Hot on the heels of discussion about the best films of the 21st century (so far), comes a new video about a more specific segment of the film landscape. The compilation, by Plot Point Productions, presents clips from 18 different science-fiction films made since 2000, lobbying them as the best the young century has to offer in the genre. There doesn’t appear to be an order to the list, at least not in terms of a specific ranking, chronology, or system of organization. But the group of films located here are certainly worthy of being in the discussion for best sci-fi films of the 21st century (so far).
The Best Science Fiction Cinema of the 21st Century (So Far) from Plot Point Productions on Vimeo.
As for the editor’s intent, Plot Point Productions included the following intro:
A montage showcasing my favorite sci-fi films of this century.
Ever since I was a kid, my favorite movie genre has been science fiction (with horror coming in at a close second). To be honest, though, anyone from my generation would be hard-pressed to find a movie that impacted their lives in a meaningful way that wasn’t science fiction. We all grew up on Star Wars, Close Encounters, Blade Runner, The Thing, E.T., Aliens, Back to the Future…The list is endless. Science fiction has the freedom to ponder the big questions in a variety of dramatic contexts, both in our world or a different one. The power of the genre has always been in its capacity for escapism, but also in its promotion of a conversation about who we are and what we want from ourselves and each other.
The first 15 years of the 21st century have seen that conversation grow and splinter in many fascinating directions. A.I., cloning, conservation and the stewardship of our planet, societal alienation, space travel, love; the best sci-fi films of this century have tackled these themes and ideas while also telling stories that are rousing, unsettling, heartbreaking…and above all, human.
There are some notable exclusions: Coherence, Almodóvar’s The Skin I Live In, The Wachowskis’ Cloud Atlas, and George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road don’t make the cut (possibly the editor hasn’t seen them, didn’t like them, or don’t consider those films to be true science fiction). But it’s still nice to see often overlooked gems like Sunshine and Solaris included, as well as lesser known indies like Beyond The Black Rainbow or Timecrimes. As always, the fun part of these lists isn’t necessarily reviewing what was selected, but discussing the criteria and what could have been included.