50 Sci-Fi Films to Watch for an Out-of-This World Movie Night
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."
A compelling science fiction story has the ability to transport you to the furthest reaches of the imagination. And movies with the right execution (and budget) can pretty much bring anything to life: Head to the far distant corners of the cosmos, the desolate landscapes of post-apocalyptic worlds, or into alternate dimensions where anything is possible.
As a genre, sci-fi also gives us the opportunity to explore the human condition in ways everyday tales simply can't touch. Below is a list of films to broaden your cinematic horizons in the way only sci-fi can, all while offering a well-deserved break from reality. You'll find movies about space, time travel, AI, multiverses, and in some instances, a mix of it all. Scroll through for the perfect mind-bending experience you can enjoy right in your living room.
They Cloned Tyrone
This sci-fi mystery on Netflix explores the disappearance of a man named Tyrone, an important figure in his small town. His friends are on the hunt for him when they uncover a government conspiracy involving cloning technology experiments. The movie, starring John Boyega, Teyonah Parris, and Jamie Foxx, blends humor, suspense, and the supernatural for an eerie exploration of identity, reality, and the scientific innovation. Eventually, the group realizes they may not have known their friend quite as well as they thought.
See the original post on Youtube
Blade Runner 2049
This 2017 sequel to the original 1982 film Blade Runner is a visually stunning addition to the series starring Ryan Gosling as Officer K, the blade runner searching for former blade runner Rick Deckard, played by Harrison Ford, who has been missing for 30 years. In this dystopian future, the bioengineered humans called replicants are on the brink of extinction. As K searches for Rick, he begins to unravel a mystery while questioning the blurred boundaries between human and artificial life. Fans of the original may prefer it, but if you're just getting interested in this world, this is a fun place to start.
See the original post on Youtube
The Adjustment Bureau
This 2011 film follows charismatic politician David Norris (Matt Damon), who inadvertently discovers a secretive group known as the Adjustment Bureau. The organization manipulates the course of people's lives according to a predetermined timeline, but when David falls in love with ballet dancer Elise (Emily Blunt), he defies their plans. The bureau doesn't like that. The film explores the themes of fate and free will as David and Elise fight to be together despite the powers that be, who seem to have literally all the power.
See the original post on Youtube
The Stepford Wives
The 1975 version of The Stepford Wives is a far darker film than the 2004 remake. The story unfolds in the idyllic suburban town of Stepford, Connecticut. Feminist thinker Joanna Eberhart and her family move to this seemingly perfect community, but she becomes increasingly suspicious of the suddenly submissive and conformist behavior of the town's women. Joanna begins to feel targeted herself, worrying that whatever is happening to her neighbors might soon happen to her. The film is fairly obvious commentary on gender roles and societal expectations in the 1970s, but it still manages to be unsettling in unexpected ways today.
See the original post on Youtube
The Shape of Water
Directed by Guillermo del Toro, The Shape of Water is set against the backdrop of Cold War-era America but focuses on the domestic. The story follows Elisa (Sally Hawkins), a mute, isolated woman who works as a janitor in a high-security government laboratory. One night, she discovers an amphibious, humanoid creature being held captive and forms an unlikely connection to it. Elisa attempts to rescue the creature from government officials who see it as nothing but an asset. And yes, it's a love story, with all that it entails.
See the original post on Youtube
Don't Look Up
This satirical dark comedy offers a scathing commentary on contemporary society's approach to real world wide crisis. It stars Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo DiCaprio as two astronomers who discover a comet hurtling toward Earth. The only problem is that no one cares. The scientists embark on a desperate and futile mission to raise awareness and are met with indifference, political incompetence, and corporate greed. The cast is filled out with heavy hitters, including Meryl Streep and Jonah Hill. Ultimately, this is a thinly veiled story about climate destruction...so not exactly escapist.
See the original post on Youtube
Alita: Battle Angel
Set in a post apocalyptic future, this film is a visual feast of cyberpunk imagery created with stunning 3D animation. The movie's star, Alita, is a mysterious cyborg who was found in a junkyard by Dr. Dyson Ido. She doesn't remember who she is, but embarks on a journey to find out. The trip boosts her skills as a warrior and she embraces self-discovery as she takes on a violent world filled with worthy enemies. Great fight scenes galore.
