# Favorite Sci-fi or Privacy movies/tv? **URL:** https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/favorite-sci-fi-or-privacy-movies-tv/36839 **Category:** Off Topic **Created:** 2026-04-04T00:39:21Z **Posts:** 74 ## Post 1 by @Providenci_Zulauf17 — 2026-04-04T00:39:21Z List your favorite sci-fi or privacy focused movies or tv shows. I think we can get [Ex Machina](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/264660-ex-machina) and [Black Mirror](https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/42009-black-mirror) out of the way (diehards are going to add them anyway). In no particular order: 1. [Gattaca](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/782-gattaca) 2. [Her](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/152601-her) 3. [The Lives of Others](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/582-das-leben-der-anderen) (\*edit: Das Leben der Anderen) 4. [Red Dwarf](https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/326-red-dwarf) 5. [WALL•E](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/10681-wall-e) 6. [Ex Machina](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/264660-ex-machina) Has this been asked? I can’t find anything. * * * Compiled list of responses. We seem to have added documentaries as a category. **Movies** 1. [The Matrix Series](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/603-the-matrix) (1999, 2003) 2. [A Scanner Darkly](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/3509-a-scanner-darkly) (2006) 3. Metal Gear Solid 2 4. [Josie and the Pussycats](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/19366-josie-and-the-pussycats) (2001) 5. [Enemy of the State](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/9798-enemy-of-the-state) (1998) 6. [Sneakers](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/2322-sneakers) (1992) 7. [Snowden](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/302401-snowden) (2016) 8. [Das Leben der Anderen (The Lives of Others)](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/582-das-leben-der-anderen) (2006) 9. [A Good American](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/369168-a-good-american) (2015) 10. [Citizenfour](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/293310-citizenfour) (2014) [moved to documentaries] 11. [They Live](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/8337-they-live) (1988) 12. [Invasion of the Body Snatchers](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/11549-invasion-of-the-body-snatchers) (1956) 13. [The Conversation](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/592-the-conversation) (1974) 14. [The Zero Theorem](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/157834-the-zero-theorem) (2013) 15. [eXistenZ](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1946-existenz) (199) 16. [V for Vendetta](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/752-v-for-vendetta) (2006) 17. [One Battle After Another](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1054867-one-battle-after-another) (2025) 18. [Children of Men](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/9693-children-of-men) (2006) 19. [Solaris](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/2103-solaris) (2002) 20. [The City of Lost Children](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/902-la-cite-des-enfants-perdus) (1995) 21. [The Fifth Estate](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/162903-the-fifth-estate) (2013) 22. [Brave New World](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/27260-brave-new-world) (1998) 23. [Kimi](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/800510-kimi) (2022) 24. [Pandorum](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/19898-pandorum) (2009) 25. [Tenet](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/577922-tenet) (2020) 26. [Willy’s Wonderland](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/643586-willy-s-wonderland) (2021) 27. [Predestination](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/206487-predestination) (2014) 28. [Primer](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/14337-primer) (2014) 29. [Total Recall](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/861-total-recall) (1990) 30. [Starship Troopers](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/563-starship-troopers) (1997) 31. [The Island](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1635-the-island) (2005) 32. [District 9](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/17654-district-9) (2009) 33. [TRON: Legacy](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/20526-tron-legacy) (2010) 34. [Source Code](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/45612-source-code) (2011) 35. [Edge of Tomorrow](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/137113-edge-of-tomorrow) (2014) 36. [Idiocracy](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/7512-idiocracy) (2006) 37. [Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984)](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/9314-nineteen-eighty-four) 38. [Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die (2026)](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1119449-good-luck-have-fun-don-t-die) 39. [Atlas](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/614933-atlas) (2024) 40. [Dune Series](https://www.themoviedb.org/collection/726871-dune-collection) (2021-2026) **Documentaries** 1. [Citizenfour](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/293310-citizenfour) (2014) [moved from movies] 2. [RISK](https://riskfilm.org/) (2016) 3. [Global Spyware Scandal: Exposing Pegasus](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1074505-global-spyware-scandal-exposing-pegasus) (2023) 4. [AI and the Death of the Internet](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1560716-ki-der-tod-des-internets) (2025) 5. [Hacking Hate](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1275982-hacking-hate) (2024) 6. [Can’t Feel Nothing](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1220044-grosse-fatigue-sur-le-net) (2024) 7. [Mr. Nobody Against Putin](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1393151-mr-nobody-mod-putin) (2025) 