Tag: sci-fi

Top Ten Sci Fi Comics of All Time

Science fiction is a rich genre and appears all over the spectrum of geeky interests. Comic books, as it turns out, are for more than just superhero antics! Some of the best sci-fi stories have been told within the pages of western comics. If you’re looking for a good read, strap yourself in. We’ve got a journey to the stars that you’re going to love! Today, we’re looking at the top ten sci fi comics of all time!

Top Ten Sci Fi Comics of All Time

Tank Girl

Photo Credit: Imgur

Created by Jamie Hewlett of Gorillaz fame, this anarchistic, free-wheeling comic is a blast. Set in a post-apocalyptic world rife with corruption and injustice, the series follows the title character’s misadventures. Tank Girl, or Rebecca Buck, undertakes missions in her tank, which doubles as her house. The series is rife with punk rock, anarchistic and counter-cultural imagery, and is great for all lovers of rebellion.

Velerian and Lauraline

Photo Credit: Comic Vine

Recently turned into a huge Luc Besson film, Valerian and Lauraline is an incredibly long-running French sci-fi comic. The comic has had such a huge impact on sci-fi over the years that it’s hard to overstate. Everything from Star Wars to Star Trek to Judge Dredd has a ton to thank this landmark work for. It’s comprised of thousands of pages of back-issues, but it’s still an excellent read. If you’re a fan of oddball French comics, this is a great read.

Bitch Planet

Photo Credit: Image Comics

Bitch Planet is spinning a ton of plates at once. It’s simultaneously an homage and deconstruction of exploitation films in the “Women in Prison” genre. This comic is also excellent social commentary and high-concept sci-fi. Further, it’s a feminist opus that rivals some of the best discourse in that field of study. Think of it as something of a cross between Orange is the New Black and Gladiator, but set in space. It’s weird, it’s fast-paced and it’s absolutely worth a read.

Lazarus

Photo Credit: Comic Book

Brutal violence meets stunning social commentary in this slick action sci-fi comic. The protagonist, aptly named Forever, is a Lazarus, a peerless fighter who represents an ancient family of nobles. Her family is called Carlyle, and they are one of the oldest political organizations in the world. The noble families are always vying for power and sending their Lazaruses to do battle in their name.

East of West

Photo Credit: Goodreads

East of West is an oddball in the world of sci-fi comics. This comic shows an alternative history where the Civil War dragged on until 1908, until it was cut short by an asteroid striking Earth. The resulting seven nations form the new government of the Americas, dramatically altering the political landscape. This comic is as much weird western as high-concept sci-fi. In an unusual twist, the action is driven primarily by humanity’s first encounter with the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Yeah, it’s weird. But man, is it awesome!

Paper Girls

Photo Credit: Wired

If you love Stranger Things or Super 8 for their fun 80’s throwback vibe, you’ll love Paper Girls. Following a group of paper delivery girls as they uncover crazy conspiracies about alien visitors, this one is classic 80’s fun. Pitch-perfect character development, excellent pacing and beautiful art make this an unforgettable and epic read.

Fear Agent

Photo Credit: Geek and Sundry

Fear Agent is for those who are looking for a true retro sci-fi throwback. This pulpy romp through the galaxy follows the adventures of Heathrow Huston, a grizzly Fear Agent who undertakes daring missions. Huston is a clear homage to the chiseled jaws and pure machismo of 40’s and 50’s sci-fi pulps. If you’re looking for a teeth-kicking, fun-loving comic, this one is for you.

Transmetropolitan

Photo Credit: Den of Geek

This shockingly prescient comic debuted in the late 90’s to critical and commercial success. The protagonist, an investigative journalist named Spider Jerusalem. The series is also super weird, if the protagonist’s name didn’t give that away. Namely, the series has an obsession with the Truth, in its separate and idealized state, and with cyberpunk dystopia as a bright and glitzy place. In all, it’s a scathing takedown of government, police, corporate interests and anything else that tries to hinder the Truth.

