Science Fiction Movies

Lumpenproletariat
Lumpenproletariat:

Science Fiction movies, why some are better than others, or how we judge them or rank them from the best down to the ones which are ludicrous, also, what is the definition of "science fiction" or what essentially differentiates this category from other movie categories.

(Edited by Lumpenproletariat)
2 years ago Report
1
Lumpenproletariat
Lumpenproletariat:

Farther down is my ranking of several hundred sci-fi movies. My bias in ranking them is based partly on the categories, because certain categories are preferred over others. Here are several categories, ranked in order of my preference, to show some of my standards for ranking them. So, I generally rank the alien invasion and conspiracy/coverup movies higher, while rating the monsters lower and the fantasy animation and super-hero movies down at the bottom.

Here are the categories (in order: from the more preferred to the less preferred):

alien invasion
insidious plots
conspiracies and coverups
computers taking over / humans replaced
illegal and dangerous research, science run amok
the bizarre, the weird, anything shocking
crime hi-tech
disasters
futurist / time travel
esoteric / other dimensions / parallel universes
space travel
horror
monsters / mutations
post-apocalyptic disaster,
war / battlefield hi-tech
star fighters vs. evil empire
other worlds
super-heroes
zombies
fantasy-adventure (Star Wars sequels, Indiana Jones episodes)
mega-monsters (King Kong, Godzilla, etc.)
comedy-romance -- these mostly excluded from my listings
children's stories -- mostly excluded here
animation -- animation movies are totally excluded from my listings

____________________________

There's many in the "horror" category, maybe most. Which is not my favorite, but good enough that I include almost all "horror" movies. You might add 5 points or so for these types, as I down-rate them a little. I prefer something more than just scary monsters attacking victims, ripping them apart, etc. But there are some good movies that combine good sci fi along with the horror scary bloody stuff. The best ones need to have more substance than only the bloody scary screaming shocker scenes by themselves.


Further, I prefer the scenarios that focus more on modern civilization (20th- 21st-century), big cities, lots of human activity and communication, and less on secluded locations, in desolate areas, isolated spaceship or other scenes where there's only a dozen characters alone in some unconnected environment, in the "middle of nowhere" etc. Also I get depressed with many post-apocalyptic desolation scenarios, where the few survivors engage in a dog-eat-dog fight for the spoils, etc. So my bias is to downrate these less preferred scenarios/movies and favor those that set the more pleasing environment. So you should take this into account as you consider my rating numbers.

(Edited by Lumpenproletariat)
2 years ago Report
0
Lumpenproletariat
Lumpenproletariat:

RANKING/RATINGS OF SCI FI MOVIES -- scale: 0-100 (or 1-99)
The listing here starts at the top (99) and goes down (from the best movies to the worst).

These ratings are Absolutely Infallible, but you can post your own rating if you think any of these are incorrect. The top 10 best and bottom 10 worst are indicated.

In the following post are listed some criteria for judging the better from the worse movies.


Here goes:


Rating (from 99 down to 1) -- Title & year
_________________________________

97 -- Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
(#1 best)

96 -- Hanger 18 (1980)
(#2 best)

96 -- Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1977)
(#3 best)

95 -- Capricorn One (1978)
(#4 best)

94 -- The Terminator (1984)
(#5 best)

93 -- The Hidden (1987)
(#6 best)

92 -- Soylent Green (1973)
(#7 best)

92 -- Crack in the World (1965)
(#8 best)

92 -- Logan's Run (1977)
(#9 best)

91 -- Extreme Measures (1996)
(#10 best)

91 -- Colossus the Forbin Project (1970)

91 -- The Puppet Masters (1994)*

90 -- Quatermass II (Quatermass 2) (1958)

90 -- Scanners (1981)*

89 -- Moon (2009)

89 -- Robocop (1987)

88 -- The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler (1971)

88 -- Runaway (1984)

88 -- Shadow Conspiracy (1997)

88 -- Fantastic Voyage (1966)

88 -- Stranded on Mars (aka Forsaken) (2018)*

87 -- Children of the Corn (1984)*

87 -- Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)

87 -- Brainstorm (1983)

87 -- They Came from Beyond Space (1967)

87 -- THX 1138 (1971)*

87 -- Coherence (2013)

87 -- Twilight's Last Gleaming (1977)

86 -- I Come in Peace (aka Dark Angel) (1990)*

86 -- The Quatermass Xperiment (1955)

86 -- Cyborg 2087 (1966)

86 -- Dr. Strangelove (1958)

86 -- Captain Nemo and the Underwater City (1969)

86 -- Nuclear Hurricane (TV movie 2007)

86 -- WarGames (1983)

85 -- Journey to the Far Side of the Sun (1969)

85 -- Star Trek IV The Voyage Home (1986)

85 -- Where Have All the People Gone (1974)

85 -- Time Trap (2017)*

85 -- Amelia 2.0: The Summerland Project (cast: Ed Begley, Angela Billman, Rachelle Carson) (2014/2016/2017)

84 -- The Faculty (1998)*

84 -- Star Crystal (1986)

84 -- Virus (TV movie 1995)

83 -- Creature with the Atom Brain (1955)

83 -- Harrison Bergeron (1995)*

83 -- Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol (2011)

83 -- Mission: Impossible -- Rogue Nation (2015)

83 -- The Bubble (aka Fantastic Invasion of Planet Earth) (1966)

83 -- Prophecy (1979)

83 -- The Brain Machine (1972 / 1977)

83 -- Meteor (1979)

83 -- Watch the Skies (1995)

82 -- The Forgotten (2004)

82 -- Steel and Lace (1991)

82 -- A Fire in the Sky (1978)

82 -- Intruders (1992)

82 -- Mission: Impossible (1996)

82 -- Mission: Impossible III (2006)

82 -- Minority Report (2002)

82 -- Embryo (1976)

82 -- The Andromeda Strain (1971)

82 -- The Blob (1958)

82 -- Fail Safe (Failsafe) (1964)

82 -- Total Recall (1990)

82 -- Master of the World (1961)

82 -- Escape from New York (1981)

82 -- The Disappearance of Flight 412 (TV movie 1974)

82 -- The Bamboo Saucer (1968)

82 -- Arrival (2016)*

82 -- Quatermass and the Pit (cast: Andrew Keir, James Donald, Barbara Shelley) (1967)

81 -- The Invasion (2007)

81 -- Looker (1981)

81 -- Panic in Year Zero (1962)

81 -- Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)

81 -- The Abyss (1989)

81 -- Android (1982)

81 -- The Fly (1986)

81 -- Silent Running (1980)

81 -- The Shadow Men (1997)

81 -- Fahrenheit 451 (1966)

81 -- They Live (1988)*

81 -- The Final Countdown (1980)

80 -- She Devil (1957)

80 -- The Groundstar Conspiracy (1972)

80 -- Polar Storm (TV movie 2009)

80 -- Retroactive (1997)

80 -- Robocop 2 (1990)

80 -- Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (1954)

80 -- Duplicates (TV movie 1992)

80 -- Regenerator (The Killing Machine) (2010)

80 -- The Thing with Two Heads (1972)

80 -- Futureworld (1976)

80 -- Superman (1978)

80 -- Invaders from Mars (1986)

80 -- Time Walker (1982)

80 -- Abandon Ship (1957)

80 -- Quatermass and the Pit (cast: Andre Morell, Cec Linder, Anthony Bushell, John Stratton, Christine Finn) (1958)

80 -- The Dead Zone (1983)

80 -- Westworld (1973)

80 -- Planet of the Apes (1968)

80 -- 2001 Space Odyssey (1968)

80 -- Island of Terror (1966)

80 -- The Crazies (1973)

79 -- The Atomic Man (aka Timeslip) (1955)

79 -- Gog (1954)

79 -- Mandroid (1993)

79 -- Atragon (1963)

79 -- The Thing (1982)*

79 -- Blade Runner (1982)

79 -- War of the Worlds (1953)

79 -- Patient 62 (2016)

79 -- Independence Day (1996)

79 -- Eve of Destruction (1991)

79 -- Ares 11 (2016)

79 -- 4D Man (1959)

79 -- Star Trek (2009)

79 -- UFO (2018)

79 -- Alien Hunter (2003)

78 -- Signs (2002)

78 -- Project Viper (2002)

78 -- Replicant (2001)

78 -- Crosstalk (1982)*

78 -- Rage (1972)

78 -- The Terminal Man (1974)

78 -- Duel (1971)

78 -- The Fly (1958)

78 -- Donovan's Brain (1953)

77 -- Death Machine (1994)

77 -- Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

77 -- Under the Skin (2013)*

77 -- The Car (1977)

77 -- The Core (2003)

77 -- When Worlds Collide (1951)

77 -- District 8 (aka Territory 8) (2013)

77 -- Nightmare City (1980)

77 -- 1984 (1956)

77 -- This is Not a Test (1962)

77 -- Rabid (1977)

77 -- Star Wars (1977)

77 -- The Tingler (1959)

77 -- Coma (1978)

77 -- Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1979)

77 -- The Exorcist (1973)

76 -- Space Cowboys (2000)

76 -- The Magnetic Monster (1953)

76 -- Unearthly Stranger (1963)

76 -- The Boys from Brazil (1978)

76 -- 2010: The Year We Make Contact (1984)

76 -- Threshold (1981)*

76 -- The Time Machine (1960)

76 -- The Man Who Turned to Stone (1957)

76 -- Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956)

76 -- Body Snatchers (1993)

76 -- This Island Earth (1955)

76 -- Q: The Winged Serpent (1982)*

76 -- Alien 3 (1992)*

76 -- Kronos (1957)

76 -- Planet of the Apes (2001)

75 -- X: The Unknown (1956)

75 -- Contagion (2002)

75 -- Stranger from Venus (aka Day the Earth Stood Still) (1954)

75 -- Horror of Dracula (1958)

75 -- Re Animator (1985)*

75 -- From the Earth to the Moon (1958)

75 -- Solar Crisis (1990)

75 -- The Blob II (1972)

75 -- Alien (1979)

75 -- Fiend Without a Face (1958)

75 -- The Invaders (1995)

75 -- Riverworld (2003)*

75 -- Wavelength (1983)

75 -- The Monolith Monsters (1957)

75 -- Children of Men (2006)*

75 -- Midnight Special (2016)

75 -- Impostor (2001/02)

74 -- Escapement (1958)

74 -- Anna to the Infinite Power (1983)

74 -- Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)

74 -- The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958)

74 -- Special Bulletin (1983)

74 -- Paperman (TV movie 1971)

74 -- The Island of Dr. Moreau (1977)

74 -- Forbidden Planet (1956)*

73 -- Ghost in the Machine (1993)

73 -- The Lawnmower Man (1992)

73 -- Doctor Blood's Coffin (1961)

73 -- Scream and Scream Again (1970)

73 -- Terminator 3 (2003)

73 -- End of the World (1977)

73 -- Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008 or 1999 or ?)
(The version starring Treat Williams, Jeremy London, Bryan Brown. Hallmark Entertainment Production)

73 -- Curse of Frankenstein (1957)

72 -- Strange Invaders (1983)

72 -- Gravity (2013)

72 -- The Cassandra Crossing (1976)

72 -- China Syndrome (1979)

72 -- Damnation Alley (1980)

72 -- It's Alive! (1981)

72 -- Deep Space (1988)

72 -- Gattaca (1997)

72 -- Brainwaves (1982)

71 -- Mindstorm (2001)*

71 -- T-Force (1994)

71 -- Demolition Man (1993)

71 -- Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1961)

71 -- Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest (1995)

71 -- Fright (1956)

71 -- The Lost Missile (1958)

71 -- Moonraker (1979)

71 -- Tremors (1990)

71 -- The Philadelphia Experiment (2012)

71 -- Dawn of the Dead (1978)

70 -- The H-Man (1958)

70 -- Mimic (1997)*

70 -- Invaders from Mars (1953)

70 -- Project: Metalbeast (1995)*

70 -- Children of the Corn II: The Final Sacrifice (1992)

70 -- The Maze (1953)

70 -- Dominion: The Last Star Warrior (2015)

70 -- Showdown at Area 51 (2007)

70 -- Beyond the Time Barrier (1960)

70 -- Robocop 3 (1993)

70 -- Mysterious Island (1961)

70 -- Alien Agenda Project Grey (2007)

70 -- Robinson Crusoe on Mars (1964)

70 -- Toxin (2015)

70 -- Outland (1981)

69 -- Paycheck (2003)

69 -- Project Shadowchaser 2 (1994)

69 -- Impulse (1984)

69 -- Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swann (1982)

69 -- Virus: End of the World (aka Virus: Day of Resurrection) (1980)*

69 -- The Unearthly (1957)

69 -- Cyber Tracker (1994)

69 -- First Signal (2021)

69 -- Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971)

69 -- Alien Raiders (2008)*

69 -- Dune (1984)*

69 -- The Mummy (1959)

69 -- Mysterious Island (2008)

69 -- Behemoth (2011)

69 -- Marooned (1969)

69 -- Chosen Survivors (1974)

69 -- Darkman (1990)

68 -- Space Master X-7 (1958)

68 -- The Colossus of New York (1958)

68 -- Project Shadowchaser (aka Shadowchaser) (1992)

68 -- The Projected Man (1966)

68 -- TekWar (TV movie) (1994)

68 -- The Tommyknockers (from 1993 TV series)

68 -- The Device (2014)

68 -- I Married a Monster from Outer Space (1958)

68 -- Jurassic Park (1993)

68 -- Starship Invasions (1977)

68 -- The Philadelphia Experiment (1984)

68 -- Meteorites! (1998)

68 -- Bambi Meets Godzilla (1969) (This one's just for fun.)

68 -- Resident Evil (2002)

67 -- Predator 2 (1990)

67 -- Robot Wars (1993)

67 -- Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

67 -- Dark City (1998)*

67 -- Collision Earth (2020)

67 -- Destination Moon (1950)

67 -- Cyborg Conquest (2009)

67 -- The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)

67 -- The Gamma People (1956)

67 -- Doomsday Device (2017)

67 -- Paradise Valley (2020)

67 -- Legion (1997)

67 -- Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972)

67 -- Aliens (1986)*

67 -- Dreamscape (1984)

67 -- Journey to the Seventh Planet (1962)

67 -- Devil's Partner (1961)

67 -- Interstellar (2014)

67 -- K-PAX (2001)

66 -- Cypher (2002)

66 -- The 6th Day (2000)

66 -- War of the Satellites (1958)

66 -- Ombis: Alien Invasion (2013)

66 -- Indestructible Man (1956)

66 -- The Brain Eaters (1958)

66 -- Battle beneath the Earth (1967)

66 -- The Martian (2015)*

66 -- Robot Riot (2020)

66 -- Firestarter (1984)

66 -- Doomwatch (1972)

65 -- The Man Who Could Cheat Death (1959)

65 -- Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961)

65 -- Primer (2004)*

65 -- Digital Man (1995)*

65 -- The Mole People (1956)

65 -- Paradox (2016)

64 -- Frankenstein Created Woman (1967)

64 -- Time Changer (2002)

64 -- For All Time (TV movie 2000)

64 -- The Curse of the Fly (1965)

64 -- Flight that Disappeared (1961)

64 -- Day of the Triffids (1962)

64 -- Mysterious (aka Bad Girl Island, aka Sirens of the Caribbean) (2007)

63 -- Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969)

63 -- Queen of Blood (aka Planet of Blood) (1966)

63 -- The Leech Woman (1960)

63 -- Encounter (2018)

63 -- Monster on the Campus (1958)

63 -- Saturn 3 (1980)

63 -- The Thing from Another World (1951)

63 -- Curse of the Demon (1957)

63 -- Bunker: Project 12 (2016 or 2018)

63 -- Dimension 5 (1966)

63 -- Invader (1992)*

63 -- Corridors of Blood (1958)

63 -- Nightmare (1964)

63 -- The Immortal (TV movie 1969)

63 -- Battle in Outer Space (1959)*

62 -- Project: Alien (aka Fatal Sky) (1990)

62 -- Planets Against Us (aka Planets Around Us) (1962)

62 -- Most Dangerous Man Alive (1961)

62 -- Source Code (2011)

62 -- Collision Earth (2011)

62 -- Devils of Darkness (1965)

62 -- Aliens Reaction (2021)

62 -- Superman II (1980)

62 -- Ground Zero: The Deadly Shift (2008)

62 -- The 27th Day (1957)

62 -- It Came from Outer Space (1953)

62 -- 20 Million Miles to Earth (1957)

62 -- The Gifted One (TV movie 1989)

62 -- Atom Age Vampire (1960)

62 -- Them (1954)

62 -- Village of the Damned (1960)

62 -- Class of 1999 (1990)

