The best sci-fi movies on Netflix right now

World War Z (2013) new

Genre Action, Drama, Horror, Science Fiction, Thriller

Stars Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, Daniella Kertesz

Directed by Marc Forster

The zombie genre might feel a little overcrowded these days, but the sheer scale of World War Z makes this zombie movie worth checking out. Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt) is a former United Nations investigator living a content, idyllic suburban life with his family when the world is suddenly plunged into chaos after a zombie outbreak.

Barely escaping the initial terror, Lane gets recruited to investigate the disease and its origins. Now, he must embark on a perilous journey across the world to unravel the mystery and find an answer before human civilization completely collapses.

Pitch Black (2000) new

Genre Thriller, Science Fiction, Action

Stars Vin Diesel, Radha Mitchell, Cole Hauser

Directed by David Twohy

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The first film in the Riddick trilogy (all of which are available on Netflix March 16), Pitch Black follows a group of people who become marooned when their ship crashes on a remote planet. One of the passengers, Riddick (Vin Diesel), is an escaped convict, inspiring additional terror in the castaways.

But he’s the least of their worries. When night falls on the planet, deadly, bloodthirsty creatures emerge from the shadows to feast on the survivors. As the planet spirals toward a total eclipse, the passengers must rely on Riddick and his unusual eyesight to get them through the darkness.

Underworld (2003)

Genre Fantasy, Action, Thriller

Stars Kate Beckinsale, Scott Speedman, Michael Sheen

Directed by Len Wiseman

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Underworld is more of a fantasy/sci-fi hybrid, but that doesn’t make it any less fun. The first film in the surprisingly extensive franchise introduces us to Selene (Kate Beckinsale), a vampire Death Dealer who is highly trained to eliminate werewolves known as Lycans. She’s just one soldier in a centuries-long underground war between vampires and Lycans. But when Lycans become interested in human Michael Corvin (Scott Speedman), Selene is given the assignment to eliminate Michael. Between an undeniable attraction to Michael and a suspicion as to why the Lycans want him so badly, Selene defies orders and protects Michael, creating an enemy on both sides in the war.

What Happened to Monday (2017)

Genre Science Fiction, Thriller, Drama, Mystery, Action

Stars Noomi Rapace, Marwan Kenzari, Christian Rubeck

Directed by Tommy Wirkola

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In the future, overpopulation and famine have forced world governments to strictly enforce a One-Child Policy. But not everyone is so keen on following the rule, especially a group of seven identical sisters (Noomi Rapace) who are forced to live a fugitive existence, constantly pursued by the Child Allocation Bureau. Led by Nicolette Cayman (Glenn Close), the Bureau is ruthless, but the sisters outwit them by assuming the identity of a single person and each entering the world only one day of the week. It works until Monday doesn’t come home.

Minority Report (2002)

Genre Action, Thriller, Science Fiction, Mystery

Stars Tom Cruise, Colin Farrell, Samantha Morton

Directed by Steven Spielberg

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It’s 2054 in Washington, DC and police are utilizing a controversial psychic technology to arrest and convict criminals before they commit their crimes. John Anderton (Tom Cruise) is one of the top Precrime cops around but when another investigator targets him for a murder charge, John must use all of his knowledge and skills to evade capture and clear his name. Steven Spielberg directs this award-winning adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s story.

Warriors of Future (2022)

Genre Drama, Action, Science Fiction

Stars Louis Koo, Lau Ching-wan, Carina Lau

Directed by Ng Yuen-fai

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This Chinese blockbuster sees a meteor strike the Earth. Onboard is a destructive alien lifeform that spawns and soon threatens humanity. After elite forces are almost completely wiped out trying to save their city, one surviving soldier, Tai Loo (Louis Koo), discovers that there’s a larger conspiracy connected to the invasion.