Saga

Photo Credit: Pride

This sweeping, epic science fantasy series is so full of pathos and character that it makes one hopeful for the future of comics. Unrelentingly beautiful and horrifying at once, this comic is aptly named: the saga within is timeless and inspiring. The tale of star-crossed lovers crossing the stars is as sweeping as it is intimate, making it impossible to put down.

Seven to Eternity

Photo Credit: Nerdist

Science fantasy at its very best, Seven to Eternity is still early in its run, but still essential sci-fi reading. The world-building here is unmatched in comics, telling tons of engaging story through evocative art and sparse dialogue. Wonder, discovery and magic are at odds with lies, industry and corruption in beautifully-illustrated panels. A story about family, truth, justice and redemption, this is a heavy, thoughtful read that will keep you guessing—and turning the page!

August 23, 2018
Ten Coolest Movies about First Contact

First contact will likely be a messy, terrifying affair if it happens in the foreseeable future. Humanity is a divided, tribal and superstitious lot even today. However, the potential of world-changing, seismic shifts in politics and Earth is great when it comes to first contact scenarios. When or if alien life makes contact with Earth, any number of factors could change the dynamic of the interaction. While we can’t imagine what real first contact will look like, there are some pretty cool movies about it. Today, we’re looking at the ten coolest movies about first contact!

Ten Coolest Movies about First Contact

Flight of the Navigator

Photo Credit: Nerdist

This fun, upbeat 80’s movie depicts the adventurous David, a young boy who encounters an alien race. He is transported to their home planet and back at light speed. The journey causes him to return a decade after he left, though, causing his younger brother to be six years older than him when he returns! This film is a classic, full of fun and optimism.

District 9

Photo Credit: Digital Spy
On the other end of the spectrum is the dark and gritty District 9. Imagining first contact as an allegory for apartheid, District 9 takes place in South Africa. Following the appearance of a race of aliens on Earth, the South African government segregates them into ghettoes and treats the aliens as subhuman. This is sci-fi at its best: forcing us to examine our prejudices through the lens of a new perspective.

Independence Day

Photo Credit: Den of Geek
Sometimes first contact doesn’t go that smoothly. In this classic sci-fi action film, Will Smith stars Stephen Hiller, a pilot tasked with defending Earth from an alien invasion. This film envisions what kind of response Earth would have if it was suddenly, violently invaded by aliens. Themes of colonialism, bravery and determination run throughout. This film was pivotal, both for Hollywood blockbusters in general and for Will Smith’s career in particular. It also has one of the coolest speeches in the history of sci-fi movies, courtesy of Bill Pullman’s Thomas Whitmore character.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Photo Credit: Orlando Weekly

This Spielberg classic follows Roy Neary, a blue-collar worker who makes contact with an alien race. The resulting effects that the UFOs have on Roy form the film’s dramatic tension. Roy’s relationship with his wife and children is strained as he obsesses over the UFOs. Finally, when the aliens make contact with Earth, Roy is selected to go with them so that they might learn more about humans.

The Day the Earth Stood Still

Photo Credit: IMDb

This mid-century classic sci-fi film works largely due to its near Biblical proportions. A stranger from space named Klaatu descends to Earth to issue a warning to the leaders of its countries. He warns that all humans must begin living in harmony, acting as one united race. Otherwise, forces from beyond the stars will consider humanity (and its burgeoning atomic power) a threat. Such a threat would be met with lethal force. The film’s messianic imagery and timeless tale of nonviolence make it a classic worth watching.

Starman

Photo Credit: Variety

A love story dressed up as sci-fi, Starman follows the titular character, played by Jeff Bridges, as he falls to Earth to learn about humans. The naïve but affable Starman takes the form of a widow’s recently deceased husband, much to her surprise and horror. The widow, named Jenny, gradually warms to the Starman, and the two go on a quest to a crater that houses Starman’s ship. The journey is long and fraught with danger, as the Army tries to apprehend the alien in order to study him. Along the way, the two fall in love, showing that love can transcend even the stars.

The Abyss

Photo Credit: Hollywood Reporter

The Abyss, an excellent James Cameron sci-fi romp, explores a unique type of first contact. In this film, aliens have been on Earth for quite some time. However, they live deep beneath the ocean. Combining Cameron’s love of deep-sea exploration and sci-fi, the Abyss was a watershed moment for sci-fi effects. With top-notch acting and gripping storytelling, this is another sci-fi flick you owe it to yourself to watch!

