Sci-fi is a genre full of heavy hitters. Between the giant franchises, endless sequels, and blockbuster special effects, the biggest movies tend to end up wedged deep in our minds. Unfortunately, that means a lot of genuinely good science fiction slips through the cracks. After all, a movie doesn't need a $200 million budget to be thoroughly enjoyable.
Netflix is packed with sci-fi flicks beyond the obvious hits, especially smaller movies jam-packed with fascinating ideas you might not have ever considered. They're the exact kind of hidden gems you stumble onto late at night and end up thinking about long after the credits roll.
The problem is knowing where to start. With so many titles on the streaming service competing for your attention, great films get buried fast. To help narrow things down, I've picked out three Netflix sci-fi movies you probably haven’t seen yet, each offering something a little different. All you have to do is press play.
'Cities of Last Things' (2018)
This Chinese sci-fi flick presents you with the end before rewinding back to the beginning to tell the story of one man named Zhang Dong Ling and three unique sections of his life. Set in 2056, it's an intriguing view of the future that's quite bleak, though technologically advanced. With "rejuvenation fluids" that can help make anyone look younger, forced citizen ID tags, and other dystopian changes that have made real life feel more like it came from the pages of a terrifying novel, this gritty and violent revenge flick is one sci-fi romp you'll wish you had seen much sooner.
Stream now on Netflix
'See You Yesterday' (2019)
Life is super carefree when you have a literal time machine. You can make all the mistakes you want without repercussions, right? That's most definitely not true, especially when you're trying to undo others' misdeeds. Science prodigy C.J. Walker (Eden Duncan-Smith) creates her time machine in an effort to save her brother from a tragic run-in with corrupt police. But while her cause is a noble one, changing the flow of time always has repercussions, and C.J. very quickly finds that out as she tries her best to change the events that led to her brother's death.
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'Colossal' (2016)
If your life just isn't going the way you want it to, it's totally understandable to manifest a massive reptilian monster that rampages through Seoul. At least, that's what happens to Gloria (Anne Hathaway), a writer who's struggling with alcoholism and finding work. She realizes she can control the monster she's somehow called into existence, and when she isn't lashing out and taking her anger out on those attacking the monster, she realizes there's a point to the colossal kaiju she's brought into the world: changing her life.
Stream now on Netflix
