. To see this thinly-veiled as a story about aliens, however, is something refreshingly original and invoking.

My score: 5/5
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11: Planet of the Apes (1968)

What If: Astronauts land on a crazy planet where apes are the dominant intelligent species, and humans are stupid.

The Film: It's a ridiculous and absurd idea, but with Rod Sterling's sharp script, it's actually one of the smartest films in sci-fi history. Most of the film serves as a platform to underscore key themes on civil rights, as Taylor struggles to convince his captors that he's not just some dumb animal. The ending, however, is most iconic, and puts an invoking spin on the entire story. Despite the crazy camera work and some cheesiness, the film is as classic as they come.

My score: 4.5/5
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10: A.I.: Artificial Intelligence

What If: Scientists build a robot child with real human emotions.

The Film: A rather weird experience. This was originally a Kubrick idea, but adapted by Spielberg after the man's death, so there are elements of both directors in this film, and it makes for a rather bittersweet experience. Split into three acts, the film strikes a proper emotional tone in the first hour or so, showing the robot child trying to hard to bond with his parents. The second act becomes a Pinocchio-inspired journey, full of visual-effects wizardry and a dark sense of whimsey. The final act is just so far out-there, I thought it was brilliant. A.I. is a lengthy and meaty piece of sci-fi with lots to think about and a lot of feeling.

My score: 4/5
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9: The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)

What If: A UFO lands in Washington DC, and there's an intense standoff between it and the Army.

The Film: In the midst of Cold War paranoia, this film presents the chillingly apocalyptic scenario in which trigger-happy human beings may inadvertently tick off the wrong aliens. Fear and paranoia permeate the whole picture, as Klaatu explores and discovers the best and worst of human society. Ultimately, the film makes a compelling plea for all people to disarm themselves and give peace a chance.

My score: 4.5/5
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8: Metropolis (1927)

What If: In a futuristic metropolis, a woman is replaced by a robotic doppelganger, which instigates a revolution.

The Film: Fritz Lang's film is not only an engrossing, visionary, epic piece of early sci-fi, it's also the one silent film I've enjoyed the most. It is pretty incredible to see how far things have come; what people envisioned for the future in 1927 is a pretty far cry from what we can envision now, in 2013 (where's all the biplanes and art deco buildings, come on!). The sets are huge and the action is ambitious, but what really makes Metropolis timeless is its impressionist visuals, which sublimely connect timeless ideas and emotions to the narrative. It is especially neat how it incorporates the passages of the Bible in the main plot. With great-looking visuals and an intriguing story, Metropolis is an essential classic.

Over the years, parts of the film have been lost. Be sure to find the releases that boast the Complete Edition, which includes as much footage as is currently available. In the 80s, the Giorgio Moroder version was also released, which includes color tinting and a bunch of Queen music, but is about an hour shorter; it's worth a look for fans.

My score: 5/5
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7: Minority Report

What If: People can be arrested for crimes before they happen.

The Film: A moody and stylish flick with a ton of great action and thrills. There are a lot of neat futuristic cars and gadgets on display (including the ever-cool computer displays controlled by hand movements, which are in use in some places today). It is also a pretty clever story that digs up some fundamental themes regarding free will and predetermination. There are some interesting themes of perception, and the film hints at some pretty ugly truths behind a seemingly-utopic society.

My score: 5/5
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6: Wall-E

What If: A lonely trash-digging robot hooks up with a robot from space, and they go on an adventure.

The Film: The film has a few somber parts; it is pretty sad to see the Earth left behind as a massive trash heap, with only Wall-E to clean up the mess. Some viewers have even taken offense to the film's portrayal of people as fat lazy blobs on hovering chairs. Unlike every other sci-fi picture, however, this one has that certain Pixar magic working for it, and it makes the film incredibly endearing. The comedy is phenomenal, the romance is super-cute without being sappy, and the characters succeed at being endearing (even when they can't speak much). It does get pretty far out, showing humanity's fate as weak space-faring consumerists who have lost touch with the Earth. Above all, the film presents a certain compassion, especially in the robot characters, which serve as tools that could save us all.