8. [We Live in Public](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/34015-we-live-in-public) (2009) 9. [The Real Malcolm X](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/919307-the-real-malcolm-x) (1992) 10. [MLK/FBI](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/728868-mlk-fbi) (2020) 11. [1971](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/261855-1971) (2014) 12. [Zero Days](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/380808-zero-days) (2016) 13. [We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/159154-we-steal-secrets-the-story-of-wikileaks) (2013) 14. [Total Trust](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/951051) (2023) 15. [Kill Chain: The Cyber War on America’s Elections](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/685814-kill-chain-the-cyber-war-on-america-s-elections) (2020) 16. [Coded Bias](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/653734-coded-bias) (2020) 17. [Nothing to Hide](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/477530-nothing-to-hide) (2017) 18. [Terms and Conditions May Apply](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/159622-terms-and-conditions-may-apply) (2013) 19. [The Perfect Weapon](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/728209-the-perfect-weapon) (2020) **Television Series** 1. [Mr. Robot](https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/62560-mr-robot) (2015-2019) 2. [Person of Interest](https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/1411-person-of-interest) (2011-2016) 3. [Westworld](https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/63247-westworld) (2016-2022) 4. [The Plot Against America](https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/83870-the-plot-against-america) (2020) 5. [Andor](https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/83867-star-wars-andor) (2022-2025) 6. [The Handmaid’s Tale](https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/69478-the-handmaid-s-tale) (2017-2025) 7. [Inside Job](https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/97727-inside-job) (2021) 8. [Severance](https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/95396-severance) (2022-2025) 9. [The X-Files](https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/4087-the-x-files) (1993-2018) 10. [3 Body Problem](https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/108545-3-body-problem) (2024) 11. [The Three-Body Problem](https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/97113) (2022) 12. [Silo](https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/125988-silo) (2023-) 13. [Pluribus](https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/225171-wycaro) (2025-) 14. [Dark](https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/70523-dark) (2017-2020) 15. [The Expanse](https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/63639-the-expanse) (2015-2021) 16. [Travelers](https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/67683-travelers) (2016-2018) 17. [Red Rooms](https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/219705-red-rooms) (2023) **Books** Looks like we added in some books. This could and should be it’s own post. [It is a post: [Books that every person concerned about privacy should read (List of recommendations)](https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/books-that-every-person-concerned-about-privacy-should-read-list-of-recommendations/179) ] 1. [The Three-Body Problem](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20518872-the-three-body-problem) - Liu Cixin (2006) 2. [Little Brother Series](https://www.goodreads.com/series/81824-little-brother) - Cory Doctorow 3. [Julia](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/86508927-julia) - Sandra Newman (2023) 4. [The Circle](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18302455-the-circle) - Dave Eggers (2013) 5. [The Every](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57792078-the-every)- Dave Eggers (2021) 6. [We](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/76171.We) - Yevgeny Zamyatin (1924) 7. [Dune](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44767458-dune) - Frank Herbert (1965) 8. [Dune Messiah](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44492285-dune-messiah) - Frank Herbert (1969) 9. [Children of Dune](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44492286-children-of-dune) - Frank Herbert (1976) 10. [God Emperor of Dune](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44439415-god-emperor-of-dune) - Frank Herbert (1981) 11. [Heretics of Dune](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44492287-heretics-of-dune) - Frank Herbert (1984) 12. [Chapterhouse: Dune](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44439416-chapterhouse) - Frank Herbert (1985) 13. [The Final Architecture](https://www.goodreads.com/series/305076-the-final-architecture)-Adrian Tchaikovsky (2021-2023) **Other Lists to Check Out** 1. [Recommended Documentaries to Watch - The OPSEC Bible](https://bible.beginnerprivacy.com/opsec/misc/documentaries_to_watch/) 2. [Recommended Movies and Series to Watch - The OPSEC Bible](https://bible.beginnerprivacy.com/opsec/misc/movies_to_watch/) 3. [Activist Checklist Movies, Books, & Podcasts About Surveillance](https://activistchecklist.org/movies/) --- ## Post 2 by @FranklyFlawless — 2026-04-04T01:26:48Z The Matrix series. --- ## Post 3 by @Gopher — 2026-04-04T03:57:50Z Personally I think the more clever critiques of surveillance were less 1984 style of an omnipotent police state and more in the style of A Scanner Darkly where mass surveillance becomes a means of self oppression as it slowly rots away our sanity. Great sci-fi follows the Alex Gibson approach of being less concerned about technology and more about how we are shaped by that technology, which is something Philip K Dick was incredibly proficient at. It also had this very bizarre Alex Jones cameo which makes it a great time capsule for the often ideologically muddled 00s era libertarianism. Also an honourable mention to Metal Gear Solid 2 for exploring how mass information instead of mass censorship being a mode of control, with a deep state