Some movies are tailor-made for the big screen, especially sci-fi movies. While streaming has changed the landscape of cinema, there are still some movies which deserve to be watched on the biggest screen possible. Movie theaters offer an immersive experience that very few people are able to replicate at home. Streaming robs some movies of their scale and spectacle.
Sci-fi movies often rely on eye-popping visuals, which makes them uniquely suited to a big screen experience. Action and horror movies also tend to benefit from being watched in theaters, while some other genres aren’t impacted as severely. Although streaming is more convenient and often much cheaper, it hasn’t been able to replace the feeling of watching a sci-fi masterpiece unfolding in a theater.
10 Best Epic Sci-Fi Movies Of All Time, Ranked
Sci-fi is already one of the most intriguing genres in cinema, but when a sci-fi epic creates a vast world, these films are worth paying attention to.
Stanley Kubrick’s sci-fi epic redefined the genre forever. Decades later, there are stillmovies which take inspiration from2001: A Space Odyssey, both in terms of its themes and its sweeping visuals. The story stretches from the dawn of man to the limits of the unknowable in outer space. Along the way,Kubrick delivers some of the most iconic sci-fi images ever filmed, including the enigmatic “space baby” ending and the kaleidoscopic wormhole scene.
The other huge bonus of watching2001in a movie theater is the impact of the orchestral score.
Those who struggle to get into2001: A Space Odysseyhave cited the movie’s slow pace as a sticking point. This is much easier to forgive when it’s seen on a big screen, as the film takes on an absorbing quality, and the stillness becomes part of the appeal. The other huge bonus of watching2001in a movie theater is the impact of the orchestral score, with classical pieces by Richard Strauss and György Ligeti.
Alfonso Cuarón’sGravityis a spacebound spectacle uniquely designed for the big-screen. The fact that it made over $700 million at the box office goes some way to underlining how popular it was at the time, and it was hard to find a review that didn’t refer to the movie’s engulfing atmosphere or its ambitious scope. It may have been released in October, butGravityhas the look and feel of a summer blockbuster.
Alfonso Cuarón’sGravityis a spacebound spectacle uniquely designed for the big-screen.
Although not all astronaut movies should be classified as science-fiction,Gravityhas more than enough outlandish spectacle. It has been noted before that if the events of the movie were to ever occur in real life, Dr. Ryan Stone would probably die five times over. However, it’s easy to suspend disbelief when watchingGravity,sinceCuarón’s breathtaking direction creates a captivating thriller.
Christopher Nolan’s best moviesare all made much better when they are watched on the biggest screen possible. After his explosiveDark Knighttrilogy and a string of standalone blockbusters, Nolan proved that he’s the only director working today who could knock aMission: Impossiblemovie off of IMAX screens to make way for a three-hour biopic about quantum physics.Oppenheimerwould never have gotten the reception it did without movies likeInterstellarpreceding it.
Interstellar,likeTenetandInception,uses an intriguing sci-fi concept as the framework for some jaw-dropping action scenes.
Interstellar,likeTenetandInception,uses an intriguing sci-fi concept as the framework for some jaw-dropping action scenes. The story seems to borrow from2001: A Space Odyssey, and the outer space visuals are just as impressive.The docking sequence sums upInterstellar’s nail-biting tension. This is best experienced on a big screen, preferably with a sound system that does justice to Hans Zimmer’s score.
The firstBlade Runnerhas gone down as an undeniable classic of the sci-fi genre, but Denis Villeneuve’s long-gestating sequel is even bolder and more visually captivating. With the benefits of a much larger budget and some more refined filmmaking technology, Villeneuve creates a stunning portrait of a dystopian future.Blade Runner 2049is a rare example of a “legacy sequel” which stacks up to the original.
With the benefits of a much larger budget and some more refined filmmaking technology, Villeneuve creates a stunning portrait of a dystopian future.
Blade Runner 2049isn’t the only one of Denis Villeneuve’s movies which is best enjoyed on a big screen. His 2016 sci-fi hitArrivalis similar. Although it doesn’t have any action, a big screen sells the immense, foreboding scale of the movie’s aliens. More recently, hisDunemovies have been big box office hits, thanks to a winning combination of epic scale and some explosive fight scenes.
James Cameron is another director whose work is best appreciated on a broad canvas, and this is partly why he has been so consistently successful at the box office throughout his career.Avatarbecame the highest-grossing movie of all time, and a good deal of its success can be attributed to IMAX and 3D screenings.Avataris an interesting story about colonization and militarism, but it’s an action-packed spectacle first and foremost.
