Sci-Fi Bloggers

Advance Wars, A Legend in Turn Based Strategy

Vulcon — Wed, 16 May 2012 02:27:45 +0000

Advance Wars was originally released in America in 2001. It presented a very new system of turn based strategy. Since then, three franchise sequels have been released, all of them following the same basic formula, though adding on to the original. (Note: The newest game (Advance Wars Days of Ruin) is quite a bit different from the previous installments)

Unlike many other games, the player is able to produce units, leading to longer and ultimately more fulfilling battles. With the ability to bring reinforcements to the table using funds received at the end of every turn, many strategies are opened up that simply aren’t feasible in a game such as Military Madness where you’re stuck with what you have and once something is lost it’s gone forever.

In Advance Wars, infantry is used to capture buildings. They can capture cities (provide income and repair and resupply ground units), bases (provide income, produce, and repair and resupply ground units), airports (provide income, produce, and repair and resupply air units), ports (provide income, produce, and repair and resupply naval units), several other buildings and the all important HQ that, if captured, will cause the corresponding player to lose and turn over all buildings to the capturing player.

In order to prevent this, players have access to many different units, ranging from recon, tanks, fighters, bombers, and cruisers to battleships, artillery, helicopters, armored personnel carriers, anti-air, and submarines. Each unit costs a certain amount of money, for example, infantry are cheap and weak, costing 1,ooo and Battleships have massive long range cannons that can do a tremendous amount of damage for 28,000.

Everyone has a different play style, and Advance Wars caters to that. Every player chooses a CO at the beginning of the game (in Advance Wars Dual Strike the player may choose two). Each CO (Commanding Officer) has certain effects on their troops, for example Max’s direct attack troops such as tanks and anti-air have high attack power, but his ranged units have lower firepower and one less range than normal. All of Kanbei’s units are more expensive than other COs, but they boast more firepower. Along with these multipliers, COs all have a power and super power that are built up as units take and deal damage. When released, these can cause massive amounts of damage to the enemy, for instance Hawke (my favorite CO)’s super power takes longer to charge than other COs, but causes 2 damage (units have 10 health) to enemy units and heals your own units by 2. It’s important to choose a CO that fits your play style.

Advance Wars has tons of replay value. I would recommend Advance Wars Dual Strike for the Nintendo DS.

There is an incredible amount of content in this game. It has a good campaign, a decent map editor (the one in Days of Ruin is much better), survival modes, a weird mini game, tons of versus maps, a war room that has challenging maps along with multiple difficulties, the ability to battle on two different fronts using the DS’s two screens, and more. A lot of work went into it and it I logged over 250 hours on it. I consider it one of the best strategy games of all time.

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Ian McKellen: The Man, The Mutant, The Magician

sarahjane — Tue, 15 May 2012 01:34:14 +0000

Ian McKellen is packing a resume that makes him one of the most badass men in Hollywood, I mean who else can say they were both Gandalf and Magneto? No one, that’s who. He’s the old man who I want to point to while telling others, “Hey, that’s my grandpa over there, wielding the staff and fighting orcs”. Unfortunately for me, Ian McKellen is not my grandfather, and I will never get to say that. However, I will get to say, “Hey that’s my grandpa over there, watching the Yankees game while baking banana bread”. So my grandpa isn’t quite as cool as Ian McKellen, but until then, I can reflect upon some of the movie moments that made Ian one of the most badass old men in the movies.

“You Shall Not Pass!”

I think we all remember this moment in The Fellowship of the Ring, don’t we? I mean who could forget it? Gandalf versus the Balrog, one of my favorite moments in the entire series. The tension is palpabable as the Balrog flicks his fire whip while Gandalf stands his ground, looking a little worse for the wear, but full of power. Then with all the strength his has he shatters the stone bridge and the Balrog collapses into the fire, but not before wrapping his whip around Gandalf’s ankle and brining him down with him. and we all thought that was the end. However, we later found out Gandalf fell through fire and water, and fought the Balrog to the death. Two things incredible about this scene: first of all, he is literally fighting the Balrog while falling thousands of feet, and it’s incredible. Second of all, he comes back from the dead, what is more badass than being resurrected? I dare you to find something.

