Scar Wars (1977)

 

An 8 minute parody of Star Wars on the Bob Hope All Star Comedy Special that aired on December 19, 1977. In this short film the evil Barf Vader kidnaps Santa Claus so that he can marry the lovely Princess Olivia. It’s hilarious! 

Orous’ Dawn by Xidaer

 

Another Jupiter Ascending fanfic. When Aunt Nino asks Caine when his birthday is, he answers New Year’s. When Jupiter questions him since it is such a short time away he admits that as a splice he doesn’t really have a birthday but the one holiday that splices usually celebrate is Orous’ Dawn or New Year’s. A sweet story. 

https://archiveofourown.org/works/40708527

Golden Gifts by ItsClydeBitches

 

Another short fanfic about Jupiter Jones spending Christmas with her new alien friends. The Apinis put up all the decorations because they don’t really know what she celebrates and Caine tries to find that perfect gift for Jupiter. A cute story for the holidays. 

https://archiveofourown.org/works/28253994

Glow by avengersincamphalfbloodstardis

 

A Christmas story set in the Jupiter Ascending universe. In this oneshot Caine takes Jupiter to a planet called Rozhdestvo for Christmas where there is glowing snow. Jupiter is of course enchanted. It is truly a beautiful little Christmas story. 

https://archiveofourown.org/works/21928081

Nothings So Hard but Search Will Find It Out by tptigger

 

A fanfic taking place after the events of Return to Witch Mountain. Tia and Tony have left Witch Mountain to go to college. Tia reconnects with Dazzler from Return to Witch Mountain and Tony meets a girl with a starcase. The fanfic is told through letters between Tia and Tony. It is a really fun fanfic. 

https://archiveofourown.org/works/52326271/chapters/132371779

Spiderman (2002)

 

This movie starring Tobey Maguire has all the hallmarks of the classic Spiderman. Nerdy Peter Parker gets bitten by a radioactive spider and becomes a superhero over night. Uncle Ben dies. The Green Goblin shows up. Unlike subsequent Spiderman movies, Maguire’s Peter Parker creates his own spider silk and doesn’t need machines to do it. We also have Mary Jane in this version. A fun movie from before we had to make superhero movies so serious. 

Time After Time (1979)

 

This movie is based on a book by the same name. There’s also a recent more TV show. The premise is that HG Wells shows his friend John Stevenson his time machine only to soon realize that John is Jack the Ripper. When Stevenson uses Wells’ to escape the police, Wells follows Stevenson to the future to prevent him from continuing his reign of terror. A fun time travel romp. 

Revenge of the Sith (2005)

 

Darth Vader is one of my favorite villains of all time. And since these movies were prequels, we always knew what would become of the Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker in the end. That doesn’t mean it is any less heartbreaking. That doesn’t mean that I don’t scream at the screen to let Palpatine die. Listen to Obi Wan. Raise your children with your wife in peace. This movie shows the final transformation of Jedi Anakin Skywalker to Sith Lord Darth Vader. It shows how Palpatine manipulated him by playing on his fears for Padme. It is the making of a great villain and the downfall of a great hero. 

Godzilla King of the Monsters (2019)

 

The third movie in the MonsterVerse, sees scientist Emma Russell joining up with  a terrorist group to free various Titans in order to “cure” the earth of human life and technology. Godzilla must fight for dominance against such classic monsters as Rodan, Mothra, and the alien Ghidorah, the biggest threat to mankind. The movie has very little plot, but if you just want to see monsters destroying cities, I highly suggest this movie. 

Aliens (1986)

 

My friend says the Alien franchise ends after  this movie, although he really liked the most recent one so he might be revising that opinion. If the first movie was a slow burn horror, this next movie is a horror action film. Once again Ripley must battle the scary aliens that are trying to kill her crew when the crazy company goes back to their territory. Such a great action horror scifi! 

Kong: Skull Island (2017)

The second of the Monsterverse movies, Kong Skull Island introduces Kong to the franchise. A period piece taking place in 1973, Kong takes place shortly after the Vietnam War. A group of scientists approach a US Army unit to approach Skull Island. When they start dropping bombs to map the island’s interior, they anger Kong enough to retaliate. It is, I think, my favorite Kong movie ever. 

