10 Great Movies That Blur The Line Between Science Fiction and Science Fact |

1. Metropolis (1927)

Metropolis is a 1927 silent film directed by Fritz Lang and is set in 2026. Unlike many other films of it’s time, Metropolis has not been forgotten, but has become more and more relevant. Artists like Beyonce and Janellle Monáe have made reference to the film and it is often referred to as one of the very few science fiction films that accurately predicted the future.

So what is it about Metropolis that blurs the lines between fact and fantasy? The movie depicts a new world order: the elite live in high rise buildings and are often referred to as the “thinkers”. The workers live as cogs in a machine: they live and work underground and are sheep: they have no free thought but their only purpose is to work until they are fed to the machine. The machine they operate ensures that the thinkers can survive: these two entities feed one another. All of this is owned by one man who is seen as the ‘creator of the Metropolis’.

This metaphor for our current society may be a little on the extreme side, but it has often been highlighted as a frighteningly obvious premonition about the rise of the 1% over the 99% who work to their deaths for very little reward. At one point one of our protagonists, Maria, notes “one man’s hymns of praise became the other man’s curse”. Of course this could refer directly to a holy war, but also speaks volumes about the sacrifices that the lower class cultures and nations of today make for their wealthy and powerful counterparts.

2. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey was released one year before Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. The film follows a voyage to Jupiter to investigate an unidentified black monolith which is having dire affect on humans. The spacecraft is operated by HAL, a computer system capable of communicating with the astronauts on best practices through the journey. 2001: A Space Odyssey has often been called one of the most culturally significant films ever made, and made some startling predictions about the future of interplanetary travel.

One of the most important is the world in which the story is set. Space Tourism is commonplace. The US has an outpost on the moon and a space station which orbits Earth serves as a layover station. While we do not currently engage in Space Tourism, it certainly is coming. Perhaps the most publicly known and notable pioneer in this industry is Richard Branson, whose company Virgin Galactic has sold tickets to the moon for an undisclosed (and still to be decided) date. Perhaps before moon landings happen, though, one can pay $200,000 for a trip into space.

Interplanetary tourism was not the only thing that Kubrick accurately portrayed. After the release of the film, astronauts and scientists remarked on how close to life the spacecraft technology was. Having characters in a cryogenic hibernation during the trip was an under explored technology at the time, and the character of HAL not only realizes advanced robotic technology, but it has been revered as inspiring many modern day techs too! Think of Apple’s Siri as a prime example!

3. Gattaca (1997)

Andrew Niccol’s 1997 film Gattaca explores a number of technologies which are only just coming into use today. This film details a future society where children are conceived through genetic manipulation and parents can handpick the features, talents, and personality traits of their potential children.

The film is widely cited and used in studies of ethics and morality and has been subject to quite bit of debate about whether using genetic manipulation for selecting certain features or genders is right. While genetic enhancement is not currently available for household use there have certainly been trends that elude to this technology being available in the future: the advancements in in-vitro technology have allowed parents to fundamentally ‘shop for a child’; picking out the genetic characteristics of a person which could positively alter their child’s life.

When choosing an embryo for implantation through in-vitro, geneticists can actually see everything within that embryo that could cause a potential problem: from a propensity to certain cancers, to a susceptibility to asthma or even debilitating diseases such as Huntington’s disease which is passed down genetically.

While these technologies are not at the level demonstrated within Gattaca just yet, the alarming rate at which they’re growing and developing leaves no shadow of a doubt that the technology will be available to us in the near future. What this means for society ethically is still up for debate.

4. The Matrix (1999)

Written and directed by The Wachowski Brothers, The Matrix is hailed as one of science fiction’s greatest achievements and the film grossed over $450 million worldwide. It spawned two sequels, video games & comic books and sits on the shelves of most movie lovers. But what is it about The Matrix that is so real? How does this cleverly crafted dystopian fantasy blend into reality?

The Matrix paints a picture of a future where humans are living in a simulated reality: what they are seeing and experiencing isn’t real. Their reality is that they are used as an energy source to power the world. Virtual reality is one of the most talked about technologies of the last two years and major tech companies such as Google have been very quick to try and cash in on the trend. Oculus Rift is something that immediately comes to mind when re-watching The Matrix.

Michael Abrash is the Chief Programmer for Oculus Rift, and he actually made tribute to The Matrix when speaking about the technology. He quoted one of the main characters Morpheus by saying: “If you are talking about what you can feel, what you can smell, what you can taste and see, then real is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain.”

Most likely this virtual reality will be used for menial activities such as learning to drive or incident simulations however it is exciting nonetheless.

5. Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (2004)

Thinking about Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, one might wonder how Charlie Kaufman could manage to write this story instead of actually wondering “how could this be real ?” The fact behind the fiction is that it probably could be real and it could be real within our lifetime. The film tells the story of a couple who after a bad break up decide to erase one another from their memories. The movie not only examines the effects of ending a relationship on someone emotionally but it also looks at the nature of memory and how it can serve to alter our perception of romantic love.

There has been a lot of research done on the potential of memory erasure being a very real technology. The reason for this is that it could be used to treat people that suffer from post traumatic stress disorder or substance abuse. Within the last 24 months particularly there have been a number of studies that have shown that altering a person’s perception of the way that they feel when using a particular substance can alter their dependence on that substance.

Memory erasure has been tested and is showing to be possible through using drug induced amnesia, selective memory suppression, and introduction of memory. Of course the potential use this technology has elicited many ethical questions and the technology itself is considered to be very underdeveloped. Having said this the ability to manipulate, re-create, or even erase memory is very real and its medical application could exist in a very mainstream way within a matter of 20 to 30 years.

