In a scene from the original "Blade Runner," Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) pursues the replicant ... [+]
In the ever-evolving landscape of science fiction cinema, uncovering the finest films can be a challenging task. As your dedicated source for all things science fiction, I've put together a list of the best sci-fi films of all time. These cinematic masterpieces have left an indelible mark on the genre and society at large, deftly balancing captivating narratives, groundbreaking special effects, and explorations of thought-provoking themes. Our greatest science fiction movies comprise a balance of new and old, starring big names and lesser-known actors. I include a few independent film phenoms, plus many critical favorites and box office smashes.
Greatest Science Fiction Movies
Science fiction includes anything based on an imagination of the future that touches on scientific advances, ecological changes, social movements and more. Many science fiction movies take place in space or on other planets. This list includes sci-fi genres like robots, alien invasion, time travel, environmental disaster and other speculative themes.
Top directors on our list include such well-known Oscar winners as Steven Spielberg, Stanley Kubrick, Kathryn Bigelow and James Cameron, as well as auteurs like Christopher Nolan and Terry Gilliam and commercial phenoms such as Ridley Scott. The oldest movie dates from 1927, while the most recent was released in 2017. And now, the top 50 sci-fi movies of all time.
50. Strange Days (1995)
Director Kathryn Bigelow’s fourth film stars Ralph Fiennes as an ex-cop in the near future working with bodyguard Angela Bassett to solve a murder that threatens to take down a dirty police force. Rated R, the movie was a box office flop but has since become a cult hit.
You can stream Strange Days (rated R) on Hulu, Roku Channel, Amazon Prime Video and Max.
49. The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976)
This R-rated thriller follows an alien (Thomas Jerome Newton) who comes to Earth searching for water for his home planet, but alas, he becomes corrupted by human vices during his visit. The cast of director Nicolas Roeg’s British masterpiece includes David Bowie and Buck Henry.
The movie was well-received by critics and audiences, and it has since become a cult favorite. You can stream The Man Who Fell to Earth on Amazon Prime Video or rent it on YouTube, Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
48. Soylent Green (1973)
This dystopian film has become a minor pop culture touchstone, with references in everything from Buffy the Vampire Slayer to Saturday Night Live to Drop Dead Gorgeous. The Richard Fleischer-directed picture features Charlton Heston as an NYPD detective who must step outside the system to find the real answer in a murder investigation.
The answers he finds in this futuristic NYC threaten to topple assumptions about what is OK in society while most of its people starve. You can rent the PG film on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
Chris Pine as Captain James T. Kirk and Zoe Saldana as Lieutenant Nyota Uhura.
47. Star Trek (2009)
This reboot of the storied franchise, directed by J.J. Abrams, shows how Kirk (Chris Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto), Uhura (Zoe Saldana) and the others met and became a team. It was so successful it spawned two sequels so far, with an imaginative tone that poked gentle fun at the original.
Rated PG-13, it can be streamed on Paramount+, YouTube, Roku Channel and Amazon Prime Video, or you can rent it on Redbox, Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
46. War of the Worlds (1953)
While the 2005 Tom Cruise reboot of War of the Worlds is entertaining, the 1953 original, directed by Byron Haskin and starring Gene Barry and Ann Robinson, is better. The military is no match for an alien invasion, so it’s up to Barry and Robinson to fight back using science to find the creatures’ weakness.
The G-rated film is available to screen with a subscription to MGM+, Sling, Paramount+, Amazon Prime Video, Pluto and Roku Channel. You can rent it on YouTube, Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
45. Fantastic Voyage (1966)
Richard Fleischer directed this unique adventure in which a submarine and its crew get shrunken to molecule size to enter the bloodstream of a sick scientist (Jean Del Val) and save him. Raquel Welch also starred in the PG picture, which didn’t do well at the box office but has since become a widely beloved movie.
You can rent the film on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
44. Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
Variations of the Star Trek franchise make multiple appearances on this list, and for good reason—the crew tells compelling stories. In this 1984 film, the light shines on the emotionless Vulcan (played by Leonard Nimoy, who also directed the film), whose apparent death destroys his fellow USS Enterprise-mates.
