Last year we took a crack at the 25 best sci-fi films of the century so far. The list was populated by a handful of obvious — though necessary — choices, like “Looper,” “Interstellar,” and “Inception.” But the bulk of the picks came from the relatively new tradition of low budget sci-fi. Certainly sci-fi flicks of all shapes and sizes have been around since the dawn of cinema, but advances in digital cameras and post-production effects have made it a far more accessible genre for filmmakers, both budding and established, to tackle with a minimal budget (see the watermark: Shane Carruth‘s “Primer,” which he made for just $7,000). This new mindset has seemingly reinvigorated the genre, allowing even the most out-there and inventive ideas to get brought to life. Alex Garland‘s Oscar-winner “Ex Machina,” for example, is a great heady premise paired with a conservative budget that resulted in a fantastic little film.
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No single list will ever really be definitive though. And thus a new supercut has arrived from Fandor Keyframe to run down “The Best Sci-Fi Movies Of The Century So Far.” While not outwardly stated in the video, the list is in fact a ranking of the 20 best movies of the past 16 years. So, while there is a ton of crossover — lists are obviously subjective, and so often arbitrary, but there’s no way anyone’s leaving out “Snowpiercer” or “Moon” — there is plenty of the healthy variance that comes from trying to compile the best of anything.
Mostly though, the video serves as a reminder of just how great these past 16 years have been for film lovers. Obviously, blockbusters, franchises, the MCU, sequels, and IP have co-opted the bulk of the cinematic conversation, but it’s hard to argue with the quality of these movies — many of which are destined to be classics, if they aren’t already.
Check out Fandor’s sci-fi supercut. Anything you don’t agree with? Anything they missed? Sound off in the comments.
