10 Best Sci-Fi Movies on Netflix and Amazon Prime in 2021
I’m sure I speak for many of us when I say that our ongoing pandemic reality feels oddly like science-fiction. Unfortunately, it’s not. But while we survive through it, I think it’s the perfect time to escape into strange worlds and creepy imagined futures that make us feel ever so slightly better about our present.
So I’ve put together a list of some of the best sci-fi movies on Netflix and Amazon Prime to watch while you stay indoors and wait for the future to unfold. I’ve not included the most celebrated ones like The Matrix, Blade Runner, The Martian, and the like, because I hope you’ve heard of and watched those already!
Instead, I’ve picked some recent releases and some all-time eclectic favorites that are perfect for repeat viewing. Go ahead and escape to some weird and wondrous worlds!
1. The Map of Tiny Perfect Things
The two done-to-death tropes of romance and time travel collide once again in The Map of Tiny Perfect Things to take you to a new place that will both captivate your mind and touch your heart.
Even though it features teen protagonists, this beautiful movie will appeal to optimists and dreamers of any age. We follow the story of Mark, who is living an endless time loop wherein he meets Margaret. Together, they set out to look for all the tiny things that make that one day perfect.
Both characters are likable, and the actors convict that quintessential chemistry so essential for a good love story. All elements of this film are effectively assembled to make it a joy to watch for sci-fi and rom-com nerds like me.
I especially enjoyed how the storyline maintains a sense of depth and dimension while being lighthearted and gripping. The cinematography further enhances the experience by subtly highlighting the fluidity of time.
Although it does get somewhat predictable, this latest sci-fi movie takes top place on my list for its balanced and nuanced feel-good charm. I think it’s undoubtedly relatable since the ongoing pandemic has made most of us feel stuck in a time loop too. It’ll give you hope that these listless days will indeed end.
2. Space Sweepers
This South Korean film is perfect for all the Marvel and Star Wars fans out there. The CGI is spellbinding, the explosions are impressive, and the spaceship chases and battles, physics-defying! Mix it with complex, well-written characters, and you have a winner.
The story is set in the year 2092 and begins with visuals of a devastatingly ravaged Earth. It’s engulfed in dust, and people are walking around in masks — it’s clear that the planet is close to uninhabitable, so a large corporation decides to build a new home on Mars. But it’s only for a select few.
We meet two crew members of a space-junk collector ship who discover a child robot named Dorothy. For the sake of not giving out any spoilers, let me just say that not all is at it seems with Dorothy!
The plot maintains a fast pace, includes intriguing plot twists and turns, and embodies that raw examination of capitalism emblematic of the best South Korean films.
What kept me hooked to this visual extravaganza was the reliable plight of the main characters who are overworked, annoyed, and struggling with debt, highly self-aware of their place in a toxic capitalist system.
3. Tenet
Christopher Nolan has earned a reputation as a director whose films demand repeat viewings to be adequately understood, and Tenet is no different. It’s pretty dense and heavy on the mind, so this is not for light viewing. But I think fellow sci-fi geeks will enjoy it nonetheless.
Nolan serves up an intriguing puzzle that’s both a visual and cerebral spectacle. The plot is based on reversing the entropy of things and people, resulting in time reversibility. Yes, it’s difficult to understand, but therein lies its appeal. I loved the exploration of big ideas that are brought to life on screen with mesmerizing filmmaking.
It left me wishing I had paid more attention in physics classes at high school, but oh well, it’s never too late to read up, I suppose. Special appreciation for the sublime background score by Ludwig Goransson that further elevates the film. All in all, it’s an intellectually stimulating film with stunning cinematography, a unique storyline, and brilliant performances.
4. Black Box
Here’s an impressive directorial debut that’s tender, bittersweet, heart-breaking, and mind-bindingly thought-provoking. It follows the story of Nolan, who suffers amnesia after surviving a car crash that kills his wife. We see his young daughter writing reminders for him to keep the domestic functions going in their household.
But there’s a deep sense of angst that leads Nolan to seek an experimental therapy that involves using hypnosis and a “black box” to help understand his past relationship with his wife. Things soon take a creepy twist to create a blend of horror and wonky sci-fi that poses fascinating nuances about memory and identity.
I loved how the story is told with jarring transitions between reality and mindscape with steadily mounting tension and intimate drama. Moreover, the standout performances by Mamoudou Athie and Phylicia Rashad make this one of the best sci fi movies on Amazon Prime.
5. Black Mirror Bandersnatch
If you love the dark and twisted Netflix anthology Black Mirror as much as I do, this movie is a must-watch. Trust me, it’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen and is quite difficult to describe. But I’ll try.
This movie immediately stands out because of its interactive nature. It’s a branching story with multiple endings that gives you the illusion of controlling the storyline. It’s like a video game in which you make choices to pick your own adventure.
Everything is explained in the initial brief preamble that then plunges you into the story of Stefan, an aspiring video game designer working on a game whose binary choices yield a massive volume of potential outcomes.
After gaining the support of a leading tech company, he begins to descend into mania as he struggles to complete the game. Intrigued yet? I suggest you watch the film for more because reading about it will just detract from the innovative sci-fi treat that’s in store for you.
6. Her
Artificial Intelligence fascinates me no end, and this is my favorite movie about its power, potential, and possible impact on the human experience. The most interesting thing about this story is that it almost can’t be called science fiction because the technology it explores is already a reality in the form of smart assistants like Siri and Alexa.
