When it's a fight to the death, there is no coming second.

Starring: Rutger Hauer, Joan Chen, Delroy Lindo, Vincent D'Onofrio, Anna Katarina, Justin Monjo, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Max Fairchild

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"I don't like brutality. I like heroics. I like the blood of heroes." - Mara

Why watch this? It's a hidden gem in the post-apocalyptic film genre.

Plot Summary: In a post-apocalyptic future, a group of travelers, called "Juggers", participate in a brutal sport loosely resembling lacrosse, but with a dog skull. Led by a disgraced former star, they journey across the desolate landscape, hoping to earn glory and redemption by competing in the professional league located in an underground city.

Kings Road Ent., Handistom Investment,
Kamisha Corp.; New Line Cinema

What is the secret of Soylent Green?

Starring: Charlton Heston, Leigh Taylor-Young, Chuck Connors, Joseph Cotten, Brock Peters, Paula Kelly, Edward G. Robinson

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"I was there, I can prove it! When I was a kid, you could buy meat anywhere! Eggs they had, real butter! Not this... crap!" - Sol

Why watch this? This is a thought-provoking film about a possible, horrible, dystopian future.

Plot Summary: In an overpopulated and resource-depleted 2022, Detective Thorn investigates the seemingly routine murder of a powerful executive at the Soylent Corporation, which provides the world's dwindling food supply. As Thorn delves deeper into the investigation, he uncovers layers of powerful forces attempting to obstruct his efforts. Driven by a desire for truth in a world seemingly devoid of it, Thorn follows a trail that leads to a chilling and shocking secret.

Walter Seltzer, Russell Thacher;
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

28 Days Later (2002), Director: Danny Boyle, rated R for language, nudity, strong violence

His fear began when he woke up alone. His terror began when he realised he wasn't.

Starring: Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Brendan Gleeson, Megan Burns, Christopher Eccleston, Noah Huntley, Stuart McQuarrie, Ricci Harnett, Leo Bill, Luke Mably, Junior Laniyan, Ray Panthaki

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Right from the beginning you knew this was different, because it was happening in small villages, market towns, and then, it wasn't on the TV any more. It was in the street outside. It was coming through your windows. It was a virus, an infection. You didn't need a doctor to tell you that. It was the blood. There was something in the blood." – Selena

Why watch this? It starts out pretty bleak, yet tensely builds to a great ending.

Plot Summary: An bicycle courier awakens from a coma to discover a deserted, post-apocalyptic London, its population decimated by a contagious "Rage" virus. He soon finds a small group of survivors, but their desperate journey for sanctuary reveals that the true horror may come from the surviving humans luring them into their military compound.

DNA Films, Film Council; Fox Searchlight Pics

LIVE DIE REPEAT

Starring: Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton, Brendan Gleeson, Noah Taylor, Jonas Armstrong, Tony Way, Noah Taylor

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Find me when you wake up." -  Rita Vrataski

Why watch this? The film's premise will blow you away. That and Emily Blunt.

Plot Summary: In a future where Earth faces an alien invasion, a reluctant military public relations officer, Major William Cage, is thrust into a combat scenario. After dying in the ensuing battle, he finds himself in a time loop, repeatedly reliving the same day and being killed over and over. He seeks out a formidable Special Forces warrior, Sgt. Rita Vrataski. Together they must utilize the time loop to learn, adapt, and ultimately find a way to defeat the overwhelming extraterrestrial threat.

Village Roadshow Pics, RatPac Ent., 3 Arts Ent.,
Vis Productions; Warner Bros.

No children. No future. No hope.

Starring: Clive Owen, Clare-Hope Ashitey, Julianne Moore, Michael Caine, Pam Ferris, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Charlie Hunnam, Peter Mullan, Danny Huston

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"As the sound of the playgrounds faded, the despair set in. Very odd, what happens in a world without children's voices." - Miriam

Why watch this?  This film shows us a future you might not want to see, but rather need to see.

Plot Summary: The story is set in dystopian 2027, twenty years since the last baby was born due to a mysterious infertility in women. This has led to war, global chaos, and a general sense of dread. England remains an isolated country still holding onto some form of government. It is now a police state, rounding up refugees, deporting them, or worse. Theo Faron, a former activist, is forcibly taken by a group of militants, called the Fishes, led by his ex-wife Julian. They want him to use his connections to acquire transit papers for a young girl named Kee. Theo quickly becomes the only chance Kee has to get her out of a crumbling country.

