My Favorite Sci-Fi
by kmac169 | created - 29 Dec 2010 | updated - 21 Nov 2017 | PublicA collection of my favorite science fiction films and tv shows (in no order... others may be added as I see them or remember them)
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1. Firefly (2002–2003)
TV-14 | 45 min | Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi
Five hundred years in the future, a renegade crew aboard a small spacecraft tries to survive as they travel the unknown parts of the galaxy and evade warring factions as well as authority agents out to get them.
Stars: Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Morena Baccarin
Votes: 281,591
My all time favorite sci-fi show It got axed far too soon
2. Serenity (2005)
PG-13 | 119 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
The crew of the ship Serenity try to evade an assassin sent to recapture telepath River.
Director: Joss Whedon | Stars: Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Alan Tudyk
Votes: 305,605 | Gross: $25.51M
A great jump to the big screen for Firefly fans
3. Roughnecks: The Starship Troopers Chronicles (1999–2000)
PG | 778 min | Sci-Fi, Animation, Action
The missions of a Mobile Infantry squad as they participate in a war of survival against a ferocious alien insectoid invader.
Stars: Nicholas Guest, Bill Fagerbakke, Alexander Polinsky, James Horan
Votes: 2,276
The movie was an abomination in my eyes But this short lived series had some good redeeming features.
4. Doctor Who (2005–2022)
TV-PG | 45 min | Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi
The further adventures in time and space of the alien adventurer known as the Doctor and his companions from planet Earth.
Stars: Jodie Whittaker, Peter Capaldi, Pearl Mackie, Matt Smith
Votes: 246,419
The original series was more of an off and on viewing (especially since it could be a pain to see British shows here in the US... until relatively recently). But this revamp/return has been absolutely fantastic!
5. Eureka (2006–2012)
TV-14 | 60 min | Adventure, Comedy, Drama
A U.S. Marshal becomes the sheriff of Eureka, a remote, cozy little Northwestern town where the best minds in the US have secretly been tucked away to build futuristic inventions for the government which often go disastrously wrong.
Stars: Colin Ferguson, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Erica Cerra, Neil Grayston
Votes: 58,244
Along with Doctor Who this is my favorite sic-fi show currently running
6. Red Dwarf (1988– )
TV-14 | 30 min | Comedy, Sci-Fi
The adventures of the last human alive and his friends, stranded three million years into deep space on the mining ship Red Dwarf.
Stars: Chris Barrie, Craig Charles, Danny John-Jules, Robert Llewellyn
Votes: 37,275
Though I may greatly enjoy the new Doctor Who, Red Dwarf will always be my favorite British scif-fi show. Boys from the Dwarf!
7. Star Trek (2009)
PG-13 | 127 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
The brash James T. Kirk tries to live up to his father's legacy with Mr. Spock keeping him in check as a vengeful Romulan from the future creates black holes to destroy the Federation one planet at a time.
Director: J.J. Abrams | Stars: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Simon Pegg, Leonard Nimoy
Votes: 620,157 | Gross: $257.73M
A fun fast paced update to a classic sci-fi franchise
8. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994)
TV-PG | 45 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Set almost 100 years after Captain Kirk's 5-year mission, a new generation of Starfleet officers sets off in the U.S.S. Enterprise-D on its own mission to go where no one has gone before.
Stars: Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner, Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton
Votes: 135,893
I had never been a big watcher of the original series (hey I was born in 1980). I had been more aware of Star trek via the movies and then this series that brought it back.
9. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
PG | 113 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
With the assistance of the Enterprise crew, Admiral Kirk must stop an old nemesis, Khan Noonien Singh, from using the life-generating Genesis Device as the ultimate weapon.
Director: Nicholas Meyer | Stars: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan
Votes: 129,179 | Gross: $78.91M
Until the 2009 movie came out this had been my favorite of all the Star Trek films
10. Star Trek: First Contact (1996)
PG-13 | 111 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
The Borg travel back in time intent on preventing Earth's first contact with an alien species. Captain Picard and his crew pursue them to ensure that Zefram Cochrane makes his maiden flight reaching warp speed.