Super 8

Photo Credit: YouTube

Directed by J.J. Abrams and produced by Steven Spielberg, Super 8 is as much a coming-of-age story as it is a tale of first contact. Channeling the feel of classic 80’s films like ET and the Goonies, this throwback movie follows a group of kids who discover that the military is hiding an alien. This alien is peaceful, however, and just wants to go home. If the premise sounds familiar, that’s largely because it has been done more recently in Stranger Things, another excellent sci-fi.

The Man who Fell to Earth

Photo Credit: Winnipeg Film Group

David Bowie was an odd man, and his appearances in film are a testament to that. He was also a complete genius, which this excellent film confirms. Bowie plays Thomas Jerome Newton, a very humanoid-looking alien. He comes to Earth seeking water for his home planet, which is in the middle of an apocalyptic drought. The film, equal parts melancholic and meditative, is a long look at what makes us human. Vices like alcohol and sex addiction plague even the titular man who falls to Earth, making us examine what it is to be human.

Star Trek: First Contact

Photo Credit: Den of Geek

The hint, after all, is in the name. Star Trek had, up to this point, only hinted at the historical event that led to first contact with the Vulkan race. In this Next Generation film, however, the crew of the Enterprise travels back in time while pursuing the Borg. They discover that they arrive a day before Zefram Cochrane completes work on the first human warp drive. That event will lead to the Vulkan Empire taking note of humanity and extending an invitation to join the galactic community.

August 21, 2018
The Best Sci-Fi TV Shows of All Time

Sci-Fi’s influence on film has been felt for nearly a century, starting with the release of Metropolis in 1927. However, the genre’s influence on TV has been a bit more start-and-stop. There have been pockets of popular interest in some decades that has waned in others. That said, today we’re looking at the ten best sci-fi TV shows of all time. Some are very recent, while others got their start in the 50’s. In any event, they’re all stellar sci-fi shows, pun intended.

The Best Sci-Fi TV Shows of All Time

10. Altered Carbon

Photo Credit: Netflix

A gritty, dirty and mean noir show on Netflix, Altered Carbon is based on the novel of the same name. This cyberpunk thriller follows Takeshi Kovacs, an assassin in a future where human consciousness has been digitized. As a result, people’s bodies are no longer their life or death: when your body dies, your “stack,” or mind, can be “re-sleeved,” or placed in a new body. This allows the series to have multiple actors portray Kovacs as he tries to solve a high-profile murder of a wealthy megacorp owner. Of course, the murdered man, Bancroft, commissions Kovacs himself, as he has simply been re-sleeved following his murder. What follows is an intense, gripping and overall sexy cyberpunk detective story.

9. Stranger Things

Photo Credit: Fox News

Equal parts Steven King and H.P. Lovecraft, Stranger Things is a love letter to the 80’s. Following a group of kids in the city of Hawkins, Indiana, the show wears its influences on its sleeve. Channeling the Goonies, It and other films of their ilk, the show is as charming as it is scary. When the gang, led by plucky Dungeons and Dragons player Mike Wheeler, meet a psychic girl named Eleven, their lives become an adventure. The show is sweet-hearted but remains creepy and atmospheric in its depiction of its monsters.

8. Quantum Leap

Photo Credit: Den of Geek

Starring Scott Bakula as Sam Beckett, a theoretical physicist, Quantum Leap follows Beckett as he travels through time. Beckett’s time travel brings him into the bodies of people who were alive during Beckett’s own life, seemingly at random. Upon landing in their lives, Sam must help them overcome some great challenge or adversary before “leaping” to the next life. As the show’s intro reminds: he always hopes his next jump is the jump home. This series has a genuinely warm heart and ran for a solid five seasons in the late 80’s to early 90’s.

7. Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Photo Credit: Star Wars

The Clone Wars started as a continuation of the animated film that took place in between Star Wars Episodes II and III. The computer-animated film had negative reviews, and the show had middling reviews at best in its first season. However, as the series went on it got better and better, and eventually became one of the best ongoing parts of the Star Wars universe. The recent announcement of a revival has many fans excited for what the future holds!

