[redpoint5]

I'm not sure I fully understand my own criteria for enjoying a sci-fi movie. Star Wars is among my favorite movies of all time despite the low adherence of science and large helping of fantasy. Perhaps it's that I saw the films as a child when I had no understanding of physics, and the positive association just carried over into adulthood.

I don't care much for Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter because the rules of the universe are too arbitrary and breakable.

I did enjoy the first Iron Man, but again it might be because of my fondness for the comics as a child. The "super powers" are still governed by the imagined science of the universe in which it exists, and isn't explained by magic. For the same reason, Batman was always my favorite super hero since his ability relied on technology and skill, and not on magic.

My appreciation for 2001 comes from the adherence to science and interesting thoughts on the origin and evolution of life. That said, it took me about 6 attempts to watch the film without falling asleep during absurdly long cuts of space ships barely doing anything at all in the quietness of space.

I watched Moon for about the 10th time recently, and I find the pacing of the movie to be perfectly acceptable along with most of the physics (no explanation of normal gravity in the habitat is given). Show the movie only to women you wish to torture though.

I'm looking forward to The Martian as the book is superb. No doubt I'll be disappointed as the action is cranked up and the movie dumbed down for general consumption by the masses.