Sci-fi and fantasy are my favorite genres (big surprise), but for most of my life movies in those genres always felt like they had less substance than the SF&F books I’ve devoured over the years.
With longer films, better technology, and a more receptive audience, sci-fi movies are in a golden age, at least in my opinion. Speaking of reviews, here are eight sci-fi movies released in the last eight years (2018-2026) that I think are the best examples of great modern science fiction.
8
Predator: Badlands
One of the latest movies on this list, Predator: Badlands, it’s just a fundamentally good action-fiction film. It has great characters, a simple yet engaging plot, stunning VFX and a clever solution to achieve a PG-13 rating. There are no humans in this movie, only aliens and robots, so the violence is completely free to be over the top. Since none of the blood is red, it’s an A-OK on the rating board. Genius!
Predator: Badlands
- Release date
-
November 7, 2025
- Execution time
-
107 minutes
- Director
-
Then Trachtenberg
7
Ad Astra (2019)
I’m always down grounded approach to space travel, which also likes TV shows Width or movies like Interstellar very good. It’s definitely sci-fi, but it seems realistic enough to be believable for a layman like me.
Advertising Astra space travel is a complete thrill ride. It’s like mixing someone’s Jason Bourne movie with mash 2001: A Space Odyssey. Basically, it’s a story about daddy issues, but boy is it wrapped up in some thought-provoking stuff. Honestly, it’s only worth it for the Moon buggy car chase.
6
The Creator (2023)
Creator received lukewarm reviews upon release, but I honestly think its cult classic in the long run. The visual effects are some of the best you’ll ever see, and it’s been a while since I’ve seen a good AI-apocalypse movie when it pops up on my streaming app.
The story has some issues, but the world is compelling. I think the usual “AI is going to kill us all” trope is refreshing, but I won’t go into it any further.
5
Godzilla Minus One (2023)
does Godzilla minus one a science fiction movie? Perhaps by modern standards, some people would say no, but it deals directly with the consequences of our science gone wrong, as the titular monster becomes a force of nature that destroys the city due to our pollution.
Not only is this one of the best Godzilla (Gojira?) movies of all time; one of the best sci-fi movies I’ve ever seen. What sets it apart from other kaiju movies is the focus on the human characters and how the monster affects their lives. I’ve heard people complain about the human plotlines in the previous Godzilla movies, but it turns out the problem was the lack. compelling human storyline, and they only strain the limited screen time of this monstrous beast.
Godzilla minus one
- Release date
-
November 3, 2023
- Execution time
-
124 minutes
- Director
-
Takashi Yamazaki
4
Annihilation (2018)
Like many of you, I’ve been cursed with years since I first saw John Carpenter The Thing looking for a film that scratches the same body-horror itches that has a solid sci-fi backbone. It will take until 2018 Destruction before I was finally somewhat satisfied. Maybe Item (which is great) should be on this list instead, but I don’t think it’s a sci-fi movie, Destruction is a must.
As a group of scientists, fear and the unknown brave the chilling zone where the laws of physics and life itself are violated. The creature designs and effects are stunning and the film leaves you with more questions than answers by the end. That’s a good thing in my book.
3
Everything Everywhere At Once (2022)
Everything Everywhere At Once it seemed like it came out of nowhere, but once I saw that trailer, I knew this was a movie I had to see ASAP. It’s clearly a mind-blowing multi-universe story Marvel movies This attempt looks like pencil drawings compared to the same thing. I don’t want to discuss the plot because spoilers are anathema to this film, but the relentlessly innovative cinematography ensures it’s on your short list.
2
Dune Part 1 & 2 (2021 & 2024)
Frank Herbert’s Dune series is rightfully considered one of the greatest science fiction books of all time, but it is also called “unfilmable”. David Lynch seriously tried it and I have a huge soft spot for taking it Dune As I do for all of his work, but Denis Villeneuve finally nailed it with this duology.
I should never spend time defending the story of Dune itself, but these movies nail what the stories evoked in my imagination. as of Peter Jackson The Lord of the Rings trilogyit will go down like this definitive adaptation for dune, and everything that follows will be derivative
1
Avatar 2 and 3 (2022 and 2025)
I know this will rub a few people the wrong way. It always seems fashionable to say so Avatar films have “no cultural impact” or a simplistic plot. Personally, I don’t think the former is true at all, because the original movie was so influential that people became depressed when they realized Pandora wasn’t real, creating endless parodies and internet memes. As for whether the plot is simple or derivative, there are no new stories – just good or bad repetitions of them. Simple plots often lend themselves well to films, especially if the scope is large.
I’m cheating a bit here by combining parts two and three in the same entry, but you can pick your favorite of the two and claim first place like I did. Either way, as someone who loves challenging sci-fi books with intricate, detailed world-building, nothing compares to Jim Cameron’s book. Avatar movies and these last two have pushed the boundaries of what one’s imagination can put on screen. The actual story may be a familiar, emotional adventure with some broad themes, but it’s set in a world where every little detail has been thought out.
Pandora and the various creatures that live or visit it feel so real that you forget it’s just a movie. Anyway, the biggest fault here is overemphasizing the “science” part of science fiction, but Pandora’s canvas is ripe for more stories, and it’s a place I want to visit again and again.
