While thinking about the Top 10, I realized that there were a lot more than 10 that I liked and it was challenging to form the list but here goes anyway.
The ones I could not fit in - Inception, Predator, Fifth Element and Mad Max - The Road Warrior.
I don't enjoy the horror sci-fi genre so films of that nature are not on this list.
10. Independence Day - Roland Emmerich (1996)
Jingoistic, a bit campy but nevertheless lots of fun and Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum and some great special effects makes it eminently watchable.
9. Wall-E - Andrew Stanton (2008)
The one animated movie on this list. The imagination that drives this movie was fascinating. Watch it for the cinematic experience that it provides - special effects, cinematography, scale and some of the science behind it etc.
8. The Minority Report - Steven Speilberg (2002)
Gripping thriller and sci-fi all rolled into one. Imagine police arresting people before they commit crimes but then if you know in advance, can free will be exercised to not commit the crime ?
Tom Cruise, Colin Farrell and Max Von Sydow in fine form.
7. Total Recall - Paul Verhoeven (1990)
This is the Arnold version and not the recent remake. Nice idea, great visual effects and it is fun watching Arnold trying to act in between doing what he does best - beat people up and quote one liners. Couple of samples -
"Deese guys were going to keel me... but I keeled dem ".
"Relax... you live longuh".
6. Close Encounters of the Third Kind - Steven Spielberg (1977)
Can you remember a single violent scene or significant action sequences ? You won't because there were none - Spielberg does a masterful job of keeping the tension going till the end without resorting to action/fights etc.
The visual effects were excellent (for those times anyway) and the finale is staged on a big scale.
5. Terminator 2 - Judgement Day - James Cameroon (1991)
Cameroon equals large scale and this movie is exactly that. The sound effects were awesome, the visual effects and costumes etc great. Again, serious advances made in special effects.
Arnold racing down the tunnel like corridor on a bike as he is chased by a truck - unforgettable.
4. Back to the Future - Robert Zemeckis (1985)
Marty Mcfly (Micheal J Fox) and his time travelling adventure has not lost the charm even after three decades. Christopher Lloyd as the crazy professor adds the zaniness.
3. Avatar - James Cameroon (2009)
The only word that really applies to this movie is "BIG" - in scale, effects, characters and action.
Loved, hated, controversial - you name it and every kind of reaction this film evoked.
Bottom line is that its unforgettable and a smash box office hit.
2. Matrix Trilogy - Wachowski's siblings
Its dark, its complex, it has layered meanings, it has amazing action, it has dazzling effects and it makes you think if you want to.
1. Star Wars - first Trilogy - George Lucas(1977)
When this exploded into the public domain in 1977 and introduced Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Obi wan Kenobi, Yoda, Jabba the Hutt, Death Star, Darth Vader,R2D2, C3PO and much much more, no one thought it would impact the world the way it did.
Pure cinema wise - the effects were exceptional, the characters unforgettable to this day and the scale was epic.
