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 isTubi, 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 May 15th, 2024, by Soniya Hinduja: This article has been updated with additional content to keep the discussion fresh and relevant with even more information and new entries.
18Pacific Rim (2013)
Pacific Rim
A summer blockbuster that mixes sci-fi mastery with spectacular monster mayhem.Pacific Rimis set in the late 2020s when enormous aliens known as Kaijus begin rising from an interdimensional portal located at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. Having no regard for human life, they start attacking the coast and cities. To combat the colossal beasts, humans design equally towering robots, name them Jaegers, and embark on a mission to fight the invasion back.
Colossal Machines and Battles
Pacific Rimis directed by Guillermo del Toro, who co-wrote the screenplay with Travis Beacham. Nothing short of an epic, the live-action movie pulses with brilliant CGI clashes between Jaegers and Kaiju. The movie reminds you of Godzilla, but it is also ripe with emotional character drama and grounded themes of humanity. Featuring an outstanding cast of talents like Charlie Day, Idris Elba, Charlie Hunnam, and Rinko Kikuchi, the movie is both a visual treat for seasoned fans anda gateway to introduce newcomers to sci-fi.
17Paprika (2006)
Satoshi Kon’s fourth and final feature film before his passing,Paprikais a surrealist science fiction animation set in the near future. In it, we follow Dr. Atsuko Chiba, a gifted scientist in control of a device called “DC Mini,” which allows therapists to enter their patients’ dreams and better them using constructive methods. After a criminal steals the prototype for this revolutionary device to blur dreams and reality for people, Atsuko must track town the thief and stop society from descending into chaos.
Dazzles With its Reality-Bending Premise
Despite being vibrant and immersive in its animation,Paprikais also quitedisturbing to watch. While the visual style used to bring a person’s consciousness and dreams to life is unique and artistic, the exploration of fantasy worlds is just as uncanny. This is why Paprika achieves what few other sci-fi titles can. It does not rely on giant monsters or otherworldly species in order to hypnotize the viewers. Instead, through a wildly imaginative lens, it challenges and understands the nature of dreams.
16Snowpiercer (2013)
Snowpiercer
The movie that began director Bong Joon-ho’s journey to international stardom,Snowpierceris a post-apocalyptic science fiction thriller that follows life after an attempt at solving global warming destroys and freezes everything over. The only remaining survivors are people on the titular train that circles the globe on a perpetual journey. The year is 2031 and a class system has evolved within the train, where the poor stay in the tail section and are oppressed, and the rich control the supplies. Curtis leads an underclass rebellion for freedom and change.
Visually Stunning and Thought-Provoking
Snowpierceris adapted from a French climate fiction graphic novelLe Transperceneigeillustrated by Jacques Lob, Benjamin Legrand, and Jean-Marc Rochette. Director Bong transforms it into an epic examination of societal inequalities. The creative settings, stimulation tension between the classes, and brutal and bloody action layers the film’s narrative quite deftly. Chris Evans and Tilda Swinton excel in their roles and the movie’s dystopian setting acts as an example of the genre’s potential for social commentary and spectacle at the same time.
15The Terminator (1984)
The Terminator
While the initial reactions to the movie were lukewarm, in retrospect,The Terminatorcame to be regarded as an endlessly entertaining sci-fi adventure. In the movie, a cyborg assassin known as a Terminator is set back in time from 2029 to 2014 with a mission – to kill Sarah Conner, whose unborn son might grow up to lead the human resistance against machines in the post-apocalyptic future. However, Kyle Reese is a lone warrior who is also sent back in time to protect Sarah.
The Movie That Reinvented the Sci-Fi Genre
Co-written by James Cameron and Gale Anne Hurd, and directed by Cameron, the movie is one that revolutionized the sci-fi genre forever. Additionally, it alsoestablished Arnold Schwarzenegger as an unforgettable icon. Linda Hamilton and Michael Biehn are equally mesmerizing. In a way,The Terminatorfuses several elements of both genres with time travel tropes and practical effects that are still impressive and influential today, and created a minimalist thriller on a considerably low budget.
