12 Best 1990s Sci-Fi Movies
7. Galaxy Quest
The impact of Galaxy Quest's affectionate parody of the sci-fi genre was neatly summed up when Star Trek fans voted it as the seventh best Star Trek movie ever made in a 2013 poll. When it was first released in 1999, critics were quick to dismiss it as a serviceable studio comedy, but in the years since it has gone on to become one of the most beloved cult classics of the last 20 years.
The basic concept of the story is so simple that it borders on the inspired, with aliens mistaking the stars of the titular canceled TV show as battle-hardened intergalactic warriors, but instead of just making fun of its subject matter, Galaxy Quest treats the tropes of both the sci-fi genre and the fandom with respect, giving the satire a razor-sharp edge.
You don't even need to have seen an episode of Star Trek or anything similar in your life to get a kick out of Galaxy Quest, which is one of the highest compliments that can be paid to any comedy, with the humor both relatable and universal, and refreshingly earnest in an era where gross-out flicks were still the order of the day.