Author Topic: Any 2013-15 sci-fi movies to recommend?  (Read 9924 times)

BraxLimbo

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on: October 26, 2015, 07:02:30 AM
Hey there! Any new sci-fi movies to recommend? If it comes with a bit of thriller, it would be much better. I'm not as up to date with movies these past couple of years so I'm just gonna ask for you guys to help me. LOL thanks a lot!



Chicken Ghost

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Reply #1 on: November 01, 2015, 04:13:48 AM
I haven't watched as many movies in recent years as I used to, either. 

That said, have you heard of a little film called "Fury Road?"



Kabal

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Reply #2 on: November 01, 2015, 03:49:20 PM
Interstellar is the best sci-fi movie I've seen in years.



Alasdair5000

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Reply #3 on: November 01, 2015, 04:25:57 PM
Hi there:) Yeah there's a few:

Coherence-Micro budget but really smart thriller about a dinner party on the night a comet passes close to Earth and very odd things happen. To say more would be a spoiler but it's very much this decade's Donnie Darko.

Fury Road-As already said, the new Mad Max is phenomenally good in every single way.

Interstellar-The physics will annoy the hell out of some people. I loved it and it's part of my minor Astronaut movie-fest later this year.

Gravity-Just a staggering technical acheivement, focusing on Sandra Bullock as an astronaut trapped in orbit. The actual origin of the story is both complex and depressing but watch the movie anyway, it's an undeniably impressive piece of work.

The Martian-Ridley Scott's adaptation of Andy Weir's novel is the least Ridley Scott movie in years and that's a really, really good thing. Endlessly optimistic, very funny, very charming and gripping. One of my movies of the year.

Algorithm-Jon's micro budget San Francisco based hacker thriller is just a little SF. The method he's using to distribute it is amazing too, and do read around the movie it's really interesting. You can watch it legally, for free, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qpudAhYhpc

Edge of Tomorrow-The least Tom Cruise movie Tom Cruise has done to date. A PR officer in an unwinnable war is put on the front lines, dies and...wakes up the morning he's sent to the front lines over and over and over. I didn't care for the ending but I'm in the minority and Cruise, and Emily Blunt, are amazingly good in it.

Godzilla-The 2014 Godzilla has problems (A largely dull human cast being the biggest one) but the feeling of doom that permeates the movie is brilliant.

The Machine-Another micro budget one starring Toby Stephen's and Arrow's Caity Lotz as a pair of researchers trying to crack AI. It was sold as 'kickboxing female Terminator!' and it's really, really not. Very much the smaller scale, arguably more interesting cousin, of Ex Machina.

Ex Machina-Oscar Isaac! Domnhall Gleeson! Not a Star Wars movie! An incredible exercise in style and menace that several friends have pointed out does some really nasty things for no good reason. Worth it for Alicia Vikander's staggering central performance though.

Pacific Rim-Many people hate this. I am not one of them. Guillermo Del Toro's love letter to giant monster movies and mecha is one of my favorite films of this decade. Exuberantly over the top, an amazing soundtrack and some of the best demented, joyous action beats you'll see on any screen.

John Wick-Just (barely) a Cyberpunk thriller if you squint. It's not remotely SF beyond the exploration of an under culture that operates to different rules than the society it preys on. It is however the best action movie not called The Raid for the last decade and contains a genuinely great performance from Keanu Reeves as well as some deeply innovative, beautifully shot and gloriously nasty fight coreography.



Devoted135

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Reply #4 on: November 02, 2015, 03:48:25 AM
I'd like to add Lucy to the list, starring Morgan Freeman and Scarlett Johansson. It's not an Action Packed Sci Fi Thriller (TM), but it is fascinating, and she's awesome in it.

Transcendence was also fantastic, imo. The quest for artificial intelligence obviously goes catastrophically wrong, in an interesting way.



Alasdair5000

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Reply #5 on: November 02, 2015, 11:32:08 AM
Agree on both:) Lucy is a thought experiment more than a movie but as you say she's great in it and it's visually staggering. And yeah I liked Transcendence too:) Lots of really interesting little worldbuilding grace notes in there.



