One thing that science fiction movies have plenty of are fantastic lines and over the years the list of extremely stellar quotes has become longer and more exciting. Creating this list was one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life, there were just too many and narrowing it down to 10 was a daunting process. I actually shed a few tears when I removed, “Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi, you’re my only hope” and nearly gave up. Luckily, I persevered and can now present to you, my list.
10. “M.I. does the dying. Fleet just does the flying.” – Johnny Rico, Starship Troopers (1997)
Why:Â Johnny Rico just had his lieutenant and his best friend die in his arms and when he tells command to blow up the outpost he is given the response, “Negative on your request. The sky marshal has other plans for planet ‘P.'” That would irritate me a bit as well, not to mention that he was picked up by his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend that she broke up with him for. Poor Johnny, he just can’t catch a break. Also, who doesn’t enjoy a little Casper Van Dien jaw clenching? This line is great for it.
9. “Leeloo Dallas, Multipass.” – Leeloo, The Fifth Element (1997)
Why:Â Â Because I love Milla Jovovich. She is amazing in this movie and after it came out I was fully planning on naming my daughter Leeloo, dying my hair orange and getting some white strips of leather to wear around town. This quote also made it into my top 10 over others because I use it fairly often in my day to day life, for instance, every single time someone asks to see my ID.
8. “Are you telling me you built a time machine… out of a Delorean?” – Marty McFly, Back to the Future (1985)
Why:Â If you are going to build a time machine you might as well do it with some style, am I right? Deloreans look more like time machines than cars anyway so the Doc was already half way there, all it needed was the flux-capacitor and 1.21 gigawatts of electricity. Oh, and Michael J. Fox is the man so he makes this quote better.
7. Â “E.T. phone home.” – E.T., E.T. The Extraterrestrial (1982)
Why: You probably assume that I am quoting E.T. when he points to the sky and says this line, I am not. I am actually saying, “E.T. phone HOOOOOME!” from when he is coming back to life again and Elliott finds him. He is such a cutie pie and I love him. His face makes me smile every time I think about it.
6. “I’ll be back.” – The Terminator, The Terminator (1984)
Why:  I can remember being on the playground in elementary school, dropping Terminator lines like there was no tomorrow and I hadn’t even heard of the movie yet. When I finally saw The Terminator for the first time, it was like fitting the last puzzle piece of my childhood into its spot and everything was right in the world. I finally understood what I was talking about at recess and I gave 7 year old me a high five.
5. “Live long and prosper.” – Spock, Star Trek (1960s)
Why:Â I feel I must preface this by saying I am a much bigger Star Wars fan than Star Trek but I will admit to using this line more than several times throughout the course of my life. It is such a nice way of bidding adieu and when I finally figured out how to separate my ring and middle fingers, I felt like I had accomplished something truly impressive. It also helps that I have a crush on Spock after watching Zachary Quinto in the role. Sorry, Leonard Nimoy, you never did it for me.
4. Â “Get away from her, you bitch!” – Ellen Ripley, Aliens (1986)
Why:Â This is one of my favorites for one simple reason, Ripley is badass. Who else would talk to an alien like that?
3. Â “There is no spoon.” – Spoon Boy, The Matrix (1999)
Why:….There is no spoon?? Whaaat? Wow, you are RIGHT, Spoon Boy! There IS no spoon. All of this is… it’s fake, it’s not real! Am I really here? Are YOU really here? Is this air I’m breathing? How will I eat my cereal?
2. Â “I’m sorry, Dave, I’m afraid I cant do that.” – HAL 9000, 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Why:Â Talk about giving the heebie jeebies, this line left me a serious case of the goosebumps. The idea of computers becoming so smart that they can take over the world is a hot topic in the science fiction world and this movie, without a doubt, does it the best. HAL is one creepy heuristic algorithmic machine, from his monotone voice to the way his little red eye would watch the goings on of the crew… it’s no wonder he was ranked #13 in AFIs Top Villains of All Time.
