Alien: Covenant (2017)

Szlia

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However i have one we can all agree on. The Fifth Element.
Nope. We will not all agree on that.

Anyway, I was about to whine on the usual lack of non english speaking films in the lists as well as everything being recent movies but... for science fiction it's a bit difficult to really whine about that.

There is a tradition of science fiction in literature and in comic books in France, but that did not cross over to films. I can't think of a chinese science fiction film and even campy actioners from Hong Kong very rarely play the science fiction card. Fantasy or 'magical history' is a lot more common, same with Korea. In Japan, you have the monster movies and the super hero team movies... but there is almost nothing outside these niche sub-genre when it comes to live action. Japanese animation though is probably the biggest provider of science fiction feature films, but it feels a little bit like cheating to throw animation in the mix.

Russia is a strong contender with a big tradition in both literature and film, but these movies are not easy to see past the usual suspects that are Tarkovsky's Stalkers and Solaris.

Spain and even more so Italy have and had a pretty vibrant scene for B movies. It's mostly gangster or horror movies, but there is some science fiction in the mix here and there (like Mario Bava'sPlanet of the Vampires- camp alert!) or more recently Los cronocrimenes (Timecrimes a time travelling thriller).


As for the recent-itis... it feels that the quantity and diversity in types of sci-fi productions increased in recent years. Add to this that a number of things can age very poorly when it comes to science fiction films, and, really, only a few films with a strong vision and/or that are very austere really stand the test of time. So, like, unless we really discover a way to travel through time, Primer will age gracefully, while the special effects ofFantatic Voyage, will remain a product of their era (even if they have their beauty and charms!).
 

LachiusTZ

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Contact and Close Encounters need to be on that list.

Alien was good, but the sequel better, same with terminator (#6?).

Predator 1 or 2 needs to be on that list, and 2001 rounding it out.
 

Caliane

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Nope. We will not all agree on that.

Anyway, I was about to whine on the usual lack of non english speaking films in the lists as well as everything being recent movies but... for science fiction it's a bit difficult to really whine about that.

There is a tradition of science fiction in literature and in comic books in France, but that did not cross over to films. I can't think of a chinese science fiction film and even campy actioners from Hong Kong very rarely play the science fiction card. Fantasy or 'magical history' is a lot more common, same with Korea. In Japan, you have the monster movies and the super hero team movies... but there is almost nothing outside these niche sub-genre when it comes to live action. Japanese animation though is probably the biggest provider of science fiction feature films, but it feels a little bit like cheating to throw animation in the mix.

Russia is a strong contender with a big tradition in both literature and film, but these movies are not easy to see past the usual suspects that are Tarkovsky's Stalkers and Solaris.

Spain and even more so Italy have and had a pretty vibrant scene for B movies. It's mostly gangster or horror movies, but there is some science fiction in the mix here and there (like Mario Bava'sPlanet of the Vampires- camp alert!) or more recently Los cronocrimenes (Timecrimes a time travelling thriller).


As for the recent-itis... it feels that the quantity and diversity in types of sci-fi productions increased in recent years. Add to this that a number of things can age very poorly when it comes to science fiction films, and, really, only a few films with a strong vision and/or that are very austere really stand the test of time. So, like, unless we really discover a way to travel through time, Primer will age gracefully, while the special effects ofFantatic Voyage, will remain a product of their era (even if they have their beauty and charms!).
yeah. This also attributes part of the problem.
What does top 5 even mean?
Top 5 enjoyable? top 5 inspirational? etc.

Robocop. Starship troopers. I would watch them any given day, over perhaps others like lets say Contact. But I also love Contact, and would consider it a "top 5" contender.
so is my top 5, the ones I would watch on any given day, or the ones I would recommend as having have to see at least once?
 

Slaythe

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Aliens almost defines sci fi action, but Alien is just a much better movie. Love them both though.
 

ohkcrlho

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Aliens almost defines sci fi action, but Alien is just a much better movie. Love them both though.
Alien is the pinnacle of every goddamn sci fi horror movie. Everything after 1979, tried to copy this movie and/or was influenced by it.
Aliens is good but Alien still is a more misterious movie and every time i watch, still haunts me: the hostile environment, the creature and its origin, how frightening is to be alone with the xenomorph, the characters and their dialogues (mainly ash), the eerie soundtrack.....just love that movie. The only bad thing is the explosion of Nostromo but that due to lack of money and time to re do it.
 

