Overlooked Sci-Fi
 

I recently found out about movies such as ZPG (Zero Population Growth), Android, and Journey to the Far Side of the Sun. I just got Android today, and plan on picking up the other two.

Neither of these are really well known sci-fi films, and I never heard of them until this year. What else am I missing out on? I want to find really good sci-fi films in terms of story and direction. The special effects can be OK...I am not expecting every movie I find to hold up as well as 2001, for example. I just want GOOD sci-fi. Hard sci-fi preferred, but I am open to anything that is overlooked and actually is good in the sci-fi genre.

Other overlooked classics I am aware of:
Robinson Crusoe on Mars
Solaris (Russian version)
Forbidden Planet (I know it's not exactly overlooked, but I suppose some here might think I don't know about it)

Just to get those two out of the way.

Year made, country of origin, whether it's on another region DVD...any and all suggestions welcome.

Code 46 was a solid hard sci-fi movie that was kinda forgotten.
I liked Sphere, but I know a lot of people thought it got kinda silly in the second half.

Is Solaris overlooked? I mean, it was even remade.

Some overlooked Sci-Fi I've really liked:

• Primer (2004)
• The films of Vincenzo Natali:
  • Nothing (2003)
  • Cypher (2002)
  • Cube (1997)
• Avalon (2001)
• Serenity (2005)
• Resurrection of the Little Match Girl (2002)
• Battle Royale (2000)
• Pi (1998)

Hardware

Time after Time. I don't remember it being that popular.

I came here to say this.

Also, Screamers with Peter Weller.

Great topic. I second these:

Cube
Primer
Screamers
Serenity (not really overlooked, though)
Time After Time

I also suggest:

The Arrival
Body Snatchers (1993)
Contact
The Day the Earth Caught Fire
The Lathe of Heaven (1980)
The Quiet Earth
Strange Days
Supernova (2000)

Imposter
Kronos (1957)
The Projected Man(R2)
Target Earth
Eve Of Destruction

Dark City (although this has a pretty good "cult" following)
Equilibrium
GATTACA
Impostor
Thirteenth Floor
Time Bandits

Some that may not really be overlooked, but it fits in w/ some of the other titles the OP mentioned -- older movies that may not be known by the new generations

Capricorn 1 (w/ OJ Simpson :D)
Fahrenheit 451
Fantastic Voyage
Logan's Run
Soylent Green
Them!

1994's The Puppet Masters is a very solid sci-fi flick that's quite underlooked, IMO. It's based on Heinlien's book of the same name (which came out before Invasion of the Body Snatchers), and it's that kind of premise. I thought it was a very tight, intense, quite action-packed sci-fi outing.

Dune (1984)

"The Quiet Earth"?

Parts: The Clonus Horror.

The Hidden (1987)

Thanks --- Capricorn One, I forgot all about that!

It inspired a whole generation of conspiracy theorists!

A Boy and his Dog
The Brother from Another Planet
Dark Star
Fantastic Planet
I Married a Monster from Outer Space
Incredible Shrinking Man
Invaders from Mars (original)
The Mysterians
Open Your Eyes

I definitely second the votes for Them! and Day the Earth Caught Fire. Also, all of the films employing stop motion work by Ray Harryhausen are worth a rental, although the acting and dialogue suffer from the woodenness typical of the period.

Enemy Mine

Thanks for the suggestions! I'd say a good 80% of what has been listed so far is either new to me or titles I've heard/read in passing that I never really knew the movies were good sci fi.

Code 46 for example....I know that's at the local video store up the street. I've passed by the DVD a few times. Now I have a reason to pick it up!

Premier is brilliant and I loved Serenity. I 2nd those.

I need to check out Android.

Outland

I'm not sure if it qualifies as overlooked, but I really like it.

One of my all-time favs & being that it hasn't even been mentioned here yet, it would clearly be underrated.


eXistenZ

Certainly overlooked for a decent DVD transfer with bonus features.