62 -- The Cell (2000)*

61 -- X-Men (2000)

61 -- The Space Children (1958)

61 -- Frankenstein 1970 (1958)

61 -- Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)

61 -- Watchers (1988)

61 -- The Time Travelers (1964)

61 -- Cyborg Cop 2 (Cyborg Cop II) (1994)

61 -- The Grand Tour (The Grand Tour: Disaster in Time) (1991)

61 -- The Brain from Planet Arous (1957)

61 -- Four-Sided Triangle (1953)

61 -- Virtuosity (1995)*

61 -- Black Easter: Assassin 33 AD (2020/2021)*

61 -- Independence Day-Saster (TV movie 2013)

61 -- The Horror at 37,000 Feet (TV movie 1973)

61 -- 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1997)*

61 -- Alien Contamination (aka Contamination) (1980)

61 -- Xtro (1982)*

60 -- Predator (1987)

60 -- The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953)

60 -- Stargate (1994)

60 -- Trancers II (1991)*

60 -- Shadowzone (1990)

60 -- Zero Population Growth (aka Z.P.G.) (1972)

60 -- Gargoyles (TV movie 1972)

60 -- Night Caller from Outer Space (1965)

60 -- A Clockwork Orange (1971)*

60 -- The Crawling Hand (1963)

60 -- The Brides of Dracula (1960)

60 -- The Earth Dies Screaming (1964)

60 -- Metamorphosis (1990)

60 -- The Man with the X-Ray Eyes (1963)

60 -- The Alpha Incident (1978)

60 -- Watch the Sky (2017)

60 -- In Time (2011)

60 -- Area Q (2011)

60 -- Hollow Man (2000)

59 -- Caltiki, the Immortal Monster (1959)

59 -- Syngenor (1990)

59 -- Nostradamus (2000)

59 -- Einstein's God Model (2016)*

59 -- The Man without a Body (1957)

59 -- Mission: Impossible 2 (2000)

59 -- Alien Contact (Cinema Factory Inc., directed and produced by Steven Escobar, Joe Castro, and Thomas J. Churchill) (2019)

59 -- The People (1972)

59 -- Close Encounters of the 4th Kind: Infestation from Mars (2004)

59 -- Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)

59 -- Genesis II (TV movie 1973)

59 -- The Amazing Transparent Man (1960)

59 -- On the Beach (1959)

59 -- The Horror at 37,000 Feet (TV movie 1973)

59 -- Heatstroke (2008)

59 -- Trancers (1984)

59 -- Voyage to the End of the Universe (aka Ikarie XB-1) (1963)

59 -- Robot Jox (1990)

59 -- Monster that Challenged the World (1957)

59 -- Mimic 2 (2001)

58 -- Universal Soldier (1992)*

58 -- 1984 (1984)

58 -- The Omega Man (1971)

58 -- Brain Twisters (1991)*

58 -- The Neptune Factor (1973)

58 -- Insect! (aka Blue Monkey) (1987)

58 -- The Prestige (2006)

58 -- Timestalkers (1987)*

58 -- Hyper Sapien: People from Another Star (1986)

58 -- Outerworld -- Beyond the Rising Moon (1987)

58 -- The Human Duplicators (1965)

58 -- The Night the World Exploded (1957)

58 -- Night of the Living Dead (1968)

58 -- Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)

58 -- The Last Man on Earth (1964)

58 -- I Bury the Living (1958)

58 -- The Time Machine (TV movie 1978)

58 -- First Man Into Space (1959)

57 -- Star Trek: Generations (1994)

57 -- Watchers II (1990)

57 -- The Flesh and the Fiends (aka Mania) (1960)

57 -- The Dustwalker (2019)

57 -- Inception (2010)

57 -- Superman III (1983)

57 -- Operation Ganymed (TV movie 1977)

57 -- Cyborg Cop (1993)

57 -- Back to the Future (1985)

57 -- Day the Earth Stood Still (1999)

57 -- The Cosmic Man (1959)

57 -- The Day After Tomorrow (2004)*

56 -- Jurassic Park III (2001)

56 -- Horror of Frankenstein (1970)

56 -- Asteroid vs Earth (2014)

56 -- Fate (2017)*

56 -- Tobor the Great (1954)

56 -- Containment (2015)

56 -- Mission Stardust (1967)

56 -- The Drift (2014)*

55 -- Alien vs. Predator (2004)

55 -- Teenage Monster (1958)

55 -- Split Second (1992)

55 -- Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

55 -- Terror in the Haunted House (aka My World Dies Screaming) (1958)

55 -- Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

55 -- The Watchers: Revelation (2013)

55 -- The Day Time Ended (1980)

55 -- Alien Convergence (2017)

55 -- Mutiny in Outer Space (1965)

55 -- Project Moonbase (1953)

55 -- Inception (2010)*

55 -- What Waits Below (aka Secrets of the Phantom Caverns) (1985)

55 -- Amerigeddon (2016)*

55 -- Phase IV (1974)

54 -- Altered States (1980)*

54 -- The Human Vapor (1960)

54 -- Mars (1997/96)

54 -- At First Light (2018)

54 -- Zodiac: Signs of the Apocalypse (2014)

54 -- The Curse (1987)

54 -- Alien Contact (Cinema Factory Inc.; directed and produced by Steven Escobar, Joe Castro, and Thomas J. Churchill) (2019)

54 -- 12 to the Moon (1960)

54 -- R.O.T.O.R. (1987)

54 -- Earthrise (2014)

54 -- Kardia (2006)

54 -- Alone in the Dark (2005)

54 -- Freejack (1992)

53 -- Trancers 6 (2002)

53 -- Forbidden World (1982)*

53 -- The Bat (1959)

53 -- Night of the Big Heat (1967)

53 -- The Lathe of Heaven (1980)

53 -- Teenagers from Outer Space (1959)

53 -- Attack of the Puppet People (1958)

53 -- Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987)

53 -- Lost Continent (1951)

53 -- Solaris (2002)*

53 -- Giant from the Unknown (1958)

53 -- Dogora (1963/64)

53 -- Wedlock (1991)*

53 -- Automatic (1994/95)

52 -- Unbreakable (2000)

52 -- Tron (1982)*

52 -- Daughter of Dr. Jekyll (1957)

52 -- The Ghost of Flight 401 (TV movie 1978)

52 -- Killdozer (TV movie 1974)

52 -- House of Dark Shadows (1970)

52 -- Journey to the Center of the Earth (1993)

52 -- The Flesh Eaters (1964)

52 -- Alone in the Dark (2005)

51 -- Scared to Death: Syngenor (1980/81)

51 -- The Matrix (1999)*

51 -- Red Planet Mars (1952)

51 -- The Phoenix Project (2015)

50 -- Hands of a Stranger (1962)

50 -- The Alligator People (1959)

50 -- Galaxina (1980)*

49 -- The Rift (1990)

49 -- Mars Needs Women (TV movie, 1968)

49 -- The Cape Canaveral Monsters (1960)*

49 -- The Vulture (1967)

49 -- Invasion USA (1952)

49 -- The Trollenberg Terror (aka The Crawling Eye) (1958)

49 -- Panic (1982)

49 -- One Under the Sun (2017)*

49 -- Moon Zero Two (1969)

49 -- Red Planet (2000)

48 -- A.P.E.X. (1994)

48 -- Children of the Damned (1964)

48 -- The Mark (Christian, End Times movie) (2023)

48 -- The Cat Creature (1973)

48 -- The Damned (aka These Are the Damned) (1963)*

48 -- Eegah! (1962)

48 -- First Spaceship on Venus (1960)

48 -- Destination Space (TV series pilot film 1959)

48 -- Killers from Space (1954)

48 -- Kecksburg (2019)

48 -- The New Invisible Man (1958)

47 -- Battlefield Earth (2000)*

47 -- The Mysterians (1957)

47 -- The Incredible 2-Headed Transplant (1971)

47 -- The Creeper (1948)

47 -- Terror from the Year 5000 (1958)

47 -- The Neanderthal Man (1953)

47 -- The Man from Planet X (1951)

47 -- Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973)

47 -- Blood of Dracula (1957)

47 -- Ultimate Force (2005)

47 -- The Brain (1962)

47 -- The Black Sleep (1956)

47 -- Dreamcatcher (2003)*

46 -- Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994)

46 -- Carnosaur (1993)*

46 -- The Doll Squad (1973)

46 -- Satan's Satellites (aka Zombies of the Stratosphere) (12-chapter serial 1958/1952)

46 -- District 9 (2009)*

46 -- Day the World Ended (1955)

46 -- Spaceways (1953)

46 -- Creature (aka Alien Creature: Death Is No Escape, aka the Titan Find) (1985)

46 -- Alienated (2021)

46 -- Sink Hole (2013)

46 -- Hand of Death (1962)

46 -- A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)

46 -- The Giant Behemoth (1959)

46 -- Cave of the Living Dead (1964)

46 -- The Mind Snatcher (aka The Happiness Cage) (aka The Demon Within) (1972)*

46 -- Lost World (1992)

46 -- Conquest of Space (1955)

46 -- Attack of the 50 Foot Woman (1958)

46 -- Earth vs. the Spider (1958)

46 -- War of the Colossal Beast (1958)

45 -- Rollerball (2002)

45 -- It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958)

45 -- Horror Express (1972)

45 -- Death Watch (1980)*

45 -- The Return (1980)*

45 -- Battle of Los Angeles (cast: Kel Mitchell, Nia Peeples, Theresa Jun-Tao) (distributor: The Asylum) (2011)

45 -- Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968)

45 -- Collider (2018)*

45 -- Frogs (1972)

45 -- Astronaut: The Last Push (2012)*

44 -- Brainscan (1994)

44 -- Mission Stardust (aka 2067 AD) (1967)

44 -- Seconds (1966)

44 -- The Matrix Reloaded (2003)*

44 -- The Omen (1976)

44 -- Asteroid (2021)

44 -- 12 Monkeys (1995)*

44 -- Annihilation (2018)*

44 -- Rodan (1956)

43 -- Mimic 3: Sentinel (2003)

43 -- Metamorphosis: The Alien Factor (aka The Deadly Spawn II) (1990)*

43 -- Matango (aka Attack of the Mushroom People) (1963)

43 -- Gorath (1962)*

43 -- Abraxas, Guardian of the Universe (1991)

43 -- Beginning of the End (1957)

43 -- Rollerball (2002)

43 -- Star Trek 10: Nemesis (2002)

43 -- Godsend (2004)

42 -- Watchers 3 (1994)

42 -- Aftershock (1990)*

42 -- Rollerball (1975)

42 -- Predestination (2014)*

42 -- The Blood Beast Terror (1968)

42 -- Terror beneath the Sea (1966)

42 -- Battle beyond the Stars (1980)

42 -- The Deadly Spawn (1983)

42 -- Pharaoh's Curse (1957)

42 -- The Amazing Colossal Man (1957)

42 -- CO2 (2015)

42 -- Without Warning (aka It Came Without Warning) (1980)

41 -- The Butterfly Effect (2004)*

41 -- The Time Machine (2002)

41 -- And Now the Screaming Starts (1973)

41 -- Videodrome (1983)*

41 -- Alone in the Dark 2 (Alone in the Dark II) (2008)

41 -- Astro (2018)

41 -- Lifepod (1981)

41 -- How to Make a Monster (1958)

41 -- The Incredible Melting Man (1977)

41 -- Devil Girl from Mars (1954)

41 -- The Fantastic Four (1994)

41 -- The Chain Reaction (1980)

41 -- Teknolust (2002)*

40 -- The Brother from Another Planet (1984)

40 -- The Bride and the Beast (1958)

40 -- Battle of the Stars (1978)

40 -- Rocketship X-M (1950)

40 -- Burnt Offerings (1976)

40 -- The Matrix Reloaded (2003)*

40 -- Unknown Island (1948)

40 -- Restart the Earth (2021)

40 -- Flight to Mars (1951)

40 -- Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)

39 -- Invisible Invaders (1959)

39 -- Night of the Lepus (1972)*

39 -- Mission Stardust (1967)

39 -- Crash of Moons (1954)

39 -- Deep Space (1991)

39 -- Superman V: Superman Returns (2006)

39 -- Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970)

39 -- Twilight People (1972)

39 -- The Freakmaker (1974)

39 -- Death Race 2000 (1975)

39 -- Star Trek - Horizon (2016)

39 -- Unknown World (1951)

39 -- The Wasp Woman (1959)

39 -- I Was a Teenage Frankenstein (1958)

39 -- The Killer Shrews (1959)

39 -- The Terminators (2009)

39 -- The Creeping Flesh (1973)

39 -- Derelict (2019)

39 -- War of the Planets (1977)

39 -- The Dark (1979)

39 -- Donnie Darko (2001)

39 -- It Came from Beneath the Sea (1955)

38 -- The Wicked City (1992)

38 -- The Flame Barrier (1958)

38 -- The Hybrid (aka Scintilla) (2014)*

38 -- Singularity Principle (2013)

38 -- Tabernacle 101 (2019)

38 -- Teenagers from Outer Space (1959)

38 -- Interview with the Vampire (1994)

38 -- Charly (1968)

38 -- Fabulous Journey to the Center of the Earth (1977)

38 -- Not of this Earth (1957)

37 -- Frankenstein's Daughter (1958)

37 -- Tarantula (1955)

37 -- War Between the Planets (1966)

37 -- The Monster of Piedras Blancas (1959)

37 -- Timecop (1994)

36 -- Invasion of the Animal People (aka Terror in the Midnight Sun) (1959)

36 -- Flashburn Virus Outbreak (2017)

36 -- Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959)

36 -- Mantera (2012)

36 -- The Head (1959)

36 -- The Strange World of Planet X (aka Cosmic Monsters) (1958)

36 -- Moontrap (1989)

36 -- The Visitor (1979)

35 -- Warp Speed (1981)*

35 -- The Last Chase (1981)

35 -- The Wizard of Mars (1965)

35 -- The Hidden 2 (1994)

35 -- 41 (2012)

35 -- The Day the Sky Exploded (1958)

35 -- The Wizard of Mars (aka Horrors of the Red Planet) (1965)

34 -- Return of the Fly (1959)

34 -- House on Haunted Hill (1959)

34 -- Idaho Transfer (aka Deranged: Idaho Transfer) (1973)

34 -- The Atlantis Interceptors (aka Raiders of Atlantis) (1983)

33 -- The Creature Walks among Us (1956)

33 -- The Navy vs the Night Monster (a.k.a. Monsters of the Night and The Night Crawlers) (1966)

33 -- The Vortex of Death (2018)

33 -- Earth vs. the Spider (1958)

33 -- Dracula AD 1972 (1972)

33 -- Space Probe Taurus (1965)

33 -- Parallel Minds (2023)

32 -- Alien Intruder (1993)

32 -- Trancers III (1992)

32 -- The Hideous Sun Demon (1958)

32 -- Target Earth (1954)

32 -- Displacement (2017)

32 -- The Prophecy (1995)

32 -- The Snow Creature (1954)

32 -- Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet (aka Voyage to the Planet of Prehistoric Women) (1965/1968)

31 -- Restart the Earth (2021)

31 -- Alien Outpost (2014)

31 -- The Last Starfighter (1984)

31 -- Dream Runner (2020)

31 -- Message from Space (1978)

31 -- The Fifth Element (1997)*

31 -- Voodoo Woman (1957)

31 -- The Pumaman (1980)*

30 -- Riders to the Stars (1954)

30 -- ZAAT (aka Blood Waters of Dr. Z) (1971)*

30 -- Nemesis (1992)

30 -- Track of the Moon Beast (1976)

30 -- King Dinosaur (1955)

30 -- Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory (1963)

30 -- The Phantom Planet (1961)

30 -- Parasite (1982)

30 -- AE Apocalypse Earth (2013)

30 -- The Atomic Brain (aka Monstrosity) (1963)

30 -- Alien Domicile (2017)

30 -- Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering (1996)*

30 -- Lethal Virus (2021)

30 -- After Effect (aka The Removed) (2012/2013)

30 -- Cube Zero (2004)*

29 -- The Yesterday Machine (1963)

29 -- The Terror Within II (1991)

29 -- Phantasm (1979)

29 -- Dead Again (2021)

29 -- Prisoners of the Lost Universe (1983)

29 -- Channeling (2013)

29 -- Invasion of the Saucer Men (1957)

29 -- Planet Dune (2021)

29 -- Star Pilot (1966)

29 -- Moon 44 (1990)*

29 -- She Demons (1958)

28 -- Lost Planet Airmen (1951?)

