Top 20 Greatest Sci-Fi Movies of All Time

I've never met anyone new before only Nathan and I guess we're both in quite a similar position haven't you met lots of new people before none like you welcome to watch Mojo and today we're counting down our picks for the top 20 best sci-fi movies of all time sir for this list we're going over the greatest flicks in the genre to be clear we won't be including animated movies or superhero films as those have lists of their own if there's a futuristic movie you wish we'd had the forethought to include on our list let us know in the comments number 20. Star Trek 2 the Wrath of Khan Star Trek is one of the biggest names in sci-fi the franchise's most celebrated film is unquestionably its second you still remember Admiral I cannot help Ed I of course remember you during the Wrath of Khan Kirk's titular Nemesis enacts a plan of revenge against the heroes on the Enterprise after being stranded for years what follows is a Shakespearean struggle of Rivals with plenty of lives on the line I shall leave you as you left me her my own for all eternity [Music] of a dead planet buried alive all the drama of the Space Opera is kept grounded thanks to the personal and emotional Stakes for both the heroes and the villains outside of the memorable and deep dialogue the movie also delivers on the space action scenes we have a feeling Spock would approve of this franchise film being singled out as a spectacular sci-fi flick in any case where I to invoke logic logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few number 19 Avatar while critics have pointed out that Avatar shares some plot similarities with other films the James Cameron epic was still revolutionary [Music] early 2 th the entertainment industry by taking visual effects to an entirely new level between Innovative uses of 3D and CGI that will likely hold up for decades the experience of exploring the world of Pandora is still incredible she talks about a network of energy that flows through all living things he says all energy is only borrowed and one day you have to give it back these stunning visuals helped make Jake Sully's quest to understand an alien species as Humanity encroaches on their world feel like a fresh and original approach and based on Avatar's record-breaking box office receipts there are a lot of people who love that world number 18 Solaris while Solaris might not be as well known to Modern audiences as other Interstellar flicks those that have watched it can verify that it's one of the greatest space films out there it follows a psychologist sent to evaluate the crew of a space station after they begin reporting bizarre experiences hello this is my Channel all of the time the film spends on introspection and the examination of its character's psyches make it far from a straightforward narrative at the same time the Deep themes are exactly what make the movie Stand Out yes those who enjoy contemplating the human mind and the nature of reality while in space will find Solaris endlessly fascinating number 17 The Day the Earth Stood Still first contact with aliens in movies usually sees things go poorly for Humanity but The Day the Earth Stood Still took a different tack we have come to visit you in peace and with Goodwill clatu and his robot Gort have come to Earth in peace and for peace their designs and motivations influenced tons of sci-fi movies that came after and by watching their experiences on Earth and interactions with Humanity viewers get an opportunity to see themselves through alien eyes after I suppose you're just as scared as the rest of us in a different way perhaps I am fearful when I see people substituting fear for reason although the film was made in the 50s its messaging on the drawbacks of war and mistrust are still surprisingly relevant today The Day the Earth Stood Still will likely remain poignant until Humanity can put aside its self-destructive Tendencies number 16 her I think I'm weird kind of why well you seem like a person but you're just a voice and a computer I can understand how the limited perspective of an unofficial mind would perceive it that way you'll get used to it her invites us to a not too distant future where virtual assistants becomes self-aware the film follows Theodore a man who struggles with romantic Connection getting into a relationship with his AI assistant Samantha watching the two form a tight Bond despite never being able to physically connect is incredible I thought this song could be like a photograph while Joaquin Phoenix delivers a great and vulnerable performance Scarlett Johansson deserves a lot of credit for her layered voice only role as Samantha they co-star in a film that isn't just a look at what relationships between humans and AI could look like but also an examination of modern relationships in general it makes viewers think about the drawbacks and triumphs of using technology to find love for sure in this room with me right now my arms around you foreign Mad Max Fury Road post-apocalyptic