Netflix has been adding a ton of stuff lately, enough that I can put together a 'ten best' SF film list without having to stretch the definition of 'best' beyond recognition. This is more of a 'ten best things I'd had in my queue' than a definitive culling of the entirety of Netflix, but these things are always somewhat arbitrary.
Presented in no particular order:
Bladerunner
Theeee definitive visualization of 'near future dystopia'. If any of the legion of ripoffs had appropriated even a fraction of its elan & vision the cinematic landscape of the last few decades would be vastly improved. The version on streaming isn't my preferred take- the voiceover is intrusive and unnecessary and the tacked-on feel good ending is such a blatant mismatch with the rest of the film it will make you cringe.
But even hobbled, this is a thoroughbred movie that easily outpaces the rest of the field.
The Thing
Well, contractually speaking its John Carpenter's The Thing, but whateves. Just a tremendous feat of suspense, almost completely lacking in the sort of characters doing stupid stuff because otherwise the movie would be five minutes long behavior that typifies the man vs. creature genre. The cast is letter perfect and all in top form, and like Bladerunner the effects aren't at all dated. It can't be just generational bias that leads me to prefer well done physical effects to the current mania for throwing CGI at any and every effects 'problem' that crops up. A seamless production and one of my favorite SF and horror movies of all time.
Strange Days
An under-the-radar effort from Katherine Bigelow, who I always made time for even before she struck Oscar with the excellent Hurt Locker. Her genre credentials are rock solid with this gem and Near Dark, one of my favorite vampire flicks. Rafe is fab in the lead and Angela Basset is even better. I'm not a fan of Juliette Lewis generally, but she's perfect here. Virtual reality, murder, conspiracy, twists, turns, this one has it all.
Aliens
One of the greatest sequels of all time, the Godfather II of outer space and the high point of James Cameron's directorial career. A pitch perfect action film with a fantastic cast (most of whom ended up in Bigelow's Near Dark the following year), impressive effects and an era defining performance by Sigorney Weaver. Also notable for having one of the only bearable child performances of the 80's.
Star Trek (reboot)
If the necessities of corporate Hollywood require administering periodic facelifts to storied franchises, you could do far worse than this fun, good natured and respectful take. Inspired casting, quality effects and efficient direction. It's no Wrath of Khan, but then again what is.
X-Men
My favorite comic-to-big screen transformation, other than maybe Akira. The screenplay and directing are solid and the effects are good, but casting is what drives this movie. Everyone does such a good job you have trouble picturing anyone else in the role. Later entries in the series suffered from the super-powered hoo-haw taking over the human drama, but the balance in this one is exactly right.
RoboCop
The social commentary is probably more pointed now than when the film was released, the effects hold up fairly well aside from a slightly creaky stop motion sequence, which as a Ray Harryhausen fan I love in spite of itself. Like some other films here, the human drama at the center of all the genre trappings is what makes it work. Peter Weller turns in a moving performance as the man turned machine, giving this film a layer of nuance absent from its soulless sequels, one probably forgotten by the general public who remember only the quips and nihilism.
The Road Warrior
Greatest chase scene in movie history?
I say yes.
Also, nearly as influential on the style and presentation of the genre as Bladerunner.
special mention: Mad Max, one of the finest exploitation offerings of the 80s. The streaming version uses the original Australian accented dialogue, which is vastly better than the crummy American English dub we were all stuck with for years.
Clockwork Orange
If this list leans toward the dystopian, don't blame me, blame Netflix!
A great social commentary, which also manages to be massively entertaining. Malcolm McDowell turning in one of cinemas more indelible performances. Not my first choice for a casual viewing before bed time, but if you can digest the markedly unglamorous depiction of a sociopathic crime spree it's a must watch. The one would also make my hypothetical list of Ten Greatest Literary Adaptations. Try to imagine someone trying to get this made today, and picture what would likely end up on the screen. If this was the only great film on his ledger, Kubrick would still deserve a throne in Movie Valhalla.
Special mention: 2001.
3/4ths of a brilliant film, the acid trip finale just doesn't do it for me.
Invaders from Mars
And lastly this classic 50's offering, so superior to Tobe Hooper's misfire of a remake I am nearly loathe to mention them in the same paragraph. Archetypal 50's dread peppered with iconic images and scenes.
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