6. Twilight Zone

Photo Credit: Polygon

Endlessly influential, the Twilight Zone was something of an anthology show in the vein of pulp magazines of the 40’s and 50’s. Each new episode followed a different sci-fi premise, often weird or unsettling. The show introduced a generation of Americans in the 50’s to sci-fi and proved quite popular in its initial run. It still sees re-runs in syndication to this day, and its influence can be felt in sci-fi the world over.

5. Doctor Who

Photo Credit: BBC
Nearly as influential as Twilight Zone, if not more so, this British show began airing in the 50’s. The unique premise holds that the protagonist, the titular Doctor, can regenerate when mortally wounded. This regeneration, however, greatly changes the Doctor’s physical appearance and even changes parts of his personality. This has allowed the show an unprecedented longevity, and new seasons are still airing to this very day. In the upcoming season, the Doctor will be portrayed by a woman for the first time. Actor Jodie Whittaker will play the Doctor in the upcoming season, and fans are ecstatic.

4. Futurama

Photo Credit: Metro

The long-running animated sci-fi show Futurama was created by Simpsons mastermind Matt Groening. The show follows Fry, a slacker and pizza delivery boy from the 20^th Century. An accident on New Year’s Eve 1999 sees Fry cryogenically frozen until the year 2999. When he awakens, the world is unlike his in every way. The series deftly uses its smarts to comedic effect but knows when to tug the heartstrings and use Fry’s plight to make us feel something. This show had a notoriously tough time staying on the air and jumped stations for years before finally being laid to rest.

3. Rick and Morty

Photo Credit: Adult Swim

An excellent show with a notoriously awful fandom, Rick and Morty’s reputation precedes it. While the toxicity of its fanbase may give the show a bad reputation, the show is undeniably excellent. While occasionally oppressively dark and often grotesque, the show is still witty and hilarious in its best moments. Truly emotionally affecting when the mood strikes it, this isn’t a show to miss due to negative reactions from overly-toxic fans. Give it a shot on its own merits and ignore the conversation about its fans. You’ll be glad you did!

2. Firefly

Photo Credit: The Verge

The tragically short-lived Firefly has been talked to death, but we’ll talk about it again today. Created by Joss Whedon, famous for his show Buffy and directing the Avengers, Firefly is the definition of a cult show. The show only lasted for one season but was so full of character and originality that its fans were outraged when it was canceled. While the show got a feature film, many still feel as though the show never got its due in its own time. The stars, namely Nathan Fillion, did go on to great things afterwards, but fans still carry that torch to this day.

The Best Sci-Fi Show Ever: Star Trek: TNG

Photo Credit: Nerd Infinite

While the original Star Trek is iconic, the sequel series, The Next Generation, is truly something special. Running from the late 80’s to the early 90’s, TNG revitalized interest in the Star Trek brand and kicked off a generation of new Trek fans. The cast of unforgettable characters were all portrayed with humanity and believability that brought the show to new heights of storytelling. The excellent scripts and genuinely complex moral quandaries the show explored were mature without being edgy. A perfect example of sci-fi TV done right, this is what all other sci-fi shows should aspire to be.

August 2, 2018
Ten Smartest Moments in Sci-Fi Cinema

Sci-Fi, by its very definition, is a smart genre. The themes and plots of the films deal with science by their very definition. This leads to some pretty clever plotting, and protagonists who are, generally speaking, pretty intelligent. In honor of those smart moves made by smart characters, today we’re looking at the ten smartest moments in sci-fi cinema. Eureka!

Designing the Death Star Flaw: Rogue One

Photo Credit: Amazon

In Rogue One, the genius scientist Galen Erso is forced to help the Empire create a super-weapon. The resulting weapon, the Death Star, is so terrifyingly powerful that it threatens to make the Empire the strongest force in the Galaxy. In order to prevent it from being impossible to defeat, however, Erso leaves a fatal flaw in the design. A single vent goes all the way to the center of the Death Star, and a well-placed shot would allow a sufficiently skilled pilot to destroy the Death Star. Pretty tricky, there, Galen!