“You “homo sapiens” and your guns!”

Noone makes me feel quite as inferior as Magneto in his altercation with Charles and the police. Magneto made me realize how weak the human race really is. Our guns mean nothing in the face of threats such as a mutant with control of Earth’s electromagnetic field. It’s so easy for others to use our own weapons against us, and Magneto makes it very clear that others aren’t afraid to destroy us with our own creations.

Unfortunately, Ian did not make an appearance in the latest X-Men movie, X-Men: First Class, but thankfully he will be back at the end of the year in the long awaited film The Hobbit. I have no doubt that Ian will once again make me go, “Man, I wish my grandpa was Gandalf the Grey”, and until that day, I’m just going to imagine that Ian is my grandpa. So what are your favorite Ian McKellen movie moments?

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Game of Thrones: Episode 5 Overview

sarahjane — Mon, 14 May 2012 05:49:36 +0000

“You can’t avenge him if you are dead”

Well, that’s one potential king down in Episode 5. It seems Renly didn’t last too long in the race for the Iron Throne, in the end he was murdered by the ‘ghost baby’ of Stannis and Meslissandre. Stabbed in the back no doubt, a sign of true cowardice. But what do you expect from a creature that came from Stannis, a man who hides behind the power of a woman to secure him the throne. He best keep his eye on Meslissandre though, because there isn’t much stopping her from taking the Iron Throne for herself if Stannis wins the war against the Lannisters.

“He’s very busy, being repeatedly humiliated by Robb Stark is time consuming”

Poor Tyrion, stuck in Kings Landing trying to control his sister and nephew, a task that would be nearly impossible for anyone short of Tyrion’s cunning mind. It is this mind that allows him to make his cousin cower in fear and feed him all the information that his sister is hiding from him, and hiding something she is: 7,811 bottles of wildfire, to be exact. Tyrions got a lot on his hands, and I wonder what he plans to do with all that wildfire now that it’s under his control.

“No my lord, anyone can be killed”

Tyrion isn’t the only Lannister who is feeling the stress of battle, Papa Lannister seems to be realizing that he can’t take Robb Stark for granted anymore. He is a true threat now, “you’ve been waiting for him to fail, he is not going to fail, not without our help”. However, he better watch whom he reveals his plans in front of, because Arya has just come into some power of her own. She’s still got two death wishes that need to be granted, and I bet that Tywin is on her list of least likely to survive.

“For dragons are fire made flesh, and fire is power”

Is Daenerys finding her niche in Qarth, or is she just being hypnotized by the gold, magic, and power that the Thirteen keep enticing her with? Whatever the case, it looks like the Dothraki are gaining their strength back, and Daenerys is in a hurry to go claim the Iron Throne as hers, no matter what the cost. However, her advisor Jorah is not so quick to believe that giving her hand in marriage to one of the Thirteen is the best thing to do, and convinces her that he can get her a ship that will sail to Westeros. Ser Jorah better be prepared for all the troubles that lie ahead, Daenerys is the Mother of Dragons, and once the word gets out, she will become target number one.

Relationships are changing, and alliances are being formed in “The Ghost of Harrenhal”, and soon everyone will have chosen a side. What were your favorite moments from episode 5?

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Live-action “Halo 4″ Coming This Fall

Tricia — Sat, 12 May 2012 23:16:39 +0000

Fans of the extremely popular Halo series of videos games will be delighted to discover that a live-action version will be premiering in the fall of this year. Before you get your hopes up, this is not the long anticipated feature film version of the Xbox games, but, instead a multi-part web-series to be released through gamer video giant Machinima (home of the very well received Dragonage: Redemption tie-in), and through the online community Halo Waypoint.

The series is being made possible due to a hefty endowment from Microsoft, which “represents the largest investment Microsoft has made in a live-action show to date,” according to this article in Variety. The software giant previously attempted to develop the feature version of Halo in 2005, but was unsuccessful.

