Skip to content
Guest Thinkers

What Are the Top 10 Sci-Fi Films of All-Time?

Sign up for the Smarter Faster newsletter
A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

Last week public radio’s On Point called upon a group of experts to discuss the top 10 science fiction films of all time.  Included on the show were the NY Times’ film critic AO Scott, iO9 blog editor Analee Newitz, and physics professor/blogger/novelist Mike Brotherton.


The hour long program is a fun and interesting listen.  Below I have posted the panel’s respective Top 10.

What do you think of this list? Any films missing? Do you think Inception should be on this list?

I would make the case for the inclusion of Jurassic Park and Boys from Brazil.  Also note that only the scientist picked Contact.

A.O. Scott, New York Times:

    2001

    AI/ET/Close Encounters of the Third Kind

    Alien/Aliens

    Alphaville

    Fahrenheit 451

    Gattaca

    Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978 version)   

    Metropolis–Fritz Lang version AND Rintaro anime

    Spaceballs/ The Empire Strikes Back

    Robocop/Starship Troopers

Annalee Newitz of io9.com:

    Metropolis

    The Day the Earth Stood Still

    2001

    Star Wars: A New Hope AND Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan (tie)

    Blade Runner

    Videodrome

    Terminator 2

    Ghost in the Shell (Japanese version)

    Teknolust (Lynn Hershman-Leeson)

    Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

    Honorable Mention: Primer (Shane Carruth)

Mike Brotherton, University of Wyoming:

    Destination Moon

    2001: A Space Odyssey

    2010

    Predator

    The Abyss

    Contact

    Deep Impact

    Red Planet

    Minority Report

    Primer

Sign up for the Smarter Faster newsletter
A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

Related

Up Next