These are the best sci-fi films of all time as chosen by you, the fans! Hi, everybody, and welcome to this episode of Fan Rank. We have been chatting with our community and are here to reveal to you today what you, the fans, have chosen as the top 10 sci-fi films of all time.
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00You take the red pill, you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.
00:06Hi everybody and welcome to this episode of Fan Rank. We have been chatting with our community
00:11and are here to reveal to you today what you the fans have chosen as the top 10 sci-fi films of all
00:17time. Yes, that means any sci-fi movie is on the table except for animated so sorry
00:23WALL-E fans your day is coming but today is all about the live action. Let's get into it.
00:30Come with me if you want to live. At number 10 we have The Thing. When this thing attacked our
00:35dogs it tried to digest them, absorb them, and in the process shape its own cells to imitate them.
00:43Now this sci-fi body horror classic follows a group of researchers in Antarctica who encounter
00:48an alien life form that assimilates and imitates other organisms. The group becomes steeped in
00:54paranoia and tension as they learn that any one of them could be The Thing and any one of them
00:59could be its next victim. So of the movie's 15 million dollar budget about 1.5 was just spent
01:05on the creature effects alone and the slimy, goopy, horrifying monsters are completely unforgettable.
01:11But interestingly when The Thing was released people really did not like it. ET had just come
01:16out about two weeks prior so full of optimism and charm and coming of age and The Thing is just
01:22the total opposite take. If it takes us over
01:27then it has no more enemies. Nobody left to kill it and then it's won. So it took some time to get
01:36its due but in the years since The Thing has been reappraised as one of the greatest sci-fi films
01:40ever made and it's clear that our fans agree. The shoe's genre cliche is really leaning into this
01:46dark ambiguity this open-endedness in a really interesting way. Ultimately The Thing is way
01:51ahead of its time and I 1000% agree that it belongs on this list. You're the only one who made it.
01:58Not the only one. At number nine we have 2001 A Space Odyssey. So we decided to have a look. We
02:06thought it might be the upper part of some buried structure so we excavated out on all sides but
02:10unfortunately we didn't find anything else. Wow so this is maybe the only movie on this list that
02:15anyone has ever argued is the greatest movie ever made so honestly I'm a little surprised to see
02:20this only at number nine but fair. Despite its epic scale and its groundbreaking vision this one
02:25is not for the faint of heart. This one is shall we say serious. Haunting film students for literal
02:32generations. Directed, produced and co-written by Stanley Kubrick 2001 follows a voyage of astronauts
02:38and the sentient AI Hal into space to investigate a mysterious alien monolith. There is very little
02:43dialogue, a lot of classical music and in lieu of more fantastical depictions of space travel
02:49Kubrick opts for something more realistic and scientifically grounded. The genius use of
02:53practical effects makes the visuals of this film gorgeous and absolutely timeless. Keep in mind when
02:59this movie was released Neil Armstrong was still over a year away from walking on the moon
03:03and the movie's themes remain topical even today as we navigate AI in our own age. No 9 000 computer
03:10has ever made a mistake or distorted information. We are all by any practical definition of the words
03:17foolproof and incapable of error. But like I said this doesn't make it an easy watch but there is
03:24no other film like 2001 a space odyssey undoubtedly one of the greatest films ever made sci-fi and
03:29otherwise. Open the pod bay doors Hal. I'm sorry Dave I'm afraid I can't do that. Number eight is
03:38Blade Runner. I need the old Blade Runner. I need your magic. It was quit when I come in here Brian.
03:48I'm twice as quick now. Stop right where you are. In a 2019 that's slightly different than our own
03:54a hard-boiled detective named Deckard is hired to hunt down synthetic humans known as replicants.
