Science fiction is quite simply one of the most popular genres of film that we have. The creation of faraway places and futuristic technology seems to be exactly what the medium of film was designed to create. Sci-fi on film has been around for as long as there have been movies. But which ones are the best? Figuring that out is a nearly impossible task. But, we’re going to try and do it anyway.
If you’re a lover of science fiction in film, there’s a good chance some movies you love are on this list. Perhaps if you’re not as familiar with the genre, this could be a guide, giving you some ideas of where to start a journey into space and time. From all-time classics to modern blockbusters, here’s a look at the 35 sci-fi movies that we think are the best of all time.
The Fifth Element deserves to rank higher imo.
yep. They were robbed.
- Annihilation
- Robocop
- The 5th Element
- Blade Runner 2049
- Troy
- The Abyss
- Inception
- Ex Machina
- Edge of Tomorrow
- Back to the Future
- The Martian
- 12 Monkeys
- The Day the Earth stood still
- Snowpiercer
- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
- Dune (2021)
- Arrival
- The Terminator
- Wall-E
- Jurassic Park
- Aliens
- Planet of the Apes
- Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
- Everything Everywhere All at Once
- Terminator 2: Judgement Day
- The Thing
- Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
- E.T.
- Metropolis
- Close Encounters of the Third Kind
- The Matrix
- Blade Runner
- Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope
- Alien
- 2001: A Space Odyssey
Haha just looked at your comment and was wondering why the hell they would put Troy on this list so had to check the article to verify, Tron definitely makes much more sense, though this list without Starship Troopers somewhere is a travesty
Thanks for clarifying this. That one had me stumped as well.
Well that went well - it’s supposed to count down to 1. Markdown? And this client does not seem to have an edit button. Anyway, you get it, I assume.
Pretty good list, but I’d argue a few of the films don’t belong in a sci-fi list. I love the fifth element and I love Star Wars, but they are fantasy, not sci-fi. I know definitions differ and it’s fairly pedantic, but I think sci-fi needs to explore how future science and technology change society and our environment, and is at its best when those changes somehow reflect current or recent social struggles.
For example, blade runner is science fiction. It asks how society deals with an artificial slave rebellion amidst an ecological catastrophe and immense corporate greed and indiscretion.
What’s missing is Ghost in the Shell. I also think RollerBall is missing, but opinions on that movie are super divided and for good reason, it’s weird.
Ghost in the Shell absolutely should be on there. I mean, if Wall-E is on there, it shows the list includes animated stuff, so why in the world would you exclude Ghost in the Shell?
(The animated version, mind you, not the live one.)
That’s a pretty good list. I have a few differences in how I look at lists like this, though.
I generally lump major series together, unless there’s a real standout entry or a long series. So I agree with having just Star Trek 2 in it, but think Star Wars 4 and 5 should occupy 1 spot and include ROTJ. For cases like Terminator, where there are a ton of crap movies, I’d put the original and 2 in a single slot.
There are a bunch of classic movies missing, too. Soylent Green, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Forbidden Planet, Metropolis, etc. Personally, I’d have Dark City, The Last Starfighter, Short Circuit, maybe Iron Man, Black Panther, or Age of Ultron (some Marvel entry). A nod to anime should also be in there, even if it’s just Akira. Others I’d might have in there if I ever sat down to rank these things in order: Total Recall, The Running Man, The Lawnmower Man, Cube, THX 1138, The Fly, MiB, Mad Max, The Thing, Close Encounters
Probably not making the list, but noteworthy conceptually: Minority Report, Johnny Mnemonic, Contact, Children of Men, Contact, Donnie Darko, Looper,
If they want to include movies that were great within their times or some specific context, the original animated Transformers was a crazy, but noteworthy departure from the franchise’s previous media. Galaxy Quest and Space Balls aren’t philosophical masterpieces, but definitely high on my list.
For kid friendly stuff, Batteries Not Included, Space Camp, Flight of the Navigator, and E.T.
Metropolis is on there in the top 10, as it always is on these lists. Seen it multiple times, its a work of art considering it’s age but it’s always way too high for my taste.
Oh, whoops. Thanks for pointing that out.
Metropolis is interesting because of the time period. I think of it like Godzilla or Akira in the context of nuclear weapons. As a movie, they’re fine, but the culture and trepidation about the direction the world was moving adds a whole different level to appreciate.
Big +1s for Dark City and Children of Men.
Dark City doesn’t get enough love. It’s a pretty bizarre movie and was ahead of it’s time.
The only one I disagree with is Snowpiercer. That was a terrible movie. About as subtle as a brick to the face. And said nothing new or in an interesting way.
I agree, overall seems ok. But putting snowpiercer above back to the future just shows he doesn’t have the credibility to be making this list.
One of the few movies I couldn’t even finish
This is just ragebait.
Gattaca? Interstellar? District 9? Moon? A Clockwork Orange? Zardoz? Plan 9 from Outer Space?
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No Starship Troopers, no Forbidden Planet…
This list isn’t really complete without them included
I have to agree with their #1 pick.
spoiler
2001 - A Space Odyssey
I finally got to see it in the theater and it is a mind blowing experience. The visuals and the sound. I had only ever seen it on a tube tv, and eventually got to see an HD version which blew me away, and then when I saw it in the theater, it was not only the visuals, but the sound. The sound… I can only imagine what it was to see this in the theater when it was originally shown.
That’s like….your opinion man….
No arguments here.
Everything Everywhere All At Once, really? I liked the movie but if it belongs on this list at all it’s near the bottom. That’s just recency bias. No way this film makes a list like this in 5-10 years.
Not a single non-US film on the list. Shame!