Strike Ent., Hit and Run Productions,
Toho-Towa; Universal Pictures

1984 (aka Nineteen Eighty-Four, 1984), Director: Michael Radford, rated R for nudity, torture, disturbing scenes

George Orwell's Terrifying Vision Comes To The Screen.

Starring: John Hurt, Richard Burton, Suzanna Hamilton, Cyril Cusack, Gregor Fisher, James Walker, Andrew Wilde, Merelina Kendall, John Boswall, Phyllis Logan (voice only)

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"Obedience is not enough. Power is inflicting pain and humiliation. Otherwise, you cannot be sure. Power is tearing human minds apart and putting them together again in new shapes of your own choosing." - O'Brien as he tortures Winston

Why watch this? George Orwell's future-vision is a cautionary tale for us all.

Plot Summary: Winston Smith, a low-level government worker living in the totalitarian super-state of Oceania, struggles with his desire for individuality and truth in a world where an omnipresent Party, led by Big Brother, tightly controls information and history. He embarks on a dangerous, forbidden love affair with a woman named Julia, and together they seek to join a secretive resistance movement known as the Brotherhood. Their efforts to rebel against the relentless surveillance and psychological manipulation of the state test the limits of their loyalty and freedom.
 

Dad's Preview: This visceral onslaught is a beautifully bleak tale of a possible future for Earth. Its central themes are extreme propaganda and forced mind-control. Society's worker bees are subjected to constant vocal news feeds and stark visual imagery, all discredit the lies told by a man named Goldstein. The state's goal is to shift focus away from each person's self and toward the prosperity of the collective... the machine. I feel this film channels a future had Germany won World War II. You also can't watch this and not see parallels to today, where a government's sole focus is its own existence. People are merely grease for the cogs of the machine's endless hunger to oppress and subjugate the lowly. I loved the performances by Hurt, Hamilton and Burton, as well as the haunting Eurythmics' soundtrack.

Umbrella-Rosenblum Films; Virgin Films

A game nobody survives. But Schwarzenegger has yet to play.

Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, María Conchita Alonso, Yaphet Kotto, Richard Dawson, Jim Brown, Jesse Ventura

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Americans love television... They love game shows, they love wrestling, they love sports and violence. So what do we do? We give 'em what they want! We're number one, Ben, that's all that counts, believe me." - Killian

Why watch this? This is a thrilling, dystopian film you will not forget.

Plot Summary: In a dystopian future, a wrongfully accused police officer named Ben Richards is forced to participate in a deadly reality television game show called The Running Man. On the show, convicts, known as Runners, must evade professional killers called Stalkers in a battle for their freedom and survival.

Braveworld Productions, Taft Ent. Pics;
TriStar Pictures

The World Will Be Watching

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Helmsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Donald Sutherland, Lenny Kravitz, Stanley Tucci 

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"Hope, it is the only thing stronger than fear. A little hope is effective, a lot of hope is dangerous. A spark is fine, as long as it's contained." - President Snow

Why watch this? This debut is a perfect start to the exciting film series.

Plot Summary: In a dystopian future, the nation of Panem forces each of its twelve districts to send two teenage representatives to fight to the death in the televised Hunger Games as punishment for a past rebellion. When her younger sister is selected, Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her place, representing District 12 alongside Peeta Mellark. The film follows Katniss as she prepares for and participates in the brutal competition, navigating alliances and betrayals, while fighting for survival in the arena.

Color Force; Lionsgate

Remember Who The Enemy Is

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Helmsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Donald Sutherland, Phillip Seymour Hoffman

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"From now on, your job is to be a distraction so people forget what the real problems are!" - Haymitch Abernathy

Why watch this? ... because it is the best film of the series.

Plot Summary: Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark return to District 12 following their unprecedented dual victory in the 74th Hunger Games, however, their actions have unintentionally sparked dissent throughout Panem. President Snow, fearing a rebellion, forces Katniss and Peeta on a Victor's Tour to quell the unrest and maintain the Capitol's control, threatening their loved ones if they fail. Despite their efforts, the uprising intensifies, leading to the announcement of a special Quarter Quell, forcing them back into a deadly arena against other past victors.

Color Force; Lionsgate

The courage of one will change the world

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Helmsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Donald Sutherland, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Julianne Moore

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ - good

"Miss Everdeen, it is the things we love most that destroy us." - President Snow

Why watch this? Another solid entry in the Battle for Panem.