28 -- The Slime People (1963)

28 -- Assignment Outer Space (1960)

28 -- Yeti: Giant of the 20th Century (1977)

28 -- The Day Mars Invaded Earth (1963)

27 -- The Stairs (2021)

27 -- Looper (2012)

27 -- Teenage Caveman (1958)

26 -- The One (2001)

26 -- Serenity (2005)

26 -- The Undead (1957)

26 -- The Beast with a Million Eyes (1956)

26 -- Planet Outlaws (1953)

26 -- The Deadly Mantis (1957)

26 -- The Terror Within (1989)

25 -- Rocket Attack USA (1958)

25 -- Vegas Skyline (2012/2013)

25 -- The Creation of the Humanoids (1962)

25 -- The Tangle (2019)

25 -- Assignment Terror (1970)

24 -- The Facility (2012)

24 -- It Conquered the World (1956)

24 -- Prototype X29A (1992)

24 -- The Manster (1959)

23 -- The Brain that Wouldn't Die (1962)

23 -- The Quiet Hour (2014)

23 -- War of the Insects (1968)

23 -- Beyond Skyline (2017)

23 -- Cyborg (1989)

22 -- Night Zero (2018?) (main actors: Katie Maloney, Eric Swader, Dawnelle Jewell, Vincent Bombara, Umar Faraz, Monisha B. Schwartz) (Lost Empire//Cineworx presentation)

22 -- Carnival of Souls (1962)

22 -- Phantom from Space (1953)

22 -- Mission Mars (1968)

22 -- The Dark Side of the Moon (1990)*

21 -- The Black Scorpion (1957)

21 -- Project D: Classified (2016)

21 -- Venus Flytrap (aka The Revenge of Dr. X and Body of the Prey) (1970)

21 -- They Came from the Ether (2014)

21 -- Cowboys and Aliens (2011)

21 -- Queen of Outer Space (1958)

21 -- Warning from Space (1956)

21 -- The Eye Creatures (1967)

21 -- Arcade (1993)

20 -- Monster A Go Go (1965)

20 -- They Saved Hitler's Brain (1968)

20 -- Night of the Blood Beast (1958)

20 -- Evil Brain from Outer Space (1965)

20 -- Despiser (2003)

20 -- Zeiram (aka Zeram) (1991)

19 -- Back from the Dead (1957)

19 -- New World Order: The End Has Come (2013)

19 -- Doomsday Machine (1972)

19 -- Possible Worlds (2000)

19 -- Star Kid (aka Warrior of Waverly Street, aka Earth Invasion) (1997)*

18 -- Cyborg 2 (1993)

18 -- Nightbeast (1982)

18 -- War of the Monsters (1966)

18 -- Cat Women of the Moon (1953)

18 -- Creature of Destruction (1967)

17 -- The Bone Snatcher (2003)*

17 -- Flatland (the version starring Dennis Hopper) (2012)

17 -- Night of the Comet (1984)

17 -- War of the Robots (1978)

16 -- Final Transit (2019)

16 -- White Sky (2021)

16 -- Robot vs. the Aztec Mummy (1958)

16 -- In the Year 2889 (1967)

16 -- Supernova (2000)

15 -- Agency of Vengeance: Dark Rising (2011/2014)

15 -- The Unknown Terror (1957)

14 -- Extra Terrestrial Visitors (1983)

14 -- The Phantom from 10,000 Leagues (1955)

14 -- People from Another Star (1986)

14 -- Lockdown 2025 (2021)

14 -- The Flying Saucer (1950)

13 -- Revenge of the Creature (1955)

13 -- Monster from Green Hell (1958)

13 -- Battle of the Worlds (1961)

13 -- The Giant Claw (1957)

12 -- Angry Red Planet (1959)

12 -- Attack of the Crab Monsters (1957)

12 -- Destroy All Planets (1968)

12 -- The Murder Mansion (1972)

11 -- Trancers 4: Jack of Swords (1994)

11 -- Back from the Dead (1957)

11 -- Time Jumpers (2018)

10 -- Varan the Unbelievable (1958/1962)

10 -- Dogma (1999)*

10 -- Dimensions (2011)

10 -- Mr. Nobody (2007)*

10 -- Visitor from Space 1950s Movie Tribute (2016)

10 -- Giant Gila Monster (1959)

10 -- Incredible Petrified World (1959)

09 -- The Astounding She Monster (1957)

09 -- Night Fright (1967)

09 -- The Atomic Submarine (1959)

09 -- Gamera the Invincible (1965)

09 -- 5th Passenger (2018)

09 -- I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957)

08 -- Pitch Black (2000)*

08 -- Bride of the Monster (1955)

08 -- Tentacles (1977)

08 -- The Immortal Wars (2017)

08 -- Atomic Rulers (1965)

08 -- Zontar The Thing from Venus (1967)

08 -- 2025: Prelude to Infusco (2014)

08 -- Robot Monster (1953)

08 -- Cloud Atlas (2012)

07 -- Attack of the Giant Leeches (1959)

07 -- Epidemic (2018)

07 -- Missile to the Moon (1958)

07 -- Alien Implant (2017)

07 -- Shortwave (2016)

07 -- Quantum Voyage (The Black Hole) (2016)

07 -- The Time Machine (I Found at a Yard Sale) (2011)

07 -- Precognition (2018)

07 -- Infinitum: Subject Unknown (2021)

07 -- High Life (2018)

07 -- Exit (2011)

07 -- Sunshine (2007)*

07 -- Invasion from Inner Earth (1974)

06 -- Fire Maidens of Outer Space (1956)

06 -- Mnemophrenia (2019)

06 -- Nowhere Mind (2018)

06 -- Inseminoid (aka Horror Planet) (1981)

06 -- Teenage Zombies (1960)

06 -- Attack from Space (1965)

06 -- Mesa of Lost Women (1953)

06 -- Monster from the Ocean Floor (1954)

05 -- Third Contact (2012)

05 -- Invaders from Space (1965)

05 -- Curse of the Swamp Creature (1968)

05 -- Cube 2: Hypercube (2002)*

05 -- Journey to Unknown (aka Beyond the Edge) (2017?) (main actors: Caspar Van Dien, Sean Maher, Eden Riegel, Adrienne Barbeau; Ace Entertainment; Eenie Ienie Over Productions)
(#10 worst)

05 -- Battle beyond the Sun (1959)
(#9 worst)

05 -- The Beast of Yucca Flats (1961)
(#8 worst)

04 -- Teenagers Battle the Thing (1958)
(#7 worst)

04 -- Incarnation (2016)
(#6 worst)

03 -- Frankenstein Meets the Space Monster (1965)
(#5 worst)

03 -- The Creeping Terror (1964)
(#4 worst)

03 -- Frankenstein (2011)
(#3 worst)

02 -- The Alien Prophecy (2018)
(#2 worst)

02 -- Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959)
(#1 worst)

______

Post your own list or suggest any titles which should have been included, especially if there are any good movies omitted here. Ideally this list should be extended enough to include all the good ones.

(Edited by Lumpenproletariat)
2 years ago Report
0
Lumpenproletariat
Lumpenproletariat:

Some CRITERIA for rating the movies

Negative features are:
- too much romance/sex
- too much human emotions, expressions
- too much focus on human reaction to events rather than on the events
- too many close-ups of the faces
- too much violence, especially bloodiness
- too much time wasted before getting to the plot
- too much dead time, too slow
- too much partying, dancing, music, entertainment, etc.
- too much mysticism, psycho-babble, symbol vs. substance
- too much preaching, subjectivity, soul-searching.

Though the above secondary features are appropriate up to a point, often they become too prominent and cause the ranking to go down. There may be a legitimate sci fi theme which matters, but excess of the above secondary elements gets in the way.

Of course corniness and poor acting are also negative factors.

A bad subjectivity movie is (2019) Mnemophrenia (a condition of having false memories), and its basic flaw is that instead of dealing with the false memories (legitimate subject matter), it deals with the inner psychology of characters who have this condition, so that it becomes just introspection into their personalities, and gawking at them as characters, rather than focusing on the false memories and how to separate the true memories from the false ones, which is just accepted as an unquestioned premise. A good movie has to tell us some truth (or hypothetical truth) rather than just entertaining us with up-close faces, expression of their feelings, their voice fluctuations and other personal features.

OBSCURITY of the plot -- esoteric and ambiguous language, parable, poetry, symbolism, etc. usually are negative and cause lower ranking. Some movies have a legitimate point but hide it rather than saying it explicitly. In one example, Idaho Transfer (1973), I took the trouble to get the explanation, from a review, and also watching again a couple important scenes, like at the very end. When this is necessary, that's not a good movie. No such 2nd viewing or reading a review should be necessary in order to understand the basic point of the story.

The symbolism and metaphor is OK, but there still must be a basic story or point being made, and this basic point must be easy to recognize, simple and straightforward, not something hidden and requiring a 2nd or 3rd viewing of the show in order to be recognized.

Probably the best movies are ones which you watch over and over. But still, this should not be necessary in order to figure out what the basic plot is, or point being made.

Another movie, Brainstorm (1983), had what seemed like an ambiguous ending which I almost missed. But I just barely caught it, with a little reflection, not needing a review to explain it. But if I had missed it, I would have had to rate it down at least 10 points. A good movie has to communicate to viewers what's basically important, without the viewer having to do any "homework" in order to figure it out.

Too many unanswered questions are a negative feature -- erratic shocks, freaking out for no apparent reason, hysterical females, random jumping from one dimension to another or from one time point to another, dazzling the viewer just for the dazzlement per se. There needs to be some clear point, or connection to the scene or plot, and direction toward a final "end" or resolution. It has to be more than only a sequence of detached unexplained bizarre moments going nowhere, and it must be easy to "connect the dots" from one scene to another -- CONNECTEDNESS! not jumping around from here to there just to keep us guessing what the hell is going on. Even if the moments are individually interesting, fantastic, dazzling, disturbing, they still have to lead in some direction, toward a resolution or climax or destination which is the "point" of the story, or the outcome. When it's over there has to be "the end" rather than just an arbitrary stopping point where the phenomena stop happening.

Many of the more recent "sci fi" movies are in this esoteric category, where the story is not clear and requires an explanation from a critical review somewhere. These get a much lower rating.

The story or premise can be hypothetical, but still has to be about a hypothetical CONCRETE world, not about metaphor or hidden meanings. In a few cases the movie ends up being some kind of metaphor which was not really science fiction at all, but since it was falsely labelled as "sci fi" it's included and gets a low rating.

TIME TRAVEL is OK up to a point, but it tends to get out of hand. Lots of time travel forward and backward, trying to "change the future" etc. usually means a lower rating.

Some BLOODY HORROR is OK, but where it becomes the main point, the score goes down. Pure bloody horror is not genuine sci-fi, but it's OK as a supplement to the story. Slasher scenarios, Jack-the-Ripper, Halloween, cutthroat horror, chainsaw massacre slaughter, etc., is mostly avoided as not good sci-fi, or it gets rated down. Also the pure monster/animal attack movies (Jaws, Godzilla, etc.) are avoided or downrated.

DYSTOPIAN, POST-APOCALYPTIC, futuristic movies can be OK if they get beyond the theme of violence/action only, or war battle scenes and sadism and just killing per se, and pure torture and madness and bloodthirstiness. Perhaps a supernatural theme or space aliens etc. are not necessary, but there has to be something thought-provoking and hypothetical going on, like in Soylent Green futuristic hypothetical scenario of overpopulation and harvesting humans for food. Anything beyond just the violence and sadism of some of the post-apocalyptic movies.

The best movies are those about ALIENS taking over or CONSPIRACIES and COVER-UPS, also the machines/technology taking over, also scientific research going too far and causing disaster.

Panic and shock is fine, but not so much horror shock scenes of the monster pouncing on an isolated victim -- those rate lower if that's the only point. There needs to be a sci-fi element saying something other than just monsters pouncing on victims. Just making the monsters more ugly and hideous is not enough.

SHOCK value can take many forms other than just bloodiness. Sudden unexpected surprise and scare is basically a good quality which can increase the ranking if done right. In a few cases a low-level movie takes a surprise turn toward the end which improves it and drives the rating up 10 points or higher. Sometimes a surprise is humorous, which can be good if it's done right, though most attempts at humor are done poorly and reduce the rating. In most cases sci fi combined with comedy is a bad mix.
(Edited by Lumpenproletariat)
2 years ago Report
0
Lumpenproletariat
Lumpenproletariat:

ALPHABETICAL LISTING

All the same titles rated 0-100 (above) are listed here in alphabetical (or numerical) order. There are a few additional titles of (??) movies I haven't rated yet.



rating -- title & year
____________________

79 -- 4D Man (1959)

09 -- 5th Passenger (2018)

66 -- The 6th Day (2000)

54 -- 12 to the Moon (1960)

44 -- 12 Monkeys (1995)*

62 -- 20 Million Miles to Earth (1957)

62 -- The 27th Day (1957)

35 -- 41 (2012)

77 -- 1984 (1956)

58 -- 1984 (1984)

80 -- 2001 Space Odyssey (1968)

76 -- 2010: The Year We Make Contact (1984)

08 -- 2025: Prelude to Infusco (2014)

44 -- 2067 AD (aka Mission Stardust) (1967)

80 -- 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)

61 -- 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1997)*

80 -- Abandon Ship (1957)

43 -- Abraxas, Guardian of the Universe (1991)

81 -- The Abyss (1989)

30 -- AE Apocalypse Earth (2013)

30 -- After Effect (aka The Removed) (2012/2013)

42 -- Aftershock (1990)*

15 -- Agency of Vengeance: Dark Rising (2011/2014)

46 -- A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)

75 -- Alien (1979)

76 -- Alien 3 (1992)*

70 -- Alien Agenda Project Grey (2007)

54 -- Alien Contact (Cinema Factory Inc.; directed and produced by Steven Escobar, Joe Castro, and Thomas J. Churchill) (2019)

61 -- Alien Contamination (aka Contamination) (1980)

55 -- Alien Convergence (2017)

46 -- Alien Creature: Death Is No Escape (aka Creature, aka the Titan Find) (1985)

30 -- Alien Domicile (2017)

79 -- Alien Hunter (2003)

08 -- Alien Implant (2017)

32 -- Alien Intruder (1993)

31 -- Alien Outpost (2014)

02 -- The Alien Prophecy (2018)
(#2 worst)

69 -- Alien Raiders (2008)*

55 -- Alien vs. Predator (2004)

46 -- Alienated (2021)

67 -- Aliens (1986)*

62 -- Aliens Reaction (2021)

50 -- The Alligator People (1959)

52 -- Alone in the Dark (2005)

41 -- Alone in the Dark 2 (Alone in the Dark II) (2008)

60 -- The Alpha Incident (1978)

54 -- Altered States (1980)*

42 -- The Amazing Colossal Man (1957)

59 -- The Amazing Transparent Man (1960)

85 -- Amelia 2.0: The Summerland Project (cast: Ed Begley, Angela Billman, Rachelle Carson) (2014/2016/2017)

?? -- American Cyborg (1993)

55 -- Amerigeddon (2016)*

41 -- And Now the Screaming Starts (1973)

81 -- Android (1982)

82 -- The Andromeda Strain (1971)

12 -- Angry Red Planet (1959)

74 -- Anna to the Infinite Power (1983)

44 -- Annihilation (2018)*

48 -- A.P.E.X. (1994)

30 -- Apocalypse Earth (2013)

21 -- Arcade (1993)

60 -- Area Q (2011)

79 -- Ares 11 (2016)

82 -- Arrival (2016)*

61 -- Assassin 33 AD (aka Black Easter) (2020/2021)*

28 -- Assignment Outer Space (1960)

25 -- Assignment Terror (1970)

44 -- Asteroid (2021)

56 -- Asteroid vs Earth (2014)

09 -- The Astounding She Monster (1957)

41 -- Astro (2018)

45 -- Astronaut: The Last Push (2012)*

54 -- At First Light (2018)

34 -- The Atlantis Interceptors (aka Raiders of Atlantis) (1983)

62 -- Atom Age Vampire (1960)

30 -- The Atomic Brain (aka Monstrosity) (1963)

79 -- The Atomic Man (aka Timeslip) (1955)

08 -- Atomic Rulers (1965)

09 -- The Atomic Submarine (1959)

79 -- Atragon (1963)

07 -- Attack from Space (1965)

46 -- Attack of the 50 Foot Woman (1958)

12 -- Attack of the Crab Monsters (1957)

07 -- Attack of the Giant Leeches (1959)

43 -- Attack of the Mushroom People (aka Matango) (1963)

53 -- Attack of the Puppet People (1958)

53 -- Automatic (1994/95)

?? -- Avatar (2009)

19 -- Back from the Dead (1957)

