Science fiction has long since been one of the most often revisited genres of film. While one would likely think of a utopian or dystopian future when imagining sci-fi movies, sometimes these films don’t place their focus on the future. Sometimes science-fiction movies are set in the distant past.
Figures from the past can often reveal eye-opening things about the future. When science-fiction moviesare at their best,the contrast between what actually exists and what could possibly exist can make for great filmmaking. This idea becomes even more potent when using it to look at mankind’s past in a different light.
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Back to the Future Part III (1990)
No matter how this may look, it’s not a cheat. Disregarding the stuff set in 1985,Back to the Future Part IIIis firmly set in 1885. This second sequel to one of the greatest science-fiction stories ever told follows Doc Brown and Marty McFly as they try and find a way to get their fresh-out-of-gas Delorean out of the old west and back into present day 1985. While considered a disappointment at the time,Part IIIhas sinceonly risen in statureand is considered by some as their favorite of the series.
With a cast including the returning Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, and Thomas F. Wilson, plus Mary Steenburgen, the acting here is as good as ever. The wild west setting sets the stage for several memorable action scenes, and the love story between Lloyd and Steenburgen’s characters provides the final character arc for Doc Brown in a heartfelt and touching way.
While heavily telegraphed inBack to the Future Part II, it’s surprising how well the cast and tone fit into the landscape of 1885.Back to the Future Part IIIis an oft-forgotten sci-fi action-comedy that has more than its fair share of laughs, thrills, and even emotional gut punches. Seeing asBTTFhas found itselfback in the cultural zeitgeistas of late, there’s a chance that audiences will see more of the future, present, and past soon enough.
The Prestige (2006)
One of Christopher Nolan’s most puzzled over thrillers,The Prestige, is a wonderful example of how to successfully weave futuristic ideas into past narratives. The 2006 film concerns a war between two magicians, Hugh Jackman’s ‘Robert Angier’ and Christian Bale’s ‘Alfred Bordon’. After the death of one of the magician’s partner/lover in a trick-related accident, the two magic makers will stop at nothing to prove that one is better than the other. With an absolutely stacked cast including Michael Caine, Rebecca Hall, Scarlett Johansson, and even David Bowie,The Prestigeis a banger of a movie.The Prestigeis always worth a watch especially when biding the time untilNolan’s next major release.
An infamously twisty picture,The Prestigestarts with some fantastic Caine narration that provides ample foreshadowing for the coming events and never lets up. As the two stars attempt to one-up eachother in increasingly dangerous and entertaining ways, the fabric of the film’s reality begins to come into question. Bale and Jackman are in peak form here.
It can be extremely difficult to choose a side between the two as both magicians each go to despicable lengths to prove their worthiness. With one of thegreatest twist endings of all time,The Prestigemelds its sci-fi trappings with its period setting to create something magical and unsettling at the same time.
Cowboys and Aliens (2011)
Cinema loves the wild west. While there was a time when the movie western was thought dead, the 2000’s brought the genre back with a vengeance. Right now at any Red Box across the country, there are countless direct-to-dvd western films that probably feature either Trace Adkins, Danny Trejo, or both.
Sometimes, however, Hollywood makes a genre-twisting film that sounds like something that would usually skip theaters and equip it with a big budget to boot. Jon Favreau’s 2011 filmCowboys and Aliensis just that. Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford join forces here as two westerners who reluctantly join forces to save a town from dangerous aliens.
Fresh off of thefirst twoIron Manfilms, Jon Favreau had seemingly nowhere to go but up when 2011 rolled around. WhenCowboysbombed, however, the box office proved that appearances can be deceiving. While the movie made little to no money, it’s still a perfectly enjoyable oddity of a film. Amping up the western setting with a mega-budget and an absolutely insane cast that includes Sam Rockwell, Paul Dano, Olivia Wilde, Clancy Brown, Walton Goggins, and Wyatt Russell,Cowboys and Aliensis certainly a guilty pleasure. At the very least, the movie paired up James Bond and Han Solo for the first and only time, so there’s that.
The Fountain (2006)
Darren Aronofsky is one of Hollywood’s mostunpredictable filmmakers. A purveyor of dark and desolate worlds, it only seemed fitting that he would toy with the conceits of time and love in ways that transcend pure darkness in 2006’sThe Fountain. This movie, taking some pointers from H.G. Wells and H.P. Lovecraft, is set in three timelines and deals with one man’s pursuit of love and denial of destiny throughout time. It stars Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz who was, at the time, fresh off of her Academy Award win forThe Constant Gardener.
WhileThe Fountaindidn’t break any records at the North American box office, it’s nonetheless considered a minor science-fiction classic by some. Featuring breathtaking cinematography and committed performances from its cast, it’s a mind-melding film that, while not reaching the heights it sets for itself, remains a reasonably effective treatise on time and love. Aronofsky has never been less than interesting, and withThe Fountain, he proved that he could take a relatively high budget and produce an entertaining and thought-provoking film that doesn’t take the easy way out.
Cloud Atlas (2012)
Based on the 2004 novel, 2012’sCloud Atlasis considered by some a disaster and by others a science-fiction masterpiece. The film, directed by Tom Tykwer and the Wachowskis (one of whom hasbeen pretty busy recently), is a massive story set across six eras in time and revolving around a cast of esteemed actors who play different characters (and sometimes different races and genders) in each story. Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving, Ben Whishaw, Hugh Grant, Susan Sarandon, and many more make up the cast. The $100 million independently budgeted film tanked at the box office with a mere $130 million gross but remains a favorite to those who love twisty science-fiction with a literary edge.
With stories taking place from 1849 to 2321, the plot can sometimes be hard to follow. Considering that Tykwer and the Wachowskis were able to make a watchable three-hour film based on a 600-page book is something of a miracle in and of itself. Playing like a visual essay,Cloud Atlastackles themes of love, revolt, destiny, and the passage of time by telling six distinct stories that all somehow intertwine. If this sounds like a massive undertaking, it is.
The cast, combined with the incredible visuals and unforgettable score, help create a sensational masterpiece that’s hard to forget once the entire breadth and purpose sinks in.Cloud Atlasis a woefully underrated science-fiction classic that deserves re-evaluation.
