Top 10 Stand Alone Sci-Fi Films

It’s no secret that Rambling Ever On is obsessed with ranking things. Today is no different. I love sci-fi films, and one aspect of the genre I greatly appreciate is that it lends itself to a wide variety of distinct one and done films. Sci-fi has this approach to quick world-building through the visual in a way that doesn’t require a franchise to fully develop a story.

Some of my all-time favorite movies are these stand-alone sci-fi films, so I thought it would be fun to rank my 10 favorites. No film that is a part of a franchise, has a prequel, sequel, or spinoff, or is a remake could be eligible, so no Star Wars, Star Trek, Terminator, Alien, Jurassic Park, Blade Runner, etc. I present my top 10 stand-alone sci-fi films, and if you agree, disagree, have any you would have included, let us know!

10. Midnight Special

Midnight Special, an under the radar 2016 release, is an incredible story layered with complex family dynamics, rich character history, and a beautiful score by David Wingo. Its scope begins small and as the film progresses it slowly builds into something bigger and bigger. I’m intentionally remaining vague to avoid giving away the plot, but I highly recommend this film. It clocks in right under 2 hours, and its pacing is some of the best in the genre. With every passing scene you get more and more invested in the story. Michael Shannon, Kirsten Dunst, Joel Edgerton, and Adam Driver are remarkable, and they each deliver one of the best performances in their careers.

9. Galaxy Quest

Galaxy Quest is an absolutely hilarious Star Trek parody starring Tim Allen, Alan Rickman, and Sigourney Weaver. The premise is simple, what if the stars of a huge sci-fi tv show actually had to fly a ship, explore new planets, and defeat evil aliens?

The film begins by showing each of the leads as old miserable actors out of their prime. We discover that a real alien species found the tv show, and, mistakenly believing it to be documentary footage, brings the former tv stars to space to help them defeat their war mongering enemy. The way Tim Allen and Alan Rickman play off of each other is so funny, and by the end of the film we get surprising emotional beats that work really well.

8. Edge of Tomorrow

Edge of Tomorrow, starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt, is a fresh and exciting take on the time loop movie genre. The world is at war with an alien species, and Tom Cruise’s character must relive the same day over and over until he figures out how to stop the aliens. This film is ridiculously fun, action packed, and has a certain rewatchable factor that makes it great to revisit.

7. Inception

Where Nolan comes up with his ideas will always astound me. Conceptually, Inception is the boldest and most imaginative film on this list. It follows a team whose specialty is extracting information by entering into the subject’s subconscious while they’re dreaming. The team is presented with a difficult task: rather than extracting information, they are charged with planting an idea. What follows is a captivating story, paired with one of Hans Zimmer’s all time besy scores. (Go listen to “Time.”) Nolan’s cinematography is always top notch, but in Inception he utilizes incredible practical techniques to help immerse the viewer even further.

Inception is brilliantly complex. It’s a heist film wrapped up in sci-fi aesthetics and concepts, it’s a psychological exploration into the main character’s grief, and it’s a drama about a strained relationship between a father and son. The characters have so much charm and wit that helps this film go from merely a great concept to a well-developed and complete film. (Tom Hardy’s character saying “You mustn’t be afraid to dream a little bigger darling” as he pulls out a rocket launcher will always put a massive smile on my face.) Nolan has been a staple in the modern sci-fi landscape, and Inception further instills his significance.

6. Super 8

I am apparently one of the only few JJ Abrams defenders alive. I simply don’t get the hate. I think he is a brilliant director, and if this list included sci-fi franchises, he would have 2 more entries appear. That said, Super 8 is his best work.

Set in the 70s, the film follows a group of friends as they uncover a government hidden alien conspiracy. You couldn’t convince me that this film wasn’t a direct inspiration for Stranger Things. The way the kids interact and argue with each other is so organic and so true to life, and that organic quality permeates every scene of this film. Super 8 feels like a classic 80s film in its tone, its music, its color palette, and its heart.

5. The Iron Giant

Brad Bird is a master at his craft. With an animated filmography that includes The Iron Giant, Ratatouille, and The Incredibles films, Bird has solidified himself as one of the most important animation directors of all time. Before his days at Pixar, he tried his hand at a 50s/60s era coming of age sci-fi film that is one of the greatest animated films of all time. Similarly structured to E.T., The Iron Giant follows a young boy, Hogarth, who discovers a metal machine that’s landed on Earth. Their relationship is so pure to watch unfold. This film is visually stunning and is full of a warmth and heart that a lot of sci-fi is lacking.