 

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

The original science fiction story written in 1818. According to lore, Shelley was at a house party with her husband and Lord Byron. Byron challenged everyone there to write a ghost story and Shelley came up with this text. It tells the story of Victor Frankenstein who creates a monster that he then abandons to the world. As you can imagine this doesn’t end well. I don’t really want to say more just in case you’ve never read the story, but I think we all know what happens. 

 

Alien (1979)

 

The original Alien movie first introduces us to Ripley and the other members of the Company. The characters land on a planet to discover a vicious alien species. What follows is a fight for survival on the Nostromo. The movie is a great one and a classic case of science fiction horror.

Hypocritic Oath by Yesac

 

When Anakin and Obi Wan catch a plague on a distant planet, Anakin has to decide which one to save. Of course we all know who he’s going to save, but it is one more nail in his coffin so to speak. Yesac is one of my favorite Star Wars writers and this is a great indicator of their skill.

 https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6660281/1/Hypocritic-Oath

The Wrath of Khan (1982)

 

Way back in 1967, audiences were introduced to Khan Noonien Singh in the episode “Space Seed.” This movie serves as a sequel to this episode and is considered to be one of the best Star Trek movies of all time. It certainly gives us all the makings of a good movie. A villain that is actually sympathetic to some extent. A very emotional death scene of a favorite character. Basically shortly after the events of Space Seed the planet where Khan and his people were marooned got destroyed when a nearby planet blew up. Khan wants revenge on Kirk for leaving them there to die. 

Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson

 

Twelve years prior to the beginning of the book “Calamity” appeared in the sky above earth and gave certain people superpowers. Unfortunately, the people who gain superpowers, the Epics, become sort of evil. A group of average people called The Recknoers set out to destroy the Epics once and for all. The main protagonist of the first three and a half books is David who is on a personal vendetta to kill the Epic Steelheart after Steelheart killed his father. I really enjoyed this book and I realized what kind of dystopia books I actually like. I call them superhero dystopia. 

SeaQuest (1993-1996)

The first season of this show was the best. It took place in 2018 and took place on a futuristic submarine that patrolled the oceans. The first season would usually end with a real life marine biologist who would explain the actual science behind the show. There was an episode where they found the Library of Alexandria. There was a ghost ship episode. They were just fun. I think one of my favorite characters was Darwin, the dolphin, who due to technology could communicate with the crew. As the show went on they tried to make it more “science fictiony” by bringing aliens and time travel into it and I just feel it lost some of its charm. 

 

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

The book that started the media phenomenon. The movie is a lot more action packed than the book, but the general idea of the story remains the same. John Hammond has cloned dinosaurs and wants a group of paleontologists to sign off on his park. Hammond is a lot more of a corrupt business man in the book than he is in the movie. Also Malcolm is not Jeff Goldblum. But still the book is good except when Crichton tries a little too hard to convince you of his science. 

 

Transformers (2007)

 

In the official first movie in the Transformers franchise, teenage Sam Witwicky finds an old Camero in a used car lot. That old car happens to be Bumblebee, one of the best Transformers ever after Optimus Prime. Bumblebee pulls Sam and his girlfriend Mikaela into a strange world of aliens and a fight against the evil Decepticons led by Megatron. This movie is fun, has a decent plot and gives me exactly what I wanted from this story: having giant robots in an epic fight for survival. 

Uhura’s Song by Janet Kagan

 

An original series Star Trek book, this book really lets Uhura and the rest of the bridge crew shine. The premise is as follows: a deadly plague is sweeping through the Federation. The only chance at a cure is a “forbidden” song shared between Uhura and an Eeiuonan, a sentient catlike species, years ago. The Enterprise is sent on a quest to find the origin of the song and perhaps where the Eeiounans came from originally. A really fun tale featuring all our favorite characters doing what they do best, saving the universe from threats. 

