The 6 Best Sci-Fi Movies Of 2024 So Far

Have you noticed that a lot of science-fiction movies haven't felt so fictional of late? Oh sure, the genre has always been about our real-world problems in the present day. Yet, as technology has caught up to our collective imaginations, a lot of would-be fantastical representations of the future have come to resemble our current hellscape but either slightly shinier and/or dingier and with A.I. that's capable of more than cranking out fake YouTube film trailer screencaps of men standing behind nude women. Even movies set thousands of years from now on distant planets tend to be about the all-too-topical concern of young white twinks embracing fascism (much to the dismay of their progressive girlfriends).

As dour and sometimes surreal as these movies are, they're also excellent vehicles for filmmakers to talk about the biggest issues of the day and, in doing so, perhaps make them feel just a tad less insurmountable and remind folks about the value of empathizing with those who have it worse than you do. And on that cheerful note (can you tell it's an election year?), here are our picks for the best sci-fi movies of 2024 so far.

Welcome to the big leagues, Denis Villeneuve and Timothée Chalamet. In one fell swoop, the sequel adaptation of Frank Herbert's original novel "Dune" officially ushered in both talented artists to the upper echelon of the industry. For the director, taking a carefully measured approach to a book commonly considered to be "unfilmable" and meeting immediate box-office success with "Dune: Part Two" finally put Villeneuve among household names such as Christopher Nolan and Jordan Peele. For Chalamet, his stardom reached its peak through his commanding performance as the misguided messianic figure Paul Atreides, a charismatic leader capable of shaping the destinies of untold millions. Together, both helped turn a classic — but notoriously dense — sci-fi story into a mainstream hit that many now consider to be a new gold standard for 21st-century cinema.

Of course, they had plenty of backup along the way, too. From Greig Fraser's frequently stunning cinematography creating an awe-inspiring sense of scale to Hans Zimmer's booming score forming a backdrop to the visuals to the stacked supporting cast of heavy hitters (arguably none more crucial than Zendaya's steadfast but headstrong Chani), every aspect of "Dune: Part Two" evokes the grandeur and tragic inevitability that forever changed the genre upon publication in 1965. The future of blockbuster filmmaking has never looked brighter or more epic. (Jeremy Mathai)

Director: Denis Villenueve

Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Christopher Walken, Léa Seydoux, Souheila Yacoub, Stellan Skarsgård, Charlotte Rampling, and Javier Bardem

Rating: PG-13

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%

"The Kitchen" sees architect-filmmaker Kibwe Tavares and Oscar-winning actor Daniel Kaluuya merging their powers in the best way. The pair's feature directing debut takes place in a (barely) futuristic London where public housing for the lower classes has been eliminated save for the eponymous community — and even there, citizens are subject to persistent police raids as the government tries to push them out for good. Tavares' architectural background manifests itself in the way the film's titular housing estate is visualized and depicted in bountiful, tangible detail, from its ground-level stores and eateries to the crumbling high-rise apartments and communal areas where locals gather to dance their woes away.

The actual story here centers on Izi (Kane Robinson), a Kitchen resident who's on the verge of moving away into a far more opulent flat when he encounters Benji (Jedaiah Bannerman), a boy who only just lost his mother ... and may or may not be Izi's son. More of a mood piece than a thriller (though the scenes where the police raid the Kitchen are intense and stressful in their staging), "The Kitchen" boasts the kind of naturalistic, subtle performances that Kaluuya is known for, which benefits this familiar yet moving tale of a reluctant father-figure struggling to do right by his — again, possibly literal — kid. What you're left with is a fine addition to the greater tradition of British sci-fi social realism that speaks as much to where we are now as it does to what tomorrow may bring. (Sandy Schaefer)

Director: Daniel Kaluuya and Kibwe Tavares

Cast: Kane Robinson, Jedaiah Bannerman, Hope Ikpoku Jr, Teija Kabs, Demmy Ladipo, and Ian Wright

Rating: R

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%

An ancient cosmic entity and the loneliest (space)man in the world cross paths on a distant rocket ship speeding away far from Earth. No, this isn't the setup to a groan-worthy punchline, but the oddball premise for one of the stranger and more esoteric releases of 2024 so far. Ordinarily, placing a giant spider-like being in close confines with a sole protagonist under severe mental distress would feel like the makings of a horror movie, but director Johan Renck's "Spaceman" (based on the 2017 novel "Spaceman of Bohemia") plays its particular tune at a much more fascinating and introspective pitch.

Adam Sandler stars as Jakub Procházka, a Czech cosmonaut selected for a special one-man, year-long mission to investigate a mysterious, purple-hued dust cloud that has recently invaded the furthest reaches of our solar system. If the scraggly beard and thousand-yard stare of Jakub's eyes don't give away the game, the frequent intrusions of past memories with his wife Lenka (Carey Mulligan) left to fend for herself reveal him for exactly what he is: a man running away from something. But when she finally decides she's had enough and abruptly cuts off communication, only the inexplicable appearance of an eight-legged intruder on his spaceship (voiced by Paul Dano) — and its endless questions about his past — seems to bring Jakub back to life.

What follows is a thoughtful and poignant attempt to make sense of our own imperfect lives, self-destructive tendencies and all. (Jeremy Mathai)

Director: Johan Renck

Cast: Adam Sandler, Carey Mulligan, Paul Dano, Kunal Nayyar, Lena Olin, and Isabella Rossellini

Rating: R

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 52%