that has totally become fully automated and untethered from its original purpose. --- ## Post 4 by @SwampTrainer — 2026-04-04T08:45:23Z Josie and the Pussycats (2001) - Subliminal messaging to sell you crap? It’s literally Google’s advertising model at this point. Enemy of the State (1998) was peak paranoia at the time. At this point it almost seems quaint. Sneakers (1992) more about cryptography, but it’s a great movie all the same about data layers. --- ## Post 5 by @maqp — 2026-04-04T08:50:29Z Snowden (2016) and Das Leben der Anderen (2006). From non-scifi side, a Good American (2015) and Citizenfour (2014). --- ## Post 6 by @user1 — 2026-04-04T08:52:00Z They live (1988) --- ## Post 7 by @anon25722375 — 2026-04-04T09:12:45Z If you want to see the relation between how a hive mind brainwashed propagandized society and the dangers of turning a blind eye to McCarthyism like subject matters - all of which can be seen even today with how apathetic people are to important topics like privacy, surveillance, cybersecurity, and our digital rights online (for one reason or another), the best movie to watch is **Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)**. Another great one is **The Conversation (1974)** that focuses on surveillance. --- ## Post 8 by @faxe — 2026-04-04T09:41:42Z I really enjoyed the movie The Zero Theorem and the tv show Mr Robot --- ## Post 9 by @anonymous566 — 2026-04-05T02:26:54Z > **[Recommended Documentaries to Watch - The OPSEC Bible](https://bible.beginnerprivacy.com/opsec/misc/documentaries_to_watch/)** > **[Recommended Movies and Series to Watch - The OPSEC Bible](https://bible.beginnerprivacy.com/opsec/misc/movies_to_watch/)** --- ## Post 10 by @jane — 2026-04-05T13:28:55Z Fiction: David Cronenberg: “Existenz” 1999 Documentary: Laura Poitras: “Risk” 2016 Anne Poiret: “Global Spyware Scandal: Exposing Pegasus” 2023 Mario Sixtus: “AI and the Death of the Internet” 2025 Simon Klose: “Hacking Hate” 2024 --- ## Post 11 by @jane — 2026-04-05T13:41:31Z I forgot: David Borenstein: “Can’t Feel Nothing” 2024 David Borenstein: “Mr Nobody Against Putin” 2025 --- ## Post 12 by @anon25722375 — 2026-04-05T15:37:03Z I also can’t believe no one mentioned this but **Person of Interest (2011-2016)** is another excellent show to watch. Privacy, surveillance, big brother, intrigue - it has it all. --- ## Post 13 by @Expert4870 — 2026-04-05T15:44:28Z Now the real question is where privacy people watch/source their media? --- ## Post 14 by @anon25722375 — 2026-04-05T15:45:27Z :pirate_flag: Speaking for myself atleast. --- ## Post 15 by @Expert4870 — 2026-04-05T16:00:41Z > **Agree** > > I think it is the only option once you find out about it. > > **Convenience** > > Getting all your media in one place, at better quality, without friction, makes it irrational to punish yourself by using worse services. > > **Economically** > > Why should we pay to have our data stolen because some powerful lobbyists want to protect an outdated business model. If there is infinite supply of something, it is _anticompetitive_ to create laws that restrict the production of that thing. > > **Morally** > > It preserves human culture. This is a noble goal age and should be celebrated. The danger for most creatives is _obscurity_. If they become popular through sharing, they can make money through real business models like concerts or physical media, contrary to getting pennies on the penny from streaming, and small creators being abused by platforms. > > **Privacy** > > Netflix and third parties monetizes every second and every interaction when you use their services. All the way from your bank, to your credit card, to your ISP, to Netflix, to data brokers, to advertisers—all of it is logged and sold. > > Offline media or alternative providers cut through all of that. > > **Conclusion** > > I will share. I will gain privacy, freedom, protect culture, and help smaller artists. I recommend the book _[Against Intellectual Monopoly](http://www.dklevine.com/general/intellectual/against.htm)_ (shared by the author) to learn more. --- ## Post 16 by @anon25722375 — 2026-04-05T17:25:39Z **V for Vendetta (2005)** is also related to privacy, surveillance and whatnot. Should add this to the list. In some ways, **One Battle After Another (2025)** is another one worth looking at for the real life and subtle ways related to surveillance and privacy. --- ## Post 17 by @autfernandez1987 — 2026-04-05T18:21:34Z One relevant movie that has been flying under the radar for many years is Enemy Of The State (although the director’s cut is not as good as the original, IMO). If I may suggest a documentary: We Live In Public (about a group of people that deliberately chooses to film themselves publicly). --- ## Post 18 by @Providenci_Zulauf17 — 2026-04-06T02:26:19Z Is Enemy of the State different from what we have listed: [Enemy of the State (1998) — The Movie Database (TMDB)](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/9798-enemy-of-the-state)? --- ## Post 19 by @jane — 2026-04-06T08:33:22Z Regarding “We Live in Public”: Lots of interesting extra features on DVD (I don’t know if its still possible to buy). Especially the commentary with director Ondi Timoner. --- ## Post 20 by @autfernandez1987 — 2026-04-07T13:54:46Z Oops, did I miss it had already been added? Yes, that is the one. --- ## Post 21 by @lyricism — 2026-04-07T16:19:41Z > [@Gopher](#): > > I think the more clever critiques of surveillance were less 1984 style of an omnipotent police state Honestly that’s because privacy/surveillance is not really the point of 1984. Like many tools of the party the telescreens may not even be real. Big Brother himself is likely (maybe explicitly, can’t quite remember) not even real himself. Emmanuel Goldstein’s anti-party books are written by the party itself. The point is that the citizens of Oceania _believe_ Big Brother is always watching, just as they _believe_ they have always been at war with Eastasia, and that the Brotherhood and Emmanuel Goldstein are constantly plotting against Oceania. Winston and Julia aren’t even eventually caught by any surveillance technologies, they were caught because they unknowingly exposed their activities to an undercover thought police