04:01As he gets closer to taking them out we're forced to evaluate do they deserve more life? Throughout
04:08this harrowing journey we get a crazy sci-fi aesthetic that is so detailed and feels so noir
04:15but new at the same time giving this wonderful blend of the past present and future. Unfortunately
04:22at the time audiences didn't appreciate all of this. It was a box office flop and there are so
04:27many director's cuts that we don't even know what the true version of the movie is. You were made as
04:32well as we could make you but not to last. The light that burns twice as bright burns half as
04:39long and you have burned so very very brightly Roy. But underneath all of the confusion and marketing
04:48is a true classic a really emotional tale and a story that doesn't deserve to be lost like tears
04:55in rain. I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Number seven is Empire Strikes Back.
05:06You must unlearn what you have learned. All right I'll give it a try. Come on we're not going to
05:13talk about sci-fi and not mention a star war. A New Hope got it off to a great start with an
05:20engaging story great characters and a sci-fi world that we wanted to dive into again. Empire
05:27Strike Back took all of that and turned it up to 11. The villain threat was even scarier the
05:33lightsaber duels were more exciting and the stakes never felt higher. Why this has to rank as one of
05:41the top sci-fi and star wars movies of all time is simply because it has one of the most famous
05:48and well-known and surprising movie twists of all time. Shout it out if you know it.
05:55He told me enough. He told me you killed me. I am the father.
06:06Empire Strikes Back is not just a stepping stone to other movies in the franchise.
06:11It is a definitive example of what a sci-fi space opera can be and we'll go back to it a long long
06:17time ago in a galaxy far away and for generations to come. I love you. I know.
06:25At number six we have Interstellar. How long have you gone? Hard to know. Years.
06:33I've got kids professor. Get out there and save them. This sci-fi epic by Christopher Nolan follows
06:40a group of astronauts traveling through a wormhole in search of a new home for humankind as earth
06:45suffers environmental catastrophe. Praised for its scientifically grounded depiction of time
06:50travel as well as its identifiable characters and emotional arcs, a lot of fans argue that
06:55this is the greatest sci-fi movie in recent memory. This apocalypse takes a familiar tone.
07:00The environmental crises, poverty, overextended resources. This does feel like a 21st century
07:05perspective on these classic sci-fi themes. I think that's why people connect with it so much
07:10and I definitely get that. There are a lot of really emotional scenes in this movie which I
07:15think sci-fi of previous generations didn't lean into as much overall. This film cares so much about
07:21its characters. It's not just humanity, it's us, you know? You once told me that when you came back we
07:27might be the same age and today I'm the age you were when you left. I think that's why so many
07:37people voted for this film above 2001 A Space Odyssey for example. It's a sci-fi film that you
07:42can really see yourself in. It wouldn't be my own pick but I do see why so many people fought for
07:48its inclusion on this list and I think I gained a different perspective on this film after reading
07:52what our fans had to say. I'm in for Interstellar.
08:02Number five is Back to the Future.
08:04Are you telling me you built a time machine out of a DeLorean?
08:09The way I see it, if you're gonna build a time machine into a car, why not do it with some style?
08:14After a teen and his quirky scientist friend accidentally conduct an experiment that gets
08:18the teen trapped in the 1950s, he has to work hard to get back to the time period he came from.
08:25What, you thought I was gonna say Back to the Future? In any case, this movie fully takes
08:30advantage of its sci-fi time-twisting premise for timeless comedy. I am still laughing at every
08:37single joke, gag, and running gag in this movie all these years later.
08:42Whoa, this is heavy.
08:44There's that word again, heavy. Why are things so heavy in the future?
08:48Is there a problem with the Earth's gravitational pull?
08:50Plus, the climax is so exciting despite being in a comedy,
08:55and the music in this film is enough to set any piano on fire.
08:59I don't go five feet without this poster because I love this movie so much.
09:04I think everyone should give it a watch to cheer you up, to excite you, to thrill you,
09:08to get you excited about the prospect of time travel that is probably accurate enough,
09:14almost as accurate as Interstellar, and with quotable dialogue that we keep repeating for years.
09:20Lorraine, my density has bought me to you.
09:27What?
09:28Make like a tree and get out of here if you haven't seen it already.
09:32This sci-fi film is going to make your day, make your year, and make your century.
09:37Can't guess you guys aren't ready for that yet,
09:41but your kids are going to love it.
09:43At number four we have Jurassic Park.