First Men in the Moon (1964)

 

Coming out five years before men actually landed on the moon, this classic tale based off HG Wells’ 1901 work is a true masterpiece. The plot is as follows: in 1964 men reach the moon and realize that someone from England has claimed the moon in the name of Queen Victoria. They find Arnold Bedford who had travelled to the moon 65 years earlier who proceeds to tell the scientists about his trip to the moon with his fiancé Katherine Callender and their eccentric neighbor, Joseph Carver. He tells them that they met an insect like race there as well. The special effects were done by Ray Harryhausen and is some of his best work.

Journey to the Center of the Earth

 

Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne

This is one of the best Verne novels, maybe because Verne had to make up everything so we didn’t get bogged down in the details of fish…Anyway, the story progresses as follows: German scientist Lindenbrock discovers a manuscript of a 16^th century explorer and he and his nephew Axel take off to Iceland with native guide Hans Bjelke to explore and go to the Center of the Earth. They find dinosaurs and all matter of things before reaching the service again. It was first published in 1864.

Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959)

The main characters are moved from Germany to Scotland for this version of the tale, mainly because this was only ten years after WWII. Alec finds a plum bob that he gives to his mentor Professor Lindenbrook. They along with Hans and Carla Gutenberg, the widow of a deceased colleague,  descend into the center of the Earth. There they meet the descendent of the 16^th century explorer who is convinced that the center of the earth belongs to him. One of the best characters in this version is the duck Gertrude.

Willy Fog: Journey to the Center of the Earth (1994)

The second in the Spanish Willy Fog TV series, the first being a version of Around the World in 80 Days. In this version Willy Fog (an anthropomorphic lion based on Phileas Fogg) makes a bet with Sullivan that he can find the center of the earth. It is a fun version of the story.

Journey to the Center of the Earth (1999)

In this version, avid geologist and paleontologist Theodore Lytton is approached by Alice Hastings who wants his help in finding her husband, Casper Hastings who disappeared on a journey to the Center of the Earth seven years prior. I wasn’t overly fond of the ending where the nephew Jonas, returns the Center of the Earth to be with a native woman.

Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008)

In this made for TV movie, Jonathan Brock and heiress Martha journey to Alaska to find her husband who disappeared years earlier when searching for the Center of the Earth. It reminds me a lot of the 1999 movie as far as initial set up but I like the ending better…

Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008)

Although this came out the same year, this is the theatrical movie starring Brendan Frasier. What I liked about this version is that it was written as a modern day sequel to the original. Trevor and his nephew Sean go to the Center of the Earth to find out what happened to Sean’s father and they use the original book as a sort of guide book. A clever way to modernize it.

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009)

The third movie in the Ice Age saga is essentially a Ice Age/Journey to the Center of the Earth crossover. They find a cavern. They descend. They find a warm underworld where dinosaurs still roam. Perhaps my favorite Ice Age movie for exactly that reason. 

It’s In His Kiss by LuthienTauriel

This one is my story. It is an alternate universe story about the relationship between Amanda Grayson and Sarek. I also have a subtle crossover between Star Wars and Stargate, but those story lines, as Star Wars puts it, happened a long long time ago in a galaxy far far away. Essentially I decided that Amanda was descended from all of the Stargate main cast and Sarek was descended from a Jedi that escaped Order 66. It is mainly a slow burn romance. The title is based off a Cher song, “If you want to know if he loves you so, it’s in his kiss.” Maybe one of my better fanfics.

 https://archiveofourown.org/works/47955412/chapters/120910471

And here's a link to that Cher song if you're interested:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZM5qIJdBtX0

 

Biker Mice From Mars (1993-1996; 2006)

 

Three andromorphic Martian mice named Throttle, Modo, and Vinnie crash land in Chicago. They discover that the people responsible for destroying their home planet, The Plutarkians, are here on Earth attempting to steal Earth’s natural resources, just like they stole Mars’. They rebel and with the help of mechanic Charlene Davidson attempt to make sure the Plutkarians don’t wipe out earth the way they wiped out Mars. I remember loving this show as a child. My brother even had a few micromachine toys of it.

The Incredibles 2 (2018)

 

Helen is asked to help Winston Deavor to restore the reputation of superheroes. Bob then has to take over as the primary care giver. Meanwhile Helen is battling super villain Screenslaver. There are some funny moments in this movie like when Bob is yelling that math is math when Dash shows him the “new way” to do math and when Jack-Jack makes himself look like Edna and therefore convinces the latter to babysit. Not a bad addition to the franchise even though the first one is better.