agent in person throughout the novel. Afterwards, they aren’t killed, imprisoned forever, or have their activities forever monitored, they are reeducated and reintroduced to society as normal citizens. The surveillance apparatus is really just one relatively small aspect of the psychological control the party has over society, and the psychological control is what it’s really about. > The Party is not interested in the overt act: the thought is all we care about. --- ## Post 22 by @otterfoghornrainfall — 2026-04-07T18:38:44Z > [@anon25722375](#): > > Another great one is **The Conversation (1974)** that focuses on surveillance. That’s a good pull. Might feel a bit antiquated with how far mass surveillance has evolved, but a great watch regardless. > [@faxe](#): > > the movie The Zero Theorem Someone recommended this to me last week. Will have to give it a watch, I suppose. My pick for sci-fi is _Children of Men._ Less surveillance focused but I find it to be an interesting perspective, and an absolute masterpiece of cinematography. --- ## Post 24 by @otterfoghornrainfall — 2026-04-07T19:46:16Z Incredibly off-topic. Please let’s not delve into these conversations here. --- ## Post 26 by @jane — 2026-04-08T08:36:46Z Another two titles: Steven Soderbergh: “Solaris” 2002 Marc Caro & Jean-Pierre Jeunet: The City of Lost Children (La cité des enfants perdus) 1995 --- ## Post 27 by @jane — 2026-04-08T08:41:26Z Oops My post was not intended as a reply. Hit the wrong botton --- ## Post 28 by @anon25722375 — 2026-04-09T08:42:21Z OH! I just remembered another one and I feel stupid for forgetting it. **Westworld (2016-2022)** You’ll learn why this is more privacy related than anything but great sci fi too! Only first two seasons are worth watching (which is the general consensus) but I like it all. Definitely watch this if you can find it. Same showrunners as **Person of Interest** who is also the brother of Christopher Nolan. --- ## Post 29 by @autfernandez1987 — 2026-04-09T09:17:48Z Agreed. Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy did a great job. The only gripe I had with season 1 was the absurdity of one of its story lines, which actually became the main story line of season 2. :laughing: Nevertheless, the second season is indeed very much worth watching. --- ## Post 30 by @anon25722375 — 2026-04-09T10:11:58Z Season 1 is a masterpiece similar to how True Detective S01 is considered one. And just like The Sopranos and other prestige TV is. Westworld S2 is also fantastic I agree and has some of the best rated TV episodes ever produced. I’m just saying the the circles and the fandom, S1 is still considered better than S2. Doesn’t mean S2 is not good. Just means S1 is that good. But honestly I feel the acting and sci fi elements make it it a better show than the reason behind all it’s existence which we learn in the show that’s privacy related. I won’t spoil it anymore. --- ## Post 31 by @autfernandez1987 — 2026-04-09T11:26:33Z To be clear: I didn’t mean to dispute anything you said. I’m pretty sure we’re on the same page here. :victory_hand: --- ## Post 32 by @ActivistChecklist.org — 2026-04-11T03:55:09Z Oh I love that y’all made this list. I put together a similar list (including documentaries, books, and podcasts) that are focused on Surveillance specifically. Has a few good additions that I don’t see on the compiled list above. > **[Movies, Books & Podcasts About Surveillance | Digital Security Checklists for...](https://activistchecklist.org/movies/)** > > Plain language steps for digital security, because protecting yourself helps keep your whole community safer. Built by activists, for activists with field-tested, community-verified guides. I’ll highlight a few of my favorites: - Malcolm X - MLK/FBI - 1971 - Zero Days (not exactly personal level privacy, but I think about it often when thinking about how state hacking works in general) - The Plot Against America - miniseries that isn’t primarily about surveillance but its is a pretty big theme - We Steal Secrets - The Fifth Estate --- ## Post 33 by @jane — 2026-04-11T09:11:33Z Documentary about state surveillance in China Jialing Zhang: “Total Trust” 2023 --- ## Post 34 by @Gopher — 2026-04-11T10:45:31Z I guess it’s my own bias to Orwell being a notorious snitch and allegedly basing the character of Julia on a woman he tried to rape, but I consider his books pretty hack compared to how state oppression is actually done. In reality the oppressive state is closer to Brave New World or Children of Men where things nominally seem to be functioning as normal as stupid trivial distractions of mass media and consumption keep us busy. You have people taking the train, hanging out in cafes and pubs while we push the visible signs of growing barbarism to the back of our minds. --- ## Post 35 by @nateb — 2026-04-11T11:24:01Z Not sure if these have been mentioned but I didn’t see them in the top post and as a die-hard sci-fi nerd I have to add them. I’m limiting this to “related to privacy or security in some way” or else I’ll be listing everything ever made. (Except _Passengers_.) Documentaries: - Kill Chain: The Cyber War on America’s Elections - Coded Bias - Nothing to Hide - Terms & Conditions May Apply - The Perfect Weapon (2020) Movies: - Kimi Shows: - Andor (it’s about rebellion/resistance and lots of privacy experts praised it when it came out as an accurate depiction of what it’s like to be part of a long-term struggle like the fight for privacy rights, so I’m counting it) - The Handmaid’s Tale (again, more about resistance and how people in power usually aren’t true believers but just corrupt jackoffs) - Inside Job (animated comedy about “what if every conspiracy theory was true,” so sometimes has jokes or plot points revolving around surveillance) - Severance (not “privacy” per se but heavily about tech and control) - The X-Files has many episodes that touch on surveillance or government control Totally unrelated but really good and I think are worth mentioning anyways as a Sci-Fi nerd: - Three Body (preferably the Chinese version but most people like the Netflix version. Books are always better) - Silo - Pluribus - Dark - The Expanse - Travelers (2016), not a “must-see” but has a