Lots of good picks put forth.  For me, in 1979, I saw Alien - it has remained my favorite Sci-fi and space related movie of all times.

Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey

and

Brian DePalma's Mission to Mars

OK, I found this poll to be such a good one that I'm going to promote it to the main poll on Astronomy.com's homepage next week. Of course, I can't use unlimited options, but you guys have thrown out some great ideas.

 Thanks!

Wow! That's a tough one! I'd have to go with Star Wars (the original) made in '77. Space Battles, explosions, spaceships...

Either that or Star Trek II - The Wrath of Khan. Also alot of space battles and explosions but they actually used a nebula to hide in and ambush Khan. (extra points for the original idea). Also, the nebula "seemed" real. Lots of gases, very bright, damaged electrical systems ect....stormy to say the least...

As a runner up...Either Event Horizon or the Black Hole.

If by an astronomy movie, you mean a film that is based on fact (like Apollo 13 and The Right Stuff, two films about space travel) and not science fiction, I'll have to say my favorite is The Dish, a delightful flick about the Parks Radio Telescope in Australia.  As far as science fiction films go, 2001: A Space Oddyssey is my favorite intellectually but my sentimental favorite is Forbidden Planet.

Dave Mitsky

Karri Ferron:

OK, I found this poll to be such a good one that I'm going to promote it to the main poll on Astronomy.com's homepage next week. Of course, I can't use unlimited options, but you guys have thrown out some great ideas.

 Thanks!

Sweet!

DaveMitsky, I mean anything on Astronomy based. Fiction or nofiction. I'd rather be non fiction but both are cool.

Spaceballs!

Contact! I thought this movie just had a very original plotline to it and the CG was fantastic.

Wonderful movie with a memorable music score as well.

The Black Hole (1979)

Sci-Fi would be Dune

Non Sci-Fi would be Apollo 13

My favorite "classic" movies are two from H.G. Wells, "The War of the Worlds" and "The First Men in the Moon".

My other favorites are 2001 & 2010, Contact & Apollo 13.

My video library also includes Armageddon, Deep Impact, Supernova, Space Cowboys, Red Planet, Mission to Mars, Wing Commander, Starship Troopers, all the Star Wars, Dune, Event Horizon, Alien, A&E's "The Planets" Series, Independence Day, The Arrival, Star Man, Pitch Black, Chronicles of Riddick, Serenity, Sunshine, and maybe a couple of others I can't think of.      Sorry, wasn't supposed to name all the space movies I had.   Got carried away.

Alien is a great movie, but Astronomy based????

The Right Stuff deserved to be on the list for the poll.

But maybe us older guys are becoming fewer and the excitement of those heady Space Race days and the first steps into the great unknown are only known to most now through history books.

L

leo731:

The Right Stuff deserved to be on the list for the poll.

 The Right Stuff was definitely on our long list, but we can only put six on the poll. So the editors here voted for the six they would put on the poll, and the ones with the most votes made it. If I would have been able to do all the movies we thought of, there would have been TONS more options.

What was that movie called about the kid that lived in coal country that started building rockets in the 50's(?), but his dad was the mine foreman and just wanted the kid to be a miner.  The dad thought the kid was being oppositional and all.  This kid entered a school science competition with his ideas on building an engine that would send people into space.

It's a true story about the guy who was the U.S.'s leading rocket scientist.  Someone help me out here.  What's the name of the movie????

WannaB:

What was that movie called about the kid that lived in coal country that started building rockets in the 50's(?), but his dad was the mine foreman and just wanted the kid to be a miner.  The dad thought the kid was being oppositional and all.  This kid entered a school science competition with his ideas on building an engine that would send people into space.

It's a true story about the guy who was the U.S.'s leading rocket scientist.  Someone help me out here.  What's the name of the movie????

I think you're looking for October Sky

That's it.  Thank you!!!  That is a great flic!

Apollo 13

ASTRONOMYDOMINE:

Spaceballs!

If we're gonna go there, I gotta say Galaxy Quest!