According to reports, the series, which will be titled Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn, will center around a cadet at UNSC, who is inspired by Halo‘s main character, Master Chief, and later becomes a leader on the UNSC Infinity ship. It will be released in 15-minute weekly installments, ahead of the November 6th release date of the Halo 4 game, and will offer background into the plotline of that game.

More information will, of course, be available this summer at San Diego Comic Con, and we will be certain to keep you updated as things progress.

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Surface Detail: Barely Scratching the Surface of Hell

jw0023 — Sat, 12 May 2012 00:36:20 +0000

Set in the far distant future, Surface Detail features vast, elaborate hells in the virtual environment (also referred to as a “Virtuality”) controlled by advanced civilizations. Do hells even have the right to exist? Civs were split on the issue: “some faiths insisted on them,” writes Iain M. Banks, the author; others “objected profoundly to the idea of torture.” Civs join the pro-hell side or the anti-hell side to settle the issue with war. If the anti-hell side wins, then they can shut down hells, but if the pro-hell side wins, they can continue to run hells. It was called the “War in Heaven.” Ultimately, this war threatens to create an “outbreak from the confliction into the the Real,” which, as the phrase “the Real” suggests, is the universe outside of Virtuality. In a universe where beings with a neural lace can have their mind state transfered into heaven or hell through some type of “entanglement event,” Banks, an atheist, makes some of the religious concepts of today a reality with nifty technology. With that being said, Banks engages the hell debate. Is this story relevant to the hell debate today? Yes. Does it elaborate on the debate by providing a detailed analysis of whether or not hells have a right to exist? Well . . . no.

Before diving in, it would be beneficial to know roughly what percentage of the population believes in hell, because it shows the novel’s focus on hell’s acceptance or rejection reflects similar divisions in society today. I conclude the belief in hell is alive and well. Out of the 2,303 American adults surveyed in The Harris Poll of 2009, sixty one percent of them believe in hell. The percentage of believers increased by two percent since 2005. The 2004 Gallup Poll, based on 519 telephone interviews with American adults, showed a similar trend with an increase in belief, ranging from fifty six percent in 1997 to seventy percent in 2004. The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life surveyed over thirty five thousand people, and from this group, fifty nine percent (or six-in-ten) Americans believe in hell. This data reveals over half of Americans believe in hell! What kind of hell exists in the minds of these believers? While they may differ considerably, my experience living in the Bible Belt tells me the medieval hell remains popular.

Banks paints this medieval hell for us. Filled with frequent acid rains and no sunlight to dapple the landscape, these virtual hells are far from the beaches of Rio de Janeiro. Chay, one of the many main characters in Surface Detail, is raped repeatedly by demons. After she’s killed, she’s resurrected in hell again–just like every other conscious being in hell. These residents in hell tremble over the mere thought of demons eating their flesh. Even if they have experienced it before. Many would long for annihilation, but annihilation was not a gift for them to receive until Chay became the angel of death in the latter part of the novel. Chay contemplates the flow of time as she annihilates hell’s residents. Chay “knew something of the technology and the ratios involved; a year in the Real could be compressed into a minute in a virtual environment.” A person can escape hell in the Culture universe, because in the last chapter, the reader discovers Chay is saved from hell. Here’s a quick overview of hell in Surface Detail:

(1) It’s an eternal hell filled with torment

(2) Annihilation–the cessation of a human soul’s existence–is impossible (unless there is a special circumstance granted to an individual)

(3) It is possible to escape hell

Conservative Christians agree with an eternal hell and no annihilation. As one of the leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention, Dr. Albert Mohler will serve as a perfect example. He asserts a shift in culture has distorted the truth of Christianity, and while there are many examples, I will provide one example from his writings that attempt to show a shift in how the new cultural lens changes our view of justice, and it relates to point one above. Read the following words from Dr. Mohler:

“Some theologians question the moral integrity of eternal punishment by arguing that eternal torment is no fitting punishment for temporal sins. The traditional doctrine of hell argues that an infinite penalty is just punishment for sin against the infinite holiness of God. This explains why all sinners are equally deserving of hell apart from salvation through faith in Christ.”