Pixar also produced the short film Burn-E, which is bloody hilarious.

My score: 5/5
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5: The Terminator

What If: A cyborg is sent back in time to assassinate the mother of the leader of the future rebellion.

The Film: The first and most original feature by James Cameron (not counting Piranha 2), The Terminator is a fresh and original story with a very simple but effective execution. The film is very sublimely directed and full of thrills. It is a thoughtful story though, playing around with time in interesting ways, and underscoring the terror of confronting an unstoppable machine. It is truly one of the most original and interesting sci-fi pictures ever made.

My score: 4.5/5
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4: Children of Men

What If: The human race becomes infertile.

The Film: This is still one of the most depressing pictures I've seen. The film has some pretty strong violence, some extremely mean characters, and loads of incredible action scenes (most of which are shot with incredibly long takes). Beneath it all, though, the film has a somber undertone, as the entire world lives, fights, and dies for the seemingly last time. At the same time, the film is all about hope, and it does reach a satisfying climax. The experience overall is hard-hitting and bleak, and it's highly effective at immersing the audience in a world caught in a downward spiral.

My score: 5/5
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3: Blade Runner

"'More human than human' is our motto."

What If: Bounties are dished out for androids.

The Film: A very liberal adaptation of Philip K Dick's novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, which still stands as my top favorite book. Even the title begs the important question concerning artificial life. Do they dream? Do they feel? Do they fear death?

"That was my profession. Ex-cop. Ex-blade runner. Ex-killer."

Blade Runner strips away a lot of things from the book (no mention is made of the extinction of animals, Deckard never invests in a robot sheep, he doesn't have a wife, and the weird stuff about Mercer is nowhere to be seen). Regardless, the film still delivers a fantastic vision of the future. From the opening shots onward, it is a dark, bleak future, with massive monolithic buildings, and crowded seedy streets. There are a ton of weird details to behold, as Deckard traverses above and below the dystopian sprawl. The really scary thing is, the future could really look like this; there are supposedly places in Asia that look just like this film.

"All those moments will be lost in time... like tears in rain... Time to die."

This is a pretty slow film, and the plot never really takes precedence, but there is still enough to deduce some deeper feelings and thoughts regarding the film's world and the notion of androids running amok. It may even go so far as digging deep into the human soul and questioning what makes us human, and what defines our reality. Blade Runner is a stylish and somber film-noir hybrid that evokes intriguing questions and deep empathy.

My score: 4.5/5
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2: A Clockwork Orange

"It's funny how the colors of the real world only seem
really real when you viddy them on the screen."

What If: A violent hoodlum is subjected to an experimental procedure that brainwashes him and makes it so that he can never be violent.

The Film: Based pretty closely on Anthony Burgess' novel, Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange is one messed-up experience. As a film, it's extremely bold in its compositions, its extreme acting, and its visual extravagance. It's the story that's compelling though; the film has a pretty interesting and scary premise, and it illustrates the potential implications of brainwashing. In the end, you can't bottle up human impulses; the whole point of the story, and the meaning of the title, is that you can't go against one's own nature. The book goes on to explain that God reaps the juices from all of us, the oranges, but then what happens when He comes across an artificial orange? That is what Alex becomes: a person unable to function or defend himself in society, because he is nothing but a clockwork orange.

"It'll be your own torture. I hope to God it'll torture you to madness"

The film is pretty ugly with its violence and rape scenes (sadly, it's still not the worst I've ever seen). It is necessary to underscore the violence of young men, if not all human beings in general, before subjecting the character to the Ludovico procedure. Even though Alex is a scumbag throughout the picture, I couldn't help but to pity him as he's relentlessly brutalized and rendered unable to fight back; he got what was coming to him, and then some. But what really makes this whole situation messed up is that nothing really worked. The Ludovico procedure is reversed by the film's end, and Alex simply goes back to his old ways, gleefully and mockingly crying "I was cured alright!" The book, with its final chapter reinstated, takes it a step further by having Alex mature naturally on his own. The film, which omits that part, still asserts that natural growth is ideal, because no amount of artificial conditioning can really change a person on the inside.

