Judging from what I see in the galleries, a lot of Poser users share my love love of horror and science fiction films. I think this has more to do with an artistic fascination for creating our own realities than just a technically related interest in CG applications.
Lately, I've been hard pressed to find any films or books in the genres that I consider to be genuinely outstanding. Two exceptions would be "A Scanner Darkly," and the South Korean  film "Host." If you're a monster movie fan, Host will blow you away. It's a visually beautiful film with an engaging plot and first class FX.
"Dark City" is worth a purchase. It's a moody film noir piece with lots of atmosphere and a supposedly surprise plot hook you'll probably figure out after about half an hour.
I don't know what has happened to American cinema. Films like Scanner are almost totally ignored, while mediocrities such as Dead Silence draw profitable if unspectacular box office. If you've seen or read anything really good lately, I'd love to hear about it.
(One more of those God awful slasher flicks and I'm jumping out the nearest window.  And no more Stephen King. Cell was a shameless rehash of The Stand with less interesting characters.)

I always recommend Clive Barker on the literary side of things... if you've not read any of his stuff, then but it ALL now :) And if you are up to date with his ouvre, then take heart to know that he's taking a break from his Abarat sequence (good, but lighter than his previous stuff) to finish off his Pinhead/D'amour novel, The Scarlet Gospels. Promises to be a really good read. He's also got a new collection of short stories, similar to his earlier Books of Blood collections, in the pipeline.

Film-wise, I have to admit I'm not a fan of the latest Eli Roth work and the clones.I have no problems with visceral horror, but the latest ones haven't done it well in my book (possibel exception being the SAW films, which know when to pull the camera away, and also engage your mind as well as your eyes).

There's also the possibility of comic books. an old favourite of mine which I no longer get, due to lack of funds, is Hellblazer (the comic Constantine was based on). Please, dont' dismiss it based on the film - the books are much better, and John-boy is a much nastier, amoral wossname in the comics than they could ever have hoped to protray him in the film. So find a back catalogue and give it a look.

I'm a HUGE horror buff - love everything from Caligari through to current stuff (mostly). It's why I do my job - actor/director in my own small-scale horror theatre company here in the UK. :)

JonTheCelt

Never been a fan of Roth either, Jon. Too much gratuitous gore.
I did enjoy some of Barker's earlier stuff, but his latest works haven't held that much appeal.
I still consider Rawhead Rex to be a great old school monster film. With all the technical FX advancements over the last twenty years, I think it's a perfect candidate for a remake.

Hmm... Barker actually HATED that film - he said it compeltely destroyed everything he was trying to go for in the original stoy. In fact, it was because of the treamtent his work got on THAT film that he went and directed the original Hellraiser himself - and if ever there was a series which showed how much damage can be done when a creation is taken out of the originators hands, look no further than that one. Hellraiser 8, for rcying out loud?!

I liked 'Dark City'...even did a render based on it..;) I'm not much for horror movies; mainly people backing into bad situations and getting killed..;) but I tend to more of the really old ones, like Dr. Phibes, etc.

what about the ring films (original Japanese versions) and the Grudge (oringinal Japanese version too) not exactly new though.

I ran out of Dark City twice during the same showing.  The first time because I was convinced they were lulling me to sleep with whale sounds on the sound track and were going to put some subliminal idea in my head.  I calmed myself down and went back in 20 minutes later to catch the end just as the thing comes up out of the ground and the guy says "let the tuning begin!"  I got the hell out of there.  I'd just been reading about MKUltra a few days before.

If you want genuine hardcore SF with real intelligence and a big slice of humour, look no further than Iain M Banks.

If you want SF with a weird, lyrical slant and a beautifully original sideways look at fantasy, go for Jeff Noon.

If you want a combination of the above with generous helpings of sarcasm, turn to Michael Marshall Smith.

I cannot recommend these authors highly enough.  I promise you won't be disappointed.  Or at least, if you are, your brain cell will surely die from loneliness. 

I personally didn't like Scanner Darkly. If you have read anything by Samuel Beckett and/or Paul Auster, or seen Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, you won't be impressed by Scanner Darkly. Good Scifi is hard to find though. Lately I've devoted my time into rewatching the older classic. Space Odyssey, Solaris, Close encounters...etc... Those movies are still unmatched today and don't even get me started on Sunshine. That movie was incredibly clumsy.

Since you didn't mention Anime, you might wanna check out Ghost in The Shell. The series and the first movie were quite good sci-fi. The series more so than the movies.

As for Horror/mystery: Silent Hill. It's based on a game so it's easy to overlook, but I felt that it was a very well written movie regardless. I didn't go see it in a theatre because I thought it was just going to milk the game, but when I saw it on DVD, I was impressed with the quality of writing. It's more like a mystery than a horror film, but it works well.

This topic is of great interest to me.

There is a surprising number of good Asian horror films out at the moment. "A Tale of Two Sisters" (South Korean film) was pretty outstanding. Of course, for a good atmospheric horror you cant go past "The Exorcist".

Regarding sci-fi movies, my favorites are 2001, "Sunshine" and "Alien".

