Science fiction fans are spoiled for choice these days. With so many films in the genre released every year, it’s easy for a few brilliant ones to slip by unnoticed. We’ve rounded up three hidden sci-fi gems that deserve a lot more love than they got.
We start with Ex Machina, a sleek, cerebral thriller about a young programmer named Caleb who wins a one-week stay at the secluded home of a reclusive tech CEO. What seems like a dream trip quickly turns into an experiment, as Caleb meets Ava, a humanoid robot with unsettlingly human qualities, played by Alicia Vikander. The film didn’t make much noise at the box office, but it’s a masterclass in tension and intelligent storytelling. Instead of explosions or high-speed chases, it offers sharp dialogue, psychological games, and a slow burn of suspense. Vikander has described her character as “a piece of art,” created to be beautiful and pure so that no one would fear her; a design choice that plays a key role in the story’s unsettling edge.
At number two is Looper (2012), a stylish and inventive take on time travel. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays a “looper,” a mob assassin who disposes of targets sent from the future. Things take a turn when he’s tasked with killing his future self, portrayed by Bruce Willis. Watching both actors bring different versions of the same character to life adds an intriguing layer to the action-heavy plot. Time travel in movies is hardly new, but Looper manages to find fresh ground with its mix of adrenaline, clever twists, and moral dilemmas.
Finally, we go all the way back to 1985 for Terry Gilliam’s Brazil, a dystopian satire that’s as visually striking as it is narratively strange. Set in a bizarre, bureaucratic future, it’s filled with Gilliam’s signature surrealism and dark humor. The film famously flopped on release, but it has since gained a cult following. It’s light on plot but rich in atmosphere, with razor-sharp dialogue, absurdist jokes, and hauntingly beautiful production design. The real villain here is bureaucracy itself, hardly your typical movie bad guy, and it makes for a uniquely unsettling viewing experience. Fans of Gilliam’s 12 Monkeys or The Zero Theorem will feel right at home.
If you’ve missed any of these, they’re well worth tracking down; proof that great sci-fi isn’t always about the biggest budgets or the loudest explosions.
