Rabu, 21 Agustus 2019

The (Low Key) Sci-Fi Movies Recommendation

There is no doubt that Sci-Fi is one of the biggest genre—if not THE only one—of many works, like literature or cinematography.  Sci-Fi is a genre which is like the fantasy, but with more science base, not just imagination. However,  the science that is used is still speculative and not really proven to be true. That's why it is  fictive and called 'science fiction' for fictional purpose. ("Lord") Wikipedia says that Sci-Fi genre, especially  films, deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology (e.g. Men in Black franchise, Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001), and The Iron Man trilogy), time travel (e.g. Back to the Future franchise and Predestination (2015)), parallel universes (e.g. Bill and Ted TV series, Cloud Atlas (2012), and many movies from Marvel Cinematic Universe media franchise), fictional worlds (e.g. Star Wars franchise, Stargate franchise, The Maze Runner film series, and Mortal Engines (2018)), space exploration (e.g. Star Trek franchise, Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), and Interstellar (2014)), and extraterrestrial life (e.g. Alien franchise and Transformers film series). The object which is 'scientified' can be the living creatures (e.g. X-Men film series and Mutant Chronicles (2008)) or environment (e.g. The Day After Tomorrow (2004), The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008), and 2012 (2009)). Sometimes, this genre is also used to elaborate social and political issues—either it's dystopian, midtopian, or utopian—in the present time or the approximate future (e.g. V for Vendetta (2005), WALL-E (2008), and The Hunger Games film series). Sci-Fi can also branch out to other genres—such as comedy, romance, superhero, etc.—and the sub-genres.

DISCLAIMER!!!

Yes, I like Sci-Fi movies. This post is about my recommendation of some Sci-Fi movies. I recommend these Sci-Fi movies because I like them and I'll tell you why I like them. I'm not going to mention too many mainstream Sci-Fi movies with remakes and their branches. Here, I only give you some that I can review. That doesn't mean I don't like the other movies that I'm not reviewing. I'm not an expert myself. This list is based on my solely subjective preference with some help from the web.

(Caution: May contain spoilers)

The Matrix (1999), The Matrix Reloaded (2003), and The Matrix Revolutions (2003)
(Source: Screenshot Video)

The Matrix
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt00133093/
Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/matrix

The Matrix Reloaded
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt00234215/
Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/matrix_reloaded

The Matrix Revolutions
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0242653/
Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/matrix_revolutions

I put all the movies of the trilogy in one row to ease the synopsis. Thomas Anderson is a hacker under the pseudonym "Neo". He learns the truth that he's living in a simulation world called "The Matrix" when the real world is already taken over by AIs, The Machines. Facing one to another program reside in The Matrix, Neo must do anything he can to save Zion, an inhabited underground place for remaining humans in the real world, as The One. This trilogy gives some kinds of amusement from computer programs complexity, the actions' effect, and symbolic allusions. Artificial intelligence and virtual reality really nailed it in these early 21st century cyberpunk movies. Don't you have interest in guns, like, lots of guns?
(Source: Screenshot Video)

Frequency (2000)
(Source: amazon.com)

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0186151/
Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/frequency

Can you communicate with someone who lives in the past? By communicating with someone in the past, you can save somebody from an accident and solve an unsolved murder case from 30 years ago. That somebody is your father who's supposed to be dead 30 years ago! What if the past could change and is affecting the present? With the touch of natural phenomenon's—the aurora borealis—scientific aspect, this is a crime movie that deserves to be looked at.

(This movie also has a remake adapted as TV series in 2016.)

WALL-E (2008)
(Source: amazon.com)

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0910970/
Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/wall_e

Earth is now rotten and full of garbage. Now, humans are living in the space because Earth is a wasteland. It's the WALL-E robots' duty to clean the earth. One of the WALL-E is always doing his routine while also having the curiosity to explore the planet where he lives. One day, he found a sprouting plant and he keeps it in a boot. Then, he encounters EVE, a white egg-shaped robot from space which is sent to detect the vegetation and habitability of the Earth. We will be served by WALL-E and EVE's adventure in the movie. Well, this movie also reminds us to keep the environment clean and reduce consumerism.

Avatar (2009)
(Source: amazon.com)

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0499549/
Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/avatar

Pandora is a lush moon of Polyphemus planet in Alpha Centauri star system, a home for resident creature called the Na'vis. Humans of The Resources Development Administration from Earth mine the Pandora's unobtanium mineral to resolve the energy depletion on Earth. The Pandora atmosphere is poisonous to humans, so they must use Na'vi-human hybrid body to explore Pandora. Jake Sully, inside his Na'vi avatar, must blend in with the Na'vi because of a sacred sign shown from him. The clan's leader's daughter, Neytiri, initiates Jake into the Na'vi under the order from her mother.

