10 Bold Sci-Fi Movies to Stream on Prime Video Right Now

This sci-fi classic, directed by Steven Spielberg, follows an average man named Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss) who, after experiencing an alien encounter, becomes obsessed with the existence of UFOs. Close Encounters shines a light (or two) on humanity’s enduring curiosity about what exists beyond our world. Deeper still, it’s a poignant exploration of mental health.

It’s hard to leave The Tomorrow War off this list, because it’s Prime Video’s big sci-fi actioner starring Chris Pratt. It follows a schoolteacher who’s drafted into a war with aliens, in the future. An easily digestible flick that you can watch while looking at your phone.

Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar takes the filmmaker’s cerebral narrative talents to outer space. Matthew McConaughey is Cooper, a NASA astronaut tasked with finding a planet that can sustain life, in order to ensure humanity’s future. Loss, trauma and grief play big parts in the storytelling here. Nolan’s got a knack for stitching together an engaging yarn, which he does in this flick. In short, Interstellar doesn’t disappoint.

Superman: The Movie is an example of a comic book movie done right. Richard Donner’s superhero epic set the standard for how modern day films of this ilk can operate. Gene Hackman’s Lex Luthor is a legendary portrayal of the DC Comics villain. Through an effortless balance of heroism, physical power, humor and heart, Christopher Reeve’s portrayal of Kal-El remains as iconic as ever. 

After carving his niche in the horror genre with the first two Evil Dead movies, Sam Raimi marked his big budget feature debut with Darkman — a disruptive superhero film that’s tough to pin down. Is it sci-fi? Yes. But the movie, which stars Liam Neeson and Frances McDormand, mishmashes horror, action, comedy and romance together into a fun and entertaining cult classic.

Stephen King delved into sci-fi territory with The Dead Zone, a story that follows a teacher named Johnny Smith (played by Christopher Walken) who, after waking up from a coma, discovers he has psychic abilities. Being able to see the future leads Johnny on a mission to try and save it — putting him face-to-face with Greg Stillson (Martin Sheen), a presidential candidate who, according to his visions, will start a nuclear war if he gets elected.

Rian Johnson’s sci-fi thriller explores a future where time travel exists. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Joe, a hitman who waits in the past for the mob to send him targets to eliminate. Things get complicated when his future self, played by Bruce Willis, is sent back in time for him to kill. Twisty smart writing, solid performances and savvy filmmaking make this movie a thoroughly entertaining ride.

Wes Anderson takes on the sci-fi genre with Asteroid City and, as you’d suspect, he flips the script on things and delivers a movie that is quintessentially him. Whimsy, nostalgia and drama mix effortlessly as this UFO-themed story takes audiences back to a fictional version of 1950s America. The ensemble is a who’s who of Anderson faves, featuring wonderful performances from Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Maya Hawke, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston and more.

Face/Off follows a rather simple, and silly, premise: FBI agent Sean Archer (Nicolas Cage) goes under the knife for a controversial face transplant procedure in order to discover the location of a bomb planted by comatose terrorist Castor Troy (John Travolta). Things get crazy when Troy wakes up and undergoes the same surgery. It all sounds ridiculous and it very much is, but thanks to the all-in performances by the two leads, and the guidance of legendary director John Woo, the whole thing works. And delightfully so.

This movie doesn’t really make sense, but it sure is fun to watch. Packed with noteworthy talent, including Peter Weller, Jeff Goldblum, Clancy Brown, Ellen Barkin, John Lithgow and Christopher Lloyd, the ’80s cult classic follows Dr. Buckaroo Banzai (Weller) as he fights a group of alien enemies in order to save the world. It’s thematically reminiscent of Doctor Who and features a delightfully unhinged performance by Lithgow.