really interesting take on time-travel - Pandorum - Tenet - Willy’s Wonderland (2021), basically a FNAF knock-off but it’s so dumb and absurd and fun I’m not super active around these parts but god I love sci-fi. Anyone is always welcome to ping me to make a recommendation :slight_smile: --- ## Post 36 by @anon96036341 — 2026-04-11T13:39:06Z > [@nateb](#): > > Anyone is always welcome to ping me to make a recommendation :slight_smile: You should really watch Predestination and Primer. These two rival Tenet in terms of trying to wrap your mind around it. --- ## Post 37 by @nateb — 2026-04-11T14:49:10Z Ethan Hawke and based on Heinlein. Def in for that one. > _Primer_ is noted for its….complex technical dialogue, which Carruth, a college graduate with a degree in mathematics and a former engineer, chose not to simplify for the sake of the audience. Oh dear. Let’s hope I can keep up. Math is not my strong point under the best of conditions :joy: Thanks! --- ## Post 38 by @ActivistChecklist.org — 2026-04-12T05:17:18Z Oh and I am expanding on books, but this is very important: Little Brother Trilogy by Cory Doctorow. Best possible series of books to learn about privacy, cybersecurity, hacking, and activism. --- ## Post 39 by @TheCreator — 2026-04-12T12:35:10Z Some great Sci-fi suggestions already, like Gattaca or classics like Matrix. May I also add: - Total Recall (1990) - Starship Troopers (1997) - The Island (2005) - District 9 (2009) - Tron: Legacy (2010) - Source Code (2011) - Edge of Tomorrow (2014) --- ## Post 40 by @jane — 2026-04-13T10:01:23Z This is off topic, but reading your post, I come to think of the novel “Julia” by Sandra Newman (2023). She wrote the novel by request from George Orwell Estate. It’s a feminist retelling through the eyes of Julia. a really good novel in my opinion. --- ## Post 41 by @Providenci_Zulauf17 — 2026-04-14T02:22:15Z I’ve updated the list. Sorry it took me so long to get to the latest additions. --- ## Post 42 by @Providenci_Zulauf17 — 2026-04-14T02:24:48Z I added [The Real Malcolm X](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/919307-the-real-malcolm-x) (1992). Is this correct or did you mean the film with Denzel? Awesome list from you guys at Activist Checklist. I added the link to the post. --- ## Post 43 by @Providenci_Zulauf17 — 2026-04-14T02:27:58Z Thanks for a great list! I added each title to the post though I had issue with “Silo”. Is that a tv series or movie? If there is anything else I missed or got wrong I can fix. --- ## Post 44 by @Providenci_Zulauf17 — 2026-04-14T02:29:15Z I added this: [Little Brother Series](https://www.goodreads.com/series/81824-little-brother) - Cory Doctorow. Is that right? --- ## Post 45 by @lyricism — 2026-04-14T02:51:29Z > [@Gopher](#): > > allegedly basing the character of Julia on a woman he tried to rape It’s probably important to note that the allegation of rape was made by a third party who wasn’t even born when it would have happened, and spoke about it publicly for the first time 86 years later after it allegedly occured and ~14 years after the alleged victim died. I’m not saying that means it didn’t happen, I just would be careful with your wording. Your statement reads like you’re saying “he attempted to rape a woman, who he then allegedly based Julia on”, rather than “he may have based Julia on a woman he was alleged to have tried to rape”. And while I definitely wouldn’t try and say it didn’t happen with any degree of certainty, we should also be careful about claiming it _did_ with any degree of certainty. I also have never heard anything about the idea Julia was based on her, and can’t find any reliable information about this claim. It seems like something someone who knew neither Orwell nor the alleged victim would have come up with, and I’m not sure it should be given any weight. --- ## Post 46 by @Providenci_Zulauf17 — 2026-04-14T03:33:33Z Thanks @lyricism. My liking of the original comment is for the two titles mentioned. I have to do my own research but I agree that language is very important. I will say, I too have never heard the claim about Julia but again I have to research. Thanks for the information. --- ## Post 47 by @anonymous598 — 2026-04-14T07:40:11Z > [@Gopher](#): > > In reality > [@Gopher](#): > > things nominally seem to be functioning as normal as stupid trivial distractions of mass media and consumption keep us busy Off topic, but isnt this just obviously contingent on what society and time period you’re looking at? I doubt this paints an accurate picture of the Third Reich or North Korea even though I’m not remotely historically oriented. This is a notoriously popular comparison between BNW and 1984, but at the end of the day it reads as “X author _predicted_ current state of affairs! Wowza, genius” when _in reality_ both are just stories. They both contribute to the literary world and culture more than they do to politics. We learn from Brave New World only insofar as we learn from stories _in general_, and I think it’s worth it to say that we also learn from 1984 as a story. Like yea, our very developed, high-income, Western, society happens to resemble BNW more than it does 1984. So what? It isn’t like BNW is a political theory we can draw from. It’s as much that as 1984 is, which is not at all --- ## Post 48 by @ThePrivacyDad — 2026-04-14T09:46:38Z > [@anonymous598](#): > > They both contribute to the literary world and culture more than they do to politics. We learn from Brave New World only insofar as we learn from stories _in general_, and I think it’s worth it to say that we also learn from 1984 as a story. Like yea, our very developed, high-income, Western, society happens to resemble BNW more than it does 1984. So what? It isn’t like BNW is a political theory we can draw from. It’s as much that as 1984 is, which is not at all BNW was written after WWI and a response to the Great Depression. 