Director: Jonathan Frakes | Stars: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton
Votes: 132,025 | Gross: $92.00M
My favorite of the Next Generation movies and now my third favorite of all the films
11. Star Trek: Enterprise (2001–2005)
TV-PG | 60 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A century before Captain Kirk's five-year mission, Jonathan Archer captains the United Earth ship Enterprise during the early years of Starfleet, leading up to the Earth-Romulan War and the formation of the Federation.
Stars: Scott Bakula, John Billingsley, Jolene Blalock, Dominic Keating
Votes: 59,071
I probably one of the very few who enjoyed this series I actually liked it slighty more than Deep Space Nine and much more than Voyager.
12. Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)
PG | 121 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Luke Skywalker joins forces with a Jedi Knight, a cocky pilot, a Wookiee and two droids to save the galaxy from the Empire's world-destroying battle station, while also attempting to rescue Princess Leia from the mysterious Darth Vader.
Director: George Lucas | Stars: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Alec Guinness
Votes: 1,449,032 | Gross: $322.74M
Okay what's a sci-fi list without the holy trilogy?
13. Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
PG | 124 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
After the Rebel Alliance are overpowered by the Empire, Luke Skywalker begins his Jedi training with Yoda, while his friends are pursued across the galaxy by Darth Vader and bounty hunter Boba Fett.
Director: Irvin Kershner | Stars: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams
Votes: 1,379,130 | Gross: $290.48M
I mean it, what's a sci-fi list without these 3?
14. Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
PG | 131 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
After rescuing Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt, the Rebel Alliance attempt to destroy the second Death Star, while Luke struggles to help Darth Vader back from the dark side.
Director: Richard Marquand | Stars: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams
Votes: 1,120,978 | Gross: $309.13M
For me, nothing... that's what
15. Farscape (1999–2003)
TV-14 | 50 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Thrown into a distant part of the universe, an Earth astronaut finds himself part of a fugitive alien starship crew.
Stars: Ben Browder, Claudia Black, Anthony Simcoe, Lani John Tupu
Votes: 40,258
I missed it when it aired, and only fully watched the show in its entirety relatively recently. But damn it was fun!
16. Blade Runner (1982)
R | 117 min | Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
A blade runner must pursue and terminate four replicants who stole a ship in space and have returned to Earth to find their creator.
Director: Ridley Scott | Stars: Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, Edward James Olmos
Votes: 822,753 | Gross: $32.87M
Personally I'm a bigger fan of the original cut. I greatly enojyed Decker's narration.
17. The Last Starfighter (1984)
PG | 100 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
High schooler Alex Rogan conquers the Starfighter video game, only to find out it was just a test, and is transported to another planet. He has been recruited to join a team of the best starfighters to defend their world from the attack.
Director: Nick Castle | Stars: Lance Guest, Robert Preston, Kay E. Kuter, Dan Mason
Votes: 45,999 | Gross: $28.73M
Two reasons why I love this film Centari & Grigg!
18. RoboCop (1987)
R | 102 min | Action, Crime, Sci-Fi
In a dystopic and crime-ridden Detroit, a terminally wounded cop returns to the force as a powerful cyborg haunted by submerged memories.
Director: Paul Verhoeven | Stars: Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Dan O'Herlihy, Ronny Cox
Votes: 282,960 | Gross: $53.42M
A great sci-fi action piece. Weller will always be RoboCop to me
19. RoboCop 2 (1990)
R | 117 min | Action, Crime, Sci-Fi
RoboCop returns to protect the citizens of old Detroit but faces a deadly challenge when a rogue OCP member secretly creates a new, evil RoboCop 2.
