The 17 best sci-fi movies of all time, according to fans
Abby Monteil
- There are thousands of movies on Netflix, and finding the right one to watch can be difficult.
- That's why Insider has compiled guides for every type of movie (and TV show) you might feel like streaming.
- Here, we've listed the best sci-fi movies to watch, according to fans.
- Keep reading to see our list of titles, which includes "Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse," "The Matrix," and more.
- Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.
Sometimes, it's nice to escape the day-to-day and get immersed in the futuristic worlds of science fiction. But what films do sci-fi fans consider to be the greatest in the genre?
We examined the movie-based social network Letterboxd's list of the highest-rated films of all time (according to average weighted ratings from its 1.5 million users) to find the science fiction stories that audiences consider the most worthwhile.
The results included a range of titles, from classics like "2001: A Space Odyssey" and "Alien" to newer favorites like "Inception" and "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse."
Here are the 17 best sci-fi movies of all time, according to fans.
Insider has many movie and TV show lists to keep you occupied. You can read them all here.
Read the original article on InsiderIn 1972's "Solaris," a psychologist investigates a space station where a nearby planet's water brings out people's repressed obsessions.
Where to watch: Available on The Criterion Channel, or to rent on Amazon Prime video, Google Play, iTunes, or YouTube
Synopsis: Before directing "Stalker," acclaimed filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky directed the equally compelling "Solaris."
In the psychological sci-fi drama, a psychologist is sent to a space station whose inhabitants are suffering from mysterious mental distress. He soon finds out that the water from the nearby planet of Solaris brings forth repressed obsessions and memories in people's minds, and starts to unravel himself.
In "Stalker," three men search for a room where a person's innermost desires can be realized.
Where to watch: Available on The Criterion Channel, or to rent on Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, iTunes, or YouTube
Synopsis: The Russian film "Stalker" takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, where an alien wasteland known as The Zone is rumored to contain "The Room" — a space in which a person's innermost desires are immediately fulfilled.
Three men enter The Zone in search of the mystical area, facing unforeseen dangers and contemplating why they want to visit The Room in the first place.
"Metropolis" is a 1927 silent movie about a futuristic city that holds up today.
Where to watch: Available on The Criterion Channel, or to rent on Amazon Prime video, Google Play, or YouTube
Synopsis: The influential 1927 film "Metropolis" imagines a futuristic city divided between the über-wealthy and the mistreated workers who live below them.
When a privileged young man bonds with a rebellious, working-class teacher, he comes into conflict with his father (the mastermind behind the city).
"The Iron Giant" follows the close friendship that forms between a young boy and a robot from outer space.
Where to watch: Available to rent on Amazon Prime video, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu, or YouTube
Synopsis: Years before he directed the Pixar hit "The Incredibles," Brad Bird got his start with the heartfelt animated movie "The Iron Giant."
The story takes place during the Cold War, as a young boy befriends an intergalactic robot that a government agent seeks to destroy.
"A Clockwork Orange" envisions a dystopian future where sadistic gang leaders are brainwashed to abhor violence.
Where to watch: Available to rent on Amazon Prime video, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu, or YouTube
Synopsis: Three years after Kubrick made "2001: A Space Odyssey," he directed another enduring sci-fi story with 1971's "A Clockwork Orange," based on the 1962 novel.
In the sci-fi crime drama, sadistic gangs roam a dystopian London and terrorize its residents. When gang leader Alex is caught and jailed, he submits to a procedure that makes him sick at the thought of violence in order to gain his freedom.
"Terminator 2: Judgment Day" is an action-packed adventure starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as a cyborg.
Where to watch: Available to rent on Amazon Prime video, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu, or YouTube
Synopsis: Set 10 years after the original 1984 "Terminator" film, "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" sees Arnold Schwarzenegger reprise his role as the franchise's titular cyborg.
In the movie, two Terminators from the future arrive in search of young John Connor, the future leader of the human resistance against machines — one looking to kill him, and the other fighting to protect him.
Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey" is one of the most iconic sci-fi movies of all time.
Where to watch: Available to rent on Amazon Prime video, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu, or YouTube
Synopsis: In Stanley Kubrick's heady sci-fi classic, things go awry when astronauts travel to investigate a mysterious signal coming from the planet of Jupiter and an A.I. begins to sew chaos.
