6. Star Wars

dir. George Lucas

The movie that changed sci-fi forever, and one of the first “blockbusters” to hit the big screen. Star Wars excels on so many levels. It appropriates classical mythology to create an epic journey, predicated on a battle between good and evil. It gave us a different kind of sci-fi setting, that looked old and lived in, rather than shiny and futuristic. It wowed audiences with special effects unlike any they’d ever seen. George Lucas and his team of artists created a wealth of iconic imagery, from Star Destroyers, to lightsabers, to droids, to Darth Vader. It’s a story that’s big enough for exploding planets, but small enough for a young man struggling over his destiny. Star Wars is one of the classic stories of the twentieth century, and will surely gain fans for decades to come.