This review will not be popular. I really enjoyed Jupiter Ascending. I had a similar reaction to another movie I also enjoyed immensely, John Carter.
All in Science Fiction
GARGANTIA ON THE VERDUROUS PLANET
Plot twists develop that are unexpected and handled in surprisingly dramatic and original ways. I found the series getting more interesting as it progressed as it addressed issues of militarism, greed, social structure, duty, honor, generational transition, artificial intelligence, and reliance on technology.
Alex Garland's EX MACHINA
Ex Machina has developed a reputation for being one of the more cerebral science-fiction movies to come along in many years. While I agree that it’s a pleasure to see a non-crash-bang/non-superhero film masquerading as SF, I was bit let down by the AI aspects of the film.
Eric Hayden's ASTRONAUT: THE LAST PUSH
After seeing this, I would definitely see someone like writer director Eric Hayden doing a really good job directing the film version of Andy Weir’s The Martian instead of a more mainstream Hollywood type director.
Luc Besson's LUCY
Still, the movie is worth a watch especially for the first half or so. But eventually the silliness overwhelms the acting, editing, and wonderful production values. Lucy at the end reaches for spectacular profundity but lands with the thud. We’ve seen it all before.
Jonathan Glazer’s UNDER THE SKIN
It’s like no place on earth I’ve ever seen.
Spike Jonze’s HER
It’s an oddly sterile middle class urban future that’s presented here and one where all annoying visual corners seem to have been knocked or sanded off.
Gabe Ibáñez' “AUTOMATA”
This is a highly original spin on both the dystopian and the robots-becoming-human themes.
Christopher Nolan's INTERSTELLAR
The only other movie within recent memory that packed a similar emotional wallop for me was TREE OF LIFE
Gareth Edwards' “GODZILLA”
Godzilla is much more “serious” and “realistic.” Death and destruction are much more immediate and visceral and less “cartoony.” You really sense that you are witnessing to something awful happening that humans just can’t deal with.
Tom Tykwer, Andy Wachowski, & Lana Wachowski's CLOUD ATLAS
What a gorgeous movie to look at this is! Plus, the intertwining stories and jumps in time provide amazing and often confusing food for thought.
Ari Folman's THE CONGRESS
Ari Folman’s THE CONGRESS is a feast for the eye and the imagination. On it I hereby bestow my coveted ONE OF A KIND tag though I must admit that some of the other films in that category seem now to pale in comparison with Folman’s masterpiece.
Shinji Aramaki's SPACE PIRATE CAPTAIN HARLOCK
There’s so much eye candy displayed you almost forget about the labored exposition and hackneyed plot.
José Padilha's ROBOCOP
This new version, thankfully, is not quite so brutal and the plentiful action sequences don’t glory in gore and bloodsplatter the way, say, an EXPENDABLES film does.
Matt Reeves' DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THEAPES effectively portrays a clash of civilizations and uses drama and technology to make this clash real.
Bong Joon Ho's "SNOWPIERCER"
As a high concept sci-fi epic SNOWPIERCER takes the cake.
Doug Liman's EDGE OF TOMORROW
I was unprepared for how really good this movie is.
Gavin Hood's ENDER'S GAME
The first half of ENDER’S GAME plays like every “raw recruit boot camp” movie you’ve ever seen, punctuated by sequences about paintball in zero gravity.
David Twohy's RIDDICK
If you want to see a tough guy with glowing eyes kick ass from dawn to dusk, this is the movie to see.
Alexa Gajic's “TECHNOTISE: EDIT & I”
Edit herself is an interesting mix of naïveté, intelligence, raw energy, and stubbornness. Why she hangs out with the losers she does is never fully explained but, taken together, they make up a very entertaining ride that has some of the most interesting technology animation this side of WALL•E.