Travel through space, time, and genre as you parse EW's list of the 31 best scifi movies of all time. The 31 best scifi movies of all time Travel through space, time, and genre as you parse EW's list of the 31 best scifi movies of all time. By Randall Colburn :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/RandallColburnauthorphotoe7e8b48d9f8645588439077e721a5f48.jpg) Randall Colburn Randall Colburn is a writer and editor at . His work has previously appeared on The A.V. Club, The Guardian, The Ringer, and many other publications. EW's editorial guidelines on April 1, 2026 9:29 a.m.

Travel through space, time, and genre as you parse EW's list of the 31 best sci-fi movies of all time.

The 31 best sci-fi movies of all time

Travel through space, time, and genre as you parse EW's list of the 31 best sci-fi movies of all time.

By Randall Colburn

Randall Colburn

Randall Colburn is a writer and editor at **. His work has previously appeared on The A.V. Club, The Guardian, The Ringer, and many other publications.

EW's editorial guidelines

on April 1, 2026 9:29 a.m. ET

Who are we? How did we get here? And where are we going next? As technological advancement outpaces human understanding, people are left to wonder about our place in the universe. Have we optimized existence to such an extent as to render humanity irrelevant? Science fiction movies consider these questions and provide audiences with thoughtful, brilliant, and terrifying theories on issues of humanity, nature, God, science, and more of life's great mysteries.

Nobody knows what's next for our species, but these films are full of intellectual wormholes into which audiences can dive. Here, in alphabetical order, are the 31 best sci-fi movies of all time.**

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

Keir Dullea as Dr. Dave Bowman and Gary Lockwood as Dr. Frank Poole in '2001: A Space Odyssey'. Warner Bros. Pictures

Like so many of the best films on this list, *2001* feels alien. It has shape, weight, and a clear sense of itself. We leave it knowing we've seen something truly awesome, even if we can't quite articulate what exactly we saw. Stanley Kubrick's dizzying achievement towers in the pantheon of film like the monolith that beguiles its cast, a lush and indelible exploration of ideas that, more than a half-decade later, continue to fascinate: artificial intelligence, space exploration, the evolution of consciousness. So, too, do its audio and visual elements: The awe-inducing blare of "Thus Spoke Zarathustra," the space station's humbling grandeur, and the lonely drift of an unleashed astronaut, lost to the cosmos. One of a kind in any genre.

Where to watch *2001: A Space Odyssey*: HBO Max

Alien (1979)

Yaphet Kotto as Parker, Sigourney Weaver as Ripley, and Ian Holm as Ash in 'Alien'. Everett Collection

It's the endless expanse that sets the stage, the sense that, despite being surrounded by so much open space, there is absolutely nowhere to run. There's no dialogue for the first six minutes of *Alien*, nor is there music. It's just ambient sound, as cold and alienating as the crowded, grimy halls of the *Nostromo*, cinema's most notorious intergalactic haunted house. All the crew members — an out-of-this-world ensemble consisting of Tom Skeritt, John Hurt, Yaphet Kotto, and, of course, Sigourney Weaver — have are each other, so when a creature bursts from their buddy's chest and begins picking them off one by one, the ugly, pipe-strewn walls close in. Director Ridley Scott embraces the claustrophobia, embedding his Xenomorph into the fabric of the ship and, by extension, our nightmares.

Where to watch *Alien*: HBO Max

Back to the Future (1985)

Christopher Lloyd as Dr. Emmett Brown and Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly in 'Back to the Future'. Ralph Nelson/Universal

It's wild that *Back to the Future* is one of the most beloved movies ever, one that families still gather around the TV to watch, given that its story centers on a teenager who unwittingly travels back in time only to threaten his existence after his mother gets intensely horny for him. On the other hand, the discomfort would overwhelm, but Robert Zemeckis' clever, fleet-footed direction and Bob Gale's inventive yet impeccably structured script endear us immediately to this world and its eccentric characters. It's a shockingly emotional movie, using its time-hopping adventure to witness that pivotal moment when a child learns to see their parents as, well, people. And, like any time travel narrative, it touches on the fragility of our realities, the notion that our fates hinge on the smallest of moments. One small move and the entire house of cards collapses.

