Science fiction films have the ability to push us out of comfort zones, to ask us to imagine worlds that don’t exist yet but might in the future.
Some of them, of course, achieve blockbuster status, but there are many that manage to fly under the radar. Now that most of us are locked indoors, this is a golden opportunity to watch many of the obscure (but awesome) science fiction films that are now streaming on Prime.
Earth Girls are Easy (1988)
As the title of this film makes clear, it’s a rather strange hybrid of musical, romantic comedy, and science fiction. It is, ittedly, a rather silly film, but it is still a lot of fun to watch.
That's in no small part because it has some truly amazing stars—including Geena Davis, Jeff Goldblum, Jim Carey, and Damon Wayans—who both clearly have some on-screen chemistry and are great performers in their own right.
Stream Earth Girls are Easy on Amazon Prime
The Last Man on Earth (1964)
While many people today are familiar with the Will Smith film I Am Legend, they might not realize that there were actually two other adaptations of the 1954 novel of the same name. One of them is this film, starring the horror film actor extraordinaire Vincent Price.
Unlike so many of Price’s other film appearances, however, this film is less camp and more serious, immersing us in a terrifying post-apocalyptic world where one man struggles to survive.
Stream The Last Man on Earth on Amazon Prime
Il Mare (2000)
For those looking for a science fiction film that’s made outside of an American/Western framework, II Mare should definitely fit the bill. It focuses on two people who, though separated in time are still able to communicate with one another.
It’s a rather sweet and romantic film, and it explores the nature of time and human connection. It has been remade in several other languages, including an American version (titled as The Lake House), which stars Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock.
Stream Il Mare on Amazon Prime
Leviathan (1989)
The late 1980s was something of a golden age for a particular form of horror movie, about people who go on an exploratory mission and are stalked and murdered by a horrible creature. Leviathan is just such a film, and it’s a great thing to watch for those who are fans of the monster genre.
The makeup for the creature is particularly stunning, which is no surprise, given that it was provided by Academy Award-winning artist Stan Winston.
Stream Leviathan on Amazon Prime
The Man Who Could Cheat Death (1959)
Sometimes, you need to reach back into the history of cinema to find a different kind of science fiction film. Given that this is a Hammer Film Productions film, it veers off into the silly and the campy at times, but it’s still a fun science fiction outing nevertheless.
It also stars some of the truly great performers of the genre, none other than the divine Christopher Lee. Critics at the time didn’t appreciate it.
Stream The Man Who Could Cheat Death on Amazon Prime
Battle Beyond the Stars (1980)
What do you get when you take the western film The Magnificent Seven and move it into outer space? You get this 1980 film, which is a fine example of the genre known as space opera (Star Wars is, of course, the finest example of this subset of science fiction).
At the time of its release it was only a middling success among both critics and audiences, but it is still a testament to the power of science fiction storytelling.
Stream Battle Beyond the Stars on Amazon Prime
Phenomena (1985)
Those looking for a science fiction film that also explores the darker parts of human nature should look no further than Phenomena. An Italian production, the film is about a young girl with psychic powers who starts to pursue a serial killer.
Though, as critics at the time pointed out, the plot is more than a little muddled, it has some fine visuals, and the story is unsettling as far as it goes.
Stream Phenomena on Amazon Prime
The Kovak Box (2006)
The idea of a novelist who finds himself caught up in the plot of one of his books is one that seems to hold a lot of appeal for filmmakers of various types. It is certainly the plot for this film, starring Timothy Hutton.
Though the plot may be a bit of an overused one, there are still enough intriguing twists in this science fiction film to make it worth a watch on a quarantined afternoon.
Stream The Kovak Box on Amazon Prime
Planet of the Vampires (1965)
There’s no question that the 1960s were a truly strange decade in of science fiction filmmaking, as films such as Planet of the Vampires indicates. The title says a lot about what happens in the film, in which a group of space explorers crash land on a planet inhabited by vampires.
Looking at the film, you can see the ways in which it continues to influence filmmakers, in particular Ridley Scott and his films Alien and Prometheus.
Stream Planet of the Vampires on Amazon Prime
Infinity Chamber (2016)
Though as a genre science fiction usually relies on a big budget to explore its grand concepts, sometimes a film depends instead on a strong central performance and a thought-provoking storyline.
Christopher Soren Kelly is truly the anchor of the movie. Despite its strengths, there are still a few things that the film doesn’t completely explain. Nevertheless, the film is a fascinating exploration of how one individual struggles to survive against a menacing computer.
Stream Infinity Chamber on Amazon Prime
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