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What are the most prophetic science fiction movies?

Here’s a good list for the Geek-faithful to pick apart: Popularmechanics.com compiled its list of the most prophetic science fiction movies of all time a while back, and while TechRepublic members have long debated best-of lists in the sci-fi category, I thought the focus on the “prophetic” quality was interesting. I know that many of you probably have your own nominees to argue for, so first, let’s look at the Popular Mechanics Top Ten:

  • 10. 2001: A Space Odyssey
  • 9. Short Circuit
  • 8. Soylent Green
  • 7. Blade Runner
  • 6. The Running Man
  • 5. Destination Moon
  • 4. The Truman Show
  • 3. The Road Warrior
  • 2. Minority Report
  • 1. Gattaca

For each entry, PM cited the particular items that each movie “forecast,” such as the space tourism trend that cropped up in 2001: A Space Odyssey. What movies do you think belong on this list? And, of course, explain why. Have at it!

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Children of Men Selena FryeTechrepublic Moderator | 06/25/09
1984 GSG | 06/25/09
1984 was a book first neilb@... | 06/25/09
... correction Jymbul | 06/26/09
Read it in 1983 GSG | 06/26/09
So did I ! zorb43@... | 07/06/09
1984 cubeslave | 07/27/09
1984 - not prophetic rscarlat@... | 06/26/09
I beg to differ sharrison@... | 06/26/09
Crimes of thought jhcampbe@... | 06/28/09
A decade away? Think again. OnTheRopes | 06/28/09
How? gbentley@... | 06/29/09
I disagree perry_awm@... | 06/30/09
My Point Exactly gbentley@... | 06/30/09
These can easily TonytheTiger | 06/30/09
Non Judicial Punishments LouCed | 07/01/09
Thought are not always as private as we hope. DVLnyc | 07/04/09
I can't believe cincybones@... | 07/04/09
We already do... TonytheTiger | 06/30/09
It Can't Be Determined. gbentley@... | 06/30/09
Rightly or wrongly, TonytheTiger | 07/01/09
Tony - Actions and Belief gbentley@... | 07/01/09
We have Thought Police in the US now. DVLnyc | 07/04/09
1984 - Intrusive government sure is prophetic jrfoleyjr@... | 06/29/09
Sounds a lot like the last one too, and the one before that Tony Hopkinson | 06/29/09
war over a total fallacy SObaldrick | 06/30/09
WMD, remember Tony Hopkinson | 06/30/09
Reached the limit SObaldrick | 07/01/09
Well my government said little but woof, woof Tony Hopkinson | 07/01/09
Another brainwashing SObaldrick | 07/02/09
Depends on where you sit Tony Hopkinson | 07/02/09
Who did what .. SObaldrick | 07/05/09
Indeed, 100 years from now Tony Hopkinson | 07/06/09
When I was a kid TonytheTiger | 06/30/09
Not 1984... LouCed | 07/01/09
Brave New World. boxfiddler | 07/02/09
1984 portable@... | 06/26/09
Lord of the Flies boxfiddler | 07/02/09
LOTF was not prophetic DVLnyc | 07/04/09
side-line from "feminization" of male fish john.a.wills@... | 06/25/09
"sexual inversion is a disorder" neilb@... | 06/26/09
"bit of a religious nutter angle" C-3PO | 06/26/09
movie reference juliebeman | 06/26/09
it's centrally that Pill john.a.wills@... | 06/26/09
Terminator movies anybody? david.h@... | 06/26/09
Maybe Alzie | 06/26/09
What would the machines do? Step Child | 06/26/09
One of the Best Movies EVER Arcturus909 | 06/26/09
Declining Fertility in Men? matt.glaze@... | 06/26/09
Above all: FORBIDDEN PLANET jvp@... | 06/26/09
Absolutely nortlander | 06/29/09
The Long Orbit Dr Dij | 06/26/09
Sorry - The Truman Show davidt@... | 06/26/09
I didn't see the movie. boxfiddler | 07/02/09
Wargames JasonJD48 | 07/05/09
Crichton's The Terminal Man rfolden@... | 07/06/09
Wha? david_m_kamara@... | 07/17/09
Yup. :-) perry_awm@... | 07/17/09
No Quibbles... rfolden@... | 07/17/09
Star Wars Tony Hopkinson | 06/25/09
I agree for a different reason melias@... | 06/25/09
Not sure that's really fiction Tony Hopkinson | 06/25/09
Interstellar Given gbentley@... | 06/25/09
Incorrect timeline estimates tech4me | 06/26/09
Star Wars timeline perry_awm@... | 06/26/09
1 million years! jtorres@... | 06/26/09
Far far away ! lucien86@... | 06/27/09
Lucien, normally I'd agree with you... perry_awm@... | 06/28/09
