Top 5 Sci-fi movies that you won't regret watching

Sci-fi movies have been around for decades. From Metropolis (1927), 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), and Donnie Darko (2001), all up to Mickey 17 (2025), they have often offered food for thought. Good sci-fi movies analyze the machinations of its scientific marvels whereas the great ones show their impact on our present-day world. While offering a view of the future, they stay rooted in the issues we face in our lives and anticipate the root cause from miles away.

Some sci-fi movies present a bleaker picture of the near future and make us contend with the harsh realities we may face in such situations. Others offer hope in human capabilities and consciousness that can transcend space and time. However, they all reveal something about our world that will stay in our minds even long after the credits start rolling. While they can be audiovisually stunning, they have the power to strike an emotional chord that no other genre can.

So, without further ado, let's discuss some similarly thought-provoking sci-fi movies that stand the test of time.

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Here are 5 Sci-fi movies that you won't regret watching

Ex Machina (2014)

Before diving into the world of wartime situations, Alex Garland was known for his contribution to the science fiction genre. He had written 28 Days Later (2002), Sunshine (2007), and Never Let Me Go (2010), all of which, explored a future world where things have drastically changed for human lives. Ex Machina (2014) was his directorial debut, which also explored this concept in connection to human survival.

This sci-fi movie starred Alicia Vikander as a humanoid robot who falls in love with a young programmer (Domhnall Gleeson), who is eager to learn from her creator (Oscar Isaac). Garland's clever script explores the concepts of consciousness and survival when humans are pitted against artificial intelligence while always keeping us a step away from their true motives.

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Brazil (1985)

Terry Gilliam's Brazil offers a critique that may ring true to the present-day generation, who is frustrated with living in increasingly hostile environments where personal liberty is at stake and security is at the greatest risk. You can think of it as Severance but made by the director of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1985). It is a trippy ride through the mind of a low-level employee, who is stuck in the bureaucratic rut.

One day, he realizes that a silly misprint has led to the wrong man's arrest. Somehow, he gets sucked into a world of emotional torture. However, none of it is due to his fault. So, almost four decades ago, Gilliam criticized our over-reliance on technology that may lead to such mistakes, but that's not the only thing this sci-fi movie has to critique.

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Nope (2022)

As a filmmaker, Jordan Peele is often known for his directorial debut Get Out (2017), which earned him love and recognition. However, in 2022, he came up with another fascinating horror film. This time, instead of bouncing back on comedic moments of relief, he stayed focused on the dramatic tension in a neo-western setting in this sci-fi movie.

Nope follows two ranch-dwelling siblings, who cite an unidentified object floating in the space. They decide to become the first people to capture them on camera. Hoyte van Hoytema captures their thrilling adventure with his camera and offers one of the most striking cinematic experiences that also cuts through the themes of race, privilege, and exploitation.

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Timecrimes (2007)

Nacho Vigalondo's Timecrimes (2007) is one of the most entertaining explorations of the time-travel concept. While Shane Carruth's Primer (2024) explores the philosophical quandaries related to this concept, Vigalondo's sci-fi movie offers a captivating experience of a frustrated man who is stuck in a time loop against his will. Well, sort of!

Although presenting the inevitability of events, the film holds your intrigue even during repeated viewings. It is a wildly fascinating ride that portrays a nightmare of a man unable to get out of a maze, at least partially of his own making.

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La Jetée (1962)

Chris Marker's 28-minute-long La Jetée (1962) often comes in discussions among cinephiles. The reason is more intriguing than what people might imagine. For starters, the film offers only a collection of images, not clips, with sound effects and a voice-over narration. However, Marker uses only these tools to offer an illusion of moment even through the stills.

One of the formative sci-fi experiments, this film is another time-travel ride that explores love, longing, and fate through the eyes of a man hoping to get out of a tragic war and toward the woman he once glanced at. While a mystical experience in itself, the film is a staple for time-travel enthusiasts, who want to see it explored in a more intimate setting.