4. Sunshine

Before his Oscar winning days of Oppenheimer, Cillian Murphy starred in the dark, gritty, realistic sci-fi film Sunshine. Sunshine’s premise is simple: set in the future, the sun is dying. The nations of Earth put all of their resources together in build a bomb. A crew (starring Cillian Murphy, Chris Evans, Benedict Wong, Michelle Yeoh, and Rose Byrn) is tasked with piloting a ship that will deliver the bomb into the sun, kickstarting it back to life and saving the Earth from an eternal ice age.

What follows is an incredibly well paced hour and a half that blends the typical sci-fi tone with horror and thriller motifs that work well to nudge this film over others in my personal ranking. The sound design and lighting are cranked to a 10 in this film, but in a way that works perfectly and doesn’t feel overindulgent.

3. E.T. The Extra Terrestrial

A classic from the 80s, I believe E.T. is Steven Spielberg’s best film. E.T. follows a young boy Elliot who discovers and befriends an alien in his backyard. Elliot and E.T. develop a deep bond, and through their relationship Spielberg delivers some of the most heartfelt emotional storytelling of his career.

The term “movie magic” gets thrown around far too frequently, but that description fits this film perfectly. Every frame of this film is Spielberg and his crew working at their best. The craftsmanship and filmmaking technique on display in every second of this film is beautifully immersive in a way only Spielberg can accomplish. John Williams delivers one of the best scores of his legendary career, and that first flying scene is as good as movies get.

2. WALL-E

I’ve already written nearly 1500 words on this film for Rambling Ever On, so it should come as no shock that it is this high on my list. This is my favorite animated movie of all time. Artistically it is Pixar’s most triumphant work even though its over 15 years old. Thematically it deals with complex ideas of love, sacrifice, service, and creation care. Musically, Thomas Newman conveys a deep richness in tone and quality few animated films have reached.

However, for the purposes of this list, WALL-E is one of a very few animated films to tackle the science fiction genre, and to do it perfectly. Somehow, in an hour and a half, Andrew Stanton is able to interact with robots, a bleak dystopian future, space travel, artificial intelligence, and overreliance on technology better than most sci-fi films are able to, animated or live action. WALL-E is a miraculous film that is able to transcend both the animated and the science fiction genre.

1. Interstellar

Christopher Nolan is my favorite director, and I believe Interstellar is his best film. Any movie fan has those memories of watching one of their favorite films for the first time and that memory sticking with them forever. For me, Interstellar was that film. Watching that for the first time is a moment I will never forget. No film has ever taken me on the journey this one did. It was equally mind blowing yet narratively rooted in a clear story.

One critique that non-Nolan believers tend to bring up is the lack of heart in his films. People complain that his films, though brilliant conceptually, lack emotional depth and feel cold. They’re wrong. Interstellar completely shatters all of those weak critiques.

Interstellar follows Cooper, a pilot and dad who has to choose to leave his kids behind on the increasingly uninhabitable Earth in order to find a more suitable planet for mankind. Cooper’s journey spans decades. He travels through black holes and to several planets, but the constant that grounds his journey and gives it emotional depth is the relationship between Cooper and his daughter. Interstellar interacts with themes of love, hope, and faith in a power greater than what we can see.

I was able to rewatch this film last year in IMAX for its 10^th anniversary and it was easily one of my favorite theatrical experiences of my life. Nolan and his team were able to capture the incredible scope and depth of space in the most immersive way ever put to film. This is the most visually impressive film I have ever watched. Hans Zimmer’s organ-centric score is beautiful and a crucial piece of this film, and hearing it on the IMAX speakers was a once in a lifetime cinematic moment. Interstellar is a brilliant film, and my favorite science fiction movie of all time.

Final Thoughts:

There you have it! If I missed any of your favorites, please let us know! We love hearing from our readers.

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Aidan Lytle

Aidan is recent graduate of Welch College with a degree in English. His interests include movies (primarily Lord of the Rings and anything Christopher Nolan), oil painting, NEEDTOBREATHE, Future of Forestry, and the Tennessee Titans.

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