Where to watch *Back to the Future*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

Blade Runner: The Final Cut (1982)

Rutger Hauer as Roy Batty in 'Blade Runner: The Final Cut'. Everett Collection

Pluck any quote from the mouth of Rutger Hauer's Roy Batty and you'll land upon a classic. "It's not an easy thing to meet your maker," for instance. He speaks as a human-engineered replicant, of course, but try turning that concept back on ourselves — what would we do if we met our creator? The ideas overflow in Ridley Scott's sci-fi masterpiece, a flop upon its release that, after receiving numerous director's cuts, has firmly planted itself in the cultural consciousness. But it's not all philosophy; *Blade Runner* is a spectacle, its choked, dystopian, post-capitalist cityscapes growing more and more familiar as the years pass. The film's exquisite clutter extends to its eccentric ensemble, a collection of enigmas that brim with weariness and wonder.

Where to watch *Blade Runner: The Final Cut*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

The mothership in 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind'. Everett Collection

There are plenty of jokes to be made at the expense of Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss), the UFO obsessive in Steven Spielberg's *Close Encounters of the Third Kind**. *He abandons his wife and family for aliens! What a s---ty dad! But isn't this what makes Spielberg's movie so interesting, the idea that mysteries are sometimes so compelling that one can't help but chase them to the outer reaches? Like so many films on this list, it's a testament to the lure of science fiction, to a reality that exists outside society's portrait of a life well lived.

Where to watch *Close Encounters of the Third Kind*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

Contact (1997)

Jodie Foster as Dr. Eleanor 'Ellie' Ann Arroway in 'Contact'. Everett Collection

Robert Zemeckis' ambitious adaptation of Carl Sagan's 1985 novel is that rarest of films: a philosophical blockbuster. Jodie Foster is steely yet open-hearted as Ellie Arroway, a scientist who discovers schematics for a single-occupant space vessel buried in transmissions from a distant star system. As the vessel is constructed and Ellie prepares for first contact, a stacked ensemble — Matthew McConaughey, Angela Bassett, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt — navigates the tensions between science and faith with charm and nuance. Zemeckis, meanwhile, balances the script's bigger questions with white-knuckle awe.

Where to watch *Contact*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

Dark City (1998)

Kiefer Sutherland as Dr. Daniel P. Schreber (center) in 'Dark City'.

New Line Cinema/Everett Collection

"When was the last time you remember doing something during the day?" It's such a chilling line, and one that teases the mysteries at the heart of Alex Proyas' masterful *Dark City*. Set in a murky metropolis that echoes the paintings of Edward Hopper, the film stars Rufus Sewell as a man who, after waking in a hotel bathtub with no memories, stumbles upon the puppet masters who have long manipulated his surroundings. The pale, floating beings are called Strangers and their goal is to rebuild their dying alien civilization by unlocking the secrets of the human soul via frequent experimentation. That means injecting their subjects with new memories and rebuilding the city to explore new possibilities. It's eerie, gripping stuff, a sci-fi noir that raises the biggest question of all: How much of our lives are truly ours?

Where to watch *Dark City*: Tubi

The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)

Harry Lauter as Platoon Leader and Michael Rennie as Klaatu in 'The Day the Earth Stood Still'. Everett Collection

To watch Robert Wise's *The Day the Earth Stood Still* today is to view it through the prism of film history; it's near-impossible for a modern audience to separate the movie (and Bernard Herrmann's score) from the iconography it helped popularize. Flying saucers, space lasers, hulking silver humanoids — to this day, they continue to manifest in homage, parody, art, and subversion. It's worth a revisit, though, as Wise's film, based on a short story by Harry Bates, remains an enduring (and fittingly cynical) work of satire. Nearly 75 years later, the thought of a unified front and nuclear disarmament remains as elusive as ever. Klaatu would stand even less of a chance.

Where to watch *The Day the Earth Stood Still*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

Dune (2021)

Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides in 'Dune'.

