Sci-fi flicks you might have missed

[matt3o]

I'm maintaining this list of not-so-famous sci-fi/horror/mystery/paranormal films that are worth watching.

https://github.com/cubiq/scifi-underdogs

It's just for lesser known film (not blockbusters). Hope you like it and maybe you can help me with it. If you know how it works you can simply push updates to the github repo, otherwise post your suggestions here.

cheerio

[webwit]

I'm happy it doesn't include Moon, the most overrated "underrated" sci-fi movie.

[matt3o]

when they figured out that Moon hadn't the numbers, they made an indie-flick out of it so it looked so much cooler. Decent movie anyway.

[Muirium]

Logan's Run, sterling pick! I'd add Silent Running.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silent_Running

Douglas Trumbull's own space movie after he did the special effects for 2001. Way ahead of its time, yet deeply dated too.

And then for more paranoia, the fake mission to Mars movie: Capricorn One.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capricorn_One

[damorgue]

I kind of liked Sunshine

Edit: Some of those are really quite famous and not really under dogs. If so, then I would also add Butterfly Effect trilogy to that list. I forgot which ones in that trilogy were good and which ones were bad.

[BimboBB]

"Moon" wasnt bad.

something for the list:
- Pandorum
- Cargo
- Serenity (not sure if that was a blockbuster)
- Pitch Black (blockbuster?)

[webwit]

Moon was a boring, cowardly Frankenstein flick which semi-intellectuals embraced exactly because of those slow-moving qualities. Also the sci-fi dress was outdated and the guy a Spock/Data clone. Yawn. Perfume was released in the same time area, which was an exciting and challenging Frankenstein clone. Too challenging for the politically correct, which is always a good point. Now that was the real underrated movie.

[damorgue]

"Moon" wasnt bad.
- Serenity (not sure if that was a blockbuster)

Sort of necessary to see Firefly for that one.

[matt3o]

not sure Pandorum can be considered an underdog. People simply didn't like it. (I liked it).

I understand it's hard to tell if a movie is "famous" or not. Akira is super famous for me, but I asked to my teenager cousins and they never heard of it, so I thought it was worth a mention.

Is Cargo this http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0381940/ ?

[Muirium]

Since Akira is on the list (I consider it famous as an anime fan but not fully mainsteam outside Japan) I'll add The Wings of Honnêamise. Gainax's excellent 80s race to space feature.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Spac ... C3%AAamise

I'm a sucker for space movies and Gainax so this scores well with me! Evangelion had a few films made out of it, but they're nothing compared to the TV series. A common problem with crossovers.

Meanwhile, another Trumbull classic: Brainstorm. The film where Christopher Walken introduced the recumbent bicycle to the world. Future shock!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brainstorm_(1983_film)

Although too commercially successful for this list, honourable mention goes to the movie that gave audiences their first (and likely last…) glimpse of the DataHand!

This unconventional keyboard was seen in the Jodie Foster 1997 movie Contact as the pilot's controls for the futuristic space ship; and the spy movie Stormbreaker.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contact_(film)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datahand

[matt3o]

Silent Running and Capricorn One added.

Also added Outland (not Outlander!), which I loved

I don't think the butterfly effect is lesser known. I believe it is in the top IMDB movies. Very nice flick anyway. I'd say the only movie with Kutcher that I liked

[damorgue]

Looks like I have a list of things to watch. Anyone know of a good site for inputting movies you like, comparing them to what others like and suggesting movies to you? There are tons of these sites and services, just wondering if any of you have good experience with a particular one.

[matt3o]

wow Brainstorm is a super cult. should be in any collection but if people don't know it, I'll definitely add it to the list.

Contact?! really?!

Never heard of The Wings of Honnêamise instead, which makes it a good candidate

Looks like I have a list of things to watch. Anyone know of a good site for inputting movies you like, comparing them to what others like and suggesting movies to you? There are tons of these sites and services, just wondering if any of you have good experience with a particular one.

Good luck with that... all "suggest similar movies" services I've found on the web SUCK!

[Findecanor]

I'm not a fan of horror movies. I have seen most of the sci-fi movies on that list, some more than once. Logan's Run and Akira are classics.

[matt3o]

I'm not a fan of horror movies. I have seen most of the sci-fi movies on that list, some more than once. Logan's Run and Akira are classics.

which ones you didn't see?

[BimboBB]

Moon was a boring, cowardly Frankenstein flick which semi-intellectuals embraced exactly because of those slow-moving qualities. Also the sci-fi dress was outdated and the guy a Spock/Data clone. Yawn. Perfume was released in the same time area, which was an exciting and challenging Frankenstein clone. Too challenging for the politically correct, which is always a good point. Now that was the real underrated movie.