Theologians and philosophers may call this the proportionality problem. How can a human’s finite wrongdoing deserve inifinite punishment? Banks could have engaged his readers with both sides of the issue. Pro-hell advocates, modeled after a conservative Christian thinker like Dr. Albert Mohler, could argue “that an infinite penalty is just punishment for sin against the infinite holiness of God.” This, of course, presupposes the pro-hell advocates believe in God. Some of Banks’ pro-hell advocates in the novel may not even believe in God, by the way. Anti-hell advocates, like myself, could then toy around with their arguments. Take professor Stephen Kershnar as an example. Since humans are unable to produce infinite wrondgoing, humans do not deserve infinite punishment. A pro-hell advocate may respond by saying humans send themselves to an eternal hell, not God. However, God set up the system in which humans can send themselves to hell, so God remains blameworthy. Annihilationists may want to chime in now, and they may solve the problem by stating the soul is snuffed out of existence in hell. Somebody could argue “psychological flaws” diminish responsibility for evil actions; it’s immoral to send a person with psychological flaws to hell. This would also diminish free will in the process. There are so many ways you could go with this to create a lively debate between characters.

For me, Surface Detail lacks a serious discussion over the problems like the one above; instead, one pro-hell character argues hell is needed to “keep us from behaving like mere beasts in existence,” so hells are only there “as a threat, to keep people in line while they’re still alive.” Even though the “Representitive” here in chapter thirteen acknowledges other aliens may disagree with him, I’m left wondering if a smart, sophisticated level eight alien will drop some profoundly mind-blowing critiques of common arguments launched by religious fundamentalists at everybody outside their in-group. Banks agrees that, in his book, he is pitting the Culture against religious fundamentalism, after all. That’s why I’m looking for more creative arguments for or against the existence of hells. Surface Detail contains creative ideas with virtual hells and heavens and solid actions scenes, but I think it lacks philosophical depth to engage conservative religious mindsets, the type of people he says he is pitting the Culture against, or those picking up the book because the religious ideas caught their eyes. I do agree that hell can be used to control people, but it strikes me as cliché. If you’re searching for deep philosophical debates about heaven and hell among advanced civilizations, skip this novel; however, if you’re just looking to read this because you’re intriqued about these virtual realities in the far future, definitely check it out.

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Chronicle Review

rpalland — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:25:02 +0000

Where does one begin to formulate the sentences to describe the brilliance behind this film? Yes, many “found footage” films have reached audiences over the years and most, if not all, were poor attempts at emulating The Blair Witch Project, the grandfather of found footage cinema. Chronicle is able to achieve a higher level of audience participation and extends the genre without having to fall back on outdated camera tricks. Chronicle brings something entirely new to the table and channels this with ingenious directing techniques.

A lost boy, his free thinking nephew and the popular kid in school are woven into the plot like a perfectly stitched Armani suit. They struggle against a society of misfits, using escapist techniques to deflect their situation. The film is introduced to the viewer very flauntingly, with high school teenager Andrew Detmer (Dane Dehaan) videotaping his life. Adrew’s character, the anchor of the plot, is an unpopular and bullied teenager, being the protagonist in a seemingly antagonistic world. The three teenagers discover a hole in the ground, after a rave. They find the existence of an extra terrestrial “bulb” and it seems to distort the camera and affect the teenagers on a spiritual and physical level. They are reborn after their encounter, both with telekinetic powers and a new found courage to face their antagonistic world.

The plot is playfully interspersed with the almost child-like discovery of the character’s powers, with Andrew’s cousin Matt (Alex Russel), finding a self-fulfilled prophecy within his powers. Slowly they become more powerful and are able to adjust their powers accordingly. Steve (Micheal B. Jordan) discovers that his power enables him to fly and the characters take on a whole new appearance in their quest for fulfillment.