Warner Bros. Pictures/Legendary Pictures

Frank Herbert's *Dune* has bested not one, but two of cinema's best storytellers. David Lynch's '84 adaptation, though it has its defenders, was a critical and commercial dud, while Alejandro Jodorowsky crumbled beneath the weight of his own vision. In his adaptation of the first half of Herbert's novel, Denis Villeneuve opts for a sober approach that wisely emphasizes story and character over eccentricity. He also, though, understands that the grandeur of Herbert's vision is part of what makes *Dune** *so uniquely, well, *Dune*. Everything from the architecture to the sandworms that swim through these sweeping desert vistas is as massive as the spice war's impact on the saga's political and religious machinations.

Where to watch *Dune*: HBO Max

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

Henry Thomas as Elliott (center, in red hoodie) in 'E.T.'.

Universal/Everett Collection

Who needs adults? *E.T.* is a marvel of the popular genre — a vibrant, sweet, funny, and magical movie. But one of director Steven Spielberg's most inspired choices is to cloak many of the film's authority figures (parents, teachers, government stooges) in shadow and silhouette. Why? Because a leathery little scamp like E.T. is lovable only in the uninhibited mind of a child; fear, distrust, and paranoia are born of experience and disappointment. It's not that adults are evil in the world of *E.T.*, it's just that their curiosity isn't rooted in compassion. Why help a creature phone home when there's use for him here? Kids don't think that way. *E.T. *doesn't, either.

Where to watch *E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

The Fly (1986)

Jeff Goldblum as Seth Brundle in 'The Fly'. Everett Collection

*The Fly* is disgusting. It's also beautiful? Because you're rooting for Seth (Jeff Goldblum) and Ronnie (Geena Davis), and it's unfair that an errant fly joins Seth inside his new teleportation device, fundamentally altering his DNA and destroying his mind and body. People love to talk about David Cronenberg's penchant for body horror, but *The Fly* amounts to more than mere goopiness, serving as a gutting allegory for the ways physical and mental illness can ravage a relationship that was once beautiful.

Where to watch *The Fly*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

Galaxy Quest (1999)

Tim Allen as Jason Nesmith, Alan Rickman as Sir Alexander Dane, and Sigourney Weaver as Gwen DiMarco in 'Galaxy Quest'. Everett Collection

One of the first comedies to pay homage to the legion of sci-fi diehards that flooded the early internet, Dean Parisot's hilarious *Galaxy Quest* stars Tim Allen and Sigourney Weaver as the senescent stars of a bygone *Star Trek*-like phenomenon who are unwittingly swept up in an honest-to-goodness sci-fi adventure. The intergalactic Thermians, thinking Allen's Jason Nesmith and Weaver's Gwen DeMarco are truly the characters they play on TV, are relying on these conceited actors to save them from an all-too-real adversary. By positing the aliens as fans and offering these performers a real moment to be heroes, *Galaxy Quest* both satirizes and celebrates fandom, acknowledging the genuine impact fictional touchstones ultimately have on their most devoted consumers.

Where to watch *Galaxy Quest*: Paramount+

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Ghost in the Shell (1995)

Major Motoko Kusanagi (voice: Atsuko Tanaka) 'Ghost in the Shell'. Everett Collection

James Cameron, whose fingerprints will forever be imprinted on modern sci-fi, called Mamoru Oshii's *Ghost in the Shell* "the first truly adult animation film to reach a level of literary and visual excellence," per Far Out Magazine. Anime stans will surely take issue with such a sweeping statement, but his endorsement speaks to both the film's crossover appeal and the magnetism of its ideas. It follows Motoko Kusanagi, a cyborg public-security agent in 2029 Japan, as she pursues a hacker known as the Puppet Master, but the film isn't about the hacker's threat so much as our fear of it. What happens when technology overwhelms humanity? Is it to be feared or embraced?

