Off-Topic

1. Jurassic Park/ Jurassic Park is one of my favorites mainly because it is the first movie I remember seeing in theaters, I mean what else does a 5 year old like then Dinosaurs and now that I'm older and understand a lot more I always liked the way Spielberg used CGI and animatronic so effectively I would hope if I where to get a directing position one day that I can pull off something that awesome.

2. Terminator/ Terminator 1 and 2 is one of the best of James Cameron's films, but the reason it is one of my favorites is the fact that when someone thinks the world is going to be taken over by machines 9 times out of 10 your mind goes to Terminator.

3. Ghostbusters/ Ghostbusters is one of my all time favorite comedies Bill Murry, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Ernie Hudson all in their prime what is not to love. besides that one of the coolest cars to ever be the Ecto-1 a Miller-meteor Ambulance/Hurst.

4. Back to the Future/ Micheal J. Fox is an great actor and the Delorean time machine is only second to the Ecto-1 in cool movie cars.

5. Mad Max/ Mad Max is to me quintessential post-apocalyptic movie of all time almost every movie that has come out about post-apocalyptic world takes ques from all three movies.

@JPWolf5: Not a bad list! I would say that Star Wars and Star Trek, despite their foibles, would have to be on any such list, however. Even when they're bad, they're still pretty good. (Aside from Star Trek: Nemesis, which I should probably re-watch some time.)

Needs more Alien. Probably replacing Ghostbusters, since two movies barely equate to a franchise. But I think it's a pretty good list, either way, even if there's really only one good Jurassic Park movie.

@litrock: Alien is good but not my top 5 maybe 7. and The Lost World was good but Jurassic Park 3 is a low point I hoping for Jurassic Park 4 so

Both Jurassic Park and Terminator have more bad movies than good ones. Also I don't get the love people have for Mad Max.

@Ferros: The reason I love Mad Max and it's subsequent sequels is because one/ the car chases, two the post-apocalyptic settings in the road warrior, and third it shows how man can be push to him mental limits cross the limit into insanity and how one can still have their humanity intact in the end; but it is still all a matter of opinion.

Interesting although for me, Back to the Future would be the only one to make my list. Ghostbusters 2, JP 3, and Terminator 3 & 4 are movies I have no desire to see again. However, I'm probably being overcritical because I doubt I could put together a top 5 list where something didn't suck (except for BttF). Alien 1 & 2 are fantastic while 3 & 4 are best forgotten, Star Wars has the prequels to deal with and the odd number Star Treks are sometimes painful (I'm lookin' at you ST5). Then there's Godzilla. I know Godzilla would be on my list but let's face it. You make 30 movies, not all of them are going to be classics. Either way, I can't outright reject your list since those are all reasonable choices. I do wish you'd taken the time to explain why you like each franchise so much though.

@PenguinDust: Just edited for you

Isn't Ghostbusters more of a fantasy movie though?

Weird how Ghostbusters is the greatest thing ever for people born in the 80's, but everyone after then just seems to think it's alright (at best). Generalizing, of course, but I've only rarely encountered exceptions to this rule.

There is lack of sequels, but man.. where is Blade Runner!?

@JPWolf5: Thanks. I can see where you're coming from now. Star Wars A New Hope wasn't the first movie I ever saw but I did see it when I was seven or eight so it had a huge impact on my image of space fantasy. I can relate to your experience of seeing JP when five. Heh-heh, actually the first movie I can recall seeing (also around age five) is either Benji or Disney's Cinderella, so I've growing up with this immediate attraction to animation and films about animals.

How about Planet of the Apes (the original 5 movies)? Some of the most thought-provoking sci fi films.

Beneath the Planet of the Apes is hugely underrated. Worshipping a nuclear bomb? HOLY SHIT

@MarkWahlberg:

Ghostbusters is one of my favorite comedies ever, and a fun 80's film at the same time. It mixes horror and comedy very well together, and the cast is excellent. Plus, it made me a fan of Bill Murray.