I'm dedicating my summer to enjoying some of my favorite sci-fi media, and that means digging through some releases that don't get enough love. I watched so many movies in my teens and early twenties, but I simply haven't had the time to go back and re-watch anything in recent years. Heck, I've barely watched the new stuff. That will not stand, so I'd like to introduce you to five underappreciated sci-fi films to watch (with me) this summer.
This genre is vast, so your favorite underdog probably didn't make the list. If you have a good 'un you'd like to recommend, toss it down in the comments below.
'Born in Flames' (1983)
Made in the early '80s, this dystopian film tackles how various separate but interconnected groups handle oppression. Not only is the subject matter of patriarchy and white supremacy still all too relevant, but the symbolism is somehow even more resonant today than it would have been then.
It reviewed well at the time, but this film doesn't get referenced nearly as much as the likes of "The Handmaid's Tale." I'd love to see that change in 2023.
'They Live' (1988)
John Carpenter simply doesn't get enough credit across the board. "Halloween," "Escape from New York" and "The Thing" are all bangers for sure, but I'd argue the this is his most interesting work.
Making such a staunchly anti-capitalist film after nearly two full terms of the Reagan presidency was kind of shocking, and that's partly why it works so well. Carpenter uses metaphor to great effect, but it almost completely rejects subtlety. The hero has to kick ass and chew bubblegum, and he won't apologize for it.
'The Phantom Menace' (1999)
Perhaps my most controversial take is that the first Star Wars prequel is better than almost everything Disney has done with the franchise. George Lucas obviously can't write believable dialogue to save his life, but he at least has new ideas to present here. Broadly, Disney just wants to play the hits.
What a lot of people react negatively to is how both a political drama and wacky cartoon for kids are duct-taped together into one film. That's a valid critique, but Lucas's unexpected choices open up so many possibilities that we're still working through in books, games and online discourse. The Disney era? It's all nostalgia with very few interesting questions outside of Rian Johnson's work.
Plus, the podracing is still extremely fun to watch, and I don't care who knows it.
'The Matrix Resurrections' (2021)
The fourth "Matrix" movie is divisive — even here at Digg. Jared Russo absolutely loathes it, but I'm much warmer on it. There's no doubt that the action is less compelling and readable on the screen this time, but I connected with Lana Wachowski's meditation on her previous success and how its been used by others as a rhetorical bludgeon.
Even in the face of a deteriorating sense of self and a collapsing world, there's still meaning to be found in community and loved ones. I needed that message in 2021.
'The 6th Day' (2000)
Arnold Schwarzenegger has been in so many movies that it's easy to miss something like "The 6th Day." It wasn't a huge hit, it got lukewarm reviews and kind of gets lost when thinking about his lengthy career. But if you haven't seen it yet, this is an excellent popcorn flick that will leave you pondering the implications.
The acting and script might not be the best, but the exploration of consciousness and personhood is significantly more sophisticated than you'd expect from an action movie.
Prefer to enjoy your sci-fi in book form? We have five underrated sci-fi novels to recommend.
[Image: "They Live," HD Retro Trailers]