57 -- Back to the Future (1985)

64 -- Bad Girl Island (aka Sirens of the Caribbean, aka Mysterious) (2007)

68 -- Bambi Meets Godzilla (1969)

82 -- The Bamboo Saucer (1968)

53 -- The Bat (1959)

66 -- Battle beneath the Earth (1967)

42 -- Battle beyond the Stars (1980)

06 -- Battle beyond the Sun (1959)
(#9 worst)

47 -- Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973)

63 -- Battle in Outer Space (1959)*

45 -- Battle of Los Angeles (cast: Kel Mitchell, Nia Peeples, Theresa Jun-Tao) (distributor: The Asylum) (2011)

40 -- Battle of the Stars (1978)

13 -- Battle of the Worlds (1961)

47 -- Battlefield Earth (2000)*

60 -- The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953)

05 -- The Beast of Yucca Flats (1961)
(#8 worst)

26 -- The Beast with a Million Eyes (1956)

43 -- Beginning of the End (1957)

69 -- Behemoth (2011)

59 -- Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)

23 -- Beyond Skyline (2017)

05 -- Beyond the Edge (aka Journey to Unknown) (2017?) (main actors: Caspar Van Dien, Sean Maher, Eden Riegel, Adrienne Barbeau; Ace Entertainment; Eenie Ienie Over Productions)
(#10 worst)

70 -- Beyond the Time Barrier (1960)

61 -- Black Easter: Assassin 33 AD (2020/2021)*

21 -- The Black Scorpion (1957)

47 -- The Black Sleep (1956)

79 -- Blade Runner (1982)

?? -- Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

82 -- The Blob (1958)

75 -- The Blob II (1972)

47 -- Blood of Dracula (1957)

42 -- The Blood Beast Terror (1968)

30 -- Blood Waters of Dr Z (aka ZAAT) (1971)*

58 -- Blue Monkey (aka Insect!) (1987)

21 -- Body of the Prey (aka Venus Flytrap and The Revenge of Dr. X) (1970)

76 -- Body Snatchers (1993)

17 -- The Bone Snatcher (2003)*

76 -- The Boys from Brazil (1978)

47 -- The Brain (1962)

66 -- The Brain Eaters (1958)

61 -- The Brain from Planet Arous (1957)

83 -- The Brain Machine (1972 / 1977)

23 -- The Brain that Wouldn't Die (1962)

58 -- Brain Twisters (1991)*

44 -- Brainscan (1994)

87 -- Brainstorm (1983)

72 -- Brainwaves (1982)

40 -- The Bride and the Beast (1958)

08 -- Bride of the Monster (1955)

60 -- The Brides of Dracula (1960)

40 -- The Brother from Another Planet (1984)

83 -- The Bubble (aka Fantastic Invasion of Planet Earth) (1966)

63 -- Bunker: Project 12 (2016 or 2018)

40 -- Burnt Offerings (1976)

41 -- The Butterfly Effect (2004)*

59 -- Caltiki, the Immortal Monster (1959)

49 -- The Cape Canaveral Monsters (1960)*

95 -- Capricorn One (1978)
(#5 best)

86 -- Captain Nemo and the Underwater City (1969)

77 -- The Car (1977)

22 -- Carnival of Souls (1962)

46 -- Carnosaur (1993)*

72 -- The Cassandra Crossing (1976)

48 -- The Cat Creature (1973)

18 -- Cat Women of the Moon (1953)

46 -- Cave of the Living Dead (1964)

62 -- The Cell (2000)*

41 -- The Chain Reaction (1980)

29 -- Channeling (2013)

38 -- Charly (1968)

75 -- Children of Men (2006)*

87 -- Children of the Corn (1984)*

70 -- Children of the Corn II: The Final Sacrifice (1992)

71 -- Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest (1995)

30 -- Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering (1996)*

48 -- Children of the Damned (1964)

72 -- China Syndrome (1979)

69 -- Chosen Survivors (1974)

62 -- Class of 1999 (1990)

60 -- A Clockwork Orange (1971)*

59 -- Close Encounters of the 4th Kind: Infestation from Mars (2004)

77 -- Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1979)

08 -- Cloud Atlas (2012)

42 -- CO2 (2015)

87 -- Coherence (2013)

45 -- Collider (2018)*

62 -- Collision Earth (2011)

67 -- Collision Earth (2020)

68 -- The Colossus of New York (1958)

91 -- Colossus the Forbin Project (1970)

77 -- Coma (1978)

46 -- Conquest of Space (1955)

67 -- Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972)

?? -- Contact (1997)

75 -- Contagion (2002)

56 -- Containment (2015)

61 -- Contamination (aka Alien Contamination) (1980)

77 -- The Core (2003)

63 -- Corridors of Blood (1958)

57 -- The Cosmic Man (1959)

36 -- Cosmic Monsters (aka The Strange World of Planet X) (1958)

21 -- Cowboys and Aliens (2011)

92 -- Crack in the World (1965)
(#8 best)

39 -- Crash of Moons (1954)

49 -- The Crawling Eye (aka The Trollenberg Terror) (1958)

60 -- The Crawling Hand (1963)

80 -- The Crazies (1973)

25 -- The Creation of the Humanoids (1962)

46 -- Creature (aka Alien Creature: Death Is No Escape) (1985)

40 -- Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)

18 -- Creature of Destruction (1967)

33 -- The Creature Walks among Us (1956)

83 -- Creature with the Atom Brain (1955)

47 -- The Creeper (1948)

39 -- Creeping Flesh (1973)

04 -- The Creeping Terror (1964)
(#4 worst)

78 -- Crosstalk (1982)*

05 -- Cube 2: Hypercube (2002)*

30 -- Cube Zero (2004)*

54 -- The Curse (1987)

63 -- Curse of the Demon (1957)

64 -- The Curse of the Fly (1965)

73 -- Curse of Frankenstein (1957)

06 -- Curse of the Swamp Creature (1968)

69 -- Cyber Tracker (1994)

23 -- Cyborg (1989)

18 -- Cyborg 2 (1993)

86 -- Cyborg 2087 (1966)

67 -- Cyborg Conquest (2009)

57 -- Cyborg Cop (1993)

61 -- Cyborg Cop 2 (Cyborg Cop II) (1994)

66 -- Cypher (2002)

72 -- Damnation Alley (1980)

48 -- The Damned (aka These Are the Damned) (1963)*

39 -- The Dark (1979)

86 -- Dark Angel (aka I Come in Peace) (1990)*

67 -- Dark City (1998)*

22 -- The Dark Side of the Moon (1990)*

69 -- Darkman (1990)

57 -- The Day After Tomorrow (2004)*

52 -- Daughter of Dr. Jekyll (1957)

71 -- Dawn of the Dead (1978)

?? -- Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)

28 -- The Day Mars Invaded Earth (1963)

64 -- Day of the Triffids (1962)

65 -- Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961)

87 -- Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)

75 -- Day the Earth Stood Still (aka Stranger from Venus) (1954)

57 -- Day the Earth Stood Still (1999)

35 -- The Day the Sky Exploded (1958)

46 -- Day the World Ended (1955)

55 -- The Day Time Ended (1980)

29 -- Dead Again (2021)

80 -- The Dead Zone (1983)

26 -- The Deadly Mantis (1957)

42 -- The Deadly Spawn (1983)

43 -- The Deadly Spawn II (aka Metamorphosis: The Alien Factor) (1990)*

77 -- Death Machine (1994)

39 -- Death Race 2000 (1975)

45 -- Death Watch (1980)*

72 -- Deep Space (1988)

39 -- Deep Space (1991)

71 -- Demolition Man (1993)

46 -- The Demon Within (aka The Mind Snatcher) (aka The Happiness Cage) (1972)*

34 -- Deranged: Idaho Transfer (aka Idaho Transfer) (1973)

39 -- Derelict (2019)

20 -- Despiser (2003)

67 -- Destination Moon (1950)

48 -- Destination Space (TV series pilot film 1959)

12 -- Destroy All Planets (1968)

68 -- The Device (2014)

41 -- Devil Girl from Mars (1954)

62 -- Devils of Darkness (1965)

67 -- Devil's Partner (1961)

65 -- Digital Man (1995)*

63 -- Dimension 5 (1966)

10 -- Dimensions (2011)

82 -- The Disappearance of Flight 412 (TV movie 1974)

32 -- Displacement (2017)

77 -- District 8 (aka Territory 8) (2013)

46 -- District 9 (2009)*

86 -- Dr. Strangelove (1958)

73 -- Doctor Blood's Coffin (1961)

10 -- Dogma (1999)*

53 -- Dogora (1963/64)

46 -- The Doll Squad (1973)

70 -- Dominion: The Last Star Warrior (2015)

39 -- Donnie Darko (2001)

78 -- Donovan's Brain (1953)

67 -- Doomsday Device (2017)

19 -- Doomsday Machine (1972)

66 -- Doomwatch (1972)

33 -- Dracula AD 1972 (1972)

45 -- Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968)

31 -- Dream Runner (2020)

47 -- Dreamcatcher (2003)*

67 -- Dreamscape (1984)

56 -- The Drift (2014)*

78 -- Duel (1971)

69 -- Dune (1984)*

?? -- Dune (2021)

80 -- Duplicates (TV movie 1992)

57 -- The Dustwalker (2019)

60 -- The Earth Dies Screaming (1964)

19 -- Earth Invasion (aka Star Kid, aka Warrior of Waverly Street) (1997)*

76 -- Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956)

46 -- Earth vs. the Spider (1958)

54 -- Earthrise (2014)

55 -- Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

48 -- Eegah! (1962)

59 -- Einstein's God Model (2016)*

82 -- Embryo (1976)

63 -- Encounter (2018)

73 -- End of the World (1977)

?? -- Endangered Species (1982)

?? -- The Endless (2017)

07 -- Epidemic (2018)

82 -- Escape from New York (1981)

69 -- Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971)

74 -- Escapement (1958)

79 -- Eve of Destruction (1991)

20 -- Evil Brain from Outer Space (1965)

07 -- Exit (2011)

77 -- The Exorcist (1973)

14 -- Extra Terrestrial Visitors (1983)

91 -- Extreme Measures (1996)
(#10 best)

21 -- The Eye Creatures (1967)

38 -- Fabulous Journey to the Center of the Earth (1977)

24 -- The Facility (2012)

84 -- The Faculty (1998)*

81 -- Fahrenheit 451 (1966)

82 -- Fail Safe (Failsafe) (1964)

41 -- The Fantastic Four (1994)

83 -- Fantastic Invasion of Planet Earth (aka The Bubble) (1966)

88 -- Fantastic Voyage (1966)

62 -- Fatal Sky (aka Project: Alien) (1990)

56 -- Fate (2017)*

75 -- Fiend Without a Face (1958)

31 -- The Fifth Element (1997)*

81 -- The Final Countdown (1980)

16 -- Final Transit (2019)

82 -- A Fire in the Sky (1978)

?? -- Fire in the Sky (1993)

06 -- Fire Maidens of Outer Space (1956)

66 -- Firestarter (1984)

58 -- First Man Into Space (1959)

?? -- First Men in the moon (1964)

69 -- First Signal (2021)

48 -- First Spaceship on Venus (1960)

?? -- Five (1951)

38 -- The Flame Barrier (1958)

36 -- Flashburn Virus Outbreak (2017)

17 -- Flatland (the version starring Dennis Hopper) (2012)

57 -- The Flesh and the Fiends (aka Mania) (1960)

52 -- The Flesh Eaters (1964)

64 -- Flight that Disappeared (1961)

40 -- Flight to Mars (1951)

78 -- The Fly (1958)

81 -- The Fly (1986)

14 -- The Flying Saucer (1950)

64 -- For All Time (TV movie 2000)

74 -- Forbidden Planet (1956)*

53 -- Forbidden World (1982)*

82 -- The Forgotten (2004)

88 -- Forsaken (aka Stranded on Mars) (2018)*

61 -- Four-Sided Triangle (1953)

03 -- Frankenstein (2011)
(#3 worst)

61 -- Frankenstein 1970 (1958)

64 -- Frankenstein Created Woman (1967)

04 -- Frankenstein Meets the Space Monster (1965)
(#5 worst)

63 -- Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969)

37 -- Frankenstein's Daughter (1958)

39 -- The Freakmaker (aka The Mutations) (1974)

54 -- Freejack (1992)

71 -- Fright (1956)

45 -- Frogs (1972)

75 -- From the Earth to the Moon (1958)

31 -- Frozen Alive (1964)

80 -- Futureworld (1976)

50 -- Galaxina (1980)*

09 -- Gamera the Invincible (1965)

67 -- The Gamma People (1956)

60 -- Gargoyles (TV movie 1972)

72 -- Gattaca (1997)

59 -- Genesis II (TV movie 1973)

73 -- Ghost in the Machine (1993)

52 -- The Ghost of Flight 401 (TV movie 1978)

46 -- The Giant Behemoth (1959)

13 -- The Giant Claw (1957)

53 -- Giant from the Unknown (1958)

10 -- Giant Gila Monster (1959)

62 -- The Gifted One (TV movie 1989)

43 -- Godsend (2004)

79 -- Gog (1954)

43 -- Gorath (1962)*

61 -- The Grand Tour (The Grand Tour: Disaster in Time) (1991)

72 -- Gravity (2013)

62 -- Ground Zero: The Deadly Shift (2008)

80 -- The Groundstar Conspiracy (1972)

70 -- The H-Man (1958)

46 -- Hand of Death (1962)

50 -- Hands of a Stranger (1962)

96 -- Hanger 18 (1980)
(#2 best)

46 -- The Happiness Cage (aka The Demon Within) (aka The Mind Snatcher) (1972)*

83 -- Harrison Bergeron (1995)*

36 -- The Head (1959)

59 -- Heatstroke (2008)

93 -- The Hidden (1987)
(#7 best)

35 -- The Hidden 2 (1994)

32 -- The Hideous Sun Demon (1958)

07 -- High Life (2018)

60 -- Hollow Man (2000)

59 -- The Horror at 37,000 Feet (TV movie 1973)

45 -- Horror Express (1972)

75 -- Horror of Dracula (1958)

56 -- Horror of Frankenstein (1970)

06 -- Horror Planet (aka Inseminoid) (1981)

35 -- Horrors of the Red Planet (aka The Wizard of Mars) (1965)

56 -- House of Dark Shadows (1970)

34 -- House on Haunted Hill (1959)

41 -- How to Make a Monster (1958)

60 -- The Human Duplicators (1965)

54 -- The Human Vapor (1960)

?? -- The Hunger Games (2012)

58 -- Hyper Sapien: People from Another Star (1986)

40 -- The Hybrid (aka Scintilla) (2014)*

58 -- I Bury the Living (1958)

86 -- I Come in Peace (aka Dark Angel) (1990)*

68 -- I Married a Monster from Outer Space (1958)

39 -- I Was a Teenage Frankenstein (1958)

09 -- I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957)

34 -- Idaho Transfer (aka Deranged: Idaho Transfer) (1973)

59 -- Ikarie XB-1 (aka Voyage to the End of the Universe) (1963)

63 -- The Immortal (TV movie 1969)

08 -- The Immortal Wars (2017)

75 -- Impostor (2001/02)

69 -- Impulse (1984)

16 -- In the Year 2889 (1967)

60 -- In Time (2011)

05 -- Incarnation (2016)
(#6 worst)

55 -- Inception (2010)*

47 -- The Incredible 2-Headed Transplant (1971)

10 -- Incredible Petrified World (1959)

41 -- The Incredible Melting Man (1977)

67 -- The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)

79 -- Independence Day (1996)

61 -- Independence Day-Saster (TV movie 2013)

66 -- Indestructible Man (1956)

74 -- Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)

07 -- Infinitum: Subject Unknown (2021)

58 -- Insect! (aka Blue Monkey) (1987)

06 -- Inseminoid (aka Horror Planet) (1981)

67 -- Interstellar (2014)

38 -- Interview with the Vampire (1994)

82 -- Intruders (1992)

63 -- Invader (1992)*

75 -- The Invaders (1995)

70 -- Invaders from Mars (1953)

80 -- Invaders from Mars (1986)

05 -- Invaders from Space (1965)

81 -- The Invasion (2007)

?? -- Invasion Earth 2150 AD

07 -- Invasion from Inner Earth (1974)

36 -- Invasion of the Animal People (aka Terror in the Midnight Sun, aka Space Invasion of Lapland) (1959)

97 -- Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
(#1 best)

96 -- Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1977)
(#3 best)

29 -- Invasion of the Saucer Men (1957)

49 -- Invasion USA (1952)

39 -- Invisible Invaders (1959)

74 -- The Island of Dr. Moreau (1977)

80 -- Island of Terror (1966)

39 -- It Came from Beneath the Sea (1955)

62 -- It Came from Outer Space (1953)

42 -- It Came Without Warning (aka Without Warning) (1980)

24 -- It Conquered the World (1956)

45 -- It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958)

72 -- It's Alive! (1981)

36 -- Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959)

52 -- Journey to the Center of the Earth (1993)

73 -- Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008 or 1999 or ?)
(The version starring Treat Williams, Jeremy London, Bryan Brown. Hallmark Entertainment Production)

85 -- Journey to the Far Side of the Sun (1969)

67 -- Journey to the Seventh Planet (1962)

05 -- Journey to Unknown (aka Beyond the Edge) (2017?) (main actors: Caspar Van Dien, Sean Maher, Eden Riegel, Adrienne Barbeau; Ace Entertainment; Eenie Ienie Over Productions)
(#9 worst)

68 -- Jurassic Park (1993)

56 -- Jurassic Park III (2001)

67 -- K-PAX (2001)

54 -- Kardia (2006)

48 -- Kecksburg (2019)

52 -- Killdozer (TV movie 1974)

48 -- Killers from Space (1954)

39 -- The Killer Shrews (1959)

30 -- King Dinosaur (1955)

76 -- Kronos (1957)

35 -- The Last Chase (1981)

58 -- The Last Man on Earth (1964)

31 -- The Last Starfighter (1984)

53 -- The Lathe of Heaven (1980)

73 -- The Lawnmower Man (1992)

63 -- The Leech Woman (1960)

67 -- Legion (1997)

30 -- Lethal Virus (2021)

41 -- Lifepod (1981)

14 -- Lockdown 2025 (2021)

92 -- Logan's Run (1977)
(#9 best)

81 -- Looker (1981)

27 -- Looper (2012)

53 -- Lost Continent (1951)

71 -- The Lost Missile (1958)

28 -- Lost Planet Airmen (1951?)