1. Â “Do or do not, There is no try.” – Yoda, Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Why:Â Wise, is he. If there is one quote that can be used nearly every day and still hold the same power as it did the first time, this is it. When someone uses this line against me I feel ashamed, then I feel empowered. It’s only different in my mind! I can do anything! I will do it and succeed or do it and fail, either way I am giving it my all and succeeding in life! How is it that Star Wars can make me feel so good? Thank the maker.
Honorable Mention: “No Nukes! No Nukes!” – Rockhound, Armageddon (1998)
Why:Â I could be at work, class, food shopping, driving, pretty much doing anything and when I remember this line I will burst out laughing because Steve Buscemi is so awesomely ridiculous.
If you disagree with any of my selections or feel I have missed some particularly awesome gems, comment! I’d love to discuss.
Dear Crystal,
You left out one of my all-time favorite sci-fi movies . . . Independence Day!
Lotsa great lines, but two in particular:
[After punching alien in the face] Welcome to Earth!
[After barely escaping from the enemy ship] Oh! Elvis has left the building!
Haha, she was agonizing over this list, don’t make it worse, Gordon!
Welcome to Earth was on the list but didn’t make the cut, sorry Gordon! I had to cut out some excellent MIB lines as well. Very painful.
You mean “Welcome to Earf…”
Great selection, I was worried after I didn’t recognise the first few but later on they were absolute classics
â€I’m sorry, Dave, I’m afraid I cant do that.â€
I prefer:
“Look Dave, I can see you’re really upset about this. I honestly think you ought to sit down calmly, take a stress pill, and think things over.”
Oh I KNOW!!! He is such a condescending computer.
I agree with this selection, with a few comments.
One: Spock is totally awesome when he is played by Zachary Quinto, but Leonard Nimoy is the classic, so I love him just as much.
Two: There are many great sci-fi quotes in Doctor Who. Here are a few.
“It goes ding when there’s stuff.” -The Doctor, when he was explaining his alien tracker
“Lots of planets have a north!” -The Doctor, when he was explaining his northern accent.
Well, that’s only two, but… yeah. Though I understand that your quotes were all from movies, not TV shows. I do like your selection, though. I love those quotes. :)
I have never seen Dr. Who… it’s tragic. I must fix this.
Excellent selection. :)
Great list! Must have been damned hard to narrow down :D
Excellent choice with the iconic ‘Live Long and Prosper’, but as a philosophy student I prefer Spock’s Utilitarian ‘The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one’ :)
I must not fear. Fear is the mindkiller…
There is no try…I said that constantly for about 6 months when I quit smoking 17 years ago, could say it helped save my life
gave over man
This is a truly remarkable list. All of these are 4 star movies. Much better than a list like http://www.filmcrave.com/list_genre_movie.php?genre=Sci-Fi which just has random movies scattered through out. Nice work!
With the imminent release of the latest “Planet of the Apes”, may I humbly suggest Charlton Heston’s memorable bellow “Take your stinking paws off me, you damn dirty ape!”
Amazing choices! But I do believe that you forgot a great Star Wars quote:
“Now face the powah of a FULLY OPERATIONAL DEATH STAR!!!” –The Emperor, Star Wars VI
You kidzin me bro? WHERE IS MAL REYNOLDS?
Here are a few good quotes
“Explode? I don’t wanna explode!” – Jayne Cobb, Serenity(2005)
“I swear by my pretty-flower bonnett I will end you.” Mal Reynolds, Firefly(2002)
“This.. my head. That, you head. That.. UGLY HEAD *attempt at imitating human laugh*” main Drac, Enemy Mine (199?)
not exactly a sci-fi movie or book… but from a sci-fi game:
in Star Craft II, the caracther Tychus starts “tripping”, talking about the fact they may be upsetting the entire space-time continuum…
to that Jim Raynor says: “Easy Tychus, This ain´t science fiction”.
Except it is, haha.
a video of it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0-lLov4iB4
What about the classic line from Soylent Green? “IT’S PEOPLE!!!!!!!” No?