BraxLimbo

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Reply #6 on: November 18, 2015, 05:58:11 AM
I haven't watched as many movies in recent years as I used to, either. 

That said, have you heard of a little film called "Fury Road?"

Is that mad Max: Fury Road?? Watched it a couple of nights ago. Great movie. Loved everything though the story wasn't as complex as I was actually thinking.



BraxLimbo

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Reply #7 on: November 18, 2015, 06:05:16 AM

Coherence-Micro budget but really smart thriller about a dinner party on the night a comet passes close to Earth and very odd things happen. To say more would be a spoiler but it's very much this decade's Donnie Darko.

Pacific Rim-Many people hate this. I am not one of them. Guillermo Del Toro's love letter to giant monster movies and mecha is one of my favorite films of this decade. Exuberantly over the top, an amazing soundtrack and some of the best demented, joyous action beats you'll see on any screen.

Thanks a lot for the suggestions! Saw a few of the movies such as Fury Road which I just saw very recently. I'm very intrigued about Coherence so I would probably watch this next. Got my copy of Gravity, Interstellar and The Martian and hoping I would have the time to watch it.

As for Pacific Rim. I'm with you. Absolutely enjoyed the movie. Of course it had its flaws but somehow those made it even more amazing to watch. I heard there's a part 2??



BraxLimbo

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Reply #8 on: November 18, 2015, 06:05:57 AM
Oh, and has anyone heard of the movie Parallels and Predestination. I think both are 2015 movies.



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Reply #9 on: November 18, 2015, 07:46:17 PM
Predestination is an adaptation of Escape Pod 200!

I also really liked Her.  A nice quiet SF movie about a guy falling in love with his computer operating system.  Also about 10,000 times better than that description sounds.



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Reply #10 on: November 19, 2015, 01:18:43 PM
Predestination is excellent. Tiny, brilliantly executed movie. Parallels, which is on Netflix right now at least in the UK, is massive fun. Very smart premise, nice cast, lots of set up and absolutely no ending. But if you can get past that it's great.



Moritz

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Reply #11 on: November 19, 2015, 02:37:21 PM
Predestination is an adaptation of Escape Pod 200!

I also really liked Her.  A nice quiet SF movie about a guy falling in love with his computer operating system.  Also about 10,000 times better than that description sounds.

Yep, Her was brilliant.



BraxLimbo

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Reply #12 on: November 24, 2015, 07:35:37 AM
Predestination is an adaptation of Escape Pod 200!

I also really liked Her.  A nice quiet SF movie about a guy falling in love with his computer operating system.  Also about 10,000 times better than that description sounds.

Her was great! Kinda reminded me of a few guys marrying their game characters irl. LOL



Supernova

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Reply #13 on: January 05, 2016, 05:30:27 PM
Just to add to the list, Chappie. Directed by Neill Blomkamp of District 9 fame. Another A.I film asking the moral questions. There seem to be a few of these recently, my favourite has to be Ex Machina as already mentioned in this thread. I have watched that 3 times already. I prefer the quieter, non action filled, story driven sci fi films like that and for another example, Moon, which is an absolute favourite for me. Coherence is also a good watch, again mentioned earlier but thought I'd put a recommendation for that too.



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Reply #14 on: January 05, 2016, 05:44:34 PM
Chalk me up as another Her fan.  It was a bit slow, but the direction was superb.  The attention to small details, like the futuristic men's pants style, was also excellent and not overdone. 



Moritz

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Reply #15 on: January 05, 2016, 10:57:53 PM
Just to add to the list, Chappie. Directed by Neill Blomkamp of District 9 fame. Another A.I film asking the moral questions. There seem to be a few of these recently, my favourite has to be Ex Machina as already mentioned in this thread. I have watched that 3 times already. I prefer the quieter, non action filled, story driven sci fi films like that and for another example, Moon, which is an absolute favourite for me. Coherence is also a good watch, again mentioned earlier but thought I'd put a recommendation for that too.

got this from the public library today, looking forward to it. (Chappy; I've alread watched Moon and quite liked it, too)



