The superhero genre and franchise entertainment get a lot of attention these days, for good reason. Superheroes have been ruling the box-office for a decade, and every new genre film, superhero or not, seems poised to spawn a new franchise, ticket sales willing.
With today’s release of Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla, a reboot of one of the most iconic franchises in film history, I decided to put together a Friday list that eschews franchises and superheroes altogether.
So here are the top 5 NON-Franchise NON-Superhero Sci-Fi Films of the past 10 years. No Marvel. No DC. No Star Trek or Star Wars or reboots or adaptations. Just original science-fiction at its cinematic best. Enjoy.
Honorable Mention: Another Earth, 2011
Another Earth is not a great film. It has real problems, especially in pacing and character development, that create difficulties from which first timers Brit Marling and Mike Cahill simply cannot recover. But I’m including it here because Another Earth demonstrates just how pliable sci-fi as a cinematic genre has become. Made for almost nothing, by two friends who wrote, directed and starred, Another Earth puts an intimate and personal touch on a story that is both outlandish and terrifying. You should see it because lovers of unique science-fiction should support endeavors like Another Earth. And, despite the obvious issues, it is still really engaging story-telling.
5. The Fountain, 2006
Darren Aronofsky’s The Fountain was embarrassingly under-appreciated when it was released back in 2006, but has since started to get some of the respect it deserves. A life in eternity is (I assume) a difficult experience to live, and likewise, it is a difficult story subject to film. But Aronofsky has a knack for tackling the incomprehensible and making it only slightly comprehensible. More Fiction than Science, and more Hugh Jackman than I tend to prefer, the imaginative world envisioned in The Fountain deserves recognition for its efforts. Also, the music is absolutely stunning.
4. Monsters, 2010
Soft and beautiful–and totally surprising. That was how I described Monsters after my first viewing. Gareth Edwards debut movie takes place a few years after contact with aliens, which happen to be monstrous land and sea based migratory creatures that roam the border regions of Mexico and the US. They are massive beasts, inspiring awe and beauty for some and terror for others. Monsters is unique in its careful observation of how we humans might observe such strange and visible visitors.
Someone saw Monsters and decided to give Edwards $160 Million to reboot Godzilla. You know Monsters must be special.
3. Moon, 2009
Duncan Jones’ Moon captures the isolation of life alone on Earth’s only satellite. Forced to wait out his 3-year engagement with only his computer as company, Sam Bell discovers the chilling reality of his job. Moon is the kind of movie you wish you could encounter over and over, for the first time. Totally surprising and original, Moon is the kind of creative endeavor that lovers of science-fiction hope to encounter when they see original sci-fi.
Also, Sam Rockwell is excellent in a role that requires a great deal from its main subject.
2. Primer, 2004
Like Another Earth, Primer was made for next to nothing. But unlike Another Earth, Primer is a great film. Experimenting with plot structure and the bonkers nature of time-travel, Shane Carruth’s Primer is all about execution. It’s very high-concept, made with only the most basic cinematic tools. Which is not the same as saying Primer is a simple film. On the contrary, it is very, very complex. Without perfect execution, Primer would be an incomprehensible mess (it almost is, anyway). But with it, Primer is a cinematic experience unlike any you’ve ever seen made for $7,000.
1. Sunshine, 2007
Danny Boyle’s Sunshine is the best sci-fi/horror movie of the past 20 years. If that seems bold, well, know that it is bold and also true. A psychological horror film set amid a trip to reignite the sun, Sunshine is a lesson in cinematic efficiency. It’s lean, scary, beautiful, capturing everything it needs to tell a taut story and nothing more. It plays with the minds of its characters and by extension the minds of its audience in the best traditions of the horror genre. I cannot praise Sunshine enough. If you love movies you have to see this one.
[…] I admired Aronofsky’s chutzpah in making the film, I also think it was an artistic failure, but Chris and I disagree on that point.) But now, after the success of Noah, Aronofsky is adapting and possibly directing an adaptation […]