My Favorite 50 Sci-Fi Films

Blade Runner – John Conway

Simply put, this is a list of my favorite science fiction films (the top 50).  Movies which are a part of a series/trilogy, like Star Wars are listed all together. (I know.  I cheated again.)  I have also left out animated films and films I felt fit better in other genres (like horror or comic-book hero), but I will likely do separate lists of these in later posts. The “KH” mark indicates a movie I worked on.  If something is missing it’s probably because I haven’t seen it, I didn’t like it, or I didn’t remember it.  If you want to know more about these films, I suggest you check out the Internet Movie Database. The order may not be exact, it’s hard to choose amongst one’s favorites, but here it is:

My Favorites

1. Blade Runner [1982]
2. Alien & Aliens [1979 & 1986] (though these are arguably more horror than sci-fi)(The others in this series are omitted on purpose.)
3. The Matrix [1999, 2003, 2003]
4. Star Wars [1974, 1980, 1983] (I do not wish to discuss episodes I, II, and III)
5. I Robot [2004]
6. I Am Legend [2007]
7. Inception [2010]
8. Super 8 [2011]
9. Avatar [2009KH]
10. Star Trek [1979*, 1982*****, 1984***, 1986****, 1989**, 1991****, 1994***, 1996****, 1998**, 2002***, 2009KH******] (*rating compares Star Trek films only)
11. Galaxy Quest [1999]
12. The Terminator [1984, 1991, 2003KH, 2009]
13. Minority Report [2002]
14. John Carter of Mars [2012]
15. Cowboys and Aliens [2011]
16. Battle: Los Angeles [2011]
17. Stargate [1994]
18. Knowing [2009]
19. The Time Traveler’s Wife [2009] (might not be considered sci-fi by some)
20. 12 Monkeys [1995]
21. A.I. Artificial Intelligence [2001KH]
22. Independence Day [1996]
23. Pandorum [2009]
24. Children of Men [2006]
25. Signs [2002]
26. District 9 [2009]
27. The Fifth Element [1997]
28. Men in Black [1997, 2002]
29. 2012 [2009]
30. City of Ember [2008]
31. Dune [1984 & 2002]
32. The Thing [1982, 2011]
33. War of the Worlds [1953, 2005KH]
34. The Island [2005]
35. Predator [1987]
36. Star Ship Troopers [1997] (Only the first movie)
37. Event Horizon [1997] (like Alien, arguably a horror flick, but sci-fi through most of it)
38. 2001: A Space Odyssey & 2010 [1968 & 1984] (2010 better, but see 2001 first)
39. The Time Machine [1960, 2002KH]
40. Total Recall [1990]
41. Dark City [1998]
42. Pitch Black [2000]
43. Outland [1981]
44. The Day the Earth Stood Still [1951 & 2008]
45. Equilibrium [2002]
46. Monsters [2010]
47. Enemy Mine [1985]
48. Zathura: A Space Adventure [2005KH]
49. Jurassic Park [1993, 1997KH, 2001KH] (the second movie not so much)
50. Explorers [1985]

Honorable Mention

1. Red Planet [2000]
2. Surrogates [2009]
3. Back to the Future [1985, 1989, 1990]
4. Forbidden Planet [1956]
5. The Abyss [1989]
6. Paycheck [2003]
7. Starman [1984]
8. Armageddon [1998] & Deep Impact [1998] (the same but different :))
9. Mad Max [1979, 1981, 1985]
10. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea [1954]
11. The Hitchhicker’s Guide to the Galaxy [2005]
12. V for Vendetta [2005]
13. Contact [1997]
14. Flight of the Navigator [1986]
15. Brazil [1985]
16. Close Encounters of the Third Kind [1977]
17. E.T. [1982]
18. Skyline [2010]
19. Alien Nation [1988]
20. Lost in Space [1998]
21. The Core [2003]
22. The Final Cut [2004]
23. Deja Vu [2006]
24. Eagle Eye [2008]
25. The Forgotten [2004]
26. 6th Day [2000]
27. Timecrimes [2007]
28. Altered States [1980]
29. I Am Number Four [2011]
30. Dreamcatcher [2003]
31. The Fly [1958 & 1986]
32. Soldier [1998]
33. Imposter [2001]
34. War Games [1983]
35. Firestarter [1984]
36. Logan’s Run [1976]
37. The Andromeda Strain [1971]
38. The Last Starfighter [1984]
39. Soylent Green [1973]
40. Planet of the Apes [1968, 1970, 1972, 1973, 2001]
41. Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure [1989, 1991]
42. Fire in the Sky [1993]
43. Dreamscape [1984]
44. Inner Space [1987]
45. Running Man [1987]
46. Serenity [2005]
47. Twilight Zone: The Movie [1983]
48. The Philadelphia Experiment [1984]
49. The Final Countdown [1980]
50. Krull [1983]
51. The Ice Pirates [1984]
52. Master of the World [1961] (Vincent Price)
53. Wedlock [1991]
54. Johnny Mnemonic [1995]
55. AVP: Alien vs. Predator [2004]
56. Babylon A.D. [2008]
57. Robocop [1987]
58. Spaceballs [1987]
59. The Island of Doctor Moreau [1977, 1996]
60. Fantastic Voyage [1966]
61. Ghosts of Mars [2001]
62. Mars Attacks [1996] (Almost didn’t make list, but has some value to sci-fi enthusiasts.)
63. Barbarella [1968] (Simply because Jane Fonda should never forget she made this film.)

Please give me your thoughts about what movies I may have missed or, in your opinion, should have added (or subtracted).  I look forward to your input, which will undoubtedly remind me of 50 more films I wish I had included. 🙂