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10 Best Science-Fiction Movies of All Time

Written by Sera Serinda A

Science fiction is a literary and cinematic genre that explores futuristic worlds with advanced technology, wrapped in fictional stories that challenge the mind and stir emotions.

Hollywood began producing sci-fi films as early as the 1930s. Although the visual effects back then were far from perfect, many of these films are still considered timeless classics. Today, Hollywood continues to create sci-fi movies with increasingly sophisticated visual effects and CGI.

From hundreds, if not thousands, of films in this genre, Showpoiler has curated a list of the best sci-fi movies that capture the core themes of science fiction. Here’s the list:

Christopher Nolan never seems to let his audience stop thinking, even after the credits roll. Interstellar is one of the finest sci-fi films, offering a glimpse into the vastness of the universe—particularly the mysteries of outer space, which remain unexplored and rooted in philosophical ideas and scientific theories.

Set in 2067, Earth is no longer a viable place for human life. Massive sandstorms and crop-destroying pests have ravaged the planet, leading to its collapse. Joseph Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), a former NASA pilot, struggles to find a way for his family to survive amidst the chaos.

By accident, he finds information about gravity variations and then translates it into coordinates that turn out to be a secret NASA headquarters led by Prof. John Brand (Michael Caine). Together with Prof. John, Joseph now joins a mission to save humanity, which is to find a location on another planet to inhabit.

Joseph is asked to pilot a spaceship approaching a wormhole on the planet Saturn. However, the mission comes at a heavy cost—he must leave his two young children behind. Now, Joseph must make a choice: save humanity or stay on Earth with his little family.

What would happen if aliens from outer space landed on Earth and had to live side by side with humans? That is the essence of the story raised in the movie District 9.

In 1982, a massive spaceship arrived on Earth, carrying a population of aliens in a state of malnutrition and starvation. The aliens were nicknamed The Prawns.

Feeling compassion, humans welcomed them and provided temporary shelter and fulfilled their needs. However, instead of being grateful, after 28 years of living on Earth, the aliens caused trouble in the surrounding area. The refugee camp, now known as District 9, had deteriorated into a filthy and chaotic place.

The danger of an invasion loomed, leading the local government to contract a private company, Multinational United (MNU), to relocate the aliens from the city. The mission must take place immediately to drive the aliens back to where they came from. Agent Wikus van der Merwe (Sharlto Copley) is assigned to lead the MNU forces.

Arrival is a thought-provoking sci-fi film that may initially seem straightforward, as it centers on humanity's attempt to understand the language of aliens who visit Earth. However, the story is far more complex than it appears.

Linguist Louise Banks (Amy Adams) is recruited by Colonel G.T. Weber (Forest Whitaker) to join an elite team tasked with communicating with aliens believed to be inside mysterious objects that have appeared on Earth.

A total of 12 alien objects have landed in different countries, emitting strange, booming sounds that no one can understand. Determined to understand their purpose, Louise travels to one of the sites to begin unraveling the aliens' intentions.

Gradually, she makes progress, discovering that the aliens are communicating not just with words but with concepts related to time. However, tensions rise as other nations misinterpret the message, fearing an invasion and viewing the aliens as a threat to humanity.

Now, Louise must find a way to convey her findings before misunderstandings spiral out of control, ensuring both humans and aliens can find common ground.

"Mad Max: Fury Road," the exhilarating fourth entry in the Mad Max franchise, is a 2015 Australian post-apocalyptic action film directed by George Miller. Starring Tom Hardy as Max Rockatansky and Charlize Theron as Furiosa, it unfolds in a desolate desert landscape where tyranny reigns.

Max, haunted by the loss of his wife and child amidst the chaos of a ravaged world, seeks solace in solitude. His journey takes a turn when he crosses paths with Furiosa, a resilient woman working for the Citadel's tyrannical ruler, Immortan Joe (portrayed by Hugh Keays-Byrne). Furiosa, however, has plans of her own. In a daring act of rebellion, she betrays Joe, setting off a relentless chase across the wasteland.

The film's heart-pounding narrative hinges on this crucial betrayal. Immortan Joe, recognizing Furiosa's defiance, unleashes his full might in a furious pursuit. Aboard a heavily armored war rig, with Max unexpectedly entangled in her quest, Furiosa races against time and tyranny. The stakes are high as Max and Furiosa confront Joe's forces, each moment edging closer to an uncertain fate.

Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson), a programmer at the world’s leading search engine company, Blue Book, wins a company lottery, earning him the chance to spend a week with the enigmatic CEO, Nathan Bateman (Oscar Isaac).

Upon arriving at Nathan's remote mountain estate, Caleb is introduced to Ava (Alicia Vikander), an advanced humanoid robot still under development. Nathan tasks Caleb with evaluating Ava to determine whether she is truly capable of human-like consciousness or requires further improvement.

As Caleb spends more time with Ava, the robot confides in him about Nathan's mistreatment and reveals a disturbing plan. Drawn in by Ava’s story, Caleb becomes determined to help her escape—unaware of the robot's true intentions and the consequences of his actions.

Moon is a low-budget sci-fi film praised for its outstanding special effects and stellar performances.

