dailynewsnblog
Prime Video is jam-packed with cool science-fiction movies to delve into — you just have to find them first. The streamer is full of satisfactory B-movie titles, as well, so you’ll need some patience to scroll through them.
Or you can keep reading because I did the heavy lifting for you.
Below is a list of the sci-fi movies worth watching. Keep in mind that these titles are all included with your Prime membership, so this roundup has nothing to do with add-on subscriptions or the films currently available for rent.
Every flavor of science fiction is at your disposal here. Scroll on to find CNET’s roundup of the best sci-fi movies currently on Prime Video. I’ll regularly update this list, so be sure to check back each month.
Read more: Prime Video: 23 of the Best Sci-Fi TV Shows You Need to Stream Right Now
Project Hail Mary
Ryan Gosling stars in Project Hail Mary.
Amazon MGM Studios
One of the best sci-fi movies of the year, Project Hail Mary (which is adapted from the Andy Weir novel of the same name) stars Ryan Gosling and tells the story of an elementary school science teacher, Ryland Grace, who is tapped by the government to travel to space and save the world. The result is a humorous and heartfelt story about resilience in the face of a seemingly impossible threat. Oh, and there’s a cute alien in it, too.
- Director: Phil Lord and Chris Miller
- Stars: Ryan Gosling, Sandra Hüller, James Ortiz, Lionel Boyce, Ken Leung
- Running time: 156 minutes
They Live
What do you get when you put a professional wrestler into the midst of a late ’80s sci-fi satire about a secret alien invasion? John Carpenter’s They Live, that’s what. Rowdy Roddy Piper stars as John Nada, a muscular drifter (eat your heart out, Jack Reacher) who discovers a set of sunglasses that lets him see the reality of the world around him. It turns out, the ruling class is really aliens, and they control humans through subliminal messaging. Come for the famous one-liners; stay for the iconic fight scene between Piper and Keith David.
- Director: John Carpenter
- Stars: Roddy Piper, Keith David, Meg Foster, Peter Jason
- Running time: 94 minutes
Superman
David Corenswet as the titular Kryptonian hero in James Gunn’s Superman.
Warner Bros.
James Gunn’s first feature film as head of DC Studios delivers a refreshing take on the iconic Kryptonian. David Corenswet brings a new sense of flawed charm to that of Clark Kent/Superman. Rachel Brosnahan is fantastic as Lois Lane and Nicolas Hoult is delightfully cringey as Lex Luthor. Unlike previous adaptations, this one posits the notion that kindness is punk rock. And it is.
- Director: James Gunn
- Stars: David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult
- Running time: 129 minutes
Masters of the Universe
It took about four decades for a second live-action Masters of the Universe movie to be made. This new adaptation is a truly fun ride. Basically, you’ve got Prince Adam back with the sword of power (which turns him into He-Man), along with heroes Teela and Man-at-Arms, on a mission to defeat Skeletor. If you’re looking for deep-thinking, high-concept sci-fi movie entertainment, look elsewhere. This is a rollicking, popcorn action flick, and it’s an absolute good time.
- Director: Travis Knight
- Stars: Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendez, Idris Elba, Morena Baccarin, Kristen Wiig, Alison Brie, Jared Leto
- Running time: 132 minutes.
The Running Man
Glen Powell stars in The Running Man.
Ross Ferguson/Paramount Pictures
Edgar Wright came through with a flashy remake of the ’80s cult sci-fi movie classic. What’s different about this Running Man? There’s no Arnold Schwarzenegger or Richard Dawson, but the movie absolutely strikes a chord. And it’s truer to the Stephen King (I mean, Richard Bachman) short story. Basically, the idea here is that it’s the future, and people love this reality TV show that follows a man who is hunted everywhere he goes. If he survives, he wins a fortune. Yeah, I’d watch that.
- Director: Edgar Wright
- Stars: Glen Powell, Lee Pace, Emilia Jones, Michael Cera, Colman Domingo, Josh Brolin
- Running time: 134 minutes
The Re-Animator
Jeffrey Combs stars in Re-Animator.
Empire International Pictures
You could absolutely consider Re-Animator to be a horror movie – and it is. But the subject matter of life regeneration in this H.P. Lovecraft-inspired B-movie classic puts it in the sci-fi category, as well. It’s campy, gory and peak ’80s fun. You’re welcome.
- Director: Stuart Gordon
- Stars: Jeffrey Combs, Bruce Abbott, Barbara Crampton, David Gale
- Running time: 86 minutes
Triangle
Melissa George stars in Triangle.
U.K. Film Council
There are time loop movies, and then there’s Triangle. This is a little underdog of a sci-fi movie filled with enough twists and terror to keep you invested. Heck, it burrowed itself into my brain when I first saw it in 2009 and stayed there for a while. The movie follows a woman named Jess as she struggles to survive a killer on a deserted boat. Sounds simple enough, but things go haywire rather quickly.
- Director: Christopher Smith
- Stars: Melissa George, Joshua McIvor, Jack Taylor, Michael Dorman, Henry Nixon, Liam Hemsworth
- Running time: 99 minutes
Highlander
Sean Connery and Christopher Lambert star in Highlander.
20th Century Studios
Highlander follows an immortal man named Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert) who faces off in a centuries-long battle against five immortal enemies in the streets of New York City. This movie is peak ’80s sci-fi movie entertainment, which means if you’re looking for an action movie that leans heavily into the schlocky absurdity of the genre, this is the title for you.
- Director: Russell Mulcahy
- Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Roxanne Hart, Clancy Brown
- Running time: 111 minutes.
The Tomorrow War
Chris Pratt stars in this action movie that follows a group of soldiers who travel back in time to warn of a future where humanity is losing the war against an army of alien invaders. Mankind’s only hope lies in a group of would-be heroes who are tapped to travel to the future in order to save the present.
- Director: Chris McKay
- Stars: Chris Pratt, Yvonne Strahovski, Betty Gilpin, Jasmine Mathews, Sam Richardson, J.K. Simmons
- Running time: 138 minutes
Donnie Darko
Frank the rabbit haunts Jake Gyllenhaal in Donnie Darko.
Newmarket Films
This mind-bending cult classic stars Jake Gyllenhaal as a misunderstood high schooler who, after seemingly surviving a horrific accident, begins traveling through time. In the process, he discovers the joy of being alive and in love. Themes of depression, repression and alternative universes fill this delightfully bizarre film. Also, let’s not forget that giant demon bunny named Frank.
- Director: Richard Kelly
- Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Seth Rogen, Jena Malone, Patrick Swayze, Mary McDonnell, Noah Wyle
- Running time: 113 minutes
See full bio
