Science Fiction 1968 to today

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

Critics Consensus: One of the most influential of all sci-fi films -- and one of the most controversial -- Stanley Kubrick's 2001 is a delicate, poetic meditation on the ingenuity -- and folly -- of mankind.

Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
IMDB: 8.3

Planet of the Apes (1968)

Critics Consensus: Planet of the Apes raises thought-provoking questions about our culture without letting social commentary get in the way of the drama and action.

Rotten Tomatoes: 89%
IMDB: 8.0

THX 1138 (1971)

Critics Consensus: George Lucas' feature debut presents a spare, bleak, dystopian future, and features evocatively minimal set design and creepy sound effects.

Rotten Tomatoes: 88%
IMDB: 6.8

Solaris (1972)

Critics Consensus: Solaris is a haunting, meditative film that uses sci-fi to raise complex questions about humanity and existence.

Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
IMDB: 8.1

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)

Critics Consensus: A legendarily expansive and ambitious start to the sci-fi saga, George Lucas opened our eyes to the possibilities of blockbuster filmmaking and things have never been the same.

Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
IMDB: 8.7

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

Critics Consensus: Close Encounters' most iconic bits (the theme, the mashed-potato sculpture, etc.) have been so thoroughly absorbed into the culture that it's easy to forget that its treatment of aliens as peaceful beings rather than warmongering monsters was somewhat groundbreaking in 1977.

Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
IMDB: 7.7

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

Critics Consensus: Employing gritty camerawork and evocative sound effects, Invasion of the Body Snatchers is a powerful remake that expands upon themes and ideas only lightly explored in the original.

Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
IMDB: 7.4

Alien (1979)

Critics Consensus: A modern classic, Alien blends science fiction, horror and bleak poetry into a seamless whole.

Rotten Tomatoes: 97%
IMDB: 8.5

Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

Critics Consensus: Dark, sinister, but ultimately even more involving than A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back defies viewer expectations and takes the series to heightened emotional levels.

Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
IMDB: 8.8

Blade Runner (1982)

Critics Consensus: Misunderstood when it first hit theaters, the influence of Ridley Scott's mysterious, neo-noir Blade Runner has deepened with time. A visually remarkable, achingly human sci-fi masterpiece.

Rotten Tomatoes: 91%
IMDB: 8.2

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

Critics Consensus: Playing as both an exciting sci-fi adventure and a remarkable portrait of childhood, Steven Spielberg's touching tale of a homesick alien remains a piece of movie magic for young and old.

Rotten Tomatoes: 98%
IMDB: 7.9

Videodrome (1983)

Critics Consensus: Visually audacious, disorienting, and just plain weird, Videodrome's musings on technology, entertainment, and politics still feel fresh today.

Rotten Tomatoes: 80%
IMDB: 7.3

The Terminator (1984)

Critics Consensus: With its impressive action sequences, taut economic direction, and relentlessly fast pace, it's clear why The Terminator continues to be an influence on sci-fi and action flicks.

Rotten Tomatoes: 100%
IMDB: 8.1

Back to the Future (1985)

Critics Consensus: Inventive, funny, and breathlessly constructed, Back to the Future is rousing a time-travel adventure with an unforgettable spirit.

Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
IMDB: 8.5

Brazil (1985)

Critics Consensus: Brazil, Terry Gilliam's visionary Orwellian fantasy, is an audacious dark comedy, filled with strange, imaginative visuals.

Rotten Tomatoes: 98%
IMDB: 8.0

The Abyss (1989)

Critics Consensus: The utterly gorgeous special effects frequently overshadow the fact that The Abyss is also a totally gripping, claustrophobic thriller, complete with an interesting crew of characters.

Rotten Tomatoes: 88%
IMDB: 7.6

Total Recall (1990)

Critics Consensus: Under Paul Verhoeven's frenetic direction, Total Recall is a fast-paced rush of violence, gore, and humor that never slacks.

Rotten Tomatoes: 84%
IMDB: 7.5

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

Critics Consensus: T2 features thrilling action sequences and eye-popping visual effects, but what takes this sci-fi/ action landmark to the next level is the depth of the human (and cyborg) characters.

Rotten Tomatoes: 92%
IMDB: 8.5

Jurassic Park (1993)

Critics Consensus: Jurassic Park is a spectacle of special effects and life-like animatronics, with some of Spielberg's best sequences of sustained awe and sheer terror since Jaws.

Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
IMDB: 8.0

Twelve Monkeys (1995)

Critics Consensus: The plot's a bit of a jumble, but excellent performances and mind-blowing plot twists make 12 Monkeys a kooky, effective experience.

Rotten Tomatoes: 88%
IMDB: 8.1

Gattaca (1997)

Critics Consensus: Intelligent and scientifically provocative, Gattaca is an absorbing sci fi drama that poses important interesting ethical questions about the nature of science.

Rotten Tomatoes: 82%
IMDB: 7.8

The Fifth Element (1997)

Critics Consensus: Visually inventive and gleefully over the top, Luc Besson's The Fifth Element is a fantastic piece of pop sci-fi that never takes itself too seriously.

