The best sci-fi movies of the 21st century

Top sci-fi films of the century (so far)
'Dune: Part Two' (Denis Villeneuve, 2024)
'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse' (2023)
'Poor Things' (Yorgos Lanthimos, 2023)
'Everything Everywhere All at Once' (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, 2022)
'Dune' (Denis Villeneuve, 2021)
'The Midnight Sky' (George Clooney, 2020)
'Palm Springs' (2020, Max Barbakow)
'Proxima' (Alice Winocour, 2019)
'Ad Astra' (James Gray, 2019)
'Avengers: Infinity War' (Anthony and Joe Russo, 2018)
'Annihilation' (Alex Garland, 2018)
'High Life' (Claire Denis, 2018)
'The Arrival' (Denis Villeneuve, 2016)
'The Lobster' (Yorgos Lanthimos, 2015)
'Mad Max: Fury Road' (George Miller, 2015)
'Ex Machina' (Alex Garland, 2014)
'Big Hero 6' (Chris Williams and Don Hall, 2014)
'Interstellar' (Christopher Nolan, 2014)
'Edge of Tomorrow' (Doug Liman, 2014)
'The Congress' (Ari Folman, 2013)
'Gravity' (Alfonso Cuarón, 2013)
'Under the Skin' (Jonathan Glazer, 2013)
'Her' (Spike Jonze, 2013)
'Looper' (Rian Johnson, 2012)
'Prometheus' (Ridley Scott, 2012)
'Inception' (Christopher Nolan, 2010)
'Avatar' (James Cameron, 2009)
'District 9' (Neill Blomkamp, 2009)
'Moon' (Duncan Jones, 2009)
'Wall-E' (Andrew Stanton, 2008)
'Sunshine' (Danny Boyle, 2007)
'Children of Men' (Alfonso Cuarón, 2006)
'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' (Garth Jennings, 2005)
'The Day After Tomorrow' (Roland Emmerich, 2004)
'Primer' (Shane Carruth, 2004)
'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' (Michel Gondry, 2004)
'Treasure Planet' (John Musker and Ron Clements, 2002)
Minority Report (Steven Spielberg, 2002)
'A.I. Artificial Intelligence' (Steven Spielberg, 2001)
Top sci-fi films of the century (so far)

Saying that science fiction is just a trend in Hollywood is so wrong. In fact. it's a genre that delivers hits and critical gems every single year. With technology accelerating and more people worried about the future, these sci-fi masterpieces have seemingly increased. Here are the best science fiction movies of the 21st century... so far!

Photo: Warner Media

'Dune: Part Two' (Denis Villeneuve, 2024)

Villeneuve continued his 'Dune' adaptation in the best possible way, offering a faithful, epic rendition with a sensational cast. Both audiences and critics are devoted to this saga that has already made film history.

Photo: Warner Media

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'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse' (2023)

The trilogy based on Miles Morales' work has been a treat, but 'Across the Spider-Verse' stands out for its smart premise, glorious action, unbeatable script, and an epic finale.

Photo: Sony Pictures Animation

'Poor Things' (Yorgos Lanthimos, 2023)

While many might overlook this due to Emma Stone's stunning and half-naked performance, it all starts with Dr. Godwin (Willem Dafoe) resurrecting Bella Baxter. If resurrection isn't science fiction...

'Everything Everywhere All at Once' (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, 2022)

This absurdist film about parrallel universes, immigration and family relationships is a mindblowing and unique film that won seven Academy Awards.

'Dune' (Denis Villeneuve, 2021)

An ode to the genre, a majestic film, visually overwhelming, and a testament that Frank Herbert’s novel was not cursed. Despite its open ending, the applause was unanimous, as were the awards, since it bagged 6 out of 10 Oscars.

Photo: Warner Media

'The Midnight Sky' (George Clooney, 2020)

A sensational and perhaps underrated work by George Clooney. 'The Midnight Sky' is not just a visual treat; it also proposes paradigms that are at times overwhelming, all set against the backdrop of two unfriendly environments: a spaceship and a devastated planet.

Photo: Netflix

'Palm Springs' (2020, Max Barbakow)

This sci-fi rom-com follows two strangers stuck in a time loop at a wedding in Palm Springs. Funny and thought provoking, it won Best Musical or Comedy at the 2021 Golden Globe Awards.