action movies are a dime a dozen but Mad Max Fury Road leaves most of them in the dusted in a hellish future a man named Max unintentionally becomes a part of a quest to free imprisoned women from a warlord the normally independent man must learn how to work with the dynamic and Powerful furiosa if he and his allies want to have any shot at Freedom what's your name what do I call you matter fine when I yell full you drive out of here as fast as you can the cinematography and effects are jaw-dropping and when it does slow down Fury Road features profoundly poignant character moments it's a rare film that can balance tragic emotional scenes and high octane violence the way Mad Max Fury Road Blends all those elements should be witnessed by all like this lady [Music] number 14 Planet of the Apes while there have been many brilliant Planet of the Apes films over the years the original remains a beloved classic for good reason cause of me you damn dirty ape when astronauts find themselves in a world ruled by intelligent Apes they must struggle to survive in a world where humans are marginalized this setup allows the movie to dive deep into themes about Prejudice and misuse of authority the movie was also widely celebrated for the phenomenal makeup work done on the ape actors despite being covered in Prosthetics their performances are just as powerful and emotive as leading man Charlton heston's is Junior shoes [Applause] Planet of the Apes is such a standout sci-fi movie that we would have been Maniacs if we ignored it you blew it up damn you God damn you hold the hell number 13 Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind If you could forget someone would you Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind answers that question with a heartbreaking narrative it's going to be gone soon what do we do in the movie Joel and Clementine both paid to have the memories of their relationship removed after their breakup as their shared past is erased we see Snippets of different parts of their relationship replayed out of order do you have a shop at Barnes Noble that's it yeah I've seen you man book slave there for like five years now oh Jesus I would thought I would remember you yes it might be the hair the film features incredible practical effects to convey the way memory works and although it may deal with how people can fall out of love Eternal Sunshine is incredibly romantic Melancholy yet ultimately optimistic the film uses its sci-fi Concepts to show that love does not always end when it's forgotten remember me your best if only we could erase our memories of Eternal Sunshine and watch it with fresh eyes number 12 Back to the Future my calculations are correct when this baby hits 88 miles per hour you're gonna see some serious you don't need to travel to 88 miles per hour to reach one of the best time travel movies in the entire genre after the teenage Marty McFly inadvertently uses doc Brown's DeLorean time machine to travel to the 1950s the kid accidentally changes the past and threatens his own existence the temporal traveler ultimately must play matchmaker for his parents so he isn't erased from the timeline telling Destiny brought you together tell her that she is the most beautiful girl you've ever seen in the world girls like that stuff what are you doing I'm writing this down this is good stuff wow Marty and Doc scramble to prevent a bad future they throw out tons of quotable lines about everything from determination to Destiny both characters also have fantastic comedic timing that can turn even the most mundane moments into laugh out loud hilarious scenes who's president of the United States in 1985. Ronald Reagan Ronald Reagan the actor then who's vice president Jerry Lewis even if it's not 100 scientifically accurate this time travel Adventure is definitely fun number 11. Inception although people put ideas in each other's heads all the time Inception takes that concept to its most literal extreme see only I know the balance and the weight of this particular loaded die that way when you look at your totem you know beyond the doubt that you're not in someone else's dream the film follows a Motley Crew of dream Specialists who must race to play an idea in the mind of a sleeping Executive before he wakes up every time they dive into a deeper layer of their Target's subconscious they face new challenges and awe-inspiring set pieces while director Christopher Nolan uses CGI to make all the dreams we see a reality he also blows us away by incorporating stunning practical effects and camera tricks and none of the visuals distract from the intricate plot and questions about how we Define reality this mind-bending adventure ends with a scene that's beloved and hotly debated [Music] number 10 ET the Extraterrestrial Steve Spielberg has done a lot of exceptional Sci-Fi movies we could have included on our list like Close Encounters of the Third Kind or Jurassic Park but we're going with the childhood classic ET the Extraterrestrial [Music] the story of a young boy meeting an alien and trying to get the otherworldly visitor home is a Timeless tale of friendship E.T is as funny as it is heartwarming and as nerve-wracking as it is wondrous thanks to this alien we craved his beloved Reese's piece of snack and wanted our own bikes to fly across the sky the film shows why first contact with alien life could be best if a child did it sometimes kids demonstrate the best of humanity number nine Forbidden Planet welcome to alter Ed because it's the world of Altair 4 they discover a scientist and daughter are the only survivors of an expedition the new arrivals soon figure out why when a mysterious assailant starts messing with their mission and equipment while the plot seems like it will fully focus on an unseen antagonist the movie also serves as a cautionary Tale the choice of whether or not to harness Advanced alien technology Drew parallels to discussions about nuclear weapons after a million years of shining sanity they could hardly have understood what power was destroying them outside of firm planet's great social commentary its aesthetic sets and costumes greatly influenced everything from Star Trek to Star Wars the way the movie executed its out of this world premise made a huge impact on the Sci-Fi landscape number eight children of men what would happen if Humanity became infertile why do you think we can't make babies anymore chewing on this great big wing and he says I have the fattest idea he said but this stalk is quite tasty isn't it Children of Men paints a bleak future where a man named Theo struggles to live in a world where there are no more babies being born however he gets a shot of Hope when he's pulled into a mission to protect a pregnant woman name my baby fully it's the first baby in 18 years you can't call it froly as they flee from place to place they are extremely perilous Journey comments heavily on Refugee crises and the nature of human conflict Children of Men also depicts these events with stunning cinematography and jaw-dropping long shots everything the beautiful filmmaking helps viewers keep a sense of optimism in a world that is on the brink of giving up all hope number seven aliens we love the original alien too it's fantastic sci-fi horror but the sequels somehow managed to improve upon an already amazing concept after surviving an encounter with dangerous Xenomorphs Ellen Ripley is asked to help a group of Marines who are pursuing more aliens what follows is a tense and action-packed Adventure that sees a reluctant heroine jump back into a fight she thought was over brought back its predecessor's aesthetic and Grim atmosphere while including more action expanding the world and introducing memorable characters Ripley's climactic battle against the xenomorph Queen is also epic and Unforgettable on [Music] [Applause] as of 2022 no Alien prequel or follow-up has topped this legendary sequel number six Blade Runner dripping with a neon lit atmosphere and sporting one of the most imaginative futuristic worlds Blade Runner is so incredible that following up on it seemed impossible while its sequel did exceed expectations it still couldn't top the classic I need the old Blade Runner I need your magic quit when I come in here Brian I'm twice as quick now in the grungy future of Blade Runner Rick Deckard hunts down human replicants in a futuristic Los Angeles the gruff protagonist eventually starts to question whether he's on the right side of this conflict what if I go north [Music] Pier [Music] would you come after me throughout the movie the real and artificial beings examine what it means to be human the amazing production design and haunting score also helped transport us to this Dark World moments will be lost in time [Music] like the tears in Rain while viewers May disagree on which of blade runner's endings is best they can all agree that this movie is a Sci-Fi great Number Five Star Wars episode 5 The Empire Strikes Back three years after A New Hope completely changed the game for Blockbuster movies its sequel showed everyone how to follow up on an amazing story sir the possibility of successfully navigating an asteroid field is approximately 3720 never tell me the odds after the heroes scored a big win against the empire in the first film they're all backed into a corner by their enemies but the protagonists refused to let the overwhelming odds betrayal and questions about their identity stop them all right I'll give it a try no why not do or do not there is no try The Empire Strikes Back greatly expanded upon an already huge Universe in exciting ways it also features some of the most iconic dialogue in not just sci-fi but in all of Cinema and the film's major twist is arguably one of the best turns in movie history [Music] The Empire Strikes Back is easily one of the best space operas the galaxy has ever seen number 4. Metropolis an expressionist silent film from the 20s Metropolis is an operatic Tale of Two Lovers from high and low Society in a futuristic