Science fiction films can make for a really entertaining and thought provoking watch when made properly. Some filmmakers tend to be lazy with plot and characters and focus more on the special effects which leads to a boring and predictable film. Fortunately, there are a lot of films that are smart and feature clever ideas, interesting characters and visually stunning effects. In this list, I'll be talking about my favourite science fiction films.
Arrival (2016)
A lot of alien invasion films focus on trying to destroy the extra terrestrial beings rather than trying to make an effort to try and communicate with them. This is the premise for Arrival, director Denis Villeneuve's first sci-fi feature film. In the summer of 2016, Roland Emmerich released the sequel to his 1996 action film, Independence Day, called Resurgence. That film was an example on how not to make a sci-fi film as Emmerich focused more on improving the special effects and used lazy and predictable storytelling. Fortunately, Villeneuve's Arrival will, hopefully, wash away any bad memories that Independence Day: Resurgence left you with. The film stars Amy Adams as Louise Banks who is a linguist recruited by the military after mysterious unidentifiable flying objects appear in various places across the globe. Louise is brought in to try and translate what the aliens are saying but the task proves to be harder than it sounds. Helping her communicate with the aliens is mathematician, Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner) who has an optimistic outlook on the situation. The film never fails to be compelling, mainly because of Adams' mesmerising performance. Watching her communicate with the aliens is really refreshing as opposed to someone running away from them screaming. Like a lot of sci-fi films, Arrival's climax features a clever twist that explains why the aliens arrived. The special effects are incredible, they don't look too over the top and the aliens look real which is important in a film like this. Arrival is a must see for all sci-fi fans.
Passengers (2016)
This is probably one of the most original sci-fi films on this list. This is because it focuses on the two lead characters, Jim Preston (Chris Pratt) and Aurora Lane (Jennifer Lawrence), who are two of 5,000 passengers in hibernation on a 120 journey to a new planet called Homestead II. Unfortunately, Jim and Aurora's hibernation pods malfunction and they are awakened 90 years too early. This was one of my most anticipated films of 2016 and it didn't disappoint. Both Pratt and Lawrence generate a lot of chemistry which is important as the whole movie focuses on them and how they deal with the scary situation of being trapped. Passengers is a combination of different genres including romance, drama and adventure so there's something for everyone to enjoy. Fans of romance and drama will not be disappointed. The scenes where Jim and Aurora fall in love are some of the best as it's so heartwarming to watch. What impressed me the most was the design of the spaceship, Avalon. In the beginning of the film, Jim is woken up first by his pod malfunctioning and we see him exploring the ship which is like a cruise-line in space. It's very luxurious, filled with a bar, restaurants, gaming centres and more to keep passengers entertained. The special effects were also impressive. The scene where Jim and Aurora fly outside the spaceship was visually stunning. Not only does Passengers feature two of the best actors working in Hollywood today, impressive design and some of the best special effects, it is also thought provoking. I doubt many of us will know what it's like to be truly alone and Passengers makes us wonder what we would do in their situation? Would we live the rest of our life alone and die before we reached our destination? Or would we try and find a solution to the problem? This is based on Jon Spaihts' 2007 script and directed by Morton Tyldum who is best known for directing the 2014 Oscar winning drama, The Imitation Game. Tyldum really does bring Spaihts' script to life and has successfully achieved in making a thrilling sci-fi drama that features elements of romance, drama and comedy.
Alien (1979)
Director Ridley Scott's second feature film succeeds mostly because of its female protagonist, Ellen Ripley portrayed by Sigourney Weaver. She doesn't stand out in the beginning of the film but, by the film's climax, she develops into a strong and brave heroine. The first alien invasion film is Close Encounters Of The Third Kind released two years earlier. However, the majority of the film focused on Richard Dreyfuss' character, Roy Keane, who was obsessed with an isolated area located in the wilderness. This is a contrast to Scott's Alien which was full of dark and tense moments and was more of an alien attack rather than invasion. Unlike in Arrival, there's no point in trying to communicate with this alien, known as a 'xenomorph', as it's hungry and is more interested in devouring the crew aboard the spaceship. The xenomorph is truly terrifying and it's because of that and Sigourney Weaver's outstanding performance as Ellen Ripley that this will always be the best alien invasion film. James Cameron's 1986 sequel, Aliens, is worth a watch too as it packs a much more visceral punch, and features a typically strong performance from Sigourney Weaver.
