Out of all genres, science-fiction certainly allots filmmakers a wide range of subjects and visuals they can explore. Still, not every sci-fi feature can balance that unlimited creativity and still make a great movie. Of course, the 2020s have had some stand-out sci-fi movies, with Dune, Avatar: The Way of Water, and Spider-Man: No Way Home exemplary of the continued dominance and evolution of the genre.
However, here we want to celebrate those that are not just great movies, but really push boundaries to offer creative visions. Many of these films lack a big budget, to make them box office fodder, but they have endeared themselves to fans with their unique approach; from storytelling to visuals, all these sci-fi features push the boundaries of the genre in all the right ways.
10 After Yang (2021)
Set in an unspecified future, After Yang follows a young family who brings an android into their lives to watch over their adopted daughter. The caretaker, known as Yang, has a strong impact on the family, so when he begins to malfunction and becomes unresponsive, the father, Jake (Colin Farrell), begins a quest to try to get him repaired. This journey leads Jake and his family to discover unexpected aspects of Yang’s existence and memories.
An Intimate and Deep Sci-Fi Drama
The best science-fiction reflects issues in the present, and Kogonada’s After Yang certainly touches on many grander themes, such as family dynamics, their relationship with technology, the importance of cultural identity, and our growing relationship with AI.
Visually, the sci-fi drama is also very calculated, with Kogodana known for his meticulous approach to filming coming across in the subtly lush cinematography. Prioritizing emotions and philosophical queries, After Yang is an often overlooked entry in A24’s catalog that deserves greater recognition for its unique approach to the sci-fi genre.
You can stream After Yang on Prime or Hoopla.
9 Strawberry Mansion (2021)
James Preble is a government ‘dream auditor,’ tasked with reviewing peoples dreams and determining the applicable taxes based on the items that appear. James gets a lengthy assignment to audit the dreams of an elderly woman, Bella, who has stored her dreams on hundreds of VHS tapes as opposed to the now required ‘dreamstick’ technology. As James begins diving into dreams, he becomes romantically entwined with the younger version of Bella and begins to question his own integrity.
Discovering A Life Worth Living in the Dreams of Another
While the “Dream Taxation” idea feels like it is pulled from a Black Mirror episode, there is such a picturesque joy in the approach of Strawberry Mansion that viewers will find it more charming than horrifying. Indie cinema at its best, filmmakers Albert Birney & Kentucker Audley forgo CGI for a more homespun approach that includes practical effects, puppetry and handmade props to craft its many inventive dreamscapes. Add in an engrossing story, and you have one of the most comforting and unique sci-fi features ever made.
You can stream Strawberry Mansion on Prime.
8 Wesens (2020)
Set in 1967, Wesens follows four agents from the South African Republic Intelligence dispatched to a remote farm in the Karoo to investigate an unidentified object that has crashed. Equipped with super-8 and 16mm cameras, they are tasked with taking readings and recording the object which they believe to be a Russian satellite. The more time they spend around the object, the more their personalities begin to shift, accompanied by illness. By the time they learn the truth behind the object, they may be too far gone to deal with the phenomena that unfurls in front of them.
A Rare Sci-Fi Treat from South Africa
Sometimes less is more, and this indie South African found footage movie by Derick Muller is an atmospheric and minimalistic yet subversive and insightful entry in the sci-fi genre. It is a meticulously crafted story that touches on broader themes like the geopolitical tensions of the era related to communism, and a fasciation with space through events like the moon landing.
The use of Super-8 and 16mm also gives the movie that gritty aesthetic that really draws you into the story’s premise and timeframe. The movie will also be unique to many sci-fi fans as one of the few horror movies in the Afrikaans language.
7 Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes (2020)
Kato discovers a time loop when he learns that the computer monitor in his apartment shows events happening two minutes in the future, while the TV in the café he owns downstairs shows events from two minutes in the past. This creates a two-minute time loop between the devices, which Kato and his friends begin to experiment with. Their antics lead to complex and chaotic situations as time begins to fold on itself, and they try to manipulate the future.
A One Shot Micro-Budget Gem
A wonderfully inventive approach to the sci-fi genre, Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes was able to take a talented cast of theatrical actors and create a single-shot time-traveling comedy that was an absolute hit on the festival circuit. Low budget ingenuity at its best, the Japanese sci-fi comedy is perfect for a movie night with friends. For such a simple approach on a shoe-sting budget, Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes packs a wallop.
You can stream Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes on Prime or Tubi.
6 Mad God (2022)
Abstract and non-linear in approach, Mad God follows a character known as the Assassin who descends into a nightmarish, hellish world. The Assassin navigates a dystopian, post-apocalyptic world teetering on the brink of collapse filled with tortured souls, nightmarish creations and industrial wonders. Others navigating the same plane as the Assassin cross paths, giving the sense of many trying to escape the landscape they find themselves in.
A Labor of Love
Perhaps more horror than sci-fi, there are still elements here that will appeal to fans of the genre, with many of the monsters and character designs by Phil Tippet envisioned as science experiments gone wrong. Still, the movie took 30 years to complete, with creator Phil Tippet creating every character and prop and shooting the entire production in stop-motion.