You can stream Star Trek III: The Search for Spock on MGM+, Paramount+, Sling, Philo, Roku Channel and YouTube. It’s also available for rent on Redbox, Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
43. Independence Day (1996)
One of Will Smith’s first July 4 weekend blockbusters, Independence Day features an all-star cast (Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Vivica A. Fox, Mary McDonnell and Judd Hirsch, among others) trying to save the planet from an alien invasion.
Just try not to stand up and cheer when Pullman, playing the president, declares, “And should we win the day, the Fourth of July will no longer be known as an American holiday, but as the day the world declared in one voice: ‘We will not go quietly into the night!’" The box office smash, rated PG-13 and directed by Roland Emmerich, is streaming on Starz, Philo, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Roku Channel and Hulu. You can rent it on Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones aim their weapons towards the sky in a scene from the 1997 film "Men ... [+]
42. Men in Black (1997)
Smith followed up Independence with Men in Black, about the secret agents who keep aliens living among us in line, so as not to alarm the public. The Black sequel and reboot are worth your time, but the original, with great chemistry between Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, is the best.
Rated PG-13 and based on a Marvel comic, Men was directed by Barry Sonnenfeld and beloved by audiences, if a bit less so by critics. You can stream it on Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, FXNow and Sling TV or rent it on YouTube, Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
41. Donnie Darko (2001)
A film whose influence and status has grown since its release, Donnie Darko stars Jake Gyllenhaal as a teen who sees a giant bunny (is he real or a hallucination?) who warns of the world’s impending end. Then, a jet engine crashes into Donnie’s home. It’s a lot, but it’s a great ride.
Richard Kelly directed the film, rated R and also starring Drew Barrymore and Jake’s sister, Maggie. You can stream Donnie on Tubi, Peacock, Pluto TV, Sling, YouTube PLEX and Amazon Prime Video. You can rent it on Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
40. Predator (1987)
The kickoff to yet another high-powered, long-running franchise, Predator is an action horror movie about what goes wrong when the U.S. government hires a soldier of fortune (Arnold Schwarzenegger) for a rescue mission that quickly turns supernatural.
Directed by John McTiernan, the R-rated film was a box office success, though not a critical one. You can stream Predator on Max, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Roku Channel and Hulu, as well as rent it on Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
39. Solaris (2002)
The 1972 original is good, but director Steven Soderbergh’s 2002 remake is better. Psychologist Kris (George Clooney) travels to a space station orbiting the planet Solaris to determine what’s causing the odd behavior by the scientists stationed there. Viola Davis and Natascha McElhone also star.
Solaris was not a box office or critical hit, but esteem for the movie has grown since its release, and it explores love in a creative way not often seen in even the best science fiction pictures. The PG-13-rated movie is streaming on Hulu and available to rent on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
38. A Scanner Darkly (2006)
The animated classic directed by Richard Linklater and based on a Philip K. Dick story imagines a world where we have lost the war on drugs. Keanu Reeves voices Bob, an undercover cop who develops a substance use problem while trying to take down dealer Donna (Winona Ryder).
Darkly bombed at the box office but has developed a big following decades later. You can stream it on YouTube, Tubi or Roku Channel or rent it on Amazon Prime Video, Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
37. The Iron Giant (1999)
Also an animated film, The Iron Giant depicts the friendship between an alien robot (voiced by a pre-Fast & Furious Vin Diesel) who befriends a boy in 1957 Maine. Alas, the government wants to destroy the robot, who’s just misunderstood by the misguided federal agents.
Directed by Brad Bird a few years before The Incredibles, the film explores sophisticated themes for animation, beautifully rendered on screen. You can stream Giant on Sling, Paramount+, YouTube and Amazon Prime Video or rent it on AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
Wall-E arrives at the world premiere of Disney-Pixar's film.
36. WALL-E (2008)
Talk about a movie with a message. The third animated film on our list follows an intrepid robot who lives on an utterly destroyed Earth circa 2805, cleaning up trash. When another robot, EVE, comes to Earth, WALL-E’s life changes, and he has a chance to help humans who can no longer help themselves.
Kids will love the animation and funny robots, but adults will get just as much out of this Andrew Stanton-directed film, which addresses climate change and denialism in a smart, unpreachy way. The film, a critical and box office hit, is streaming on Disney+, or you can rent it on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
35. The Thing (1982)
When a group of researchers (including Kurt Russell and Richard Dysart) in remote Antarctica encounter a creature who can shapeshift to look like its victims, they begin a losing battle against the thing.
