The Top 50 Dystopian Movies
Snarkerati published a list of the top 50 dystopian movies back in the Fall of 2007.
I love dystopian films. There's something about this particular genre (is it a genre? It seems to be a theme that crosses film genres) that I find attractive. I've always been fascinated by the whole utopia/dystopia society concept. It's staggering how many of these fifty films I've seen.
Bold are films that I've seen and liked/loved.
Italic are films that I've seen and didn't like.
Underlined are films that are on my "to watch" list.
Untouched films are ones that I haven't seen at all.
50. Equilibrium - I love the gun-fu. Huge holes in the story and Sean Bean wasn't in it long enough, but the film is dead fun.
49. One Point O - This film sounds interesting and fun. I must see it.
48. Starship Troopers - Ok, this is one film that I've seen and there's a part of me, that Mystery Theater part of me that thinks this is a hilariously fun romp of a film. There's another part of me that is offended by it. I want to disavow the first part, but don't want people to think I'm a serious stick-up-my-butt type with the latter.
47. Rollerball
46. Death Race 2000 - This falls under the same umbrella as Starship Troopers. I don't want to admit that there is a part of me that liked it.
45. Idiocracy
44. Strange Days - Ralph Fiennes is hot. Angela Basset is even hotter. I'm so thankful that these devices don't exist today, because I would become extremely addicted to such recordings. Seriously.
43. Logan's Run - Michael York when he was handsome! Jenny Agutter at her prime! Free love and then you die at 30! It's like a not-so-secret dream society for me.
42. I Robot - I liked this film, although I have to ignore its relationship with the source material. It's Wil Smith, he's just so darned likable.
41. Soylent Green - There are times in the film where Heston really irritates me, but there's no mistaking the shock of the reveal of the film. I remember being slack-jawed about it.
40. A Boy and His Dog - I probably should see this, but I'm not particularly enthusiastic about seeing it.
39. Nineteen Eighty-Four - John Hurt is absolutely wonderful. I cried at the end.
38. Artificial Intelligence: AI - This film started out so well with the amazing ARG to promote it. I was highly enthusiastic and my name can be found on that lovely poster of players that completed the game (I've got a copy somewhere). And then the actual film happened and it was not good. Sigh.
37. Silent Running
36. A Scanner Darkly - I can't believe I haven't seen this film yet. I've got a soft spot for Winona and Keanu and rotoscoping. Oh, and Philip K. Dick too.
35. Escape from New York - I was so reluctant to see this film when it was first presented to me. Then I went through a strange "I love Kurt Russell" phase where I thought he was one of the funniest, most brilliant performers of all time and I watched this and thought it was awesomesauce. I got better, but I still adore this film.
34. THX 1138 - It's not a film I would recommend to others, but there's a lovely simplicity in this film. There are some shots that are poetically beautiful (which is lacking in future Lucas films).
33. They Live - You'd think that I'd have seen this film already, given how much I like John Carpenter. I should watch it.
32. District 13 - I remember being so excited about the trailer for this film... and then it never got released anywhere near me! I bet it was because it was a foreign film. The action looks great, though. Absolutely great.
31. War of the Worlds - I haven't seen this or the remake. I should, though, even though I know what happens and that theme has been done to death in other movies.
30. Dark City - If you haven't seen this film, RUN to your local video rental place and see it. It's brilliant. Even better, get a copy of the DVD, watch the film and then watch it again with the commentary. Ebert's commentary. He makes great observations about this film and elevated my appreciation from "Oh I love this film" to "OMG THIS IS THE BEST FILM LIKE FREAKING EVER".
29. Total Recall - I adored this film when I saw it in the theater in high school. I went on to read the Piers Anthony novelization. It launched my interest in Philip K. Dick and cyberpunk. Now, I look at the film with a sense of disbelief how much I adored it, but I cannot dismiss how much of an influence it was on me at the time and how it introduced me to a genre that I love today.
28. Mad Max - This is the real deal. Raw, violent, harsh, and brutal. It's not a film I generally recommend because it is quite horrific in parts. (The Road Warrior is also amazingly good, but forget about seeing the third film. Gaa.)
