A recent refresher on the glorious Gattaca brough the current state of sci-fi cinema into stark relief.

Now, before naysayers start citing counterexamples such as District 9, I just ask - rewatch Gattaca. It really elevates intelligent ideas to thrilling drama - it is almost perfect in that fusion of ideas with entertainment. Whilst I find 2001 too cerebral and dry, it compares with the vast majority of mindless thrills and action that form most sci-fi - just look at last year's Surrogates. 

This Bruce Willis action movie is the current state of affairs for wannabe Gattaca efforts. But the subtly is gone, the ideas are gone, performances are gone...Whilst Gattaca might not have lit the box office alive, it did bring us Andrew Niccol, a true talent.

What will the rest of 2010 bring us in terms of science fiction with an intelligent edge? Nothing on the horizon lights up the imagination, but hope springs eternal. Luckily, we still have Gattaca....