Legendary director John Carpenter helmed the film, which earned critical acclaim. You can watch the R-rated movie on Showtime, Paramount+, fuboTV, Roku Channel, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video and Hulu. The Thing is available to rent on Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
34. Brazil (1985)
This trippy comedy, directed by Monty Python alum Gilliam, takes place in a dystopian timeline where a bureaucrat played by Jonathan Pryce begins to see his regular daydream play out in real life. Robert DeNiro and Kim Greist also star.
The film is rated R and considered one of the top sci-fi comedies ever, though no one would argue you have to have a certain sense of humor to enjoy it. You can rent Brazil on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
33. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Comedy within the sci-fi genre is rare, but here’s another, even if this qualifies as tragicomic. Jim Carrey plays a man who pays to have his ex (Kate Winslet) erased from his mind following a bad breakup—but of course, forgetting her is not that simple.
Directed by Michel Gondry from a Charlie Kaufman screenplay, the R-rated film was one of the first to showcase Carrey’s range beyond comedic acting, and it was a box office and critical hit. You can stream Mind on Peacock and iQIYI or rent it on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
32. Planet of the Apes (1968)
Another example where the original is better than the reboot, Planet of the Apes upends traditional human-animal roles by sending astronauts to a planet where intellectual apes rule. The humans are imprisoned and learn what it’s like to be a less-valued species.
With a stunningly original concept and good execution by a cast including Linda Harrison and Roddy McDowall, the Franklin J. Schaffner-directed film did well enough at the box office to prompt four sequels. The original is available to stream on Sling, Starz, YouTube, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Philo and Roku Channel. You can rent it on Vudu or AppleTV+.
31. Robocop (1987)
Boy, did this make waves when it came out—first as a punchline but later, after people saw the movie, as an enjoyable and different twist on the cop genre. In director Paul Verhoeven’s picture, a policeman (Peter Weller) is killed but revived as a cyborg so he can get back on the force.
The robocop struggles with reconciling his robotics with his lingering humanity and soul as he fights criminals. The movie spurred two sequels and a TV show, despite critics making fun of the premise. It now seems laughable that the futuristic film took place in 2028! Rated R, the movie is available to stream on YouTube, Tubi, Pluto, Roku Channel, MGM+, Sling, Philo and Amazon Prime Video. You can rent it on Vudu, AppleTV+, Redbox or Google Play Movies & TV.
The exterior of a well-lit cinema showing Fritz Lang's "Metropolis" in 1927 in Vahamorf Platz, ... [+]
30. Metropolis (1927)
What did sci-fi look like almost a century ago? Metropolis (which wasn’t even rated, it came out so long ago) is a horror film that imagines what the world would look like in 2026—it’s basically divided between the monied class aboveground and the poorly treated workers who toil below ground.
Director Fritz Lang shows what happens when a privileged young man learns about the below world and how it impacts his family relationships. It is fascinating to see what people 100 years ago worried would happen to society. You can stream the film on tubi, Crackle, Pluto TV, Roku Channel, Redbox, PLEX, fuboTV, Philo and Amazon Prime Video. It’s also up for rent on YouTube, Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
29. Looper (2012)
Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a hitman who uses time travel to do his job. When the Mob decides it’s time for past Joe to go, it hires his future self (Bruce Willis) for the hit. It’s a bit mind-bendy, but Rian Johnson does a great job clarifying a potentially confusing setup.
The picture, rated R, was lauded by critics and did well at the box office. The film is for rent on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
28. Stalker (1979)
This think piece directed by Andrei Tarkovsky explores themes of love, loss and faith in a postapocalyptic backdrop. A trio set out to find The Room, a rumored location where anyone who enters gets their dreams fulfilled. However, a mutant child suggests all may not be as it seems in The Room.
The film, which is not rated, stars Alexander Kaidanovsky and Anatoly Solonitsyn. You can stream it on Max, Amazon Prime and YouTube. Stalker is for rent on Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
27. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
One of director Spielberg’s earliest efforts depicts a man (played by Richard Dreyfuss) obsessed and nearly undone by his belief in alien life after he encounters a UFO. Rated PG, the movie received excellent reviews and audience response.