27. On the Beach - I should read the book. I've been told it is good. Same with the film.
26. Fahrenheit 451 - The book is so powerful. I'm not sure if the film is as strong as the book as a whole, but there are points which are so moving for me. I'm looking forward to the remake this year, with Frank Darabont in the writer/director chair.
25. Gattaca - A really moving film.
24. Metropolis - A really beautiful anime. Adapted from the manga by Katsuhiro Otomo (best known for the seminal Akira, the absolutely brilliant Roujin Z, the quirky Memories and the fun Steamboy). One to see, although it's again tricky to recommend to others.
23. V for Vendetta - Some of the visuals of this film are great, but man... what a disappointment! I can't recommend the film, but I can totally recommend the amazing graphic novel that the film is based on. Alan Moore rocks my world. Seriously rocks my world.
22. Planet of the Apes - Heston. Ugh. I'm not a fan of his at all. But the story and the shocking ending puts the film on the thumbs up side over the thumbs down side. I enjoyed the remake although I didn't care for the remake's ending.
21. The City of Lost Children - I saw the trailer for this film and knew I had to see it. The title is fantastic. The visuals were stunning. The story seemed intriguing. Then I saw the film and fell for all of it, hard, along with director Jean-Pierre Jeunet. I've seen and liked all his works (yes, even the Aliens film) except for A Very Long Engagement, which isn't the kind of film I'm into.
20. Akira - YES!
19. Robocop - I haven't seen this film for years and years, but I remember really enjoying it. Not sure if I would enjoy it now. I do find it amusing to think about Peter Weller and his work now as a historian. (I saw a documentary episode where I kept going, "Hey, that guy looks just like the actor that was in Robocop and Buckaroo Banzai. They share the same name, too! Interesting..." Heh.)
18. Battle Royale - I can't believe I haven't seen this yet. I need to. Plus, I think Chiaki Kuriyama is beautiful (she has the most amazing eyes).
17. Ghost in the Shell - Stunning film, and I eagerly recommend it, but I always give a bit of a reservation that it may need repeated viewings to understand what's going on. From one of my favorite manga creators, Masamune Shirow.
16. Pleasantville - The film that put Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon on the map for me. I watched the film due to the draw of William H. Macy (who I fell for in Fargo) and fell in love with it, although I do think that the "message" is a bit thickly applied.
15. Serenity - The Big Damn Movie. I can't believe that this amazing universe didn't last for a second season (I still hold hope that a sequel will come out). I loved the storyline, even though there are events that happen in the film that break my heart. Also, it helps that when it came out, I was a flaming David Krumholtz fanatic. Hee!
14. Twelve Monkeys - I have seen almost every film that Terry Gilliam has directed (I haven't seen The Brothers Grimm and Tideland, but both are on my TO WATCH list). Of those films, I've liked all of them. Seriously. His visual playfulness turns me on. This film, with its dystopian setting, an AMAZING Brad Pitt, and a delightful Simon Jones cameo gives me a serious woodie.
13. Alphaville - I've... actually never heard of this film until I saw this list. If asked, i would say that Alphaville is the name of a band from the eighties with a great song ("Forever Young"). I'm generally not a fan of 60s french cinema.
12. The Trial - It's a Welles film with Anthony Perkins, which means I should see it.
11. Sleeper - Woody Allen is really hit and miss for me. Unfortunately, this was a miss.
10. Delicatessen - Oh, how I long to recommend this film to every person I know, but oh how some of them would severely misinterpret it. I love black comedy. Love it. There's a little ghoul in me.
9. Minority Report - I have seen the future, and it is blue. Why is it that futuristic films adopt this cool, steely blue color? I found that irritating in this film. And the eyeball scene was completely unnecessary. But I love the film's premise and WOW, do I love Samantha Morton. (See her in Code 46, which should've made this list.)
8. Mad Max: The Road Warrior - See #28.
7. The Matrix - I am such a sucker for this film. I even sort of liked the sequel (woe to the third film!). I saw it several times in the theater. I loved it. It was a nice mix of fun and seriousness. I gobbled up all of the collateral material eagerly, even played a bit of The Matrix Online. It's an iconic film in this genre.
6. Children of Men - I can't believe I still haven't seen this film. *woe*
5. Bladerunner - A seminal work in this genre, again by Dick. My only criticism about it is that I wish the pace was a little faster.
