Motherboard
“We’re descending toward Hill Valley, California, at 4:29 PM, on Wednesday, October 21st, 2015,” Doc Brown announces in the opening scenes of Back to the Future II.
“2015? You mean we’re in the future?” exclaims Marty, apparently having forgotten that madcap time-distorting adventures are hardly out of character for the Doc.
What follows is one of the most influential depictions of the future ever conceived, in which flying cars, automated clothes, hydrated pizzas, and hoverboards are all entrenched staples. Since the arrival of the new year, a lot of people have expressed excitement that we have finally reached this benchmark age in science fiction. And it’s well-deserved press, because Back to the Future II is not only the most famous depiction of 2015, it’s also among the most widely known portrayals of the 21st century full stop.