See the original post on Youtube
Passengers
This sci-fi romance stars Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt as two strangers aboard the same interstellar spaceship headed to a distant colony planet. They're supposed to take the 120-year ride in suspended animation, but a malfunction wakes Pratt up 90 years too early and unable to rejoin his slumbering companions. He makes the morally questionable decision to wake Lawrence, and they discover a connection challenged by time, solitude, the unending space all around them, and the ethical issues around how they even met while floating through the stars.
See the original post on Youtube
Her
Directed by Spike Jonze and starring Joaquin Phoenix, Her follows a lonely and introverted man who develops an intimate relationship with Samantha, voiced by Scarlett Johansson. Samantha is an advanced AI operating system that quickly evolves throughout their relationship. Their connection deepens, exploring questions about love, consciousness, and human connection, as well as the complexities of modern relationships. After all, a lot of people might prefer a convincing AI companion to the current dating scene.
See the original post on Youtube
65
Adam Driver plays an astronaut who lives on a version of Earth where the planet's rotation has come to a halt. One side is in constant scorching sunlight while the other is stuck in endless darkness. Driver struggles to reach a space station which might hold the key to restoring the planet's rotation, but he lands very off course. Directed by the Russo brothers, this SciFi film is all about the race for humanity's survival combined with a meditation on what we still have now and what we once did.
See the original post on Youtube
Ad Astra
Starring Brad Pitt as astronaut Roy McBride, this space odyssey is about a man asked to figure out a mystery that threatens the stability of Earth. Roy is thrust into emotional turmoil as he travels into space, confronting long buried secrets of his own as he goes deeper into isolation. The film takes place in space, but it's really about familial bonds, ambition, and the distances people go to find themselves.
See the original post on Youtube
Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse
In the sequel to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Miles Morales discovers even more layers of his world and seemingly innumerable Spider-Men within the multiverse. He meets plenty of new, visually dynamic characters, as well as old friends Gwen and Peter Parker. The film is filled with incredible animation set pieces, as well as humor and heart. Miles is once again challenged to grow into his role as a true super hero as he's asked to figure out who he trusts, and especially if he trusts himself.
See the original post on Youtube
Looper
The movie stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Joe, a “looper” who uses his world's ability to time travel to assassinate targets sent from the future on behalf of the criminal element. Eventually, Joe is given the job of assassinating himself, plunging him into a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse. Looper is about identity, fate, the moral complexities of altering the past, and if we can ever make any real decisions guaranteed to change our futures.
See the original post on Youtube
High Life
Set in the far reaches of space, a group of criminals are working to extract energy from a black hole on what looks like a one-way mission. Plunged into isolation amongst hostile strangers, everyone in the group must confront who they've been at what might be the end of their lives. Though it's an ensemble piece, Robert Pattinson has a particularly stand out role in this existential space thriller.
See the original post on Youtube
Cloverfield
A group of young New Yorkers struggle to survive an attack by a giant monster that has suddenly appeared in the city. At the time of the film's release in 2008, the mystery of what exactly was attacking NYC was central to its marketing, and the story is presented as an amateur documentary of found-footage as the siege begins during a farewell party. As everyone attempts to flee the city, the friends face off against the monster and the military forces trying to contain it, before discovering a shocking twist about what's causing the destruction.
See the original post on Youtube
I Am Legend
In this post-apocalyptic movie based on a book of the same name by Richard Matheson, Will Smith plays Dr. Robert Neville, the last known human survivor of a virus that has turned the rest of humanity into sunlight-hating zombies. He's also a scientist who dedicates himself to finding a cure as he struggles not to lose his mind in an abandoned Manhattan with only his dog for company. Eventually, Neville finds other surviving humans and his cause becomes even more vital.
See the original post on Youtube
Minority Report
Based on a short story by Philip K. Dick, Tom Cruise plays a detective named John Anderton. He works in the police unit called “PreCrime,” which uses psychic technology to arrest people for crimes they have not yet committed. Anderton sees himself committing a murder in the future and becomes a fugitive, eventually uncovering a deep conspiracy as he tries to clear his name. The plot's an exploration of free will, determinism, and the nature of justice—and is surprisingly anti-government.