4. Wings of Desire - Hmm. Should I see this? I've not even heard of it until I saw it on this list, but the short descriptions I've read make it sound interesting.
3. Brazil - This is my favorite movie of all time. Hands down. Michael Palin is brilliant (I have a serious crush on the man. Serious). Jonathan Pryce is brilliant (oh man, I have the hots for him even moreso than Palin). I love watching it at Christmas because it's so funny and tragic. I watch it at least once every year, ever since I first saw it in junior high. The writing brilliance of Stoppard and the visual brilliance of Gilliam just floors me every time. This is my kind of love story.
2. A Clockwork Orange - I think that Kubrick made better films, but this is a dystopian classic. This is the role that I compare all of Malcolm McDowell's other roles to. He plays sociopathy well.
1. Metropolis - I've only seen bits of this, but I think I should, just for its influence on so many works that I enjoy.
They list a number of films that didn't make the top 50:
Code 46 - I cried during this film. It's so tragic and beautiful and so sad. Samantha Morton and Tim Robbins in another wonderful love story. Why do I like such tragic love stories?
The Omega Man - I've not heard of this film until reading it in this list. I'm not sure if I should watch it. This description makes it sound really awful: "Due to an experimental vaccine, Doctor Robert Neville is the onlys urvivor of an apocalyptic war, with the exception of a few hundred deformed, nocturnal people who are also homicidal maniacs. They blame science and technology for their condition and they see Neville as the last symbol of science, therefore he must die. Neville uses everything at his disposal in an attempt to survive."
The Running Man - Arnold paired with King. It doesn't work for me.
Le Dernier Combat - Huh. A Luc Besson film. I like Luc Besson! I'm... not sure if I will enjoy this film.
Avalon - I loved the trailer for this film, I just never got around to getting my grubby hands on a copy to watch it. I should, shouldn't I? Plus, it's directed by Oshii, and I loved his work in Ghost in the Shell.
No Blade of Grass - I should read the book (I love John Christopher). If I like it, I'll watch the film.
Oh yes, Happy New Year everyone! I hope that your 2008 is a fun, fandom-filled, joyful one!
I love dystopian films. There's something about this particular genre (is it a genre? It seems to be a theme that crosses film genres) that I find attractive. I've always been fascinated by the whole utopia/dystopia society concept. It's staggering how many of these fifty films I've seen.
Bold are films that I've seen and liked/loved.
Italic are films that I've seen and didn't like.
Underlined are films that are on my "to watch" list.
Untouched films are ones that I haven't seen at all.
50. Equilibrium - I love the gun-fu. Huge holes in the story and Sean Bean wasn't in it long enough, but the film is dead fun.
49. One Point O - This film sounds interesting and fun. I must see it.
48. Starship Troopers - Ok, this is one film that I've seen and there's a part of me, that Mystery Theater part of me that thinks this is a hilariously fun romp of a film. There's another part of me that is offended by it. I want to disavow the first part, but don't want people to think I'm a serious stick-up-my-butt type with the latter.
47. Rollerball
46. Death Race 2000 - This falls under the same umbrella as Starship Troopers. I don't want to admit that there is a part of me that liked it.
45. Idiocracy
44. Strange Days - Ralph Fiennes is hot. Angela Basset is even hotter. I'm so thankful that these devices don't exist today, because I would become extremely addicted to such recordings. Seriously.
43. Logan's Run - Michael York when he was handsome! Jenny Agutter at her prime! Free love and then you die at 30! It's like a not-so-secret dream society for me.
42. I Robot - I liked this film, although I have to ignore its relationship with the source material. It's Wil Smith, he's just so darned likable.
41. Soylent Green - There are times in the film where Heston really irritates me, but there's no mistaking the shock of the reveal of the film. I remember being slack-jawed about it.
40. A Boy and His Dog - I probably should see this, but I'm not particularly enthusiastic about seeing it.
39. Nineteen Eighty-Four - John Hurt is absolutely wonderful. I cried at the end.
38. Artificial Intelligence: AI - This film started out so well with the amazing ARG to promote it. I was highly enthusiastic and my name can be found on that lovely poster of players that completed the game (I've got a copy somewhere). And then the actual film happened and it was not good. Sigh.
