Entertainment
10 Sci-Fi Movies That Are Now Officially Masterpieces
Often, the best kinds of science fiction movies are the ones that sneak up on you and surprise you with how exceptional they are in virtually every department. These kinds of unexpected masterpieces are proof that sci-fi doesn’t need a huge budget, a big cast, or even more than just one interesting idea in order to be great.
As a testament to this fact, one needn’t look much further than cult classics like Tetsuo: The Iron Man or underrated modern gems like Color Out of Space. No one would have been blamed for thinking that these films would be nothing special upon first glance, but with time, they have instead proved to be some of the most surprising masterpieces that sci-fi has ever seen.
‘The Vast of Night’ (2019)
Loosely based on the Kecksburg UFO incident from 1965 and the Foss Lake disappearances, The Vast of Night is science fiction at its most mysterious and suspenseful. It finds its characters, a switchboard operator and a radio DJ, starting to hear a strange signal over a radio frequency in 1950s New Mexico. What ensues is one of the most original alien invasion films of the last decade.
The Vast of Night is one of those near-perfect streaming movies that no one remembers today, an engrossing Prime Video original that’s far more than just a sci-fi period piece. It’s a modern low-fi masterpiece that established debuting director Andrew Patterson as a voice to look out for, proving that minimalist sci-fi can work wonders when paired with a solid script.
‘Coherence’ (2013)
In the psychological thriller Coherence, strange things start happening when a group of friends gets together for a dinner party on an evening when a comet is passing overhead. It’s the kind of less-is-more filmmaking that all aspiring indie directors should watch at least once, and the sort of shoestring-budget sci-fi that all fans of the genre should be able to appreciate and admire.
Coherence, which wears its Twilight Zone influences on its sleeve, is one of the most underrated sci-fi masterpieces of recent years. It, too, was a directing debut, one that showed James Ward Byrkit had a faultless understanding of what makes science fiction work. Hint: It’s not gargantuan budgets, but rather an ambitious idea and enough clever creativity to see it brought onto a big screen.
‘Moon’ (2009)
The always-enjoyable Sam Rockwell stars in Duncan Jones‘ directorial debut, Moon, as an astronaut who experiences a personal crisis as he nears the end of a three-year solitary stint on the far side of the Moon. It’s one of the most astonishing and ambitious performances of Rockwell’s career, and it couldn’t have been in a more fittingly astonishing and ambitious movie.
Moon is thematically sharp, emotionally engaging, and visually stunning, everything that a good science fiction film should always aim to be. On the surface, and based on its premise alone, it may look like nothing more than an extended Twilight Zone episode (not like that would be bad, though). In reality, Moon is a philosophically profound masterpiece filled to the brim with memorable moments.
‘Color Out of Space’ (2019)
Nicolas Cage has starred in a large number and wide variety of sci-fi movies over the years, and Color Out of Space is easily among his most underrated. Based on the short story of the same title by H. P. Lovecraft, it’s about a family on a secluded farm whose lives are transformed after a strange meteorite strikes. It was Richard Stanley‘s return to filmmaking after his firing from the infamous Island of Dr. Moreau, and what a comeback it is.
Exquisitely pulpy and unapologetically gonzo, this delectably bizarre cult classic is as narratively fascinating as it is visually striking. Cage and the rest of the cast all do a phenomenal job, and Stanley’s understanding of what makes cosmic horror work is pretty much flawless. As far as Lovecraftian films go, it rarely gets much better than this.
‘Last and First Men’ (2020)
Over the last decade, there have been some incredible sci-fi movies, including in 2020, in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic. But out of every great sci-fi film from the beginning of the decade, the best, boldest, and most experimental is easily the directorial debut of composer Jóhann Jóhannsson, Last and First Men. Narrated by Tilda Swinton, it’s about humans facing the threat of extinction two billion years in the future.
