Science fiction movies are often thought of as being full of fantastical elements, but there are a few that actually have science in them. These movies may not be realistic, but they’re still interesting and entertaining. Here are five science fiction movies that have science in them. The Matrix This movie is set in a future where people are controlled by machines. The main character rebels against the machines and learns about the true nature of reality. This movie has a lot of references to science and technology, including ideas about computer networks and artificial intelligence. Ender’s Game This movie is about a young boy who is chosen to be part of an elite group of soldiers who are trained to fight against aliens. The training involves using advanced technology, including simulations that involve fighting aliens. This movie has some scientific elements, including discussions about space travel and genetics. The Terminator This movie is about a cyborg who is sent back in time to kill the mother of the protagonist. The protagonist eventually becomes able to stop the cyborgs from happening, and this leads to some interesting discussions about time travel and causality. Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope This movie is one of the most popular science fiction movies ever made, and it’s also full of references to science and technology. One example is when Luke Skywalker uses the Force to destroy a Death Star II ship using only his lightsaber. This scene includes references to physics concepts like energy weapons and space battles. ..
I like those movies as much as the next fella. But some filmmakers do make a sincere effort to imagine other realities and technologies that inspire in the way classic science fiction does. It doesn’t mean the films have to be the on-screen equivalent of reading an MIT paper on quantum entanglement or something, just that they spin a decent yarn inspired by actual science.
The below are a few slightly less commercial selections, instead of obvious choices like Interstellar or 2001 or Chef, that science fiction movie where Jon Favreau dates both Scarlett Johansson and Sofia Vergara. That’s the future I want.
Primer
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Primer is easily the best time travel movie I’ve seen because it feels like you might just be watching a documentary about two guys who actually made a time machine. The special effects, or lack thereof, certainly bear this out. This is not a flashy film: there are no chase scenes, no colorful portals with beams of light, and no characters quickly aging. Two guys make a time machine in their garage, and it’s so realistic-seeming that part of you wants to take notes.
It’s not without flaws. The film is dense and could use a bit more clear storytelling, which is probably why there are multiple charts online trying to figure out what actually happens. But it’s compelling nonetheless, and might cause you just for a second to want to call a friend and see if he’s free this weekend to tinker in your garage.
Annihilation
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One of the basic things we ask from a good science fiction movie is to create, at least momentarily, a sense of awe. Annihilation does this with concepts that have barely been explored in movies, and feels like something out of a Twilight Zone episode (one of the good ones, not that pig-face thing).
Scientists go on a secretive expedition into a zone where the laws of nature seem to have been warped. Hijinks ensue. The movie does make a core mistake many science fiction movies make: delving into superfluous horror and scare moments that are fun, but distract from the more interesting plot. Still, it’s a respectable effort and yet another reminder to never go into the woods with friends.
Coherence
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If most dinner parties turned out like the dinner party in Coherence, I’d show up to them more often. This party occurs on the night of an astronomical anomaly (thanks for nothing, Google Calendar), and the group of friends see their reality get bended in ways that for once is not related to drinking too much pinot.
There are doppelgangers and glow sticks and secret codes, and it’s way more entertaining than dinner parties where people ask what you do and pretend to be interested. It has independent, low-budget film written all over it, with dialogue that feels like it’s from one of those single-room plays. But much of the movie works, and you won’t miss the lack of explosions or spaceships.
Dark City
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The Matrix and Dark City are one of the instances of two similar films that came out around the same time, which I like to imagine is out of spite, like that episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm featuring spite stores. We all benefit regardless. Dark City is a combination of The Fugitive with film noir and a futuristic comic book. I’m probably missing a few dozen genres (German expressionism, Dracula, etc).
We’ve all been there–you wake up with no memory as the prime suspect in a series of murders, getting chased by pale people in hats who can fly. The visuals in Dark City are stunning, with buildings morphing into each other and people’s lives existing on a seemingly thin veil of reality. If you want to be one of those annoying film nerds, when someone brings up The Matrix, you can respond with, “Actually, I prefer Dark City.” But don’t be that guy. Both are good.
Moon
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Moon is admirable for taking a simple science fiction concept and exploring the logic of it, and you also get to watch Sam Rockwell act crazy for an hour and a half. So it’s win-win. A lunar mine engineer is ending his stint working far from home and seems to encounter a younger version of himself who doesn’t make for the greatest space roommate.
Nothing like a bad space roommate. The film is effective at imagining a future that’s both foreign and familiar, a reality that we’re nowhere near, and yet if we found out that a company was doing what the one in the film does, it wouldn’t be a huge surprise. For all I know, How-To Geek is employing me in the exact same way. But I’m probably wrong.