6. I, Robot (2004)

Two days ago in New York City, a robot passed a self awareness test. No: this is not the tag line for the next science-fiction thriller. This is something that actually happened. The reality of robotics is that it is something that is been around for a very long time. What many of us sometimes don’t realize is that robots surround us every single day. Your printer technically is a robot. Anybody who works in manufacturing will spend their entire day surrounded by pieces of robotic equipment. Your phone can now send an email for you or remind you to buy a birthday cake for your son. Like it or not, robots have become an essential part of our day to day life.

The film I, Robot is set in 2035 where human-esque robots serve humanity. Most characters have a Robot who will act as their maid or servant and make their coffee, clean their house and accompany them on errands.

In the film, these robots go rogue and start to destroy humanity as they rise to take control of the planet. While robots killing humans in a plot to take over might be a little far fetched, humanoid robots to aid us in our day to day life are a very real prediction. You can see humanoid robots at most robotics fairs, and it has been suggested that advanced robotics can actually help humans to further evolve as a species (see films like Terminator or X-Men).

While a robot that achieves a human level of consciousness (as seen in I, Robot) is likely a very long way off, progress is certainly being made.

7. Elysium (2013)

It is the year 2159. Humanity has been divided into two distinct classes. The rich live on Elysium, a luxurious space station that orbits the earth and has gardens, clean water & all the riches of our modern life. The middle and lower class remain on what is left of planet Earth: a decaying, hardened, crime ridden existence.

The probability of the context of Elysium becoming a reality is highly debatable. Most argue that Elysium is entirely metaphorical and a commentary on the socio-economic realities of the 21st century. While this can be true, we have to wonder how much of this film could become a scientific reality.

The use of exoskeletons is something that is currently under development. Many militaries all over the world are considering the use of mechanical suits or exoskeletons to maximize the damage potential of their troops. Other uses could be to help those who have suffered injury to their limbs, or have become victims of old age. In any case, the use of ex skeletons (though they may end up looking a lot sleeker than the one Matt Damon sports in Elysium) could be very real within the next ten years.

Further to this, scientists predict that a floating world such as Elysium may actually be possible too. There will be obvious problems that stand in our way (like, how do we create gravity?! And what would happen with the weather?!) however questions like this are only driving us forward. While it may be a few hundred years before anything even remotely looking like an Elysium becomes real, it is certainly on the trajectory and should not be dismissed as impossible.

8. Europa Report (2013)

Sebastián Cordero’s 2013 Sci-Fi thriller Europa Report is a dramatization of something extremely real: a manned mission to Jupiter’s moon, Europa. Europa has been gaining a lot of attention lately and is one of the only surfaces that is deemed a possible suitor for human colonization. The colonization of Europa would not be without it’s challenges, but it is one of the smoothest observable surfaces in the galaxy and has water, so it’s not a bad start!

Of course, colonization is a long way off. We haven’t even been to Europa yet so there is a multitude of dangerous elements that could be found there. However, Europa Report definitely got this right: we are going to send people there to look for sources of life. Scientists will analyze the chances of life existing on Europa already, and the potential for humans to survive on the distant moon. An unmanned probe will likely be visiting Europa within ten years and scientists are keen to have humans follow suit. Not only does Europa hold the biggest chance for extra terrestrial life, but will also give us valuable insight into what lies beyond our galaxy.

9. Her (2013)

Spike Jonez’s 2013 romantic comedy, ‘Her’ may not be classified as a full on science fiction, but it certainly deals with technology that requires a little bit of imagination. The film follows a protagonist named Theodore who falls in love with his extremely self aware intelligent computer operating system. This is, of course, devastating as he cannot hope to have a legitimate romantic relationship with her, can he?

For many this film reminds us of ‘Siri’, Apple’s digital assistant, but it takes it a step further. Most scientists agree, however, that this tech is not far off. Particularly with advancements in the way that our technology can monitor our lives (think of the way Apple watch can keep track of everything health wise) and the progress made in virtual reality, it could only be a few years before intelligent OS’ become reality. That is not to say that this tech is going to become so self aware that it will evolve beyond us, but it will undoubtedly become an integral part of our daily lives and much sooner than we anticipate.

10. Interstellar (2014)

Earth is not going to live forever. Some believe that there will be another ‘big bang’. Some think an ice age is coming (or could be brought on by volcanic activity). Some people argue that climate change is going to destroy our planet and cause a mass extinction, not just of life but of our food and water.

Christopher Nolan’s 2014 blockbuster Interstellar takes a dying earth and asks us a question: would we wait to die, or would we try to find somewhere else to go? The ‘fact’ or ‘reality’ of this concept depends heavily on how the Earth will die. If the Earth deteriorates in a slow and visible enough way then we may have time to think about colonizing another planet. If this is the case then Interstellar could serve as a startling glimpse into the future. In fact, many scientists are arguing that more time and money needs to be spent on finding alternate planets for human life and many believe that Nolan was trying to drive this idea home.

Additionally, Nolan draws on some pretty crazy science throughout most of the film. Worm holes are now a universally accepted part of our universe and it is not entirely impossible that one could open some sort of portal to travel from one side of the universe to the other. Additionally, Nolan uses (but does take a few liberties with) worm holes to pose interesting questions about the nature of time. Many scientists agree that gravity can completely alter what we understand to be the way time moves, and it can be argued as science fact that the way characters in Interstellar age is a direct result of their proximity to alternate gravitational forces.

This is in no way a definitive list of the films that blur the line between science fact and science fiction. Of course, many of our favourite sci-fi flicks are based on some sort of reality. However fun it is to rely solely on our imagination, it is both exciting and frightening to try to grasp the reality of what we are watching.