From the dawn of cinema, the science fiction genre has captured the imaginations of filmmakers and the audiences they’ve served. From Georges Méliès to Fritz Lang, Robert Wise to Ridley Scott, sci-fi movies have pondered humanity’s fear of the unknown and the beyond, casting sometimes bleak, sometimes exciting visions of the future. If you’re a Prime Video subscriber and a science-fiction nut, there are some worthy options to stream on the service. Whether it’s sci-fi horror, action, comedy, or post-apocalyptic/dystopian sci-fi, there’s something for everyone. Here’s our list of flicks every sci-fi geek ought to have on their watchlist, some great, some putrid, some stuck in the middle but conceptually deft.

Want to explore more? Check out our list of the best movies on Prime Video, the best sci-fi shows on the platform, or the best sci-fi movies and shows on Netflix.

‘Asteroid City’ (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes: 75% | IMDb: 6.5/10

From the mind and peculiar eye of Wes Anderson, Asteroid City tells a story within a story within a story, with a writer detailing the events from within his play about a Junior Stargazer convention where aliens make first contact, with these events also being the subject of an in-world documentary. Showcasing Anderson’s typically beautiful style with both the camera and setting, Asteroid City is a retro-futuristic look at the 1950s, with the film’s stellar cast clearly enjoying every quirky beat. Unlike anything you’ll ever see again, Asteroid City almost has to be seen to be believed. – Jake Hodges

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‘Foe’ (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes: 25% | IMDb: 5.4/10

Co-written and directed by Garth Davis, Foe stars Saoirse Ronan and Paul Mescal as young farmers Henrietta and Junior, with the two tasked with peacefully maintaining a plot of land that has lived in Junior’s family for generations. However, their serene life is turned upside down when the threat of a stranger arrives at their door. Both Ronan and Mescal are actors with fantastic pedigree, with Foe taking all of their best aspects and using them to the movie’s advantage. The movie is a pensive watch with a penchant for detailed character work, which luckily falls into the hands of two of the best actors working today. – Jake Hodges

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‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’

Rotten Tomatoes: 52% | IMDb: 6.0/10

The most recent installment in the Transformers franchise and the seventh overall, Rise of the Beasts is a direct sequel to Bumblebee and a prequel to the first Transformers. Set in 1994, the movie details the rise of a new group of Transformers, the Maximals, as they join the Autobots on the hunt for Earth supremacy. Fans of the Transformers franchise will be used to the chaos and carnage that is always on offer, with Rise of the Beasts certainly not disappointing as it delivers magnificent action and wild CGI in abundance. The film crescendos to a final battle sequence that will rush blood to your head, leaving you breathless once the credits roll. – Jake Hodges

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‘Last Sentinel’ (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes: 33% | IMDb: 4.9/10

This blend of sci-fi and horror from director Tanel Toom is set in 2063 and tells the tale of a group of survivors following the flooding of the planet as they wait to either be killed or for safety. Tension rises higher than the sea level in this nail-biting flick, with a platter of edge-of-your-seat action ready and waiting. Starring the likes of Kate Bosworth and Lucien Laviscount, Last Sentinel is a great watch on an evening with friends and family — but only if you don’t mind being unable to chew your popcorn as your jaw consistently remains dropped. – Jake Hodges

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‘Knock at the Cabin’ (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes: 67% | IMDb: 6.1/10

Written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, Knock at the Cabin follows a dreamy family unit that nothing can seemingly get between — that is, until the arrival of four strangers led by Dave Bautista’s Leonard. Faced with an impossible choice at the hands of the perpetrators, the family must decide between the safety of each other or the safety of humanity. For those who love Bautista’s comedy work in the likes of Guardians of the Galaxy, buckle in for the shock of a lifetime as he proves once and for all that he is one of the best actors to have graduated from the WWE. Tense and full of twists, Knock at the Cabin is Shyamalan back to his best. – Jake Hodges

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‘The Tomorrow War’ (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes: 52% | IMDb: 6.6/10

There’s nothing wrong with being a little cheesy. A throwback to Independence Day, Armageddon, and the other playful science-fiction spectacles of the ‘90s, The Tomorrow War is the perfect type of alien invasion epic that doesn’t take itself too seriously. The LEGO Batman Movie director Chris McKay creates some truly jaw-dropping action sequences, and surprisingly the 138 runtime doesn’t feel too bloated. Chris Pratt gives one of his most earnest, charismatic performances, and a subplot involving his father (J.K. Simmons) that is surprisingly heartfelt. If you’re looking for a Roland Emmerich impersonator that’s better than anything Emmerich has made in the last two decades, The Tomorrow War is for you. — Liam Gaughan

