dys·to·pi·a
[dis-toh-pee-uh]
-noun
a society characterized by human misery, as squalor, oppression, disease, and overcrowding.
#5 - A Clockwork Orange
Directed by: Stanley Kubrick
A sadistically brutal and often humorous satire on violence, A Clockwork Orange is one of the great movies of it's time. Set in London in the not-so-distant future, roving gangs of violent rapists and murderers run rampant -- a dystopia in it's most raw, human form.
#4 - 12 Monkeys
Directed by: Terry Gilliam
Set in a post-apocalyptic world, after the exposure of a seemingly-unstoppable deadly virus forces the surviving humans underground. There, they attempt to send convicts back in time in attempt to find out how to stop the virus from spreading. Inspired by French short film, La Jetée.
#3 - Children Of Men
Directed by: Alfonso Cuarón
The year is 2027, and no human child has been born for 18 years: This provides the back-drop for one of the most well-made movies in years. Society is crumbling, and with no hope of a future for humanity, the world has become a cesspool for intolerance, greed, and corruption. This dark, brooding sci-fi odyssey is the perfect blend of atmosphere and human depth.
#2 - Metropolis
Directed by: Fritz Lang
This totalitarian future tackles the subject of societal boundaries; a world where the population is broken into two classes: The rich and the poor. The rich live frivolous, carefree lives, whereas the poor are forced to live underground in cramped quarters, and work until they are quite literally disposed of. This visual feast give us a fantastic look at a perfect utopia -- and the cost.
#1 - Brazil
Directed by: Terry Gilliam
My personal choice for the best movie to come out of the '80s, Brazil is not the post-apocalyptic nightmare one would expect to take the #1 spot, but rather an impossible world ruled by bureaucracy. The difficulty of mass amounts of unnecessary paperwork rule over everyone's lives, causing accidental typing errors to have profoundly negative effects on people's lives. A perfect satire, and one of my favorite movies of all-time.
It was very difficult for me to narrow it down to only 5 movies, so I hope I don't upset too many people with the movies I appear to have neglected. Thanks for reading!
-Jeff S.C.
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