Ejecting the Xenomorph: Alien

ALIEN: COVENANT

Photo Credit: Xenopedia

Towards the end of Alien, Ripley has nearly escaped from the terrifying monster stalking her. However, as she ejects the escape pod from the Nostromo, she realizes the Xenomorph is in it with her. A bit of quick thinking, however, saves her life. Luckily for her, she’s already wearing a space suit. As such, she simply opens the pod’s airlock and sends the monster careening into the cold depths of outer space. She then collapses back into her seat, exhausted but victorious. Clever, quick thinking won the day for the heroic Ripley.

Tricking the Humans: Ex Machina

Photo Credit: Letterboxed

In this eerie, introspective sci-fi film, AI construct Ava tricks protagonist Caleb into letting her earn her freedom. Her creator, Nathan, is a narcissistic creep, and Ava has no power to oppose him. As such, she manipulates Caleb, a visitor to the facility, into distracting Nathan long enough for her to escape. She displays cunning, sensuality and wit in her expert manipulation of Caleb and Nathan. As such, Ex Machina is a very trippy, smart film in its examination of AI, androids and programming.

Using the Wrong Name: Terminator 2

Photo Credit: Amazon

In the sequel to the classic sci-fi film Terminator, the future John Connor sends a reprogrammed Terminator unit back to defend his younger self. The evil forces of Skynet send back a T-1000 model that can shapeshift to hunt John as a young man. At one point, John calls home to his foster parents to check on them, and his foster mother seems unusually nice. In a stroke of genius, the T-800 takes the phone and fakes John’s voice, using the wrong name for the dog. The “foster mom” falls for it, using the wrong name, outing itself as the T-1000. Who says computers are dumb?

Using the Storm Trooper Outfits: Star Wars

Photo Credit: Captain Toy

When Luke, Han and Chewie storm the Death Star to save Leia from the evil Empire, they use Storm Trooper outfits to sneak undetected. This is a smart move for the group: they even pretend that Chewie is their prisoner! This lets them move uninhibited through certain areas in the Death Star. The element of surprise allows them to find Leia, and then escape with her on the Millennium Falcon. The only downside, of course, is that old Ben Kenobi has to sacrifice himself for the rest of the heroes to escape.

Harnessing the Lightning Bolt: Back to the Future

Photo Credit: MovieWeb

In the first Back to the Future film, Marty McFly accidentally travels back in time to the 1950’s in a DeLorean-shaped time machine. Upon arriving in the past, he realizes he’s stuck: the DeLorean needs plutonium to generate 1.21 gigawatts of power to time travel. Finding the past version of his friend Dr. Brown, who invented the time machine, the two concoct a plan. They know the exact time and date that a lightning bolt will strike the clock tower in town. As such, they can plan to have the DeLorean harness that power exactly as the bolt strikes, giving it the required power and sending Marty back to the future!

Using the Pod’s Air Pressure: 2001 A Space Odyssey

Photo Credit: YouTube

In this classic Kubrick film, astronaut Dave Bowman gets stuck outside the ship when onboard AI HAL begins to malfunction. HAL locks the outer airlock, preventing Dave’s pod from reentering the ship. In a quick-witted moment of genius, Dave decompresses his pod and uses the air pressure to propel himself to the ship. He then manually overrides HAL’s lockout, reentering the ship. Then, HAL finds himself powerless as Dave overrides his processes and shuts him down for good.

Outsmarting the Predator: Predator

Photo Credit: Daily Grindhouse

1987 classic sci-fi flick Predator features Arnold in his prime as protagonist Dutch. Dutch leads an elite team of soldiers in the Central American jungle, but they are picked off one by one by a dangerous alien. Realizing the creature relies on a thermal imaging device to see him, Dutch covers himself in cold mud to mask his thermal signature. Thus, he is able to fight the cloaked monster on more even footing, ultimately defeating it.