Moon (2009)
In my opinion, I think that this is the most underrated sci-fi on this list. I've only just watched this recently and thought it was great. This is Duncan Jones' feature film debut and he succeeds in creating a tense and dramatic 97 minutes watch despite there being no aliens involved and only one human character. Moon is set, as you might have guessed from the title, on a lunar station on the moon and focuses on Sam Rockwell's character, Sam Bell, who is coming to the end of his three year contract with Lunar Industries. Unfortunately, he begins to notice strange things are going on which leads to him making a shocking discovery. Despite its short runtime, the film doesn't take long to set up the premise and, within the first 10-15 minutes of the film, Sam is already beginning to notice things. Featuring one character in a film can be a tricky move as it can mean there's no communication or conflict with other people. However, in Moon, Sam's main conflict is with his shocking new discovery and himself (literally). I had no idea the film was going to turn out the way it did and I enjoyed it more than I thought it would. Moon also features another character, GERTY, who is a intelligent computer voiced by Kevin Spacey and is based on HAL-9000 from Stanley Kubrick's definitive sci-fi, 2001: A Space Odyssey. The film is very intense throughout and we never fail to feel sympathetic for Sam who, apart from GERTY, is completely alone on his mission. This is a great feature film debut for Duncan Jones as he fully captures the feelings of isolation and claustrophobia.
The Martian (2015)
It's no secret that director Ridley Scott can create a successful sci-fi feature film. Alien remains, 37 years after its release, one of the best alien invasion films. In The Martian, Scott takes a new approach to the sci-fi genre. The film focuses on Matt Damon's character, Mark Watney, who is left behind on Mars after a storm hits and his team are forced to evacuate. While there are plenty of drama and tense moments shown throughout as NASA try to come up with a plan to rescue Watney, it's Matt Damon's performance as the title character where the film is at its most entertaining. This is because Damon portrays Watney as a charismatic and likeable character and he connects to the audience by video blogs he films on his computer. By explaining the situation via his webcam, we, as an audience, understand what's going on. Damon also brings humour to the role and brings comic relief in some of the film's most dramatic moments. Scott proves that not all sci-fi films have to feature alien invasions as they can be just as successful and entertaining without them. Unlike Duncan Jones' Moon, the film focuses on the other characters involved who are trying to rescue Watney. This includes the team at NASA lead by director Teddy Sanders (Jeff Daniels) and also Watney's crew who instantly feel guilty after learning that he is still alive and are determined to do whatever it takes to bring him back home. The Martian was nominated for seven Academy Awards including Best Motion Picture Of The Year and Best Performance By An Actor In A Leading Role for Matt Damon. After watching this at the cinema, it quickly became one of my favourite films of 2015 and one of the best sci-fi films I've ever watched.
Inception (2010)
Written and directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Inception is a smart and innovative sci-fi action thriller. The film focuses on DiCaprio's character, Dominic Cobb, who, after he fails to steal an idea from inside someone's subconscious at the beginning of the film, is hired by Saito (Ken Watanabe) to plant an idea within someone's subconscious instead. Cobb knows that this is his most difficult challenge yet but he's willing to do it because, if he completes this mission, he'll be able to return to his two young children. Helping along the way is his friend, Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), Eames (Tom Hardy) and newcomer Ariadne (Ellen Page). They all bring their unique skills to the job. The first hour is spent setting up the mission and planning it out which is important so that everyone understands what's going on and what's going to happen later on in the film. The final hour is where the film is at its most thrilling. There are plenty of exciting car chases and shoot outs and mind blowing stunts, one of which comes from Gordon-Levitt during an anti gravity sequence in a hotel. The combination of action and sci-fi worked really well in Inception and is one of my favourite films that Nolan has created.