14Ghostbusters (1984)
Ghostbusters
A classic supernatural comedy,Ghostbusterscenters around three paranormal researchers, Peter Venkman, Raymond Stantz, and Egon Spengler, who get fired from their jobs as professors at Columbia University. They decide to continue their investigations into paranormal encounters and capture ghosts by forming a team of “Ghostbusters.” Equipped with proton packs and genius traps, their established business faces newer, more dangerous apparitions when New York falls under threat.
A Spooky and Absurd ’80s Delight
In one of history’s most perfect on-screen pairings, we witness Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Harold Ramis indulge in truly zany, laugh-out-loud adventures as they bust ghosts using awe-inspiring gadgets. Supporting turns from Rick Moranis and Sigourney Weaver elevated the narrative. Ivan Reitman’s direction brings out the best in the genre; from the otherworldly vibes to the iconic music. Overall,Ghostbustersis a generation-defining sci-fi masterpiece that paved the way for a memorable form of entertainment within and outside the franchise.
13Gamera: Guardian of the Universe (1995)
Gamera: Guardian of the Universe
Gamera and Godzilla had very different Shōwa eras. Both ended up being marketed primarily to children, but Gamera left the serious road far earlier than the Big G. But, with the Heisei trilogy, Gamera not only got serious again but delivered the three best films of the entire franchise.
Impressive Monster Moments
A handful of the Shōwa era Gamera movies are on Tubi, including the original (the only one from that era truly worth watching). But, only the first of the Heisei trilogy,Gamera: Guardian of the Universeis present and accounted for. But, that’s okay, because even without the other two, this first installment of the trilogy captures every element of what’s made these films work (e.g. a solid sense of fun, a pace that isn’t too fast), plus monsters with top-tier designs, a franchise first.
12Hardcore Henry (2016)
Hardcore Henry
Henry, a newly resurrected cyborg who must save his wife/creator from the clutches of a psychotic tyrant with telekinetic powers, AKAN, and his army of mercenaries. Fighting alongside Henry is Jimmy, who is Henry’s only hope to make it through the day. Hardcore takes place over the course of one day, in Moscow, Russia.
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? EnterHardcore Henry. 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.
A Fascinating and Unique Premise
Hardcore Henryhas 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.
11Donnie Darko (2001)
Donnie Darko
Richard Kelly hit the ground running when his feature-length directorial debut,Donnie Darko, hit theaters in 2001. A young Jake Gyllenhaal stars as the titular character, 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.
A Mysterious and Compelling Story.
Donnie Darkodrew 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 aclassic science fiction film that still holds up.
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10Destroy 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’sDestroy All Monsters. Set in an alternate future where the Earth’s numerous kaiju have been centralized on Monster Island,Destroy All Monsterssees 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.
A Wild and Chaotic Monster Marathon
Destroy All Monstersis toGodzillawhatAvengers: Endgameis to the MCU. It was originally intended as the climactic finale of theGodzillafranchise, 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 ofDestroy All Monsters, even if its success inadvertently prompted future films to come.
9Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974)
TheMonsterVerse has plenty of kaijuthey can adapt, and hopefully, they do it as well asGodzilla vs. Kong’s Mechagodzilla. But, the original, alien-crafted incarnation of Mechagodzilla is still tops. While there’s debate over whetherGodzilla vs. MechagodzillaorTerror of Mechagodzillais the better film, it’s a moot point since both are on Tubi.
Campy Kaiju Fun
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzillais far more ridiculous thanTerror, with monkey-like aliens decked out in truly preposterous clothing. There’s an appeal to that, as there is a solid pace and more brutal monster fights than usual. It may have been the beginning of the end of the Shōwa era, butGodzilla vs. Mechagodzillais a winner nonetheless.
