3. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Steven Spielberg called 2001: A Space Odyssey his generations "big bang", a feeling shared by millions more around the world at that time. It is widely considered as the greatest sci-fi film of all time, second only to Star Wars because of Star Wars' less complicated nature. 2001 explores topics such as evolution, the perils of technology, artificial intelligence and extra-terrestrial life, all fused together in one long film with ground-breaking, legendary special effects, incredible music and minimal dialogue. This is a film which I need to be in a relaxed and patient mood to watch, almost like a David Lynch film, and when the viewing session has completed, boy was it worth it! I like to think of 2001 as this generation's Cloud Atlas, a monumentally wonderful film that has polarized critics and fans but has gone on to wide critical acclaim. Cloud Atlas has yet to receive the acclaim it deserves but I suspect it will one day. Not only was 2001 an incredible leap in the field of special effects but it was the precursor to films that have shaped cinema such as Star Wars, Alien, Blade Runner, Contact and other science-fiction films. The Vatican curiously called 2001 one of the greatest films of all time and invited Kubrick's widow Christiane Kubrick there to screen the film. It is a widely perplexing film, the meaning and ending of which is still being debated across the world by professional critics and casual film fans alike.