Avatar (2009)
The story isn't anything we haven't seen in film already but the main reason to watch Avatar is because of its impressive and stunning visuals. A paraplegic marine, Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), dispatched to the moon Pandora on a unique mission becomes torn between following his orders and protecting the world he feels is his home. The majority of the film is set on the fictional world of Pandora and this is where the film is at its best. In his Avatar form, Sully meets, and eventually falls in love with, Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), a member of the Na'vi tribe that lives on Pandora. The two become close as she teaches him her ways. Unfortunately, a war is about to break out between the military and the Na'vi people and Sully makes a life changing decision to protect the people of Pandora. This is directed by James Cameron, who is best known for creating Aliens, which is the sequel to Ridley Scott's Alien. Cameron has admitted to having this film in development for over 20 years but wanted to create the film when computer generated imagery was at its peak and I can understand why. I doubt Avatar would've been as impressive if it was made in the 1980s. While the incredible special effects are where the film succeeds the most, it does feature a lot of interesting character including Worthington's Sully, who, despite his condition, proves to be a strong soldier and is willing to help and defend the people of Pandora. Saldana is perfect as Neytiri who is brave and fierce. Sigourney Weaver, who reunites with Cameron after their collaboration on Aliens, is brilliant as Doctor Grace Augustine and isn't afraid to express her feelings. The action sequences that feature in the film's climax are exciting due to the impressive visuals and scenery.
I, Robot (2004)
This is the first film on my list to feature robots as the antagonist. In 2035, technophobic homicide detective Del Spooner (Will Smith) of the Chicago Police Department heads the investigation of the apparent suicide of leading robotics scientist, Dr. Alfred Lanning (James Cromwell). Unconvinced of the motive, Spooner's investigation into Lanning's death reveals a trail of secrets and agendas within the USR (United States Robotics) corporation and suspicions of murder. Little does he know that his investigation would lead to uncovering a larger threat to humanity. Like Moon, I think this may also be one of the most underrated films on this list. I, Robot is full of action and is thrilling throughout. Bridget Moynahan portrays Susan Calvin who is the chief robot psychologist and helps Spooner uncover the truth about Lanning's death. What I liked most about her character is that she was an interesting individual and the writers didn't use her as a love interest for Spooner. We see that she truly cares about the robots and their wellbeing. Speaking of, the robots are well made and the film focuses on Sonny (Alan Tudyk) who Spooner thinks is responsible for Lanning's death. This is a great sci-fi thriller that is full of action and has an intriguing mystery at the centre of the plot. It also features a strong performance from Smith as the lead character.
Galaxy Quest (1999)
Galaxy Quest blends the mix of science-fiction and comedy really well. It is said to be a spoof of the Star Trek television series (Tim Allen's character is loosely based on William Shatner). Jason Nesmith (Allen), Gwen DeMarco (Sigourney Weaver) and Alexander Dane (Alan Rickman) are actors best known for appearing in the popular sci-fi series, Galaxy Quest. After aliens, known as Thermians, ask for their help, thinking that the series is real, the actors soon get caught up in a serious battle between the Thermians and General Sarris, a genocidal alien threatening to destroy the world. This is intelligent and humorous satire featuring a star-studded cast that includes Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver and Alan Rickman. At the time of Galaxy Quest's release, both Weaver and Rickman were known for their serious roles with Weaver being best known for appearing in the Alien films and Rickman making appearances in action films like Die Hard and period dramas such as Sense and Sensibility. However, we see a completely different side to them here. Rickman is almost unrecognisable underneath the impressive make-up (which his character never takes off) and hates his character's famous line 'By Grabthar's hammer, by the suns of Worvan, you shall be avenged'. Weaver also gives a solid performance as Gwen DeMarco whose job on the show is basically to repeat what the computer says. Supporting roles come from Sam Rockwell as Guy Fleegman, played an unnamed security officer that got killed off in his first episode, and Tony Shalhoub as Fred Kwan who portrays the Chief Engineer on the show. This is a highly entertaining film that is filled with humour and also some exciting action, especially in the final climax.