Director: Irvin Kershner | Stars: Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Belinda Bauer, Dan O'Herlihy
Votes: 93,130 | Gross: $45.68M
A good solid follow up to the first
20. Tron (1982)
PG | 96 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
A computer hacker is abducted into the digital world and forced to participate in gladiatorial games where his only chance of escape is with the help of a heroic security program.
Director: Steven Lisberger | Stars: Jeff Bridges, Bruce Boxleitner, David Warner, Cindy Morgan
Votes: 129,227 | Gross: $33.00M
I was 6 when I first saw it and I still love it even now
21. The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984)
PG | 103 min | Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Adventurer, brain surgeon, rock musician Buckaroo Banzai and his crime-fighting team, the Hong Kong Cavaliers, must stop evil alien invaders from the eighth dimension who are planning to conquer Earth.
Director: W.D. Richter | Stars: Peter Weller, John Lithgow, Ellen Barkin, Jeff Goldblum
Votes: 29,309 | Gross: $6.25M
Wierd and goofy, but damn I still love this one
22. Outland (1981)
R | 109 min | Action, Crime, Sci-Fi
A federal marshal stationed at a mining colony on the Jupiter moon of Io uncovers a drug-smuggling conspiracy. He gets no help from the workers or authorities when he finds himself marked for murder.
Director: Peter Hyams | Stars: Sean Connery, Frances Sternhagen, Peter Boyle, James Sikking
Votes: 32,356 | Gross: $17.37M
Take High Noon Throw in space And add Sean Connery How can I not enjoy this movie?!
23. The Terminator (1984)
R | 107 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
A human soldier is sent from 2029 to 1984 to stop an almost indestructible cyborg killing machine, sent from the same year, which has been programmed to execute a young woman whose unborn son is the key to humanity's future salvation.
Director: James Cameron | Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn, Paul Winfield
Votes: 923,747 | Gross: $38.40M
My first among the Schwarzenegger sci-fi movies
24. Predator (1987)
R | 107 min | Action, Adventure, Horror
A team of commandos on a mission in a Central American jungle find themselves hunted by an extraterrestrial warrior.
Director: John McTiernan | Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Kevin Peter Hall, Elpidia Carrillo
Votes: 454,566 | Gross: $59.74M
The Second
25. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
R | 137 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
A cyborg, identical to the one who failed to kill Sarah Connor, must now protect her ten year old son John from an even more advanced and powerful cyborg.
Director: James Cameron | Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong, Robert Patrick
Votes: 1,173,491 | Gross: $204.84M
The Third
26. The Running Man (1987)
R | 101 min | Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller
In a dystopian America, a falsely convicted policeman gets his shot at freedom when he must forcibly participate in a TV game show where convicts, runners, must battle killers for their freedom.
Director: Paul Michael Glaser | Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Maria Conchita Alonso, Yaphet Kotto, Jim Brown
Votes: 167,587 | Gross: $38.12M
The Fourth
27. Total Recall (1990)
R | 113 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
When a man goes in to have virtual vacation memories of the planet Mars implanted in his mind, an unexpected and harrowing series of events forces him to go to the planet for real - or is he?
Director: Paul Verhoeven | Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sharon Stone, Michael Ironside, Rachel Ticotin
Votes: 354,405 | Gross: $119.39M
The Fifth
28. The 6th Day (2000)
PG-13 | 123 min | Action, Mystery, Sci-Fi
A man meets a clone of himself and stumbles into a grand conspiracy about clones taking over the world.
Director: Roger Spottiswoode | Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Rapaport, Tony Goldwyn, Michael Rooker
Votes: 127,873 | Gross: $34.60M
And the Sixth
29. Predator 2 (1990)
R | 108 min | Action, Horror, Sci-Fi
The Predator returns to Earth, this time to stake a claim on the war-torn streets of a dystopian Los Angeles.
Director: Stephen Hopkins | Stars: Danny Glover, Gary Busey, Kevin Peter Hall, Rubén Blades
Votes: 182,437 | Gross: $30.67M
I know many have bashed it but I enjoyed this sequal
30. Alien (1979)
R | 117 min | Horror, Sci-Fi
The crew of a commercial spacecraft encounters a deadly lifeform after investigating a mysterious transmission of unknown origin.
