A prequel of sorts to the cherished Alien franchise, Prometheus tackles lofty questions like "Why are we here?" and "Who made us?" as well as if science and religion can co-exist. The film is extremely cerebral but uses the traditional science fiction elements of technology, space, artificial intelligence, and extraterrestrials to communicate the queries it raises.
While the movie may not be as obvious a prequel to Alien as fans of the franchise would have liked, Prometheus is still a great cinema outing. It is a brainy take on the sci-fi genre, so it is only fitting to recommend sci-fi movies that make audiences think.
Logan's Run (1976) - Available For Rent On iTunes
A thoughtful take on the science fiction genre, Logan's Run revolves around a hedonistic society in 2274 where everyone has until the age of 30 to enjoy the community's pleasures. Those who don't wish to follow this rule try to escape and become known as Runners. When police officer Logan is tasked with finding the Runners' hideout, he instead ends up trying to start a revolution.
The style of the film has aged since its 1976 release, but many of its themes are still relevant today. Concepts like overpopulation and unbridled hedonism are still heavily deliberated topics in the 21st century.
Robocop (1987) - Available To Stream On Paramount+
Tackling important topics like corporate authority, masculinity, greed, technology, and humanity, Robocop is just as timely today as it was in the late '80s. The film is about an almost fatally wounded cop that is turned into a crime-fighting cyborg in a corrupt future Detroit. Its high-octane violence is hard to forget and makes this science fiction film both intellectual and exciting. Robocop is a movie that is much smarter than it seems.
Audiences have loved the social commentary of Paul Verhoven's original Robocop so much that numerous sequels and a remake have resulted.
Metropolis (1927) - Available To Stream On Flix Fling
One of, if not the first science fiction film ever made, Metropolis is a silent science-fiction epic film from noted silent era director Fritz Lang. Not many modern audiences like silent films or even films in black and white, but Metropolis is a must-see for fans of Prometheus and fans of the science fiction genre as a whole.
While the acting in Metropolis may seem overwrought in today's lens, the film's use of special effects is extraordinary given its age. Metropolis also started the trend in cinema to use science fiction as a means to comment on issues in society, such as the dichotomy between workers and the elite.
2010: The Year We Make Contact (1984) - Available For Rent On Google Play
In the sequel to 2001: A Space Odyssey, this film deals with the aftermath of what happened at the end of the previous movie. The story concerns a joint Soviet-American expedition to Jupiter to solve what happened to the space vessel that was lost in 2001: A Space Odyssey.
As the films were made 16 years apart, their aesthetics differ. However, this is by no means a bad thing as the future designed in 2010: The Year We Make Contact is a great time capsule of '80s futurism. There's even a dolphin pool inside the protagonist's dining room. Further, the film ties up the loose ends from the 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Interstellar (2014) - Available To Stream On FXNow
Christopher Nolan's highly academic sci-fi film, Interstellar looks at environmental degradation threatening to destroy the planet and all its inhabitants. As a result, farmer and former pilot Cooper along with a team of researchers must travel through space to test out three possible habitable planets before it's too late.
Interstellar looks at science fiction concepts like space travel and the future as realistically as possible. The film uses current worries like climate change and imagines the effects many years down the line to craft a movie that makes the viewer think critically. So enjoyed by viewers, many fans believe Interstellar is better than Inception.
Predator (1987) - Available To Stream On Amazon Prime Video
In this brawny action thriller, an alien hunts the most dangerous animal; human soldiers. Featuring massive action stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, and wrestler Jesse Ventura, Predator's towering alien seems imposing even to these manly behemoths. The makeup and creature effects done by Stan Winston are impressive and the film is fast-paced, laced with action.
"If it bleeds, we can kill it" and "I ain't got time to bleed" are iconic lines of the film, giving life and awesome '80s cheese factor to a rollicking alien vs. man feature.
Ex Machina (2015) - Available To Stream On Hoopla
Ex Machina tells the story of young programmer Caleb, who wins an office sweepstake to spend a weekend with his tech visionary boss, Nathan. Once there, Caleb learns he is tasked with testing out the human qualities of Nathan's advanced android Ava.
A gripping psychological thriller blended with science fiction, the film invests the viewer in each unfolding event as the stakes get higher and higher. The acting, in particular Alicia Vikander in one of her best roles, shines, along with the outstanding special effects.
The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976) - Available To Stream On Amazon Prime Video
The Man Who Fell to Earth follows alien Thomas Jerome Newton as he comes to Earth with plans to bring water back to his dying planet. From visionary director Nicolas Roeg, the film's gifted use of intercutting between vastly different scenes achieves an emotional response from the audience that otherwise would not have been gained if the scenes were presented linearly.
David Bowie's stellar performance as Newton is the highlight of an already fantastic film. His work is so phenomenal that Michael Fassbender based his performance of David in Prometheus on Bowie's performance in this film, as noted in the Telegraph.
Soylent Green (1973) - Available For Rent On YouTube
Soylent Green is set in a dystopian future where there is an overpopulation problem straining the food supply and causing starvation. When trying to find the murderer of an executive at the Soylent Corporation, Detective Thorn discovers a horrifying corporate secret.
Mixing science fiction with an investigation drama, Soylent Green melds the two genres so well that even non-sci-fi fans can appreciate the story. Famous for its last line and quoted numerously, Soylent Green is a reflective film that stays with the viewer long after the end credits.
Alien (1979) - Available To Stream On IMDb TV
The king of alien movies, Alien appears on numerous best sci-fi movie lists, and rightfully so. Recognized as significant by the Library of Congress, Alien was selected for preservation — an extremely high honor. Spawning a number of sequels, prequels, comic books, novels, video games, and toys, the film has an enduring mark on popular culture. There is a plethora of movie and TV references to Alien.
Alien is about a space crew who answers a distress call in deep space only to be confronted with a dangerous creature. Given that Prometheus acts as a pseudo prequel to the Alien franchise, anyone who counts themselves as a fan of Prometheus absolutely must watch Alien.