Spiderhead (2022)

Genre Science Fiction, Thriller

Stars Miles Teller, Chris Hemsworth, Jurnee Smollett

Directed by Joseph Kosinski

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Spiderhead is a state-of-the-art penitentiary where inmates wear a surgically attached device that administers dosages of mind-altering drugs in exchange for commuted sentences. It doesn’t look like a prison — there are no bars, cells, or uniforms. There are just drugs, administered at the beck and call of visionary Steve Abnesti (Chris Hemsworth), who presents himself as a humane reformer of the criminal justice system. When two subjects, Jeff (Miles Teller) and Lizzy (Jurnee Smollett), begin to form a connection, however, Abnesti takes special interest in them as his experiments begin to test the limits of free will itself.

Oblivion (2013) new

Genre Action, Science Fiction, Adventure, Mystery

Stars Tom Cruise, Morgan Freeman, Olga Kurylenko

Directed by Joseph Kosinski

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After decades of war with an extraterrestrial race known as the Scavs, Earth has been evacuated. However, it’s not bereft of resources, and leaders have left behind a vast operation to extract vital resources from the planet to contribute to the future of humanity. Jack Harper (Tom Cruise) is one of the last drone repairmen stationed on Earth, and his mission is nearly done. But when Julia (Olga Kurylenko) crashes to Earth in a spacecraft, Jack rescues her, triggering a chain of events that challenges everything he thought he knew about his mission and the fate of humanity.

Morbius (2022)

Genre Action, Science Fiction, Fantasy

Stars Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona

Directed by Daniel Espinosa

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Let’s be clear, Morbius is not very good, but it was a blockbuster movie with implications for Sony and Marvel’s shared Spider-Man universe. So, it makes the list. Jared Leto plays Dr. Michael Morbius, a brilliant biochemist and hematologist who is ironically being killed by a blood disorder that he just can’t crack. Desperate to find a cure so that others may avoid the same fate, Morbius tests an illegal, dangerous serum on himself. While the cure works, it comes at the cost of unleashing a darkness within him that slowly turns him into a vampire. As Morbius tries to manage his increasingly violent urges, his best friend and benefactor, Milo (Matt Smith), suffers from the same disorder. That’s why Milo plots to wrest the cure from Morbius, whom he believes is selfishly keeping it for himself.

Resident Evil (2002)

Genre Horror, Action, Science Fiction

Stars Milla Jovovich, Michelle Rodriguez, Eric Mabius

Directed by Paul W. S. Anderson

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Based on the extremely successful horror video game franchise, the original Resident Evil was more of a hit with fans than critics. And what a hit it was, because 20 years later, they’re still making movies and even a Netflix original series based on the franchise. The story begins in a top-secret government research facility, where a virus breaks out, turning all of the resident researchers into zombies and the lab animals into mutated hellhounds. To contain the outbreak, the government sends in an elite task force led by Rain (Michelle Rodriguez), who soon discovers Alice (Milla Jovovich) suffering from a form of amnesia. But before Alice can determine who she was before the incident, she learns that the pathogen will become airborne and infect the world in three hours unless she manages to stop it.

The Adam Project (2022)

Genre Action, Adventure, Comedy, Science Fiction, Fantasy

Stars Ryan Reynolds, Walker Scobell, Mark Ruffalo

Directed by Shawn Levy

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After a decade in development hell, with Tom Cruise attached to star at one point, Netflix finally saved the day and brought The Adam Project to life. Our story follows Adam Reed (Ryan Reynolds), a fighter pilot living in a dystopian 2050. While manning a time jet to rescue his wife, Adam’s craft plummets into 2022, where the adult Adam is forced to take up arms with his younger self (Walker Scobell) in order to save the world from the tyrannic clutches of Maya Sorian (Catherine Keener), the wretched ruler of the future. At this point, we’ve seen Ryan Reynolds do it all, especially when it comes to action. While there’s plenty of the actor’s familiar chops on display, the sci-fi backbone of The Adam Project gives Reynolds a fun sandbox to show off in. And he delivers a performance that is a few notches above what we’d normally expect to see.