Director: Ridley Scott | Stars: Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt, Veronica Cartwright
Votes: 949,920 | Gross: $78.90M
Now that was sci-fi horror and suspense!
31. Aliens (1986)
R | 137 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Decades after surviving the Nostromo incident, Ellen Ripley is sent out to re-establish contact with a terraforming colony but finds herself battling the Alien Queen and her offspring.
Director: James Cameron | Stars: Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, Carrie Henn, Paul Reiser
Votes: 762,670 | Gross: $85.16M
A great action based follow up
32. The Fifth Element (1997)
PG-13 | 126 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
In the colorful future, a cab driver unwittingly becomes the central figure in the search for a legendary cosmic weapon to keep Evil and Mr. Zorg at bay.
Director: Luc Besson | Stars: Bruce Willis, Milla Jovovich, Gary Oldman, Ian Holm
Votes: 505,923 | Gross: $63.54M
Goofy all the way I can't quite describe why I like But I do
33. Galaxy Quest (1999)
PG | 102 min | Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi
The alumni cast of a space opera television series have to play their roles as the real thing when an alien race needs their help. However, they also have to defend both Earth and the alien race from a reptilian warlord.
Director: Dean Parisot | Stars: Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Tony Shalhoub
Votes: 178,060 | Gross: $71.58M
Funny, so very funny
34. Futurama (1999– )
TV-14 | 22 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Philip J. Fry, a pizza delivery boy, is accidentally frozen in 1999 and thawed out on New Year's Eve 2999.
Stars: Billy West, John DiMaggio, Katey Sagal, Tress MacNeille
Votes: 260,827
A great sci-fi cartoon from Matt I love it along with all the tv movies And woot it's back!
35. My Science Project (1985)
PG | 94 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
A high school student and his friend find a strange, orb-like piece of equipment to use as a science project, but must stop it when it begins to threaten mankind.
Director: Jonathan R. Betuel | Stars: John Stockwell, Danielle von Zerneck, Fisher Stevens, Raphael Sbarge
Votes: 6,451 | Gross: $4.12M
A fun little sci-fi comedy
36. Short Circuit (1986)
PG | 98 min | Comedy, Family, Sci-Fi
Number 5 of a group of experimental robots in a lab is electrocuted, suddenly becomes intelligent, and escapes.
Director: John Badham | Stars: Ally Sheedy, Steve Guttenberg, Fisher Stevens, Austin Pendleton
Votes: 66,300 | Gross: $40.70M
It's been over 20 years since I first saw this and I still love it
37. Battlestar Galactica (2003)
TV-14 | 92 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Following the destruction of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol by the Cylons, a rag-tag fugitive fleet of the last remnants of mankind flees the pursuing Cylons while simultaneously searching for their true home: Earth.
Stars: Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell, Katee Sackhoff, Jamie Bamber
Votes: 80,143
I had a hard time trying to watch and get into the series when it finally began in 2004. But I did enjoy this mini-series/pilot.
38. V (1984–1985)
TV-PG | 1,088 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
A year after Liberation Day, courtesy of the red-dust bacteria, the humanoid, lizard-like aliens develop a resistance to the micro-organism and try to regain control of the Earth--only now, some humans are knowingly working with them.
Stars: Marc Singer, Faye Grant, Michael Ironside, Jane Badler
Votes: 14,029
I haven't seen the new version But I've always enjoyed the original
39. Event Horizon (1997)
R | 96 min | Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
A rescue crew is tasked with investigating the mysterious reappearance of a spaceship that had been lost for seven years.
