A friend of mine asked for a recommendation of good science fiction. Of course, I asked him what he liked first. He answered correctly: Blade Runner.

All kidding aside, I do think Blade Runner is one of the best movies ever made and a brilliant example of the genre; but I’m not a science fiction snob either. For example, I’ve recently watched Idiocracy, V for Vendetta, Night at the Museum, Stranger than Fiction, and A Scanner Darkly, all with varying degrees of enjoyment. And yes, I consider all of those science fiction on some level.

A good science fiction story, to me, is 20% about technology/alternate reality and 80% characters/story. That 20% is important, don’t get me wrong. The story falls apart if it isn’t consistent and well thought out and treated in a realistic way. But characters and story are where the real meat is.

Anyway, I thought I’d share my recommendations for him with everyone. These are movies I’ve watched in the last year or so that I consider good sci-fi. If you have other specific recommendations please comment. I’m always on the lookout for something interesting to watch.

I’ll start with my most highly recommended movies first and move down the list to the merely strongly recommended.

Children of Men
I wrote a review of Children of Men back in May. It’s the story of a near future when mankind has destroyed its ability to procreate, the youngest person on earth is 18 or so, and miraculously a woman is found who has become pregnant. It’s a dark vision of the future but is ultimately about hope.

Primer
This is a superb time travel film. A time travel mechanism is created and the plot stays true and consistent to this idea throughout—you won’t find the story falling back on any stupid techno-babble to resolve anything. Using the machine to buy stocks quickly gets out of hand and the suspense builds until the amazing reveal at the end.

Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind
This is a love story based on the premise that people can have a minor medical procedure to selectively remove parts of their memories. It’s a beautiful film and probably like nothing you’ve ever seen.

The Iron Giant
This is the first film on this list that can be enjoyed by the entire family (the other two are Howl’s and Nausicaa). The heartwarming tale of a boy and his giant alien robot.

Serenity
You may not appreciate this one as much if you never saw the television series (which was completely butchered by FOX when it originally aired). It stands on its own but if you think you’ll like it, you may want to rent the television series first (it’s short, unfortunately). “The wild west in space” almost sums up the universe but we’ve also got bits of evil galactic empire and government conspiracy thrown in for good measure.

Ghost in the Shell
Section 9 is a covert branch of the government tasked with handling investigations that can’t be solved through normal means. The action takes place in future Japan where humans routinely replace their brains and other parts with cyber implants and many humans are cyborgs of some sort. “Ghost in the Shell” refers to a person’s soul, the part of one that transcends the physical body whether that body is entirely human or part machine. The lead agent of Section 9 is completely cybernetic, her mind and ghost downloaded into an android body. Japanese anime isn’t for everyone. The Ghost in the Shell films in particular are filled with dialog and beautiful photography punctuated by extremely violent and graphic action. The most “Blade Runner” like film listed.

Howl’s Moving Castle
Another animated film suitable for the whole family. Arguably more fantasy than science fiction but it is beautifully drawn, the story is compelling, the world is fascinating and fully realized, and it’s a lot of fun to watch. I’ve seen this one over and over again.

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
A cautionary tale of environmental destruction, this story is a little more “out there” but is also fun to watch, uses a fascinating world as a backdrop, and, like Howl’s, features a strong female protagonist. (And if you like this one or Howl’s you’ll probably also like Castle in the Sky and Princess Mononoke.)

[ By the way, if you're on Netflix please feel free to invite me as a friend (john@flagrantdisregard.com). Just be warned, my rental queue includes stuff for the wife and kids mixed in with stuff I like. Here are my last 20 returns: The Last Mimzy, Ghost in the Shell: Solid State Society, 300, Hot Fuzz, Stuart Little 3: Call of the Wild, Delibes: Coppelia (Royal Opera), Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, Letters from Iwo Jima, Everyone's Hero, Star Wars: Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, Thank You for Smoking, The Magnificent Seven, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, Idiocracy, Happily N'Ever After, V for Vendetta, Thumbelina, Arrested Development: Season 3: Disc 1 (2-Disc Series), Pan's Labyrinth, Night at the Museum. ]