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‘Interstellar’ (2014)

Rotten Tomatoes: 73% | IMDb: 8.7/10

Interstellar is one of the most ambitious films in the collection of Christopher Nolan (Inception) films with a fantastic score, imaginative set pieces, and innovative uses of modern astronomical research that all come together to create a masterpiece of sci-fi. The film follows a crew of astronauts on a mission to find a new home for the human race after climate change has ravaged the Earth and resources begin to dwindle. The crew lead by Matthew McConaughey (True Detective) and Anne Hathaway (Ocean’s Eight) as a pilot and researcher respectively are the last hope for humanity, but their journey proves to be more treacherous and traumatic than they could have ever imagined.

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‘I Still See You’ (2018)

Rotten Tomatoes: 8% | IMDb: 5.8/10

Based on Daniel Waters’ captivating novel Break My Heart 1000 Times, I Still See You explores the supernatural through a romantic thriller starring Bella Thorne (The DUFF) and Richard Harmon (The Night Agent) alongside Dermot Mulroney (Scream VI). Set in a unique reality, I Still See You takes place in a world where, following a devastating apocalyptic event that killed a large portion of the planet, ghosts known as Remnants have begun walking among the living. Thorne plays as a teenager years after the catastrophe being haunted by a maleficent spirit (Thomas Elms). With Jason Fuchs’ screenplay, director Scott Speer visually captures spellbinding snapshots, wondrously blending romance and horror. – Yael Tygiel

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‘Samaritan’ (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes: 38% | IMDb: 5.7/10

Sylvester Stallone stars in Samaritan, an unexpectedly moving action film directed by Julius Avery. Written by Bragi F. Schut (Escape Room), Samaritan feels reminiscent of Will Smith’s Hancock — thankfully skipping the bloated and unfocused eternal beings mythology — where a grizzled and antisocial man is actually a reluctant superhero. Delightfully favoring practical effects, Samaritan excels in action sequences and fight choreography. Stallone’s cantankerous energy allows him to perfectly embody the role of an aging vigilante who is persuaded by his young neighbor (Javon ‘Wanna’ Walton) to once again pick up the mantle of ‘Samaritan’ and protect their city. – Yael Tygiel

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‘The Vast of Night’ (2020)

Rotten Tomatoes: 92% | IMDb: 6.7/10

A compelling science fiction film, The Vast of Night comes from the mind of Andrew Patterson, who directed the movie and co-wrote the teleplay with Craig W. Sanger. Set in 1950s New Mexico, The Vast of Night is both mysterious and suspenseful. It follows Fay Crocker, played by Sierra McCormick (American Horror Stories), and Radio DJ Everett Sloan, played by Jake Horowitz, as they attempt to uncover what exactly is responsible for an unexplained sound. The Vast of Night cleverly utilizes conventional tropes, taking advantage of the historical time period and allowing the story to unravel and emphasize anticipation. – Yael Tygiel

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‘Black Box’ (2020)

Rotten Tomatoes: 71% | IMDb: 6.2/10

Black Box hails from Blumhouse, promising terrifying outcomes with an engaging and heart-stopping premise. Black Box stars Mamoudou Athie (Jurassic World Dominion) as Nolan, an emotionally tortured father who lost both his memory and his wife in a terrible accident. When Nolan participates in an experimental treatment attempting to recover his memories, he discovers a possibly horrific truth he may not be ready to accept. Supported by Phylicia Rashad (This Is Us), who appears as the doctor helping Nolan, Black Box’s breakout star is the young Amanda Christine (Ada Twist, Scientist), who hypnotizes as Nolan’s daughter Ava. – Yael Tygiel

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‘Bliss’ (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes: 27% | IMDb: 5.4/10

What do you get when you combine Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind with The Matrix? Bliss is a familiar yet creative science fiction romance about warped reality. It’s easy to compare it to the established classics of the genre, but filmmaker Mike Cahill still manages to make the material feel unique. Bliss is set within the not-so-distant future when corporations have even more power than they do now. A lonely daydreamer (Owen Wilson) searches for a woman in his fantasies (Salma Hayek), and he discovers that she may be real. Wilson and Hayek are best known for their comedy work, so it is refreshing to see them in more serious roles. – Liam Gaughan