My favorite film of all time is "Mulholland Drive". Very moody and atmospheric. Of course, that's David Lynch - he is the master of that sort of movie.

I think the whole "torture porn" movement in Hollywood has really brought at least the horror genre down. (The Saw sequels, Wolf Creek, Hostel, etc.)
And all the unnecessary remakes don't help either...
Here's what I recommend:

• Pan's Labyrinth: I thought this movie was just breathtaking...and of of the most original films I've seen in years. And one of the most disturbingly violent.
• The Exorcism of Emily Rose:** For a movie with almost no violence, it sure scared the holy hell out of me! Smart and character-driven too.
• Children of Men: A pretty bleak view of our future, but an absolute masterpiece.
• Serenity/Firefly: Awesome stuff!

That's my 2 cents!
My other 2 cents for a total of 4 cents, is this:
I honestly think that the best horror/sci-fi writing is coming out of the video game industry right now. Hollywood is getting very efficient at butchering the film adaptations, but the source material is just great for some of these damn games. Thoughts?

Attached Link: Perdido Street Station

"It's Dickensian in scope, but fast-paced and modern. It's a love song for cities, and it packs a world into its strange, sprawling, steam-punky city of New Crobuzon. It can be read with equal validity as fantasy, science fiction, horror, or slipstream. It's got love, loss, crime, sex, riots, mad scientists, drugs, art, corruption, demons, dreams, obsession, magic, aliens, subversion, torture, dirigibles, romantic outlaws, artificial intelligence, and dangerous cults."

Man, this is turning into a treasure trove! I'm writng down all the leads that have been posted so far. Odd that I've never even heard of the film Sunshine, which has been referenced more than once. I'll check it out at the IMDB for a quick synoposis.
( I agree that the Silent Hill movie was much better than almost everyone expected it to be, given Hollywood's lousy track record with videogame crossovers. Resident Evil? Sheesh.)

I remember going to see "The Exorcist" at the drive in when it came out. First movie to ever scare the hell back into me. LOL. 

Serenity I loved, but you hear so many people say it made no sense. That was becaus it was made more for the Firefly fans. To understand the movie you need to watch the series first. OK, so I have the box set and don't understand why everybody does not have it.

I have been reading some old stuff such as A.E. Merret, Andre Norton.

Films, I don't see until they are on DVD or the movie channels. Living in the country, it costs more for me to drive to the city to go see a movie, than it would to buy the DVD and the DVD player. So I'm always behind in that.

Speaking of Sunshine, 28 Days Later was a helluva movie too!
I'm surprised Sunshine didn't get a wide release here in the States.

Well I'm surprized you've dissed "KIng" there!
I don't know if you've read the complete work of his called "The Dark Tower" but there is talk of making a film of that and that is something I really would pay to see!
The story has everything from Horror, Sci-Fi, Dimension travels etc.
If you haven't read it, do so but be warned it's a massive 7 book story!

As no-one's mentioned it yet, try the 'Vampire Earth' series of books by E.E. Knight. A mixture of SF, horror, and post-apocalyptic warfare. There are 6 in the series so far - 'Way of the Wolf' is the first.

Attached Link: Eric Knight - Official Website

I've got the second one, Choice of the Cat, sitting on my shelf waiting to be read.  So many books...so little time!  Heh. 

Attached Link: The Poison Master

Attached Link: The Vorkosigan Saga

The link above will take you to a little review I wrote for it, along with a link to her website, a list of the books in chronological order, and my suggested reading order.

Here are some of my other Sci-Fi favourites.  All the ones I've listed here are either stand-alones or the first in a duology/trilogy/series.

Hidden Empire by Kevin J. Anderson
Primary Inversion by Catherine Asaro
Lilith's Brood by Octavia Butler
Flesh and Silver by Stephen L. Burns
Glory Season by David Brin
The Burning Heart of Night by Ivan Cat
A Thousand Words For Stranger by Julie E. Czerneda
Beholder's Eye by Julie E. Czerneda
In the Company of Others by Julie E. Czerneda
Entering Tenebrea by Roxanne Dawson & Daniel Graham
Jaran by Kate Elliot
The Complete Ivory by Doris Egan
This Alien Shore by C.S. Friedman
Expendable by James Alan Gardner
The Rebel Prince by Sharon Green
Mistwalker by Denise Lopes Heald
The Seeds of Time by Kay Kenyon
Pilot's Choice by Sharon Lee & Steve miller
Partners In Necessity by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
The Tomorrow Log by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
The Silver Metal Lover by Tanith Lee
Biting the Sun by Tanith Lee
Murphy's Gambit by Syne Mitchell
Technogenesis by Syne Mitchell
Freedom's Landing by Anne McCaffrey
Turning Point by Lisanne Norman
Nylon Angel by Marianne de Pierres
Hyperion by Dan Simmons
Queen of Denial by Selina Rosen
Gates of Hell by Susan Sizemore
An Accidental Goddess by Linnea Sinclair
Gabriel's Ghost by Linnea Sinclair
Finders Keepers by Linnea Sinclair
Games of Command by Linnea Sinclair
Alien Taste by Wen Spencer
Tinker by Wen Spencer
Firebird by Kathy Tyers
Stardoc by S.L. Viehl
Blade Dancer by S.L. Viehl
On Basilisk Station by David Weber
Promised Land by Connie Willis & Cynthia Felice

Okay, I'll shut up now.  Hehe!  If you'd like some Fantasy and Vampire/Werewolf recommedations, just holler.  Fan, Sci-Fi and Vamp/Were are my favourite genres. 

