“Serenity” ties for second favorite sci-fi film by New Scientist magazine
At New Scientist magazine, in preparation for a special November 15th issue about sci-fi, they polled their entire staff to list their favorite sci-fi books and movies. I look forward to reading this issue for full details, but this post on their website revealed the top choices in film:
Favourite sci-fi film:
Blade Runner, the 1982 film directed by Ridley Scott (based loosely on the book Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K Dick), was the clear favourite, with its human androids and robotic humans. “It’s a great story, emotionally involving and well acted – and still has a mystery. Was Harrison Ford’s cop really a cyborg?” wrote one of our editors.
Runners-up:
Three films tied for second place:
- 2001: A Space Odyssey, Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 epic based on a story by Arthur C Clarke, was popular despite (or perhaps because of) its notoriously enigmatic finale.
- Solaris, Andrei Tarkovsky’s languorous 1972 film about mysterious visitations on an alien world. “Very haunting,” noted one editor.
- Serenity, the 2005 space opera from Joss Whedon (creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer) that topped a previous New Scientist poll. “A relatively grown-up plot: the imperial enemy may be in the wrong, but aren’t actually evil,” noted one of our writers.
Yay Joss! Yay Serenity. Aside from my love of all things Joss, I really think Firefly (and Serenity as an extension of it) is his best work that we have seen yet. I think it’s a nearly perfect project in writing, design and all aspects of production. The greatest strength of Serenity is that it works as a complete feature film AND as an extension of the series. I actually know someone who has seen the film several times and loved it, and still hasn’t “gotten around” to watching the series. (I know, he’s crazy) But it is proof that it works that way. It created and delivers on it’s world in a roughly two-hour frame.
Even though I fully think it deserves the honor, I am kind of delightfully surprised to see it recognized here.
They also voted on their worst, the most gratuitously scantily-clad female characters, the most incomprehensible and my favorite category – “the most ardently loved AND fervently hated” - in which one of my favorite-favorites, The Matrix is noted. I can understand that, because I am of two minds about it myself. I love that film, but am easily annoyed by Keanu Reeves and now have a bit of trouble divorcing it from the second and third installments, which I found very disappointing.
They have also opened up the voting to the fans. Results will be revealed in the November 15th issue.
Go here to vote for your favorite sci-fi films!
You can also vote for books and in case you are curious, here is the post about their favorite sci-fi books. Douglas Adams’ A Hitchiker’s Guide to the Galaxy was their top pick. I am ashamed to admit that I have never read it.* (Although I always intend to, it’s on the list I promise! I just ((cringe)) never “get around to it”.
*If anyone needs me, I will be hiding from the stealth squad that has now been dispatched to remove me of my geek card and credentials.