The result is a visual experience unlike anything that has ever come before it. Is it a great movie? That part is a bit more subjective, but the amount of time, craft, and the abstract approach to storytelling makes it an impressive expression of creativity and dedication.
You can stream Mad God on Shudder, AMC+, or Hoopla.
5 Memoria (2021)
After being awakened one night by a loud and mysterious sound, Jessica (Tilda Swinton) soon learns that she is the only one that can hear the noise described as “a deep thud with a metallic quality.” Seeking answers, Jessica embarks on a surreal journey to understand the origin and meaning of this sound that now dominates her life.
A Divine Auditory Experience
Sound design is often understated in the success of a movie, which makes any production that can build its premise around noise in such a convincing manner all the more captivating. Through Jessica’s journey, the movie also touches on a broad range of themes in a meditative and introspective manner. Bangkok native, Apichatpong Weerasethakul had already proven himself a profound talent with his acclaimed Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (2010), and Memoria shows the director further honing his unique style of filmmaking. Also, Tilda Swinton is amazing in her role as Jessica.
4 Nope (2022)
The lives of siblings OJ and Emerald Haywood, who run a ranch that supplies animals for Hollywood productions, are changed by the appearance of a UFO above their property. To try to better understand the phenomenon, the siblings team up with a tech salesman and a documentarian to try to unravel the mystery, while a neighboring ranch owner looks to profit off of the spaceship. With national interest growing, the true nature of the giant ship slowly begins to reveal itself.
Jordan Peele’s Often Misunderstood Sci-Fi Masterpiece
Nope is likely to be the most divisive entry on this list, with the Jordan Peele sci-fi movie garnering pretty mixed reactions across the board. Regardless, Nope is a fascinating deconstruction of alien invasion tropes and subversion of the monster movie; it truly kept the audience guessing till the last moment. Besides also being an interesting mix of Western and sci-fi, the movie also has that signature grander social commentary to its story that has endeared so many to the work of Jordan Peele.
You can stream Nope on Starz, or rent it on Apple TV or Amazon Video.
3 Possessor (2020)
Tasya Vos is an elite assassin who uses advanced technology to take control of other people’s bodies to carry out her assignments, using disposable people to take out elite targets. However, her most recent assignment starts to show problems when her scapegoat begins to challenge the mind control techniques and attempts to make his way back to Vos for revenge. A battle both in the real world and in the metaphysical realms begins to play out as both try to take out the other.
Sci-Fi Body Horror From The House of Cronenberg
Possessoris an exercise in extreme, mind-bending brutality that can only come from the mind of a Cronenberg. While David Cronenberg mastered the mix of horror and sci-fi with movies like The Fly, Scanners, and Existenz, his son Brandon Cronenberg has pushed the genre into the 2020s with the sensationally violent and experimental Possessor.
Intense, tragic, and approaching the sci-fi genre in a wholly unique way that combines both physical and metaphysical terror, Brandon Cronenberg’s work is as unforgettable as it is uncompromising.
You can stream Possessor on Tubi, or rent it on Apple TV or Amazon Video.
2 Robot Dreams (2024)
Set in an alternative New York City in the 1980s, Robot Dreams tells the story of a dog who decides one day to build a robot as a new friend. The two end up going on many adventures, spending seasons together. However, after the robot malfunctions and the dog is unable to save him, the two are forcefully separated, and the dog has to plan a way back to his robot companion.
Sci-Fi That Hits You Right in the Feels
Robot Dreams takes an unconventional approach to the sci-fi genre, a nostalgic setting of 1980s New York, chalked with anthropomorphic animals, and completely devoid of dialog. Despite the risks that it takes, Robot Dreams manages to weave a deeply sentimental and heartfelt story that will resonate with viewers long after the credits’ role. If you needed more convincing, the movie boasts an impressive 98% fresh score on RT with a 91% popcorn meter.
1 Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)
Evelyn Wang, a Chinese-American immigrant finding life to be a struggle with a failing business, strained relationships with her daughter and husband, and potential financial ruin. However, it is during a stressful meeting over her taxes that she is approached by her husband from an alternative reality, telling her that she is the key to saving the multiverse. This puts Evelyn on a quest to save many realities, drawing on the knowledge of alternative versions of herself, while also rebuilding her relationships with her family.
A24’s Took the Sci-fi Genre to New Heights
In a time of super-hero fatigue, and the multiverse being used as a means to just keep popular characters alive, Everything Everywhere,All At Once was an engaging, reality-jumping, sci-fi superhero action comedy that outdid everything that came before it.
Phenomenal performances, that signature A24 production abstract and redefining of genre norms is just scratching the surface of what made the movie such a success in the sci-fi genre. Of course, this paid off at the Academy Awards with the movie winning seven Oscars, including a landmark win for Michelle Yeoh as best actress.
You can stream Everything, Everywhere, All at Once on Max.