See the original post on Youtube
The Martian
Directed by Ridley Scott, The Martian stars Matt Damon as astronaut Mark Watney who heads to Mars with a team only to be stranded alone after a storm forces everyone else to evacuate. Watney struggles to survive on the desolate planet with limited resources and no means of communication until he hacks into the Pathfinder rover. Back on Earth, NASA scientists try to figure out how to get him back as the clock winds down.
See the original post on Youtube
Cloud Atlas
Co-written and directed by Lana and Lilly Wachowski, the movie is based on the novel of the same name by David Mitchell. It features a large ensemble cast including Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, and Susan Sarandon. There are six interconnected stories playing out across different time periods and geographic locations, ranging from the 19th century to a post-apocalyptic future. The nonlinear narrative structure weaves together multiple recurring themes, creating a thought-provoking and visually stunning film.
See the original post on Youtube
Ready Player One
A film that serves as a tribute to the nostalgic layered fun of watching and playing a beloved video game, Ready Player One is set in the year 2045. The world has become a dystopian wasteland and most people live in a virtual reality alternative called the OASIS. Wade Watts is a teen searching for a hidden Easter egg left by the creator of the game, James Halliday, which would earn him Halliday's fortune and control OASIS itself.
See the original post on Youtube
Donnie Darko
This psychological thriller stars an unhinged Jake Gyllenhaal as a troubled teenager. One night, Donnie is awakened by a mysterious figure in a bunny suit named Frank, who tells him that the world will end in 28 days. Donnie tries to uncover the truth behind Frank's prophecy, but his visions only become more intense and surreal. The film has been a cult classic in the decades since its release.
See the original post on Youtube
Interstellar
Directed by Christopher Nolan, the film stars Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, and Jessica Chastain. What a cast! The movie takes place in a future where Earth is facing an environmental disaster that threatens humanity's survival. A team of scientists and engineers are tasked with traveling through a newly-discovered wormhole to see if they can find a new home for everyone. Throughout their journey, their capacity for love, sacrifice, and survival is tested.
See the original post on Youtube
Inception
Also directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, the movie follows the story of Dom Cobb, a thief who specializes in extracting information from people's dreams. The next step is “inception,” or planting an idea in someone's subconscious, which Cobb is hired to do. During the job, Cobb is haunted by memories of his deceased wife and starts to lose control. This mind-bending thriller blurs the lines of reality, with exciting twists and turns.
See the original post on Youtube
The Adam Project
A time-travelling fighter pilot named Adam Reed, played by Ryan Reynolds, crash lands in 2022. Wounded, he hides out in the garage of his childhood home only to be discovered by his childhood self. Grown up Adam and 12-year-old Adam team up to save their shared future from the forces that seek to control it.
See the original post on Youtube
Dune
Director Denis Villeneuve's interpretation of Dune is the definition of an epic sci-fi story, and a sequel is already on the way. Based on Frank Herbert's 1965 novel of the same name, it's a sweeping tale about a young man named Paul Atreides born to a great destiny. (And the best part? Zendaya is there!) Catch up before part two is released.
See the original post on Youtube
2001: A Space Odyssey
It's not a list of sci-fi movies without this classic film directed by Stanley Kubrick, based on the famous short story by Arthur C. Clarke. After a monolith has been uncovered on the Lunar surface, two men are sent into space with an advanced computer system to discover its origins. Things don't go as planned.
See the original post on Youtube
Nope
From horror director Jordan Peele, Nope follows two siblings (played by Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer) who discover an ominous force taking over their family's horse ranch. Part of the scare is the mystery, so no spoilers, but this film is filled with frights, fantastic performances, and beautiful cinematography, leaving you equal parts terrified and in awe.
