There is no better way to distract yourself completely than by escaping into worlds that are different from ours. Thankfully, with the digital age we live in and with the advancements made by the entertainment industry, we can easily transport ourselves into imaginary realms while sitting in our living rooms. Calling streaming services a portal seems far-fetched, but it’s accurate, isn’t it? Among the many giants ruling the territory, there is Tubi, which packs more than just what serves the mainstream audience.
Within Tubi’s archives, there are some truly phenomenal science fiction movies you need to check out ASAP. From towering kaiju monsters battling one another to low-budget indies waiting to warp your mind, Tubi’s collection of movies in the US has no limits. But describing these moments is like looking at a favorite vacation spot from a distance. To feel the full warmth and wonder requires you to genuinely sit down and immerse yourself in the movies. But first, let’s count down the action-fueled and somewhat puzzling sci-fi gems that Tubi houses.
Updated on November 3rd, 2023 by Sean Shuman: This article has been updated with additional content to keep the discussion fresh and relevant with even more information and new entries.
20 The Resident Evil Franchise (2002 – 2012)
Given that Capcom’s Resident Evil franchise is currently undergoing a massive renaissance, there’s no better time to look back on the action-oriented live-action film series that accompanied it throughout the 2000s and 2010s. Driven by Paul W.S. Anderson and Mila Jovovich behind the scenes and on camera respectively, the Resident Evil films loosely adapt their respective games with some creative new additions. The series primarily fixates on Alice (Jovovich), an original character to the films, as she battles the nefarious Umbrella Corporation and their numerous biological weapons that mutate living creatures into horrible monstrosities. Five of the six movies are coming to Tubi, starting with 2002’s Resident Evil and ending with 2012’s Resident Evil: Retribution.
What Makes It Great?
Though the Resident Evil films aren’t necessarily high art, they’re enjoyable in the sense that they wholeheartedly embrace the lunacy of the game series. Some of the most over-the-top characterizations and scientific concepts put to film can be found in these movies, and they’re handled in an unintentionally incredible fashion.
19 Hardcore Henry (2016)
Hardcore Henry
- Release Date
- September 12, 2015
- Director
- Ilya Naishuller
- Cast
- Sharlto Copley, Danila Kozlovskiy, Haley Bennett, Tim Roth, Andrei Dementiev, Svetlana Ustinova
- Rating
- R
- Genres
- Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Did you ever think you’d get to experience a movie shot entirely from a first-person perspective? A science fiction action film, no less? Enter Hardcore Henry, an experimental science fiction film that was released in 2016. We view the world through the eyes of Henry — with over ten separate actors providing his performance — as he awakens inside an airborne laboratory. Estelle (Haley Bennett), a scientist, reveals to Henry that an accident left him without the use of his voice and limbs. After giving Henry a serious upgrade in the form of cybernetic limbs, the lab is attacked before Henry is jettisoned to safety in an escape pod. Without the use of his voice, and with the help of a mysterious stranger, Henry now has only two goals in his life: get revenge and reunite with Estelle.
What Makes It Great?
Hardcore Henry has been lovingly described as a tribute to video games, and it shows in its incredibly dynamic set pieces. Henry’s cybernetic implants, along with the futuristic tech that fills the film’s plentiful action scenes, are given a hefty amount of weight with its unique cinematography. It even features a dystopian twist by the time the credits roll.
18 It Came From Beneath the Sea (1955)
The 1950s are synonymous with cheesy science fiction. This is best represented with 1955’s It Came from Beneath the Sea, courtesy of director Robert Gordon. This time around, we’re shown the effects of residual radiation from hydrogen bomb tests as a giant octopus rises from the deep along the West Coast of the United States. The beast terrorizes a team of marine biologists as it attacks some of the West Coast’s most popular landmarks. Kenneth Tobey, Faith Domergue, and Donald Curtis make up our cast, with narration provided by William Woodson of Super Friends fame.
What Makes It Great?
Aside from some vintage science fiction goofiness, animation fans can appreciate the practical effects provided by the legendary Ray Harryhausen. They’re the star focus of the film itself, and when combined with some pretty inventive cinematography for the time, it amounts to a surprisingly effective film that continues to entertain to this day.