Stowaway (2021)

Genre Science Fiction, Drama, Thriller, Adventure

Stars Anna Kendrick, Toni Collette, Daniel Dae Kim

Directed by Joe Penna

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Stowaway is a sci-fi film that explores just how far human beings are willing to go to protect one another, breathing new meaning into words like “sacrifice” and “preservation.” Following the crew (played by Anna Kendrick, Toni Collette, and Daniel Dae Kim) of a Mars-bound spacecraft, the trio of planetary researchers discovers an accidental fourth passenger named Michael (Shamier Anderson) trapped aboard the vessel. Literally entangled in a carbon dioxide purifier, the dislocated launch engineer inadvertently destroys the device, robbing everyone aboard of precious oxygen. As the clock starts ticking on how much air is left to breathe, the crew is forced to consider some perilous and tragic choices in order to arrive on Mars safely. There’s nothing like the absence of familiar Earth to raise the stakes in any live-or-die situation, and Stowaway handles this familiar sci-fi formula with an impactful narrative.

Synchronic (2020)

Genre Science Fiction, Drama, Thriller, Horror

Stars Anthony Mackie, Jamie Dornan, Katie Aselton

Directed by Aaron Moorhead, Justin Benson

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Synchronic stars Anthony Mackie and Steve Dornan as New Orleans paramedics Steve and Dennis. When a series of deaths are linked to an experimental new drug called Synchronic, the emergency responders are forced to follow the trail of the elusive chemical when Dennis’ daughter vanishes. Her disappearance may have more to do with the mind-altering substance and inter-dimensional time travel than either medical technician could ever expect. With the look and feel of a raw ’70s film, Synchronic successfully balances its sci-fi horror leanings, delivering thrill after thrill as the plot compounds and time begins to fold.

The Mitchells vs. the Machines (2021)

Genre Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Science Fiction, Action

Stars Abbi Jacobson, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph

Directed by Michael Rianda

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Want to get the kids into sci-fi? This techpocalyptic animated thrill ride from Lord/Miller (The Lego Movie, Solo: A Star Wars Story) ought to do the trick. Teenager Katie Mitchell has trouble connecting with her oddball family, especially when it comes to her father, who just could not be more different than Katie. But when he fears he might lose her forever when she leaves for film school, Katie’s father cancels her plane ticket to LA and takes the family on a road trip instead. Unfortunately, mid-trip, a scorned artificial intelligence (A.I.) called Pal incites a robotic rebellion, rounding up all the people of the Earth to send them out to space. Narrowly escaping capture, the Mitchells are now the last free humans on Earth, and with the help of a couple of damaged robots, they must find a way to save humanity — and their family.

Blood Red Sky (2021)

Genre Horror, Thriller, Action

Stars Peri Baumeister, Carl Anton Koch, Kais Setti

Directed by Peter Thorwarth

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What’s the last kind of plane you want to hijack? Well, relatively high on the list is a plane on which a vampire is a passenger. Yet that’s exactly what happens in Blood Red Sky, which Deadline reports is on track to becoming the most successful German-made Netflix film ever, with over 50 million views globally. In this fast-paced fusion of horror, sci-fi, and action, Peri Baumeister plays Nadja, a newly transformed vampire traveling incognito. Once the hijackers shoot her and leave her for dead, we learn exactly what she is, and soon, the villains wish they hijacked a plane with Wesley Snipes as a passenger instead.

The Swarm (2020)

Genre Horror, Drama, Fantasy

Stars Suliane Brahim, Sofian Khammes, Marie Narbonne

Directed by Just Philippot

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Bugs. They’re smaller than us, but few things freak us out more. Director Just Philippot capitalizes on our innate fear of things that crawl and hop in his 2020 horror film The Swarm. Suliane Brahim stars as the widow Virginie, who’s trying and failing to keep her family afloat by raising locusts. When she learns the insects have developed a taste for human blood, it opens the door for her to finally make money off the things while at the same time making them more dangerous. When the inevitable comes, as Richard Brody writes for The New Yorker, the film does for grasshoppers “what Alfred Hitchcock did for birds.”

