There are numerous sci-fi hit movies and series I enjoy however, I can only choose five, so MY choices for the five best Hollywood sci-fi films are:
- X-Files (the movie and series)
Starring - David Duchovny as Agent Fox Mulder, and Gillian Anderson as Agent Dana Scully. The movie picks up where the last season of the series left off. The special unit of the FBI, (the X-Files), is no longer operable. Agents Scully and Mulder are now into investigating and solving crimes that are more “sane.” When a bomb explosion destroys a $45M building in Dallas, the agents are called in to investigate the bombing, and in the midst, hope to clear their “tarnished” names. Soon the agents find themselves amid a massive cover-up of alien activity, which could endanger human existence. Both the movie and TV series offers non-stop, enjoyable entertainment.
- Jurassic Park (I, II, III)
“Jurassic Park” begins with an introduction to Dr. John Hammond, who loves dinosaurs, and operates a prehistoric theme park located off the island of Costa Rica, called “Jurassic Park.” The prehistoric inhabitants of this island were cloned using DNA taken from prehistoric dinosaur biting insects. When things go awry, Hammond calls in Dr. Grant, Dr. Sattler, and Malcolm. Now the park has shut down, and the escaped dinosaurs are supposedly destroyed. However, when Malcolm is called to the bedside of Dr. Hammond, he soon discovers that there are prehistoric creatures still lurking on the island in “The Lost World.” Now, inhabited with newer, meaner, and bigger dinosaurs in Jurassic Park III, Dr. Grant has made a promise never to visit the island again. However, anxious to find funding for his raptor intelligence research, he is financially persuaded by Paul and Amanda Kirby, to accompany them on a plane tour of the abandoned island, (unknowingly to Grant), to search for their missing son who disappeared on the island while parasailing with Amanda’s boyfriend. After their plane crashes, the tour group of seven find themselves stranded on the dinosaur-inhabited island. As members of the group are savagely killed by raptors, Dr. Grant discovers firsthand, the theory of raptor intelligence.
- Star Wars (the movies and series)
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace introduces us to the young life of Anakin Skywalker and his friendship with Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, and Qui-Gon Jinn. Senator Palpatine has just risen to the power of Emperor and the Evil Trade Federation is trying to take over the peaceful planet of Naboo. Ten years later in, (“Attack of the Clones”), Queen Amidala is now a Senator for her homeworld. Count Dooku is planning to assassinate Amidala, and Chancellor Palpatine enlists Jango Fett and his clones to help defend the Republic. Meanwhile, “A New Hope” begins as Darth Vader boards a rebel ship, while Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, C-3P0, R2-D2, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Chewbacca, attempt to rescue Princess Leia from the evil Empire, and attack the Death Star.
“The Empire Strikes Back” when Darth Vader assists the Empire in crushing the rebellion, as Hans Solo and the Princess flee to Cloud City, and Skywalker search for Yoda to learn Jedi secrets. When the Jedi return, R2-D2, C-3PO, and others are sent to rescue Han Solo, who has been captured by Jabba the Hutt. A freed Han joins rebels to launch an attack on the new Death Star, and Skywalker is captured by Darth Vader as battles continue to rage.
Star Wars: Episode III (presently in pre-production with filming scheduled to begin June 3, 2003). It has been noted (which is subject to changes), that Anakin Skywalker will find himself close to the Dark Side of the Force, and will come into conflict with Obi-Wan Kenobi.
- Star Trek (movies and series)
Star Trek fans a.k.a. “Trekkies,” have followed this sci-fi fantasy adventure from its original 1966-69 series, to the present. In Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan - Khan and his followers have escaped from 15 years of entrapment, and blames Kirk for the death of his wife. Khan hijacks a Federation starship and steals Genesis, a weapon created by Kirk’s own son, with plans to entrap the Enterprise. In conclusion, Spock sacrifices his life for his shipmates. As the ship returns home it is discovered that McCoy carries Spock’s soul within him. A ritual must take place to exorcise Spock’s soul from McCoy, and Kirk must retrieve Spock’s body from Genesis. Thus begins “The Search for Spock.” As “The Voyage Home” continues, the crew is in exile and waiting for Spock to retrain his logic ways. Before returning home, a mysterious probe orbits around Earth, almost destroying the climate. In order to destroy the probe, the Enterprise will have to travel back to the twentieth century and capture a whale to match the songs of the humpbacks, and then return to the future.
During “The Final Frontier,” on Nimbus III, the Planet of Galactic Peace, Vulcan Sybok is planning to invade the planet’s only city. The crew of the Enterprise is on shore leave, and soon receive orders to rescue hostages taken by Sybok. “Captain’s Log, Stardate 9529.1: This is the final cruise of the Starship Enterprise under my command…” and it is the twenty-third century of the new generation. Their first mission is to rescue refugees trapped by a mysterious deadly ribbon. Meanwhile, in “First Contact” the USS Enterprise does battle with a cube-like Borg vessel. The Enterprise, now controlled by Captain Jean-Luc Picard, follows the Borg to save the future. Meanwhile, in Star Trek: Insurrection, Lt. Commander Data turns against the other members. Picard discovers a conspiracy involving Dougherty, the Son’s leader, the High Council of the Federation, and Ru’afo. Enters the “Nemesis” with an uprising in the Romulan Senate. Shinzon wants to make peace with the Federation. The starship Enterprise is dispatched to the planet Romulus, and it is now obvious that making peace is the last thing on Shinzon’s mind.
“Captains Log, Stardate – New Millennium: This is the final episode of the popular Star Trek phenomena…signing off.”
- Planet of the Apes (movies and series)
This sci-fi adventure begin when three astronauts land on a planet ruled by intelligent talking apes, and are held as prisoners and caged. “Beneath the Planet of the Apes,” Taylor realizes that the planet is the futuristic nuclear Earth. Astronaut Brent is sent to find Taylor, and lands on the planet. He is captured, along with Nova, and hidden by friendly chimps Zira and Cornelius. In an attempt to “Escape From the Planet of the Apes” in 3955, Zira, Cornelius, and Dr. Milo launch a spacecraft and travel back to 1973. A “Battle for the Planet of the Apes” ensues, and a story is told to human and ape children by an orangutan called the Lawgiver. The story tells of the twenty-first century leader named Caesar, where “Conquest of the Planet of the Apes” has occurred, and the apes are being imported from Africa, and sold as household pets. Enters Armando, a circus owner, with Caesar a survivor of the twenty-second century of intelligent apes.
The movie remake of “Planet of the Apes” is directed by Tim Burton, and produced by Richard Zanuck. The movie stars Mark Wahlberg as Captain Leo Davidson, Tim Roth as Thade, Helena Bonham Carter as Ari, and Michael Clarke-Duncan as Atta.
