The Science Fiction Resurgence: The 5 Best Science Fiction Movies Of The 2000s

Not since the Star Wars boom of the 70s has science fiction been as popular and well represented as it is today. In the 80s, outside of Alien and the horror genre, it got no love at all. And in the 90s, it mostly found its legs as syndicated television shows that never lasted past a season or two. But if you have payed attention to the medium of film in the last thirteen years, it is clear to see, science fiction is not only making a comeback, but it is returning in a huge way. We are in a science fiction renaissance right now, and with Elysium hitting theatres today, which looks to be another excellent effort from the genre, we've decided to look back at five sci-fi films which have really stood out over the past thirteen years. So, without further ado, here are five of the best science fiction movies from the 2000s. Note: The nerd in me wants to end this article with "live long and prosper," so I feel like I should forewarn you now. Continue reading on the next page… District 9 Directed by Neill Blomkamp, whose follow up, Elysium, is arriving in theatres today, District 9 was a film about politics, social standings, and racism, and it was all disguised in a way that made it very easy to swallow for us space nerds. Based off a short film (which you can watch here), District 9 presented a world invaded by aliens (or "prawns" in this case, based off their spectacular design) but presented it like no other alien invasion movie we had ever seen. In this case, the aliens were stuck here, and really didn't want to be. And on top of it, they were delegated to government camps where they were treated as inhumanly as possible. Think Guantanamo and you have a solid idea. On top of that, we have a man named Wikus van de Merwe, played brilliant by actor Shartlo Copley, who ends up getting infected and slowly turning into one of the prawns, and in the process, he evolves to a sort of freedom fighter, leading their cause. From the inside he sees just how unfairly they are treated, and he reacts. It is a powerful and well written film, and the constant current of sci-fi running through the whole thing reminds us just how much we love this genre and why. Also, the Prawns are the best looking CG aliens on film to date. Someone needed to say it. Continue reading on the next page… Moon I, literally, cannot say enough awesome things about Sam Rockwell. The man is just truly mesmerizing in every film he is in, and never has his talent been on display quite as much as it is emphasized in the Duncan Jones' Moon. First thing I need to mention that I know you already know but am going to bring up anyway is, Duncan Jones is the son of Major Tom, David Bowie. So right there, you know you are in good science fiction hands (his Dad is an alien, afterall). And on top of that, you pretty much have a one man show, starring Rockwell. How can this fail? Truth is, it doesn't. Rockwell plays astronaut Sam Bell, who is on a three year Helium-mining mission on the moon, alone. Then he gets hit with the curve ball that he may just be a clone. Of a clone. Of a clone. And at one amazing point in the film, we get to see Rockwell interacting with Rockwell, clone to clone. One is well mannered and soft spoken, and the other is brash and cocksure, and the exchange between these two is so realistic that at no point does it feel like you are watching an actor act with himself. This is so much more than that. And of course, the whole thing takes place on the moon and in a space station, so it is science fiction without a doubt. But this is not laser battles with aliens. Moon is a character study, and a brilliant one at that, with science fiction as its backdrop. Jones followed up Moon with another great science fiction film called Source Code, which only further established him as one to watch in the genre. Oddly enough, next up for director Duncan Jones is the World of Warcraft movie. Will be curious to see what he does with that. Kinda scared, actually. Continue reading on the next page… Primer This is the time travel movie a great deal of people love, but very few people really discuss because Shane Carruth movies make people feel equal parts intrigued and confused. Again, not action, but wholly cerebral. Science fiction for a tiny budget and a huge mind. Primer is a movie that deals with time travel, and deals with it in ways we have never seen. This may be the "oooops, we built a time machine" story you have heard hundreds of versions of as a fan of the genre, but I can assure you have never heard (or seen) it like this. So how do I explain Primer to those who have not seen it? Truth is, I don't. I tell you it is an AMAZING movie about a group of guys who discover time travel by mistake, and then try to figure out what they should do about it next. There are a variety of timelines, and it is one of those movies I almost recommend people takes notes on when they watch. But still, Primer is an amazing example of what one man who has true love for the genre can produce. And do yourself a favor, see it more than once. Takes a few viewings for it to have the impact it deserves. And don't even get me started on Carruth's follow up, Upstream Color. An amazing film, but one that deserves a whole article dedicated to it, for it is just that complex. Heck, maybe a whole book. Continue reading on the next page… Chronicle As if having the son of one great mind on this list was not enough, Max Landis, who wrote Chronicle, is the son of legendary director John Landis (American Werewolf in London). How's THAT for cred? Chronicle is the story about what happens when a bunch of teenage miscreants discover they have super powers. Think the show Heroes minus any of the cheese. Even better, think of the great anime, Akira, because this is the closest you will ever come to seeing that on film, and done right. Chronicle is shot like a "found footage" film, which means that all of it is shot and filmed on a handheld, as if you were there, next to these kids, experiencing all this with them. It is a great touch to make you feel more attached to all the action, and it gives it a much more hectic, organic feel as a result. And while some choose to delegate Chronicle as an action movie moreso than a science fiction movie, any movie where kids can fly and toss things around with their minds is sci-fi, straight up. And such great science fiction it is. Definitely one of the best films of 2012. Continue reading on the next page… Sunshine Ah, there always has to be one polarizing movie on a list, right? Directed by the beloved Danny Boyle, Sunshine is the fuel for many science fiction arguments, with some saying it is starts off as a sci-fi film, but quickly derails into a horror thriller in the last 45 minutes. While that very well may be the case, I don't understand how that makes it any less sci-fi? Someone explain that to me please? Sunshine is about a crew, handpicked to go reignite the sun using a nuclear bomb, and save all of mankind of the verge of the sun's death, which will wipe out all of humanity if they don't pull this off. And while it does go from pure science fiction to horror towards the end of the film, the film loses no momentum or any of its credibility because of that. The idea that being alone in space can drive even the most sane man crazy is a completely reasonable concept to breach when you make movies like this, and Sunshine touches on that. Moon, mentioned above, deals with the same issues, but does it in far less visceral manner, so no one had any issues with its darker themes. In my opinion, as gory as Sunshine may get at the end, it is still a staggeringly beautiful movie to look at, and one helluva ride to take. So, I can confidently tell you that we are, in pop culture, experiencing a complete science fiction resurgence. And I didn't even need to talk about the most recent (awesome) Star Trek movies, or the forthcoming Star Wars movies to prove that. I haven't even spoken of science fiction TV like Under the Dome or Defiance. And I don't need to. It is pretty clear science fiction is finally getting its much deserved props. And hopefully with movies like Elysium coming out, the trend of great science fiction will only continue to "live long and prosper." Bam. Nailed it.