The Top Five '80s Science Fiction Movies

I love science fiction, and I love science fiction movies. Some of the best science fiction film franchises had their start in the 70s and 80s. Although I do realize that Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi were great films that transformed the industry, they've never been particular favorites of mine. Instead, here are my top five 80s science fiction movies. No hate mail, please!

The Terminator (1984): Two men transport back in time to find Sarah Connor. One is a cyborg, bent on killing her in order to prevent her from giving birth to the leader of the future resistance. The other is a soldier, sent there by her future son to save her. In the process he falls in love with Sarah. At the end of the film, it's revealed that their night of passion resulted in her pregnancy - making a neat little mobius strip of a story.

Blade Runner (1982): Rick Deckard is a mercenary hired to neutralize rogue "replicants," or engineered beings used for labor, who can pass for human. In the process of his quest, we question the very nature of humanity. Is it our memories and feelings that make us human? Replicants have those, too. Since the movie came out, fans have debated whether or not Deckard himself was a replicant without knowing it. The movie's moody score and dystopian society give it a great feel, as well.

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn (1982): Star Trek fans like to forget that the first Star Trek film ever existed (me included). Instead, we look to Wrath of Kahn as the greatest Star Trek movie. In it, Captain Kirk comes to terms with his own age, learns to interact with his son, and says a painful goodbye to Dr. Spock in one of the best death scenes ever.

Heavy Metal (1981): Although Heavy Metal appears cheesy and outdated today, at the time it achieved cult status with its liberal doses of sex, nudity, violence, and rock music. The fact that the film's legal complications made prints scarce only added to the appeal. Independent theaters might get their hands on a print, run it once for a midnight showing, and then it was gone. It made seeing the film an experience not unlike The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Tron (1982): I developed a massive crush on Jeff Bridges after seeing this movie. Tron came at a time when the general public was very interested in video games, and when home computers were first making their appearance. Kevin Flynn, a game programmer, attempts to hack into his old boss' network in order to uncover proof that his game ideas were stolen, and in the process the sentient network zaps him into the digital realm. Once there, he must destroy the Master Control Program to get back to his own world. Tron used a combination of live actors and animation to portray the digital world, a technique that wowed moviegoers and made the movie a success.