Attached Link: The Eye Synopsis

I recently caught the Edgar Allen Poe series of Vincent Price movies on cable last week.

They were fantastic. Staged, rich colors, dramtic, period, engaging. No screaming idiots without cell phones.

There are some great visual and creative inspiration in some past horror classics.

One of my favorites, although there is no blood in it, is a chilling ghost movie called "The Changling"

sigh  I need to go dig my old Vincent Price videos out of my parents' attic.  Not that I have a VCR, lol, but to know what to replace.

I read on Bloody-Disgusting that Guillermo del Toro (probably spelled wrong) is planning on directing a remake of The Changeling.  (And I'm mumbling over here that it's not old enough to be remade....it's not old enough to be a classic until I am, LOL.)

JenX, I saw The Eye as well. An example of excellent Asian horror cinema.

;)  I actually should correct myself.  (It's been a few weeks since I've seen it, and I am pretty ignorant to these things.)  It's not a Japanese film, but a Chinese film.  /nod. 

Hmm..Since Pitch Black hasn't been mentioned..Well I shall mention it! Ta-daa!
It's a surprisingly good film. Solid writing and directing. Radha Mitchel especially gives a very good and a believable performance, as does Vin Diesel (believe it or not). Good writing and believable characters. It's more like a horror film in the end, but it works. Even though it is sci-fi, the people are believeable and stay true to their character all the way through. It's year whatever, but people are still people. They talk and act like you'd expect people to do. That makes it believeable. The dialogue is quite good too. The pacing is good as well. You have enough character devolpment and enough action/horror.

Attached Link: http://calfkiller.googlepages.com/oldtimeradio

One thing I've come to miss are all the wonderful short story anthologies that were published when I was a kid. These days print magazines that regularly offer speculative fiction are an endangered species, so I guess that's why you don't see many new horor, fantasy and scifi short story collections on the shelves. There doesn't appear to be much of a mass circulation market for short fiction in the U.S..

The link at the top of this post is for a site that offers a huge free library of old radio shows in mp3 and ogg format. There's something there for every taste, including lots of horror and science fiction, such as Dimension x, The Creaking Door, Lights Out and even The Twilight Zone. You can also find some modern offerings from around the world as well as fan produced programs. Download a few, throw a log on the fire, turn off the lights and sunggle up to your sweetie while you give 'em a listen.

On the book side, if you like military Sci-Fi, I have found just about everything by David Weber, John Ringo and Elizabeth Moon to be quite good.  I also like just about anything by Anne McCaffrey.

Yup 12 monkeys was quite good indeed. If you're intrested in time travel and esoteric movies check out Donnie Darko (if you haven't seen it allready). It's very good. :D
Allso Primer is quite intresting allthough hard to follow.

I remember one of the first short stories I read was "Gun for Dinosaur" I remember if it was a Twilight Zone or Art Gallery, something like that that did an episode of it for TV. I think it was Dimention X that did it on the radio.

How about Trilogy of terror. That little doll that goes after Karen Black.

Still and always will be a Robert A. Heinlein fan. And Steven King as well as Dean Koontz.

Stephen King writes great stories, but they (nearly) always turn into terrible movies - with notable exceptions such as The Shawshank Redemption.

The only decent King movies, for me, have been the non-horror ones - Stand By Me, Shawshank, Green Mile. The probem with the horror pieces is that what works on the page, becauase you can leave the details nebulous and allow the reader to fillin the gaps, simply does'nt work when it's seen on screen in all its 'glory'. Classic case in point? IT. In the book, during the final encounter, it's made clear that the characters can't comprehened what It is they're looking at - It's some Lovecraftian beasty of  incomparable horror. In an effort to give It a form they can recognise and cope with, they seeIit as a sort of giant spider - but they know this isnt' the true form of It. This is done by being able to see through the eyes of the characters, and hear their internal dialogues. IN film, this is impossibel to convey, so what happens? The horrible force they've been battling for so much of their lives, ably performed by Tim Curry, turns out to be... a rather large spider that turns your hair white.

How disappointing.

JonTheCelt

Exactly. Precise subtlety of thought is extremely difficult to bring off in a film without creating something most people find either boring or incomprehensible. When I described Rawhead Rex as being a classic monster film, I meant in the old school sense of the Universal horror titles. Simple but enjoyable. The archaic mythos and sense of dread Barker incorporated in his original work were entirely missing.
Some of the books in Neyjour's links reminded me of Kim Newman's Anno Dracula. I'm not sure if it's still in print, but if you can find a copy, buy it.