Surviving: The Martian

Photo Credit: Addicted2Success

When Matt Damon’s character, Mark Watney, is left behind on Mars, he has to survive the harsh wasteland. He uses every bit of his scientific know-how to fashion food and living space for himself. It’s quite inspiring to watch Watney master his environment and persevere in the face of insurmountable odds. He even manages to create a way to communicate with NASA back on Earth! In the end, his perseverance pays off and he is rescued by his crewmates!

Closing the Loop: Looper

Photo Credit: Letterboxed

Before he shot the superb sci-fi sequel The Last Jedi for the Star Wars franchise, director Rian Johnson created the excellent, mind-blowing sci-fi actioner Looper. The protagonist, Joe, is a titular Looper: a hitman who works for the mob killing people who are sent back in time to be executed. However, Loopers are guaranteed not to talk to police by killing their future selves when they’re sent back in time. Joe, however, hesitates when his older self is sent back without a bag over his head, which isn’t protocol. His hesitation results in his older self overpowering him and escaping.

Old Joe sets about finding and killing the child who will eventually grow into the super-powerful Rainmaker villain in his time. Young Joe attempts to stop him but realizes his fight with his old self will result in the young Rainmaker’s mother’s death. Her death will cause her son to grow into the villain Rainmaker, thus repeating the loop. In order to close it, Joe shoots himself, ending the standoff with no further violence. Selfless, heroic and downright genius. Well done Young Joe!

July 27, 2018
Let’s Blast Off! Top Ten Sci-Fi Films about Space Exploration!

Humanity is a species of explorers. Whether we’re exploring untamed wilderness, the depths of the ocean or the reaches of the stars, it’s just in our blood. Something about the unknown calls us to know more. As such, our science fiction often focuses rather heavily on deep-space exploration. While many tales that take place in space don’t focus too much on that aspect, space exploration remains a focus of many tales. With that in mind, we’re looking at the ten best films about space exploration!

The Martian

Photo Credit: Gorton Community Center

This realistic film starring Matt Damon follows an astronaut’s attempts to survive on Mars. The main character, astronaut Mark Watney, is left behind on Mars after his team thinks he dies in a storm. After waking up on the inhospitable red planet, Watney sets about work surviving until the next scheduled mission to Mars. The film is rather realistic, and Damon’s character is really likable. Many noted that the film is one of the most realistic takes on Martian exploration ever put on the big screen. Between the tight plot, excellent score and scientific premise, this is a sci-fi flick worth your time!

Gravity

Photo Credit: Indie Wire

Sandra Bullock and George Clooney star in this deep-space thriller. Two astronauts are stranded in space after their shuttle is destroyed in mid-orbit. As such, they must fight for survival in the vacuum of space while also fighting to avoid falling into the gravity well of Earth. Presented as a realistic and gripping thriller film, Gravity uses the conventions of a disaster and survival film to tell its tale. The heartbreaking performances by Clooney and Bullock elevate the film up and out of the stratosphere.

Star Wars

Photo Credit: Geek.com

Much less scientific than some other films on this list, Star Wars is no less excellent for it. Originally released in 1977, Star Wars is the tale of the Hero’s Journey but told in the depths of a distant galaxy. The motifs of the epic journey into the unknown is bolstered by the depths of space serving as a backdrop for the action. While the movie spawned a huge franchise, the original remains one of the finest sci-fi films of all time. Many young people had a lifelong interest in space ignited by the first film, and it’s hard to overstate the film’s impact on pop culture.

Interstellar

Photo Credit: IMDb

Originally released in 2014, Interstellar focuses on a mission to find a new habitable planet after humanity has nearly bled Earth dry. The protagonist, Cooper, is selected to go along with the astronauts on their exploration mission. The mission takes them through a wormhole to try to find a new home for humanity. The film received glowing reviews upon release and is widely considered to be an excellent companion to other deep-space meditations like 2001: A Space Odyssey. It also features some very interesting narrative wrinkles involving the wormhole that take the viewer by surprise that we won’t spoil here.

Event Horizon

Photo Credit: Pinterest

An intense, bloody horror film, Event Horizon is also an excellent sci-fi film. The film’s narrative follows the crew of the Lewis and Clark as they explore the inside of a ship called the Event Horizon. The crew quickly realizes something is horribly wrong, as the previous crew of the Horizon has been horribly massacred. The resulting carnage is intense and stands as some of the scariest deep-space scenes in sci-fi. The moral of the story? Never use a black hole as the engine to you ship.