It begins intriguing from the one third part. Avatar is prominent of using the special effect at that time (in 2009). You'll find the epic battle in Pandora mesmerizing. It is also one of the high-grossing film at the second place after Avengers: Endgame.

Inception (2010)
(Source: amazon.com)

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1375666/
Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/inception

Your mind creates your dream. Your dream... is going to be infiltrated. Dominick Cobb isn't an ordinary thief, he's an idea thief. When he's challenged to not steal an idea, but to "plant" an idea instead, he accepts it so he can go back to his estranged family. What's fascinating in this movie is that dreams can be "in layers" or in many levels. The bigger the level is, the deeper the dream gets, and the faster the time flows in the dream world than in the real world (because the brain must process faster, too). So, happy (not so sweet) lucid dreaming!

The Hunger Games (2012), The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013), The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part I (2014), and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part II (2015)

The Hunger Games
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1392170/
Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_hunger_games

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt01951264/
Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_hunger_games_catching_fire

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part I
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1951265/
Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_hunger_games_mockingjay_part_1

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part II
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt01951266/
Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_hunger_games_mockingjay_part_2
(Source: Screenshot Video)

The nations in North America are gone; now, there is the nation of Panem. Panem is a nation of 12 districts (there used to be 13 districts). Because of uprising in the past, the tyrant president of Panem resides in Capitol (the capital region of Panem) holds up an annual show of killing-each-other event, The Hunger Games. The participants of the game, called "the tributes", are two children of age 12—20, a girl and a boy, from every district. Katniss Everdeen, a girl from District 12, volunteers to be a tribute to take place of her younger sister to participate in the game. Entering The Hunger Games, she realises that there is another bigger game she takes part in to fight the tyranny in Panem.

We know that anecdote tells the movie will cut the important things from the novel out. Well, this movie franchise does cut some details from the novel trilogy, but I still understand the big picture. The story happens in the future, so there will be some sophisticated technology to appear.

Ender's Game (2013)
(Source: amazon.com)

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt01731141/
Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/enders_game

In the future, children are trained to be a soldier to fight an alien race called the Formics. The Formics attacked the Earth 50 years ago and the Earth is preparing to counterattack if the Formics will try to colonise the Earth again. Andrew "Ender" Wiggins, a gifted boy, is chosen to be a space cadet. He is sent to a battle school in space under the tutelage of Colonel Hyrum Graff and Major Gwen Anderson. That brings reactions to both of his older siblings: Peter, the bully, and Valentine, the sympathetic one. In the Battle School, he joins an army team and trains in an antigravity simulation game. Later, he finds the truth about the war he should handle and about the Formics.

Ender's Game is adapated from a novel of the same name by Orson Scott Card. I have to say, the movie is different from the novel. We can't expect a movie adaptation will be as good as the novel, but you can give Ender's Game a try for special effect enjoyment.

Interstellar (2014)
(Source: wikipedia.com)

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0816692/
Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/interstellar_2014

In the middle of 21st century, Earth has lost its balance to provide secured life for humanity. There are dust storm everywhere and the only crop that is feasible is corn. Joseph Cooper is an ex-NASA pilot who is now working as a corn farmer. He raises his two kids, Tom Cooper, his 15-years-old son, and Murphy Cooper, his 10-years-old daughter; his wife has already passed away. He also lives with his father-in-law, Donald. He finds peculiar phenomenon in his home, like the books from Murphy's bookshelf occassionally fall by itself and his tractors run by themselves towards his house. It turns out that there is a gravity anomali in his house. That phenomenon drives Cooper to find a secret NASA base and then he is recruited as a spaceship pilot. With other scientists, they explore another galaxy through a black hole near Saturn to establish a life in another habitable planet.

When the movie finishes, it left me trembling like I wanna cry—and maybe I should. While other people think this movie is confusing, I'm proud to say that I quite understand it and I feel it amusing. I think, we just need to pay attention to the movie to understand what's going on with those physics theories.

The Martian (2015)
(Source: amazon.com)

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3659388/
Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_martian

The Martian is adapted from a novel of the same name by Andy Weir. It tells a story about Mark Watney, an astronaut who tries to survive on Mars after being thought to be dead and left behind. When NASA found out that he's still alive, everyone is making the efforts to bring Mark Watney home to Earth. What I like about this movie are the scenery of Mars that is aesthetic and Watney's survival on Mars that includes planting potatoes, finding the pathfinder, his journey to the next Mars mission's landing place, and being rescued.