Perfume....about this murderer guy and his perfums? If yes, that wasnt underrated (at least here in Germany).....based on worldwide bestselling book, most expansive movie made in Germany (budget EUR 60 Mio) and one of the most successful movies here. Never watched the movie, but read the book......its considered being a must-read here.

"Moon" wasnt bad.
- Serenity (not sure if that was a blockbuster)

Sort of necessary to see Firefly for that one.

Really? Never saw this series....but enjoyed the movie anyway, because it had some great (black) humor inside, which isnt very common for that kind of movies.

not sure Pandorum can be considered an underdog. People simply didn't like it. (I liked it).

When I was going to watch it, i expected some kind of trash....in the end i was quite surprised how well it entertained me.

Is Cargo this http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0381940/ ?

yes.

[matt3o]

Cargo added.

[mr_a500]

Logan's Run, sterling pick! I'd add Silent Running.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silent_Running

Douglas Trumbull's own space movie after he did the special effects for 2001. Way ahead of its time, yet deeply dated too.

I love Douglas Trumbull effects, but I thought Silent Running was crap.

Brainstorm was great - except for the jokey crap with the assembly line robots. It's one of my favourite movies for looking at vintage keyboards. (yes, I have movies I watch mainly for the vintage keyboards... so what?)

More relatively unknown science fiction: Demon Seed (1977) - a bit unbelievable, but well done. Phase IV (1974) - ants, and lots of them. I like the dome and the impressive ant acting. Some of those ants should get the Academy Award.

[Muirium]

Silent Running is a love it / hate it kind of deal. (Like many of the kinds of movies that will end up on this list.) If you can forgive its heavy moral pedagogy (environmentalism was novel at the time, apparently) and its 2001-esque pace, it's a full blown cult classic. Helps if the first time you saw it was at night as a kid, too. Not in the cinema though, in my case!

Demon Seed's a nice pick. We need more ickiness and evil to fulfill Matt's premise!

[BimboBB]

If you have "Equilibrium" in the list, you could also consider "eXistenZ" to be in the list. Same financial desaster for a rather good movie.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120907/

[mr_a500]

Is Zardoz considered well known? (should be)

I think Zardoz has the most accurate prediction of future computing (besides 2001). The computer is a wearable ring that accepts voice commands and projects its display. It answers questions logically (no "does not compute" nonsense of the 70's) - just like Apple's Siri (or Google's...whatever you call it). I'm positive something like the Zardoz computer ring will exist in the future.

[webwit]

The only thing I remember about that movie is the Sean Connery costume.

[mr_a500]

Silent Running is a love it / hate it kind of deal. (Like many of the kinds of movies that will end up on this list.) If you can forgive its heavy moral pedagogy (environmentalism was novel at the time, apparently) and its 2001-esque pace, it's a full blown cult classic. Helps if the first time you saw it was at night as a kid, too. Not in the cinema though, in my case!

I saw it the first time around 1979. I loved all science fiction - even low budget TV crap - but I just couldn't like that movie. Maybe it was Bruce Dern. His voice annoys me. Also those robots were... to use a Mr. Burns quote, "Too cutsie poo!"

[matt3o]

OMG Zardoz... that costume... I still have nightmares about that costume on Connery's chest hair

[mr_a500]

You have nightmares about Sean Connery's chest hair?

[Muirium]

Connery was always the gold lining in his movies. Well, the memorable ones at least.

If you have "Equilibrium" in the list, you could also consider "eXistenZ" to be in the list. Same financial desaster for a rather good movie.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120907/

Oh yeah, I considered that one, but wasn't sure if it met the barely/unprofitable criterion. I saw in the theatre. Strange film all right. I'd rate it alongside Hudsucker Proxy and Eraserhead on that scale.

Before I forget, Terry Gilliam's retro dystopian genius: Brazil!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazil_%281985_film%29

[matt3o]

I give Brazil is very well known... no?

[Muirium]

Among us, maybe. Wikipedia says it made a loss at the box office.

Webwit will probably splash me for this one, but I must admit to really liking Pi.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pi_%28film%29

Pretense and schizophrenia.

[mr_a500]

Why are Enemy Mine, Starman and Gattaca on the list? I thought those were popular Hollywood movies. (good movies, but definitely well known)

[Ducky Nordic]

Is Zardoz considered well known? (should be)

I think Zardoz has the most accurate prediction of future computing (besides 2001). The computer is a wearable ring that accepts voice commands and projects its display. It answers questions logically (no "does not compute" nonsense of the 70's) - just like Apple's Siri (or Google's...whatever you call it). I'm positive something like the Zardoz computer ring will exist in the future.

Oh, definately Zardoz on the list
Excellent and eccentric yet a bit cheesy movie. In Zardoz the eternals also had internet (tabernacle) . 1974 movie so before any kind of internet was known to common man.