46 -- Lost World (1992)

76 -- The Magnetic Monster (1953)

47 -- The Man from Planet X (1951)

65 -- The Man Who Could Cheat Death (1959)

?? -- The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976)

76 -- The Man Who Turned to Stone (1957)

60 -- The Man with the X-Ray Eyes (1963)

59 -- The Man without a Body (1957)

79 -- Mandroid (1993)

57 -- Mania (aka The Flesh and the Fiends) (1960)

24 -- The Manster (1959)

36 -- Mantera (2012)

48 -- The Mark (Christian, End Times movie) (2023)

69 -- Marooned (1969)

54 -- Mars (1997/96)

49 -- Mars Needs Women (TV movie, 1968)

66 -- The Martian (2015)*

46 -- Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994)

82 -- Master of the World (1961)

43 -- Matango (aka Attack of the Mushroom People) (1963)

51 -- The Matrix (1999)*

44 -- The Matrix Reloaded (2003)*

70 -- The Maze (1953)

06 -- Mesa of Lost Women (1953)

31 -- Message from Space (1978)

60 -- Metamorphosis (1990)

43 -- Metamorphosis: The Alien Factor (aka The Deadly Spawn II) (1990)*

83 -- Meteor (1979)

68 -- Meteorites! (1998)

75 -- Midnight Special (2016)

70 -- Mimic (1997)*

59 -- Mimic 2 (2001)

43 -- Mimic 3: Sentinel (2003)

46 -- The Mind Snatcher (aka The Happiness Cage) (aka The Demon Within) (1972)*

71 -- Mindstorm (2001)*

?? -- Mindwarp (aka brainslasher) (1992)

82 -- Minority Report (2002)

07 -- Missile to the Moon (1958)

82 -- Mission: Impossible (1996)

59 -- Mission: Impossible 2 (2000)

82 -- Mission: Impossible III (2006)

83 -- Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol (2011)

83 -- Mission: Impossible -- Rogue Nation (2015)

22 -- Mission Mars (1968)

44 -- Mission Stardust (aka 2067 AD) (1967)

06 -- Mnemophrenia (2019)

65 -- The Mole People (1956)

75 -- The Monolith Monsters (1957)

20 -- Monster A Go Go (1965)

13 -- Monster from Green Hell (1958)

06 -- Monster from the Ocean Floor (1954)

59 -- Monster that Challenged the World (1957)

37 -- The Monster of Piedras Blancas (1959)

63 -- Monster on the Campus (1958)

33 -- Monsters of the Night (aka The Navy vs the Night Monster and The Night Crawlers) (1966)

30 -- Monstrosity (aka The Atomic Brain) (1963)

89 -- Moon (2009)

29 -- Moon 44 (1990)*

49 -- Moon Zero Two (1969)

71 -- Moonraker (1979)

36 -- Moontrap (1989)

62 -- Most Dangerous Man Alive (1961)

10 -- Mr. Nobody (2007)*

69 -- The Mummy (1959)

12 -- The Murder Mansion (1972)

39 -- The Mutations (aka The Freakmaker) (1974)

55 -- Mutiny in Outer Space (1965)

55 -- My World Dies Screaming (aka Terror in the Haunted House) (1958)

47 -- The Mysterians (1957)

64 -- Mysterious (aka Bad Girl Island, aka Sirens of the Caribbean) (2007)

70 -- Mysterious Island (1961)

69 -- Mysterious Island (2008)

33 -- The Navy vs the Night Monster (a.k.a. Monsters of the Night and The Night Crawlers) (1966)

47 -- The Neanderthal Man (1953)

30 -- Nemesis (1992)

58 -- The Neptune Factor (1973)

48 -- The New Invisible Man (1958)

19 -- New World Order: The End Has Come (2013)

60 -- Night Caller from Outer Space (1965)

33 -- The Night Crawlers (aka Navy vs the Night Monster and Monsters of the Night) (1966)

09 -- Night Fright (1967)

53 -- Night of the Big Heat (1967)

20 -- Night of the Blood Beast (1958)

17 -- Night of the Comet (1984)

39 -- Night of the Lepus (1972)*

58 -- Night of the Living Dead (1968)

58 -- The Night the World Exploded (1957)

22 -- Night Zero (2018?) (main actors: Katie Maloney, Eric Swader, Dawnelle Jewell, Vincent Bombara, Umar Faraz, Monisha B. Schwartz) (Lost Empire//Cineworx presentation)

18 -- Nightbeast (1982)

63 -- Nightmare (1964)

77 -- Nightmare City (1980)

58 -- Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984)

59 -- Nostradamus (2000)

38 -- Not of this Earth (1957)

06 -- Nowhere Mind (2018)

86 -- Nuclear Hurricane (TV movie 2007)

66 -- Ombis: Alien Invasion (2013)

58 -- The Omega Man (1971)

44 -- The Omen (1976)

59 -- On the Beach (1959)

26 -- The One (2001)

49 -- One Under the Sun (2017)*

57 -- Operation Ganymed (TV movie 1977)

58 -- Outerworld -- Beyond the Rising Moon (1987)

70 -- Outland (1981)

49 -- Panic (1982)

81 -- Panic in Year Zero (1962)

74 -- Paperman (TV movie 1971)

67 -- Paradise Valley (2020)

65 -- Paradox (2016)

33 -- Parallel Minds (2023)

30 -- Parasite (1982)

79 -- Patient 62 (2016)

69 -- Paycheck (2003)

59 -- The People (1972)

14 -- People from Another Star (1986)

29 -- Phantasm (1979)

14 -- The Phantom from 10,000 Leagues (1955)

22 -- Phantom from Space (1953)

30 -- The Phantom Planet (1961)

42 -- Pharaoh's Curse (1957)

55 -- Phase IV (1974)

68 -- The Philadelphia Experiment (1984)

71 -- The Philadelphia Experiment (2012)

51 -- The Phoenix Project (2015)

08 -- Pitch Black (2000)*

02 -- Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959)
(#1 worst)

29 -- Planet Dune (2021)

80 -- Planet of the Apes (1968)

76 -- Planet of the Apes (2001)

63 -- Planet of Blood (aka Queen of Blood) (1966)

26 -- Planet Outlaws (1953)

62 -- Planets Against Us (aka Planets Around Us) (1962)

80 -- Polar Storm (TV movie 2009)

19 -- Possible Worlds (2000)

07 -- Precognition (2018)

60 -- Predator (1987)

67 -- Predator 2 (1990)

42 -- Predestination (2014)*

08 -- Prelude to Infusco (aka 2025: Prelude to Infusco) (2014)

58 -- The Prestige (2006)

65 -- Primer (2004)*

29 -- Prisoners of the Lost Universe (1983)

62 -- Project: Alien (aka Fatal Sky) (1990)

21 -- Project D: Classified (2016)

70 -- Project: Metalbeast (1995)*

55 -- Project Moonbase (1953)

68 -- Project Shadowchaser (aka Shadowchaser) (1992)

69 -- Project Shadowchaser 2 (1994)

78 -- Project Viper (2002)

68 -- The Projected Man (1966)

83 -- Prophecy (1979)

32 -- The Prophecy (1995)

24 -- Prototype X29A (1992)

31 -- The Pumaman (1980)*

91 -- The Puppet Masters (1994)*

76 -- Q: The Winged Serpent (1982)*

08 -- Quantum Voyage (The Black Hole) (2016)

90 -- Quatermass II (Quatermass 2) (1958)

80 -- Quatermass and the Pit (cast: Andre Morell, Cec Linder, Anthony Bushell, John Stratton, Christine Finn) (1958)

82 -- Quatermass and the Pit (cast: Andrew Keir, James Donald, Barbara Shelley) (1967)

86 -- The Quatermass Xperiment (1955)

63 -- Queen of Blood (aka Planet of Blood) (1966)

21 -- Queen of Outer Space (1958)

23 -- The Quiet Hour (2014)

77 -- Rabid (1977)

78 -- Rage (1972)

34 -- Raiders of Atlantis (aka The Atlantis Interceptors) (1983)

77 -- Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

75 -- Re Animator (1985)*

49 -- Red Planet (2000)

51 -- Red Planet Mars (1952)

80 -- Regenerator (The Killing Machine) (2010)

30 -- The Removed (aka After Effect) (2012/2013)

78 -- Replicant (2001)

68 -- Resident Evil (2002)

31 -- Restart the Earth (2021)

88 -- The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler (1971)

80 -- Retroactive (1997)

45 -- The Return (1980)*

34 -- Return of the Fly (1959)

21 -- The Revenge of Dr. X (aka Venus Flytrap and Body of the Prey) (1970)

74 -- The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958)

13 -- Revenge of the Creature (1955)

30 -- Riders to the Stars (1954)

49 -- The Rift (1990)

81 -- Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)

75 -- Riverworld (2003)*

70 -- Robinson Crusoe on Mars (1964)

89 -- Robocop (1987)

81 -- Robocop 2 (1990)

70 -- Robocop 3 (1993)

59 -- Robot Jox (1990)

08 -- Robot Monster (1953)

66 -- Robot Riot (2020)

16 -- Robot vs. the Aztec Mummy (1958)

67 -- Robot Wars (1993)

25 -- Rocket Attack USA (1958)

40 -- Rocketship X-M (1950)

44 -- Rodan (1956)

42 -- Rollerball (1975)

43 -- Rollerball (2002)

54 -- R.O.T.O.R. (1987)

88 -- Runaway (1984)

46 -- Satan's Satellites (aka Zombies of the Stratosphere) (12-chapter serial 1958/1952)

?? -- Satellite in the sky (1956)

63 -- Saturn 3 (1980)

90 -- Scanners (1981)*

51 -- Scared to Death: Syngenor (1980/81)

38 -- Scintilla (aka The Hybrid) (2014)*

?? -- Scorcher (2002)

73 -- Scream and Scream Again (1970)

44 -- Seconds (1966)

55 -- Secrets of the Phantom Caverns (aka What Waits Below) (1985)

26 -- Serenity (2005)

88 -- Shadow Conspiracy (1997)

81 -- The Shadow Men (1997)

68 -- Shadowchaser (aka Project Shadowchaser) (1992)

60 -- Shadowzone (1990)

29 -- She Demons (1958)

80 -- She Devil (1957)

07 -- Shortwave (2016)

70 -- Showdown at Area 51 (2007)

78 -- Signs (2002)

81 -- Silent Running (1980)

38 -- Singularity Principle (2013)

46 -- Sink Hole (2013)

64 -- Sirens of the Caribbean (aka Mysterious, aka Bad Girl Island) (2007)

28 -- The Slime People (1963)

32 -- The Snow Creature (1954)

?? -- Snowpiercer (2013)

75 -- Solar Crisis (1990)

53 -- Solaris (2002)*

62 -- Source Code (2011)

92 -- Soylent Green (1973)
(#8 best)

61 -- The Space Children (1958)

76 -- Space Cowboys (2000)

36 -- Space Invasion of Lapland (aka Invasion of the Animal People, aka Terror in the Midnight Sun) (1959)

68 -- Space Master X-7 (1958)

33 -- Space Probe Taurus (1965)

46 -- Spaceways (1953)

74 -- Special Bulletin (1983)

55 -- Split Second (1992)

27 -- The Stairs (2021)

84 -- Star Crystal (1986)

19 -- Star Kid (aka Warrior of Waverly Street, aka Earth Invasion) (1997)*

29 -- Star Pilot (1966)

79 -- Star Trek (2009)

?? -- Star Trek Beyond (2016)

58 -- Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)

57 -- Star Trek: Generations (1994)

39 -- Star Trek: Horizon (2016)

67 -- Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

85 -- Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)

61 -- Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)

43 -- Star Trek 10: Nemesis (2002)

77 -- Star Wars (1977)

60 -- Stargate (1994)

68 -- Starship Invasions (1977)

82 -- Steel and Lace (1991)

88 -- Stranded on Mars (aka Forsaken) (2018)*

72 -- Strange Invaders (1983)

36 -- The Strange World of Planet X (aka Cosmic Monsters) (1958)

75 -- Stranger from Venus (aka Day the Earth Stood Still) (1954)

07 -- Sunshine (2007)*

80 -- Superman (1978)

62 -- Superman II (1980)

57 -- Superman III (1983)

53 -- Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987)

39 -- Superman V: Superman Returns (2006)

16 -- Supernova (2000)

59 -- Syngenor (1990)

71 -- T-Force (1994)

38 -- Tabernacle 101 (2019)

25 -- The Tangle (2019)

37 -- Tarantula (1955)

32 -- Target Earth (1954)

39 -- Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970)

27 -- Teenage Caveman (1958)

55 -- Teenage Monster (1958)

07 -- Teenage Zombies (1960)

05 -- Teenagers Battle the Thing (1958)
(#7 worst)

38 -- Teenagers from Outer Space (1959)

41 -- Teknolust (2002)*

68 -- TekWar (TV movie) (1994)

08 -- Tentacles (1977)

78 -- The Terminal Man (1974)

94 -- The Terminator (1984)
(#6 best)

55 -- Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

73 -- Terminator 3 (2003)

39 -- The Terminators (2009)

77 -- Territory 8 (aka District 8) (2013)

42 -- Terror beneath the Sea (1966)

47 -- Terror from the Year 5000 (1958)

55 -- Terror in the Haunted House (aka My World Dies Screaming) (1958)

36 -- Terror in the Midnight Sun (aka Invasion of the Animal People, Space Invasion of Lapland) (1959)

26 -- The Terror Within (1989)

29 -- The Terror Within II (1991)

62 -- Them (1954)

48 -- These Are the Damned (aka The Damned) (1963)*

87 -- They Came from Beyond Space (1967)

21 -- They Came from the Ether (2014)

81 -- They Live (1988)*

20 -- They Saved Hitler's Brain (1968)

79 -- The Thing (1982)*

63 -- The Thing from Another World (1951)

81 -- The Thing with Two Heads (1972)

05 -- Third Contact (2012)

77 -- This is Not a Test (1962)

76 -- This Island Earth (1955)

76 -- Threshold (1981)*

87 -- THX 1138 (1971)*

64 -- Time Changer (2002)

11 -- Time Jumpers (2018)

76 -- The Time Machine (1960)

58 -- The Time Machine (TV movie 1978)

41 -- The Time Machine (2002)

07 -- The Time Machine (I Found at a Yard Sale) (2011)

85 -- Time Trap (2017)*

61 -- The Time Travelers (1964)

80 -- Time Walker (1982)

37 -- Timecop (1994)

?? -- Timequest (2000)

69 -- Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swann (1982)

79 -- Timeslip (aka The Atomic Man) (1955)

58 -- Timestalkers (1987)*

77 -- The Tingler (1959)

46 -- The Titan Find (aka Creature, aka Alien Creature: Death Is No Escape) (1985)

56 -- Tobor the Great (1954)