Army of the Dead (2021)

Genre Action, Adventure, Horror, Crime

Stars Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick

Directed by Zack Snyder

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What do you do when there’s a zombie outbreak in Las Vegas? Well, obviously, you take advantage of the situation and rob one of the city’s most successful casinos. At least that’s what Dave Bautista’s Scott Ward and his squad of mercenaries do in the zombie heist flick Army of the Dead. Judging by the previews for the film, Ward and his squad of mercs will need all the firepower they have and more. Unlike the shambling horrors populating your average zombie story, the undead of Vegas (sounds like a band name) not only count Elvis Presley impersonators, Vegas showgirls, and Bengal tigers among their ranks, but they’re fast, smart, and a lot more organized.

Oxygen (2021)

Genre Science Fiction, Thriller, Drama

Stars Mélanie Laurent, Mathieu Amalric, Malik Zidi

Directed by Alexandre Aja

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Waking up with no memory of your identity would be pretty bad, right? Imagine that, on top of amnesia, you’re also inexplicably trapped in a cryogenic pod that’s slowly running out of air. That’s the premise for the French language sci-fi drama Oxygen. Mélanie Laurent plays the imprisoned protagonist who has nothing but her buried memories and the pod’s uncooperative computers to piece together who she is and how to survive. Oxygen looks to be a claustrophobic and gripping thriller, and it will be available for streaming beginning Wednesday, May 12.

Spectral (2016)

Genre Science Fiction, Thriller, Action

Stars James Badge Dale, Emily Mortimer, Gonzalo Menendez

Directed by Nic Mathieu

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If you’re in the mood for good ol’ fashioned alien warfare, you’ll love Spectral. This early Netflix original shows just how creative the studio could get with a slim budget despite significant action demands. An extraterrestrial force begins to wreak havoc on a war-torn European city, forcing local engineers to team up with American Special Ops to stop the invasion.

The Midnight Sky (2020)

Genre Science Fiction, Drama

Stars George Clooney, Felicity Jones, David Oyelowo

Directed by George Clooney

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George Clooney directs and stars in The Midnight Sky. With humanity on the brink of extinction, scientist Augustine Lofthouse (George Clooney) refuses to vacate his Arctic laboratory when radiation levels on Earth grow to dangerous levels. Instead, he chooses to use his lab’s computer system to search for orbiting ships deployed on missions. Intending to warn the distant crew of Aether of Earth’s impending doom, Lofthouse discovers a young girl in the lab. The two band together to brave the Arctic elements on a journey to a north-bound radio tower that will be powerful enough to send a warning signal to Aether. An effects-laced sci-fi thriller, The Midnight Sky looks and feels like similar brink-of-the-apocalypse films but with extra weight placed on the performances — notably, Clooney. It’s not a perfect film, but it more than does its job.

Outside the Wire (2021)

Genre Thriller, Action, Science Fiction

Stars Anthony Mackie, Damson Idris, Enzo Cilenti

Directed by Mikael Håfström

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In 2036, a Russian civil war has the U.S. providing wartime support to the nation. The military now fights alongside “Gumps,” robot soldiers that occupy every branch. As punishment for disobeying squad commands, Harp (Anthony Mackie), a drone pilot, is sent to Ukraine to fight alongside Leo (Damson Idris), an android super-soldier. Together, the duo is forced to take on Victor Koval, a terrorist determined to use Cold War missiles for combat. Led by two great lead performances and a medley of sci-fi action that’ll keep you glued to your seat, Outside the Wire delivers the thrills from start to finish.