37. Silent Running
36. A Scanner Darkly - I can't believe I haven't seen this film yet. I've got a soft spot for Winona and Keanu and rotoscoping. Oh, and Philip K. Dick too.
35. Escape from New York - I was so reluctant to see this film when it was first presented to me. Then I went through a strange "I love Kurt Russell" phase where I thought he was one of the funniest, most brilliant performers of all time and I watched this and thought it was awesomesauce. I got better, but I still adore this film.
34. THX 1138 - It's not a film I would recommend to others, but there's a lovely simplicity in this film. There are some shots that are poetically beautiful (which is lacking in future Lucas films).
33. They Live - You'd think that I'd have seen this film already, given how much I like John Carpenter. I should watch it.
32. District 13 - I remember being so excited about the trailer for this film... and then it never got released anywhere near me! I bet it was because it was a foreign film. The action looks great, though. Absolutely great.
31. War of the Worlds - I haven't seen this or the remake. I should, though, even though I know what happens and that theme has been done to death in other movies.
30. Dark City - If you haven't seen this film, RUN to your local video rental place and see it. It's brilliant. Even better, get a copy of the DVD, watch the film and then watch it again with the commentary. Ebert's commentary. He makes great observations about this film and elevated my appreciation from "Oh I love this film" to "OMG THIS IS THE BEST FILM LIKE FREAKING EVER".
29. Total Recall - I adored this film when I saw it in the theater in high school. I went on to read the Piers Anthony novelization. It launched my interest in Philip K. Dick and cyberpunk. Now, I look at the film with a sense of disbelief how much I adored it, but I cannot dismiss how much of an influence it was on me at the time and how it introduced me to a genre that I love today.
28. Mad Max - This is the real deal. Raw, violent, harsh, and brutal. It's not a film I generally recommend because it is quite horrific in parts. (The Road Warrior is also amazingly good, but forget about seeing the third film. Gaa.)
27. On the Beach - I should read the book. I've been told it is good. Same with the film.
26. Fahrenheit 451 - The book is so powerful. I'm not sure if the film is as strong as the book as a whole, but there are points which are so moving for me. I'm looking forward to the remake this year, with Frank Darabont in the writer/director chair.
25. Gattaca - A really moving film.
24. Metropolis - A really beautiful anime. Adapted from the manga by Katsuhiro Otomo (best known for the seminal Akira, the absolutely brilliant Roujin Z, the quirky Memories and the fun Steamboy). One to see, although it's again tricky to recommend to others.
23. V for Vendetta - Some of the visuals of this film are great, but man... what a disappointment! I can't recommend the film, but I can totally recommend the amazing graphic novel that the film is based on. Alan Moore rocks my world. Seriously rocks my world.
22. Planet of the Apes - Heston. Ugh. I'm not a fan of his at all. But the story and the shocking ending puts the film on the thumbs up side over the thumbs down side. I enjoyed the remake although I didn't care for the remake's ending.
21. The City of Lost Children - I saw the trailer for this film and knew I had to see it. The title is fantastic. The visuals were stunning. The story seemed intriguing. Then I saw the film and fell for all of it, hard, along with director Jean-Pierre Jeunet. I've seen and liked all his works (yes, even the Aliens film) except for A Very Long Engagement, which isn't the kind of film I'm into.
20. Akira - YES!
19. Robocop - I haven't seen this film for years and years, but I remember really enjoying it. Not sure if I would enjoy it now. I do find it amusing to think about Peter Weller and his work now as a historian. (I saw a documentary episode where I kept going, "Hey, that guy looks just like the actor that was in Robocop and Buckaroo Banzai. They share the same name, too! Interesting..." Heh.)
18. Battle Royale - I can't believe I haven't seen this yet. I need to. Plus, I think Chiaki Kuriyama is beautiful (she has the most amazing eyes).
17. Ghost in the Shell - Stunning film, and I eagerly recommend it, but I always give a bit of a reservation that it may need repeated viewings to understand what's going on. From one of my favorite manga creators, Masamune Shirow.
16. Pleasantville - The film that put Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon on the map for me. I watched the film due to the draw of William H. Macy (who I fell for in Fargo) and fell in love with it, although I do think that the "message" is a bit thickly applied.