Often referred to as the greatest science fiction film of all time, "2001: A Space Odyssey" is ranked by the American Film Institute as the 15th best American movie ever.
In "Aliens," Sigourney Weaver reprised her role as Ellen Ripley, who goes on a mission to save a young girl.
Where to watch: Available on HBO NOW
Synopsis: In director James Cameron's action-packed sequel to "Alien," Ripley once again faces off against the franchise's titular murderous aliens. This time, she finds herself up against a female creature protecting her young, as she attempts to save a young girl who is the sole survivor of a space colony.
"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" uses memory-erasing technology to explore the pain of past relationships.
Where to watch: Available on Starz
Synopsis: Everyone has painful memories of other people that they sometimes wish they could forget, but what if science progressed to the point where that was actually possible?
That's the premise of "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," in which Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet play an estranged couple who undergo a procedure to erase their memories of each other.
"Children of Men" is a dystopian sci-fi thriller from Oscar-winning director Alfonso Cuarón.
Where to watch: Available on Starz
Synopsis: Based on P.D. James' 1992 novel, "Children of Men" takes place in a dystopian future where the human race has become mysteriously sterile and a dictatorship has arisen.
When a group of revolutionaries discover the only pregnant woman in the world, they fight to transport her to safety.
In "The Thing," an ancient alien terrorizes researchers in a remote corner of Antarctica.
Where to watch: Available on Starz
Synopsis: In classic horror director John Carpenter's spine-tingling sci-fi movie "The Thing," researchers at a remote research station in Antarctica unearth an alien buried in the snow for over 100,000 years.
Once the creature awakes, it reveals its ability to shape-shift into its victims and begins picking off the nearby humans.
"Inception" is a mind-boggling sci-fi thriller that will make you question your reality.
Where to watch: Available on Netflix
Synopsis: Leonardo DiCaprio leads the ensemble cast of the sci-fi thriller "Inception," in which members of an espionage business enter their targets' dreams and steal secrets from their subconscious.
When the group's leader (DiCaprio) is recruited to plant an idea in someone's mind instead, a shadowy enemy begins following his every move.
"Back to the Future" is a must-see '80s blockbuster involving time travel.
Where to watch: Available on Netflix
Synopsis: When teenager Marty McFly is accidentally sent 30 years into the past and interferes with his parents getting together, he must rush to set them up before his own existence is erased.
With wacky, lovable characters, time travel adventures, and a great soundtrack, "Back to the Future" is one of the most enduring '80s blockbusters.
"Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back" is largely considered one of the best film sequels ever.
Where to watch: Available on Disney Plus
Synopsis: In this 1980 follow-up to the original "Star Wars," Luke Skywalker trains with the powerful Yoda in preparation for his next confrontation with the evil Darth Vader, while Han Solo and Princess Leia evade capture by the totalitarian Empire.
With its ambitious worldbuilding and surprising character arcs, "The Empire Strikes Back" is widely regarded as one of the best and most influential movie sequels ever.
"Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope" is a rollicking space adventure that made "Star Wars" a phenomenon.
Where to watch: Available on Disney Plus
Synopsis: It's hard to talk about science fiction without mentioning the massively popular "Star Wars" franchise, and the 1977 film is where it all began.
Combining elements of sci-fi, fantasy, and westerns, "A New Hope" follows farmboy Luke Skywalker, who joins a mission to free the captive Princess Leia from the cruel Empire, and begins learning the ways of a mysterious power called The Force.
"Alien" is a chilling sci-fi horror movie about a space crew who encounter a mysterious creature.
Where to watch: Available on HBO NOW
Description: Director Ridley Scott's classic sci-fi horror movie opens as a team of astronauts returning to Earth encounter a mysterious alien in deep space. As it begins killing them off one by one, it's up to Sigourney Weaver's tough Ellen Ripley to outsmart the killer.
"Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" is a vibrant, dimension-hopping superhero movie for audiences of all ages.
Where to watch: Available on Netflix
Synopsis: This Oscar-winning animated film follows Miles Morales, an African-American/Puerto Rican Brooklyn teenager who is bitten by a radioactive spider and gets web-slinging abilities just before a portal to other dimensions opens.
With the help of other versions of Spider-Man, he uses his newfound skills to save New York City from the villainous crime lord Kingpin.
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