Good to see they got number 1 and 2 right. Can't stand Spaceballs, a much better example of a geek comedy is Galaxy Quest. Have to give them A+ for putting in Akira and I think only half of the Alien Quadrilogy deserves to be in this list (sorry Joss). I'd chuck Office Space and Repoman and add in The Thing and Robocop.

Zoic_Fan | January 28, 07:23 CET

Yeah, Spaceballs is not all that good. Mel Brooks peaked in 1974 (with Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles) and has honestly been kinda downhill since. I'm glad to see Serenity do well.

And yes, 1 and 2 are definitely right.

WilliamTheB | January 28, 07:34 CET

It's good to see it so high, but to be honest I am a little disappointed. In all honesty (and i know they are classics and NOBODY is going to agree with me), I have found Blade Runner and 2001 to be two of the most BORING movies ever made. Apologies to Ridley Scott, whom i love, but I hate seeing them top any list. Unless its a list of boring movies. Sorry if you love those movies, its a personal irritation.

Also, definitely add some Robocop.

pongluver | January 28, 07:40 CET

No Buckaroo Banzai? Overall, not a bad list, though.

jclemens | January 28, 08:02 CET

Pongluver, I have not seen Blade Runner, but I agree with you that 2001 is super boring.

fortunateizzi | January 28, 08:12 CET

Blade Runner is the single greatest film ever made and 2001 is one of the few times the media has transcended itself into being something that is pure art (but still manages to have a beautiful narrative running through it.) Also both movies have the most beautiful images ever put on film.
Spaceballs is classic comedy gold. It's not my favorite Brooks movie (that would be Blazing Saddles), but its hilarious and it has heart. Office Space is a generational defining comedy, and maybe one of the most stolen from comedies ever made. Repo Man was one of my favorite movies when I was younger, I mean Secret Agent Man sung in spanish is worth watching the movie on its own.
I must say I think you people are crazy, but I guess that's what makes life worth living, everyone is entitled to their own opinin. Except in the places where they're you know not, but we don't talk about those places.
OT did anyone see how much money Meet the Spartans made at the BO this weekend? That's really sad. But I guess when you have an advertising budget that is bigger than the entire budget to some of the greatest films ever made it's hard to do bad at the BO. Le sigh.

theMidnighter | January 28, 08:16 CET

If Office Space qualifies for this list, I think Monty Python and the Holy Grail does, too. Nothing says "geek" like listening to somebody quote entire scenes verbatim.

ShimShamSam | January 28, 08:26 CET

To true about Monty Python and the Holy Grail. I'd have added Wizards too, but that may be a "generational" thing too. Good list, and I'm glad that I can claim to be a geek (17 of the 20, plus Tron).

Kyrax | January 28, 08:54 CET

I've seen so few of these movies that I probably shouldn't even be allowed to post at whedonesque anymore.
I'm a little disappointed in myself.
But Galaxy Quest and Monty Python should have been there.

Xane | January 28, 09:47 CET

Don't say that, Xane, just do the watching. I agree about The Holy Grail. Galaxy Quest I'm not so sure. It's fun but seems kind of focus-group conjured.

dreamlogic | January 28, 10:56 CET

Xane Don't feel bad - I've seen Serenity, the LotR trilogy, the original Star Wars trilogy, TWoK and the first two Alien movies. That's it.

Of course, I watched each of the LotR films at least twice in the theater, and own not only the theatrical but also the extended versions of all three (Well, the extended DVD of RotK, still need the theatrical), as well as the soundtracks, watched Serenity & own it (And the soundtrack, theatrical lobby poster, postcards, keychain & BROWN T-shirt), and have seen WoK and Star Wars enough times to count for the...what? ten we're supposed to have seen. (Ok, yes - I do own every single Star Trek movie. So?)

So...just...be creative, and you'll count as a geek, too. :-)

Besides which - I think anyone who can name four writers from any one of Joss's shows (Not counting Joss himself) or six episodes from each of the seasons is automatically a geek.

ShadowQuest | January 28, 12:14 CET

Actually, I'd have to say seeing 2001 is practically a geek requirement (with possible allowances for ages under 21). And thinking 2001 is not boring is pretty much geek certification. =)

jam2 | January 28, 12:24 CET

2001 is not boring, but trying to understand it if you're not into to it is sort of taking a class with a philosopher/writer who has his own problems. I repudiate the idea of geek certification.

[ edited by dreamlogic on 2008-01-28 09:57 ]

dreamlogic | January 28, 12:54 CET

'2001' isn't boring but it is kind of ... stately IMO, until the last act anyway. It's not exactly visceral, edge of your seat stuff. 'Bladerunner' pretty much is though, don't see a charge of boring sticking there at all (usual caveats about equines and their chosen routes apply ;).

Not seen 'Pirates of Silicon Valley' but I can live with 19 out of 20 though I can't, for the life of me, understand why 'Hackers' or 'Short Circuit' are on there when 'Sneakers' isn't - funny and warm and well performed, great little film and apart from the one leap about factoring large primes and a few 'cinema enhanced' displays, it's also actually pretty realistic (both from a plot and characterisation point of view).

Still, though I might juggle the order and swap a couple, it's not a terrible list all in all.

Saje | January 28, 14:09 CET

Spaceballs shouldn't have been on that list. I agree with a few others here that Galaxy Quest was far better. I only found 2001 interesting after watching 2010.

I'm pleased to see Brazil made it on the list.

I absolutely loved Tron as well as War Games both of which I watched at the cinema and these two films got me interetsed in computers in the early 1980's although after watching The Wrath of Khan on VHS in the mid-1980's, I became more interested in space engineering, the industry I eventually ended up working in.

Come to think of it, it's amazing how many of these 'geeky' films influenced my decisions and future career.

shinyscouser | January 28, 14:19 CET

The thing about 2001. It's one of the movies that really loses a lot on smallscreen. Big hi-def tv or a video projector, and a good sound system, is pretty much required for full appreciation of it.

Eerikki | January 28, 14:26 CET

'Wargames' was a big influence on me too (it'd definitely be higher on my 'Top 20' list) and it was probably a bizarre combination of that, 'Doctor Who', 'Blake's 7' and 'Columbo' that steered me into IT.

Saje | January 28, 14:35 CET

I'm actually surprised I've seen 17 out of 20. I think Serenity made the list because of Joss's geek cred. Otherwise, why not a half dozen other SciFi films? Not that most are as good as Serenity. ;-)
Hated Spaceballs. My ex was watching it & I wandered off before it was over. And I agree with Saje that Sneakers was better than either Hackers or Short Circuit, neither of which I liked that much.

I must have a really strange mind because 2001 made sense to me the first time I saw it, a theater revival on a glorious old-fashioned Cineramma screen. I was mesmerized.

I agree that Galaxy Quest should be on the list, that's a glaring omission. And Brazil is just a no-brainer for any list of most anything.

ShadowQuest I thought of eight jossverse writers off the top of my head. On a good day I could probably name 90% of the BtS eps, (100% of seasons four through seven, almost for sure), all of Firefly (easy because there are so few) and maybe half of AtS eps. Not sure what that says about my capacity for being obsessive ;_)

Shey | January 28, 16:12 CET

Right from the beginning it was often recomended that 2001 be seen while under the influence of something. Not sure what that says about those of us who enjoyed it without the need for enhancements but it does suggest that it is not for everyone.

Lioness | January 28, 17:02 CET