A Glean movie guide
Sci-Fi’s Greatest Masterpieces
The ultimate genre-defining list.
From silent pioneers to modern epics, these are the films that defined the future.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
2001: A Space Odyssey
A visually stunning, philosophical journey that redefined the possibilities of the genre.
Humanity finds a mysterious object buried beneath the lunar surface and sets off to find its origins with the help of HAL 9000, the world's most advanced super computer.
- 02
Blade Runner
A neon-soaked noir that masterfully explores the line between humanity and technology.
In the smog-choked dystopian Los Angeles of 2019, blade runner Rick Deckard is called out of retirement to terminate a quartet of replicants who have escaped to Earth seeking their creator for a way to extend their short life spans.
- 03
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back
The definitive space opera that expanded a galaxy with deep stakes and iconic reveals.
The epic saga continues as Luke Skywalker, in hopes of defeating the evil Galactic Empire, learns the ways of the Jedi from aging master Yoda. But Darth Vader is more determined than ever to capture Luke. Meanwhile, rebel leader Princess Leia, cocky Han Solo, Chewbacca, and droids C-3PO and R2-D2 are thrown into various stages of capture, betrayal and despair.
- 04
Alien
A masterclass in tension that seamlessly blends gritty realism with terrifying extraterrestrial horror.
During its return to the earth, commercial spaceship Nostromo intercepts a distress signal from a distant planet. When a three-member team of the crew discovers a chamber containing thousands of eggs on the planet, a creature inside one of the eggs attacks an explorer. The entire crew is unaware of the impending nightmare set to descend upon them when the alien parasite planted inside its unfortunate host is birthed.
- 05
The Matrix
A revolutionary blend of high-concept philosophy and ground-breaking action choreography.
Set in the 22nd century, The Matrix tells the story of a computer hacker who joins a group of underground insurgents fighting the vast and powerful computers who now rule the earth.
- 06
Metropolis
A visionary silent masterpiece that established the visual language of futuristic cinema.
In a futuristic city sharply divided between the rich and the poor, the son of the city's mastermind meets a prophet who predicts the coming of a savior to mediate their differences.
- 07
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
A rare sequel that perfected the sci-fi action formula with pioneering effects and heart.
Ten years after the events of the original, a reprogrammed T-800 is sent back in time to protect young John Connor from the shape-shifting T-1000. Together with his mother Sarah, he fights to stop Skynet from triggering a nuclear apocalypse.
- 08
Inception
A complex, gravity-defying heist that challenges your perception of dreams and reality.
Cobb, a skilled thief who commits corporate espionage by infiltrating the subconscious of his targets is offered a chance to regain his old life as payment for a task considered to be impossible: "inception", the implantation of another person's idea into a target's subconscious.
- 09
Arrival
A deeply emotional and intelligent take on first contact through the lens of language.
Taking place after alien crafts land around the world, an expert linguist is recruited by the military to determine whether they come in peace or are a threat.
- 10
Children of Men
An immersive technical achievement that presents a hauntingly grounded and urgent dystopia.
In 2027, in a chaotic world in which humans can no longer procreate, a former activist agrees to help transport a miraculously pregnant woman to a sanctuary at sea, where her child's birth may help scientists save the future of humankind.
- 11
Interstellar
A grand-scale odyssey that balances rigorous scientific concepts with a powerful human core.
The adventures of a group of explorers who make use of a newly discovered wormhole to surpass the limitations on human space travel and conquer the vast distances involved in an interstellar voyage.
- 12
Back to the Future
A perfectly scripted adventure that remains the gold standard for time-travel storytelling.
Eighties teenager Marty McFly is accidentally sent back in time to 1955, inadvertently disrupting his parents' first meeting and attracting his mother's romantic interest. Marty must repair the damage to history by rekindling his parents' romance and - with the help of his eccentric inventor friend Doc Brown - return to 1985.