Best sci-fi movie that was NOT a franchise

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by KevinP, Nov 23, 2021.

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  1. KevinP

    KevinP Forum introvert Thread Starter

    Location:
    Daejeon
    So, no sequels, no tv show, no comic book tie-ins, etc.

    If the movie was based on a book, we can allow that, especially if the book doesn't have any sequels.

    Mixed feelings if a standalone movie that has a standalone remake should count, so I'll leave it up to you.

    I'll begin by naming two:
    Arrival
    Solaris (which does have a remake. It doesn't approach the original but it was a lot better than it had any right being.)
     
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  2. EdogawaRampo

    EdogawaRampo Senior Member

    Videodrome. More relevant today IMO than it ever was in the early 1980s.

    Ditto They Live!

    Perhaps it's obvious I think rather highly of that one.
     
  3. Uncle Miles

    Uncle Miles Wafting in and out of Forum

    Location:
    Phoenix, AZ USA
    Forbidden Planet
     
  4. Roland Stone

    Roland Stone Offending Member

    I would say either ANNIHILATION or CHILDREN OF MEN . . .
     
  5. GLUDFSSR

    GLUDFSSR Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Close Encounters
     
  6. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    War Of The Worlds
     
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  7. Chrome_Head

    Chrome_Head Planetary Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA.
    Not sure if Altered States applies though it certainly has sci-fi elements.

    Linklater’s A Scanner Darkly.

    Used to be Blade Runner was the great standalone sci-fi film, until the (terrific, I thought) 2017 sequel.
     
  8. AC1

    AC1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Antwerp, Belgium
    Used to be 2001: A Space Odyssey ... until the mediocre sequel. Then it used to be Blade Runner ... until the mediocre sequel. So now it's Solyaris (1972).
     
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  9. PH416156

    PH416156 Alea Iacta Est

    Location:
    Europe
    Stalker

    BTW, I'd like to recommend the recent (2019) and awesome High life, starring Robert Pattinson.
     
  10. Speedmaster

    Speedmaster We’re all walking through this darkness on our own

    Location:
    The Netherlands
    Gattaca and Contact
     
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  11. simonux

    simonux Custom Title

    Location:
    France
  12. Pizza

    Pizza With extra pepperoni

    Location:
    USA
    Metropolis
     
  13. The Andromeda Strain

    The Arrival (marred slightly by budget limitations in the effects department)
     
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  14. parkgrover

    parkgrover Forum Resident

    Solaris (original)
    Gattaca
    Arrival
    Silent Running
    Moon
    Ex Machina
     
  15. RogerE

    RogerE Rambo, the world famous squirrel, says yeah!

    Location:
    Frankfurt, Germany
    Silent Running
    Andromeda Strain
     
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  16. Yesternow

    Yesternow Forum pResident

    Location:
    Portugal
    Another vote for Moon and ExMachina !!

    But I want to mention one that is left out of these lists.
    Although it had commercial success it seems underrated to me.
    Maybe because it is so well done one forgets it's sci-fi

    [​IMG]
     
    Mesozoic Mike likes this.
  17. JohnG

    JohnG PROG now in Dolby ATMOS!

    Location:
    Long Island NY
    Edge Of Tomorrow
     
  18. parkgrover

    parkgrover Forum Resident

    I forgot : Interstellar, Gravity
     
  19. A Grain of Sand

    A Grain of Sand Forum Resident

    Location:
    Riverside, CA
    Soylent Green.
     
  20. Warzawa

    Warzawa The Starman

    2001 a Space Odyssey & The Martian
     
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  21. Ginger Ale

    Ginger Ale Snackophile

    Location:
    New York
    Invasion of the Body Snatchers (the original b/w film).
     
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  22. raveoned

    raveoned Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ambler, PA
    For me, it has to be:

    Forbidden Planet
    The Andromeda Strain
    Soylent Green
    The Day The Earth Stood Still
    THX-1138

    Sci-Fi is one of my favorite genres, and those movies, for me, are always classics I go back to. It's actually very hard to narrow it down to even 5!
     
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  23. rjp

    rjp Senior Member

    Location:
    Ohio
    by far the day the earth stood still - the original.
     
  24. Wildest cat from montana

    Wildest cat from montana Humble Reader

    Location:
    ontario canada
    But not Spielberg's.
     
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  25. Vaughan

    Vaughan Forum Resident

    Location:
    Essex, UK
    A great choice, without a doubt. Hell, for the soundtrack alone it's something else, but the whole story is marvelous.

    I have trouble coming up with a best. For example, the original movies of these are brilliant:

    Day of the Triffids
    The Thing from Another World
    Black Scorpion
    Invasion of the Body Snatchers

    But I do happen to have one movie that is very near and dear to my heart, an absolute gem - Fiend Without a Face. Wow.

    Sadly, I believe the negative for Day at the Triffids was lost, and all that remains are very very poor copies. Blu-Ray wouldn't add anything to the DVD's, which are terrible. The Thing and Invasion of the Body Snatchers were both remade, and the remakes overshadow the originals. I prefer them though (not that the remakes were bad).

    I'm having trouble thinking of any modern sci-fi films that make the grade. Event Horizon was good, Sunshine was good too. The OP mentions Arrival and that was okay, except it was a little cerebral (I do like some real monster action.) I know that as soon as I post this message other titles will spring to mind.

    Oh! How could I forget - Videodrome is magnificent. Existenx is pretty good too.
     
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