The Fantastic Four (2005)

 

The reason this is my favorite Fantastic Four is rather superficial. I have a Hollywood crush on Ioan Gruffudd. That being said it’s always fun to see Chris Evans as the more irresponsible Johnny Storm since he has played the by the book Captain America for the last few years. Also the casting is right on. In the newer version (which I admit that at this point I haven’t seen) just seems off. The actress that plays Sue Storm seems so much older than the actor who plays Reed Richards. Since they’re supposed to get together this just seems off. Gruffudd does a wonderful job as the socially awkward Richards. The character I have always felt badly for is Ben Grimm. The rest of the characters can pretend to be human but Ben no longer looks human. I always found it so sad. Anyway this movie is great and deserves more love in a world over saturated with superhero movies.

Timeline (2003)

 

This was the first time I ever saw Gerard Butler in anything. He is great in this movie and so attractive. I was more into him than I was into main character Paul Walker…Anyway they did stick pretty close to the book in this movie except they omitted most of the complicated science stuff. Quantum physics and string theory are never mentioned and it is implied that this particular time is the only one they can go to. The story then progresses very similar to the book where our main characters are stranded in medieval France and have to figure out how to get home. It was a good movie. 

The Acolyte (2024-present)

 

At this point I have only seen the first episode of The Acolyte. It is currently four episodes into its eight episode first season. What I am finding fun about this show is that it takes place 100 years before the events of The Phantom Menace. This means that the only familiar character that might show up in the show is Yoda (since he was 900 years old during the events of the Empire Strikes Back). It’s kind of nice to see and enjoy other Jedi characters that I have never met before and I am interested to see where this show leads.

Godzilla (2014)

 

The first of the Monsterverse movies and a triumphant return of the King of the Monsters. This Godzilla is just great. Godzilla is bigger and more scary than ever and I love the callbacks to the original story. How the reason they were bombing in the 50’s (when the original movie premiered) was to kill Godzilla. Even our main scientist is named after the scientist who killed Godzilla in the original movie. This movie more follows the Godzilla as savior storyline our main “bad” monsters being the MOTA. However, it is also implied that Godzilla is just an alpha predator doing what alpha predators do. Exactly what I want from a Godzilla movie.

Mass Spectrometers and Sonic Screwdrivers by legendofthefox

 

I have a confession to make. I am not a huge Dr. Who fan. I think he’s kind of cool, but I am less likely to read a straight up Dr. Who fanfic but lean towards crossovers with other franchises. This particular fanfic is a crossover between Dr. Who and NCIS. NCIS has its typical murder, but the Doctor figures out that the murderer is actually an alien. He then joins the team to attempt to solve the mystery. The author does a really great job making all the characters believable. I especially liked the idea that Ducky knew the Doctor in a past life. The unfortunate thing is that this fanfic was never finished and it left the reader on a bit of a cliff hanger.

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6091441/1/Mass-Spectrometers-and-Sonic-Screwdrivers

Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973-1975)

 

The original series was supposed to be “a five year mission”. The show was cancelled after three seasons. The animated series picks up where the live action series left off and gives us the last two years of that five year mission. What is great about this series is that it was cheaper to produce a cartoon then a sophisticated scifi show. As a result, the animators were really allowed to let their imagination shine.  A very cool piece of trivia of this show is that originally only Shatner, Nimoy, and Kelley were slated to return to their roles. Nimoy refused to voice Spock unless the studio also brought back Nichols and Takei.  I love this series and think it is a great addition to the Star Trek canon.

City of Ember (2008)

 

I remember the City of Ember movie closely following the book. Basically centuries ago most of human kind fled below ground to escape a catastrophe, but now their refuge is dying and it is up to two teenagers to find a way back to the surface. It was as good movie. 

Eureka (2006-2012)

 

Part of a shared universe that included Warehouse 13 and Alphas, Eureka took place in a small town in Southern Oregon where geniuses working at Global Dynamics invent crazy things and generally participate in science fiction shenanigans. Our main character is Sheriff Jack Carter, a regular human being who often acts as the voice of reason when the other characters are overthinking. The show was light and fun, and a contrast to most of the shows I have reviewed here. I highly recommend.