See the original post on Youtube
Snowpiercer
In this Bong Joon-ho film, the earth is completely frozen over due to climate catastrophe, the only survivors aboard a train that can never stop. Even in this small world, what remains of humanity is kept to strict social hierarchies. Chris Evans plays a man dead-set on getting to the front of the train to figure out what's happening to the poor kids getting kidnapped from the caboose. No spoilers, but Evans has one of the most deranged reveals of any movie hero ever, so enjoy that. If you want more from the Snowpiercer universe, check out the TV series adaptation too.
See the original post on Youtube
Annihilation
A mysterious phenomenon called Area X is spreading across America, and certain scientists have been tasked with entering the danger zone to figure out what's going on. A biologist named Lena, played by Natalie Portman, never intended to enter, but she must if she wants to find out what happened to her husband inside.
See the original post on Youtube
Galaxy Quest
Starring Tim Allen and Alien star Sigourney Weaver, Galaxy Quest is practically an ode to sci-fi films and TV across time. Allen and Weaver play the former stars of a popular Star Trek-style show that has been off the air for a long time. (They'd be washed up if they didn't have so many fans willing to meet them at conventions.) One day, things get super real when the cast is abducted by actual aliens seeking their help. Hilarious and strangely heartbreaking, this is the perfect film for sci-fi fans.
See the original post on Youtube
Ex Machina
Caleb Smith (Domhnall Gleeson) is a programmer who has won a trip to the private estate of his firm's CEO, Nathan Bateman (Oscar Isaac). At the compound, Caleb meets Ava (Alicia Vikander), the robot Nathan has built with the intention of assuring it passes the Turing test. Is Ava conscious or not? Caleb thinks so and soon begins to feel far more than he should for a machine. He'll live to regret that. Ava is less of a robot than she seems, and possibly more than human.
See the original post on Youtube
The Matrix
A lot of the effects and action sequences in 1999's The Matrix are the kind we've come to take for granted in movies now; but at the time, it completely changed the game. Neo (Keanu Reeves) is a regular dude who feels like something in his regular life isn't quite right. But he soon learns the shocking truth about his world and the malevolent forces that control it. Directed by the Wachowskis, this film has left an incredible influence on genres outside sci-fi, and on culture in general. See where it all started here.
See the original post on Youtube
Alien
A commercial spaceship is targeted by a distress signal from an alien vessel. The crew decide to answer it, only to discover a nest of eggs inside. One hatches, and its contents leap upon a crew member, sucking onto to his face. The creature needs to attach itself to a host to propagate, and when it does, it grows up very, very fast, putting everyone else in danger. Starring Sigourney Weaver, this 1979 thriller set in space still holds up.
See the original post on Youtube
Everything Everywhere All At Once
Michelle Yeoh plays a woman who is unable to be present for her family because her mind is seemingly always somewhere else— being pulled into various alternate universes. Both a multiverse mystery and a meditation on mother-daughter relationships, Everything Everywhere is beautiful, sweet, funny, sad, and all the things in between. This movie has something for everyone—partially because Evelyn can't stay in one place.
See the original post on Youtube
Prey
Naru is a skilled Comanche warrior who has been wanting to join the hunt, which her tribe finds strange at best. One day a creature appears near their village that is more than a hunter: it's a Predator. A fantastic and original entry in the sci-fi horror Predator franchise, the film follows Naru (Amber Midthunder) as she battles the evil alien invaders, both from the sky and from colonizing countries.
See the original post on Youtube
Free Guy
Guy wakes up every morning and goes to his job at the bank, which is invariably shot up by someone wearing a pair of sunglasses. Then he does it again the next day. Guy doesn't know that he is an NPC in a game called Free City, but when he meets a lady player that stirs something inside him, Guy finds that he is capable of far more than he's been programmed to do.
See the original post on Youtube
Logan
The X-Men films are often overshadowed by the Marvel Cinematic Universe nowadays, but there was a time when Wolverine owned the silver screen. While many of the Hugh Jackman-led films about the man with knives in his hands are almost cartoonish, Logan explores the grittier side of his life. At this point, Wolverine is breaking down, a warrior who has healed from his wounds one too many times. But when he meets a group of kids that needs saving, he embarks on a final adventure with Patrick Stewart as Professor X by his side.