Rotten Tomatoes: 71%
IMDB: 7.6

Dark City (1998)

Critics Consensus: Stylishly gloomy, Dark City offers a polarizing whirl of arresting visuals and noirish action.

Rotten Tomatoes: 74%
IMDB: 7.8

The Truman Show (1998)

Critics Consensus: A funny, tender, and thought-provoking film, The Truman Show is all the more noteworthy for its remarkably prescient vision of runaway celebrity culture and a nation with an insatiable thirst for the private details of ordinary lives.

Rotten Tomatoes: 94%
IMDB: 8.0

The Matrix (1999)

Critics Consensus: Thanks to the Wachowskis' imaginative vision, The Matrix is a smartly crafted combination of spectacular action and groundbreaking special effects.

Rotten Tomatoes: 87%
IMDB: 8.7

Donnie Darko (2001)

Critics Consensus: Richard Kelly's debut feature Donnie Darko is a daring, original vision, packed with jarring ideas and intelligence and featuring a remarkable performance from Jake Gyllenhaal as the troubled title character.

Rotten Tomatoes: 85%
IMDB: 8.1

Minority Report (2002)

Critics Consensus: Thought-provoking and visceral, Steven Spielberg successfully combines high concept ideas and high octane action in this fast and febrile sci-fi thriller.

Rotten Tomatoes: 90%
IMDB: 7.7

Primer (2004)

Critics Consensus: Dense, obtuse, but stimulating, Primer is a film for viewers ready for a cerebral challenge.

Rotten Tomatoes: 72%
IMDB: 7.0

The Host (2006)

Critics Consensus: As populace pleasing as it is intellectually satisfying, The Host combines scares, laughs, and satire into a riveting, monster movie.

Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
IMDB: 7.0

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

Critics Consensus: Propelled by Charlie Kaufman's smart, imaginative script and Michel Gondry's equally daring directorial touch, Eternal Sunshine is a twisty yet heartfelt look at relationships and heartache.

Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
IMDB: 8.4

Children of Men (2006)

Critics Consensus: Children of Men works on every level: as a violent chase thriller, a fantastical cautionary tale, and a sophisticated human drama about societies struggling to live. This taut and thought-provoking tale may not have the showy special effects normally found in movies of this genre, but you won't care one bit after the story kicks in, about a dystopic future where women can no longer conceive and hope lies within one woman who holds the key to humanity's survival. It will have you riveted.

Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
IMDB: 7.9

Sunshine (2007)

Critics Consensus: Danny Boyle continues his descent into mind-twisting sci-fi madness, taking us along for the ride. Sunshine fulfills the dual requisite necessary to become classic sci-fi: dazzling visuals with intelligent action.

Rotten Tomatoes: 75%
IMDB: 7.3

District 9 (2009)

Critics Consensus: Technically brilliant and emotionally wrenching, District 9 has action, imagination, and all the elements of a thoroughly entertaining science-fiction classic.

Rotten Tomatoes: 90%
IMDB: 8.0

Wall-E (2008)

Critics Consensus: Charming, audacious, and timely, Wall-E's lighthearted magic and stellar visuals testify once again to Pixar's ingenuity.

Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
IMDB: 8.5

Moon (2009)

Critics Consensus: Boosted by Sam Rockwell's intense performance, Moon is a compelling work of science-fiction, and a promising debut from director Duncan Jones.

Rotten Tomatoes: 89%
IMDB: 8.0

Inception (2010)

Critics Consensus: Smart, innovative, and thrilling, Inception is that rare summer blockbuster that succeeds viscerally as well as intellectually.

Rotten Tomatoes: 86%
IMDB: 8.8

Looper (2012)

Critics Consensus: As thought-provoking as it is thrilling, Looper delivers an uncommonly smart, bravely original blend of futuristic sci-fi and good old-fashioned action.

Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
IMDB: 7.5

Gravity (2013)

Critics Consensus: Alfonso Cuarón's Gravity is an eerie, tense sci-fi thriller that's masterfully directed and visually stunning.

Rotten Tomatoes: 97%
IMDB: 8.0

Her (2013)

Critics Consensus: Sweet, soulful, and smart, Spike Jonze's Her uses its just-barely-sci-fi scenario to impart wryly funny wisdom about the state of modern human relationships.

Rotten Tomatoes: 94%
IMDB: 8.1

Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

Critics Consensus: Gripping, well-acted, funny, and clever, Edge of Tomorrow offers entertaining proof that Tom Cruise is still more than capable of shouldering the weight of a blockbuster action thriller.

Rotten Tomatoes: 90%
IMDB: 8.0

Interstellar (2014)

Critics Consensus: Interstellar represents more of the thrilling, thought-provoking, and visually resplendent filmmaking moviegoers have come to expect from writer-director Christopher Nolan, even if its intellectual reach somewhat exceeds its grasp.

Rotten Tomatoes: 73%
IMDB: 8.9