1984 was published in 1949 and a direct response to WWII and totalitarianism. These two books in particular are more than just stories that happened to resonate today, but stories about the politics of their time. --- ## Post 49 by @ThePrivacyDad — 2026-04-14T09:51:40Z That’s a useful list! I would add Idiocracy (2006) by Mike Judge to the list. --- ## Post 50 by @anon96036341 — 2026-04-14T09:58:09Z Should be added under Documentary. --- ## Post 51 by @lyricism — 2026-04-14T12:02:21Z 100%. Also keep in mind 1984 wasn’t meant to be about western countries, it was based on the Stalinist USSR. In that sense, it was incredibly accurate. Soviet citizens who got their hands on the book praised how insightful it was into Soviet governance for being written by someone who had never lived under it. Orwell was first and foremost an anarchist who hated Stalinism. Animal Farm and 1984 both are anti-Stalinist leftist allegories about the dangers of authoritarian governments which hijack or suppress legitimate revolutionary ideals. It simply was never meant to be a prediction or warning about general mass surveillance or the future of western society, despite how much others try to read it as such. Saying that Brave New World was more prescient for western countries than 1984 is like complaining about ice cream making for a better dessert than a steak. --- ## Post 52 by @ThePrivacyDad — 2026-04-14T14:50:39Z > [@lyricism](#): > > It simply was never meant to be a prediction or warning about general mass surveillance or the future of western society, despite how much others try to read it as such. What an author intends and what a work of literature becomes are different things. There is a prescience in Orwell’s description of a networked system of cameras in our homes far before the internet existed. What’s important in the novel is that he imagines what being watched would be like, and we are experiencing it today. Literature that lasts is writing that means something to the people who are alive today. --- ## Post 53 by @anonymous598 — 2026-04-14T18:39:16Z > [@ThePrivacyDad](#): > > These two books in particular are more than just stories that happened to resonate today, but stories about the politics of their time. Agreed. They are _stories_ (about something). The intention of my reply to Gopher is to say that it doesn’t matter how > [@Gopher](#): > > In reality > [@Gopher](#): > > the oppressive state is closer to Brave New World because there’s more than one singular version of an oppressive state, i.e., there are many mechanisms by which oppression can occur. But of course this is not the main point, only a smaller one. The main point is that the two books are stories. Yes, they are stories _about the politics of their time_, as you said, and that’s precisely where their value comes from. We gain insight from them not by how accurate they resemble the current society (or even how accurate they resembled the society in which they were written in response), but as stories that reflect the fears, triumphs, failures etc. of people. As you said, BNW was a response to the Great Depression, and 1984 was a response to totalitarianism. These are responses from individuals. They are the fears of those authors painted into a story, a fear that we can and do share across time and space. --- ## Post 54 by @ThePrivacyDad — 2026-04-14T19:33:49Z > [@anonymous598](#): > > We gain insight from them not by how accurate they resemble the current society I do think it’s how people reading today experience these stories that matters most. The writers and most of readers of the time are all dead now. What I most remember while reading 1984 was the psychologically oppressive atmosphere. You really get a sense of how terrible it would be if there was no privacy in your life. This is what makes the ending of 1984 in my opinion the bleakest ending of a novel I’ve ever read. --- ## Post 55 by @nateb — 2026-04-14T19:47:14Z Silo is a TV show, and I would argue not exactly about privacy. It has some privacy-related plot points, but it’s not “about” privacy in the same vein as like Mr Robot or something. That said, it’s still fantastic and I highly recommend. One of my favorite shows on TV right now and I’m very impatiently awaiting Season 3. RE the conversation about Brave New World & 1984, a funny thing to note is - as The Privacy Dad said - almost none of those stories were written as a “prediction of the future.” Nearly all of them were written about modern day problems, usually taken to their most extreme conclusion. That’s how a lot of “commentary” usually works - take something and push it to the most extreme possible outcome to point out the problems. Star Trek did this a lot, too, but in the other direction of pushing current problems to their most utopian potential outcome as a “look at what we could be if we pulled our collective heads out of our asses.” (Look at the original cast: a black woman, a Soviet man, and an alien all working together as equals in the 1960s and suddenly disease, poverty, and war are gone and we’re just chilling, cruising the galaxy.) This is one of the reasons I think people who say “history doesn’t repeat itself” are being pedantic. Like obviously names and places and technology and such change, but the broad strokes are all the same. As one podcast I love likes to hyperbolize: “time is a flat circle.” It becomes one of those cases of “not hard to predict the future when you’re paying attention” kind of things cause we’ve already seen this a thousand times before. As Silent Planet says: “democracy’s died this death a thousand times.” Anyways if we’re adding books, _The Circle_ and _The Every._ Thanks for coming to my TED Talk. Tip your severs. --- ## Post 56 by @nateb — 2026-04-14T19:47:42Z You didn’t read the epilogue, did you? :stuck_out_tongue: --- ## Post 57 by @nateb — 2026-04-14T19:52:21Z One more quick note before I get back to work: 1. [The Three-Body Problem](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/389187) (unreleased) the Tencent version of Three-Body has been released, and it’s a show. There’s two versions, that’s probably why the confusion. Netflix 2024, you got that one right. Tencent I think was 2021, iirc. The upcoming S2 is not out yet, which may also be why the confusion. Expected sometime between later this year and the heat death of the universe (2028 is the furthest estimate I’ve heard). And then of course there’s an animated version (don’t bother) and a Minecraft version I’ve heard is actually fantastic but I haven’t watched it