Where to watch *Ghost in the Shell*: Tubi

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

Donald Sutherland as Matthew Bennell in 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers'. United Artists/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images

Yeah, it's a remake, but Philip Kaufman's spin on Don Siegel's 1956 film (and Jack Finney's 1955 novel) trades Cold War anxiety for post-Vietnam paranoia in ways that strengthen and sharpen the source material. The plot is more or less the same: A Bay Area health inspector discovers humans are being replaced by alien duplicates that possess none of the pesky emotions that make life lovely and unbearable. A blessing, perhaps? It was hard not to live in a state of distrust following Vietnam, Watergate, Chappaquiddick, and the assassinations of JFK and RFK. The true horror of Kaufman's *Invasion*, though, is that acquiescence gives way to McCarthyism; in conformity, old friends become new enemies. Also, what's the deal with that Robert Duvall cameo?

Where to watch *Invasion of the Body Snatchers*: Tubi

Metropolis (1927)

Rudolf Klein-Rogge as Rotwang (right) in 'Metropolis'. Everett Collection

One of the first feature-length science-fiction movies doubles as one of the most influential films of all time. Fritz Lang's stunning *Metropolis* unfolds in a futuristic urban dystopia, one heavily influenced by Art Deco architecture and flooded with Biblical imagery, where the rich live carefree lives above ground while workers toil below. It's the son of the city's leader, who has fallen for a working-class woman, who hopes to bring unity between the classes — a notion so naive that Lang himself scoffed at it in his later years. Still, the film's primitive effects dazzle to this day, as does the sweep of its imposing cityscape.

Where to watch *Metropolis*: Tubi

Night of the Creeps (1986)

'The Night of the Creeps'. Everett Collection

Fred Dekker's cult favorite opens on some of cinema's goofiest-looking aliens before spiraling into a feverish homage to the B-movies of yesteryear. As hilarious as it is grotesque, Dekker uses its extraterrestrial threat as a springboard to a whole host of familiar horrors, from slack zombies and demon dogs to axe murderers and feather-haired frat bros. Horror legend Tom Atkins gets the best one-liners — "Thrill me" — and the chance to flex his flamethrowing skills. It's classic, Spanky.

Where to watch *Night of the Creeps*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

Nope (2022)

Daniel Kaluuya as OJ Haywood Jr. in 'Nope'. Universal Pictures

The latest of three features directed by Jordan Peele and released within a five-year period, *Nope* is a sci-fi horror set on a horse ranch outside Los Angeles. Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer play OJ and Em Haywood, siblings who inherit their family's business of wrangling horses for Hollywood projects after their father is killed by debris falling from a UFO. Determined to cash in and save their ranch, the Haywood siblings decide to take a photo of the otherworldly object to sell as proof of its existence. Written and executed in Peele's signature style, which straddles the line between social satire and genre love letter, *Nope *lassos the viewers' suspended disbelief while also interrogating the place where entertainment and exploitation intersect.

Where to watch *Nope*: Peacock

Planet of the Apes (1968)

A still from 'Planet of the Apes'.

20th Century Fox Film Corp.

If concerns about white nationalism and immigration have taught us anything over the last several decades, it's that a vocal sect of white Anglo-Saxons are increasingly scared of losing their status as the dominant force in the United States. Franklin J. Schaffner's *Planet of the Apes* satirizes that anxiety, telling the story of an astronaut (Charlton Heston) who crash-lands on a planet in which apes are the dominant species, having adopted a human-like intelligence and speech, only to discover that (gasp!) the planet is a future version of the Earth he's always known. It's been parodied time and again — most hilariously as a musical on *The Simpsons* — but the film remains an entertaining and well-constructed adventure, a hair above the numerous sequels and spinoffs it spawned.

Where to watch *Planet of the Apes*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

Predator (1987)

Arnold Schwarzenegger as Dutch in 'Predator'. Everett Collection

Sometimes you just want to see the strongest, sweatiest men get their asses handed to them by an alien. John McTiernan's beloved brawler stars a never-better Arnold Schwarzenegger as the leader of a paramilitary rescue team sent to free hostages in a guerrilla-held territory of a Central American rainforest. There, flitting between the trees, is a humanoid creature with a plasma cannon and an invisibility cloak that proves more formidable than any guerrilla grunt. Yeah, it's funny — "Stick around" and "Get to da choppa!" are all-time Arnold one-liners — but McTiernan gets his hands dirty, too, immersing us in the jungle's terrors while building to a killer climax that strips away the technological frippery in favor of old-fashioned fisticuffs. Grisly, relentless, and dripping with machismo.

