Everyone with any interest in science fiction has seen powerhouse movies like BLADE RUNNER, 2001 A SPACE ODYSSEY, THE STAR WARS SERIES, etc. Why waste time regurgitating a list that everyone is already familiar with? Instead, I have decided to offer up a tapestry of films, old and new, that might have passed you by due to a short theater shelf life, or might have been forgotten due to the passage of far too many years. Every flick below stands out for it's fine story, incredible effects, futuristic vision, and/or pulse-pounding intrigue. And all of them hold up extremely well to multiple viewings.

DARK CITY (1998)
Director: Alex Proyas
Starring: Rufus Sewell, Kiefer Sutherland, Jennifer Connelly, William Hurt
Watson scale: 6
Called a "...great visionary achievement" by Roger Ebert, this amazing movie (science fiction with a film-noir spine) has a beautifully written screenplay, great acting, lots of originality, copious quantities of intrigue, and top-notch effects. If there's such a thing as perfect filmmaking, this might well be it.

THE FIFTH ELEMENT (1997)
Director: Luc Besson
Starring: Bruce Willis, Milla Jovovich, Gary Oldman, Chris Tucker
Watson scale: 4.5
Campy, at times silly and over the top, and lots and lots of fun! The effects are magnificent, and Milla Jovovich shows so much vulnerability when she first encounters Willis (imploring him to "Help me.") that every man in the theater was moved to a state of frenzy. I've talked to people who rave about this movie, and I've also listened to film moguls who felt it was the worst thing ever made. Its detractors, though, are missing the point: pushing a few obvious flaws aside, stunning visuals and several intensely memorable scenes make this something you can watch over and over again.

GHOST IN THE SHELL (1995)
Director: Mamoru Oshii
Watson scale: 5.5
I'm no big fan of anime, though it does have its moments. Nevertheless, this thoroughly adult movie (set in a borderless 2029 future) mesmerizes me with the subtlety of its scenes and it's somber, thoughtful, and at times spiritual tone. I've watched it 3 times in the last 2 months and am looking forward to a 4th viewing soon!

THE ABYSS (1989)
Director: James Cameron
Starring:
Watson scale: 4.5
Repeat after me--director's cut! Buy or rent the DVD and prepare to see a very different (and much improved) film than was presented on the big screen. With 28 minutes of critical added footage, THE ABYSS morphs from interesting to excellent.

FIRST MEN IN THE MOON (1964)
Director: Nathan Juran
Starring: Edward Judd, Martha Hyer, Lionel Jefferies
Watson scale: 4.5
Imagine this: the first official lunar landing has just (1964) taken place (remember that this film was made five years before we really got there!) amidst enormous worldwide fanfare. The astronauts explore and, to their amazement, find an old Union Jack and a piece of paper claiming the moon for Her Majesty Queen Victoria, dated 1899! How is this possible? The explanation will both thrill and delight you! Great Ray Harryhausen effects and old British charm ooze from every shot. An incredibly enjoyable movie.

UNTIL THE END OF THE WORLD (1991)
Director: Wim Wenders
Starring: William Hurt, Solveig Demmartin, Max von Sydow, Sam Neill
Watson scale: 5.5
Wim Wenders' look into future tech-risks, the sanctity of man's mind, and international love on a grand scale. It's not for those that want non-stop action and lots of guns going off. But if you like to think, if you love mood, if you enjoy international flavor, and if you want to hear the best soundtrack ever recorded for a movie, then this will prove to be a very satisfying experience. One of my all-time favorites.

SOUNDTRACK FOR UNTIL THE END OF THE WORLD
Artists: U2, Talking Heads, R.E.M., Lou Reed, Peter Gabriel, Patti Smith and Fred Smith, Depeche Mode, Elvis Costello, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, T-Bone Burnett, Neneh Cherry, Robbie Robertson and Blue Nile, Daniel Lanois, Jane Siberry with K.D. Lang
Do soundtracks get better than this? I don't think it's possible!

DARK STAR (1975)
Director: John Carpenter
Starring: Brian Narelle, Dre Pahich, Cal Kuniholme, Dan O'Bannon
Watson scale: 4.5
I first caught this film in London in 1978 and have since seen it again over half a dozen times. Quite simply, it's the funniest science fiction film ever made, while also demonstrating a state of hopelessness easily reached when repetition takes the place of real living. A true classic.

THE ARRIVAL (1996)
Director: David Twohy
Starring: Charlie Sheen, Ron Silver
Watson scale: 4
Plot driven, though the few special effects that do exist are nicely done. A very enjoyable, underrated, little science fiction/thriller that is well written and well acted.

PITCH BLACK (2000)
Director: David Twohy, Radha Mitchell, Cole Hauser,
Starring: Vin Diesel
Watson scale: 4.5
Here we see a simple plot that's executed perfectly. The effects are excellent, the acting good, and the sets are very effective. A tight effort that screams for a sequel.