Plot Summary: Katniss Everdeen is recovering in the supposedly destroyed District 13, which has become the center of the growing rebellion against the Capitol. Reluctantly, she agrees to become the symbolic leader, or "Mockingjay," inspiring the districts to unite against President Snow's tyrannical rule. Amidst this fight for freedom, Katniss also grapples with the Capitol's capture of Peeta Mellark, who is being used for propaganda and mental torture through a process called "hijacking".

Color Force; Lionsgate

Nothing can prepare you for the end

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Helmsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Donald Sutherland, Julianne Moore, Phillip Seymour Hoffman

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ - good

"Stop killing for him! Tonight, turn your weapons to the Capitol! Turn your weapons to Snow!" - Katniss Everdeen

Why watch this? This is the action-packed finale to a darn good sci-fi film series.

Plot Summary: Katniss leads the rebellion into the Capitol for a final confrontation with President Snow. She and her squad navigate a city filled with deadly traps and enemies as the war for Panem's future intensifies. Ultimately, Katniss faces a series of difficult decisions and challenges that test her resolve and determine the fate of millions.

 
Color Force; Lionsgate

1997. New York City is now a maximum security prison. Breaking out is impossible. Breaking in is insane.

Starring: Kurt Russell, Lee Van Cleef, Adrienne Barbeau, Ernest Borgnine, Donald Pleasence, Isaac Hayes

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Are you crazy? Nobody gets to meet the Duke. You meet him once and then you're dead!" - Cabbie

Why watch this? Kurt Russell is so dope in that eye-patch!

Plot Summary: In a crime-ridden future of 1997, Manhattan Island is walled off and transformed into a maximum-security prison for the United States' worst criminals. When Air Force One is hijacked and crashes within the prison walls, the President of the United States becomes a hostage. Ex-soldier and criminal Snake Plissken is offered a pardon if he can retrieve the President from the dangerous environment within 24 hours.

Int'l Film Investors, Goldcrest Films Int'l,
City Films; AVCO Embassy Pictures

What would you do if you were accused of a murder, you had not committed... yet?

Starring: Tom Cruise, Colin Farrell, Samantha Morton, Max von Sydow, Neal McDonough, Peter Stormare

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Don't trust anyone. Just find the Minority Report." – Dr. Iris Henimen

Why watch this? This futuristic thriller is one of Spielberg's many masterpieces.

Plot Summary: In a future where a specialized police unit called PreCrime stops murderers before they can act, Chief John Anderton believes the system is flawless. However, one day he receives a prediction that he himself will commit a murder, leading him to question the system's infallibility. Now a fugitive from the very unit he led, Anderton must try to prove his innocence and uncover a possible conspiracy that could be behind his predicted crime.
 

Dad's Preview: Early on, Tom Cruise was just too cocky for me. This film made me an true fan. Set in a future, utopian Earth, the plot centers on a crime agency that arrests people for future crimes. The dreams of three telepathic triplets (kept in medically-induced comas), called "Pre-Cogs", are recorded and analyzed to predict future murders. The plot is uber-creative and Spielberg makes is exciting. Cruise's character is flawed and complex. It's engaging, fast-paced and full of surprises.

DreamWorks Pics, Amblin Entertainment,
Blue Tulip Prod.; 20th Century Fox

I am an idea. And ideas are bulletproof

Starring: Natalie Portman, Hugo Weaving, Stephen Rea, Stephen Fry, John Hurt, Tim Pigott-Smith, Roger Allam, Ben Miles

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"A building is a symbol, as is the act of destroying it. Symbols are given power by people. Alone, a symbol is meaningless, but with enough people, blowing up a building can change the world." - V

Why watch this? ... it's a futuristic tale of a crafty vigilante standing up against fascism.

Plot Summary: In a dystopian future, Britain is under the rule of a totalitarian government. A masked vigilante known as V embarks on a mission to ignite a revolution against the oppressive regime. A young woman named Evey Hammond, a television network employee, becomes unintentionally involved in V's audacious acts of defiance. As V's plans unfold, Inspector Finch races against time to apprehend him, all the while uncovering dark secrets and questioning the very foundations of his government.

Silver Pics, Virtual Studios, Studio Babelsberg,
Vertigo DC Comics, Anarchos Prod. Inc.;
Warner Bros. Pictures

You Will Orbit into the Fantastic Future!

Starring: Rod Taylor, Alan Young, Yvette Mimieux, Sebastian Cabot, Whit Bissell, Tom Helmore, Doris Lloyd, Paul Frees

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"George... I speak to you as a friend – more as a brother... if that machine can do what you say it can, destroy it. Destroy it, George, before it destroys you!" – David Filby

Why watch this? It's a thought-provoking rendition of H. G. Wells' classic novel.

