The popular image of science fiction revolves around such spaceship cowboys as Captain Video or Buck Rogers. A true devotee of the field, however, would deny all connection with such comics.

Open the pod bay doors, HAL… Because this is IGN’s number one sci-fi film ever. 2001 was always going to be more than just another picture about spaceships and computers and aliens.

It all opens with a shot of the protagonist’s spaceship, which looks really sick and more distinctive than most generic sci-fi ships. Notably, the ship is branded as a Porsche in a way that’s ...