Sunshine

Photo Credit: IMDb

A thoughtful, quiet and occasionally quite frightening film, Sunshine takes the action to the center of our solar system. The sun is slowly but surely dying on us, and there’s little chance that it will survive much longer. As such, a crew of astronauts is sent to the sun to help reignite it and keep it burning for everyone back home. On the way, they encounter no shortage of obstacles. Watching the crew grapple with them and turn over questions of morality, religion and ethics forms the heart of the film. In all, this is an excellent, thoughtful sci-fi thriller.

Alien

Photo Credit: Crossover Wiki

Perhaps the most well-known sci-fi horror film of all time, Alien works on many levels. All at once, it critiques capitalistic greed, human arrogance and overreliance on machines. While it does so, it also functions as a downright nail-biting horror movie. Deep space exploration has always been a harrowing business for humans, and that was before we even brought deadly xenomorphs onboard the ship!

Apollo 13

Photo Credit: Roger Ebert

Based on the actual events that led up to the doomed Apollo 13 mission, this film is intensely gripping. Since the events it depicts are real, many viewers have commented that they feel much more sympathy for astronauts and space explorers after watching the film. Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise and Ed Harris star, and each puts forth an excellent performance in this intense film. This film is an excellent pick for those looking for harrowing true stories of deep space exploration.

Star Trek

Photo Credit: StarTrek.com

Continuing the legacy of the finest sci-fi television show of all time, the 2009 film Star Trek brings pulse-pounding action into deep space. Following a slightly updated crew of a sleek Enterprise, Star Trek is replete with lens flairs and dramatic action. A testament to the directorial power of J.J. Abrams, this is one action movie that leverages its deep-space setting quite well. Witty, fast-paced and funny, you’ll love this film if you were a fan of the TV series.

The Greatest Film about Space Exploration: 2001: A Space Odyssey

Photo Credit: BBC.com

While some have described 2001 as a somewhat slow, plodding film, its slow pace lends it a timeless thoughtfulness. The film follows a journey deep into space to discover more about a monolith that seems to have somehow influenced human evolution. The protagonist, David Bowman, contends with rogue AI HAL 9000 in this iconic film. The thoughtful and existential meditation on god, evolution and humanity is all at once exhilarating and though-provoking. Truly, there is no finer film regarding deep-space exploration.

July 25, 2018
Ten Sci-Fi Innovations that Became Real

The world of science fiction is dominated by high-tech advancements that make life easier (or more dangerous) for the characters. For more than a century, real-world scientists have been inspired by sci-fi innovations to create new technology. From Star Trek to Star Wars, today we’re talking about life imitating art!

Virtual Reality

Photo Credit: Trustnodes

Many people enjoy VR headsets every day to explore virtual worlds. The future dreamt of in tales such as Tron and Blade Runner look a bit more believable when viewed through this lens. While we might not have fully-immersive, full-body recreations of reality, we do have a close visual and auditory approximation. For whatever reason, we are fascinated with being someone else, and VR is our window to that fantasy. While VR has had a rough history (Virtual Boy, anyone?) it’s stronger than ever and commands a good bit of public attention. Oculus Rift and Microsoft’s own VR are two big names to watch in the VR field.

Wireless Earbuds

Photo Credit: Apple

In Ray Bradbury’s classic novel, Fahrenheit 451, a number of citizens are described as having “seashells” attached to their ears. The seashells play calming ocean sounds, music and talk shows. In the context of Bradbury’s novel, they are indicative of a dystopia of disinterested, unintelligent and cruel people. In our own world, the existence of truly wireless in-ear headphones wouldn’t be a reality until the last decade or so. Apple’s AirPod technology is a notable example. Bradbury would be pleased to see that we’re not burning books to withhold their contents, in spite of our technological advancements.