"A man who cannot chose ceases to be a man."

The really sad thing about this is that Alex's problems could have been prevented through better parenting, but his parents are shown to be daft pushovers. Instead, Alex became a problem of society, and society took care of him in the most inhumane way possible. If values and discipline plummet even more than they already have, it wouldn't surprise me if things get this bad in the future.

My score: 5/5
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1: The Matrix

"Have you ever had a dream, Neo, that you were so sure was real?
What if you were unable to wake from that dream?
How would you know the difference between the dream world and the real world?"

What If: The world as you know it is a lie. What if we're all really living in a virtual reality being pumped directly into our brains, while a race of sentient machines feed off of our natural bodily energies? What's to stop us from bending, or breaking, the natural rules of physics? How would we know what's real and what isn't? Is this air we're breathing? Whoa.

The Film: It took a few viewings, but I learned to appreciate the finer nuances of The Matrix, and it has since found its place as my third-favorite franchise, and my top pick for favorite sci-fi film. If for no other reason than every viewing seems to dig up something fresh and new to observe and contemplate. Naturally, it will always be the action that'll draw me in; the special effects were really ground-breaking and inspiring at the time, the gunfights are explosive and incredible, and the kung-fu fighting is extremely well-choreographed.

"Like everyone else you were born into bondage. Into a prison that you
cannot taste or see or touch. A prison for your mind."

Beneath the surface level, however, The Matrix layers on numerous mysteries, some of which are solved, and others are purposefully left open. The big reveal half-way through the picture explains a lot of the crazy events that occur beforehand, and sets up the crazy action afterward, but the implications are pretty deep. Surely, if we are plugged into a virtual reality, with electric signals constantly streaming to our nervous systems, then how can we know we aren't living in a simulated world as we speak? Surely, this could account for all the weird mysteries of life (The Matrix Reloaded did explain that rogue programs account for such supernatural phenomenon as ghosts, aliens, werewolves, vampires, and other strange creatures). Above all, the film asserts that the mind transcends the body; only in believing in oneself and rejecting the constraints of the matrix did Neo learn to do the impossible over and over again.

"The body cannot live without the mind."

With this clever concept, the Watchowskis developed a fresh, original, and really cool universe full of hovercrafts, squid-like robots, and they put a menacing spin on the Men in Black mythos. They also inputted some clever rules and dynamics that not only made for an impressive spectacle, but helped make the concept creditable in the context of computer programming. Yes, if everything is a computer program, surely you can fly. Surely, you can hack into the world and summon weapons and objects at a whim. Or even, the machine could hack into you. The sequels would go on to have actual "back doors" and viruses in the matrix.

On top of all that, the film poses some staggering philosophical implications. Drawing from multiple disciplines, the film challenges the perception of reality (remember the line, "It is not the spoon that bends, it is only yourself"). It even draws a certain theological parallels, with its strong themes of death and rebirth, which morphs the main character from an average automaton office worker into "The One," a savoir to humanity. This prophecy comes full circle by the series' third film, in a rather unexpected fashion.

"Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is.
You have to see it for yourself."

At the time of its release, I remember everybody was blown away by the notions of The Matrix, for they were all pondering as to whether it is creditable that we could all be living in a virtual simulation. Scientists have actually given the theory credence. The film does a first-rate job of stimulating the senses with its epic action scenes and quality visuals, but it also stimulates the mind with its deep ideas and themes.

Watch the films. Question everything.

Free your mind...

Matrix Score: 5/5
Matrix Reloaded Score: 4.5/5
Matrix Revolutions Score: 4.5/5
Animatrix Score: 5/5
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But wait, that's not all! Allow me to present my list of Sci-Fi honorable mentions, and I'll show you how deep the rabbit hole goes...