68 -- The Tommyknockers (from 1993 TV series)

82 -- Total Recall (1990)

70 -- Toxin (2015)

30 -- Track of the Moon Beast (1976)

59 -- Trancers (1984)

60 -- Trancers II (1991)*

32 -- Trancers III (1992)

11 -- Trancers 4: Jack of Swords (1994)

53 -- Trancers 6 (2002)

71 -- Tremors (1990)

49 -- The Trollenberg Terror (aka The Crawling Eye) (1958)

52 -- Tron (1982)*

82 -- Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (1954)

39 -- Twilight People (1972)

87 -- Twilight's Last Gleaming (1977)

79 -- UFO (2018)

47 -- Ultimate Force (2005)

52 -- Unbreakable (2000)

26 -- The Undead (1957)

77 -- Under the Skin (2013)*

69 -- The Unearthly (1957)

76 -- Unearthly Stranger (1963)

58 -- Universal Soldier (1992)*

40 -- Unknown Island (1948)

15 -- The Unknown Terror (1957)

39 -- Unknown World (1951)

10 -- Varan the Unbelievable (1958/1962)

25 -- Vegas Skyline (2012/2013)

21 -- Venus Flytrap (aka The Revenge of Dr. X and Body of the Prey) (1970)

41 -- Videodrome (1983)*

62 -- Village of the Damned (1960)

61 -- Virtuosity (1995)*

84 -- Virus (TV movie 1995)

69 -- Virus: End of the World (aka Virus: Day of Resurrection) (1980)*

36 -- The Visitor (1979)

10 -- Visitor from Space 1950s Movie Tribute (2016)

31 -- Voodoo Woman (1957)

33 -- The Vortex of Death (2018)

71 -- Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1961)

59 -- Voyage to the End of the Universe (aka Ikarie XB-1) (1963)

32 -- Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet (aka Voyage to the Planet of Prehistoric Women) (1965/1968)

49 -- The Vulture (1967)

37 -- War Between the Planets (1966)

46 -- War of the Colossal Beast (1958)

23 -- War of the Insects (1968)

18 -- War of the Monsters (1966)

39 -- War of the Planets (1977)

17 -- War of the Robots (1978)

66 -- War of the Satellites (1958)

79 -- War of the Worlds (1953)

86 -- WarGames (1983)

21 -- Warning from Space (1956)

35 -- Warp Speed (1981)*

19 -- Warrior of Waverly Street (aka Earth Invasion, aka Star Kid) (1997)*

39 -- The Wasp Woman (1959)

83 -- Watch the Skies (1995)

60 -- Watch the Sky (2017)

61 -- Watchers (1988)

57 -- Watchers II (1990)

42 -- Watchers 3 (1994)

55 -- The Watchers: Revelation (2013)

75 -- Wavelength (1983)

53 -- Wedlock (1991)*

30 -- Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory (1963)

80 -- Westworld (1973)

55 -- What Waits Below (aka Secrets of the Phantom Caverns) (1985)

77 -- When Worlds Collide (1951)

85 -- Where Have All the People Gone (1974)

16 -- White Sky (2021)

38 -- The Wicked City (1992)

42 -- Without Warning (aka It Came Without Warning) (1980)

35 -- The Wizard of Mars (aka Horrors of the Red Planet) (1965)

29 -- The Yesterday Machine (1963)

28 -- Yeti: Giant of the 20th Century (1977)

60 -- X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes (1963)

75 -- X: The Unknown (1956)

61 -- X-Men (2000)

61 -- Xtro (1982)*

30 -- ZAAT (aka Blood Waters of Dr. Z) (1971)*

20 -- Zeiram (aka Zeram) (1991)

60 -- Zero Population Growth (aka Z.P.G.) (1972)

54 -- Zodiac: Signs of the Apocalypse (2014)

46 -- Zombies of the Stratosphere (aka Satan's Satellites) (12-chapter serial 1958/1952)

08 -- Zontar The Thing from Venus (1967)

60 -- Z.P.G. (aka Zero Population Growth) (1972)

79 -- 4D Man (1959)

09 -- 5th Passenger (2018)

66 -- The 6th Day (2000)

54 -- 12 to the Moon (1960)

62 -- 20 Million Miles to Earth (1957)

62 -- The 27th Day (1957)

35 -- 41 (2012)

77 -- 1984 (1956)

58 -- 1984 (1984)

80 -- 2001 Space Odyssey (1968)

76 -- 2010: The Year We Make Contact (1984)

08 -- 2025: Prelude to Infusco (2014)

44 -- 2067 AD (aka Mission Stardust) (1967)

80 -- 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)

61 -- 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1997)*
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(Edited by Lumpenproletariat)
2 years ago Report
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Lumpenproletariat
Lumpenproletariat:

Selected Movie Titles and Critique. Alphabetical Listing
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The following may serve to illustrate some of the guidelines for rating the movies, i.e., showing how certain movies are better than others, or what makes this one better than that one. The standards for judging are not universally the same for everyone, so some examples are offered here, with explanation, to clarify the standards used here.
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(Many more titles will later be added.)

title (year)
rating -- critique
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Aftershock (1990)

42 -- Most post-Apocalyptic (post-WWIII) movies are not worth watching (boring violence battle scenes in depressing dusty places with only shabby remains of civilization still standing), and this is another of those, but with a little philosophizing added. This has an alien (ET?) that shows up, and some heroics to get her safely to her rendezvous ride back home. Possibly worth 10-20 points more if you like these post-Apocalyptic adventure-violence shows.
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Alien 3 (1992)

76 -- For this to edge out the first Alien (1979) = 75, we must overlook the excess 2-hour length/long-windedness, forcing us to wait too long before finally treating us to the good climax. It capitalizes on the shocking scenario of the cutie infant monster, having incubated in the human tummy (womb) and then making its "Hello, World!" bloody exit. So if you're patient it's finally worth it -- good follow-up to Alien (1979).
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Alien Raiders (2008)

69 -- One jarring scene, disgusting if you're squeamish, increases the rating here, -- i.e., it gets a higher rating here for provocative content. Except for that scene it would be down around 55. Also there's a good surprise element, as the Aliens here at the beginning appear as normal criminal thugs but then turn out to be something totally different. Surprise twist = higher rating.
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Aliens (1986)

67 -- In effect Alien 2. Some rate this very high, near the top. But its flaw is its extreme over-emphasis on the heroine rescuing or protecting a young innocent girl/damsel in distress. It gets way too corny in devoting so much of the time to this one theme in the plot. At one point she interrupts the monster about to devour the poor innocent victim and yells "Leave her alone!" -- you mean bad-guy villain antagonist! And yet, what's that meaningless little victim doing there in the first place? Except for that excess corniness, this movie might have been up near 80. Little or no improvement on Alien (1979).
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Altered States (1980)

54 -- This could be as high as 70 or in the low 30s, depending on your taste, interpretation, or acceptance of the premise. Much is disgusting and goes into the psycho-babble category, plus excess romance. However, the title tells you up front that there's a radical premise, about alternate states of consciousness, and in this case it's about reversion to some lower primitive level. Crazy experimentation, research run amok, out of bounds. Good dramatics help raise it a bit. If you try to make allowance for the excess, seek a lesson or meaning, you can find a serious point to it. A moralistic lesson might be to caution against seeking spiritual experience through mind-altering drugs.
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Amerigeddon (2016)

55 -- Probably belongs down in the 45 or less rank, not-very-convincing picture of takeover/downfall of the U.S. to the "New World Order" Masterplan conspiracy -- gets cornier as it proceeds, below-average quality, mostly slow-pace, and then not-too-interesting war-battle scenes, etc. BUT, to this disappointment must be added the extreme outrageous scenario of the U.N. "Peacekeepers" (who made a deal with the treacherous President) arriving in Texas to CONFISCATE all the guns -- WOW! what a confrontation! Texas homeland-defenders resisting the invading U.N. "Peacekeepers" there to confiscate their guns! Just the idea deserves extra points, despite the nuttiness. And the leader of the "Peacekeepers" announcing their operation to the Texans addresses them with a very conspicuous Russian accent, to add further provocation. Needless to say, after the bloody shootout all the "Peacekeepers" end up with is a good butt-kicking from the non-submissive Texas freedom-fighters who aren't impressed with the blue-helmeted "peacekeepers" and their New World Order designs.
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Annihilation (2018)

44 -- Maybe this is in the thumbs-up category, worth seeing, despite the relatively low rating (no point or plot = low rating). Excess morbid repulsive scenes -- though boring the first 30-40 minutes. Becomes more entertaining as the pace of ghastly scenes increases, with aesthetic appeal (if you're a sadist?) even though the plot is meaningless and aimless. Deserves points for the variety of relentless and non-predictable shocks. Not for family hour.
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Arrival (2016)

82 -- By some accounts this belongs up in the top 10. High quality, high-class, good at showing the likely problems of negotiating with space aliens -- communicating, language barrier, etc. But it ultimately resorts to esoteric psycho-babble, even to meaningless time-travel, and so the story requires tripping out into mindlessness as a premise, putting it into the "turn on, tune in, drop out" category. Good show, but not in the 90s.
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Astronaut: The Last Push (2012)

45 -- Merits higher, 60-70, if you like extended personality introspection into one character spilling out his guts. Scenario of isolated astronaut trying to keep his sanity, after the mission is aborted and an accident killed his partner. Somewhat nice ending, but takes too long to get to it.
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Battle in Outer Space (1959)

63 -- On the surface this one might seem lower than 60, but the main problem is only the poor dubbing (Japanese to English), giving it a boring tone. Otherwise it's comparable to Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956), somewhat less impressive technically, and some corny dialogue, especially the usual corny philosophizing/preaching. Otherwise it's a decent space invaders vs Planet Earth drama. The battle isn't really way out in space, but about 2/3 on the moon and 1/3 here on Mother Earth. And -- spoiler: the good guys win. Yay for our side!
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Battlefield Earth (2000)

47 -- Give it 60-70 if you're a war movie fan fascinated by: Apocalypse, end-of-the-world, movies like Stargate (1994), Twilight of the Gods, Armageddon, Sons of Light vs. Sons of Darkness, Good vs. Evil, esoteric philosophizing, preaching, heroics, each side condemning and judging the other, everyone shouting at someone, everything crashing down, exploding, going up in smoke, and all very other-worldly, though you're told it's on Planet Earth some time in the future. Everything made to look depressing and ugly, including the characters.
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Black Easter: Assassin 33 AD (2020/2021)

61 -- In general it's lower quality than 60, but it has to get "extra credit" for its very bold premise, i.e., going back in time 2000 years to try to undo the Jesus Christ Resurrection, or undo the presumed conspiracy by the Disciples to steal the body from the Tomb. Wow! Just the idea deserves an extra 10-20 points. Mostly a failure and unconvincing, but deserving much credit for the effort. There are many interesting possibilities with such a time-travel idea.
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The Bone Snatcher (2003)

17 -- Add 10-20 points if you love desert movies and being stranded in the wilderness with goofy monsters and not knowing why you're there.
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Brain Twisters (1991)

58 -- Deserves higher as a non-boring police detective drama with shock sensationalism, but lower for the excess pointless cheap violence, with special emphasis on sexy females bloodied and terrorized, and some segments which are good but add up to nothing in the end. Medical research mad scientist and other bad guys are finally butchered in a bloody house-of-horrors climax to fill out the hour and thirty-minute time allotment.
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The Butterfly Effect (2004)

41 -- This almost goes down below 30, but it's partly saved by an ending which explains a little what's going on. The main character time-travels back and forth trying to erase something bad which happened, but each time he only screws it up even worse. Finally he seems to figure it out and gets back to the beginning where he erases it all and sets it all back to an OK life -- or something like that. Makes a little sense, if you buy the psycho-babble hocum. And too much romance and up-close personal subjectivity etc. drags it down. But if you like all that it could go up into the 50s.
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The Cape Canaveral Monsters (1960)

49 -- Not as bad as it appears at first -- 2 space aliens, who seem way too human, are up to some mischief, and it turns out that they know some odd tricks to play on their victims. If you put up with the corniness and bad acting, some interesting weird stuff begins happening -- the plot starts to make a little sense (only a little), and some surprises and strange ending rescue it from being down around 30 or lower.
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Carnosaur (1993)

46 -- Disgusting, obnoxious, extra bloodiness, bizarre shocking elements, for which you could add about 20 points for the yyyyuuccccch! value, depending on your taste. Not for the kiddies. Exaggeration of the Science-research-gone-way-out-of-bounds theme. All-pessimistic, ugly, no bright moments.
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The Cell (2000)

62 -- Maybe 75 or so, except it's too esoteric, bizarre, excess alternate reality scenes. Easy to lose track of the odd-ball weird stuff, though the basic plot is clear.
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Children of Men (2006)

75 -- This one is difficult to rate. Probably should be higher, but the violence and action and dramatics, which are good, cause the sci-fi idea to get lost (a future infertility plague causes a severe shortage of children -- interesting premise, but the direction it goes here, especially excess violence, gets confusing). Some unnecessary vulgarity also downgrades it somewhat. The characters and plot are unclear until about the half-way point, where it starts making more sense and gets very serious and emotional. Maybe worst of all is that the world in which this scenario takes place is totally unreal and unrecognizable, other than superficial names and symbols making it appear to be planet earth. But no civilization we know, however inhuman, could be like the one depicted here.
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Children of the Corn (1984)

87 -- Before explaining this high rating, it's necessary to note 2 bad points: 1) an unnecessary opening sex/romance scene featuring Linda Hamilton dancing around and making a fool of herself, and 2) excess slasher bloody violence. The sex/romance/dancing scene is too long, but at least that's all there is of it. And the violence, happening 2 or 3 times throughout the show, would be OK except that it's stabbing bloody violence, which is not appropriate. Most violence in the movies is OK or even good, but not the kind of throat-cutting bloodiness here = lower rating.

But there are good points which offset the above. Peter Horton does an impressive role as the hero who barges in on a perverse religious cult of children who need to be straightened out and prevented from carrying out their sick rituals (they got ensnared by some evil spirit entity lurking in the cornfield -- "He who walks behind the rows" ). And the 2 leaders of the cult, Isaac and Malachi, are also played well: the guru/preacher/prophet Isaac is done by John Franklin, very convincing, with his divine visions and demand for absolute obedience to him, claiming exclusive revelations from God. And then there's his power-seeking sidekick, a kind of Deacon-in-Chief played by Courtney Gains, also convincing, carrying out the Prophet's orders but also having his own agenda to impose conformity onto the Flock of young followers -- all this in a small Nebraska town which got taken over by the cult.