TheAvatarmovies are at the forefront of cutting-edge CGI, and Cameron has the vision to make the most of the technology.
Avatar: The Way of Waterdelivered more of the same astonishing visuals, and it too passed $2 billion at the box office. It wouldn’t be a surprise forAvatar: Fire and Ashto do the same. TheAvatarmovies are at the forefront of cutting-edge CGI, and Cameron has the vision to make the most of the technology. His Pandora is cloaked in mystery, and he fills each scene with curious flourishes of magic.
No matter what genre he is working in, Steven Spielberg often showcases his flair for cinematic spectacle. The king of the summer blockbuster has created some of the most impactful horror and war movies withJawsandSaving Private Ryan,and his magic touch seems to work especially well in science-fiction.E.T. the Extra-TerrestrialandClose Encounters of the Third Kindare both better in movie theaters, andJurassic Parkmay be Spielberg’s greatest example of a big-screen extravaganza.
Jurassic Parkmay be Spielberg’s greatest example of a big-screen extravaganza.
As well as being a great sci-fi movie,Jurassic Parkhas moments of nerve-shredding tension and pulsating action. Spielberg repeatedly dips into his box of tricks and comes up with the goods. For a movie made over 30 years ago, it’s remarkable that the effects for the dinosaurs have aged so well. They still have a seismic impact when they eventually come into view. Although the later movies have had access to more advanced technologies, theJurassic Parkfranchisehas never recaptured the flair of the original.
For the past decade or so, superhero movies have always been the big exception to fears of declining box office numbers. With the advent of streaming, audiences still want to see Marvel and DC movies on the biggest screen possible. The firstAvengersmovie may seem relatively quaint compared to its densely populated sequels, but it’s still one of the finest encapsulations of the superhero genre.
The Avengersset the tone for many more MCU blockbusters, but few have been able to surpass its quality.
The Avengersset the tone for many more MCU blockbusters, but few have been able to surpass its quality. A lot of this has to do with the layered conflict of the drama, but more so than that, the Battle of New York is one of the best MCU action set pieces of all. As Loki’s army comes to Earth, each hero gets their own moment to shine.It’s a symphony of action that carries even more weight on a big screen.
George Miller’s triumphant return to theMad Maxfranchise created a big-screen show that left his previous movies in the dust.Fury Roadis one of the most exhilarating action movies of the 21st century, with a commitment to practical effects and dangerous stunts that gives it a kinetic, weighty feel. Although it’s set in theMad Maxuniverse, it’s just as effective for audiences who haven’t seen the Mel Gibson movies.
Miller’s depiction of the post-apocalyptic wasteland uses a lot of negative space, but his camera zooms in for the action.
Fury Roadcombines a compelling personal narrative with some large-scale action. The plot itself is relatively simple, butFury Road’s immersive worldbuilding and perfectly choreographed chase scenes mean that there is plenty to enjoy beyond Max Rockatansky’s journey. Miller’s depiction of the post-apocalyptic wasteland uses a lot of negative space, but his camera zooms in for the action.
The Wachowski sisters' masterpiece remixes old martial arts movies into a wholly original sci-fi action thriller. Many of Neo’s fights have more bone-crunching impact on the big screen, especially those which explore the central premise ofThe Matrixin new and interesting ways. WithThe Matrix,the Wachowskis built an ideal playground for them to indulge their flair for action, without needing to worry about things like physics too much.
The Matrixcan still deliver plenty of thrills on a smaller screen, but it reaches another level when it can truly engulf the audience.
Anything is possible in the world ofThe Matrix,and it’s a joy to see the Wachowskis exploring the boundless potential of their own idea. Their revolutionary “bullet time” sequences and their mastery of snappy wire-fu action break new ground for martial arts movies.The Matrixcan still deliver plenty of thrills on a smaller screen, but it reaches another level when it can truly engulf the audience.
Ridley Scott’s haunted house thriller set on a spaceship has lost none of its fear factor over the decades. Like most horror movies, it has the best chance of sinking its hooks into its audience when given the right conditions, and this means a big screen, and preferably, complete darkness. This makes the dark corners of the Nostromo a little more disturbing and the giant frame of the xenomorph a little more intimidating.
Alienhas some scenes of excruciating tension, and they work best when the audience is completely immersed in the action.
Alienhas some scenes of excruciating tension, and they work best when the audience is completely immersed in the action. This has the secondary effect of making the bursts of action pop, like when Ripley flees the Nostromo and has her final battle with the alien. Recently,Alien: Romulussurpassed many of its box office expectations, proving thatthe franchise still draws audiences to the theaters, even without Scott in the director’s chair.
