Top 10 Best Sci-fi Movies of All Time

When Blade Runner was released in theaters it was not a success. Only later did the film become a classic, partly thanks to later versions without a voice-over. In a futuristic Los Angeles, Agent Deckard hunts escaped replicants. Machines that can hardly be distinguished from humans. The question of whether Deckard himself is a replicant remains a subject of debate. Blade Runner's influence on the genre is lasting and unparalleled.

Stanley Kubrick collaborated with writer Arthur C. Clarke on an ambitious science fiction film. The film consists of separate episodes surrounding a mysterious black monolith. From prehistoric times to a mission to Jupiter, a slowly unfolding mystery follows. On-board computer HAL rebels against the crew. The ending is an abstract journey that is still being interpreted and discussed today.

David Cronenberg has been using science fiction elements in his work for some time. With Videodrome he created his own form of science fiction. Television executive Max Ren discovers a channel that broadcasts extreme torture. Soon he suffers from hallucinations. Videodrome turns out to be a weapon with which power can be exercised. People and technology are merging in a disturbing way.

Andrei Tarkovsky adapted Stanisław Lem's novel into a film in his own unique way. Psychologist Kelvin is sent to a space station orbiting the planet Solaris. The planet's ocean appears to materialize thoughts. When Kelvin meets his deceased wife, the line between reality and memory becomes blurred. Solaris is a philosophical film with a mysterious ending. The 2002 remake couldn't match this.

John Carpenter often moved between horror and science fiction. With The Thing he made an oppressive remake of the film of the same name from the 1950s. In Antarctica, a research team is confronted with an alien parasite that can imitate any life form. Because no one knows who is infected, all trust disappears. The practical special effects made the film legendary.

The first part made Arnold Schwarzenegger an action hero and put James Cameron on the map. The sequel managed to surpass this and introduced groundbreaking digital effects. Schwarzenegger returns as the Terminator, this time to protect John Connor from the shape-shifting T-1000. The chases are spectacular, but the film does not lose its humor and humanity.

After the enormous success of the first part, a much darker sequel was released three years later. For many fans, this is the best part of the Star Wars series. The film opens with a battle on the ice planet Hoth and ends with an open ending in Cloud City. Along the way, Yoda and the Emperor are introduced. Darth Vader is tasked with capturing Luke Skywalker and possesses knowledge that will turn Luke's world upside down.

Katsuhiro Otomo's film marked a breakthrough for Japanese animation in the West. Akira is set in 2019 Tokyo, twenty years after a devastating explosion. In chaotic Neo-Tokyo, protests, religious movements and violent motorcycle gangs collide. When Tetsuo is taken to a secret laboratory, he turns out to have unprecedented powers. Akira's influence on later science fiction films can hardly be overestimated.

The first part introduced Mad Max as a police officer in a post-apocalyptic world. In the superior second part, Max tries to survive in a society where fuel is scarce. He comes across a fortress under siege by a band led by the brutal Humungus. Inside, a tanker truck appears to be full of fuel. The attempt to escape leads to one of the most spectacular chases in film history.

The Matrix caused a sensation when it appeared. Digital special effects were innovatively combined with slow motion and unprecedented camera movements. A young man discovers that his entire life is an illusion maintained by machines. Together with a group of rebels, he tries to escape from ruthless agents. Leader Morpheus believes that Neo has special powers that can free humanity.