Time and space are common elements in the physics world. As Stephen Strange, an ex-neurosurgeon who had a career-ending accident, comes to Kamar-Taj, Kathmandu, Nepal, to heal his hands, he learns the mystic arts that is used to protect the world from dimensional threat. He trains under The Ancient One and other master sorcerers, reads many books from the library, does astral projections, makes mirror dimension, and even bends the time. He also unveils the secret of multidimensions and the danger related to them. We can tell that this movie not only has very entertaining visual effects, but also the heartwarming character development of Strange.
(Source: Screenshot Video)

Arrival (2016)
(Source: amazon.com)

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2543164/
Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/arrival_2016

An alien movie which is rare to have a female protagonist. The movie starts slowly, but it's appropriate for the story. (A kind of) aliens' ships land in 12 places in Earth. To understand their purpose, humans have to communicate with them. Dr. Louise Banks, a linguist, tries to understand their language with help from her team and physicist Ian Donelly. While learning the aliens' language and purpose, Dr. Banks has a vision about a girl who is supposed to be her deceased daughter. This movie is a good start for anyone who wants to watch a movie about E.T. but doesn't like any conflict between humans and aliens.

Assassin's Creed (2016)
(Source: amazon.com)

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2094766/
Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/assassins_creed

Why this "jerk" is on the list is because I appreciate the idea. With all the negative reviews, I admit that I don't really enjoy it. This is an example of a messed-up movie that is taken so seriously by the maker and high ranking actors/actresses. Yes, the Sci-Fi concept and the dramatic actions are conflicted here. But, for the record, we can still watch the movie to understand the video game better, either for the ones who haven't played it or for the ones who have.

Callum Lynch is a descendant of an assassin, named Aguilar de Nerha, from the Spanish inquisition time. In a way, he can see what his ancestor saw, do what his ancestor did, and be his ancestor from 500 years ago. By becoming his ancestor, his ancestor's memory is retrieved to search the location of the Apple of Eden. But, behind his searching of the Apple of Eden, he needs to be aware of the Templars, with whom the assassins had struggling rivalry for many, many years.

Passengers (2016)
(Source: amazon.com)

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1355644/
Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/passengers_2016
(Source: Screenshot Video)

What would you do when you are awake 90 years too early? Jim Preston found himself awake alone in a starship where other people were sleeping for 90 more years. The starship brings people to a planet named Homestead II which needs 120 years journey from Earth and you have to hibernate for 120 years in the starship before arriving there. You'll get thrilled because of the budding romance between Jim Preston and Aurora Lane, another passenger who also gets awake too early.

Avengers: Endgame (2019)
(Source: amazon.com)

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4154796/
Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/avengers_endgame

The fourth and final installment of The Avengers franchise which is dense with the Sci-Fi concept, the time-traveling. The story is set 5 years after Thanos decimated half of population in the universe. Scott Lang, who was trapped—not snapped—in quantum realm, finally made himself out from the quantum realm. He said that 5 years that just passed was felt like 5 hours for him in the quantum realm. The Avengers have found the key to time-travel to locate all the infinity stones which were destroyed 5 years ago.

Multiverse theory is a concept that explains that there are more than one universe besides our universe in parallel. If you want to comprehend quantum physics which is used for time travel, you can watch the explanation here. Avengers: Endgame also has the consequent pace for when-to-be-serious time and humour time.

Honourable mentions:
  • 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
  • Alien franchise (including Prometheus (2012))
  • Blade Runner (1982) and Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
  • The Thing (1982) and The Thing (2011)
  • Jurassic Park franchise
  • Armageddon (1998)
  • Donnie Darko (2001)
  • A.I.: Artificial Intelligence (2001)
  • Minority Report (2002)
  • Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
  • War of the Worlds (2005)
  • Children of Men (2006)
  • Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008) and Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (2012)
  • District 9 (2009)
  • Limitless (2011)
  • Looper (2012)
  • Pacific Rim (2013) and Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018)
  • Snowpiercer (2013)
  • Gravity (2013)
  • Her (2013)
  • Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
  • The Maze Runner (2014), The Scorch Trials (2015), and The Death Cure (2018)
  • Divergent (2014), Insurgent (2015), and Allegiant (2016)
  • Ex Machina (2014)
  • Ant-Man (2015) and Ant-Man and The Wasp (2018)
  • The Space Between Us (2016)
  • Life (2017)
  • Annihilation (2018) 
  • Ready Player One (2018)
  • Ad Astra (2019)
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