See the original post on Youtube
Metropolis
Made in 1927, Metropolis is often credited as one of the original sci-fi films. And it's also an interesting study of the era it was made. It was accused of featuring themes in support of communism at the time and the movie is certainly very much about class. But there's also an evil robot impersonating a woman who does an incredible dance. It contains multitudes.
See the original post on Youtube
Sorry To Bother You
Cassius “Cash” Green (LaKeith Stanfield) needs to pay rent, so he takes a job as a telemarketer. He discovers that by code switching and using his “white voice,” he can climb the ranks fast. Filled with surprising supernatural elements, Sorry to Bother You shows Cash's rise to the top, which takes him to the strangest of places.
See the original post on Youtube
The Iron Giant
Gorgeously animated, The Iron Giant became something of a cult hit after it left theaters. The story follows a boy who befriends the titular alien robot. The titan may be programmed to kill, but that's not what he wants. Set during the Cold War in 1957, the story is about how much of who we are is out of our hands and what we can choose to do about it in the end. Warning: you will almost certainly cry.
See the original post on Youtube
The Fifth Element
Leeloo is the fifth element and she has a big job: She must keep the world from getting destroyed. But she's just woken up in the 23rd century and has no idea what's going on. Luckily, she falls into the flying cab of a man who can help. If you've never seen this movie, don't wait another second. It's a classic.
See the original post on Youtube
Children of Men
The year is 2027, and it's been two decades since the last child was born. Human infertility is having pretty enormous consequences on society, and things are falling apart. Bureaucrat Theo Faron meets a woman named Kee, who is pregnant. That interests a lot of people, many of whom are a danger to her and her child. Theo and Kee's fates become entwined as they race to safety.
See the original post on Youtube
Contact
Dr. Ellie Arroway, played by Jodie Foster, is asked to interpret a message that is believed to be from intelligent life far out in the galaxy. Arroway is challenged by the U.S. government, religious fanatics, and other scientists to push the meaning of the message in a direction that suits them best; but she is determined to understand what the voice in deep space is trying to tell her with as much honesty as possible.
See the original post on Youtube
The Road
In a post-apocalyptic world, a man and his young son are trying to get to the sea where they believe there is a safe community to live amongst. The path there, however, is full of danger and other people with some pretty bad intentions. They could end up enslaved or even in soup. This is a good movie for people who really like to dwell in the worst case scenario.
See the original post on Youtube
Arrival
Twelve spaceships have touched down across Earth. The only problem is communicating with them. Linguistics professor Louise Banks (Amy Adams) and her team of scientists are racing against the clock to figure out what the aliens want before the entire planet collapses into total chaos.
See the original post on Youtube
The Invisible Man
Inspired by the H.G. Wells novel and lots of other stories about the power of invisibility, Elisabeth Moss plays a woman being stalked by her ex. That's frightening enough, but her ex is a crazed scientist who has figured out how to make himself invisible. She has to fight for her life and her sanity as she figures out how to defeat him.
See the original post on Youtube
Starship Troopers
Starship Troopers became a huge cult hit as fans realized it's about so much more than soldiers fighting giant bugs. As more and more human life is lost in the never ending battle with an Arachnid-like species, the political satire of the situation becomes evident. War needs more death, violence, and hostility to keep going, and the people who make money off war always want it to keep going.
See the original post on Youtube
Mad Max: Fury Road
Immortan Joe keeps himself comfortable in the desert fortress the Citadel, surrounded by his young and beautiful wives. His only goal is to have another son. The only goal of pretty much everyone else is to just get some drinkable water or to die in a fiery blaze of glory. Tom Hardy gets caught up in the conflict when Joe's wives try to escape, becoming an unintentional hero. This post-apocalyptic chase movie is full of action and Charlize Theron is pretty bad ass in it, too.
See the original post on Youtube
A Scanner Darkly
Based on the book by sci-fi author Philip K. Dick, the movie follows Keanu Reeves as a narc in California who tries to go undercover and ends up with an addiction problem. The movie is about the paranoia that comes with addiction and also the reality of actually being surveilled by the state, illustrated by Reeves' character teetering on the edge of insanity.
See the original post on Youtube
You Might Also Like
