Movies - TV
The Best Sci-Fi Movies To Watch If You're New To The Genre
By ERIC LANGBERG
The Day the earth...
"The Day the Earth Stood Still" is a black and white alien-invasion film from 1951. On the surface, the film is a romp about an alien traveling to Earth to understand humanity, but its deeper message tells a cautionary tale about humans’ inability to get along with each other, which prevents them from receiving a message of enlightenment from an outer being.
Forbidden Planet
Simmering with pop psychology and some fantastic matte-painted backdrops, "Forbidden Planet" is a must-see for any sci-fi beginner. The film debuts Robby the Robot, one of cinema’s most iconic robots, who has since appeared in dozens of movies and shows including “The Twilight Zone” and "Looney Tunes: Back in Action.”
The Fly
Following humanity’s realization of the destructive potential of science, the 1958 film "The Fly" follows a scientist's accidental transformation into a monstrous creature that is half-human, half-fly. The film had an immense effect on popular culture, and is a morality tale about the dangers and necessity of scientific pursuit.
The Time Machine
"The Time Machine," which tells the story of a man who invents the ability to time travel to learn about humanity’s future, is a solid film with stunning Metrocolor cinematography and time travel sequences that feature impressive stop-motion sequences. And, needless to say, Rod Taylor's performance is charming as always.
Star Wars: A New Hope
With a classic space-opera formula, "Star Wars – A New Hope" gave sci-fi fans a gateway into outer space storytelling and debuted one of cinema's most iconic villains: Darth Vader. Not to mention, the film also introduced lightsabers into pop culture, and while you might be resistant to watching it, it’s only fun to give in to its fantasy and childlike sense of wonder.