LIQUID SKY (1983)
Director: Slava Tsukerman
Starring: Anne Carlisle, Paula Sheppard, Susan Doukas
Watson scale: 4
This R-rated punk science fiction oddity is about tiny aliens (in a tiny UFO, of course) that feed on chemicals created in the brain during orgasm. Described in some sources as a lesbian/bisexual/transgender drama, an interest in these things isn't necessary to thoroughly enjoy this film. Interesting music, tempting drugs, all amidst the theme of the heroine's lovers dropping dead one after another in the midst of sexual ecstasy. Naturally, she thinks she's killing everyone with her...well, see it and find out. A cult classic!

THE THING (1982)
Director: John Carpenter
Starring: Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley
Watson scale: 4.5
When it came out, critics almost universally trashed it (the same thing happened to BLADE RUNNER!). However, over time the "...instant junk" (as Vince Canby ignorantly called it in the NY Times) has been recognized as a classic work of genius. In fact, Quentin Tarantino said THE THING was one of his all-time favorite movies and admitted that he used it as the premise for his RESERVOIR DOGS. For me, this incredibly scary film (often called a science fiction TEN LITTLE INDIANS) brings back lots of memories. The great effects, and Carpenter's excellent directing, can't take away from the fact that what made this movie a success was the brilliant writing of the late Bill Lancaster (he also wrote BAD NEWS BEARS). Bill, one of my dearest friends, discussed his script (he was very proud of it) with me on many occasions. His death at only 49 years of age haunts me to this day. Ah...I'm becoming maudlin! Trust me when I say that, if you enjoy creature effects, and if you love being scared out of your wits, rent or buy it right away and prepare for a very intense viewing experience.

QUATERMASS AND THE PIT (1968)
Director: Roy Baker
Starring: James Donald, Andrew Keir, Barbara Shelley
Watson scale: 4
A cult classic that's driven by story and atmosphere, this English movie (which also goes by the title: FIVE MILLION YEARS TO EARTH) centers around the discovery of a long buried alien vessel in London's subways. Dripping with tension, the story builds into a tale of mankind's origins, and the energies unleashed soon threaten to turn London into an apocalyptic wasteland. I've never met anyone who didn't enjoy this film.

INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1956)
Director: Don Siegel
Starring: Kevin McCarthy, Dana Wynter
Watson scale: 5
This classic study in paranoia has been met with various interpretations, ranging from "paranoia as harmful ideology" ala the mass hysteria created by McCarthyism in the 50s, to the willful spread of manufactured disease (this certainly strikes a chord today, doesn't it?). Instead of trying to place meaning where none may reside, let's simply say that INVASION is an edgy flick that grabs you by the scruff of your neck and doesn't let go. Are the people in his town who they appear to be? Odd behavior and strange, human size pods force us, and Kevin McCarthy, to believe otherwise! A great movie that only seems to get better with the passing of the years.

WAR OF THE WORLDS (1953)
Director: Byron Haskin
Starring: Gene Barry, Ann Robinson, Lewis Martin
Watson scale: 4.5
You've seen this wonderful classic, right? No? Well, that's not right! Watch it immediately! Based on the story by H.G. Wells, a live reading in 1938 by Orson Welles caused nationwide panic when listeners became convinced that aliens had invaded the Earth. The 1953 version of this story has withstood the test of time, and it remains, by far, the very best cinematic expression of Wells' novel.

ROBINSON CRUSOE ON MARS (1963)
Director: Byron Haskin
Starring: Paul Mantee, Victor Lundin, Adam West
Watson scale: 4.5
It's a common story: Astronaut orbits Mars, astronaut becomes stranded on Mars, astronaut is quickly running out of air, food, and water, astronaut finds monkey (Mona the monkey!)...well, it all sounds pretty bad, doesn't it? But, by using intelligent story telling and compelling characters (Hollywood seems to have forgotten these things) we somehow, against all odds, end up with a cult classic. A reviewer named Matthew McGowan called it, "...a meditative and minimalist bit of decent, humanistic science fiction." He's right. This film puts recent big budget Mars' flicks to shame, and every sincere science fiction aficionado should have it on their "must own" (or "must see") list.

FORBIDDEN PLANET (1956)
Director: Fred Wilcox
Starring: Leslie Nielson, Walter Pidgeon, Anne Francis
Watson scale: 5.5
A variation of Shakespeare's THE TEMPEST, this film might well be the best science fiction movie of the 50s. The cast is stellar, the story is riveting, the effects are amazing and effective, and audiences at that time must have been stunned as Robby the Robot (the most charming character in the movie!) and the Krell (an ancient alien race) took over their collective minds. If you don't like this film, you should never look at another piece of science fiction again!

THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN (1957)
Director: Jack Arnold
Starring: Grant Williams, Randy Stuart, April Kent
Watson scale: 5
This was the age of stories based on radioactive repercussions. Usually this led to various animals and insects growing to enormous dimensions (the excellent THEM being one example), but here we have a man shrinking to nothing after encountering a radioactive cloud. As he gets smaller and smaller, his wife is forced to place him in a dollhouse where he soon becomes prey to his pet cat, a spider, and anything else with an appetite. Filmed in five or six weeks at a cost of only $700,000.00 to $800,000.00, it's almost shocking that it turned out so beautifully. Thoughtful, understated, exquisitely filmed, well acted, THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN explores humanities' will to survive, and our eventual need to open ourselves up to the inevitable unknown, in a way that's rarely been equaled.