J. J. Abrams' Star Trek movie gets its own TBTBT post for honoring this fundamental sci-fi schtick so marvelously. Here's 23rd-Century Iowa, still clean and untouched, with enormous arcologies on the horizon in every direction (presumably standing on or near the sites of the original population centers). What better way to teach contemporary, disaster-weary Star Trek newcomers that (unlike nearly all popular filmed sci-fi) the whole Trek project is fundamentally optimistic and non-dystopian; i.e. you are encouraged to imagine a future without a ruined Earth for a change. Anyway, That Big Thing Back There, Star Trek style, and a class act it is, courtesy of ILM. (Click for full resolution DVD frames.)
UPDATE: Here's a better view, from the 1080p HD trailer (click to see full size):
