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Free sci-fi movies: 11 mind-blowing films to stream ASAP

This free streaming service has a surprisingly deep library of science fiction films.

by Robin Bea

Kanopy is a free service that offers movies in partnership with libraries and universities around the world.

If you have a card from a participating library, you need to check out these sci-fi classics and recent releases ASAP.

Immortalized in Tim Burton’s Ed Wood, this foundational text of so-bad-it’s-good sci-fi is best saved for a late night with a rowdy audience.

10. Dark Star (1974)

John Carpenter’s forgotten black comedy about a bored spaceship crew blowing up planets delivers the director's signature synth soundtrack and great special effects on a tiny budget.

9. High Life (2019)

Following a father and his baby daughter as the only survivors of a doomed space mission, this unsettling, philosophical indie film hinges on Robert Pattinson’s incredible performance.

8. Stalker (1979)

One of the strangest post-apocalyptic films ever made, this bleak, metaphysical journey inspired Annihilation and the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. video game series.

7. Under the Skin (2013)

As beautiful as it is deeply disturbing, Under the Skin stars Scarlett Johansson in an exploration of sex and gender roles through a sci-fi lens.

With shades of Stranger Things, this film about a young woman trying to escape from a secret facility is most noteworthy for its disturbing psychedelic visuals and driving synth soundtrack.

5. Solaris (1972)

An earlier — but equally dark — film from Stalker director Andrei Tarkovsky, Solaris explores a space station that seems to be driving everyone aboard it mad.

4. World on a Wire (1973)

Originally filmed as a TV special and only recently rediscovered, World on a Wire is a gorgeous, surreal exploration of the idea that we may all be living in a computer simulation.

3. Metropolis (1927)

Fritz Lang's story of artificial intelligence and class conflict is a silent black-and-white masterpiece — and one of the most influential sci-fi films ever.

2. Ex Machina (2014)

Alex Garland's Ex Machina is a haunting meditation on AI personhood and a sharp critique of Silicon Valley hubris.

And if that’s not your thing, it’s worth watching Ex Machina just for Oscar Isaac’s incredible dance scene.

A24
1. La Jetée (1963)

This deeply unconventional time travel story told in still images (or photo-roman, for you film nerds) is the kind of sci-fi that never leaves your brain once you’ve seen it.