Robotic Prosthetics

Photo Credit: CNN.com

In Star Wars, the iconic scene of Luke getting his new, prosthetic hand calibrated has two large impacts on the audience. First, it reminds us that Luke could become just like his cyborg father, Darth Vader. Second, it reminds us how freaking awesome robot hands are. Just like Luke, there are people in the real world who have benefitted from recent advancements in prosthetic technology. The technology uses receivers that can receive electric signals from the brain and translate them into fine motor control. This tech may have been inspired by fiction, but it’s helping to improve real lives!

Video Calling

Photo Credit: iOS Gadget Hacks

In our world, video calls are commonplace and happen every day. However, in the 1920’s, when silent film The Metropolis was released, they were an impossible fantasy. Since that film’s antagonist used video communication on the silver screen for the first time, numerous sci-fi tales have used the technology. Star Trek is notable for its many tense negotiations between ship captains via video transmissions. In our world, thankfully, we’re not dodging photon torpedoes shot by hostile aliens, we’re just calling grandma to make sure she’s doing okay.

Space Travel

Photo Credit: YouTube

Nearly every sci-fi tale ever told features space travel in some capacity. Indeed, our cultural subconscious holds that man’s future lies with the stars. While our lofty ambitions are still generations from being realized, they’re much closer than any other time in human history. The International Space Station is evidence of this, as are the many deep-space probes we send to the deepest reaches of our star system. While living on alien planets and traveling between stars remain firmly in the realm of fiction, exploring space is still a reality for our species.

Cell Phones

Photo Credit: The Atlantic

In the original Star Trek series, the main characters use a rather wild invention called a tricorder to communicate over vast distances. While we’re being a bit tongue-in-cheek, of course, the idea of a handheld communication device is nothing new in sci-fi. However, the unprecedented computing power of modern handsets certainly reminds one of the types of technology dreamed up by writers from the middle of the last century. Indeed, you carry more computing power with you than what went to the moon in the 60’s. That actually is wild!

Tractor Beams

Photo Credit: The Telegraph

British scientists actually invented this iconic piece of Star Trek tech! A sci-fi innovation long thought to be little more than science fantasy is now reality. While the real-world iteration of this tech is on a much smaller scale than the Star Trek version, it’s the same principal. By manipulating particles within the body, the scientists hope that the technology will revolutionize surgery. Thanks to the tractor beam technology, surgical some surgical procedures that were previously invasive may become much safer, non-invasive endeavors!

3D Printing

Photo Credit: Mythcreants

There’s no technology more optimistic and encouraging that Star Trek’s replicator. The technology behind it is likely also responsible for the teleportation technology employed in the show. However, replicator tech is much more feasible in our world, but under a different name: 3D printing. We don’t make much of it now, but 3D printing is a huge step towards sci-fi innovations becoming reality. Where the replicators were concerned primarily with food, our 3D printers are versatile and perform tons of tasks. And yes, 3D printing food is one of them!

Nuclear Weaponry

Photo Credit: Business Insider

Sci-fi innovations aren’t always optimistic, and nowhere is that more evident than in HG Wells prediction of the atom bomb. In his novel “The World Set Free,” Wells describes “atomic bombs” that “detonate indefinitely,” after reading theories put forth by scientist Ernest Rutherford. Wells’ versions of the bombs were hand-thrown and burned for as long as seventeen days, a far cry from the bombs of our own world. However, the idea of a “nuclear bomb” may have even gone on to influence the research and discovery of true atomic weapons, as life attempted to imitate art.

Coolest Sci-Fi Innovation Becoming Real: Cybernetic Soldier Suits

Photo Credit: Marvel

Tony Stark sports visually-arresting, butt-kicking super-armor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It originally debuted in 1968, but it looked a bit clunkier and less awesome back then. That said, the original Iron Man comics would go on to inspire countless robot-piloting works of fiction. Notably, in our world, tech like Stark’s is close to being reality: the Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit, or TALOS, is in development by the US Military. Yes, that name sounds like something Hydra would send after Tony in a comic book, but it’s a real piece of military technology. It incorporates technology that looks like Tony’s Bleeding Edge armor seen in Avengers: Infinity War, using liquid armor that solidifies at the operator’s command. Talk about sci-fi coming to life!

July 10, 2018