distant future movies gforsythe@... | 06/26/09
Dune - tens of thousands of years AlpineHaddock | 06/26/09
Don't bother with the prequels Tony Hopkinson | 06/26/09
Time Machine stacybc@... | 06/26/09
stacybc... boxfiddler | 07/02/09
Dune Timeline JasonJD48 | 07/05/09
delve into the Brian Herbert / Kevin Anderson prequels to get an idea SObaldrick | 07/06/09
Technological Time Estimates Dr_Zinj | 06/26/09
Upon Trek's Warp Drive Technous285 | 06/28/09
Well given we were meant to be judging the most prophetic Tony Hopkinson | 06/26/09
Talking of Larry Niven! dbacon@... | 06/26/09
Good spot, no 'sci-fi' film that I can think Tony Hopkinson | 06/26/09
Long term view? Step Child | 06/26/09
Look Up .. gbentley@... | 06/28/09
How about a book? Jules Verne's, From the Earth to the Moon Joe_R | 06/25/09
It was a movie too... C-3PO | 06/26/09
Another Book Nominee Paul Sim | 06/26/09
Spork SObaldrick | 06/26/09
Le Voyage dans la Lune SirWizard | 06/26/09
Death Race 2000 NotSoChiGuy | 06/25/09
ROTFLMAO BFilmFan | 06/25/09
And to think... NotSoChiGuy | 06/25/09
RE: What are the most prophetic science fiction movies? star_topology | 06/25/09
Idiocracy david.walker2@... | 06/26/09
Boy do I agree gbarn@... | 06/26/09
"The Stand" gbarn@... | 06/26/09
I have no problem boxfiddler | 07/02/09
Based on a book/story called "The Marching Morons" edbolson | 06/28/09
I thought Idiocracy was about .. SObaldrick | 06/29/09
Disagree pokornyt@... | 06/26/09
/agree Step Child | 06/26/09
Ditto on Idiocracy pscjskirk | 06/26/09
Idiocracy, So True robin.g.turner@... | 06/26/09
Well, Mad Max - The Road Warrior is a very good Deadly Ernest | 06/25/09
Soylent Green Bullxxxx dvanduse@... | 06/29/09
Actually Soylent Green was simply over population Tony Hopkinson | 06/29/09
Yea but not close dvanduse@... | 06/30/09
Good point but Tony Hopkinson | 06/30/09
USA Centric dvanduse@... | 07/01/09
Most do. Tony Hopkinson | 07/01/09
Overpopulation LouCed | 07/01/09
Soylent green is about over population and control of the Deadly Ernest | 07/01/09
The Movie 10.5 is also a good candidate as it tells what would Deadly Ernest | 07/01/09
RE: What are the most prophetic science fiction movies? midgarddragon@... | 06/25/09
RE: What are the most prophetic science fiction movies? christopher.godawski@... | 06/26/09
RE: What are the most prophetic science fiction movies? Andrew - comms | 06/26/09
Silent Running or Toxic Avenger; I say! Photogenic Memory | 06/26/09
How could you forget: Brazil henchcritter | 06/26/09
Brazil, underestimated brian.johns@... | 06/26/09
Brazil in tradition of 1984 gorman.mi@... | 07/01/09
Brazil is my pick too mbrown@... | 06/26/09
Running Man sibbald@... | 06/26/09
Frankenstein andrew.mayer@... | 06/26/09
Thumbs Up on Frankenstein DVLnyc | 07/04/09
Roller Ball mikee@... | 06/26/09
Thatr era... kkopp | 06/26/09
Fahrenheit 451 mikee@... | 06/26/09
Fahrenheit 451 steve.eckhart@... | 06/26/09
I'll also vote for Fahrenheit 451 MikeG3b | 06/30/09
Found Article about Author F451 dvanduse@... | 06/30/09
Bradbury is awesome michael.brodock@... | 07/01/09
story about how television destroys interest in reading literature MikeG3b | 07/01/09
"Good pick." boxfiddler | 07/02/09
THX-1138 mikee@... | 06/26/09
Lucas' Unknown MasterPiece sharrison@... | 06/26/09
Recall "Total Recall"? gbrownsword | 06/26/09
Babylon 5 Johnny Bee | 06/26/09
Battlefield Earth michael.brodock@... | 06/26/09
A long standing favorite boxfiddler | 07/02/09
The matrix johnbartlett80 | 06/26/09
The Matrix randy.duren@... | 06/26/09
The Matrix should be there KeeBored | 06/26/09
Ditto that. (nt) boxfiddler | 07/02/09
V for Vendetta mikee@... | 06/26/09
I was on the hedge about listing this... NotSoChiGuy | 06/26/09
Clockwork Orange Cisco-SA | 06/26/09
Max Headroom jeffd@... | 06/26/09
Dune juliebeman | 06/26/09
Oh yes pearlsmerchandise@... | 06/29/09
Re: oh yes philippoxon@... | 07/04/09
Dune was not prophetic at all... DVLnyc | 07/04/09
RE: What are the most prophetic science fiction movies? tschifle | 06/26/09
Excellent remark rscarlat@... | 06/26/09