The Star Wars franchise (1977-)
It's no secret that director Ridley Scott can create a successful sci-fi feature film. Alien remains, 37 years after its release, one of the best alien invasion films. In The Martian, Scott takes a new approach to the sci-fi genre. The film focuses on Matt Damon's character, Mark Watney, who is left behind on Mars after a storm hits and his team are forced to evacuate. While there are plenty of drama and tense moments shown throughout as NASA try to come up with a plan to rescue Watney, it's Matt Damon's performance as the title character where the film is at its most entertaining. This is because Damon portrays Watney as a charismatic and likeable character and he connects to the audience by video blogs he films on his computer. By explaining the situation via his webcam, we, as an audience, understand what's going on. Damon also brings humour to the role and brings comic relief in some of the film's most dramatic moments. Scott proves that not all sci-fi films have to feature alien invasions as they can be just as successful and entertaining without them. Unlike Duncan Jones' Moon, the film focuses on the other characters involved who are trying to rescue Watney. This includes the team at NASA lead by director Teddy Sanders (Jeff Daniels) and also Watney's crew who instantly feel guilty after learning that he is still alive and are determined to do whatever it takes to bring him back home. The Martian was nominated for seven Academy Awards including Best Motion Picture Of The Year and Best Performance By An Actor In A Leading Role for Matt Damon. After watching this at the cinema, it quickly became one of my favourite films of 2015 and one of the best sci-fi films I've ever watched.
Written and directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Inception is a smart and innovative sci-fi action thriller. The film focuses on DiCaprio's character, Dominic Cobb, who, after he fails to steal an idea from inside someone's subconscious at the beginning of the film, is hired by Saito (Ken Watanabe) to plant an idea within someone's subconscious instead. Cobb knows that this is his most difficult challenge yet but he's willing to do it because, if he completes this mission, he'll be able to return to his two young children. Helping along the way is his friend, Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), Eames (Tom Hardy) and newcomer Ariadne (Ellen Page). They all bring their unique skills to the job. The first hour is spent setting up the mission and planning it out which is important so that everyone understands what's going on and what's going to happen later on in the film. The final hour is where the film is at its most thrilling. There are plenty of exciting car chases and shoot outs and mind blowing stunts, one of which comes from Gordon-Levitt during an anti gravity sequence in a hotel. The combination of action and sci-fi worked really well in Inception and is one of my favourite films that Nolan has created.
The story isn't anything we haven't seen in film already but the main reason to watch Avatar is because of its impressive and stunning visuals. A paraplegic marine, Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), dispatched to the moon Pandora on a unique mission becomes torn between following his orders and protecting the world he feels is his home. The majority of the film is set on the fictional world of Pandora and this is where the film is at its best. In his Avatar form, Sully meets, and eventually falls in love with, Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), a member of the Na'vi tribe that lives on Pandora. The two become close as she teaches him her ways. Unfortunately, a war is about to break out between the military and the Na'vi people and Sully makes a life changing decision to protect the people of Pandora. This is directed by James Cameron, who is best known for creating Aliens, which is the sequel to Ridley Scott's Alien. Cameron has admitted to having this film in development for over 20 years but wanted to create the film when computer generated imagery was at its peak and I can understand why. I doubt Avatar would've been as impressive if it was made in the 1980s. While the incredible special effects are where the film succeeds the most, it does feature a lot of interesting character including Worthington's Sully, who, despite his condition, proves to be a strong soldier and is willing to help and defend the people of Pandora. Saldana is perfect as Neytiri who is brave and fierce. Sigourney Weaver, who reunites with Cameron after their collaboration on Aliens, is brilliant as Doctor Grace Augustine and isn't afraid to express her feelings. The action sequences that feature in the film's climax are exciting due to the impressive visuals and scenery.
This is the first film on my list to feature robots as the antagonist. In 2035, technophobic homicide detective Del Spooner (Will Smith) of the Chicago Police Department heads the investigation of the apparent suicide of leading robotics scientist, Dr. Alfred Lanning (James Cromwell). Unconvinced of the motive, Spooner's investigation into Lanning's death reveals a trail of secrets and agendas within the USR (United States Robotics) corporation and suspicions of murder. Little does he know that his investigation would lead to uncovering a larger threat to humanity. Like Moon, I think this may also be one of the most underrated films on this list. I, Robot is full of action and is thrilling throughout. Bridget Moynahan portrays Susan Calvin who is the chief robot psychologist and helps Spooner uncover the truth about Lanning's death. What I liked most about her character is that she was an interesting individual and the writers didn't use her as a love interest for Spooner. We see that she truly cares about the robots and their wellbeing. Speaking of, the robots are well made and the film focuses on Sonny (Alan Tudyk) who Spooner thinks is responsible for Lanning's death. This is a great sci-fi thriller that is full of action and has an intriguing mystery at the centre of the plot. It also features a strong performance from Smith as the lead character.