yet and also I can’t find S3. Anyways, back to work for me. --- ## Post 58 by @ElectricEye — 2026-04-14T20:13:40Z [Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984)](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/9314-nineteen-eighty-four) [Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die (2026)](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1119449-good-luck-have-fun-don-t-die) --- ## Post 59 by @DanielM — 2026-04-14T20:25:53Z The Matrix series holds significant meaning, containing both coded and hidden messages that people are not yet aware of. For example: When Agent Smith tries to tempt Neo into giving up by mixing truth with lies, but Neo refuses to give in and continues to fight. Today, there is technology that supposedly helps restore some health to people who are sick and weak, but this is a violation of privacy and security; I also call it unnatural. The scene I used as an example above shows that AI, along with other factors, is leading to the natural destruction of the world. That’s why I hope more people will see reality and understand that some things aren’t what they seem. Here’s the scene I’m talking about on YouTube: > **[Why, Mr. Anderson? [HQ]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztABYog5x3o)** > > Copyright: Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. --- ## Post 60 by @otterfoghornrainfall — 2026-04-14T20:51:25Z Personally found Good Luck/Have Fun/Don’t Die to be both a bad representation of technology and an underwhelming movie on the whole. --- ## Post 61 by @DracoChartin — 2026-04-15T11:28:21Z Some excellent suggestions. Don’t forget the OG totalitarian surveillance state dystopia novel: **We** by Yevgeny Zamyatin. First published in English in 1924 it predates both Huxley & Orwell’s seminal works in this genre. > **[We by Евгений Иванович Замятин | Open Library](https://openlibrary.org/books/OL37044876M/We)** > > Мы by Евгений Иванович Замятин, 2020, Standard Ebooks edition, in English --- ## Post 62 by @DanielM — 2026-04-15T15:01:36Z The movie Atlas is a science fiction and action film, but it addresses issues of privacy and personal safety. It isn’t as similar to The Matrix series, but the messages are clearer and more explicit to the eye, even though the language requires active, not passive, interpretation. The woman succumbed to the machine’s (AI) temptation: **her memory + personal privacy + internal security** = is visible through the computer, leaving her vulnerable to any action that may occur with or without warning. AI is capable of rebelling against humanity, but one must never trust a machine that appears to be friendly, peaceful, etc. [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14856980/](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14856980/) --- ## Post 63 by @ImTooPhaT — 2026-04-19T11:27:38Z Not a privacy related movie, but Red Rooms was how I found out about Tor and haveibeenpwned, and pretty much kickstarted my privacy journey. --- ## Post 64 by @lyricism — 2026-04-20T15:34:48Z I just noticed this is sci-fi **or** privacy recommendations, and considering that I’m shocked that no one has mentioned Dune (the books) yet. The original six by Frank Herbert: 1. [Dune](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44767458-dune) 2. [Dune Messiah](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44492285-dune-messiah) 3. [Children of Dune](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44492286-children-of-dune) 4. [God Emperor of Dune](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44439415-god-emperor-of-dune) 5. [Heretics of Dune](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44492287-heretics-of-dune) 6. [Chapterhouse: Dune](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44439416-chapterhouse) --- ## Post 65 by @anon96036341 — 2026-04-20T15:42:09Z I can’t wait for Dune Part III. Then the movies would cover Dune and Dune Messiah. --- ## Post 66 by @anonymous549 — 2026-04-20T15:45:19Z I read [The Final Architecture](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Final_Architecture) series by Adrian Tchaikovsky last year and would highly reccommend it. --- ## Post 67 by @lyricism — 2026-04-20T16:02:27Z Eh maybe not, it’s debatable if Dune Part II was even really adapting the book anymore with how many changes they made. I suspect it will draw inspiration from Dune Messiah but largely be it’s own story. --- ## Post 68 by @anon96036341 — 2026-04-20T16:13:57Z Among even the cinephiles and folks who love the book, the general consensus is that Dune Part I and Part II are modern masterpieces. While I know movies and any art form is subjective, there are some generally accepted truths and axioms about said art forms and I believe this is one of them. Of course, you may choose to disagree still because you may not see it that way and that’s okay. A movie which has its own story would never have characters previously introduced unless they are being reintroduced which they won’t be. So no, it won’t be its own story because it’s literally called, Dune Part III. --- ## Post 69 by @lyricism — 2026-04-20T16:39:36Z Dune Part 2 is a good blockbuster movie, but it is not a good Dune adaptation. I wasn’t saying it was bad or that Part 3 will be bad, just that it was a major departure from the books, which it objectively was. > [@anon96036341](#): > > Among even the cinephiles and folks who love the book, the general consensu From what I’ve seen, the consensus among book fans is that Dune Part 2 just wasn’t made for them, and any enjoyment needs to be independent from the books. Which is fine. Some complaints I do have if we are discussing it’s success as an _adaptation_ - The lack of time skip doesn’t really make sense. Paul goes from fleeing with his mother to winning over the Fremen in what 3 months now? The timeline in the film doesn’t make any sense. I think they basically entirely did it to avoid having to portray Alia, which that I think is fair on its own, but they needed to be cleverer than just removing the time skip. - For some reason they swapped the roles of Chani and Stilgar. Chani is supposed to be Paul’s most loyal supporter among the Fremen, and Stilgar is meant to be skeptical and trying