17 Mad Max (1979)
Mad Max
- Release Date
- April 12, 1979
- Director
- George Miller
- Cast
- Mel Gibson, Joanne Samuel, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Steve Bisley, Tim Burns, Roger Ward
- Rating
- R
- Genres
- Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller
When you think of a post-apocalypse, chances are you imagine the world of Mad Max. Directed by George Miller in his directorial debut, Mad Max follows the journey of “Mad” Max Rockatansky (Mel Gibson), a vigilante in a near-future Australia on the verge of collapse. Economic collapse, ecocide, and more led to the creation of a terrifying motorbike gang that ravages the remnants of society. When things go a little too far, Max will find himself taking matters into his own hands as revenge is dished out in fiery explosions.
What Makes It Great?
Mad Max is the foundation for what is likely the most iconic post-apocalypse series to date. The visage of rusted cars screaming across the Australian outback is one that inspired everything from Fallout to Fist of the North Star. It overcomes its low budget with exemplary practical effects, including some particularly tense car stunts that had to be nailed in a single take.
16 Destroy All Monsters (1968)
Before Godzilla fought King Kong, the gargantuan reptile kaiju faced off with just about every one of his monstrous rivals in 1968’s Destroy All Monsters. Set in an alternate future where the Earth’s numerous kaiju have been centralized on Monster Island, Destroy All Monsters sees chaos ensue when an alien invasion sets the creatures free under telepathic control. All eleven monsters, ranging from Godzilla to Gorosaurus, are let loose to ravage the globe, leaving humanity to fend for itself against their combined might.
What Makes It Great?
Destroy All Monsters is to Godzilla what Avengers: Endgame is to the MCU. It was originally intended as the climactic finale of the Godzilla franchise, and the sheer number of rubberized suits and destructive practical effects clearly demonstrate it. There’s a fun time to be had with all the wanton destruction of Destroy All Monsters, even if its success inadvertently prompted future films to come.
15 Mothra (1961)
Mothra
- Release Date
- July 30, 1961
- Director
- Ishirô Honda
- Cast
- Frankie Sakai, Hiroshi Koizumi, Kyôko Kagawa, Za Pînattsu, Yûmi Ito, Emi Ito
- Genres
- Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Alongside Godzilla and King Kong, Mothra is easily one of the most recognizable kaiju monsters in existence, making her debut appearance in 1961’s Mothra. After an unexpected shipwreck leads the remaining survivors to a mysterious island, the discovery of the “Shobijin” — a pair of small fairies — leads to some rash decision-making. The fairies are soon kidnapped by the greedy Clark Nelson (Jerry Ito) against the wishes of the island’s native population. Unbeknownst to the kidnapper, however, is that the island is host to Mothra: a gigantic moth monster that aims to bring the fairies back by any means necessary.
What Makes It Great?
Mothra is a surprisingly thematic kaiju film, focusing on familiar themes of nuclear anxiety but also on Japan’s relationship with the United States at the time of the film’s production. It adds another layer of depth to what would normally be a typical kaiju movie, albeit with a lovable fuzzy moth instead of a scaly reptile.
14 Donnie Darko (2001)
Donnie Darko
- Release Date
- October 26, 2001
- Director
- Richard Kelly
- Cast
- Jake Gyllenhaal, Holmes Osborne, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Daveigh Chase, Mary McDonnell, James Duval
- Rating
- R
- Genres
- Drama, Documentary, Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Richard Kelly hit the ground running when his feature-length directorial debut, Donnie Darko, hit theaters in 2001. A young Jake Gyllenhaal stars as our titular Donald Darko, a troubled teen whose frequent bouts of sleepwalking lead him to cross paths with a strange bunny rabbit creature. After being told that the world is going to end, down to the exact date and time, Donnie returns to his home. Shortly afterward, he realizes that he narrowly escaped death upon finding a detached jet engine in the rubble of his room. How did this ultimately happen, and is the bunny rabbit behind it all? Jena Malone, Drew Barrymore, James Duval, and Mary McDonnell appear in the film’s cast alongside Gyllenhaal.
What Makes It Great?
Donnie Darko drew significant attention during its original release for its bizarre premise and its immense star talent. Its cinematography captures the dreamlike wandering of Donnie’s sleepwalking sessions, and its non-traditional narrative allows the audience to walk away with a plethora of interpretations. Appropriately enough, some view it as a classic science fiction film that still holds up.