Galaxy Quest blends the mix of science-fiction and comedy really well. It is said to be a spoof of the Star Trek television series (Tim Allen's character is loosely based on William Shatner). Jason Nesmith (Allen), Gwen DeMarco (Sigourney Weaver) and Alexander Dane (Alan Rickman) are actors best known for appearing in the popular sci-fi series, Galaxy Quest. After aliens, known as Thermians, ask for their help, thinking that the series is real, the actors soon get caught up in a serious battle between the Thermians and General Sarris, a genocidal alien threatening to destroy the world. This is intelligent and humorous satire featuring a star-studded cast that includes Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver and Alan Rickman. At the time of Galaxy Quest's release, both Weaver and Rickman were known for their serious roles with Weaver being best known for appearing in the Alien films and Rickman making appearances in action films like Die Hard and period dramas such as Sense and Sensibility. However, we see a completely different side to them here. Rickman is almost unrecognisable underneath the impressive make-up (which his character never takes off) and hates his character's famous line 'By Grabthar's hammer, by the suns of Worvan, you shall be avenged'. Weaver also gives a solid performance as Gwen DeMarco whose job on the show is basically to repeat what the computer says. Supporting roles come from Sam Rockwell as Guy Fleegman, played an unnamed security officer that got killed off in his first episode, and Tony Shalhoub as Fred Kwan who portrays the Chief Engineer on the show. This is a highly entertaining film that is filled with humour and also some exciting action, especially in the final climax.
Since the release of A New Hope in 1977, Star Wars has gone on to become one of the most popular franchises of all the time. A New Hope introduced us to three of the most iconic characters in sci-fi history, including Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher). Luke was an orphan who, after buying two droids known as C-3PO and R2-D2, he discovers a message sent from Leia containing the plans of the death star which the evil villain, Darth Vader (portrayed physically by David Prowse, voiced by James Earl Jones), is planning to use to destroy entire planets. With the help of the two droids, a Jedi knight, Obi-wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness) and Han Solo and his wookie sidekick, Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew). Luke sets out to save Leia and stop Darth Vader from achieving his destructive plan. What's great about A New Hope is that it works as a stand-alone sci-fi film. However, writer and director, George Lucas, expanded on the story and released two more sequels, The Empire Strikes Back and Return Of The Jedi. This lead to characters developing and plot twists no one saw coming. Because all three of these films were incredibly successful, George Lucas released three prequels which mainly explained Darth Vader's backstory and how he became the menacing villain. This all began in 1999 with Episode 1 which was titled The Phantom Menace. Despite the criticism it received, it still proved to be highly entertaining. One of the main highlights was the Pod Race that a young Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd) takes part in. It's fast-paced and thrilling. It also featured a star-studded cast that included Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor and Natalie Portman who all give solid performances in their roles. The Phantom Menace proved to be a huge success at the box office, receiving over $1 billion. Attack Of The Clones was released three years later and showed Anakin (Hayden Christensen) as a grown adult and we see him training to be a Jedi and developing a relationship with Padme (Portman). The action sequences were just as thrilling as they were in the previous films and this sequel served as a great follow-up to The Phantom Menace. In 2005, Revenge Of The Sith was released and it proved to be the darkest and most tense of the entire franchise. Lucas successfully brings his second Star Wars trilogy to a suitably thrilling and often poignant conclusion. Episode 3 was thought to be the end of the entire franchise, however, a follow-up to Return Of The Jedi, was released in 2015 and continued the saga. Episode 7, titled The Force Awakens, introduced us to new characters including Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Finn (John Boyega) with beloved characters returning including Han Solo and Princess Leia. It was packed with action and it successfully recalls the series' former glory while injecting it with renewed energy. Most recently, another addition to the franchise was added known as Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and takes place after the events of Revenge Of The Sith but before the events of A New Hope. It explains how Leia had the plans for the destructive weapon known as the Death Star. Overall, the Star Wars films are, by far, the best science-fiction films ever released. This is because of the visually-stunning special effects, iconic characters and plot developments.
Those were my favourite science fiction films. I highly recommend watching them if you haven't already. Thank you for reading this.
Those were my favourite science fiction films. I highly recommend watching them if you haven't already. Thank you for reading this.
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