Yes, they may not be as sophisticated and nuanced as Samantha, the talking operating system in the movie, but I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say they are well on their way to be just like that.
The immensely talented Joaquin Phoenix plays his role as the lonely Theodore to a tee. And Scarlett Johansson lends the perfect voice to Samantha, the OS that soon grows to feel simulated human emotions. The instant connection between the two and the deepening love story takes you on a roller roaster coaster ride exploring the question of what it means to be human.
The plot comes to life with intriguing attention to detail, like a reimagined future Los Angeles with an efficient mass transit system and people in high-waisted pants. It’s thought-provoking, tender, and brilliantly bizarre, successful in its mission to comment upon the growing integration of technology into our everyday lives and the evolving state of our relationships. It even made it onto my list of best Valentine’s Day flicks!
7. Ex Machina
Whenever a discussion about science fiction movies comes up, I always ask people if they’ve seen Ex Machina, and I’m always disappointed when most people say they’ve not. That’s why I had to include it on my list to encourage you to catch this masterpiece that’s probably one of the best sci-fi movies of all time.
Much like Her, Ex Machina is about artificial intelligence, in this case, the enigmatic Ava, a beautiful robot who is more human-like than her creators intended. We are pulled into the story by protagonist Caleb Smith, a programmer who wins a contest to spend a week at the private estate of his firm’s CEO.
But this is no holiday retreat. Upon reaching, he meets Ava and learns that he is the human component in a Turing test to determine her capabilities and consciousness.
I was left spellbound by the interactions between Caleb and Ava, and it left me pondering over the ethics and ramifications of the advancement of robotics. The plot unfolds in a clear, concise style, and the narrative is as logical as it is unpredictable, which is precisely what makes this such an unforgettable watch.
I especially appreciate how the film explores gender and power within a captivating and believable storyline. There are no crazy effects and big-budget frills here, but just a potent, deeply meaningful imagination of where humanity could be headed.
8. Never Let Me Go
I’ve watched this film over and over again, yet it hits me just as profoundly each time. It’s perhaps the only story for which I can confidently say that the movie is better than or at least just as good as the book by Nobel laureate and Booker prize-winning Japanese author Kazuo Ishiguro. In fact, I discovered the book after the movie and found that it didn’t quite live up to the precedent that the film had set.
When I first decided to see it, I had assumed from its title that it’s a romance. While I was right, I was not prepared for the mind-boggling sci-fi twist that left my heart aching. It’s set in a future where human cloning has become a reality primarily for advancing medical science and extending the lifespan of human beings.
But are clones mere genetic replicas, or are they thinking, feeling, “real” humans too? They may have numbers instead of names, but does that make it ok to treat them as purely utilitarian objects with no right to life?
There’s an underlying sense of melancholy and desperation running through the narrative. It will leave you probing questions of the ethics of cloning for a long time after watching it.
Never let me go probes these questions and more through the entwining lives of Kathy, Tommy, and Ruth, three friends who confront love, jealousy, betrayal, and the numbing pain of their purpose in the world as they emerge from childhood into young adulthood.
Everything about this story is so spot-on, from the listless beauty of the English countryside to the profoundly moving performances by the entire cast. It’s a heady and unique plot that I’m sure you’ve never experienced before and likely won’t in any other film.
9. Terminator Dark Fate
The Terminator franchise takes me back to my childhood when I often saw these films without entirely understanding them. The latest offering, Dark Fate, features a newly modified liquid Terminator — the Rev-9 model — that’s on a mission to kill young factory worker Dani Ramos
Echoing many elements from the first two films, the story follows Grace and Sarah Connor, who are protecting Dani from her indestructible assassin.
I love how the story focuses on the inner life of all of the characters, including the original Terminator. Coupled with plenty of well-directed action, it results in an entertaining watch replete with some great nostalgic vibes.
It seems formulaic in how it practically follows the same template as the previous movies, but there’s plenty of new elements. The beginning and end are particularly exciting action-wise, but the middle, too, keeps you hooked.
I think it’s an enjoyable watch for both Terminator fans and those new to the franchise. My only qualm, though, is how the film ends up putting its badass female leads in the position of needing rescue from a man — now that’s a nostalgic trope I definitely can’t tolerate in the best sci-fi movies of the 21st century!
10. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
I know this is an old one, but much like its name, it casts eternal sunshine in the dark and mysterious world of sci-fi movies. At least, for me, because it was one of the first science fiction movies I watched, which initiated me into the genre, and for that, it holds a special place in my heart.
On the surface, it could be mistaken for just another love story, but it is so much more than that. The protagonist, Clementine, decides to rid the pain of a breakup by undergoing a brain procedure to erase all memories of her ex-boyfriend Joel.
When Joel learns about this, he undergoes the same procedure, and we then witness him gradually forget the woman he loved. This film instantly stands out in its visual appeal, which I believe was ahead of its time. Plus, the deep symbolism that runs throughout the narrative, with little attention to detail, like Clementine’s hair color changing according to the season of her relationship.
It leaves you questioning whether even the not-so-good stuff we experience is worth remembering, and I appreciate how it explores the complexity of emotions more authentically than most other films.
It’s surprising and clever, and very real, thanks to the dramatic exploration of intimate relationships. It’s not for the hard-core sci-fi fans, but if you’re looking for something touching and tragic yet, inspiring and hopeful, this perfectly fits the bill.
That rounds up my list of iconic sci-fi movies on Netflix and Amazon Prime that blend the best of romance, action, and drama to leave a lasting impact. Let me know your thoughts and recommendations in the comments below.