13 Escape from New York (1981)
Escape From New York
- Release Date
- May 23, 1981
- Director
- John Carpenter
- Cast
- Kurt Russell, Lee Van Cleef, Ernest Borgnine, Donald Pleasence, Isaac Hayes, Season Hubley
- Rating
- R
- Genres
- Action, Sci-Fi
John Carpenter dabbled in a variety of genres across his career. But one of his biggest fortes has to be the science fiction genre. Case in point, Escape from New York, which was released in 1981 and featured Kurt Russell as its famous grizzled lead. Russell dons an eye patch and a lit cigarette as Snake Plissken, a federal prisoner who’s enlisted on a suicide mission. When Manhattan is walled off and turned into a ginormous, autonomous prison, a sudden plane crash ends with the US President being kidnapped by its denizens. Armed with only his wits, Plissken must rescue the President from a dystopian world of ravenous criminals to secure a pardon for his crimes.
What Makes It Great?
Escape from New York is up there as one of the best action films of the 1980s, let alone those firmly rooted in science fiction. It features one of Kurt Russell’s most iconic characters, and its practical effects are truly impressive when considering its budget and year of release. It would be an inspirational film for the science fiction genre as well, leading to the development of William Gibson’s Neuromancer.
12 A Scanner Darkly (2006)
A Scanner Darkly
- Release Date
- July 7, 2006
- Director
- Richard Linklater
- Cast
- Rory Cochrane, Robert Downey Jr., Mitch Baker, Keanu Reeves, Sean Allen, Cliff Haby
- Rating
- R
- Genres
- Animation, Crime, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Richard Linklater’s A Scanner Darkly takes a unique approach to Phillip K. Dick’s eponymous 1977 novel. The film, which was released in 2006, sees an undercover cop shortly fighting a failing war on drugs. A new drug, Substance D, has been particularly potent, causing paranoia and hallucinatory events in those who take it. The surrounding efforts to stunt the drug’s popularity have led to the creation of a surveillance state, with Bob Arctor (Keanu Reeves) finding himself slowly losing his sense of self amid the constant surveillance and casual drug use.
What Makes It Great?
A Scanner Darkly differs from its contemporaries not only because of its focus on identity but for its visual presentation. The film heavily utilizes rotoscope animation, giving it a bizarre but captivating feel that effortlessly blends with the film’s themes. The visuals are given more life through the performances of Robert Downey Jr., Woody Harrelson, and Winona Ryder among others.
11 The Thing From Another World (1951)
If you’re feeling a bit of deja vu, it’s not unsubstantiated. The Thing from Another World, originally released in 1951, would serve as the source material for John Carpenter’s The Thing, one of the greatest remakes ever made. Thankfully, the black-and-white original still works as a compelling science fiction story more than half a century after its original release. It focuses on a United States Air Force base at the North Pole, which becomes a house of horrors when its crew discovers the presence of an alien spaceship within the ice — along with a monstrous creature lying dormant inside. The film is partially infamous for its director credit, as it remains contested to this day whether Christian Nyby or Howard Hawks deserve the credit for directing.
What Makes It Great?
While some elements of The Thing from Another World would be transplanted into Carpenter’s remake, this deliberately subdued predecessor focuses less on gore and more on the intense drama of the situation. The alien, being comprised of plant-like material this time around, also gets some genuinely intimidating moments, including a shockingly impressive fire stunt.
10 The Crazies (1973)
Pittsburgh Films
Acting as one of George A. Romero’s few forays into science fiction, 1973’s The Crazies is markedly different from his numerous films in the Living Dead franchise. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean it avoids tackling similar themes. The film sees the residents of a picturesque American town coming under the influence of a new biological weapon. But instead of outright killing those it affects, it drives the town’s residents into a violent frenzy. The military, ill-equipped to handle such a viral threat, attempts to secure the town before the weapon can spread elsewhere.
What Makes It Great?
Though The Crazies trends more towards straightforward horror than science fiction, it’s a surprisingly gritty production that would preface the later films in Romero’s Living Dead trilogy. The utilization of science in warfare is a common theme you’ll see addressed throughout its brief runtime, and when combined with a bleak ending, it reflects humanity’s capacity to invent the cruelest munitions imaginable.
9 Phantasm (1979)
Phantasm
- Release Date
- March 28, 1979
- Director
- Don Coscarelli
- Cast
- A. Michael Baldwin, Bill Thornbury, Reggie Bannister, Kathy Lester, Terrie Kalbus, Kenneth V. Jones
- Rating
- R
- Genres
- Horror, Sci-Fi
Phantasm is easily one of the most surreal and entertaining horror franchises ever put to film. Produced near the end of the 1970s, this Don Coscarelli film sees a group of friends taking on a mysterious entity known only as the Tall Man, played by the late Angus Scrimm. Though the Tall Man resembles an elderly undertaker, underneath his innocuous visage hides an evil that could only come from the farthest reaches of the galaxy. If you’re still not convinced, perhaps his arsenal of intergalactic weaponry will change your mind.