There's a certain realism about these characters and their rituals and intolerance and submission to the cult leader. The tension between the Holy Man Isaac and the strong-man Malachi is also convincing -- Isaac is a kind of David Koresh visionary Prophet, while Malachi is a practical-power Zealot who finally seizes power from the Holy Man. In addition to the above unusual characters, there's the normal down-to-earth straight-shooter "Blue Man," or mechanic whose "I have a transmission to fix" line puts him into the ordinary guy category, played convincingly by R. G. Armstrong. So the movie puts together a good combination of diverse types to depict a small-town weird event happening out there in the Corn Belt.
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Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering (1996)

30 -- If what you mainly want is violence per se, blood and gore to excess with little else, then add 10-20 points.
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A Clockwork Orange (1971)

60 -- Very subjective to judge this, add or subtract 30 points. There is definitely a message (something about insidious experimentation on criminals), but not apparent until about half-way through, after much excess violence and sex and after you turn on, tune in, and drop out. Way too much cheap and unnecessary vulgarity. But there's a magic probably due to the very effective use of classical music, which might be the key to what causes many critics to perceive here a profound philosophical meaning or serious critical commentary on modern society. Good use of music here might be what turned this aimless display of decadence into something inspiring. Except for one important violent scene that prepares you for what happens later, you could skip the first hour and be better off. Plenty of entertainment, shocks and surprises, but when the dust settles, there's no serious point to it.
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Collider (2018)

45 -- Possibly 60-70 if you love time-travel plots no matter how wacky and how much of it is incoherent and impossible to make sense of. But there is a creative element here, interesting twist, with some kind of time-travel cops whose job is to chase down renegade time-travelers who are breaking the rules -- or something like that -- trying to police the ones who threaten to screw up the universe by altering history. So a few extra points for originality.
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Crosstalk (1982)

78 -- This is really higher, in the 80s, except it has too much ambiguity about what's happening, too many unanswered questions, or giving clues that are too easy to miss. It appears that the super-intelligent machine is the hero, detecting a murder that happened and even preventing a future murder, maybe thwarting the bad guy, or killing him. This experimental machine-computer, surpassing expectations, seems to know everything going on, spying on the neighbors, detecting murder crimes happening or about to happen, warning the good guy.
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Cube 2: Hypercube (2002)

04 -- Meaningless esoteric mind-trip going nowhere. Pretends to have some cosmic other-dimensional point to it. Contains 2 or 3 disgusting obnoxious scenes having no purpose except for sex perverts and without which it might rate 10-15.
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Cube Zero (2004)

30 -- If one excuses the meaningless story and extreme pointless sadism, there are some creative elements to this which could put it up over 50, though still less than 60. It easily can be rated as low as 10. Perhaps give it a range of about 20-45, depending on your taste or tolerance for esoteric and sadistic hocum. Research subjects are tormented and tortured and their responses observed.
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The Damned (aka These Are the Damned) (1963)

48 -- After about 40-50 minutes, this becomes a decent sci-fi movie, worth maybe 60-70. But less than 20 for about the first half. Too bad so much of it wasted on unimportant matter.
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Dark City (1998)

67 -- Somewhat ditto of Matrix, but makes a little better sense (only a little), same impressive effects and symbol over substance, while a major improvement is elimination of the excessive Kung-Fu silliness.
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The Dark Side of the Moon (1990)

22 -- There might be some point or meaning here, in the story. But it would require rewatching it several times to put it together. There is one very funny moment, worth something to increase the rating a few points, so without that this would be down below 20. There's much good dramatics and good acting, but it's wasted here, with no substance, nothing making it clear what it's all about.
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The Day After Tomorrow (2004)

57 -- Good disaster scenes and dramatics. But it's dragged down by the unrealism, bad science, and corniness. Overlooking that, it could be up near 70, better than average in the disaster movie category.
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Death Watch (1980)

45 -- 20-30 points higher if considered as a psychological drama up-close personal introspection into a character approaching death, reflecting on life, interacting with others romantically/emotionally, etc. Not much sci fi here.
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Digital Man (1995)

65 -- The surprise ending is so good -- shocking and also funny -- that it lifts this movie up from the poor ranks to the "OK" or "not bad" level. A sudden surprise turn metes out instant justice near the end. Unfortunately this is almost the only good part of what otherwise is a slow-moving show. You have to see the whole movie from the beginning to appreciate the surprise ending. Actually the opening is reasonably good, but then boredom sets in for an hour, followed by the sudden surprise ending.
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District 9 (2009)

46 -- Unlikely disgusting aliens arrive in a ship and become a public nuisance, goofy TV announcer. Hilarious when the aliens are served eviction notices, but the humor wears out later with the effort to become more serious. Shocking humor, satire, mostly for laughs, not serious sci fi. Or gets boring when it tries to change and be serious. A good example to show that in most cases sci fi + comedy = a bad mix.
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Dogma (1999)

10 -- Bad effort to mix satire with sci fi, which usually fails. Very funny satire, antireligious, for the first 10-20 minutes or so (deserves 70+ for the first 20 minutes), but deteriorates rapidly. If the irreverence and poor taste is excused and the humor had remained good as it is at first, this could have rated 50+ despite the difficulty of combining comedy with sci fi. The basic sci fi story is there, to the end, but it's drowned out by the increasing bad jokes, while the attempt to get serious at points and to preach and moralize falls equally flat. After that first few minutes virtually nothing works here, though 2 or 3 surprise shocks add some entertainment and maybe save it from sinking down to among the 10 worst sci fi movies of all time.
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Dreamcatcher (2003)

47 -- Might be 60-65 if one studies and reviews it 5 or 6 times to put together the symbols, taking notes, etc. Too long. Many shocking and interesting nightmarish pieces combined into what ends up seeming to be just some slimy monsters attacking victims -- with aliens running around somewhere, maybe posing as humans, and being opposed by would-be heroes thinking they know what's happening.
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The Drift (2014)

56 -- Probably should be over 70 rating, for high-quality production, great special effects, impressive picture of futuristic space-travel technology, plenty of action, excitement. But since I couldn't figure out what-the-hell was going on, I have to downrate it. There seems to be a "bad guy" somewhere, but it's very confusing, chaotic, poor communication of who the "bad guys" are and what they're up to. Toward the end, it becomes clear there's a battle to secure a powerful "Crystal" that can energize everything and save the world, or which can blow everything up and kill us all if it isn't handled just right. Lots of moralizing and characters accusing each other of something -- treason? greed? -- it's not clear, plus we don't know if there's a "good guy" who's really in charge or understands what's happening or what should be done, though the movie seems to assume we all have it figured out. But all that's clear is the usual struggle to rescue victims and protect the ship from blowing itself up -- and yet even this isn't always clear, as characters who at first look like "good guys" suddenly seem to turn bad and want to blow it all up for no apparent reason.
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Dune (1984)

69 -- Maybe the best example of mixing corniness and greatness into one product. Amazing special effects and impressive scenes, especially the first 30-60 minutes. Admonition that "The Spice must flow!" makes some sense, but with gradual deterioration into mysticism and psycho-babble -- add the "Kwisatz Haderach" and "Weirding Way" cult-like rhetoric and it trips out into La-La Land even worse than the Star Wars "Force" and "the Dark Side" etc. Chopping off the last hour might raise the rating 20 points.
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Einstein's God Model (2016)

59 -- Deserves credit for its premise and plot at the outset, which adds scientific realism to the hypothesis of possible contact with the dead, or the afterlife. Lots of good scientific jargon, maybe legitimate. But the plot deteriorates into esotericism by the end. The main character tries to reach his lost girl friend, through scientific technology which began with an invention by Thomas Edison and is enhanced by quantum physics, string theory, membranes, whatever -- eventually it's probably just psychobabble -- who knows? Probably a real physicist would laugh it off as nutty. But it's good sci-fi through about half the show, before going downhill into pure aesthetics or symbolism. Some good dialogue about good science vs. pseudo-science, real scientists vs. charlatans. If the aesthetics is all you want, plus the good-sounding jargon, and OK acting, add an extra 10-15 points.
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The Faculty (1998)

84 -- Maybe deserves higher rating, to the 90s range -- aliens taking over, coverup/conspiracy. But, it gets out of hand toward the end, loses control and goes wild, possibly putting it into the spoof category. To be really in the highest rank, a good sci fi movie should stay totally serious, with humor or satire only being secondary at best, not the main element. Crazy slimy monsters pop up toward the end, adding shock and humor. But the earlier shock moments are also good and should have been sufficient. A strong element in the plot is the procedure of testing people to distinguish the normal humans from the aliens posing as humans -- i.e., trust no one, not even your best friend, they might be an alien in disguise! Good suspicion/paranoia theme, but it's taken to extremes, finally turns ludicrous.
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Fate (2017)

56 -- Add 10-20 points if you like romance. It deserves a higher rating except for the very excess romance and also the usual time-travel flaws which are excessive and spoil many time-travel movies. It's hard to draw the line on the time-travel nonsense, but this movie goes much too far, while some others, like Terminator (1984) and Star Trek IV The Voyage Home (1986), seem to keep it down sufficiently (one-time trip back to the past is tolerable). Even though it's in the plot, the time-travel needn't spoil the movie as long as there's plenty else to the story which makes the time-travel secondary.
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The Fifth Element (1997)

31 -- Maybe this would rate high in the Comedy-Action-Fantasy-Heroes & Monsters category.
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Forbidden Planet (1956)

74 -- Deserves 5-10 points higher except that it's tainted by too much corny sex/romance which detracts from the good sci-fi content. Futuristic outer-space plot is OK, straightforward, minimum nonsense, with typical over-pessimistic tragic ending and corny philosophizing.
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Forbidden World (1982)

53 -- Subtract 10-20 points for the extreme yyyyyyyuccchhhhh! element, grotesque slimy disgusting violence, or yet possibly add 10 if such content suits your taste -- the reaction to the ghastly monster (similar to that of Alien 1979) could vary quite a bit from one viewer to another. It's mostly just the crude shocking violence, but also there's some scientific jargon to explain how the creature got produced by rogue scientists and theories now about trying to get rid of the nightmare.
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Galaxina (1980)

50 -- This is only spoof, not serious sci fi. At some points it's hilarious and deserves high marks in the satire category. In addition to spoofing Star Wars, Star Trek and Alien, it also spoofs westerns, the 1950s, Hollywood, and religion. Good 1950s Lone Ranger classical music. But the good parts don't make up for the corniness and silliness you have to put up with.
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Gorath (1962)

43 -- Actually a decent sci-fi plot/story worth 60 or so, but cheap lousy production, technically low-quality, lousy acting/dubbing. Thus non-engaging. Good potential for a saving-planet-earth-from-collision scenario goes to waste.
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Harrison Bergeron (1995)

83 -- This could be rated anywhere from 95 to 65, depending on many arbitrary factors. Not really serious, but not comedy/satire either -- it sort of tries to be both. Filled with contradictions and incoherencies, trying to make a serious point, and succeeding enough to get a high rating, despite the flaws. Sort of a "Brave New World" scenario where a rebel breaks free and tries to wake up the citizenry to the insidious nature of the Establishment manipulating people via a headband everyone is required to wear. Lots of obvious flaws and discrepancies we can overlook. And it gets corny and awkward trying to communicate ideas which require the viewer to have the same values/philosophy assumed by the story creator.
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The Hybrid (aka Scintilla) (2014)

38 -- Disgusting, depressing, morbid. If you like cold-blooded ghoulish violence, add 20 points. Not for family hour.
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I Come in Peace (aka Dark Angel) (1990)

86 -- Perhaps should be up there with Terminator (1984) and The Hidden (1987), to which there are similarities, but it falls short of 90 because of the unsuccessful attempt at comedy here and there -- comedy and sci fi is usually a bad mix -- and the sex-and-violence drags it down a bit, plus also it falls flat at the end, as the bad alien gets foiled too easily after having been invincible earlier. Good crime-action-violence drama, though a little too bloody at points, and the good-alien-vs-bad-alien idea turns corny.
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Inception (2010)

55 -- Out of one reality (or dream) into another, pretending to control or program the dreams to create a desired outcome, jumping into each others' dreams trying to figure out who's in control or what's really real vs. the dream. Similar flaws as Matrix (1999), with lots of action and fast-pace to keep it entertaining. Slight improvement on Matrix without the excess sex and kung-fu to obscure the esoteric nonsense that is most of the plot. If you enjoy the psycho-babble of Matrix, then add 20+ to this one.
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Invader (1992)

63 -- High quality entertainment, good effects and acting, but not serious sci-fi. From the beginning a less-than-serious tone is noticeable, and it gets worse and worse. It almost seems like a serious UFO-Alien takeover story at first, as normal humans get turned into strange aliens, and the fast action and surprises move it along and keep you guessing -- never a dull moment. But what's the point? where are we going with this? The light-heartedness keeps happening and increases, until the show turns into a farce at the end. By the time the bizarre alien monster is finally destroyed, who cares anymore?
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The Martian (2015)

66 -- Maybe deserves higher rating, but its flaw is that the plot is too simple: A stranded astronaut, left behind on Mars by mistake, gets rescued. More than 2 hours is too long for this. No surprises, no twist. You know from the beginning the whole story, too predictable. If you like simple rescue story, with some unnecessary music and other filler material, add an extra 10-20 points.
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The Matrix (1999) and Matrix Reloaded (2003)

51 and 44 -- Incredibly overrated, total lack of substance other than psycho-babble nonsense. Both of these save themselves by falling back onto high-quality production and special effects to give good superficial impression and action and entertainment, and so are rescued up from "very bad" rankings. Far too much sex/romance to try to salvage something entertaining for those who really want x-rated content. Matrix Reloaded (2003) especially tries to save itself with lots of heavy sex, plus also impressive action scenes with special effects, and huge doses of kung-fu razzle-dazzle which repeats over and over. If you really like lots of kung-fu and heavy sex and don't mind the psycho-babble, add 30-40 points to these, because they do achieve new heights for special effects and entertaining violence.

The basic idea -- an artificial "Matrix" reality vs the Really Real reality which got lost back there somewhere -- could make sense, but these movies make no sense of it, and there is nothing presented to viewers to convincingly show us these 2 different realities -- the Genuine vs the Synthetic, False vs the True. The supposed going back-and-forth between them becomes incoherent and chaotic. The alternate realities theme is not as flawed as time-travel, but it's similar in causing the story to deteriorate into psycho-babble, which sci-fi does not have to be.

The ultimate refutation of "The Matrix" theory is this: there is no scenario imaginable, no possible presentation of "the Matrix" experience (which supposedly is false) in comparison to the REAL experience (the real world which supposedly is true) which could ever be verified or confirmed as a legitimate observable test, regardless what evidence or conditions might be presented for us to observe. So even if you believe everything presented to you in the story/movie (i.e., we pretend, as viewers of the drama, that the depiction is real), it still is not evidence or proof that any such "Matrix" illusion exists or is being perpetrated (in the drama) by some Arch Master Deceiver playing this Grand TRICK on us. Because there is no way to analyze the depicted world presented to us and verify that it's false in comparison to the alternate world presumed to be the true world (because that alternate world -- the true one -- could also be simply another "Matrix" world itself being perpetrated onto us by some further deceiver).

Or simply, in a legitimate test, and legitimate hypothesis of a "true" vs. "false" reality, it has to be possible to recognize which is which. If there is no such possibility, then the hypothesis is only psycho-babble rather than a legitimate hypothesis.

(And thus the need to fall back onto heavy sex/romance and kung-fu razzle-dazzle in order to distract us from the philosophical question which inevitably deteriorates into psycho-babble contradictions and pseudo-science.)
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Metamorphosis: The Alien Factor (aka The Deadly Spawn II) (1990)

43 -- In the Sci-Fi Satire category this is 60-70. It does OK at first, pretending to be serious, and fooling some viewers, but only for a few minutes, then transitions into farce. Some good quality, good effects, shocks, etc., hideous slimy disgusting monster at secret research lab -- typical sci fi symbols. Better than average if you include satire as a genuine part of your "sci-fi" definition.
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Mimic (1997)

70 -- Maybe downrate this for too much dirty yuchy slimy gruesome depressing content, and characters incredibly submitting themselves to more and more of it, always getting wetter and wetter, submerging themselves ever more into the subterranean muck and mire in search of mutant insects, and finally when everything blows up at the end a few of them surviving it all and hugging each others' slimy yuchy stench-soaked bodies.

There's an insect theory ("Mimic" ) supposedly to explain the monster insects evolving to look almost human, but this mostly adds confusion. The sequel Mimic 2 (2001) tries to pick up the idea and add some seriousness to it, which mostly falls flat, and by the end it goes wacky.
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The Mind Snatcher (aka The Happiness Cage) (aka The Demon Within) (1972)

46 -- In the end it's really much higher, 80-90 range, with a provocative sci-fi idea to think about. But the flaw is the meaningless long wait before getting there, as we must sit through 40-50 minutes of garbage before something really interesting finally happens. Some of the earlier content does finally click in to connect to the meaning or point of it. Maybe you anticipate something coming later, but the story should take shape near the beginning, giving good hints, or strong clue, without making us wait to the last 20 minutes to finally get it. They must find a way to communicate something early. That 40-50 minutes of nothingness is so bad that a viewer might just give up, thinking: This is going nowhere. So, if you're patient, the ending of this is quite interesting, provocative. Though probably you can't appreciate it by just skipping to the end to save time -- no good shortcut. And then also, some viewers -- depending on their taste -- might appreciate the early garbage, or parts of it.