The film’s progression clearly defines the social commentary of good vs. evil and how power is able to corrupt even the best of people. Andrew becomes increasingly agitated as he attempts to do good with his power, yet always fails miserably. Andrew’s cousin, Matt, finds comfort in his awkwardness as he approaches a potential romantic interest with Casey (Ashley Hinshaw), the popular camera blogger.

The brilliance of Chronicle lies not within the tricky camera techniques or the consummate special effects, but within the heart of this story, filled to the brim with philosophical and religious allusions and allegories. There is a specific scene where all three characters discuss traveling with their flying powers to different areas of the world. Andrew interjects and explains how he would like to visit Tibet and the Buddhist monasteries, because “they would understand [us]“. This is how this film operates, interspersed with references to enlightenment, Darwinian survival and allegorical quips, such as Plato’s cave allegory when the teenagers discover the extra terrestrial entity.

The excellent acting of the entire cast accentuates the experience of Chronicle. The moments are believable and the hope for salvation for these characters becomes a violent cat and mouse game with the viewer. Alex Russel clearly stands out within this small group of actors and delivers blow after blow of morality and quintessence of his character, without the cheesy droppings of a preaching.

The film explodes into a climactic finale, with the corruption of power and the questioning of true morality. The finale defines the theme of Darwinian survival and Apex predator theories and begs the questions, is morality and the saving of life more important than becoming the most powerful predator to rule the world? Were these powers given to do good or to rule your own life? Most importantly, where does the line get blurred which defines a great deed and a quest for power?

All in all, Chronicle delivers in so many ways and is quite easily one of the best found footage films ever made, excluding the magnificent hype factor of Blair Witch. It does not merely tell a story with scary spooks, but contains many emotional elements of survival and friendship. It retells the story of good vs. evil in a semi-biblical manner, blurring the lines at times. It is excruciatingly beautiful and awe-inspiring, especially the flying scenes. I am in awe of this film and what it was able to achieve. It is a ground breaking masterpiece and an absolute must watch!

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Marvel’s ‘The Avengers’ Lives Up to the Hype

Tricia — Thu, 10 May 2012 02:56:19 +0000

There are many things about myself I keep hidden from the outside world. My love of comic books, and their associated films and tv shows, is not one of those things. So, like any self respecting comic book nerd who can get by on weird sleep, I got to the theater at 10:30pm on May 3^rd, tickets in one hand, overpriced soda (worth it for the collectable cup) in the other, and settled in among the costume clad masses to watch Marvel’s long anticipated The Avengers. From the reviews I’d been reading, the comments on social media ahead of the world premiere, and the 95% the film is pulling on Rotten Tomatoes, I was expecting no less than a no-holds-barred, star-studded, superhero action flick of epic, face melting proportions. What I got, was surprisingly satisfying.

An example of said costumed masses.

So, after two and a half hours of sitting in a room full of fanboys and girls gasping, laughing, cheering, and generally enjoying the hell out of the movie they’d been waiting so long to see, we have come to the difficult part of the evening (morning? It’s 4am … whatever): trying to write an objective review as a fan of comic books, genre films, and, your god and mine, Joss Whedon. Here goes nothing …

I try to go into every Hollywood film not expecting too much, since that is usually what I get. I also make an effort to judge a movie for what it is, instead of attempting to compare it to others with much different goals. There is no sense comparing an action film to a straight drama. They simply don’t have the same goals. Now that I’ve qualified my approach to film reviews, I’ll be straight with you: The Avengers is probably the most successfully executed comic book movie since, well, ever. It may not be as gritty as Watchmen, or Christopher Nolan’s recent Batman reboot, and it may not stick to its source material as strictly as many fans may desire, but what it does is create a fast-paced, extremely enjoyable superhero action film, while not sacrificing plot or character development in favor of flashy effects, and mind-blowing explosions.

Well, except, maybe, for these.