'Proxima' (Alice Winocour, 2019)

Proxima' offers an intriguing look at the human aspect rather than the fictional, focusing specifically on the relationship between an astronaut and her 7-year-old daughter whom she must leave for a year on a space mission, a journey where s e x i sm is blatant and persistent.

'Ad Astra' (James Gray, 2019)

'Ad Astra' feels like an 80s adventure with today's visual capabilities, plus Brad Pitt. James Gray knew what he was doing when he sent Roy McBride into space to search for his father, allowing him to uncover secrets beyond human comprehension.

Photo: Twentieth Century Fox

'Avengers: Infinity War' (Anthony and Joe Russo, 2018)

'Avengers: Infinity War' was the grand finale to a story told over 10 years and countless movies. This convergence of many adventures resulted in an epic ending, with a memorable assembly of stars and historical moments like that of Mjolnir. More than a film, this was a global event for the ages.

Photo: Marvel Studios

'Annihilation' (Alex Garland, 2018)

That Oscar Isaac's agent is a genius is no secret. That Alex Garland is a genius is also well known. His adaptation of Jeff VanderMeer's 'Southern Reach' saga is masterful and is now considered a cult film, silencing critics who tore it apart upon release.

Photo: Paramount Pictures

'High Life' (Claire Denis, 2018)

'High Life' by Claire Denis is a film that makes you think, get angry, cry, laugh, and end with a feeling of not understanding what has happened. Suffice it to say that the protagonists are death row inmates, given a chance for commutation in exchange for participating in a complicated space mission.

'The Arrival' (Denis Villeneuve, 2016)

Taking science fiction to an emotional level as Villeneuve does in 'The Arrival' is a feat few can achieve. And the fact that Amy Adams was robbed of an Oscar, once again, is an opinion shared by everyone on Earth and the aliens she was supposed to communicate with.

'The Lobster' (Yorgos Lanthimos, 2015)

In this dystopian sci-fi romantic dark comedy, single people are taken to a hotel to find a partner. But they only have 45 days to do so... or else they will be turned into an animal of their choosing.

'Mad Max: Fury Road' (George Miller, 2015)

George Miller decided to take his own cult classic, revisit it, and elevate it even higher in the Hollywood pantheon. 'Mad Max: Fury Road' is a deranged, frenetic, and overwhelming film with a sublime Tom Hardy and a majestic Charlize Theron.

'Ex Machina' (Alex Garland, 2014)

We return to Oscar Isaac and Alex Garland, who push the moral dilemmas of androids to limits we all recognize but remain uncomfortable addressing. Alicia Vikander is masterful as Ava, and her ending is terrifying yet wonderful.

Photo: Universal Pictures International

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'Big Hero 6' (Chris Williams and Don Hall, 2014)

Based on the comic by Duncan Rouleau and Steven T. Seagle, 'Big Hero 6' is as endearing as it is harsh. A perfect portrayal of how big companies can corrupt even the most beneficial invention for humanity... and how a robot and a human can create unbreakable bonds.

Photo: Disney

'Interstellar' (Christopher Nolan, 2014)

Nolan is one of the great auteurs of the 21st century, and 'Interstellar' is a standout work. Astonishing, inspiring, and featuring the best possible duo to save humanity: Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway.

Photo: Paramount Pictures

'Edge of Tomorrow' (Doug Liman, 2014)

Tom Cruise hits his usual hero mode but this time with the ability to resurrect in a time loop that allows him to reset upon death and thus study the weaknesses of the alien race about to invade Earth.

Photo: Warner Bros Entertainment Inc.

'The Congress' (Ari Folman, 2013)

Based on a novel by Stanislaw Lem, 'The Congress' foresaw what is now happening in reality: an actress sells her image rights for studios to use a digital copy of her at their whim. All of this is combined with masterful animation and live action.

'Gravity' (Alfonso Cuarón, 2013)

What would you do if you were left floating in outer space? That's what Alfonso Cuarón explores with George Clooney and Sandra Bullock, with exceptional execution. A special space movie.

Photo: Warner Bros

'Under the Skin' (Jonathan Glazer, 2013)

Based on the novel by Michel Faber, time has elevated this film to cult status for one reason: a sublime, captivating, and deadly Scarlett Johansson.

