Science fiction can bring distant worlds close to familiar questions about family, language and memory. The scale of the setting is only one part of its appeal.
These are editorial starting points, not a popularity ranking. Some picks are sequels best enjoyed after their earlier films.
Interstellar
Release year: 2014 · Movie information on TMDB
A journey through space is intertwined with the time passing for a family apart. Choose this when you want the scale of an adventure to carry a personal sense of distance.
- Best for
- Viewers curious about space, the future and reality
- When to watch
- When you want some distance from the everyday world
Inception
Release year: 2010 · Movie information on TMDB
A mission inside dreams raises questions about reality and memory. Following how its settings connect offers a pleasure of its own, especially if you enjoy piecing a film together.
- Best for
- Viewers curious about space, the future and reality
- When to watch
- When you want some distance from the everyday world
The Matrix
Release year: 1999 · Movie information on TMDB
Doubting an apparently familiar world opens the door to this story. Its action imagery offers another route into questions about freedom and choosing for yourself.
- Best for
- Viewers curious about space, the future and reality
- When to watch
- When you want some distance from the everyday world
Arrival
Release year: 2016 · Movie information on TMDB
Understanding another language becomes central to a first encounter. It offers a different way into science fiction for viewers interested in communication and how people listen.
- Best for
- Viewers curious about space, the future and reality
- When to watch
- When you want some distance from the everyday world
Blade Runner
Release year: 1982 · Movie information on TMDB
A rain-soaked city surrounds a story about humanity and memory. Take time with the setting as well as the distances between its characters.
- Best for
- Viewers curious about space, the future and reality
- When to watch
- When you want some distance from the everyday world
Blade Runner 2049
Release year: 2017 · Movie information on TMDB
This sequel develops questions about memory and belonging in the world of Blade Runner. Watch the earlier film first, then consider how the imagery and perspective have changed.
- Best for
- Viewers curious about space, the future and reality
- When to watch
- When you want some distance from the everyday world
2001: A Space Odyssey
Release year: 1968 · Movie information on TMDB
Images, music and the silence of space invite sustained attention. This is a choice for a day when you can sit with a scene without rushing to explain it.
- Best for
- Viewers curious about space, the future and reality
- When to watch
- When you want some distance from the everyday world
The Martian
Release year: 2015 · Movie information on TMDB
Survival on Mars becomes a succession of smaller problems. Watching someone test an idea, fail and try again gives the space adventure an approachable practical focus.
- Best for
- Viewers curious about space, the future and reality
- When to watch
- When you want some distance from the everyday world
Star Wars
Release year: 1977 · Movie information on TMDB
An adventure in a distant galaxy connects discovery with companionship and growth. Begin with the excitement of setting out rather than feeling obliged to learn every detail of its universe.
- Best for
- Viewers curious about space, the future and reality
- When to watch
- When you want some distance from the everyday world
Think about what stayed with you: the scale of space, a difficult choice, or the feeling of an unfamiliar city. Those memories can help you recognize your own taste in science fiction.
Use these nine as a starting lineup, then replace a pick with a film that belongs in your story.