09:45Dr. Grant, my dear Dr. Satchel, welcome to Jurassic Park.
09:53Love to see it. This iconic bundle of sci-fi, action, adventure, and dinosaurs
09:59needs no introduction.
10:01Jurassic Park's groundbreaking use of CGI blazed trails for the special effects techniques of today
10:07and combined with the stunning animatronics,
10:09the visuals of this film are as fresh today as they were then.
10:13And that's what I think is so impressive about this film, the craft, the sound design,
10:17the look of the dinosaurs, the suspense, the horror, the action,
10:21and the realism of this plot makes Jurassic Park so much more than a monster movie.
10:26It feels like a believable way that dinosaurs could come into existence in a human world,
10:30particularly during that era where cloning and computer science were kind of hot topics.
10:35Yeah, yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could,
10:38they didn't stop to think if they should.
10:40Jurassic Park truly has it all and it was the highest grossing film of all time
10:44until Titanic came along just a couple years later.
10:47And we could talk all day about the details of this production, the vision, the lore, and this,
10:52but let's be honest, it's also just so much fun.
10:56I'm not surprised to see this at number four. Great pick.
10:59No, I'm simply saying that life, uh, finds a way.
11:04Number three is Alien.
11:06What happened to Kane?
11:07Something has attached itself to him. We have to get him to the infirmary right away.
11:11What kind of thing? I need a clear definition.
11:13An organism.
11:14Open the hatch.
11:15In space, everyone can hear me scream about my love for this movie.
11:20It's such a great and simple premise.
11:23A bunch of astronauts are on a journey when they pick up an unwanted extraterrestrial passenger
11:28and they have to take it out before it kills them all and expands across the universe.
11:34It is incredible how good this movie looks on an 11 million dollar budget.
11:39It looks better than most 2024 movies because it knows when to use CGI
11:44and when to use practical effects to show the carnage and the creature.
11:48Battling alongside and against it is a protagonist, Ripley,
11:54one of the greatest sci-fi protagonists of all time,
11:57who makes the hard calls so that everyone can live
12:01a little bit longer because she's really the only sole survivor here.
12:05Listen to me. If we break quarantine, we could all die.
12:07Look, could you open the goddamn hatch? We have to get him inside.
12:14No.
12:14I can't do that. And if you were in my position, you'd do the same.
12:18This world was so expansive, so exciting, so chilling and thrilling
12:22that we got sequels, intercools, comics, and more.
12:27And this is the reason why we got one of the greatest sci-fi sequels of all time,
12:32Aliens, which took everything that we loved before,
12:36made it more scary, more exciting, and more frightening.
12:40This is the cornerstone of a great franchise
12:43that took us beyond our limits of fear, terror, and sci-fi action.
12:50This is Ripley, last survivor of the Nostromo, signing off.
12:57At number two, we have The Matrix.
13:00You have the look of a man who accepts what he sees because he is expecting to wake up.
13:07Ironically, this is not far from the truth.
13:09A cyberpunk masterpiece set in a dystopian future where humanity is trapped inside a
13:14simulated reality created by machines while their physical bodies are used as an energy source,
13:20suspended in goop.
13:22Now, the influences of this movie are as broad as Hong Kong action movies, anime, and Plato.
13:28And drawing from hacker and internet culture right on the cusp of the 21st century,
13:32The Matrix and its legacy have resounded through pop culture for the last 25 years,
13:37from film, fashion, memes, everything.
13:40And the movie was so fresh and exciting in its time, and it absolutely holds up.
13:44But it's a sci-fi film that really feels like it predicted a lot of the big questions
13:48of the 21st century.
13:49Like, what is reality?
13:51Can reality be simulated?
13:53Can humanity be simulated?
13:55Do you know what I'm talking about?
13:58The Matrix.
14:02Do you want to know what it is?
14:06And a lot of sci-fi since then has really touched on these ideas,
14:09from Inception to Ready Player One.
14:11And we could talk all day about the groundbreaking effects, bullet time, etc.