Johnny Mnemonic rscarlat@... | 06/26/09
They're working on it.... NotSoChiGuy | 06/26/09
Amazing articles... jaxcitytech@... | 07/17/09
The Questor Tapes and Prototype - TV Movies Ursus Horribilis | 06/26/09
RE: Artifical Intelligence scutler777@... | 06/26/09
Aaaaah. A.I. rscarlat@... | 06/26/09
More of a Remake of Pinocchio sboverie@... | 06/26/09
Oh I don't know Tony Hopkinson | 06/26/09
Agree.. AI is the best Vineet369 | 07/03/09
RE: What are the most prophetic science fiction movies? ITSuper | 06/26/09
Most prophetic of Star Trek older **** | 07/04/09
An Earlier Film for this List: Roc Riz | 06/26/09
IDIOCRACY.... rfolden@... | 06/26/09
Damn you... jtorres@... | 06/26/09
Final count down paulsr@... | 06/26/09
Robocop C&B | 06/26/09
I'd buy that for a dollar! jbiohaz@... | 06/26/09
Hmmm JasonJD48 | 07/05/09
RE: What are the most prophetic science fiction movies? khumphreys@... | 06/26/09
Metropolis msbelle | 06/26/09
Metropolis jonbrivera@... | 06/26/09
Wierd Science The 'G-Man.' | 06/26/09
RE: What are the most prophetic science fiction movies? jonbrivera@... | 06/26/09
How true... msbelle | 06/26/09
How About Jurassic Park? Edward.DeRosier@... | 06/26/09
RE: What are the most prophetic science fiction movies? tbityk@... | 06/26/09
Logan's Run was a book first neilb@... | 06/26/09
Combination of three.... NicholasMMDonovan@... | 06/26/09
Cherry 2000 tsschall@... | 06/26/09
RE: What are the most prophetic science fiction movies? tintalbraz@... | 06/26/09
Another book {nt} neilb@... | 06/26/09
Not sooooo older **** | 07/04/09
Has EVERYONE forgotten "Silent Running"? Mabrick | 06/26/09
PS: 1972 starring Bruce Dern. (NT) Mabrick | 06/26/09
In purist terms it's probably the best Tony Hopkinson | 06/26/09
I truly felt sorry for those lonely robots. Photogenic Memory | 06/27/09
What about "Evolution"???? twobrats64 | 06/26/09
"Plan 9 From Outer Space" Dave - The Network Mule | 06/26/09
The list must be larger Reboot XXXI | 06/26/09
Flat screen laptop in 2001 hcombs@... | 06/26/09
RE: What are the most prophetic science fiction movies? oxydal | 06/26/09
Demolition Man: Hands down, not even trying. gdomingo@... | 06/26/09
I was about to laugh and dismiss this... NotSoChiGuy | 06/29/09
Fritz Lang's Metropolis charles.bundy@... | 06/26/09
RE: What are the most prophetic science fiction movies? gr8audioguy@... | 06/26/09
The vision comes true - Star Trek goodies george.theophi@... | 06/26/09
Star Trek vision mault@... | 07/01/09
Also JasonJD48 | 07/05/09
RE: What are the most prophetic science fiction movies? pearlsmerchandise@... | 06/26/09
No they aren't Tony Hopkinson | 06/27/09
Its.. mailboweb@... | 06/27/09
There's a slight possibilty that we're living in a simulation. OnTheRopes | 06/27/09
completely agree pearlsmerchandise@... | 06/29/09
And let's not underestimate tsschall@... | 07/02/09
Doncha jus' luv it !! older **** | 07/09/09
AI - real AI lucien86@... | 06/29/09
Any of your creations showed a desire Tony Hopkinson | 06/29/09
AI again lucien86@... | 07/01/09
It's ok, don't be mad...... pearlsmerchandise@... | 06/29/09
I thought it was a good visual movie Tony Hopkinson | 06/30/09
It is so sad Jaqui | 06/27/09
Isn't that... mailboweb@... | 06/27/09
nope Jaqui | 06/27/09
And don't forget... destimator@... | 06/27/09
not nuclear power john.a.wills@... | 06/27/09
I think Jaqui | 06/27/09
Sooo right pearlsmerchandise@... | 06/29/09
RE: What are the most prophetic science fiction movies? destimator@... | 06/27/09
TRON! Computer code fighting computer code :) john.calvert@... | 06/28/09
TRON roleat | 06/29/09
RE: What are the most prophetic science fiction movies? tptorpey@... | 06/29/09
Forbidden Planet 1956 makwolven@... | 06/30/09
Brazil aandruli@... | 07/01/09
Go back further, to the early 50's haimsn | 07/01/09
Hmmm. boxfiddler | 07/02/09
Off subject older **** | 07/09/09
RE: What are the most prophetic science fiction movies? MalcolmG | 10/16/09
Gattaca predicting corporate genetic profiling? dpresley_50201@... | 10/19/09

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