55 Best Sci-Fi Movies of All Time, Ranked

There are countless great sci-fi movies that have been released since the birth of cinema as an art form, and it's ultimately futile to try and name every single amazing one. There are simply too many top sci-fi movies, and it's a genre that's still thriving, with new potential classics released seemingly every year. The following are among the best of the best from the sci-fi genre, being classics for their entertainment value, excellent technical qualities, and historical significance, and are ranked below in order from great to greatest.

55 'The Iron Giant' (1999)

Directed by Brad Bird

One of the best movies of 1999, The Iron Giant tells a familiar sort of story, but does so with style, heart, and beautifully simple animation. It’s about a giant robot who befriends a young boy, with the story going from humorous to somewhat more serious when others start fearing the titular iron giant, leading to persecution and misunderstandings.

Still, The Iron Giant never gets too heavy, owing to it being a family movie and all. But it’s one of those winning family movies that doesn’t feel like it’s catering just towards kids, at the expense of adults being able to enjoy it. Regardless of one’s age, it’s an enjoyable and easily approachable film, and one that likely led to its director, Brad Bird, going on to make some more great animated movies – this time at Pixar – during the 2000s.

54 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' (2004)

Directed by Michel Gondry

There’s an argument to be made that Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is more of a romantic drama than a full-on science fiction movie, but those sci-fi elements are still there and important for the character study the film ultimately is. At its core, this one is all about the painful process of moving on – or failing to move on – from a relationship, with its two main characters both using a service that wipes memories of their ex from their respective minds entirely.

However you want to classify it, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is an overall excellent movie, proving to be clever, unpredictable, surreal, and heartbreaking, all in equal measure. It’s a novel idea for a film executed with creativity and two knockout lead performances, courtesy of Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet, both of them arguably being at their very best here.

53 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' (2018)

Directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman

Arguably more than any other Spider-Man movie released before it, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse pushes sci-fi elements to the forefront, in turn functioning as a great animated movie, a great superhero film, and a strong piece of science fiction, all at once. The Multiverse is a focus here, but so too is Into the Spider-Verse a compelling origin story for Miles Morales, having him come to terms with his powers while meeting various foes and potential allies.

It's a big movie, a flashy one, and also a strikingly intimate/personal one, with the core emotions shining through and proving just as satisfying as all the spectacle. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was one of the greatest movies of the whole 2010s, and stands to date as one of the very best movies that deals with the idea of universes colliding.

52 'Threads' (1984)

Directed by Mick Jackson

Threads might be a made-for-TV movie, but it stands tall above the vast majority of them, and is pretty much on equal footing with any theatrically-released movie about a nuclear apocalypse. With a mortifying attention to detail and an uneasy sense of realism, Threads documents what would happen if a nuclear war broke out, with a particular emphasis on how anyone who survived the initial blasts would struggle to stay alive in a world gone to hell.

There’s some fun to be found in the nuclear wastelands of Mad Max and Fallout, but nothing that’s very fun in Threads. It’s a miserable, haunting, and strikingly effective condemnation of war, and while it’s not a sci-fi movie in an escapist or typically enjoyable way, it’s so powerful, simple, and unapologetically confronting that it deserves to be praised as an all-time great feel-bad classic.

51 'Paprika' (2006)

Directed by Satoshi Kon

While it’s comparable to The Iron Giant and Into the Spider-Verse in the sense that it’s also a great animated science fiction movie, Paprika stands apart from those in the sense that it’s not really family-friendly. It’s not quite as dark as one of Satoshi Kon’s other acclaimed films, Perfect Blue, but it does go to some confronting places with its exploration of the subconscious, much of it revolving around a machine that lets therapists view the dreams of their patients.

Reality and dreamscapes combine and collide, with Paprika proving deliberately difficult to wrap one’s head around at times. But there is so much being said here that even if one’s overwhelmed by most of it, other parts will inevitably make sense, or prove striking in some kind of way. It’s absolutely one of the greatest anime films ever made, looking consistently beautiful and proving to be a uniquely dizzying and thought-provoking watch.

