Recently Indiewire rounded up their favorites, including thoughtful indies like Moon and Primer, blockbusters like Inception and Arrival, and even a few things that push the limits of the definition of sci-fi—does Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind count? Michel Gondry has created his own sub-genre in much the same way people like Wes Anderson and the Coen Brothers have, so does his use of a few near-future trappings mean that ESotSM can be called SF? What are some of your picks for best science fiction film of the 21st Century?
And while we were over the moon that they included Don Hertzfeldt’s haunting short, World of Tomorrow, but we were also struck by the dearth or optimism on this list. The only film that can really be seen as a hopeful look at the future is Wall-E…and honestly, we’re not convinced that those space-atrophied Earthers have much of a chance. Is that what the past seventeen years of science fiction has given us—one gritty doomsday scenario after another? Or is it simply that optimistic SF doesn’t resonate enough to make a list of classics?
Having said that, we love their pick for number one, even though it is a bleak slice of dystopia. You can head over to Indiewire to see the full list, and let us know your picks for the best SF in the comments!