You can stream Close Encounters of the Third Kind via Pluto, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube, or you can rent it on YouTube, Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
26. Sunshine (2007)
It’s 2057, and the sun is dying. A team of astronauts led by Cillian Murphy and Rose Byrne set off to reignite the star using a fusion bomb, but some unexpected developments put the future of the team—and the planet—in danger. Danny Boyle directed the R-rated thriller, also starring a pre-Avengers Chris Evans.
Sunshine is available to rent on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
A poster for Robert Wise's 1951 science fiction film "The Day the Earth Stood Still."
25. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
I prefer the 1950s original to the 2008 remake because the message of peace resonates so deeply within the Cold War era. Both tell the story of Klaatu (Michael Rennie), an alien who warns earthlings that they need to knock off the wars or risk destruction to keep the rest of the galaxy safe.
The film, which was rated G and also starred Patricia Neal as a mother teaching her son about peace, was directed by Robert Wise. Rent it on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
24. Children of Men (2006)
In a dystopian future (but not too far off—this takes place in 2027), the human race has lost the ability to reproduce. When a woman (Julianne Moore) somehow gets pregnant, it is up to a troubled bureaucrat (Clive Owen) to protect her and her unborn child in this film directed by Alfonso Cuarón.
The well-received movie is based on a P.D. James novel. It is for rent on Amazon Prime Video, Vudu and AppleTV+.
23. 12 Monkeys (1995)
Brad Pitt’s Oscar-nominated performance highlights this futuristic film about a man (Willis) who goes back in time to gather information that will stop a future plague from wiping out much of the world’s population. It’s the second film directed by Gilliam on our list.
The R-rated movie is for rent on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
22. Inception
Nolan has directed many fine films, and this is among his best. Leonardo DiCaprio plays a man who steals things by going into people’s subconscious. He’s asked instead to plant an idea, which proves more difficult than he expected.
The picture was a critical hit and featured an all-star cast including Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Elliot Page and Murphy. You can stream the PG-13 movie on Sling or rent it on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
21. The Abyss
What happened behind the scenes (near-fatal diving accidents) of this PG-13 film about the rescue of an ambushed nuclear sub was nearly as interesting as what happened on-screen. Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio star as the engineers making the rescue in the Cameron-helmed film.
A box office hit that got middling reviews, the movie has been celebrated for its effects and imagination. It is available to buy on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
Henry Thomas talking with E.T. in a scene from the film "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial."
20. E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Aliens don’t have to be vengeful to be interesting. In another Spielberg entry, E.T. befriends a single mother and her family and teaches them lessons about love and loss while being pursued by some nasty government agents.
The massive hit helped launch Drew Barrymore’s career, plus it became a pop culture phenomenon, not to mention a great booster for the Reese’s Pieces brand. You can stream the PG film on Roku Channel or rent it on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
19. Interstellar (2014)
Nolan’s second movie on the list imagines a team working to find a new inhabitable planet where humans can move as the Second Dust Bowl makes Earth a dangerous place. But the heart of the movie is former NASA pilot Matthew McConaughey and his relationship with his daughter across time.
The PG-13 movie received solid reviews and earned five Oscar nominations. You can stream Interstellar on MGM+, Philo, Roku Channel, Amazon Prime Video, Sling and Paramount+ or rent it on YouTube, Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
18. Akira (1988)
This animated film, directed by Katsuhiro Otomo, imagines a Japan 31 years after its own government nuked one of its cities. The leader of a bike gang tries to save a friend whose supernatural powers spark the interest and ire of competing groups.
The R-rated film is one of the biggest critical successes on the list, though its box office was rather modest—adult animation doesn’t hit with everyone. You can stream Akira on Hulu and Amazon Prime Video or rent it on Vudu.
17. Minority Report (2002)
Another film based on a story by sci-fi legend Philip K. Dick, Minority Report stars Cruise as a futuristic cop whose unit stops crimes before they happen. It gets complicated when he’s wanted for a murder he hasn’t yet committed.
The Spielberg-directed film, which also stars Colin Farrell and Samantha Morton, was a box office smash and raises increasingly relevant questions about surveillance states and free will. You can stream it on Paramount+, YouTube, Pluto, Roku Channel and Amazon Prime Video. Report, which is rated PG-13, is for rent on Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
Astronauts at a space station in a scene from the film "2001: A Space Odyssey."
16. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
An early take on the dangers of artificial intelligence, this classic was directed by Kubrick and based on a short story by Arthur C. Clarke. In the future, astronauts take on a mysterious mission that seems increasingly controlled by their near-sentient computer system, HAL.
The movie received multiple Oscar nominations. It starred an ensemble cast including Gary Lockwood and Keir Dullea, later spawning a sequel, 2010: The Year We Make Contact. You can stream the G-rated film on tubi, Max, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube. You can also rent it on Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
15. Star Wars: Episode IV, A New Hope (1977)
One of two Star Wars films on the list (both from the original trilogy), Star Wars follows a young wannabe Jedi’s adventure with two droids, a space smuggler and a whip-smart princess. It launched the careers of Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher and became one of the most beloved movies of all time.
Directed by George Lucas, Star Wars was a box office and critical hit. There are dozens of movies and TV shows in the franchise, and it has become a tentpole property for Disney. You can stream the PG movie on Disney+, fuboTV, Hulu and Sling. You can also rent it on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
14. Arrival (2016)
Alas, most science fiction films do not feature diverse casts. This is a rare one focusing on a woman, played by Amy Adams, tasked with leading a linguistics crew trying to communicate with alien invaders. The action and compelling mystery of the extra terrestrials’ motivation make for a great film.
Rated PG-13, Arrival also stars Jeremy Renner and Forest Whitaker and was directed by Denis Villeneuve; it became a box office smash. You can stream it on Pluto, Paramount+, YouTube, Roku Channel and Amazon Prime Video. Arrival is available for rent on Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
13. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
The charismatic Ricardo Montalbán joins the second (original) Star Trek film as the titular Khan, Captain Kirk’s most-hated nemesis. Khan captures two officers on the USS Enterprise and sparks a devastating showdown.
The movie, directed by Nicholas Meyer, stars Shatner, Nimoy, George Takei and more. Khan is streaming on MGM+, Sling, Roku Channel, Amazon Prime Video, Philo and Paramount+. You can rent the PG movie on Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
12. Mad Max (2015)
You could easily swap in the 1979 original for this more recent remake starring Charlize Theron and Tom Hardy, but their performances are near-perfect, and the visuals of the 2015 version are absolutely stunning. In a post-apocalypse world, Max (Hardy) and Imperator Furiosa (Theron) team up to escape an evil warlord.
The R-rated movie, a box office smash, was directed by George Miller. You can stream Max on YouTube and Hulu or rent it on Amazon Prime Video, Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
"Avatar" stars Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana present Director James Cameron the Feature Film ... [+]
11. Avatar (2009)
The highest-grossing movie on the list (and of all time), Avatar’s incredible CGI set new standards for sci-fi. Sam Worthington plays a paralyzed former Marine who becomes an avatar on a beautiful world called Pandora. He falls in love with Saldana and helps her fight for survival of her Na'vi people.
The imagination and compelling worldbuilding turned James Cameron’s film into a phenom. A 2022 sequel was also a huge success, and a third movie is on the way. You can stream the PG-13 film on Disney+, YouTube, Max, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video. You can also rent it on Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
Top 10 Sci-Fi Movies of All Time
The top 10 science fiction movies of all time are all box office and critical successes that have become well-known touchpoints in popular culture. The top 10 sci-fi movies include well-known stars and directors. They hold up to repeated viewing and have all aged well despite some being decades old.
10. Them! (1954)
The oldest film in the top 10, this black-and-white film directed by Gordon Douglas created a lot of “firsts.” It was one of the first so-called “big bug” movies, with a supersized bug as the villain. It also marked one of the initial “nuclear monster” movies popular in the ‘50s.
Bigger-than-human ants emerge in New Mexico. When two of them escape to Los Angeles, a national search begins to find them. The cast of the movie, which is not rated, includes James Whitmore and Edmund Gwenn. You can rent Them! on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
9. Back to the Future (1985)
Director Robert Zemeckis scored his most enduring hit with Back to the Future, a mainstream time travel tale about Marty (Michael J. Fox), who accidentally travels back in time and messes with the timeline of his father meeting his mother but eventually straightens things out for the better.
The movie became a pop culture phenom, serving as a touchpoint for future films and showcasing Fox’s everyman appeal at the height of his popularity. The PG film, also starring Christopher Lloyd and Lea Thompson, is available to stream on Peacock, Hulu and fuboTV. You can also rent it on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
8. Dune (1984)
Director David Lynch created an underrated gem whose value has only been realized within the past decade and upon the remake of the film in 2021. Kyle McLachlan stars in the futuristic picture about a universe where a single spice is valued above all else and sparks wars.