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50 'The Abyss' (1989)

Directed by James Cameron

If you want to talk about great science fiction movies, bringing up the works of James Cameron is going to be as inevitable as Thanos; the guy just understands how to make films of this kind. In fact, it’s somewhat rare to find a James Cameron movie that doesn’t have science fiction elements (though he can still do those well, as films like True Lies and, of course, Titanic demonstrate).

The Abyss might not quite be one of his very best films overall, but it still has a ton to offer and feels distinct from his other sci-fi movies, owing to it not really being focused on action like many of his other sci-fi movies are. It follows a group of people undertaking a dangerous deep-sea mission regarding the recovery of a sunken nuclear submarine, only to find unexpected phenomena while down there. It’s a slow burn to some extent, but a successful one, and has some jaw-dropping effects by late 1980s standards.

Directed by Robert Zemeckis

Robert Zemeckis has, in more recent times, been behind a somewhat divisive run of animated movies, but he also made some groundbreaking live-action movies that shouldn’t be overlooked. Admittedly, it can sometimes feel easy to overlook something like Contact, though, what with its fairly generic title, the fact it came out in a crowded year for movies, and because it’s something of a slow burn with a runtime that clocks in at 2.5 hours.

But Contact shouldn’t be overlooked, because it’s a uniquely quiet and character-focused piece of science fiction, containing some prominent mystery elements and taking its time to build up to a final act, whereupon some answers are finally given. It’s intriguing and very well-made from a technical perspective, and also features a typically great lead performance from Jodie Foster.

48 'Total Recall' (1990)

Directed by Paul Verhoeven

With a bold central performance by Arnold Schwarzenegger, typically wild direction from Paul Verhoeven, and plenty of memorably strange special effects, Total Recall is a classic piece of 1990s sci-fi. It’s got a decent amount of camp and intentional humor, but there’s also enough here that can be taken somewhat seriously; it rides a fine – and interesting – line between being thought-provoking and being a bit of a joke.

It's hard to totally recall the strange plot of Total Recall, but at its core, it’s about a man getting an implanted memory that begins to cross over with his reality, sending him on a wild and violent mission to get answers and make sense of the messiness going on around him. It’s a strange ride, but also an exceedingly entertaining one, with Verhoeven and Schwarzenegger both giving it 110%, which is always great to see.

47 'Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes' (2020)

Directed by Junta Yamaguchi

Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes is one of the best Japanese movies of the last few years, and also stands as one of the most entertaining and rewatchable sci-fi films in recent memory. It deals with an initially limited form of time travel that involves a screen that shows footage from two minutes in the future, which leads to wonder, fortunes, and eventual chaos for the people who discover this strange phenomenon.

Made on a limited budget and filmed in a way that makes it appear like a single take, Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes is quite dazzling for such a small-scale movie, and endlessly inventive/clever. It’s got an infectious spirit and is overall the kind of movie that will provide significant entertainment value for just about anyone who seeks it out.

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46 'Voyage of the Rock Aliens' (1984)

Directed by James Fargo

Calling Voyage of the Rock Aliens ridiculous would be underselling it to a considerable extent, but that’s obvious, given it’s literally called Voyage of the Rock Aliens. It functions as a surprisingly good (and wonderfully cheesy) musical, a comedy that feels like a throwback to teen movies of the 1950s and ‘60s, and a sci-fi movie about aliens coming to Earth and trying/failing to fit into life on the planet.

Voyage of the Rock Aliens is a cult movie through and through, and one of the most 1980s-feeling movies to come out of the decade. It’s sloppy, the music probably isn’t for everyone, and watching it is an undeniably chaotic experience, but there’s so much energy and vibrancy to the whole thing that it’s hard to resist, particularly for any sci-fi fans who have a particular fondness for science fiction of the B-movie variety.

