Why don't Sci-Fi/Fantasy Movies ever have high rating on IMDB?

I'm confused by your suggestion that some sci-fi films get bad reviews or flop at the box office because people "prefer boring reality'. What planet do you live on where this is true? On Earth you will find that the list of the highest grossing films of all time is dominated by films such as the Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Carribean, Transformers, Spider-Man, The Dark Knight (and numerous other comic book movies) and sitting right at the top as the highest grossing film ever is Avatar. Now I'm not saying all of these films are brilliant, or even good, I'm just pointing out that your suggestion that people just like boring reality when it comes to film couldn't be further from the truth.

11. LOTR: Return of the King
12. Star Wars: Empire
16. Star wars: New Hope
17. Lord of the Rings: Fellowship
22. The Matrix
29. Lord of the Rings: Two Towers
36. Toy Story 3
41. Terminator 2
44. Alien
52. WALL-E
60. Aliens
68. Back to the Future
82. Pan's Labyrinth
88. 2001: A Space Odyssey
99: Up
102: Star Wars: Return
114: Harry Potter Deathly Hallows 2
118: Blade Runner
130: Lion King
132: Wizard of Oz
137: Toy Story
154: District 9
169: Finding Nemo
170: Terminator
180: How to Train Your Dragon
185: Avatar
188: Ratatouille
194: The Princess Bride
197: Star Trek
209: The Incredibles
222. Big Fish
243. Monsters Inc.

Other than those 32 you're right - I don't know why those movies don't EVER have high ratings. Yes, some of these might not exactly fit the sci-fi/fantasy category perfectly and I might have missed some, but really, does the Time Machine belong above ANY of these movies? NO.
I'm curious though - which sci-fi/fantasy movies besides Time Machine should be on this list in your/anyone's opinion?

I was just thinking the same thing, stonevick. All those Pixar kids movies get such high ratings.

Take good care of yourself, Sally Orchid

Well Donnie Darko has an 8.1 rating so there's a clear exception.

Because the world is full of mundanes being raised, schooled, and bred into being knuckle draggers and mouth breathers who live for terrible, low brow garbage like.. Two and a Half Men and The Fast and the Furious 1-20 [I know it's only up to 6 but that's 5 too many] and The Hangover 1-3 [3 too many] and the other garbage that hollywood sh&ts out. 20 years ago? People loved Science Fiction and fantasy.. Some of the first movies, silent ones were pretty much SciFi or Fantasy based and people lived for them. Now people want gross humor, sex, tits, drugs, and violence.

Because a lot of the critics/viewers can't keep an open mind, are too picky, let their experience be influenced by external factors, and are just plain thick.

Either you let yourself be completely absorbed into the experience, and its world, or you'll experience a bad case of skepticism, and end up *beep* it all up.

You're right on the money about this movie vs. Up, that is ridiculous. Uh, according to my personal taste. But Hammer's The Lost Continent is a truly horrible, embarrassing, inept movie and it currently has a 5.8 for some reason, so go figure. (Hammer fans who give every Hammer at least a 6? Perhaps.)

Yes, I agree totally!
For that same line of thought - can someone please explain to me the mystery of Finding Nemo? As much as I try I can't figure out why this movie was SUCH A FRIGGIN DAMN HUGE SUCCESSFUL HIT???? I mean it was a nice movie and all, sweet family movie. But I didn't really see anything THAT extraordinary about it. I don't get why everyone was so obsessed with it and treated it like it's a masterpiece of some sort.