Amazing Science Fiction Films You Should Watch

12 Monkeys, which is based on the 1962 short film La Jetée, is an awesome and unique take on the post-apocalyptic science fiction sub-genre. This film has spectacular performances from Madeleine Stowe, Bruce Willis, and Brad Pitt in a brain twisting mystery that deserves at least a few viewings to truly be appreciated.

2001 is a classic. This film is pretty slow paced for today's standards but hang in there for the long haul or watch it in chunks. 2001 is full of thought provoking and genre defining concepts—and is one of the only films that actually respects the fact that there is no sound in space.

Directed by James Cameron, The Abyss is an underwater adventure with a science fiction twist. Some think this film to be a bit cheesy, while others find it brilliant and suspenseful. Did you love it or hate it? If you haven't seen it, The Abyss is definitely worth a watch so you can form your own opinion.

Everyone's favorite outer space monster film is of course the quintessential 1979 film, Alien. Not much I can say about Alien that hasn't already been said. This film is an awesomely epic outer space horror adventure with amazing acting and brilliantly realistic and gritty special effects.

Attack The Block totally exceeded my expectations. This film is clever and funny with dash of scary. As far as monster films go this is totally one of my favorites. Beyond the film's freaky awesome monster CG (it's really awesome), Attack The Block shines in its excellent character transformations and original story.

Just another science fiction western hybrid? Maybe. But that doesn't discredit this spectacularly stunning film: an amazing journey hides within this Cowboys and Indians extravaganza. The extreme visual brilliance and attention to detail in Avatar is completely unsurpassed. Yes, we've all seen this good versus evil narrative from Hollywood over and over again, yet Cameron brings us something truly special with this film. This live-action FernGully is, in my opinion, a brilliant environmentalist commentary on how human culture has ignored our responsibility of caring for our only home and only life source, planet Earth.

Ridley Scott's 1982 film Blade Runner is the sci-fi film-noir detective story that became the genre-defining debut of the cyberpunk hysteria. Deckard makes the perfect role for Ford as he calmly navigates an urban dystopia hunting down synthesized humans. The director's cut features a dismal ending to this gritty story and I like to believe it is the only valid ending for such an awesomely dark film.

I must say that I was skeptical when 30 years later I heard rumors of a sequel to the quintessential Blade Runner. I did finally see it and I'll admit that I'm sorry I missed this film in theaters. Blade Runner 2049 stayed true to the original film and did a good job expanding and enhancing it. 2049 expertly feeds viewers clues and twists that keep you guessing and leave you thinking long after the film has ended.

Richard Dreyfuss plays the lead in this excellent alien abduction sci-fi written and directed by none other than the prolific Steven Spielberg. Close Encounters released the same year as Star Wars but brought audiences a drastically different and much more thought provoking approach to the science fiction genre.

I had some issues with Cloverfield's take on an apocalyptic alien invasion film, but overall I'd say I really enjoyed the experience. While the technique of using only hand held cameras gave the film an uncommon edge of realism, I felt like it may have been a stronger piece with a more traditional cinematographic approach. Second to that I felt like the characters lacked good development and came off as bland, poor decision making pawns in the film's larger agenda. All that said I think Cloverfield took an important risk by trying making something original, and I'd say they successfully avoided creating another cookie-cutter alien movie.

Brilliant and sensational, The Day The Earth Stood Still is one of my absolute favorite classic science fiction films. At its heart The Day The Earth Stood Still is a story about human nature. Would we come to our senses and make peaceful contact with an alien visitor? Or would we preemptively attack that which is unknown? The Day The Earth Stood Still encourages us to trust one another and not be afraid of the unknown.

The best, in my opinion, of the original Star Wars trilogy, and one of my top favorite films of all time. Empire is brilliant from its witty dialog to its non-stop action adventure. For once the bad guy is allowed a victory—keeping viewers on edge in this dark installment of the Star Wars saga.

As far as science fiction comedies go Evolution is perfection. The casting is perfect for each character's role. This film keeps the laughs rolling while also delivering an awesome alien invasion story. Thought it was not made in the nineties, Evolution has all the tropes and characteristics that made nineties comedies so lovable. They sure don't make them like they used to.

I can't say enough good things about The Fifth Element. I've been left dumbfounded by people who say they didn't like this film. How is that possible?! It's action packed, humorous, emotional, and completely unique. What more could one ask for in a science fiction film? From blue aliens singing techno-opera to gun fights with space villains, The Fifth Element is jammed packed with lovable characters who must overcome inner personal conflicts in order to defeat ultimate evil and preserve existence of life in the galaxy. Really, what more could someone want in a science fiction film?