The PG-13 film is based on Frank Herbert’s epic novel, and the original’s vision and cinematography set it apart. Critics savaged it initially, and it was a box office flop, but since then, audiences and critics have come to appreciate Lynch’s storytelling. You can stream it on Max, Hulu, YouTube and Amazon Prime Video or rent it on Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
Keanu Reeves and Hugo Weaving face each other in a scene from the 1999 movie "The Matrix."
7. The Matrix (1999)
The first installment in the trilogy remains the best. When Neo (Keanu Reeves) enters the underworld, he and Trinity (Carrie-Ann Moss) battle Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) for control of the Matrix. Lana Wachowski and Lilly Wachowski directed and wrote the screenplay.
The R film received four Academy Awards nominations and spawned two sequels. You can stream it on Max, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube. It’s available for rent on Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
6. Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
The original was so good, so singular, it didn’t demand a remake or a sequel—so it’s a credit to director Villeneuve, making his second appearance on this list, that he pulled it off. Ryan Gosling plays a blade runner who goes in search of the original who disappeared three decades ago.
This is, of course, a follow-up to the 1982 classic starring Ford, considered by many (including me) to be the best sci-fi movie of all time. The R-rated film is streaming on Max, YouTube and Amazon Prime Video. You can rent it on Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
5. Alien (1979)
The R-rated picture starring Sigourney Weaver as the leader of a crew awakened from a deep sleep on a spaceship to investigate an alien call for help turns into a nightmare when the aliens spawn and wreak havoc on the ship.
Director Ridley Scott later revisited the franchise with Weaver in the also-stellar Aliens, but nothing compares to the horror and vision of the original. The scene where the alien hatches from the crew member remains one of the most indelible in cinema history. You can stream it on Hulu or rent it on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
A scene from 1980's "The Empire Strikes Back."
4. The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
The Empire Strikes Back is widely considered the best Star Wars film, and I agree. From the family drama to the romantic intrigue to the introduction of the rogue Lando Calrissian, Empire has substance and vision. You can watch it again and again and find new things to appreciate.
Hamill, Ford and Fisher are once again superb as the rebel leaders, as is Billy Dee Williams as Lando. Director Irvin Kershner shows no nerves in following up a classic. The PG film is available on Disney+, Sling, Hulu and fuboTV. You can rent it on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
3. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
This movie is exactly what it sounds—humans are replaced by body doubles who slowly try to take over the city; luckily, Donald Sutherland is on top of it. Philip Kaufman’s movie is at turns campy and absurd, but it’s always entertaining.
The movie was not an immediate critical or box office hit, but with time, people have come to appreciate it for what it is: a very good time. The PG-rated film streams on Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, fuboTV, Paramount+ and Sling. You can rent it on Redbox, Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
2. Terminator 2
This is a rare sequel (Empire is another) that is better than its predecessor. Schwarzenegger returns as the assassin sent back in time to eliminate future resistance leader John Connor (a young Edward Furlong), only this time mom Sarah (Linda Hamilton) is ready.
Her action scenes set new high bars for women in film, and Schwarzenegger’s surprisingly nuanced turn as an artificial intelligence being who develops feelings gives the Cameron-directed, R-rated movie dimension. It’s available for streaming on Paramount+, Showtime, Roku Channel, Hulu, Sling, YouTube and Amazon Prime Video. You can rent it on Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
1. Blade Runner (1982)
Director Scott (Alien) created one of the most enduring movies, let alone sci-fi films, of all time with this story of a former cop (Ford) tasked with tracking down four Replicants. Alas, Ford also falls in love with one, played by Sean Young.
The deep philosophical underpinnings of the film, not to mention that ending, have given Blade Runner enduring popularity, so much so that a sequel more than three decades later also became a classic. The R-rated movie is for rent on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Vudu, AppleTV+ or Google Play Movies & TV.
Bottom Line
The best science fiction movies transport you to a time and place separate from our own, where advances in technology often have devastating, yet fascinating, consequences. Take a break from our world and escape somewhere else for a few hours. You will enjoy any of the blockbusters on this list!