Slaythe

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Is T2 a sci fi action movie? I think it both qualifies and is much better than Aliens (I still love Aliens!).

Alien and Aliens are such different movies. Both great. I definitely think Alien is much more important.
 

Caliane

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I don't think there is a better version of Aliens than Aliens.
There is a better version of Alien and it's called The Thing.
Jurassic park perhaps.

Alien we more understand as a horror movie. +sci fi. Aliens as many note is an action movie. Basically a monster movie. heroes go to place to investigate/rescue. shit breaks loose. heroes need to rescue themselves.
Basically Jurassic park 2. the first one, was similar of course, but the heroes were scientists, not military in JP 1.

Pitch black maybe.

Alot of movies in this category. not necessarily good. bu to get you thinking. Congo, King Kong, Fantastic Journey, etc.
(the kong, Alien, JP similarities are obvious when you take the series as a whole. "lets capture kong, queen, t-rex, and bring it back home!")

Event Horizon its like is more like Alien. we go to place, and zomg we are now trapped in place with something bad.
 

ohkcrlho

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I don't think there is a better version of Aliens than Aliens.
There is a better version of Alien and it's called The Thing.
That came after....Alien
wink.png
(yeah i know it's a remake but you are talking about carpenter's movie).
About T2, well it has robots from the future....so yeah, it's sci fi. But Aliens is still better.

Event Horizon its like is more like Alien. we go to place, and zomg we are now trapped in place with something bad.
That movie had so much potential. Shame it wasn't directed by someone better.
 

chaos

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It is, to me. But I've always liked the Alien franchise much more than the Terminator. I feel the lows of Alien aren't quite as low as the lows of Terminator, but the highs are higher.
 

Lanx

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be more telling if you guys ranked/rated the 2 franchises instead

Alien (1979)
Aliens (1986)
Alien 3 (1993)
Alien: Resurrection (1997)
Prometheus (2012)
Alien vs. Predator (2004)
Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2008)

The Terminator (1984)
Judgment Day (1991)
Rise of the Machines (2003)
Salvation (2009)
Genisys (2015)
 

khorum

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Kinda ironic coming from some dude named The Ancient. I would add Contact to that list. I know it doesn't have enough action for this message board, but it is a great Sci-fi film.

However i have one we can all agree on. The Fifth Element.
I looooved the fifth element, but for top-ten lists you need to consider how they've aged. If you watch Fifth Element recently, it really hasn't aged very well. Its best parts seem timeless because those are so awesome ("gimme the casshhh", any scene with Gary Oldman) but the connecting tissue just hasn't held up.
 

Slaythe

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be more telling if you guys ranked/rated the 2 franchises instead

Alien (1979)
Aliens (1986)
Alien 3 (1993)
Alien: Resurrection (1997)
Prometheus (2012)
Alien vs. Predator (2004)
Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2008)

The Terminator (1984)
Judgment Day (1991)
Rise of the Machines (2003)
Salvation (2009)
Genisys (2015)
Alien
Aliens
Who cares

T2
T
Who cares
 

The Ancient_sl

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I looooved the fifth element, but for top-ten lists you need to consider how they've aged. If you watch Fifth Element recently, it really hasn't aged very well. Its best parts seem timeless because those are so awesome ("gimme the casshhh", any scene with Gary Oldman) but the connecting tissue just hasn't held up.
I don't agree with this. There isn't much in it to age poorly. Most of the effects were practical so you don't get so much of the "this looks fake" feeling, it's sci-fantasy so everything was fairly outlandish when it aired and remains so today, and there isn't much in the story that's strongly tied to the 90s besides LOOK ITS BRUCE WILLIS. I don't see why you'd feel the film aged poorly, maybe you just overrated it originally and expected more from your recent viewing. Maybe you are just older now and your tastes have changed.