Main actor Christopher Walken gets a Gold Star at the end for almost saving this movie from being in the below 50 range -- not quite, but almost.
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Mindstorm (2001)

71 -- Good combination: mind-readers -- some of them good guys and some bad -- plus a religious cult-leader brainwashing people (mostly sexy females), conspiracies in high places doing illegal research on children, political intrigue, swat team moving in, etc. Exciting. So this should easily have been 80+, but something drags in the story, poor communication. Too much romance, personal drama, and corniness trying to explain the theory of the mind-control. Who is the ultimate villain manipulating people? And the basic plot, where it's going, the desired outcome, the scheming by the bad guys, preaching at each other back and forth -- it gets too confused, loses its way trying to make sense putting the pieces together. But the surprise shock at the end brings it up over 70. Unpredictability is usually good.
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Moon 44 (1990)

29 -- Don't let the title fool you -- theoretically it's a future moon scene, but it's very little about space or moon or planets. This is a macho macho war movie, easily transferable from the future to today or 100 years ago, about warriors at battle stations, and in close living quarters, yelling profanities, trying to out-macho each other, muscle-to-muscle, smacking each other around, accusing each other of being faggots and sissies and girlymen. So if you like loud boisterous he-man in-your-face dramatics and heroics, add 20-30 points more.
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Mr. Nobody (2007)

10 -- Actually a pretty good show, if you like lots of music music music and romance romance romance, sex and dancing and emotions (happiness, anger, sadness, laughing, crying, spilling your guts out). Especially if you like the song "Mr. Sandman, send me a dream . . ." over and over and over ad infinitum. If you want almost 3 hours of this, rather than sci fi, then add 50-60 points to the rating.
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Night of the Lepus (1972)

39 -- This is really a 29, but it deserves some sympathy points for trying to do the impossible: make the killer rabbits look scary and ferocious. This would be something like "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes," only this one is giant killer rabbits, and it's not intended as comical. But it turned out comical, as the ferocious rabbits are depicted as threatening and killing humans, and yet nothing was convincing, and it's a farce. At any moment you expect Bugs Bunny to appear suddenly, chewing a carrot, and saying "Eh, what's up, Doc?" Many scenes of the bunnies attacking, humans screaming in horror, and bloodied-up victims.
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One Under the Sun (2017)

51 -- If all you care about is the nice vibes, esoterics, and aesthetics, regardless of the plot, add about 20 points.
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Pitch Black (2000)

08 -- Sort of dystopian. Some kind of space ship landing in a nowhere place with planet earth atmosphere, totally depressing, desolate desert nothingness, maybe following end-of-world holocaust -- not clear what the context is. Meaningless survival symbolisms, some shocking violence/deaths and goofy monsters -- no sense or plot other than getting through the 1:48:00 of pointless dramatics. If that's what you like add 30-40 points.
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Predestination (2014)

42 -- If you like time-travel hocus-pocus babble to excess, add 20+ points to this one.
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Primer (2004)

65 -- A true believer in Time-Travel scenarios could rate this one much higher. Going ahead a few minutes to see what will happen, then going back to change it, etc. etc. This movie can be given some credit for trying to make sense of it, or giving a dramatization of characters rigging up the device, doing the tests, seeming to experiment with it to see what happens. It sounds like they're doing it, going forward or back, trying to avoid erasing what happened, changing history, running into their "double" and so on. One of them hears the people talking 2 or 3 seconds prior, then hears it again when they really say it -- or something like that. Any such movie has to go into the "failure" category, but still it can be given an "E" for effort.
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Project: Metalbeast (1995)

70 -- This good rating assumes we accept the premise of maximum ghoulish repulsive shock and disgust for entertainment. If not, then subtract 20+ points for inappropriate offensive content. In a scenario of illegal and insane research going on, a cadaver whose flesh is getting cut up decides he's had enough and turns himself into a werewolf and seizes the researchers -- blood shoots every direction, ripped-out limbs and other body parts fly, followed by clean-up to hide the evidence as the corrupt administrator conspires to hush it all up and go seeking more cadavers for more research and increased funding to make someone rich. This mild beginning accelerates to an ultimate climax of chaos and mayhem and violence and dead bodies.
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The Pumaman (1980)

31 -- This is really in the Corny Cornball category, almost down to a 20 rate, and yet it gets some extra points for some very nice music that helps detract from the corniness. So it's a thumbs-up if you want to laugh at a bad sci-fi show with some happy music to cheer you up.
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The Puppet Masters (1994)

91 -- The first hour of this is the great part, while after that it becomes a more normal aliens vs humans drama. 1st hour: 95+, maybe #1 sci fi show, very realistic, believable UFO landing and aliens takeover scenario. But after one hour it's 70-80.
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Q: The Winged Serpent (1982)

76 -- This one is a sort of pleasant surprise. It's another giant monster-type horror show, which type is usually corny and laughable, below 50-rating, being only the monster crushing people and buildings etc. and military weapons firing their rockets ineffectively as they're demolished by the indestructible monster making its hideous noises -- but no, this "Q Winged" monster show improves this category a bit by adding some extra element of realism or concreteness to give us a more up-close encounter -- not so much with the monster itself but with the horrific damage it does and sudden assault on the victims. These victims are not crushed by the hundreds in one giant STOMP!! but one at a time -- a ghastly scene here, another there -- and the populace learns only slowly that something weird is happening over the city, and the police and others are baffled trying to explain to the public what's going on as they put the pieces together and figure out that a flying monster is terrorizing the city. Some personal drama scenarios are added -- one goofy character in particular who is entertaining -- which are 70% effective and 30% corny. Plus some good yyyyyyucchhhh! scenes, R-rated shocks, disgusting surprises, making this show an improvement for this usually boring category of sci fi.
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Re Animator (1985)

75 -- This one can be taken seriously at first, maybe for 30 minutes in, having some suspense, with mad scientist and unauthorized research scenario unfolding. But signs of satire start appearing, becoming obvious finally, and toward the end becoming too obvious. It loses some points for doing this too suddenly, where perhaps a gradual transition into satire might have worked. Perhaps the very astute viewer detects the satire from the beginning, but it's very deceptive, with good appearance of serious sci-fi conspiracy and almost shocking illegal research and secrecy to hide it -- near the beginning. But later the spoof element appears more and more until finally it's obvious the whole thing is a gag, just for laughs. A trusting viewer taking it seriously eventually feels betrayed as it turns to farce -- but others maybe suspected the satire very early.
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The Return (1980)

45 -- Somewhere here there seems to be a decent show/plot, not boring. Worth a 60-70 rating, except that it gets lost in the unclarity and corniness and failure to communicate. Space aliens of some kind and cattle mutilations -- tries to get serious and esoteric, especially at the end, but never really adds up, pieces don't fit together.
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Riverworld (2003)

75 -- It's the first 20-30 minutes which distinguishes this movie into a high-rate sci-fi category. After that point it becomes a simple adventure-violence-warfare story with no sci-fi content. So, 80-90 for the opening 20-30 minutes, and only 50 after that.
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Scanners (1981)

90 -- This does deserve the 90, but with the advisory that there's a grotesque disgusting element here, making it hard not to laugh when these characters called "scanners" go to extremes, having convulsions, eyes bulging and flashing, veins bursting, heads exploding -- maybe excessive? So some would call "foul!" and downrate it 10 or more points, for cheap sensationalism. However, this negative element also has entertainment value, with the exaggeration done just about right, up to the limit. Bizarre unexpected shocks and twists keep it interesting, including the dubious ending, which might be a bit flaky, but definitely not predictable and has you asking "Huh? run that by me again." This is following a showdown scene where the good-guy and bad-guy scanners confront each other like in a Dodge City shootout between Marshall Dillon and the outlaw.
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Solaris (2002)

53 -- Are you a real human or only a facsimile/duplicate? Great sci-fi theme here, but far too much subjectivity-upclose-personality dramatics & sex-romance boring slow-pace non-action footage to endure in order to reach the "happy ending" resolution without falling asleep. If you prefer such drama, add 20 points.
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Star Kid (aka Warrior of Waverly Street, aka Earth Invasion) (1997)

19 -- Maybe 50+ in the kiddie-comedy-fantasy category.
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Stranded on Mars (aka Forsaken) (2018)

88 -- Almost a 90 or higher. Much improvement on The Martian (2015). The only flaw is too much ambiguity at the end, unclear outcome of the plot. Gets esoteric, though it becomes clear that there has been a conspiracy-hoax going on, about the character/astronaut stranded on Mars, and there seems to be a similarity to the Capricorn One scenario, i.e., fake Mars landing staged for TV audiences. That idea is expanded here, made more dazzling. If you like being perplexed with ambiguity and open-endedness, add a few points to the rating.
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Sunshine (2007)

07 -- It's wall-to-wall disasters, as this spaceship to the sun gets blown to bits 50 times and all the crew massacred 100 times over (I'm exaggerating a little) as everything on board keeps falling apart, all systems down, oxygen destroyed, non-stop explosions in every direction, everywhere -- and yet miraculously the computers get working again and a few survivors seem to have it restored somehow, back to normal maybe -- until a new mishap causes the mayhem to start up again and everything explodes for the 20th time, and the same chaos repeats ad infinitum. This is for you if you enjoy watching it all blow up again and again, and the same crew members again blasted apart this way and that -- How do they do it? are they replaced with duplicates when the originals get blown up? -- In the end one or 2 of them somehow managed to save the sun and all humanity after having been pulverized and annihilated several times over -- all the chaos finally ends after the allotted hour and 45 minutes has expired.
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Teknolust (2002)

41 -- The main point here seems to be the sex/romance rather than the futuristic sci-fi. Some kind of marketing sex/romance via Internet, with artificially created characters soliciting real human males, and cops investigating what's going on. Possibly there's a serious sci-fi theme, but the sex/romance seems to prevail.
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They Live (1988)

81 -- Would be higher, near 90, but it includes an inappropriate fight scene which goes on and on and on and --- Otherwise it's a good aliens/conspiracy show. ---- and on and on and on. Ridiculously long fight scene of the 2 main characters stomping, slamming, beating the crap out of each other.
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The Thing (1982)

79 -- So good with the shock value, action, weird surprises -- maybe should be 90 or so. And yet there's not much sense to it, no plot other than to escape the crazy slimy monster(s) popping up without warning -- cheap sensationalism, extra points for non-boringness. Seems mostly normal at first, but starts going out of control and turns wild, entertaining but chaotic.
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Threshold (1981)

76 -- Good science research drama, impressive medical technology (synthetic heart implantation), with some suspense in the plot. But the "fiction" part of "science fiction" is mostly missing -- there's no villain, no "bad guy" or antagonist, nothing bizarre, nothing weird or scary, nothing challenging the status quo. The best sci-fi needs to shock us (like Extreme Measures (1996) where the Doctor-researcher breaks the rules and there's a coverup), while Threshold (1981) limits itself to dramatically showing us the marvels of modern technology and the patient's personal experience (she has to be convinced that she's still "human" even though she has a mechanical heart). The same show with the controversy of a scheming "mad scientist" crossing the lines, breaking the rules, would rate at least 10 points higher.
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THX 1138 (1971)

87 -- The last scene/music must take much of the credit for this relatively high ranking. Reasonably good sci fi, though too esoteric generally, provocative, with shocking moments, questions, controversial content. Although Johann Sebastian Bach helped it up higher, it's also the case that the inspiring music is helped by the drama, the visual, the hero-victim rising up higher, up and finally out from the crazy world below. The earlier confusion and chaos seems to get resolved into something meaningful or genuine at the end climax. And it's necessary to go through the long ordeal earlier to fully appreciate the glorious ending.

The chorus performance at the end is arguably a better-than-average performance of this famous piece by Bach. It seems to be more intense than average, more dynamic or stirring etc. -- perhaps faster-than-average tempo to make a stronger impact. Whatever the explanation, some good combination of factors came together here.

(On a sour note: the rest of Bach's St. Matthew Passion (after this opening chorus) is boring by comparison).
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Time Trap (2017)

85 -- Impressive. Weird phenomena inside a cave, with some kind of time warp. Stays captivating to the end, but it falls short because the many strange phenomena are never explained, though seeming to move toward some explanation of what has been going on. Becomes a train of weird unexplained happenings with no attachment to something substantial, but just resolving into an over-optimistic too-good-to-be-true happy ending.
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Timestalkers (1987)

58 -- Maybe about 70 if not for the time-travel corniness which is excessive.
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Trancers II (1991)

60 -- Maybe worth 10+ higher, but tainted by too much time-travel confusion, also too much romance. The plot gets cluttered with characters transferred into a different time, or into someone else's body, different good guys on a "mission" that interferes with the other good guy's "mission" -- the main character goes back to assume a role and finds himself with 2 different wives in the alternate reality where he was sent, due to mix-up, technical glitch. Plot gets too complicated.
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Tron (1982)

52 -- This is 2/3 in the animation-fantasy category, and a 2nd flaw is too much techno-jargon. If you like both of these add about 20 to the rating. This has some merit showing computers taking over and putting humans or their minds into games and fantasy programs, into character roles, even imprisoning them inside the computer circuitry. Impressive for a while, 'til boredom sets in from the excess cartoonism.
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Under the Skin (2013)

77 -- "And now for something completely different!" Strange alien visitor, many good points, occasional shocks, surprises, maybe should be up near 90 for originality.

But the flaws dragging it down are: far too many plot elements go unexplained, over and over, and the pace is way too slow. The overall broad plot has some sense -- it's at least half-way clear -- but this alien, whatever he/she/it is up to, needs to be put into some better context to explain what's going on in the individual scenes and fate of individual victims done in by this sexy creature from parts unknown. This explaining could have been done without undermining the basic esoteric mood expressed and the viewers being perplexed. If you enjoy many many unanswered questions, you might add 10+ points. Very striking is the uncanny insidious nature of the alien female-impersonator seducing her victims who cannot resist. Main star Scarlett Johansson does a great job at portraying this unusual alien character. Definitely not normal sci-fi -- perhaps goes in a subtle disturbing category of sci-fi..
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Universal Soldier (1992)

58 -- Great show for at least 30 minutes. Then deteriorates, gets worse and worse. Some resemblance to Robocop, but the artificial soldiers, part mechanical part human, start acting contrary to everything in the premise, plus also the humans who created them go whacko for no reason, so by the end there is no sense to the plot other than just the action and violence per se, and the good robosoldier finally beats the bad robosoldier and gets the girl who miraculously survives = corny.
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Videodrome (1983)

41 -- Maybe worth 60+ except for the extreme yyyuccccchh! and sadism. Possibly there's a sci-fi element, some legitimate shock, but mostly obscured by the distasteful scenes.
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Virtuosity (1995)

61 -- Another example of high-quality entertainment but lack of plot or anything explaining the behavior of the characters, except very simplistic good-guy-vs-bad-guy scenario. Lots of virtual reality futurist dazzle, with one synthetic humanoid in particular acting up for no apparent reason except that the story needs a bad guy. Superficial good effects, quality production, action, etc., but total meaninglessness of any plot or point to the story other than sadistic behavior per se of the bad guy. Add something of substance to the entertainment, a real plot at the center of all the action and sadism and violence, and it could rate up there near the top.
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Virus: End of the World (aka Virus: Day of Resurrection) (1980)

69 -- Good end-of-civilization drama, made real, believable. Would be 80+ range except that it drags on too long -- should have wrapped up in 2 hours. Some good action and suspense, but more and more gets bogged down in sentimentalism, up-close interpersonal drama, sad music, excess preaching and philosophizing, and gawking at all the dead bodies and devastation.
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Warp Speed (1981)

35 -- There's a definite space-travel / sci-fi setting here. But an extreme cold-bloodedness consumes too much of the plot -- they draw straws to choose a victim to sacrifice, to save on oxygen. Maybe it's worth 10-20 points more if that scenario fascinates you.
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Wedlock (1991)

53 -- Bizarre sci fi premise is OK, but it's mainly a comedy-romance-action drama, in which category it's maybe a 65-70 rating. Not serious sci-fi.
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Xtro (1982)

61 -- The excess violence and other distasteful elements drag this down about 20 points or so (maybe could have been 80). In essence it has an OK sci-fi aliens plot, strange life form arriving, and at every twist and turn this is turned toward maximum shock value, mostly effective, but which goes beyond proper limits, to disgusting extremes, very offensive, though maybe entertaining (if you're a pervert?). Also includes virtual X-rated scenes. Cheap sensationalism, but done effectively, never boring, except it becomes too much and you sort of want it all to stop -- "Enough already!" Toward the end it gets esoteric, so any normal plot meaning gets lost and it's not clear what these repulsive aliens were about.
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ZAAT (aka Blood Waters of Dr. Z) (1971)

30 -- The truly correct rating here is maybe 10-15, down in the pathetic for-laughs-only category. But some good visual and audio features contribute something to possibly boost it higher, even to the 40-50 range. Or, incredibly, even higher for a few viewers who get some esoteric vibes from it -- so, a compromise 30 score here, in between. It's the most simplistic kind of monster-killer plot, disgusting aquatic monster (man wearing idiotic lizard-like costume), the character initially a researcher pervert who transforms himself. Possibly an aesthetic element gives it some kind of appeal (for similar perverts?) -- supposedly has a cult following. Oddball ending might have some symbolic significance.
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12 Monkeys (1995)

44 -- Entertaining, not boring, and appears to have some point to it despite some nutty characters and time-travel nonsense. Does a good job of tricking the viewer into thinking there's a coherent story here.
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20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1997)

61 -- This version distorts the original story too much, degrades Captain Nemo, makes him less idealistic. And the re-interpretation of his mission doesn't make much sense. Aside from this flaw, the rating could be in the 70-75 range.


(Edited by Lumpenproletariat)
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