5 Sci-Fi Movies to Watch This Summer

What I love about sci-fi movies is that you can get a glimpse of what the version of each generation vision of the future was. It is fun to see how often those visions were way off the mark and how sometimes they turn out to be remarkably close to the reality they depict. Of course, sci-fi movies are not all about visions of the future. Sometimes they offer an alternative reading of the world we live in, and sometimes they just flaunt hot alien chicks and the latest technical effects.

Either way, if you are a fan of the sci-fi genre, 2013 will not disappoint you. A highly anticipated sequel, and a few new titles, there are enough of them to keep you busy this summer. And don'tworry I promise there will be no spoilers.

World War Z

World War Z is a British-American zombie apocalypse movie, starring legendary names like Brad Pitt and Matthew Fox. Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt) is a United Nations employee who travels the world in an effort to stop the spreading zombie pandemic. Brad Pitt and zombies in one place is a winning combination in itself, but the movie has a lot more to offer a structured story that does not rely solely on blood and flying corpses. A note to those who have read the book though: the screenplay does not stay true to the plot of Max Brooks' novel. If you are a die-hard fan, it might be wise to be prepared beforehand.

Iron Man 3

The third sequel to Iron Man takes a slightly more somber and serious approach than the previous installments. Billionaire Tony Stark is faced with a new foe, and teams up with a new sidekick. The Mandarin, the half-Chinese, half-English villain that first appeared in the comic books way back in 1964, is brought in to cause some chaos. He organizes a serious of bombings, which intelligence agencies are unable to tackle, so guess who needs to rise to the occasion? At the same time the superhero shows his new emotional side. He struggles with anxiety attacks, caused by him nearly dying in The Avengers and we see him having a heart-to-heart with his new sidekick 10-year-old Harley.

After Earth

Nepotism is alive and well in Hollywood, as seen in After Earth which stars Will Smith and his 15-year-old son Jaden Smith. The two of them play the somewhat oddly sounding Cypher and Kitai Raige, a father and son who crash land on the Earth a thousand years after its devastation, caused by an environmental cataclysm. Cypher is badly hurt, but they can not signal for help, because the rear section of the ship is missing. Kitai sets out on a quest to find it, encountering an Earth that is quite different than the way we know it. The little soldier-to-be tests his strength and courage in a battle with highly evolved flora and fauna.

Elysium

Elysium, scheduled to release very shortly (August 9), is another post-apocalypse movie which will hopefully never come true. In 2154, the wealthy part of the population lives in a luxurious space station, while everybody else is struggling to make a living in a ravaged Earth with scarcely any resources. Naturally, the wealthy guys are taking measures to reduce upward (literally and figuratively) mobility, so we are looking at a movie that is likely to approach some serious issues such as immigration and class conflict. Let's hope Matt Damon and Jodie Foster give a good show.

The Purge

Apocalyptic scenarios seem to be hot this summer. This one, however, is not set in the distant future, but merely less than 10 years from now. In 2022, America has never looked better. Crime and unemployment are really low and one can't help but ask how a change like that can happen in such a short time. Well, here comes the gruesome part. Each year there is a legally-approved 12-hour period called The Purge. During the purge, all kinds of crime (except for those against high-ranking government officials, of course) are allowed. To make it worse all emergency services are suspended as well. All that is supposed to release people's pent-up aggression, so they will be more peaceful the rest of the time. But does it work that way?

I'd like to end with a piece of advice: as entertaining as they are, don't overdo science fiction movies or you risk losing touch with reality. However, if the hero in you is itching for action, get a custom USB pen and come up with your own (hypothetical, preferably) CSI scenarios. Or, check out our selection of flash drives for the entertainment industry, including filmmakers.