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Total Recall
D: Paul Verhoeven (1990) 109m

Slam-bang Schwarzenegger action flick with some spectacular SFX propelling the juggernaut. Working-class hero discovers that his memory has been wiped in order to cover-up his past as an intelligence agent on the Mars colony - all in the name of interplanetary domination. Loosely based on the 1966 Philip K Dick novelette 'We Can Remember it For You Wholesale'.

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Terminator 2 - Judgement Day
D: James Cameron (1991) 135m

Big Arnie is back… but this time he is a sensitive new age cyborg out to do good instead of evil while facing off against a cyborg with different ideas. All the time-travelling twists and conundrums of the original, with an unexpectedly healthy dose of 'man vs machine' social conscience thrown in for good measure.

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Jurassic Park
D: Steven Spielberg (1993) 127m

Adapted from a Michael Crichton novel about a theme park where the main attraction is genetically-cloned dinosaurs. A small group is allowed an advance preview, whereupon all manner of prehistoric predators get loose and create havoc. Typical Spielberg affair with Jeff Goldblum continuing on his science fictional career path.

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12 Monkeys
D: Terry Gilliam (1995) 131m

Arthouse short film La Jetée provided the inspiration for both Gilliam and star Bruce Willis to hit creative peaks in this ingenious apocalyptic time-travel tale. In the not-too-distant future a deadly plague forces humanity underground. A criminal volunteers to go back in time and help find a cure in exchange for wiping his slate clean.

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The City Of Lost Children
D: Caro & Jeunet (1995) 112m

A masterpiece of surrealism from French directors Marc Caro and Jean-Pierre Jeunet. A city in perpetual twilight is the setting for this tale of an evil scientist who kidnaps children and steals their dreams. Bizarre characters are commonplace throughout this visual smorgasbord, which may be a bit short on sci-fi content for some.

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Contact
D: Robert Zemeckis (1996) 150m

Jodie Foster stars as a woman driven by a lifelong obsession to find intelligent life in outer space. Based on the Carl Sagan novel, Contact is one of the most visually stunning sci-fi films ever made. When contact is made, aliens send plans for a mysterious machine. Fascinating exploration of ethical and spiritual issues that remains true to the novel.

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Cube
D: Vincenzo Natali (1997) 90m

Canadian film about a small group of people from radically varying backgrounds who awaken to find themselves trapped in a giant cube with a seemingly endless number of rooms. A couple of mishaps convince the survivors that they must pool their knowledge if they are to escape. Thoroughly refreshing to see inventively creative sci-fi made on a modest budget.

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The Fifth Element
D: Luc Besson (1997) 127m

Frustrated Brooklyn cab driver (Bruce Willis) takes us on a fun-filled excursion through the 23rd century. Willis gets lovingly tangled up with an enigmatic alien who holds the key to saving the Earth from destruction. The evil villain is a nightmare made sufferable by the comic presence of a mixed-up priest and an over-the-top radio host.