Plot Summary: Set in Victorian England, the film follows an inventor who builds a machine to travel through time. His journey takes him into a distant future where humanity has split into two distinct groups: the peaceful, surface-dwelling Eloi and the monstrous, subterranean Morlocks. He becomes entangled in their struggle and works to understand the secrets behind their existence and the decline of mankind.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Galaxy Films;
Loew's Ltd.

Watch out! They get you while you're sleeping!

Starring: Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams, Leonard Nimoy, Jeff Goldblum, Veronica Cartwright

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"I keep seeing these people, all recognizing each other. Something is passing between them all, some secret. It's a conspiracy, I know it." – Elizabeth Driscoll

Why watch this? The original 1956 film was creepy. This remake is downright terrifying.

Plot Summary: A San Francisco health inspector, Matthew Bennell, and his colleague Elizabeth Driscoll discover that residents are slowly being replaced by alien duplicates. These duplicates appear identical to the humans they replace but are devoid of emotion and empathy. As the alien takeover spreads throughout the city, Bennell and Driscoll, along with two friends, must attempt to survive and warn others of the impending global invasion.

Solofilm; United Artists

In Space, No One Can Hear You Clean

Starring: Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight, Jeff Garlin, Fred Willard, John Ratzenberger, Kathy Najimy, Sigourney Weaver

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"I can't just sit here and... and do nothing. That's all I've ever done! That's all anyone on this blasted ship has ever done - nothing!" - Captain

Why watch this? Wall-E will work his electronic way into your heart.

Plot Summary: Earth is a trash-filled wasteland, centuries after humanity evacuated due to an uninhabitable environment on the ship Axiom. WALL-E, the last remaining trash-compacting robot, discovers a tiny living plant, initiating a chain of events that could potentially allow humanity to return to Earth. He follows a probe named EVE to the Axiom, where they must overcome challenges posed by the ship's autopilot.

Pixar Animatoin Studios; Walt Disney
Studios Motion Pictures

THE FUTURE BELONGS TO THE MAD

Starring: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Riley Keough

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"If I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die historic on the Fury Road!" - Nux

Why watch this? I never saw this greatness coming, but there's no question - it's great!

Plot Summary: In a post-apocalyptic world where resources are scarce, Max is captured and enslaved by the tyrannical Immortan Joe. Simultaneously, Imperator Furiosa, one of Joe's lieutenants, defies him by absconding with five women, leading to a relentless pursuit across the desert. Max eventually becomes involved with Furiosa's escape, forging an uneasy alliance as they battle Joe and his forces in a desperate struggle for freedom and a better life.

Village Roadshow Pictures, RapPac-Dune
Ent., Kennedy Miller Mitchell; Warner Bros.

Free your mind

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Joe Pantoliano, Marcus Chong, Juian Arahanga

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

DML Top 50 #19 - Dad's Full (Spoiler) Review and Deep Dive of The Matrix

"Human beings are a disease, a cancer of this planet. You are a plague, and we are the cure." - Agent Smith to Morpheus, as he interrogates him

Why watch this? Conceptually, visually, creatively - this film set a new action sci-fi standard.

Plot Summary: A computer programmer named Thomas Anderson, known in the hacking underworld as Neo, feels that something is fundamentally wrong with his reality. He is contacted by the enigmatic Morpheus and Trinity, who offer him the chance to discover a shocking truth: that his world is actually a computer-generated simulation. Upon swallowing a red pill, Neo awakens in the desolate real world and begins a journey to free humanity from the machines that have enslaved them.

Village Roadshow Pictures, Grouch II Film
Partnership, Silver Pictures; Warner Bros.

A chilling, bold, mesmerizing, futuristic detective thriller.

Starring: Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, Edward James Olmos, M. Emmett Walsh, Daryl Hannah, William Sanderson, Brion James

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"I need ya, Deck. This is a bad one, the worst yet. I need the old blade runner, I need your magic." - Bryant

Why watch this? It's haunting, brooding and dark... and a mesmerizing sci-fi classic.

Plot Summary: In a dystopian future Los Angeles, a burnt-out detective (aka: a "blade runner"), Rick Deckard, is tasked with hunting down and "retiring" a group of advanced androids called replicants, who have escaped from off-world colonies. These replicants seek to find their creator and extend their limited life-spans, while the blade runner wrestles with the complex morality of his job and his growing connection to a beautiful replicant who believes she is human.

The Ladd Co., Shaw Brothers; Warner Bros.

Just One Man Can Make A Difference.

