Not much needs to be said about the first in the Terminator franchise. Apparently born of a fever dream, James Cameron’s story gives us a cyborg assassin sent from the future to kill Sarah Connor, whose unborn son is destined to save mankind from the robot apocalypse.
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Alex Garland fans will be familiar with Judge Dredd. One of the earlier films that came from the sci-fi auteur’s pen (based on a comic), the sci-fi actioner follows the eponymous judge, who covers everything from jury to executioner. In a dystopic metropolis, Dredd and his apprentice attempt to bring down drug lord Ma-Ma, played by Lena Headey.
Predator (1987)
Amazon Studios
You could go on an ’80s classics binge with the amount of iconic movies on Prime Video. Perhaps surprisingly, The Fly is a remake of the 1958 film of the same name, just with added gore and Jeff Goldblum. The David Cronenberg film has become a classic in its own right.
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Amazon Studios/YouTube/CNET Screenshot
The Tomorrow War (2021)
The City of Lost Children (1995)
Oscilloscope Laboratories/YouTube/CNET Screenshot
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Lionsgate/YouTube/CNET Screenshot
The Vast of Night (2019)
Alameda Entertainment/YouTube/CNET Screenshot
The Fly (1986)
Vertical Entertainment/YouTube/CNET Screenshot
Before Amélie, Jean-Pierre Jeunet brought his flair and visual stylings to a sci-fi fantasy (co-directed by Marc Caro). The City of Lost Children follows an evil scientist who kidnaps children, thinking their dreams are the key to prevent aging.
Coherence (2013)
Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images
Coherence doesn’t need an Avatar-size budget to craft a compelling story. The low-budget indie film follows friends at a dinner party who start noticing bizarre occurrences after a comet passes. Even more unsettling because of its grounded setting, Coherence nails the brief of true indie gem.
Vivarium (2019)
Sunset Boulevard/Getty Images
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Photo by Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images
Photo by 20th Century-Fox/Getty Images
Robocop (1987)
Infinity Chamber (2016)
Amazon Prime Video
For a well-made, thoughtful sci-fi that makes sure not to let its meditations overtake entertainment value, Archive is a great shout. The British directorial debut from Gavin Rothery stars Theo James as a scientist working on making an AI as human as possible. His reasons are hidden, personal and sure to put a spanner in the works. Drawing comparisons to Ex Machina, Archive is assured storytelling with an astute focus on character.
Vertigo Releasing/YouTube/CNET Screenshot
Black Box (2020)
Movies Coming in 2022 From Marvel, Netflix, DC and More
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