Why Do You Love Science Fiction Films?
Sci-Fi Movie Love Lies Deep Within Our Hearts, Minds And Souls
My loyal science fiction lovers, gather round our electronic hearth. Let’s hunker down here together and open up hailing frequencies. Grab a futuristic chair, preferably one with a relaxing anti-gravity boost. Now, come clean. No more hiding behind a light speed defying starship nor sensor cloaked under an obedient mecha droid cleaning out your cobweb infested cargo hold. Please explain yourselves to us all about your dedicated science fiction addiction. I’ll give you time. No wild worries. Let’s wait until the infamous HAL 9000 can calculate the age and nature of the known universe.
One millisecond…. two millisecond….
OK. Maybe I’m demanding way too much in too short a time. Ahh time…. Time warp anyone? It’s not the easiest thing to put into words. Any great love affair is certainly chock full of flaming passion and conflicting emotions which run deep. Sci-fi shouldn’t be any different.
But it is different, isn’t it? Yeah. Vastly different even...
It’s different from all other filmed storytelling genres because of its basic, inquisitive structure. Sci-fi asks more questions, it embroils us in more mystery and makes us yearn for another kind of life, existence or even a completely different reality.
The Tech
Technology seduces all of us. In fact, these days, we’re all becoming a mech wreck with our ever present tech. It touches every aspect of our modern life. With science fiction film lovers, the seduction is just perhaps a bit more baked into our cosmic cake.
Hyperspace travel in Star Wars, warp drive in Star Trek, or ancient, yet modern wormhole controlling gates in the StarGate universe - getting around our galaxy or zipping across the universe is pretty nifty when you own the right vehicle or interstellar phenomenon. Even the sleeper ships showcased in Alien and 2001: A Space Odyssey appear pretty workable - unless you suffer from inescapable insomnia.
Computers run amuck can always be depended on for some stimulating sci-fi tech wreck. They can give anybody a really bad day. HAL 9000 can do so much damage on one spaceship. Of course, sentient robots such as Terminators aren’t exactly something to look forward to meeting up with in real life. Those films have taught us one thing; at least we know we’ll be able to reprogram a few to come over to the human side of the cybernetic resistance.
The Thrill
The thrill of it all keeps us coming back for more sight and sounds which only sci-fi can provide. Seeing Charlton Heston solve the mystery of Planet Of The Apes or watch as Captain Kirk screams KHAAAAAAAAAAN at his crazed opponent in Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan makes the sci-fi film world what it is to its loyal connoisseurs.
Like amusement parks or scary movies, the thrilling promise of sci-fi makes these movies compel us to feel, think and speculate on the theories explored in the span of 2 hours.
Charlie Sheen’s character in The Arrival solves the terrifying mystery of a radio signal broadcast by a dangerous alien race who’s slowly trying to change our world. It’s the threat of climate change in the worst possible way - so these alien jerks can move in and take over. Climate change skeptics may want to watch this one for the sheer thrill of realizing change may not always be from our own species - who knows where the ultimate roots of it all are buried.
The Magic
Harry Potter may wield his trusty magic wand to disappear from Hogwarts, but when Scotty beams up the landing party, it’s just as magical or moreso. Transporters may never be real, but the theoretical basis gives off a realistic, optimistic spark. When Luke Skywalker uses his lightsaber it’s just as awe inspiring as Gandalf knocking back orcs with his sorcery steady staff.
Or maybe to us sci-fi folk, it’s much more magical, because science fiction can become science fact one day. We live in an ultra, high tech world, which is mirroring older science fiction all the time. Who knows what real science lies around the corner inspired by our most outlandish sci-fi.
The Warning
Klaatu (Michael Rennie) gives us a warning at the end of The Day The Earth Stood Still. As a visiting extraterrestrial, he sees our imperiled planet in fresh, objective eyes. What he tells us is basically our stewardship of planet Earth pretty much sucks bigtime. Plus, we’re getting a wee bit too nuclear for the other planetary forces who patrol within our galactic neighborhood.
Sci-fi warnings can come in all sorts of other ways. Keanu Reeves, as the prophesied, savior Neo, gets a big wake up call in more ways than one. The Matrix warns our species that out of control A.I. coupled with ultra realistic virtual reality may one day lull us into a fake world of brain sucking sadness, where we just lay around awash in fantasy. A few days on the couch glued to the TV stream binging Netflix sorta feels the same though, doesn’t it?
The Hope
We live in hope. Give us hope. Show us the way. It’s what science fiction movies can do so effectively, and they often do it nearly better than any other film category. If comedies make us feel better through healing laughter, if tearjerkers do their wet part to clean our tired eyes with cleansing waterworks, then much of science fiction promotes a hopeful, even blissful tomorrow.
One of the most hopeful - or at least optimistic - science fiction films remains Stanley Kubrick’s potent masterpiece, 2001: A Space Odyssey. We go from the start of our primitive world, to the depth of darkness with the digitally evil HAL 9000 to a whirlwind of spacey imagery, to finally, a fantastical finale which promises us a definite tomorrow - a bright, developing future in the form of the glowing, awe inspiring Starchild.
Hope lies for the taking in generous abundance within the best science fiction movies. What’s your favorite, most optimistic sci-fi film? All the Star Trek feature films provide a hopeful romp, spending adventure time with familiar Starfleet faces. Star Wars is even more of a joyous ride - at least the classics remain so. There are plenty to choose from and to watch with our friends and family - to share the uplifting experience, and go into the future with open minds and hearts.