15. Serenity - The Big Damn Movie. I can't believe that this amazing universe didn't last for a second season (I still hold hope that a sequel will come out). I loved the storyline, even though there are events that happen in the film that break my heart. Also, it helps that when it came out, I was a flaming David Krumholtz fanatic. Hee!
14. Twelve Monkeys - I have seen almost every film that Terry Gilliam has directed (I haven't seen The Brothers Grimm and Tideland, but both are on my TO WATCH list). Of those films, I've liked all of them. Seriously. His visual playfulness turns me on. This film, with its dystopian setting, an AMAZING Brad Pitt, and a delightful Simon Jones cameo gives me a serious woodie.
13. Alphaville - I've... actually never heard of this film until I saw this list. If asked, i would say that Alphaville is the name of a band from the eighties with a great song ("Forever Young"). I'm generally not a fan of 60s french cinema.
12. The Trial - It's a Welles film with Anthony Perkins, which means I should see it.
11. Sleeper - Woody Allen is really hit and miss for me. Unfortunately, this was a miss.
10. Delicatessen - Oh, how I long to recommend this film to every person I know, but oh how some of them would severely misinterpret it. I love black comedy. Love it. There's a little ghoul in me.
9. Minority Report - I have seen the future, and it is blue. Why is it that futuristic films adopt this cool, steely blue color? I found that irritating in this film. And the eyeball scene was completely unnecessary. But I love the film's premise and WOW, do I love Samantha Morton. (See her in Code 46, which should've made this list.)
8. Mad Max: The Road Warrior - See #28.
7. The Matrix - I am such a sucker for this film. I even sort of liked the sequel (woe to the third film!). I saw it several times in the theater. I loved it. It was a nice mix of fun and seriousness. I gobbled up all of the collateral material eagerly, even played a bit of The Matrix Online. It's an iconic film in this genre.
6. Children of Men - I can't believe I still haven't seen this film. *woe*
5. Bladerunner - A seminal work in this genre, again by Dick. My only criticism about it is that I wish the pace was a little faster.
4. Wings of Desire - Hmm. Should I see this? I've not even heard of it until I saw it on this list, but the short descriptions I've read make it sound interesting.
3. Brazil - This is my favorite movie of all time. Hands down. Michael Palin is brilliant (I have a serious crush on the man. Serious). Jonathan Pryce is brilliant (oh man, I have the hots for him even moreso than Palin). I love watching it at Christmas because it's so funny and tragic. I watch it at least once every year, ever since I first saw it in junior high. The writing brilliance of Stoppard and the visual brilliance of Gilliam just floors me every time. This is my kind of love story.
2. A Clockwork Orange - I think that Kubrick made better films, but this is a dystopian classic. This is the role that I compare all of Malcolm McDowell's other roles to. He plays sociopathy well.
1. Metropolis - I've only seen bits of this, but I think I should, just for its influence on so many works that I enjoy.
They list a number of films that didn't make the top 50:
Code 46 - I cried during this film. It's so tragic and beautiful and so sad. Samantha Morton and Tim Robbins in another wonderful love story. Why do I like such tragic love stories?
The Omega Man - I've not heard of this film until reading it in this list. I'm not sure if I should watch it. This description makes it sound really awful: "Due to an experimental vaccine, Doctor Robert Neville is the onlys urvivor of an apocalyptic war, with the exception of a few hundred deformed, nocturnal people who are also homicidal maniacs. They blame science and technology for their condition and they see Neville as the last symbol of science, therefore he must die. Neville uses everything at his disposal in an attempt to survive."
The Running Man - Arnold paired with King. It doesn't work for me.
Le Dernier Combat - Huh. A Luc Besson film. I like Luc Besson! I'm... not sure if I will enjoy this film.
Avalon - I loved the trailer for this film, I just never got around to getting my grubby hands on a copy to watch it. I should, shouldn't I? Plus, it's directed by Oshii, and I loved his work in Ghost in the Shell.
No Blade of Grass - I should read the book (I love John Christopher). If I like it, I'll watch the film.
Oh yes, Happy New Year everyone! I hope that your 2008 is a fun, fandom-filled, joyful one!