What Makes It Great?
Phantasm was, by all means, an independent production through and through. Though its low budget and strange atmosphere divided critics at the time of its release, it has since become a beloved cult classic in the world of horror and sci-fi. Scrimm is iconic as the villainous Tall Man, and the individual relationships found between Michael Baldwin, Bill Thornbury, and Reggie Bannister make for characters we want to see succeed.
8 Coherence (2013)
There is something undeniably impressive about low-budget sci-fi movies of the past decade. Whether it is the bold storytelling or the subtle surprises that fill the frame, these movies have succeeded in stimulating our neurons to no end. Coherence is a surreal sci-fi gem directed by James Ward Byrkit. It follows a group of friends casually hanging out with one another at a dinner party during a cosmic anomaly. But things start to become terrifying when they discover strange occurrences pulling them across space and time.
What Makes It Great?
Coherence always keeps you on your toes with its quick plot twists, demanding your attention to detail and forcing you to look for clues. Emily Baldoni does an incredible job as our lead here, with other terrific performances doled out by Maury Sterling and Nicholas Brendon. In one single night, the movie challenges your perception of reality and imagination, and that is, perhaps, the greatest achievement for a cerebral thriller.
7 Melancholia (2011)
melancholia
- Release Date
- May 26, 2011
- Director
- Lars von Trier
- Cast
- Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Alexander Skarsgard, Brady Corbet, Cameron Spurr, Charlotte Rampling
- Rating
- R
- Genres
- Drama, Documentary, Sci-Fi
A movie that will leave you emotionally crushed, Melancholia showcases a scenario where a large planet is hurtling towards Earth, and it’s about to collide with and destroy every speck of life on it. Acting as a haunting metaphor for depression, the film centers around two sisters, Justine and Claire, played brilliantly by Kirsten Dunst and Charlotte Gainsbourg respectively. As the planet nears, their emotional state mirrors the cosmos and their lives are entangled, with one sister dealing with depression and the aftermath of a failed marriage.
What Makes It Great?
Although the premise of Melancholia isn’t super original in science fiction, it is the stoic and sublime direction by Lars von Trier that makes it so magical. Dunking you in its profundity, the movie tries to accentuate its overall staging and portrayal of a person keeping up their appearance when the world is descending into chaos.
6 Ghost in the Shell (1995)
Director Mamoru Oshii is known for crafting the most complicated yet compelling animated masterpieces and Ghost in the Shell is no different. Set in a futuristic Tokyo where minds can travel through virtual reality, the movie follows “The Puppet Master,” a cyberterrorist who can blend technology and hack into the minds of these cyborgs to reveal their true identities. However, when this shapeshifter is being pursued by cyborg federal agent Maj. Motoko Kusanagi, the table turns, and it is hard to determine the difference between the crime and the criminal.
What Makes It Great?
Shot in a slick style with vibrant visuals, the movie isn’t just for entertainment. Instead, its commentary on surveillance, privacy, and what truly connects a person to their memories, is truly intelligent and outstanding. It would later inspire the Wachowskis to create The Matrix, in addition to James Cameron’s Avatar franchise.
5 Triangle (2009)
Triangle
- Release Date
- October 16, 2009
- Director
- Christopher Smith
- Cast
- Melissa George, Joshua McIvor, Jack Taylor, Michael Dorman, Henry Nixon, Rachael Carpani
- Rating
- R
- Genres
- Mystery, Horror, Thriller
Melissa George and Michael Dorman star in this psychological horror directed by Christopher Smith. Triangle follows a group of five friends out on their yacht. When an unexpected storm turns their ship upside down, they must find a way out of this nightmare. But little do they know, a bigger dread is moving towards them. Desperate to get help, when they are approached by a mysterious ship, the friends immediately jump aboard, only to soon find out that they’re trapped on the eerie ghost ship, their fates dangerously shifting south.
What Makes It Great?
The movie drops subtle clues at certain places, and yet the orchestrated chaos gets to the viewers and leaves them with chills. Melissa George and Michael Dorman are the leads in this intense horror film, and as they come to realize the film’s shocking scientific twist, their performances are elevated into something particularly stellar. From the haunting performances to the hope that they might break free, the movie’s minimalist aesthetic is what makes it spooky and fun.