The movie, which was tragically the only one that Jóhannsson ever directed (since he passed away a couple of years before the movie’s premiere), basically consists of a beautifully narrated story superimposed on a surreal collection of shots of monuments erected in the former Yugoslavia. It’s an enthralling, thought-provoking study of humanity’s endurance throughout the years, and one of the most unique sci-fi films of recent years.
‘District 9’ (2009)
Who could have guessed that a modest American-New-Zealand-South-African co-production would end up being one of the greatest sci-fi films of the 2000s? Neill Blomkamp‘s District 9 is one of the most essential movies of 2009, about a government agent who finds himself banished to the remote ghetto where aliens live on a future Earth.
An intelligent gem fizzling with some of the most thought-provoking social commentary of any modern sci-fi film.
It’s a modern sci-fi classic through and through, full of creative ideas and engrossing thematic work. Irresistibly satirical without ever sacrificing its edge, District 9 is an intelligent gem fizzling with some of the most thought-provoking social commentary of any modern sci-fi film. It’s a jaw-dropping debut feature and a must-see for all fans of the genre, receiving a much-deserved Oscar nomination for Best Picture in 2010.
‘Donnie Darko’ (2001)
Throughout pretty much the entirety of the ’90s, the midnight cult film circuit lay mostly dormant. It was going to take something truly special to wake it back up, and “truly special” is something that Donnie Darko, Richard Kelly‘s directorial debut, definitely is. It’s a bizarre, utterly head-scratching little movie, but one of the greatest sci-fi films of the 21st century nevertheless. In it, a troubled teen is plagued by visions of a man in a rabbit suit who manipulates him to commit a series of crimes.
It’s the kind of sci-fi film that you need to be a genius to understand, sure, but all it takes to enjoy it is someone who loves the genre. Everything about this passion project of Kelly’s, from the performances to the writing to the mind-blowing ending, is absolutely unforgettable. Upon release, Donnie Darko was mostly a failure, which only made its later resurgence as a modern cult classic all the more unexpected.
‘Primer’ (2004)
People who love movies you need to be a genius to fully understand are pretty much guaranteed to love Shane Carruth‘s Primer, yet another—you guessed it—directorial debut. There’s something about the genre that lends itself perfectly to new creatives’ wildest ideas, and Primer is definitely wild. It’s about four friends who accidentally discover time travel, and the consequences of their new invention.
Famous for its minuscule budget, experimental structure, and philosophical depth, this cult classic proved that you don’t need to dumb down the “science” part of science fiction in order to keep your audience engaged. It’s a riveting movie from start to finish, a highly cerebral gem that tackles complex topics with the utmost intelligence and originality.
‘Tetsuo: The Iron Man’ (1989)
The world of Japanese horror cinema is filled with exceptional—and sometimes quite underrated—masterpieces. None is quite as grotesque, however, as Tetsuo: The Iron Man, one of the most groundbreaking J-horror films of the ’80s. In it, a businessman accidentally kills a man, who gets his revenge by slowly turning the businessman into a hybrid of flesh and metal.
Tetsuo: The Iron Man is one of the most surprisingly perfect sci-fi movies ever, a relentless punk rock masterpiece that scathingly criticizes the loss of individuality and humanity in the face of non-stop, ever-changing industrialization. The effects and sound design are haunting, Shinya Tsukamoto‘s direction is a blast of fun, and the 67-minute runtime makes the film a breeze to get through.
‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’ (2022)
Everything Everywhere All At Once came out of left field. Nothing about this hyper-ambitious study of family, generational trauma, immigration, and existential dread shouted “awards material” when it came out, yet the Daniels‘ magnum opus ended up becoming one of the biggest Oscar winners of the 2020s so far. Needless to say, it’s one of the most perfect movies of the last 20 years.
On paper, Everything Everywhere shouldn’t work. No one would be blamed for labeling it too big, too ambitious, too experimental. But it’s in its sincerity and earnestness that the movie finds its strength, and in its confidence that it finds the time to offer something for everyone: romance, action, humor, excellent performances, and no shortage of tear-jerking moments. It’s one of the biggest unexpected masterpieces of all time, let alone just from the sci-fi genre.