The Discovery (2017)

Genre Drama, Romance, Science Fiction, Thriller, Mystery

Stars Jason Segel, Rooney Mara, Robert Redford

Directed by Charlie McDowell

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In a reimagined modern era, proof of the afterlife is amongst us, thanks to the research of scientist Thomas Harbor (Robert Redford). With the news hitting the world by storm, suicide rates climb exponentially as people opt to begin life anew as opposed to remaining in troubling situations. Harbor’s son, Will (Jason Segel), questions his father’s studies. Meeting Isla (Rooney Mara) on a ferry, the two discuss mortality and eventually begin a relationship. When Will takes Isla to his father’s hidden compound, the nature of his father’s work comes to light in ways neither father, son, or Isla could ever expect. A wonder-filled, philosophical film, The Discovery features an intriguing story and stellar performances, especially from Segel and Redford.

The Wandering Earth (2019)

Genre Science Fiction, Action, Drama

Cast Qu Chuxiao, Li Guangjie, Zhao Jinmai

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The Wandering Earth may be the biggest film that you’ve never heard of, but it was a huge blockbuster in China. The movie takes place in the future, as the expanding sun forces humanity to literally move the Earth to another solar system. This requires Captain Wang Lei (Li Guangjie) to leave behind his son, Liu Qi (Qu Chuxiao), as his mission in space keeps him away for several years. However, both father and son will have major roles to play in order to ensure that the Earth survives its perilous journey.

Mirage (2018)

Genre Science Fiction, Thriller, Drama, Romance, Mystery

Cast Adriana Ugarte, Chino Darín, Javier Gutiérrez

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Don’t be afraid to read subtitles when watching Mirage. This Spanish sci-fi film has a story that is universal no matter which language is used. Adriana Ugarte stars as Vera Roy, a woman who inadvertently discovers a way to communicate with a teenager named Nico Lasarte (Joel Illescas) 25 years in the past. After helping Nico prevent his own accidental death, Vera discovers that her own world and timeline have greatly changed. Vera’s daughter no longer exists, and her husband, David (Álvaro Morte), is married to someone else. Subsequently, Vera desperately searches for a way to regain what she lost.

Black Mirror: Bandersnatch (2018)

Genre Science Fiction, Mystery, Drama, Thriller, TV Movie

Cast Fionn Whitehead, Will Poulter, Craig Parkinson, Alice Lowe, Asim Chaudhry

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There’s nothing else on Netflix exactly like Black Mirror: Bandersnatch. This spinoff from the British sci-fi anthology series is an interactive movie that allows players/viewers to control the fate of Stefan Butler (Fionn Whitehead). In 1984, Stefan is a young programmer who gets the chance to adapt a “choose your own adventure” book into a video game. However, art imitates life, and Stefan is soon faced with questions about his own free will. It’s not possible to see every bit of footage from Bandersnatch in one continuous viewing. That’s why it invites repeat viewings by letting alternate choices unlock new story paths. This may not be the future of all movies, but it is a subgenre worth exploring.

Advantageous (2015)

Genre Science Fiction, Drama

Cast Jacqueline Kim, James Urbaniak, Freya Adams

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Advantageous is not a flashy sci-fi movie, but it is thought-provoking. In the near future, a single mother named Gwen Koh (Jacqueline Kim) loses her job and her financial security. Desperate to provide for her daughter, Jules (Samantha Kim), Gwen volunteers for a radical experiment to transfer her mind to a younger body. However, Gwen 2.0 (Freya Adams) is a very different woman from the original model, much to the horror of Jules and even Gwen herself.

Project Power (2020)

Genre Action, Crime, Science Fiction

Stars Jamie Foxx, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Dominique Fishback

Directed by Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman

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Superheroes aren’t real, but their powers are. That’s the premise behind Project Power, a film that presents a near-future world in which superhuman powers can be granted to almost anyone via a special pill called Power. For five minutes, users of Power have abilities uniquely tied to them. New Orleans police detective Frank Shaver (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) openly uses Power, even against regulations. In his search for the source of Power, Frank comes across Art (Jamie Foxx), a man who may have unexpected connections to the development of the drug. This is a cautionary tale, and a fresh take on a very familiar genre.

