Thinking about science fiction at a glance might remind people of a variety of tropes ranging
from space operas to desolated future backdrops with intense societal hierarchy, time travel
movies and alien attacks, and others that come with it. It is one of the most moving factor
regarding these movies that how they interact with movies of other genre and create several
subgenres within themselves. Science fiction movies, and of no specific kind, always happen to
have a penchant for blowing minds away with the plot-heavy storyline and high-budget
computer graphics and all the glory of the amazing cinematography and lifting soundtrack; and
all of these elements come together to create something impactful and great.
While all of them might not be as great as others (as it usually is), but we all have our favorites
and following are some of the science fiction movies that I find to be (as the saying goes) must-
watches, in no favored order:
1. Predestination (2014)
Based on the famous short story ‘All You Zombies’ by Robert A. Heinlein and starring
Ethan Hawke and Sarah Snook, this one holds a special place in my heart and can be very
simply described as ‘an hour and a half of pure mindfuck and temporal paradoxes’. While
it starts off a little slow and may cause you to lose interest, but it’ll be all worth the wait
as it comes together at the end and you’re left staring at the screen at your own dizzyingly
shocked reflection.
2. Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
The admiringly interesting concept of being stuck in a time loop is usually something of a
famous recurring theme with romcoms like Groundhog Day, Palm Springs, A map of tiny
perfect things, and so on. But being forced to relive the day when you die on the front of
a war against aliens… is surely something else. It might not lead to a lot for the person
who has to endure the pain of battlefield every day in a fight that marks humanity’s
doom, but it does give him a certain amount of countless chances to get to the center of it
and save it all.
3. Annihilation (2018)
Director Alex Garland’s strangely disorienting yet beautiful cinematography will make
sure to leave a branding impact on your minds with this one. The only regrettable flaw
that this movie left me with was the fact that I was robbed of a colorfully exhilarating
experience on the big screen as this with this Netflix-exclusive release. Starring an all-
female lead cast with Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Emma
Thompson along with Oscar Isaac; Annihilation gives a new light to how science fiction
has come to be perceived, with its vibrantly confusing set design and some disturbingly
graphic instances this one is bound to stay with you for long after.
4. Tenet (2020)
‘Okay…what??’
‘I need to rewind it a minute’
‘What…in…the…actual…um…fine’
This was literally my constant state throughout the movie so the mere reason for
recommending this to others is to see whether they can understand it in one go; and that’s
what gets them, the primal urge to prove themselves as proper intellectuals who are
completely capable of understanding mind-bending movies by Christopher Nolan.
But the complex and dynamic narration and cinematography make it a deserving
audiovisual treat for the audiences that must not be missed.
5. Snowpiercer (2013)
It’s the ‘future in a desolate world with a harsh hierarchy system for me’ and this is
probably on the top of the list of that trope. A post-apocalyptic ice age causes the earth’s
survivors to embark on a “globe spanning supertrain” and at the end it comes on to one
(Chris Evans) to stage a revolt against the cruelty of the upper class that controls the
engine of the train. The gloomy and chilling cinematography by the award winning
director Bong Joon Hoo makes it a must on everyone’s list.
6. Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol.1 (2014) and Vol.2 (2017)
At this point it’s not even surprising that how obsessed we are with Marvel so this one
goes on the list here. And especially for the ones who haven’t seen any other Marvel
movies this one comes as a delightful surprise as Guardians of the galaxy vol. 1 and 2 are
closely not associated with any other Marvel movies that came before it. James Gunn
delivers a charming compilation of all these misfits coming together; it has fun aliens, a
lot of cool space stunts, and the best of 80s musical hits as the soundtrack. If this doesn’t
lure people I don’t know what will.
7. Intersteller (2014)
Oh to talk about the best of science fiction and not include this (or inception, I had to
choose one) would be no short of a regrettable mistake. There’s not a lot to tell about this
one that isn’t already known with the mind bending plot, teary-eyed music and, award
winning direction this is the classic Nolan movie.
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