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Five other sci-fi titles that nearly made the cut (listed alphabetically):
The Andromeda Strain (1971) – Like 2001, the movie approached science in a believable and understated fashion, following a team of just-the-facts scientists over the course of four days as they try to solve an impending virological disaster. The medical facilities were advanced, elaborate, and fascinating to inhabit.
eXistenZ (1999) – Wove a trippy thriller through the realm of virtual reality, as a game designer plugs her latest device into her bio-part to test if her game’s been damaged by the assassins trying to kill her.
Sleeper (1973) – Woody Allen’s take on the future, where a nerdy health food store operator is frozen and then brought back to life, learning of all the ways that humanity has screwed up existence in the interim. Orgasmatron booths anyone?
Sunshine (2007) – Never has the sun looked so deadly. Danny Boyle gives us a space crew that is at once enamored and horrified by the wonders of the cosmos, each traveler forced to embrace the notion of self-sacrifice while on a mission to save their species.
TRON (1982) – Gave audiences the first hint of the immersive CG cinematic worlds to come, setting the action inside a computer program as a hacker is forced into old world gladiator matches, set in a decidedly new-world computer matrix. Perhaps this year’s Tron Legacy will renew interest in the original.
What movies would make your list of the most underrated sci-fi gems? Join in on the debate and comment on this page. If there’s enough interest, we could create another list of must-rent titles!
Return to the introduction: The Underrated Sci-Fi Masterpieces