4 The Double (2014)
With The Double, director Richard Ayoade takes the cult classic novella by Frodo Dostoyevsky and twists it into an exhilarating film. In a sterile society where there is no place or regard for a person’s individuality, a timid and lonely office worker named Simon (Jesse Eisenberg) finds himself stuck in the same loop (metaphorically) for seven years with no praise for his hard work in sight. However, when James (Jesse Eisenberg), who looks surprisingly like Simon albeit with a much more confident personality, starts to usurp Simon’s life, Simon may find himself on the verge of snapping.
What Makes It Great?
Jesse Eisenberg plays both Simon and James, and he walks the line between docile and driven with such precision it is almost unnerving. Playing one compelling character is already difficult enough, but to do so twice with separate personalities is an incredible undertaking. Moreover, The Double is dark and comic in the best way, and it continues to puzzle the audience throughout its runtime.
3 Timecrimes (2007)
Timecrimes
- Release Date
- October 5, 2007
- Director
- Nacho Vigalondo
- Cast
- Karra Elejalde, Candela Fernández, Barbara Goenaga, Nacho Vigalondo, Juan Inciarte, Miguel Ángel Poo
- Rating
- R
- Genres
- Sci-Fi, Thriller
One of the most confusing yet clever time travel movies, Timecrimes is a mind-bending gem that elevates the standard of Spanish cinema for an international audience. It follows Héctor, an unassuming man spying on a woman undressing in the woods close to his property. When he reaches the scene for a closer look, he finds that the woman has been murdered and soon, he’s also being chased and assailed by a man with a bandaged face. Running for his life, Héctor reaches a facility for scientific experiments where a tinkering researcher hurls him between the present and the future. Back where it all started, Héctor observes himself being attacked and finds that his prior actions may be threatening him now.
What Makes It Great?
Time travel loops are always a fickle thing to handle. Thankfully, the benefit of Timecrimes is that, by going back to a set point, the true consequences of utilizing time travel can be properly developed. The narrative demands your entire focus because you are trying to piece together the puzzle with your heart racing and paranoia building. It’s an incredible juxtaposition of a simple premise with complex ramifications.
2 Mr. Nobody (2009)
Mr. Nobody
- Release Date
- November 6, 2009
- Director
- Jaco Van Dormael
- Cast
- Jared Leto, Sarah Polley, Diane Kruger, Linh Dan Pham, Rhys Ifans, Natasha Little
- Rating
- NR
- Genres
- Drama, Documentary, Fantasy, Romance, Sci-Fi
Blending pathos and drama and science fiction and romance, Jaco Van Dormael creates this epic story of love and life told through the perspective of a 118-year-old man. In Mr. Nobody, the setting is quite unusual. The protagonist, Nemo Nobody (Jared Leto), is the only remaining mortal on Earth after every single human was granted immortality. Living a long life full of interesting stories makes Nemo worthy of a story, which he happily conveys to a reporter. The film is told via flashbacks as we relive his experiences from his own perspective, albeit scattered across several different “lives” he could’ve lived in the past.
What Makes It Great?
However surreal it may seem, the film’s brilliance cannot be ignored. Jared Leto brings astonishing grace and sincerity to his role of Nemo as he recounts several non-linear possibilities of his life at different junctures from his deathbed. What elevates Mr. Nobody is the way it ponders on the very essence of how and why we make the choices we make and how fate connects it all. While Mr. Nobody wouldn’t win any Oscars, it did snag a total of 22 wins and 43 nominations across a plethora of award ceremonies.
1 The Thing (1982)
The Thing (1982)
- Release Date
- June 25, 1982
- Director
- John Carpenter
- Cast
- Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, T.K. Carter, David Clennon, Keith David, Richard Dysart
- Rating
- R
- Genres
- Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
John Carpenter’s The Thing is arguably one of the single greatest remakes of any film ever made, let alone one of the best science fiction films ever made. A remake of The Thing from Another World, John Carpenter’s The Thing follows a similar setup with a drastically different execution. We follow a group of American researchers stationed in the middle of Antarctica as a chance encounter places them in immense danger. They find themselves squaring off against the “Thing”: a shapeshifting creature that can perfectly mimic any organism it consumes, down to its personality and mannerisms. Kurt Russell plays our lead, with Wilford Brimley, David Clennon, Keith David, Peter Maloney, and Richard Dysart appearing in supporting roles.
What Makes It Great?
The Thing saw modern success for just about every reason under the sun. Its grotesque practical effects continue to amaze, its haunting score by Ennio Morricone amplifies the genuine tension, and the terrifying premise presents one of the most viscerally haunting science fiction concepts ever conceived. For any science fiction fan, The Thing is a worthy investment of your time.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