mechanized world the straightforward premise of metropolis is accompanied by imagery and commentary that made it legendary Echoes of its Gothic and Art Deco set design can be found in tons of sci-fi movies and other genre films of the last century [Music] [Applause] foreign marks one of the first depictions of a humanoid robot on screen Additionally the film also Taps into the fears of an overly industrialized world its themes about the struggle between classes have remained tragically relevant for nearly a century a lot of the aspects people love about the Sci-Fi genre can be traced back to this 1920s film number three The Matrix this film took the World by storm and had us all saying influenced by everything from cyberpunk to anime The Matrix is a perfect blend of high Concepts and high action in this adventure hacker Neo learns the whole world is a simulation created by machines after Awakening to the Cold Truth he learns how to take advantage of everything The Matrix has to offer he is the one the wild narrative makes for a gripping and endlessly fascinating film View ERS were also hooked on the incredible action and the hugely influential bullet time effects The Matrix also programs thought-provoking philosophical Concepts into its memorable story what is real how do you define real if you're talking about what you can feel what you can smell what you can taste and see then real is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain while you might question reality by the end you won't doubt that you saw an incredibly cool and important sci-fi movie number two Terminator 2 Judgment Day the first Terminator got the franchise off to a fantastic start but T2 is the clear peak of the franchise get down in the second outing an artificial Terminator aims to protect Humanity's savior from a more advanced killer robot both the action and special effects have managed to hold up for over 30 years and counting underneath the spectacle the actors give great performances that hit every emotional beat you think you're safe and alive you're already dead everybody him you you're dead already there's always everything you see is gone as they struggle to prevent a dark future they're forced to question if just a handful of people can change the fate of the planet when you add all these elements up Terminator 2 Judgment Day is a sci-fi film whose Brilliance and epic action will always bring a tear to our eye I don't know why you cry but it's something I can never do before we unveil our top pick here are some honorable mentions Dune part one a story once thought impossible to adapt turned out to be unbelievably good bless the maker and his wife bless the coming and going of him may his passage cleanse the world and keep the world for his people Tron a digital adventure with effects that were far ahead of their time Brazil it presents an absurdist dystopian world that's funny and scary in equal measure fine here please that The War of the Worlds one of the most recognizable Alien Invasion movies of all time [Music] they put out some sort of electromagnetic coverage Invasion of the Body Snatchers this remake about undercover Alien Invaders managed to surpass the original [Applause] before we continue be sure to subscribe to our Channel and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos you have the option to be notified for occasional videos or all of them if you're on your phone make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications number one 2001 A Space Odyssey [Music] 2001 A Space Odyssey Chronicles Humanities interactions with strange monoliths from our earliest Origins to our first steps into outer space additionally it features an ill-fated Mission ruined by a rogue AI open the pod bay doors hell [Music] I'm sorry Dave I'm afraid I can't do that Stanley Kubrick's film was widely celebrated for its accurate depiction of how space travel works and groundbreaking effects even modern audiences May wonder how half the shots were achieved but what truly makes 2001 a masterpiece is how its ambiguous ending allows each and every audience member to take something different from the story while it may be subtitled a space odyssey the movie is a veritable space Symphony of spectacular music and ideas about the Wonders and dangers of what reaching for the Stars could bring [Music] [Applause] foreign did you enjoy this video check out these other clips from WatchMojo and be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos

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Keywords: 2001 a space odyssey, Film, Movies, Sci Fi, aliens, avatar, best movies, best sci fi, best sci-fi, best sci-fi movies, best sci-fi movies of all time, children of men, dune, futuristic movies, greatest sci-fi movies, her, inception, list, mad max fury road, mojo, sci-fi movies, science fiction, science fiction movies, star trek, star wars, terminator, the matrix, top 10, watch mojo, watchmojo

Id: E_lVUq73Cxs

Length: 25min 22sec (1522 seconds)

Published: Sun Oct 09 2022