The new issue of Entertainment Weekly, on newsstands today, includes a special pull-out list of the best (according to them) sci-fi movies and TV of the past 25 years. (Yes, that means Star Wars was ineligible, which is a nice move on the magazine’s part — way to counterbalance all the hype.)
You can view the full list on the EW website. Here are some highlights of the top 25 (and by “highlights,” I mean my rants and raves).
24. Galaxy Quest — I adore this movie. Not many parodies manage to be both smart-funny and stupid-funny at the same time, but this one strikes the perfect balance. Plus, how great did Sigourney Weaver look in that costume?
19. Starship Troopers — Ugh. I made it through about 28 minutes of this dreck before lunging for the remote. I don’t think Troopers is dangerous propaganda, as many a critic did at the time. I just think it’s boring, maybe because there are almost no women in it. (And maybe because I kinda loathe Denise Richards.)
17. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind — Wow, I didn’t even know this was a sci-fi movie. I mean, I guess you could call it that. I do know it’s a beautiful, moving film. I had heard nothing about it the first time I saw it, and I almost refused to see it because my dislike of Jim Carrey comes close to surpassing my undying affection for Kate Winslet. But by the time the credits rolled, I was crying and felt kind of blessed.
12. Back to the Future — Again, I’m not sure this should really count as a sci-fi movie. But it is pretty cosmic that if you Google “back to the future,” you get over 2 million results. “Whoa, this is heavy.”
9. Aliens — Oh, look, Sigourney Weaver shows up twice on the list. Can we just give her this whole genre? Here’s hoping Weaver and Cameron can hit the jackpot again with Avatar.
4. The X-Files (the TV series, not the movie) — I still miss this show. No matter what Gillian Anderson may or may not say.
3. Blade Runner — Still creepy, still cool.
2. Battlestar Galactica — I’ve tried, but guess I just don’t get it, even when Lucy Lawless shows up. What the frack/frak is wrong with me?
1. The Matrix — Ah, now this I get. Who knew a mind-f— could be so satisfying? Too bad the sequels sucked.
Check out EW’s list for yourself — what did they get right, and what did they miss completely?
