The 21st century has seen a rise in genre pictures, with superhero films garnering billions of dollars, films based on children’s novels capturing the minds of idiots worldwide, and comedy entourages led by the likes of Judd Apatow, Edgar Wright and Will Ferrell continuously providing the laughs at our multiplexes. But throughout the ebbs and flows of cinema, few genres have maintained popularity like science fiction. Since Fritz Lang’s Metropolis, this genre has been an important component of the movie landscape.
This century has been no different. So grab your light sabers and watch out for the monolith as we cover the 10 best sci-fi films of the 21st century.
10. Donnie Darko
In the cult indie hit, Jake Gyllenhaal plays Donnie Darko, an emotionally disturbed high school student. Through somnambulism and threats of impending doom, Donnie finds himself vandalizing his school and burning down houses. His awkward and disturbed charm manage to intrigue Jena Malone’s new student to the region, and the two begin to date.
The film progresses with Donnie’s interactions with Frank, the man in a bunny suit, becoming darker and more dangerous. As the 28 days until the supposed end of the world wind down, Donnie finds himself facing a monumental conundrum which will define the film and may help to explain the bizarre circumstances that have plagued him.
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19 Comments
Seriously, you have the god awful drivel paprika but you don’t have inception.
They really do let anyone write such rubbish don’t they?
So you mean the original and beautifully made masterpiece doesn’t deserve to be on the list, but the overrated “intelligent movie for dumb people” does?
Inception is hardly an overrated ‘intelligent movie for dumb people.’ Once you get past the specticle of the first viewing, you find a film about an addict ripped apart by his own guilt. It definitely belongs on this kind of list, as does Wall-E. The fact that genre trash like Donnie Darko and Looper are present invalidates it completely.
+1 to DUC’s comment
We are thirteen years into the century. Making this list post-2075.
This is the most asinine comment in the history of the internet.
This list made me realize that it’s been a long time since anyone’s made a really good sci fi movie. Moon would be my #1 though. I’m surprised Sunshine wasn’t mentioned.
I have a very different list. My top 30 list for the best science fiction films since 2000 would be as follows (it excludes Superhero movies, supernatural, and purely zombie movies):
1. District 9
2. Minority Report
3. Looper
4. Moon
5. Chronicle
6. Serenity
7. Rise of the Planet of the Apes
8. Inception
9. Super 8
10. Children of Men/Book of Eli (tie)
11. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
12. Star Trek (2009)
13. I am Legend
14. Avatar
15. The Hunger Games
16. The Host
17. I Robot
18. Cloverfield
19. A.I. Artificial Intelligence
20. Predators
21. Pitch Black
22. Prometheus
23. The Adjustment Bureau
24. Déjà Vu
25. The Mist
26. Hollow Man
27. Slither
28. Total Recall (2012)
29. Battle: Los Angeles
30. Cowboys & Aliens
I wouldn’t say our lists are very different; 8 of mine are in your top 20 and the top 4 you had all made my list, though shuffled a bit. Serenity was probably my #11.
Good call on Children Of Men, and The Host. That blokes list above your comment has The Mist in it, is that a Sci-Fi? Always thought of it as Horror, but if it was Sci-Fi, The Mist would make it in my top ten of Sci-Fi films…ever. Still don’t really see it as Sci-Fi.
It’s a decent list, personally I’d have Pitch Black and The Fifth Element on my list. Plus an honorable mention to Treasure Planet (for the kiddies out there.)
5th is from 1997
Meh, still love the movie.
The only one I have a problem with is Looper. I thought it was terrible with poor pacing and a very predictable plot.
Totally agree. I was barely able to make it thru the entire film.
Just curious where you’d place Avatar? There seems to be a stark division of affection for the highest grossing film of all time. I’m of the mind that, yes, it’s a familiar story (there have only been 10 fictional stories ever written, anyway-it’s how the story is told that makes them different), but I felt that Cameron really nailed it with the WAY he made his film. It’s the best 3D I’ve ever seen and really managed to make you feel a part of the world. Seeing it in IMAX 3D was one if the best movie going experiences if my life, though it’s far from the best film I’d ever seen. As far as 21st century thus far, I’d put it in my top 5 though. I’m not going to knock anyone for their choices and for what they enjoy, and I’m not going to be incensed that a film I enjoy isn’t on YOUR list lol-as I said, just curious where you’d put it.
It’s a great looking movie, but didn’t totally work for me in terms of its action and is definitely lacking in its story/dialogue and especially acting.
The man from earth.
Dredd and Cloud Atlas should be added.