Director: Paul W.S. Anderson | Stars: Laurence Fishburne, Sam Neill, Kathleen Quinlan, Joely Richardson
Votes: 197,070 | Gross: $26.67M
I'm not a big fan of horror films, but I really enjoyed this movie
40. SeaQuest 2032 (1993–1996)
TV-PG | 60 min | Action, Adventure, Family
In the early 21st century, mankind has colonized the oceans. The United Earth Oceans Organization enlists Captain Nathan Bridger and the submarine seaQuest DSV to keep the peace and explore the last frontier on Earth.
Stars: Jonathan Brandis, Don Franklin, Ted Raimi, Darwin
Votes: 7,771
An enjoyable series that I felt was in the spirit of Star Trek
41. Dune (2000)
Not Rated | 265 min | Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi
A three-part miniseries on politics, betrayal, lust, greed and the coming of a Messiah. Based on Frank Herbert's classic science fiction novel.
Stars: William Hurt, Alec Newman, Giancarlo Giannini, Uwe Ochsenknecht
Votes: 24,852
This was a great adaptation of the Frank Herbert novel
42. Children of Dune (2003)
Unrated | 89 min | Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi
The twins of Paul "Muad'dib" Atreides become embroiled in the political landscape of Arrakis ("Dune") and the rest of the universe.
Stars: Alec Newman, Daniela Amavia, James McAvoy, Jessica Brooks
Votes: 15,143
A good adaptation of the Dune Messiah and Children of Dune stories
43. Back to the Future (1985)
PG | 116 min | Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Marty McFly, a 17-year-old high school student, is accidentally sent 30 years into the past in a time-traveling DeLorean invented by his close friend, the maverick scientist Doc Brown.
Director: Robert Zemeckis | Stars: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover
Votes: 1,306,076 | Gross: $210.61M
A classic from 1980s sci-fi The whole trilogy is enjoyable
44. Sliders (1995–2000)
TV-PG | 60 min | Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
A boy genius and his comrades travel to different parallel universes, trying to find their way back home.
Stars: Jerry O'Connell, Sabrina Lloyd, John Rhys-Davies, Cleavant Derricks
Votes: 20,389
I enjoyed this show very much but stopped watching after 1998... not because I lost interest but because it changed network and I was no longer able to see it anymore
45. Torchwood (2006–2011)
TV-MA | 50 min | Action, Drama, Mystery
The members of the Torchwood Institute, a secret organization founded by the British Crown, fight to protect the Earth from extraterrestrial and supernatural threats.
Stars: John Barrowman, Eve Myles, Kai Owen, Gareth David-Lloyd
Votes: 43,438
A great and very dark spin-off of Doctor Who
46. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005)
PG | 109 min | Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Mere seconds before the Earth is to be demolished by an alien construction crew, journeyman Arthur Dent is swept off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher penning a new edition of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy."
Director: Garth Jennings | Stars: Martin Freeman, Yasiin Bey, Sam Rockwell, Zooey Deschanel
Votes: 208,326 | Gross: $51.09M
Though I chose the moive for the list I also enjoyed the tv show as well and the novels.
But my absolute favorite version was the old radio program.
47. Independence Day (1996)
PG-13 | 145 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
The aliens are coming and their goal is to invade and destroy Earth. Fighting superior technology, mankind's best weapon is the will to survive.
Director: Roland Emmerich | Stars: Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Mary McDonnell
Votes: 605,380 | Gross: $306.17M
People may pan this all they want, but I still enjoy this essentially juiced up actionized version of War of the World.
48. The Puppet Masters (1994)
R | 109 min | Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
The Earth is invaded by stingray-shaped alien "slugs" that ride on people's backs and control their minds.
Director: Stuart Orme | Stars: Donald Sutherland, Eric Thal, Julie Warner, Keith David
Votes: 9,704 | Gross: $8.64M
A good adaptation of the Heinlein story
49. Defiance (2013–2015)
TV-MA | 43 min | Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
Life in the city of Defiance, in a near future after the arrival of different alien lifeforms to Earth.
Stars: Grant Bowler, Stephanie Leonidas, Julie Benz, Graham Greene
Votes: 44,500
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