Starring: Mel Gibson, Bruce Spence, Mike Preston, Max Phipps, Vernon Wells, Emil Minty, Kjell Nilsson, Virginia Hey, William Zappa

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"We've all lost someone we love. But we do it my way! Fear is our ally. The gasoline will be ours. Then you shall have your revenge.” – Lord Humungus

Why watch this? A bigger budget helped the second Max film cement its place in post-apocalyptic film lore.

Plot Summary: Following a global war and civilization's collapse, loner Max scavenges the Australian wasteland for fuel and supplies. He encounters a small community defending their oil refinery from a ruthless biker gang led by deformed Lord Humungus. Max, initially seeking only his own advantage, eventually agrees to help the community transport their precious fuel in a desperate bid for freedom and survival.

Kennedy Miller Productions; Roadshow
Film Dist., Warner Bros.

The thing that won't die, in the nightmare that won't end.

Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Biehn, Linda Hamilton, Paul Winfield, Lance Henriksen, Earl Boen

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"Listen, and understand! That terminator is out there! It can't be bargained with. It can't be reasoned with. It doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear! And it absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are dead!" – Kyle Reese

Why watch this? ... it's a sci-fi action flick that features Mr. Universe as a relentless cyborg.

Plot Summary: In a future ravaged by a war between humans and intelligent machines, a cyborg assassin is sent back in time to 1984 Los Angeles to kill a woman named Sarah Connor. A soldier, Reece, from the future is also sent back to protect Sarah, as she is destined to give birth to the leader of the human resistance.

Hemdale, Pacific Western Prod., Euro Film
Funding, Cinema '84; Orion Pictures

Same Make. Same Model. New Mission.

Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Robert Patrick, Edward Furlong, Joe Morton, Earl Boen

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"It is in your nature to destroy yourselves." The T-800 Terminator

Why watch this? Cameron delivers an incredible sequel using ground-breaking effects, a buffed-up Linda Hamilton, and a flipped narrative.

Plot Summary: A reprogrammed cyborg is sent back in time to protect a young John Connor from an advanced, shape-shifting Terminator designed to eliminate him. John and his mother Sarah join forces with the protector to prevent the coming nuclear apocalypse by destroying the technology that creates Skynet. Together, they must combat the relentless new threat while fighting to change the future and ensure human survival.

Carolco Pics, Pacific Western Prod., Lightstorm
 Ent., Le Studio Canal+; Tri-Star Pictures

Words can't describe it!  "Metropolis" must be seen!

Starring: Brigitte Helm, Alfred Abel, Gustav Fröhlich, Rudolf Klein-Rogge, Fritz Rasp, Theodor Loos, Erwin Biswanger, Heinrich George, Heinrich Gotho, Fritz Alberti, Grete Berger

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"Your magnificent city, Father - and you the brain of this city - and all of us in the city's light... and where are the people, father, whose hands built your city...?" - Freder to his father Jon

Why watch this? This masterpiece is ground-zero for sci-fi influence in films.

Plot Summary: This is a morality tale set in a futuristic city dystopia where the wealthy rule and abide in shining skyscrapers above, while the workers live below in concrete squalor. The city's creator and administrator is the cold Jon Fredersen. His privileged, good-hearted son, Freder, by chance, encounters Maria, a saintly woman caring for the underworld's children. This inspires Freder to learn the truth about the oppressed workers, who slave away, operating massive computers, themselves becoming cogs in the brutal machinery. Jon becomes frustrated that the workers are planning to rebel, so he enlists the city's inventor, Rotwang, to covert a female robot into the likeness of Maria, to quell the upstart insurrection.

UFA; Parufamet

Hunted... haunted... wanted... like beasts of prey!

Starring: Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowell, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, James Whitmore, James Daly, Linda Harrison, Lou Wagner, Woodrow Parfrey

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

DML Top 50 #9 - Dad's Full (Spoiler) Review and Deep Dive of Planet of the Apes

"Man is a nuisance. He eats up his food supply in the forest, then migrates to our green belts and ravages our crops. The sooner he is exterminated, the better." – Doctor Zaius

Why watch this? ... it's compelling through-out, but the last scene makes it a legend.

Plot Summary: An astronaut crew crash-lands on a mysterious planet in the distant future, where they discover a highly evolved society of apes has become the dominant species, enslaving primitive humans. As the lone surviving spaceman navigates this new world and seeks to prove his intelligence to his captors, he uncovers the shocking truth about the planet's identity and past.

APJAC Productions; 20th Century Fox