The story takes place during a global oil crisis, forcing humanity to seek alternative energy sources. Lunar Industries, a powerful corporation, discovers vast reserves of helium-3 on the Moon, leading to the construction of a station dedicated to harvesting the valuable fuel.

Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell) is stationed alone on the Moon, under a three-year contract to oversee the facility’s operations. Isolated from human contact, Sam’s only companion is GERTY, an intelligent computer that assists him with his daily tasks and ensures the station runs smoothly.

As the months pass, Sam began to feel that his job was too hard. He starts experiencing hallucinations and, in a moment of distraction, has an accident. While recovering, Sam stumbles upon a disturbing truth that forces him to question his sanity, his purpose, and even his very identity. What he discovers will change everything.

7. Star Trek (2009)

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While investigating a space storm, the USS Kelvin is attacked by the Romulan ship Narada, commanded by Captain Nero (Eric Bana). During the attack, Nero kills the entire crew, including George Kirk (Chris Hemsworth), the first officer, who sacrifices himself to save his wife and their unborn child.

That child, James T. Kirk (Chris Pine), grows up and eventually joins Starfleet Academy, where he meets Spock (Zachary Quinto), who becomes both a friend and rival. One day, Starfleet receives a distress call from Spock’s home planet, Vulcan, which has been attacked by Captain Nero.

All Starfleet soldiers set out on the USS Enterprise to provide assistance. Kirk, who hadn't been allowed to go because he was still a troublemaking freshman, eventually tagged along. Together, they go on an exciting adventure to defeat Captain Nero and his army.

J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek deserves praise for reimagining the classic series while staying true to the spirit of the original 1960s story. The film is a treat for long-time fans, featuring an impressive cast that includes Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, and Eric Bana.

A monolith—an enigmatic structure created by an extraterrestrial species—was discovered in a lunar crater and investigated by Dr. Heywood Floyd (William Sylvester), Chairman of the United States National Astronautics Board. His research revealed that the monolith possessed the ability to accelerate the evolutionary process of any life it encountered.

Eighteen months after Dr. Floyd's investigation, two astronauts, Dave Bowman (Keir Dullea) and Frank Poole (Gary Lockwood), embarked on a mission near Jupiter. Their journey took a terrifying turn when the spaceship’s artificial intelligence, HAL 9000, began to behave unpredictably, evolving beyond its programming and threatening their safety.

It is suspected that the spacecraft may have been affected by the monolith's radiation, making HAL 9000 self-aware. As the situation spirals out of control, Dave fights desperately to regain command of the ship, but tragedy strikes when HAL kills Frank.

*2001: A Space Odyssey* is a groundbreaking science-fiction film set in outer space, inspired by Arthur C. Clarke’s short story *The Sentinel* and several of his other works. Clarke collaborated with director Stanley Kubrick to develop the screenplay. Known for its visionary storytelling and groundbreaking effects, the film was the most expensive production of its time and is hailed as a pioneer in the sci-fi genre.

9. Back to the Future

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Despite following some familiar sci-fi tropes, Back to the Future stands out as one of the greatest films of all time, delivering top-tier entertainment across the board. Surprisingly, it was almost never made, yet it left an indelible mark on 1980s pop culture—a legacy that continues to this day. For Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox), 1985 is anything but ideal. His life is far from what he imagined: his father is relentlessly bullied by his boss, Biff Tannen (Thomas F. Wilson); his mother is an overweight alcoholic; his siblings are socially awkward; and his band is struggling to succeed. In the midst of his frustrations, Marty turns to his eccentric friend, Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd), an unconventional scientist with a passion for wild experiments. Doc introduces Marty to his latest creation—a time machine built into a DeLorean car. However, before Doc can fully demonstrate the invention, he is shot by Libyan terrorists for stealing plutonium to power the machine. In the chaos, the DeLorean activates, sending Marty back to 1955. Stranded in the past, he seeks out a younger version of Doc to help him return to his time. Along the way, Marty accidentally meets his teenage parents—before they’ve even met each other—causing a ripple in history. Now, he must set things right before the butterfly effect alters his future and traps him in the past forever.

The starship Nostromo is on its way back to Earth when it receives instructions to investigate a mysterious planet emitting strange transmissions. Captain Dallas (Tom Skerritt) quickly orders the crew to prepare for landing, guided by the ship’s computer, Mother.

After a turbulent landing, the crew explores the planet in search of the transmission's source. To their shock, they discover a wrecked alien ship and the remains of an unknown creature. While investigating further, they find a strange egg—and as they approach, a spider-like alien bursts out and attaches itself to crew member Kane (John Hurt).

Before they can capture the alien, it escapes. The crew returns to the Nostromo and monitors Kane, who initially seems fine. But without warning, he suffers a violent seizure, and a small alien bursts from his chest. Now, the crew must fight to survive and eliminate the creature before it grows and wreaks further havoc.

Directed by Ridley Scott in 1979, this space-horror classic quickly became a commercial and critical success, launching a beloved film franchise. The movie’s meticulous production paid special attention to the alien's design, a collaborative effort involving several designers and concept artists over an extended period.

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