Bird Box (2018)

Genre Thriller, Drama, Science Fiction

Stars Sandra Bullock, Trevante Rhodes, Jacki Weaver

Directed by Susanne Bier

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It’s understandable if you get some Quiet Place vibes from Bird Box. Both are sci-fi horror movies that deal with monsters that directly connect with human senses. In this flick, the creatures can make anyone who sees them become insane with suicidal urges. Hence the constant blindfolds to keep the entities out. Sandra Bullock plays Malorie Hayes, a woman struggling to survive in this horrific new world, while flashbacks explore how she dealt with the end of life as she knew it. Not all of the moments land, but Bird Box has its share of real scares.

See You Yesterday (2019)

Genre Science Fiction, Drama, Adventure, Crime, Action

Cast Eden Duncan-Smith, Dante Crichlow, Astro

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Many sci-fi films have something important to say about the present, and See You Yesterday has a premise that seems all too timely. The story follows C.J. Walker (Eden Duncan-Smith), a revolutionary genius even as a teenager. C.J. has come up with actual working time machines, and she has a very personal reason to use them. Her brother, Calvin Walker (Brian “Stro” Bradley), has been killed during an encounter with the police. To save Calvin, C.J. and her friend Sebastian (Danté Crichlow) try to change the past. Needless to say, complications ensue.

Beyond Skyline (2017)

Genre Action, Science Fiction, Adventure, Horror

Stars Frank Grillo, Bojana Novaković, Iko Uwais

Directed by Liam O'Donnell

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The long-delayed follow-up to 2010’s Skyline is one of the rare instances where the sequel is vastly superior to the original. This unapologetically pulpy, alien invasion B-movie shows what happens when civilians are left to defend themselves against a superior species of aliens. Frank Grillo stars as a cop at odds with his son when the aliens strike. Suddenly sent running for their lives, the father-son duo move at a breakneck pace, traversing through subterranean tunnels to the nuclear wasteland of Los Angeles to an alien ship to a rebel human base in Laos to mount a final defense. Beyond Skyline is absolutely nutty, but if you like big action, ludicrous sci-fi tropes, and good ol’ fashioned human versus alien violence, this one’s for you.

Okja (2017)

Genre Adventure, Drama, Science Fiction, Action

Cast Tilda Swinton, Paul Dano, Seo-hyun Ahn, Jake Gyllenhaal, Devon Bostick, Lily Collins, Steven Yuen

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Bong Joon-ho earned Best Director and Best Picture Oscars for Parasite, but he was making remarkable movies well before that recognition (Okja isn’t his only entry on this list). Okja is one of his most polemical films, taking on the meat industry and capitalism at large in this touching sci-fi drama for Netflix. The story follows Mija, a young girl who has grown up in the mountains of South Korea with a fictional super-pig best friend named Okja. But when the multinational conglomerate Mirando Corporation kidnaps Okja and transports her to New York to launch an entirely new meat industry, it’s up to Mija to save her best friend. A caustic satire of the greed and grotesqueness of American food processing, Okja pokes fun at everyone from self-obsessed CEOs to bumbling, naive activists in a sci-fi romp that hits close to home.

I Am Mother (2019)

Genre Science Fiction, Thriller

Stars Clara Rugaard, Hilary Swank, Rose Byrne

Directed by Grant Sputore

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Director Grant Sputore turned a lot of heads with I Am Mother, a superbly made and terrifically acted sci-fi thriller. In the far future, humanity is seemingly extinct. An android called Mother (voiced by Rose Byrne) fulfills its primary function by attempting to revive humanity. But first, Mother raises Daughter (Clara Rugaard) for practice and teaches her how to survive in this inhospitable world. However, Daughter’s reality is shattered when she encounters a woman (Hilary Swank) from the outside, who happens to be the first human that Daughter has ever met. And once the newcomer is inside of the bunker, I Am Mother takes a decidedly sinister turn. The truth will come out, but will anyone survive to see it?

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