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45 'August in the Water' (1995)

Directed by Gakuryu Ishii

Blending some fantasy/supernatural elements with an odd yet compelling science fiction story, August in the Water is both a unique and underrated film. It focuses on several teenagers living in the Japanese city of Fukuoka, and explores what happens when one of them – a young girl – begins to develop mysterious powers, all the while strange occurrences continue to happen to the city’s population.

August in the Water isn’t exactly clear about the story it’s telling, nor is it particularly narrative-centered in the first place, but it is undeniably atmospheric and provides a distinct look/feel. It’s broad and open-ended enough to leave many things up to interpretation, and even those who get a bit lost in August in the Water will still be able to appreciate its visual style and singular tone.

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44 'Poor Things' (2023)

Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos

Poor Things was surprisingly successful for such an odd and offbeat movie, but those willing to get immersed in something a little different will likely find the film to be a rewarding one. It’s a surprisingly funny and always visually dazzling sci-fi movie about a woman who’s brought back to life, and then goes on a strange and sometimes alarming journey, rediscovering life and effectively coming of age for a second time.

Yorgos Lanthimos is perfectly suited to this kind of story and this sort of style, with the cast also shining while digging into the strange material they’ve been given, especially Emma Stone in the lead role, who won a second Oscar for her performance. Poor Things is a movie that’s a highlight of the 2020s so far, and feels like the sort of sci-fi movie that will one day be held up as a classic.

43 'Mad Max: Fury Road' (2015)

Directed by George Miller

Blending some of the most amazing action of all time with a post-apocalyptic/science fiction setting, Mad Max: Fury Road is the rare universally praised blockbuster that unquestionably lives up to the hype. Narratively, it’s simple, following a group of women who make a daring escape from a tyrannical wasteland overlord, during which the titular Max gets involved (and perhaps ultimately overshadowed by Furiosa, who now has a 2024 prequel about her).

Though Mad Max: Fury Road keeps things basic from a narrative perspective, there is still engaging storytelling, world-building, and memorable characters to be found here, even among all the amazing chase sequences and explosions. It’s visually dazzling and extremely intense for almost its entire runtime, and quite possibly the very best film in the Mad Max series so far.

42 'Godzilla Minus One' (2023)

Directed by Takashi Yamazaki

Speaking of relatively recent science fiction movies that already feel like modern classics, Godzilla Minus One was one of the biggest surprises of 2023, and one of the best Godzilla movies of the past couple of decades. It takes things back further in time than any other movie in the long-running series, taking place right after World War II, following people who are already struggling with surviving the war’s aftermath when the titular monster emerges and makes life even more difficult.

All the monster action in Godzilla Minus One is exciting and satisfying, but it’s the human characters – and their story – that give it the edge overall, and make it function as a genuinely good drama on top of being a kaiju movie. It’s very approachable and a perfect entry point into the series, particularly for anyone who’s more familiar with the American Godzilla movies and has yet to watch any from Japan.

41 'Woman in the Moon' (1929)

Directed by Fritz Lang

The most famous sci-fi movie directed by Fritz Lang came out before Woman in the Moon (more on it a little down the line), but this 1929 shouldn’t be overlooked just because it’s his second-best science fiction film. It’s a remarkable cinematic achievement, considering it’s close to a century old, and remains an engaging film about an expedition to the moon – led by a scientist – in search of gold.

Now, given its age and premise, there are aspects here that feel more fictional than ever in a post-moon landing world, but considering Woman in the Moon predated humanity actually reaching the moon by 40 years, the sci-fi movie's predictions were still impressive. It’s also got inventive special effects and a surprisingly well-told and dramatic story, making it one of the best – and most underrated – films of the silent era, sci-fi or otherwise.

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40 'Electric Dreams' (1984)

Directed by Steve Barron

Perhaps feeling more like a quirky and heartfelt romantic comedy than a full-on science fiction movie, Electric Dreams does still center around an advanced computer that begins to fall for a young woman. The computer, in a sense, enters into a love triangle of sorts with the young man who purchased it, given the man also has feelings for the same woman, yet is too shy to approach her.

