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Five of this century’s best Science Fiction Films
Other | Wednesday 21st August 2013 | Ben
Elysium is released in cinemas today and looks to be one of the hottest sci-fi films to hit the screens for quite some time. That’s not to say that there haven’t been any great, modern sci-fi films, so if you haven’t seen any of these, they are well worth your time!
District 9
After being recruited for the Halo movie that never got off the ground, South African director Neil Blomkamp was given the opportunity by producer Peter Jackson to make a big budget version for his short film District 9. The film is part mockumentary, showcasing the events in South Africa following the migration of other worldly refugees. The aliens are put into slum like living conditions and are hated by the humans; this premise serves as a cutting commentary on segregation and hatred in Apartheid era South Africa. The main character is in charge of moving the aliens into a new district, but in the process becomes infected with a substance that begins turning him into one of the aliens. As he continues to change from being a human, he begins to become more alienated from his species and the prejudices that he had against the visitors are put to the test when he teams up with them. A challenging take on familiar story elements, and if this is anything to go by Elysium is set to be the film of the year.
Moon
Moon relies heavily on the strengths of actor Sam Rockwell, given that he is almost the only character in the film. Stationed on a lunar mining colony managed from Earth by a cold hearted business corporation, he spends his days with the robot assigned to assist him in performing duties that are given to him and maintaining the facility. Counting down the days until he can see his wife, he cannot communicate directly with anyone from Earth so he is completely shut off from his own world. The film is a hauntingly stark portrayal of the insular life of a man who lives his life to serve the desires of the business men who put him there. The story is beautifully and simply told, free from pretentious camera trickery and is as moving as it is intriguing.
Sunshine
A greatly underated film, often criticised for its abrupt shift in tone midway through. This is a shame as it is a thoughtful and insightful film that tells a seemingly familiar tale in an abstract and challenging way. The film centres around a crew of astronauts sent to re-ignite the dying sun, following from a previous mission that failed. The film moves fairly slowly at first, revealing the psychological fractures in the people that have been trapped in the spaceship for years, whose shoulders bear the fate of mankind. Characters are fleshed out well but not all of them get along, which fuels further tension in the ship. Towards the end of the film, it picks up pace significantly with more action and suspense as the characters spiral towards the dramatic finale. The writing and acting are complemented by the effective direction and the sweeping, emotive soundtrack.
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within
Despite having relatively little to do with the Final Fantasy video game series, other than the name, The Spirits Within is a fantastic film. While the film divides opinion due to use of the Final Fantasy moniker, it deserves a watch as it is a highly engrossing film that takes unexpected turns and challenges the viewer to think about what is going on. The story is set in a future world where mysterious spirit monsters have taken over after arriving on a meteor. The plot delves into spiritual and philosophical themes, features mesmerising dream sequences and thrilling action scenes. Concerning whether or not it is a true member of the Final Fantasy series, the jury is out, but regardless of this it stands alone as an excellent and unique science fiction film.
Pitch Black
In the mould of traditional B movie sci-fi horror, the first film to feature Vin Diesel’s inter-galactic outlaw Riddick is a tense and action packed thrill ride. On its way to ‘New Mecca’ a transport ship holding a group of travellers crash lands on a hostile planet with a host of unfriendly creatures lying in wait for the darkness. With this kind of movie, people often criticise the characterisation as characters can be as empty as ‘third one to die’. However, the characters in Pitch Black are all interesting in their own way, and though some have more screen time than others, as a viewer you always feel engaged with what they are doing. The plot may be straightforward, but the film succeeds in creating a believable world dripping with atmosphere.
By Ben Lawrence