Photo: Studio Canal

'Her' (Spike Jonze, 2013)

Is it possible to fall in love with an Artificial Intelligence? In Spike Jonze's prophetic story, it's clear that yes, you can, with all the implications that come with it.

Photo: Warner Bros Picture

'Looper' (Rian Johnson, 2012)

In the year 2072, murder is outlawed, so criminals are sent to be executed in the past by the Loopers, through a time machine. But what would happen if a future Looper is sent to be eliminated by his past self?

Photo: Sony Pictures Entertainment

'Prometheus' (Ridley Scott, 2012)

The 'Alien' saga showed that there is still much to say in this wonderful and underrated film that not only answers decades-old questions but also raises new ones.

Photo: Twentieth Century Fox

'Inception' (Christopher Nolan, 2010)

An elegantly structured film, a story without logical structure. A movie to ponder for days, like a top that never stops spinning.

Photo: Warner Bros Picture

'Avatar' (James Cameron, 2009)

James Cameron's grand work is a visual treat and a feast for the senses. While its story might not be out of this world, Pandora certainly is, marking a before and after in cinema as the first film shot in stereoscopic 3D.

Photo: Twentieh Century Fox

'District 9' (Neill Blomkamp, 2009)

Would it be possible for humans to segregate visiting aliens in concentration camps? Absolutely. And Neill Blomkamp makes this clear in a science fiction story that's more real than anyone would like to admit.

'Moon' (Duncan Jones, 2009)

Duncan Jones debuted with a surprising, simple story, featuring a sublime Sam Rockwell as an astronaut who uncovers a terrible secret, just days before he is due to renew his three-year mining contract on the Moon.

Photo: Sony Pictures Classics

'Wall-E' (Andrew Stanton, 2008)

More than an hour without dialogue, where Wall-E shows a devastated planet where he cleans up trash and piles it into endless mountains. This fierce critique of the capitalist system and current society is more relevant than ever and proves that a robot can be more human than humans themselves.

Photo: Disney Pixar

'Sunshine' (Danny Boyle, 2007)

Chris Evans, Michelle Yeoh, Cillian Murphy... Wow, Danny Boyle and Alex Garland sure had an eye for casting. In this movie, a team is sent to the sun to launch an explosive charge to reignite it, before it explodes within five years.

'Children of Men' (Alfonso Cuarón, 2006)

Men cannot procreate and women are sterile. Humanity is doomed to extinction unless a woman who might hold the solution to what is happening reaches her destination alive.

'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' (Garth Jennings, 2005)

What would you do if you knew the planet was going to disappear because they are going to build an intergalactic highway in its place?

Photo: Touchstone Pictures

'The Day After Tomorrow' (Roland Emmerich, 2004)

This unforgettable film from the burgeoning cli-fi (climate change fiction) genre, explores what happens when the North Atlantic Ocean circulation is disrupted, triggering a rapid new ice age in New York.

'Primer' (Shane Carruth, 2004)

Costing just $7,000, yet it's a cult masterpiece that weaves a tale of time travel with existential queries like what makes us human intertwined with quantum physics. Dense for many, but a gem within the genre.

Photo: New Line Cinema

'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' (Michel Gondry, 2004)

A love story like we've never seen before. Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey exhibit exceptional chemistry as a couple who break up and want to erase their memories, only to face the problem of falling in love all over again.

'Treasure Planet' (John Musker and Ron Clements, 2002)

A classic animated adventure film that adapts Robert Louis Stevenson's marvelous novel but sets it in space with a treasure as the goal. It wasn't Disney's best era, which perhaps led to it being criminally overlooked.

Photo: Walt Disney Studios

Minority Report (Steven Spielberg, 2002)

This blockbuster adaptation of a Phillip K. D i c k novella was one of the most anticipated film of the year due to its high profile collaboration between Speilberg and Tom Cruise. And it didn't dissapoint. It explores what would happen when police can prevent crimes before they are committed...

'A.I. Artificial Intelligence' (Steven Spielberg, 2001)

Spielberg anticipated the coexistence of humans and androids and the moral debates this would entail, focusing the story on David, a robot child programmed to love who awakens too many suspicions among his supposed family.

Photo: Warner Brothers and Dreamworks LCC.

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