14:16But I'll keep it short and just say that this is one of the most influential films of its
14:20generation, and I am not surprised to see it this high on the list.
14:23I 100% would have put it there myself.
14:26Where we go from there is a choice I leave to you.
14:30Alright, now before we reveal what you, the fans, chose as the number one greatest sci-fi
14:34film ever made, we have some honorable mentions, some films and franchises that we wanted to
14:39shout out before we get into number one.
14:41So, Andrew, take it away.
14:42What you got?
14:43Gotta go with Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.
14:46This is your home, and I don't want to take it away from you, I promise.
14:51But if you can allow us, let us take it away from you.
14:56But if you can allow us, let us do our work here.
15:03Now, this franchise spans literal decades, including one coming out this year, but I
15:08think this, Dawn, is the pinnacle of them all.
15:13The story about sentient apes and humanity, figuring out can they coexist or are they
15:19destined for war, is so engrossing.
15:21It's a story that transcends all boundaries, all genres, and it's brought to life with
15:26stunning CGI and motion capture.
15:29This is a great example of what happens when you take great visuals, an engrossing story,
15:36blend them together into a world that you have to revisit again and again.
15:40I love this one.
15:41I'm going to go watch it right after this.
15:43I thought we had a chance.
15:44I did too.
15:53Before I do that, what's your honorable mention?
15:56Yeah, man, I want to talk about Dune.
15:59As we were getting into kind of collecting the votes and stuff for this episode, there
16:02was a lot of heated debate about Dune in the comments.
16:06Ultimately, I just think time will tell how Dune's legacy takes shape, but I do think
16:11it's very fair to say this is one of the strongest sci-fi movies we've seen in recent
16:15years.
16:23The scale of this production is absolutely insane.
16:27It's huge.
16:27The visuals are amazing, and this text is notoriously very difficult to adapt.
16:32I mean, we can look at the 1984 Dune as a point of reference, perhaps.
16:37I got to say, I got Dune fever.
16:39I can't stop thinking about this movie.
16:40We're only two movies into the franchise, so I can't wait to see where it goes.
16:45My road leads into the desert.
16:49If I can see it.
16:51It's that time.
16:52Let's find out what you, the fans, chose as the number one sci-fi film of all time.
16:57Let's go.
16:58Number one is Terminator 2, Judgment Day.
17:02My mission is to protect you.
17:05Yeah?
17:07Who sent you?
17:09You did.
17:10This sci-fi epic revolves around a robot designed to kill being sent back in time to
17:15protect the savior of humanity.
17:18He has to fight off the T-1000, a more advanced Terminator with more skills, more tactics,
17:24and the scariest glare you have ever seen in your life.
17:29Why does this film reign supreme?
17:32Part of it is the practical effects and the stunts.
17:35The makeup won Academy Awards, people, and the motorcycle chase is one of the most thrilling
17:41sequences in film history.
17:43But outside of the action, we have an emotional story about a robot learning what it means
17:48to be human, and a boy trying to find his place in a crazy mixed-up world that seems
17:54destined to tear itself apart.
17:56Watching John with the machine, it was suddenly so clear.
18:01The Terminator would never stop.
18:04It would never leave him.
18:06And it would never hurt him.
18:08No one should miss this film primarily because the formula has been imitated by so many.
18:15So even if you haven't seen it, you've probably seen a variation of Terminator 2.
18:19The formula is so good that later films in its own franchise have tried to rip it off
18:24and can't succeed.
18:26This is a one-of-a-kind film that will always, always, always be a timeless classic.
18:32I don't know why you cry, but it's something I can never do.
18:39Thank you so much to everybody who cast votes and dropped comments.
18:43This was so much fun to put together, and the show would not be possible without you.
18:47If you want to affect the next fan rank, you don't need a giant worm or any kind of time
18:51machine.
18:52Just jump in the comments and let us know what you want to see next.
18:56See you next time, everybody.
18:58Ow.
18:59He is the one.
19:01Did you enjoy this video?
19:02Check out these other clips from WatchMojo, and be sure to subscribe and ring the bell
19:06to be notified about our latest videos.