Galaxy Quest is a unique and hilarious science fiction comedy. Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, and Alan Rickman play washed up 1970s actors from a Star Trek like TV series, riding the last bits of glory—and cash—from their dwindling fandom of nerds. But perhaps their fan base reaches beyond that of mere earthlings?

On the surface Ghost In The Shell is a super kick-ass action-packed psychological thriller, but if you peek under the lid you'll find something deeply profound and truly frightening. Ghost In The Shell is about the rise of artificial intelligence, the loss of privacy, and the illusion of control. The choices facing humanity grow infinitely complex as our technology skyrockets and our reality blurs into a system automated by machines. In a future where computer-tech is integrated into human-computer hybrids, who pulls the strings? Does the creator control the created? Or is AI just the next leap in the unstoppable process of evolution?

I remember loving Independence Day when it came out in theaters back in '96. Will Smith plays his typical hero-with-an-attitude while no one will listen to reason from Jeff Goldblum's character, a mumbling scientist who just might be humanity's best chance at defeating a highly-advanced, hostile, space-traveling alien race.

What an amazing movie! Not only was Interstellar incredibly acted and produced, it was refreshingly original. I loved that this film built on top of countless classic science fiction themes—yet at the same time delivers an unexpected amount of creativity and uniqueness.

Hands down one of my absolute favorite black and white science fiction films. Invasion Of The Body Snatchers is the quintessential alien-abduction flick. The acting is awesome, the script is paced impeccably, and the mystery is exceptionally suspenseful.

In this thrilling outer space monster horror flick the protagonists, aboard the International Space Station, retrieve a Mars probe containing Martian soil samples. I enjoyed several aspects of this film; it has an intriguing story, great pacing, solid acting, and excellent monster design. If I were to nitpick I'd say the story is perhaps a bit predictable and, as is in many horror films, the characters make a few dumb critical decisions. However this doesn't hold the film back and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The Martian had me at the edge of my seat from beginning to end. Matt Damon does an incredible job as Mark Watney, captivating the audience in this epic struggle for survival on Mars. As the protagonist defies all odds in a roller coaster of setbacks and victories, Mark's isolation makes you completely immersed and empathetic to his desolate story. This film is an emotional journey uncommon to typical science fiction films.

Like so many great 90's films, Men In Black strikes a perfect balance between action and comedy. I've watched this movie dozens of times and it only gets better. With an awesome mixture of practical and CG effects, Men In Black stands up effortlessly against modern-day visuals.

While I blatantly label Pandorum as the almost amazing space horror film in an in-depth review, I think it deserves to be on this list. I've watched Pandorum a few times and each time I have really liked it. Despite the film's inadequacies it has a special something that makes it unique, intelligent, and enjoyable.

This cinematic adaption of the French novel, La Planète des singes, has been showing it's age for quite some time. Yet we keep on watching it. We watch it because it is brilliant. Planet Of The Apes is one of the most incredibly thought-provoking science fiction narratives to hit the big screen.

Joss Whedon's awesome climax of the Firefly TV series, Serenity is a dark and thrilling final chapter to this lovable story. Summer Glau delivers a great performance as River while the crew learns of her mystery and the dark truth behind the dreaded space Reavers.

This Mel Brooks masterpiece is exactly that. It is superbly silly yet touching and magical at the same time. This Star Wars parody is absolutely hilarious and has a few good Star Trek jabs thrown in for good measure. Stay tuned for Spaceballs 2: The Search For More Money and may the schwartz be with you!

The 1995 film Species is the start of an alien-horror science fiction series. The film stars Natasha Henstridge as Sil, a seductive alien impostor. It all starts after scientists receive alien transmissions with instructions for limitless energy and Sil is bio engineered from a DNA sequence included in the messages. Then things start to evolve out of control.

Ah Stargate. This movie is so good. Don't get me wrong, there are some cheesy aspects to the film for sure. But I absolutely love the story. I love how it ties space-travel to the mysteries surrounding ancient Egypt; the god Ra's source of immortality and the existence of extraterrestrial life.

I think the first Terminator fell a bit short for me personally. However I think Judgment Day is a excellent piece of work and hits a home run on so many levels. Action? Sensational. Drama? Tear wrenching. Humor? You bet. But most importantly is the frightening possibility of a real-life Skynet situation. Let Terminator 2: Judgment Day be a warning to all to tread carefully with technology or the machines may control us, if they don't already.

I love John Carpenter's 1982 The Thing. Kurt Russell is amazing as usual. And what more could I want from a monster film than an isolated research base in Antarctica surrounded by ice and desolation? The story is an enticing mystery and the monster design is excellent for the time.