Killer Flics Attack!: Best Sci-Fi Films - Our Critics' Lists

“Inception” has put sci-fi back in the movies, with mixed reviews. We look at the best science fiction films of all time. (See our guests' lists of top picks below.)

A.O. Scott, chief film critic for the New York Times.

Annalee Newitz, editor of i09, a blog from Gawkermedia that covers Sci-Fi, fantasy, and all things nerdy. She's also written for Wired, Popular Science, and New Scientist.

Michael Brotherton, professor of physics and astronomy at University of Wyoming in Laramie. He's the author of two Sci-Fi novels, Star Dragon and Spider Star.

More:

Here are our guests' lists for best science fiction films.

Picks of A.O. Scott, New York Times:

2001
AI/ET/Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Alien/Aliens
Alphaville
Fahrenheit 451
Gattaca
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (Kevin McCarthy and Donald Sutherland versions; not Nicole Kidman version)
Metropolis--Fritz Lang version AND Rintaro anime
Spaceballs/ The Empire Strikes Back
Robocop/Starship Troopers

Picks of Annalee Newitz of io9.com:

Metropolis
The Day the Earth Stood Still
2001
Star Wars: A New Hope AND Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan (tie)
Blade Runner
Videodrome
Terminator 2
Ghost in the Shell (Japanese version)
Teknolust (Lynn Hershman-Leeson)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (I hadn't thought of this as sci-fi but it makes sense)
Honorable Mention: Primer (Shane Carruth)

Picks of Mike Brotherton, University of Wyoming:

Destination Moon
2001: A Space Odyssey
2010
Predator
The Abyss
Contact
Deep Impact
Red Planet
Minority Report
Primer