Electric Dreams then becomes like a sci-fi take on Cyrano de Bergerac, with the computer being Cyrano, helping a more conventional romantic partner while also having his own intense feelings of love toward a romance that can’t be. It might sound ridiculous, and Electric Dreams is kind of silly, but it’s also got a sincerity to it that makes it hard to resist. The cynical need not apply, but those open to the film’s odd charms might be it to be one of the more underrated sci-fi flicks of the ‘80s.

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39 'Godzilla vs. Destoroyah' (1995)

Directed by Takao Okawara

Throughout the remarkably long history of the Godzilla series, the titular monster has fought many other powerful and intimidating titans. For as mighty as foes like King Kong and King Ghidorah have been, there’s an argument to be made that his most powerful enemy wasn’t even a “King,” and that it was actually Destoroyah, a monster who’s only been featured in one Godzilla film to date: 1995’s Godzilla vs. Destoroyah.

Notable for being one of the most intense, frightening, and moving films in the entire series, Godzilla vs. Destoroyahserves as a grand finale for Godzilla’s Heisei era, which comprised seven movies released between 1984 and 1995 that told a surprisingly continuity-heavy narrative spanning just over a decade. It might not be as powerful outside the context of the series/era, but it’s nevertheless one of the finest of all Godzilla films, and stands as a great work of science fiction as a result.

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38 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' (2017)

Directed by Rian Johnson

There are certainly things to criticize when it comes to the most recent Star Wars movies, largely owing to the messily constructed and planned-out sequel trilogy. Yet buried within this flawed trio of films is a genuinely great sci-fi movie that itself is divisive: Star Wars: The Last Jedi. This eighth entry in the Skywalker Saga has passionate fans and vocal detractors, but that seemed inevitable, given it was directed by the guy who was behind what some people call the worst Breaking Bad episode (“Fly”) and what many call the best Breaking Bad episode (“Ozymandias”).

Star Wars: The Last Jedi brings Luke Skywalker back into the fold, taking his character in interesting directions while ultimately having him live up to his legacy by the film’s end. Other aspects of the film seem odd or disappointing at first, but all of it comes together in an interesting way by the end. It reckons with the history of Star Wars, celebrates it, and critiques it all at once, and does so while also being tremendously moving, emotionally speaking, and spectacular, from a visual standpoint.

37 'The Terminator' (1984)

Directed by James Cameron

A standout film from 1984 (which is saying something, given that year had a ton of classics), The Terminator established James Cameron as a filmmaker who could do interesting and even groundbreaking things with the sci-fi genre. It’s quite brilliant, in many ways, how Cameron worked with certain limitations and turned them into strengths, having a story be about the prevention of a future war, rather than trying to show elaborate sequences of futuristic warfare on a budget.

Similarly, Arnold Schwarzenegger had limited range as an actor back in the 1980s, but when he’s cast as a physically imposing cyborg devoid of emotion, he’s perfect, and makes one hell of an impression. The Terminator is also a surprisingly great love story, and continually keeps the tension high throughout, featuring a little action and a decent amount of horror, too. It’s great stuff, and yet still Cameron would go on to improve upon it in the future, with a certain sequel made seven years later.

36 'Forbidden Planet' (1956)

Directed by Fred M. Wilcox

Of all the science fiction movies made during the 1950s, Forbidden Planet is undeniably up there with the most iconic. It follows a crew of space travelers who go in search of another exploration party that's been missing for years, only to make some unusual and startling discoveries during their attempted rescue/recovery mission.

It has an undeniably distinct aesthetic that's inextricably tied to the look and feel of classic '50s sci-fi. It's also notable for having what's perhaps Leslie Nielsen's best-known non-comedic role, given his career was rejuvenated in the 1980s thanks to starring in a range of iconic parody/spoof movies. Some may find Forbidden Planet to be a little old-fashioned and maybe even slightly cheesy by today's standards, but it's the aesthetics on offer here that might also prove charming to others.