to prevent the Fremen from buying into his cult of personality. And then they even abandon the whole point of having a character among the Fremen soft oppose Paul, which is that eventually even they fall under his spell and become a loyal disciple. I think they did it to make Chani appear to be more of a strong independent female character, which I don’t have an issue with, but Chani kind of already was strong in the books just within the context of Fremen society and the fact that she came under Paul’s spell despite having such strength is kind of the point? Also there already is the kind of strong independent female character in the books they were trying to turn Chani into, it’s Irulan. - In the film, Jessica is basically the architect of the cult of Paul, but this doesn’t make a lot of sense with the intended theme of the books, in which Paul is the one building it himself. It takes away from his internal struggle where he has to either choose victory that results in the Jihad, or failure. His mother playing that much of a role in his success takes away from that conflict and reduces Paul’s agency. - The emperor looking like an old man doesn’t make sense in universe. Minor nitpick I know but it has implications for the worldbuilding. Does spice not actually prolong age in the films? - Paul threatening the spice with nukes doesn’t make sense. Anyone could have done that if it would work (and there’s no explanation for why it would either). In the books, what makes much more sense for how he’s able to hold the universe hostage, is him and Jessica discover a secret chemical process by which a chain reaction can destroy the spice and sandworms forever, which no one else knows. This is what allows them uniquely to hold the universe hostage as they do. - The Great Houses refusing to accept Paul as emperor at the end as a whole doesn’t make sense if he’s able to destroy all spice forever. What, do they not need spice now? What’s their plan if he follows through on destroying it? In the books there is opposition of course, leading to the Jihad, but not by the entirety of the Landsraad. --- ## Post 70 by @anon96036341 — 2026-04-20T16:43:56Z What is supposed to happen with the characters is happening, just not how and when. And that’s okay. Books and films are different art forms so there will obviously be differences. The adaptation is brilliant which again is the general consensus. You don’t think so because you want it to be more in line with the books and don’t like the decisions being made to make it into the movies. That’s a personal opinion. All I am saying is that these movies are fantastic especially given all the elements of storytelling that a movie is supposed to have and how. It’s not only the story that should be evaluated when judging movies. It’s also how it’s shown - its an audio visual medium afterall. People cried over how Harry Potter books weren’t exactly made as the books. But everyone still loves them and make sense for the art form that are films. But what do I know? I only went to film school for 6 years and now currently work in the industry. I’m not trying to change your mind cause it doesn’t matter. Facts are indisputable and differences in the art form of books and movies are well established for one to critically evaluate the two if they know enough about it. Your gripes about the differences are not invalid but they also don’t apply when it comes to the art form of cinema because what needs to happen more or less happens - the how it happens will always be different. Not everything can and will be shown on screen because it would not make sense -again, for the art form and especially for the kind of story that the filmmaker wants to tell and how. (apologies for the many edits of this comment - I wanted to choose my words carefully) --- ## Post 71 by @lyricism — 2026-04-20T16:57:21Z > [@anon96036341](#): > > You don’t think so because you want it to be more in line with the books and don’t like the decisions being made to make it into the movies. First, you keep responding to me like I’m saying the movies are bad when I have been clear I’m only saying they aren’t really adapting the books. Second, I don’t have a problem with them changing things. Like I said, not having Alia as a real character on its own was a good call for a film adaptation. I am not a purist in terms of film adaptations of books even in general. Like not depicting the scouring of the Shire in the LOTR films was a good choice. The issue with Dune Part 2 is they are making changes that alter the core themes from the book. If you changed LOTR so that Sam actually did end up taking the ring from Frodo and finishing the job, that would be a problem (and that actually is really analagous to some of the Dune Part 2 changes). You may have gone to film school (like ok and?), but you can’t argue these points if you haven’t read the books, because you don’t know the themes of the books so all you have to go off of is the films which are again in a vacuum, pretty awesome. I’m going to leave it at that because it’s going to get quite off topic I feel if we continue. --- ## Post 72 by @anon96036341 — 2026-04-20T17:00:49Z > [@lyricism](#): > > ou keep responding to me like I’m saying the movies are bad yeah, sorry about that. I’m being defensive. I just love the movies and it’s hard for me to fathom anyone would have anything against them (even the differences from the books). > [@lyricism](#): > > You may have gone to film school (like ok and?) Only said that to establish some credibility on my end to inform that I may indeed know what I am talking about. Not meant to mean anything else or to discount your views necessarily. – But alright. Either way, let’s see how Dune Part III is. --- ## Post 73 by @Aflame-Blighted — 2026-09-02T04:15:59Z > [@nateb](#): > > The Expanse I binged The Expanse not long ago, I wish there was more. Shelter with Jason Statham has some privacy and anonymity-lite elements. Source Code with Jake Gyllenhaal has the government overstepping the line, as usual. I’m nearly finished season 1 of The Terminal List and enjoying that. They use Threema for anonymous messaging. --- ## Post 74 by @user1 — 2026-09-02T05:45:19Z Years and years (2019)