The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein

 

The main character of the novel is Mannie who discovers that the computer that monitors all life on the moon has become sentient. He names the computer Mike after Mycroft Holmes. Together Mannie and Mike stage a rebellion on the moon to break off from Earth. It is considered a classic of science fiction and an interesting look into a possible future. 

Transformers: Rise of the Beast (2023)

 

In this installment in the Transformers franchise, Noah Diaz is convinced by a friend in 1994 to steal a Porsche. He finds out that the Porsche is really an Autobot named Mirage. Mirage and Noah then team up with the rest of the Autobots team up with the Maximals, transformers that took the forms of animals to defeat the planet eating Unicron. It also implies a crossover between transformers and the GI Joe franchise.  A fun addition to the Transformers franchise.

To Dream in the City of Sorrows by Kathryn M. Drennan

 

A really good Babylon 5 book that takes place between the end of season 1 and Season 3 Episode 16. At the end of season 1, main character, Jeffery Sinclair, is abruptly assigned as the Human ambassador to Minbar. The real world reason for this change in the command of Babylon 5 is that the actor, Michael O’Hare, was diagnosed with schizophrenia while filming season 1 and was physically unable to come back to continue the series. He was able to come back for the two part episode War Without End and tie up his storyline. This book fills in the time between the end of season 1 and those two episodes. It tells us what happened to Sinclair’s fiancée, Catherine, and shows the growing friendship between Sinclair and Marcus. It is a little slow in parts, but for lovers of the series it helps to fill in some much needed gaps. In fact, Drennan collaborated with Michael Straczynski, who wrote the original show.

Earth Vs The Flying Saucers (1956)

 

With special effects by the amazing Ray HarryHausen, Earth Vs the Flying Saucers is one of the great alien invasion movies. Aliens are trying to take over the earth because their own planet has been destroyed. At first it seems that the earthlings are being just paranoid, but it isn’t long until we realize the aliens’ intentions are not benevolent. A great movie from a master!

The Lost World

 

The Lost World by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Doyle might be more known for his Sherlock Holmes stories, but he actually wrote five books with another main character: Professor Challenger. Challenger is abrasive, blunt, everything that Holmes is not. He’s also a lot of fun. In this first story, Challenger with a group of other scientists and a reporter to examine a plateau where a dinosaurs still exist. It’s a fun story. However, you need to read it in the spirit in which it was written. It was written in 1907. It is very sexist and racist, but if you accept that you can then enjoy the adventure.

The Adventure of the Challenging Professor in the book The Manifestations of Sherlock Holmes by James Lovegrove

In Doyle’s books Challenger and Holmes never met. They might have as well lived in completely different Londons. Lovegrove, however, has written a short story where Professor Challenger calls upon Holmes to solve a murder in his house. His pet pterodactyl has killed a man in a locked room. It is up to Holmes to discover how and why.

The Lost World (1925)

One of the only silent movies that I have seen. This movie stays pretty close to the original book. The special effects were done by Willis O’Brian who went on to do the effects for the original King Kong. A fun fact, Doyle actually saw this movie and tricked Houdini into thinking that they had really found dinosaurs by showing him a still.

The Lost World (1960)

A modern adaptation of the novel has Challenger and crew flying out to the Amazon to find their dinosaurs.

The Lost World (1992)

One of my favorite versions of this story. It is period. John Rhys-Davies is amazing as Challenger and all the other characters are just as great. If you only watch one version of the Lost World, I suggest you this one.

The Return to the Lost World (1992)

A direct sequel to the above movie, Rhys-Davies reprises his role as Challenger and everyone else comes back when the Lost World is threatened by a corporation that wants to exploit the plateau and destroy the dinosaurs.

The Lost World (2001)

Perhaps my least favorite version simply because I did not appreciate the religious connotations. In this version they are stranded on the plateau because a fanatical Christian is concerned that the locals will prove evolution. I hate it when Christians are depicted as these horrible people. It does have some redeeming qualities, however, which is why I still include it on this list.