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‘Anna’ (2013)

Rotten Tomatoes: 30% | IMDb: 6.4/10

Also known as Mindscape, Anna is a film that will leave your head spinning. Anchored by a chillingly brilliant performance by Taissa Farmiga, Anna follows John Washington – a detective who can enter people’s memories. Throughout the film, John must investigate 16-year-old Anna’s case to figure out whether she’s a victim of psychological trauma or a dangerous sociopath. A combination of innovative sci-fi film, classic detective story, and heart-pounding thriller, Anna is unique and constantly engaging. If you’re in the mood for a good mystery in the vein of Vertigo or Chinatown, you’re sure to enjoy the puzzling story of Anna. – Taylor Gates

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‘The Lazarus Effect’ (2015)

Rotten Tomatoes: 15% | IMDb: 5.2/10

The Lazarus Effect follows a group of medical researchers who discover a serum that can bring people back from the dead. In theory, this sounds great, but anyone who has seen a zombie movie knows that this doesn’t always lead to amazing results. The Lazarus Effect is no exception. When Zoe (Olivia Wilde), one of the group’s own, gets electrocuted and has the procedure, she comes back as a superpowered – and sometimes super scary – version of herself, leaving everyone in peril. The film’s tagline is “evil will rise,” which pretty much says it all. If you’re looking for a side of horror and supernatural with your sci-fi, The Lazarus Effect is for you. – Taylor Gates

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‘Coherence’ (2014)

Rotten Tomatoes: 89% | IMDb: 7.2/10

Shot over the course of five nights with an almost entirely improvised script, Coherence is a tremendous feature film debut from Gore Verbinski‘s frequent storyboard artist James Ward Byrkit, and one of the best original science fiction concepts in recent memory. Set at a dinner party reunion among old friends on the night of a rare astronomical event, tensions rise as the laws of science and the firmaments of reality bend and break over the course of one mind-bending night. Part sci-fi, part horror, the no-budget chamber piece succeeds not by banking on its fantastic concept, but seeing that concept to its completion through honest character arcs and the unsettling reality that there’s nothing more frightening than the way we perceive ourselves. – Haleigh Foutch

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‘Eva’ (2012)

Rotten Tomatoes: 43% | IMDb: 6.6/10

Eva is a Spanish-language science fiction film by director Kike Maíllo that will capture your attention and leave you thinking long after the credits have rolled. Set in the year 2043, in a not-so-distant future where humans and robots co-exist, a renowned cybernetic engineer named Álex (Daniel Brühl) returns to his hometown to finish the project that he had run away from some ten years prior. Before he left he had been working with his partner and then-girlfriend Lana (Marta Etura) on an SI-9 robot that was meant to resemble and act like any other child.

He sets out to find the perfect child to model the project around and, in the process, meets a ten-year-old daughter named Eva (Claudia Vega). What’s more surprising is that shortly after their chance encounter, he learns that Eva is Lana’s daughter with his brother David (Alberto Ammann), who she married after Álex left town. Eva is a truly ingenious sci-fi film that takes audiences along for a wild ride that weaves in and out of both the expected and unexpected avenues of science fiction storytelling. If you’re still reeling from the recently released After Yang, which also questions the blurred line between humanity and the machines that we shape in our image, Eva is a must-watch. – Maggie Lovitt

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‘Plan 9 from Outer Space’ (1959)

Rotten Tomatoes: 66% | IMDb: 3.9/10

The king of bad movies, Plan 9 from Outer Space is perhaps the magnum opus of Ed Wood— the king of bad moviemakers. This preposterous story about aliens invading earth in order to prevent humans from creating the Solaranite bomb, which will put the entire universe at risk, has ascended to cult status in the sixty years since its release. The aliens in question have a rather ambitious plot to save the universe: resurrect human corpses to prey on the living. Among them is an old man played by Bela Lugosi, who had died prior to filming. Wood solved the problem by using silent footage of Lugosi from an abandoned film called The Vampire’s Tomb. He then substituted another actor to portray the resurrected Lugosi old man character. That actor marches around covering half his face with a cape to emulate the Dracula star. This is among the many missteps of the misadventure that is Plan 9. Rife with horrendous performances and silly dialogue that sounds like what an actual alien trying to pass himself off as a human might produce, Wood’s film is still as amusing as ever.

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