Possibly the most impressive feature of Joss Whedon’s screenplay is that he manages to balance no less than six superheroes, plus Nick Fury, Loki, and a smattering of featured background players, without making it feel bogged down by dialogue and exposition, and without using a single montage I might add. Characteristics of each main hero develop and change entirely as a means of pushing the story along. Dialogue is quick, witty, entertaining, and often intercut as voiceover so as to constantly give you information and insight into the story. Each and every character has quirks, issues, and baggage, and each develops in a manner that is both organic and relatable. In fact, even the extended battle scene allowed for character development, while playing to the high octane action for which the genre is famous. Whedon’s natural ability to give you just enough time to breathe during these intense periods is something that I’ve always admired.

That's a lot of heroes.

One key thing that struck me, personally, is that it doesn’t try to be much more than an introduction to the greater world of S.H.E.I.L.D. and the Avengers. It introduces you to the issues between the heroes, the positions they play within the team, and their inherent strengths and weaknesses, but does so by pitting them against an enemy that, as fans of the comic are well aware, is not their ultimate foe. Often, comic book franchises will use the most recognizable villains first in order to drum up interest, which forces future installments to use lesser villains, and suffer for it. By using Loki, instead of another, more formidable opponent, the film not only gives Thor a reason to return, and thus, join the Avengers Initiative, but it builds up anticipation for a greater, and more intense altercation in the inevitable sequel (which will, hopefully, be helmed by Whedon).

At the end of the night, Marvel’s The Avengers was well worth the wait, and is more than worth the price of admission. While it doesn’t push the boundaries of filmmaking, and probably won’t be winning any Oscars, it does give fans a satisfying look at what a comic book film should be, and, hopefully, what we can expect in the future.

Oh, and a little bit of advice: hang around until the credits are done rolling. You’ll want to see what “treats” they’ve left for us this time around.

Overall Rating: 9/10

As a Comic Book Movie: 10/10

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“A Satan Carol” — What Does the Devil Really Want?

buckeye — Tue, 08 May 2012 20:38:30 +0000

A Satan Carol, debut novel, published December 30, 2011 as an ebook by Wild Child Publishing.

“…frightening…” Kirkus

What does the devil really want?

Nostalgic for the Inquisition and plague, Satan feels neglected by the modern world that no longer blames him for disease and death. He plans to create a new genesis, a place where people will love him. For that, his son needs just the right soul.

And there is one — unique, powerful, able to heal. To get it, Satan has a plan that begins in Ireland in the famine year, 1848, and 180 years later traps a young girl and her family in demonic forces pushing them to kill.

A Satan Carol is a horror story with a message for those who want to understand God’s apparent absence as the intersection of freewill and choice. It is a story with religious themes written for a secular reader. It is, in the end, a tale about family values — even if they originate in hell.

ISBN: 978-1-61798-013-8
Length: 290 pages
Author Contact: askessler.com email: alan@askessler.com
QED Award Winner, 2011, Digital Book World
Available at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble; and the publisher, Wild Child Publishing.

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The Best Science Fiction Films of the Decade

moviereviewfan — Mon, 07 May 2012 23:43:17 +0000

Notice how John Travolta didn’t really have too good of a decade in the aughts? It’s no accident. The actor, whose career would have been dead anyway if it weren’t for Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction,” decided to make a movie based on a novel by the founder of his religion, Scientology. As a result, L. Ron Hubbard’s book “Battlefield Earth” was made into a feature film starring Travolta. And as a result, Travolta’s career was quickly shot down, and so was the financial stability of the studio that bankrolled it. It is now considered to be one of the legendary flops of Hollywood history, and not only the worst science fiction film of the decade, but possibly the worst film of the decade period. Thankfully, there were some dazzling sci-fi works made by extraordinary filmmakers that did NOT star John Travolta over the past decade that erased that repugnant “Battlefield” stench.

Minority Report

In terms of quality of output, Steven Spielberg had his roughest decade. Not that his films were consistently terrible by any means, but he didn’t really add to his already long list of classics. That is with one exception. 2002’s “Minority Report” is Spielberg at his entertain the masses of the multiplex finest. The film, based on a Philip K. Dick novel, centers around Tom Cruise’s character John Anderton, a law enforcement officer on the run from his own team for a murder he has yet to commit. His unit uses so-called “precogs” that predict the future so that these cops can prevent murders before they happen. Spielberg’s film is rich with spectacularly choreographed action sequences, phenomenal set design and special effects and nuanced performances from all involved. “Minority Report” is a thrilling political allegory about the sacrifice of civil rights, but only in a way Spielberg can do it.

