Sci-fi movies can come in all shapes and sizes, and while some only make light use of the genre’s signature tropes, others delve so deeply into the sci-fi bag of tricks that the experience refuses to ever leave the viewer’s mind. These kinds of stories admittedly aren’t for everyone, as they can either be difficult to follow or too intense for someone in the mood for an accessible watch. However, that doesn’t mean movies in this category aren’t amazing in their own right.
While many movies are made for escapism purposes, sci-fi often provides a more solid disconnect from reality. The genre can often allow a story to be less grounded than other movies, making it easier to forget about the real world while watching. So, it’s even more of a bonus when a movie ends and leaves the audience with something to chew on. This extends the experience of being distracted by something that isn’t an everyday challenge, and pondering a movie’s messages and themes can lead to some pretty profound realizations — sometimes years after the credits have rolled.
6
Inception (2010)
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Christopher Nolan is no stranger to high-concept sci-fi movies, and Inception is probably his most high-profile effort in this respect. As well as the story introducing a surprisingly lore-dense world that teases far more about Extraction Teams than is ultimately said out loud, Inception raises several questions about subconscious thoughts, and what really motivates people to make the choices they do. It’s framed as a high-octane action movie with slick camera work and a stellar ensemble cast, but scratch just below the surface, and Inception is a highly philosophical affair that can keep the brain ticking over long after it ends.
5
Predestination (2014)
Directed by: The Spierig Brothers
Predestination is based on a 1959 short story called “‘—All You Zombies—'” by Robert A. Heinlein. It went fairly under the radar at the time of release, causing it to flop at the box office. However, the movie is immaculately written and shouldn’t be dismissed for its financial downfalls. This is the kind of movie that, when discussed in too much detail, is immediately spoiled. That said, it’s not a spoiler to say it’s filled with time travel, cloak-and-dagger affairs, and a pretty wild reveal that’ll leave audiences open-mouthed by the time it comes around…if they can keep up. Behind all the sci-fi window dressing, of which there is a lot, Predestination is a movie about controlling one’s fate, and how much of that is even down to things like choice and/or free will.
4
Poor Things (2023)
Directed by: Yorgos Lanthimos
Searchlight Pictures
Poor Things masterfully shifts between moments that poignantly explore what it means to be human and scenes that seem like they’ve been lifted right out of a fever dream. Its dark sense of humor is only deepened by the macabre goings-on that both provide a solid foundation for the story to be told and continue to happen throughout the movie. It’s one of those films that can be interpreted in different ways upon each viewing, but it’s tough to shake the meaning gleaned from the first time around, and what that might mean about the person watching it. On the surface, it’s a riff on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, but that would be a massive oversimplification.
3
Source Code (2011)
Directed by: Duncan Jones
When people talk about Jake Gyllenhaal in sci-fi movies, it’s often 2001’s Donnie Darko that’s discussed most often. While that movie could certainly have made this list, Source Code is just slightly better and receives significantly less attention. Source Code somehow finds a way to be an allegory for the blur between reality and fiction, lost love, and even manages to find time to provide some pretty meta commentary on the general concept of an afterlife. It uses a terrorist plot as a vehicle for the larger story being told, and just as it seems obvious what’s going to happen next, Source Code just keeps churning out curveballs. When it ends, the viewer is left wondering which version of events just took place. Maybe it was all of them.
2
Mr. Nobody (2009)
Directed by: Jaco Van Dormael
In a future where humanity has given everyone the chance to live forever, Jared Leto’s Nemo Nobody is the first person to miss out on the scientific breakthrough. At 118 years old, Mr. Nobody‘s title character reflects on his life from his deathbed. While it initially seems like a pretty standard retelling of his existence, versions of events start to be discussed that can’t possibly add up, and it becomes clear that Leto’s character isn’t just talking about his triumphs, but also his biggest regrets — as if every permutation of each actually happened to him. Mr. Nobody is a generously flexible autobiography that teases the existence of a multiverse that might just be wishful thinking.
1
12 Monkeys (1995)
Directed by: Terry Gilliam
When the topic of the best time travel movies arises, things like Back to the Future tend to take the lion’s share of the praise. However, 12 Monkeys gives many of its competitors a run for their money. The timeline in 12 Monkeys is so intricate that it can take multiple watches to be fully appreciated and understood. The story at the forefront of everything is easy to follow, but concentrating on how James Cole’s (Bruce Willis) temporal surroundings affect both him and his primary mission is where it starts to get cerebral. By the end, so much mental energy has been spent keeping track of things that the more impactful parts of the narrative and sci-fi worldbuilding can’t be fully left behind.
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