Let's start off with the charismatic and highly intelligent Mark Watney, a botanist who gets stuck on Mars and has to use his wits to survive the lifeless wasteland alone. The Martian is a movie with great humor and a highly personal set of stakes, since you spend so much time with Mark. I also liked Donald Glovers performance, even though he's not in the movie long.
© 20th Century Studio
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial sets itself apart from other sci-fi movies that usually follow a more grim story. The movie combines heartfelt emotion with classic sci-fi wonder expertly. The bond between this young boy and an alien will melt the heart. It's a great film, but not as groundbreaking or intellectually stimulating as other entries on this list.
© Universal Pictures
The fifth Element is nuts. Created by none other than Luc Besson, this movie sports the craziest colors and outfits in any of these movies. The cast is also stacked with talented actors like Gary Oldman and Bruce Willis. Besson's distinct directorial style and his memorable characters earn this movie a spot on this list.
© Gaumont Buena Vista International
The Thing is one of the classics of sci-fi horror. With beautifully disturbing practical effects that age incredibly well, this movie manages to induce terror in its audience to this day. The Thing itself looks disgusting and menacing, just as intended. The movie also has a very claustrophobic set piece, which makes for a great base for a horror movie. I like the effects, I like the suspense and I loved the climax.
© Universal Pictures
The first Robocop came out at a time when most action blockbusters would still get pretty gory. Limbs flying, and blood spraying was part of the deal when watching Robocop. The film uses these over the top depictions of graphic violence to criticize corporate greed and the dehumanization of individuals. Robocop can be enjoyed as a normal action blockbuster, but it also provides some deep commentary on social issues.
© Orion Pictures
Ex Machina is a very calm movie. Some of the imagery feels almost serene, but always with a hint of terror or danger. The movie manages to pull you in with almost no action at all, most of the things that happen are happening through dialogue. It's in these dialogue scenes where your skin crawls from the menacing subtext in the characters' exchanges. This movie is from 2014, but its depiction of AI is more relevant than ever. Current AIs like ChatGPT are capable of doing most of the things that Ava is able to do. That is what makes this movie as important as it is.
© A24 / Universal Pictures International
Avatar: The Way of Water tells a slightly basic story, but manages to stand out due to its breathtaking visuals and expertly directed action sequences. I love the new ocean focused setting and the world building that shows us the customs of the Metkayina Clan. The continuation of Jake Sully's story as a father is fascinating, and his kids being the plot-driving characters makes perfect sense in this kind of story. I love this movie!
© 20th Century Studios
“Hasta la vista, baby.” Anyone who hasn't lived under a rock in the past 35 years, has heard this phrase at least once. Terminator 2 is great because of its gripping narrative, revolutionary CGI and iconic characters. Arnold Schwarzenegger's return as a reprogrammed T-800 works great. It's just so satisfying to see him as a protector in this movie. Sarah Connor is portrayed impressively here, too, as a strong woman that doesn't feel like an empty character. But the highlight of this movie has to be the T-1000, who is just as menacing, as he is cool.
© Tri-Star Pictures
Aliens picks up Ellen Ripley's story where Alien left off, but switches the genre to an action adventure. James Cameron managed to continue the Alien Saga with a satisfying sequel that explores themes about humanity and, most importantly, family. Ripley is to this day one of the best female characters of all time in all of cinema. The action is exciting and the visuals are top-notch.
© 20th Century Fox
Blade Runner is awesome. The film asks profound questions about humanity and identity. I specifically find the question of what it means to be a person or what it means to be real, quite interesting and a perfect theme to explore in a sci-fi movie. Harrison Ford is putting on a great performance as the morally ambiguous Blade Runner. Roy Batty also makes for a great villain that is tragic and menacing at the same time.
© Warner Bros. / Shaw Brothers
Another absolute classic in the sci-fi genre, 2001: A Space Odyssey might be one of the most influential sci-fi movies of all time. Stanley Kubrick's visionary direction and Geoffrey Unsworth's ground-breaking cinematography make this movie timeless. You know I'm talking about the bone to satellite match-cut… The use of classical music works great as a contrast to the futuristic technology aboard the spacecraft. The ship's AI HAL-9000 is probably the most iconic movie example of AI going wrong. The ambitious nature of this movie's themes and visuals has inspired filmmakers to date, and many of your favorite movies might have never been made without this one.
© Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Everyone knows this movie. The first Star Wars movie was like nothing audiences had ever seen before. Many fans argue whether Jaws or Star Wars was the first blockbuster of all time, but I have to say that Star Wars follows more of the traditional traits that a modern blockbuster should have. It's a simple and fun adventure with likeable characters, a fascinating world and for the time revolutionary special effects. There are articles in newspapers from 1977 by journalists, who saw this movie for the first time and simply could not process what they had seen. There was one in particular that said:
It was an out-of-body experience.
Star Wars was a groundbreaking step for modern cinema and deserves all the praise it gets.
© 20th Century Fox
Blade Runner 2049 is a visual masterpiece! Roger Deakins really outdid himself with his use of color, lighting and composition, creating a beautiful, detailed dystopian world. The soundtrack is also fantastic, with its new wave synth elements that complement the film's visuals perfectly. I also have to talk about the performance by Ryan Gosling. Gosling shows audiences that he is not just some pretty boy, by delivering a nuanced and subtle performance, that fits this character and the vibe of this film.
© Warner Bros. Pictures / Sony Pictures Releasing International
This movie is a staple in modern cinema history. It manages to blend science-fiction with comedy and adventure to an unprecedented degree that creates a movie that appeals to a very large audience. The plot is tight and concise, without a single unnecessary scene. Marty and Doc are an iconic, dynamic duo whose chemistry is the heart of this movie. The film's influence on popular culture is undeniable, and there are almost no reasons not to love this movie.
© Universal Pictures
James Cameron outdid himself with this movie. Avatar was groundbreaking in terms of world building, visual effects and spectacle. The Na'vi look so unique and their connection to nature is a great theme that works as the emotional center of the movie. James Cameron combines stunning visuals with his signature style of action, and it results in a movie that feels like seeing fireworks for the first time.
© 20th Century Fox
The Empire Strikes Back shook audiences to their core. It was one of the first times in cinema history that a movie appealed to such a large audience, with such a dark ending. The title of the movie fits perfectly, since the characters are always on the back foot in this story. The first battle on Hoth was a milestone in visual effects, with clever use of perspective to make the models of the AT-AT's look as big as they are in the movie. Luke's journey to Dagobah is still one of the most engaging Star Wars stories to this day, and the twist of Darth Vader being Luke's father is beyond iconic. This film is one of the best movies of all time.
© 20th Century Fox
Insanely talented main cast? Check. Scientific and philosophical themes? Check. Hans Zimmer? Triple check. Interstellar is very grounded in its depiction of space. Nolan closely worked with scientists during the production of the film. Matthew McConaughey shines as Cooper, delivering one of his most emotional performances ever put on screen. Every supporting cast member really gives it their all. The concepts and philosophical themes this movie explores, give it the weight and depth to make it a masterpiece of storytelling.
© Paramount Pictures / Warner Bros. Pictures
The Matrix is so awesome. I love this film so much! The sleek costume design combined with the modern electronic music give this film such a unique charm. Neo, Morpheus, Trinity, and Agent Smith are all iconic characters, embedded in pop culture. The heart of this film lies in its philosophical questions about reality and humanity. Is it important that what you're seeing is real? Or is it more important that you can be content in your illusion? The action in this film is also straight up iconic. The bullet time scenes have been parodied countless times, which just goes to show the movie's impact.
© Warner Bros. / Village Roadshow Distribution
Inception is one of the best movies of all time. You can criticize Christopher Nolan for many things, but this movie is nearly perfect. The premise about dreaming enables Nolan to really make a movie that bends the rules of his otherwise grounded films. He was really able to go nuts with this one. And when you've got Hans Zimmer on board, then you're bound to get a cinematic experience that you will never forget. The supporting cast is also great, with Cillian Murphy really standing out.
© Warner Bros. Pictures
Ridley Scott created a film that is timeless, due to its art direction. The look of the Nostromo makes this movie feel so real, with its technology that looks used and dirty but also futuristic. The ship's crew is also realistic, in the sense that they don't feel like friends, more like colleagues who are here to finish a job. The film poses questions that it has the answers to, but feeds us the information in a very subtle and bite-sized manner. And don't get me started on the design of the Xenomorph. There is almost no movie creature that looks as slick, unique and terrifying as this. The alien is also used very sparingly in the movie, only showing you the idea of the creature, making our imagination fill in the gaps. Alien is a masterpiece of sci-fi horror and remains one of the best films of all time.
© 20th Century Fox
Today, we're here to give you our picks for the 20 best science-fiction movies of all time. If you feel like we forgot your favorite movie, feel free to tell us in the comments. Let's dive right in!
