Flicks of the future

“Narrowing down any list is a challenge,” Jon Vickers says. But we made him do it anyway.

“Blade Runner” 1982

Set in Los Angeles in the year 2019, this film questions what it is to be human in a world with an increasing population of androids. And of course, you can catch Harrison Ford in his prime, still riding the 1981 success of “Indiana Jones.”

“It’s a great combination of genres. Sci-fi and noir detective,” he says.

Though it was a flop at the box office, Vickers says this film was greatly underappreciated and has since gained a following.

“2001: A Space Odyssey” 1968

Though Vickers says that some may complain about its lack of dialogue and speed, “it’s visually and orally stunning.”

In the movie, the supercomputer, H.A.L. 9000, sets off on a mission to find a mysterious “something” buried beneath the moon’s surface — kind of sounds like IU’s new supercomputer, Big Red II.

“Ghost in the Shell” 1995

This anime film actually helped inspire the Wachowski brothers’ vision of “The Matrix” four years later.

“They tried to do what was done in anime in live action,” Vickers says. The film is about a futuristic cop on the hunt for a powerful hacker known only as “Puppet Master.”

“Alien” and “Aliens” 1979 and 1986

“One of the most pure exciting films in science fiction,” Vickers says.

 Sigourney Weaver leads the crew of a deep space towing commercial ship onto an unknown planet and, you guessed it, meets aliens. Friend or foe? Watch to find out.

“Terminator 2: Judgment Day” 1991

Arnold Schwarzenegger plays the role of the savior in this sequel despite his bad guy part in “Terminator.”

“It’s as action-packed and exciting as it gets, and the sound is topnotch.”

The film actually nabbed four Academy Awards in 1992 for makeup, sound, visual effects, and sound effects.

“A Clockwork Orange” 1971

Set in Great Britain’s not-so-distant future, a teenager is charged with rape and murder and sentenced to receive a new kind of therapy treatment that will avert him to all violence. But once he gets out, what’s a boy to do in a bad, bad world?

“It’s very violent, definitely not for everyone,” Vickers says. It looks at social institutions that think they’re doing something good, but really aren’t, he says.

Guilty Pleasure: “American Astronaut” 2001

Described as a sci-fi/Western/ musical, it uses simple set design and incredible lighting guaranteed to blow your mind, Vickers says.

“A testament to what an artist can do with no budget,” he says.