Supernova

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Reply #16 on: January 05, 2016, 11:24:36 PM
Just to add to the list, Chappie. Directed by Neill Blomkamp of District 9 fame. Another A.I film asking the moral questions. There seem to be a few of these recently, my favourite has to be Ex Machina as already mentioned in this thread. I have watched that 3 times already. I prefer the quieter, non action filled, story driven sci fi films like that and for another example, Moon, which is an absolute favourite for me. Coherence is also a good watch, again mentioned earlier but thought I'd put a recommendation for that too.

got this from the public library today, looking forward to it. (Chappy; I've alread watched Moon and quite liked it, too)

Chappie is more action based but with a good story. Ex Machina was the film I thought had a similar feel to Moon. I hope you enjoy Chappie as much as I did ! :) Speaking of films like Moon, I just saw a review and trailer for The Martian, starring Matt Damon. Looks very good and I think (hope) is the sort of film I think it will be (Like Moon in style) Edit: Although the trailer suggests it's not quite as slow paced as Moon, and I like films with a slow pace. Looking forward too it though. Trailer link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ej3ioOneTy8
« Last Edit: January 05, 2016, 11:32:43 PM by Supernova »



kibitzer

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Reply #17 on: January 06, 2016, 04:16:41 AM
Err... Dare I suggest The Force Awakens?

(We can argue over whether it's sci-fi later)

The best thing about Edge of Tomorrow is seeing Tom Cruise get shot over and over and over...

Oh, and if you liked Moon, have you seen Source Code? Absolutely fantastic follow up -- damn that guy is a talented director.
« Last Edit: January 06, 2016, 04:19:34 AM by kibitzer »



Supernova

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Reply #18 on: January 06, 2016, 04:27:32 PM
Err... Dare I suggest The Force Awakens?

(We can argue over whether it's sci-fi later)

The best thing about Edge of Tomorrow is seeing Tom Cruise get shot over and over and over...

Oh, and if you liked Moon, have you seen Source Code? Absolutely fantastic follow up -- damn that guy is a talented director.

I am no where near a cinema so am having to wait for The Force Awakens to get released on Bluray or a streaming service here in the UK, I wish they would hurry up and release it, avoiding spoilers is becoming a hell  >:(

I'll definitely check out Source Code, Moon is one of my all time favourite films.  The Bluray of Moon also has a nice little extra, Whistle, a short film directed by Duncan Jones.



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Reply #19 on: February 29, 2016, 10:06:00 PM
My problem with Lucy is that the "we use ten percent of our brains" myth is the axis on which the whole premise turns. I refuse to watch it on principle.

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BraxLimbo

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Reply #20 on: March 04, 2016, 07:10:51 AM
Just to add to the list, Chappie. Directed by Neill Blomkamp of District 9 fame. Another A.I film asking the moral questions. There seem to be a few of these recently, my favourite has to be Ex Machina as already mentioned in this thread. I have watched that 3 times already. I prefer the quieter, non action filled, story driven sci fi films like that and for another example, Moon, which is an absolute favourite for me. Coherence is also a good watch, again mentioned earlier but thought I'd put a recommendation for that too.

Watched Chappie a few days after it went out in the cinema. It was really good for me. Kinda reminded me of I, Robot. Only because the intensity of the character of Chappie towards humans is almost the same as the AI in I, Robot.

I actually haven't seen Ex Machina yet but I do have a copy of it already. So when I get the time, I'd definitely watch it.



BraxLimbo

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Reply #21 on: March 04, 2016, 07:14:02 AM
Err... Dare I suggest The Force Awakens?

(We can argue over whether it's sci-fi later)

The best thing about Edge of Tomorrow is seeing Tom Cruise get shot over and over and over...

Oh, and if you liked Moon, have you seen Source Code? Absolutely fantastic follow up -- damn that guy is a talented director.

It feels wrong but I'm not actually a fan of Star Wars. LOL I've seen the franchise, but only once each movie and it didn't just stick in me like some other movies did.

I've seen Source Code and that was a really great movie. Loved the concept. Loved how they made it work. Love the film. Been recommending it to friends looking for Sci-fi films as well.