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Science fiction is, along with thrillers, probably my favorite movie genre. I love sci-fi movies. They explore themes about humanity and technology in ways that are incredibly intelligent and thought-provoking, but they often come with exciting action and creative worlds. This list was hard to make, because it's hard to define a sci-fi movie. What I will say is that there are no superhero or animated movies on here. Those are a separate list, and I'm trying to not have overlap between genres. That said, here are my ten favorite science fiction films of all time.
10. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
I think The Hunger Games movies are pretty underrated, and Catching Fire is the best of the bunch. This is an awesome action sci-fi blockbuster that blends everything that Suzanne Collins aimed to create with the book. Director Francis Lawrence took the reins here, and style has this sleek, gorgeous look to it that just elevates everything. The film is incredibly clever, combining taut thrills with touching character moments. This entire movie is a chess match between Katniss and Snow, and that is just so exciting to watch. I love this movie. I think it deserves way more recognition.
Coolest Sci-Fi Element: The Clock Arena
9. Star Wars
Definitely the most important film on this list, A New Hope is still a sci-fi classic nearly fifty years later. It's hard to talk about the original Star Wars as a movie, because it's almost transcended that medium. It created something so big and so iconic that overshadows the actual movie itself. But since we are zeroing in on the actual movie, it's easy to forget how much of this film is just so iconic. Almost every scene has something that has made its way into the pop culture zeitgeist, and for that, it's just automatically on the list.
Coolest Sci-Fi Element: The Death Star
8. Interstellar
Christopher Nolan is, in my opinion, the best working director today, and Interstellar is his sci-fi magnum opus. I do love Inception too, but it just barely missed this list. Interstellar is thoughtful, emotional, exciting, and absolutely gorgeous. I wish we had more scientifically accurate space movies. You will see another one on this list, because I just love diving into the science of space and time and using it to explore themes about humanity and family and sacrifice. This movie is just such an interesting, unique version of space and time travel. There's a reason it's one of the most popular sci-fi movies of the 21st century. Because it's awesome.
Coolest Sci-Fi Element: The Time Jumps
7. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Eternal Sunshine shows that you don't need a big budget and a brand name to create incredible science fiction. This is a complete genre-blender, and that's almost what makes it work so well. The combination of romance, sci-fi, and mystery makes this one of the coolest and most creative movies I have ever seen. This film is so unique in the way that it is shot, edited, and directed. It is a truly mind-blowing experience. Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey deliver one of the most compelling on-screen romances I have ever seen, and their love story is elevated by the tragic nature of this procedure that both Clementine and Joel undergo. This is an absolutely beautiful, incredibly creative sci-fi love story that I cannot recommend enough.
Coolest Sci-Fi Element: Forgetting Your Loved One
6. Avatar
I don't really understand the hate for Avatar. There are very few cinematic worlds as immersive as Pandora is, and I think James Cameron deserves so much credit for being able to create it. The story may not be the most sophisticated, but watching Jake Sully become a Na'vi and join the fight against his own kind is compelling no matter what. The visual experience that this film gives you is truly ground-breaking. This was copy-pasted straight from James Cameron's brain to the big screen. The Hallelujah Mountains are still breath-taking every time I see them. This is a great movie, and, despite being the highest-grossing film of all time, I think it's severely underrated and under appreciated.
Coolest Sci-Fi Element: The Ikran
5. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
E.T. is the amalgamation of one of my favorite sub-genres of film from the 80s: the sci-fi/fantasy coming-of-age story. Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment was known for these nostalgic films that star kids coming-of-age through some sort of fantastical adventure. E.T. is the pinnacle of that. This movie gives us everything: emotions, excitement, beautiful cinematography, a phenomenal score, and one of the most beloved creatures to ever grace the silver screen. Spielberg uses this kid-friendly story to tackle very adult themes about childhood and growing up, and it is just so effective. The shot of Elliott's bike on the moon is my personal favorite image from a movie...ever. This is a classic for a reason, and it still holds up today.
Coolest Sci-Fi Element: The Flying Bikes
4. The Martian
The Martian, like Interstellar, is awesome because of how it blends real science into fiction. This film could easily be very boring, but under Ridley Scott's assured direction, a fantastic screenplay, and one of my favorite performances ever, this becomes a modern sci-fi classic. This is the type of feel-good blockbuster that Hollywood of the 2020s has been lacking. Mark Watney is both charming and a genius, so we are really rooting for him to get home. The way he uses science to survive on Mars is so cool. Matt Damon solidified himself as my favorite actor with his performance in this film, but the rest of the cast is incredible. There are, like, 15 A-listers in this movie. This is just an endearing, exciting science fiction adventure that I would love to see more movies take notes from.
Coolest Sci-Fi Element: Mark Harvesting Food
3. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
The 2010s Planet of the Apes trilogy is amazing, and the best of the bunch is Dawn. Never did I think I would find talking monkeys so compelling, but Matt Reeves and Andy Serkis manage to bring the primate planet to life in a fantastic way. This movie is so complex in its characters, story, and themes. Caesar and Koba are multi-layered characters with different experiences and motivations behind what they do. I think they are honestly the best hero-villain duo since Batman and the Joker in The Dark Knight. Their conflict is so compelling and intricate, and I love the ramifications it has on the larger world. This movie is just so frickin' good. It takes the Planet of the Apes franchise to new heights that I never expected it to be able to reach.
Coolest Sci-Fi Element: The Human-Killing Ape Virus
2. Back to the Future
The quintessential 80s high school movie also happens to be one of the quintessential sci-fi movies. There are movies I like more than Back to the Future (not that many, though), but there might not be any movies I consider to be more perfect than Back to the Future. This movie nails every single thing it's going for. It is incredibly funny but also really intriguing and intense. These characters are perfect. Marty McFly and Doc Brown are amazing, but Biff Tannen is the greatest fictional bully of all time. I am currently in film school at the University of Michigan, and everything we are being taught about screenwriting is executed perfectly in Back to the Future. This is one of my ten favorite movies of all time. It just so happens that another one of those ten is also a sci-fi movie.
Coolest Sci-Fi Element: The DeLorean
1. The Empire Strikes Back
There are not many movies I like more than Back to the Future, but there is only one movie I like more than The Empire Strikes Back. This is everything that a sequel, a sci-fi movie, a space opera, and a hero's journey fantasy movie should be. Star Wars introduced this world and this galaxy, but Empire made it the cultural milestone that it is. Darth Vader cements himself as the best villain of all time. Luke takes a step closer to being a Jedi. Yoda is introduced and becomes the quintessential mentor figure in film. And, of course, the final act of this movie is one of the most famous moments in cinematic history. There's nothing more I can say about the lightsaber duel between Luke and Vader that hasn't been said already. It is perfection beyond perfection. This is the best Star Wars movie, the best space opera, the best sci-fi movie, and my second-favorite movie of all time, so, of course, it comes in at number one.
Coolest Sci-Fi Element: The Force and Yoda
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