Wall-E

Pixar was not short on masterpieces this past decade. It’s quite to argue that they were the most consistently excellent studio of the aughts. 2008’s “Wall-E” is a prime example of that. This incredibly moving film about a robot who finds love after being alone on earth for some 700 years, goes without dialogue (outside of a few beeps and blips that is) for a large chunk of the film, but manages to speak volumes about love, the will to exist and even the importance of preserving the environment. Not that Pixar films are ever subpar on the animation level, but the studio possibly outdoes itself with this extraordinary tale. And because it’s Pixar, this one will move audience members across the age spectrum.

Avatar

After the robust success of “Titanic,” James Cameron managed to disappear from the film world for twelve years. In 2009, he released “Avatar” and managed to top the seemingly unbeatable all-time box office record he had set twelve years prior. Why did audiences come out to see “Avatar” in droves? Because it is a spectacle of a film unlike any other the multiplex has ever come to know. It took Cameron years to turn his fable about a brewing war between an invading human force and the natives of the fictional planet Pandora. His hard work and dedication shows. The film, which uses 3-D technology better than any other film yet, envelops the viewer to the point where one feels like a native of Pandora. Sure, Cameron indulges in his tendencies to write corny dialogue and some one-dimensional background players, but this film is the epitome of epic. Isn’t that enough?

Children Of Men

In 2006, Alfonso Cuaron stunned filmgoers with the crowning achievement of his illustrious career, “Children of Men.” The film, which portrays a future dystopia where women have been made infertile for the past eighteen years for whatever reason, is already legendary for its innovative cinematography, using extraordinarily complex tracking shots for the action sequences. This provides the feel of a documentary, making Cuaron’s world very, and tragically real. But along with the amazing aesthetics of it all, there is a touching story of a reluctant hero, played by Clive Owen, who manages to become responsible for the future existence of the human race. Very few films of the past decade of any genre make me well up, even with repeated viewings. This is one of them. It’s an absolute sci-fi essential.

Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind

But the best science-fiction film of the aughts may just be the best romantic comedy of the aughts as well. 2004’s “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” is an innovative, madcap original that works the brain into a pretzel and the heart into a pounding force. Genius writer Charlie Kaufman and the daring music video stylist Michel Gondry paired up to tell this story about a jilted lover, played by Jim Carrey (at his best here), who subjects himself to a procedure to erase the memories of the eccentric girlfriend that dumped him, played by Kate Winslet (also at her best here). No film from this past decade left this viewer so enthralled, so in love and so pained with laughter like this one. Watching Carrey’s character relive his memories of a defunct relationship and come to realize that even our negative experiences are sometimes worth it is a rejuvenating experience. Gondry has not released a film nearly this sensational since. Then again, just about no one else has.

So there you have it. These are the five best science fiction films of the aughts, according to me anyway. There are differing opinions I’m sure, but no list like this is meant to be looked upon as stone cold fact. I view it as just a little reminder that after all of these centuries, the human race can still find ways to be artistically inspired.

Author Bio: Zack Mandell is a movie enthusiast and the owner of MovieRoomReviews.com which provides news and photos on movies such as Avatar. He writes extensively about the movie industry for sites such as Gossip Center, Yahoo, NowPublic, and Helium.

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Sci-Fi Bloggers

Top 5 Video Game Weapons that Left Me Glued to My Console

Advance Wars, A Legend in Turn Based Strategy

Ian McKellen: The Man, The Mutant, The Magician

Game of Thrones: Episode 5 Overview

Live-action “Halo 4″ Coming This Fall

Surface Detail: Barely Scratching the Surface of Hell

Chronicle Review

Marvel’s ‘The Avengers’ Lives Up to the Hype

“A Satan Carol” — What Does the Devil Really Want?

The Best Science Fiction Films of the Decade