Where to watch *Predator*: Hulu

Primer (2004)

David Sullivan as Abe in 'Primer'. Everett Collection

Made for just $7,000, *Primer* took home Sundance's Grand Jury Prize with what's got to be the most normcore depiction of time travel ever put to film. Writer, director, composer, editor, and star Shane Carruth elides exposition and layman's speak for realism, relying instead on scientific shorthand, technical jargon, and elliptical storytelling to spin this story of two not-so-eccentric engineers who somewhat accidentally invent a time machine. The 78-minute thriller is chilly and often opaque, but Carruth's narrative restraint allows the dread dripping from its philosophical implications to sink in that much deeper.

Where to watch *Primer*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

Solaris (1972)

Natalya Bondarchuk as Khari and Donatas Banionis as Kris Kelvin in 'Solaris'. Everett Collection

Though the two filmmakers weren't fans of each other's meditative space epics, Stanley Kubrick's *2001 *and Andrei Tarkovsky's *Solaris* both touch on a singular notion: What we perceive as reality on Earth takes on a different shape in space. In *Solaris*, a psychologist played by Donatas Banionis is sent to a space station orbiting a distant planet to diagnose whatever malady appears to have fallen upon its inhabitants. It isn't long before the strange affliction takes hold of him as well, spawning visions (or are they?) of his deceased former wife. *Solaris* demands patience from its viewer, but its philosophical explorations of human interiority and the manifestations of our most painful memories are deeply rewarding.

Where to watch *Solaris*: HBO Max

Snowpiercer (2013)

Chris Evans as Curtis Everett, Tilda Swinton as Minister Mason, and Octavia Spencer as Tanya in 'Snowpiercer'. Radius/The Weinstein Company

Set on a speeding train in a postapocalyptic world undone by hubristic climate engineering, *Snowpiercer*'s tale of class warfare is thrilling, bloody, and not quite what it seems. Directed by genre alchemist Bong Joon Ho, who would revisit similar themes a few years later with the Academy Award-winning *Parasite* (2019), the film melds action with horror, humor, and a healthy dose of queasy drama. Chris Evans is as good as he's ever been as rebel leader Curtis, but Tilda Swinton steals the show as a toothy, grotesque spokesman for the upper crust.

Where to watch *Snowpiercer*: Tubi

Stalker (1979)

Aleksandr Kaydanovskiy as Stalker and Anatoliy Solonitsyn as Writer in 'Stalker'. Everett Collection

Though very different movies, Andrei Tarkovsky's *Stalker *shares with his previous *Solaris *a concern with the otherworldly as it impacts the imperfect soul of man. Dense and dogged in its philosophical exploration, the film follows a writer (Anatoly Solonitsyn) and a professor (Nikolai Grinko) as an oddball known as the Stalker (Alexander Kaidanovsky) guides them through a mysterious, perilous, and heavily guarded site ominously called the "Zone." There, beyond a wasteland that can't help but summon visions of nuclear fallout, lies a room that's said to grant a person's innermost desires. It's this grand notion of human desire that's interrogated across the film, and while Tarkovsky offers no simple conclusions, it's the accumulation of the debate that lingers, that longing to know ourselves.

Where to watch *Stalker*: HBO Max

Starship Troopers (1997)

Casper Van Dien as Johnny Rico (right) in 'Starship Troopers'. Everett Collection

Fascist imagery and thudding allusions to World War II-era propaganda films permeate Paul Verhoeven's *Starship Troopers*, but because the provocative Dutch filmmaker didn't explicitly spell out his satire, it went over the heads of many upon its release. But time has been good to the action-comedy, perhaps because its gleefully cynical portrait of nationalism and a war-hungry populace would resonate that much more in the years following 9/11 and the Iraq War. That said, those interested in the simpler pleasures of watching bugs go splat will also find plenty to like, from its gnarly, goo-slinging action set pieces to CGI effects that stand up to today's technology.

Where to watch *Starship Troopers*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

David Prowse as Darth Vader in 'Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back'. Lucasfilm Ltd.

*Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back* didn't need to be this good. Even if director Irvin Kershner, working off a screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, had recycled everything that made George Lucas' *Star Wars* such a hit, it still would've drawn audiences in droves. But *Empire*, the gold standard of a sequel that surpasses its predecessor, turns a potential franchise into an honest-to-goodness saga. As Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) comes into his own as a Jedi, Kershner guides us through fresh locales rich in potential lore, punishing snowscapes and colorful cloud cities, while Brackett and Kasdan complicate an otherwise simple story with conflicted notions of good and evil. There's also that twist and the downer of an ending that chases it; decades later, the franchise is still trying to recapture that magic.

Where to watch *Star Wars: Episode V —* *The Empire Strikes Back*: Disney+

Sunshine (2007)

Cillian Murphy as Robert Capa in 'Sunshine'. Everett Collection

The Sun is dying and a bomb the size of Manhattan is all that can save it in this thrill ride from protean filmmaker Danny Boyle. Penned by Alex Garland, *Sunshine* transcends its sensational premise by grappling with how the vastness of space exposes the fallibility of man, forcing him to reckon with the prospect of an all-knowing creator. Boyle's dazzling, eye-melting direction finds beauty and terror in juxtaposing the smallness of man against the monolithic star.

Where to watch *Sunshine*: Tubi

The Terminator (1984)

Arnold Schwarzenegger as Terminator in 'The Terminator'.

Orion Pictures Corporation/Courtesy Everett Collection

The "unkillable killer" is a given by this point in genre filmmaking, but the sci-fi staple — think of *The Day the Earth Stood Still*'s Gort — cemented its place in modern action cinema with Arnold Schwarzenegger, a man whose massive, marbled physique may as well have been carved in another dimension. It's difficult to imagine anyone but the Governator playing the namesake of James Cameron's breakthrough blockbuster, which pits Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) and a time-traveling soldier (Michael Biehn) against a relentless cyborg assassin (Schwarzenegger) who slaughters without thought or remorse. It's thin gruel, but Cameron's eye for carnage is as poetic as his humor is wry. It's chaos that winks, a blueprint for many a cinephile's favorite era of action filmmaking.

Where to watch *The Terminator*: Amazon Prime Video

Them! (1954)

James Whitmore as Sgt. Ben Peterson in 'Them!'. Everett Collection

Filmed before self-awareness defanged much of the '50s sci-fi genre, *Them!* is a relic of the "nuclear monster" era that, 70-plus years later, retains much of its original glow. Sure, it's about big ants terrorizing the States, but it's also about everyday people grappling with their justified fears of a post-nuclear world in which everything they've come to know has been tainted and made dangerous. Those ideas ripple, but there's also a queasy revulsion baked into the idea that the pests we've spent much of our lives stomping could do the same to us.

Where to watch *Them!*: Tubi

The Thing (1982)

Kurt Russell as MacReady and Charles Hallahan as Norris in 'The Thing'.

Universal/Everett Collection

Though reviled upon release, John Carpenter's vicious remake of the 1951's *The Thing From Another World*, itself an adaptation of John W. Campbell's 1938 novella *Who Goes There?*, has established itself as one of the genre's most inventive, resonant, and gut-churning visions. Kurt Russell stars as MacReady, one of a handful of American researchers in Antarctica who encounter an alien parasite with an uncanny ability to infest and imitate its host. And while the assimilation process is plenty frightening in itself — the memes flood social media to this day — it's the ensuing paranoia that pervades, dividing this tiny community with an escalating litany of fears that mirrors any number of political and spiritual obsessions.

Where to watch *The Thing*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

Under the Skin (2013)

Scarlett Johansson as the Female in 'Under the Skin'. A24

In different hands, this stark and disquieting adaptation of Michel Faber's 2000 novel could have been an effects-heavy sci-fi spectacle. Jonathan Glazer, the English visionary behind *Sexy Beast* (2000) and *Birth* (2004), saw a different story between the pages, one about a predatory alien's drift towards empathy on a planet whose citizens are only growing more isolated. Mica Levi's violent, viola-forward score will give you nightmares.

Where to watch *Under the Skin*: Tubi

WALL-E (2008)

WALL-E (voice: Ben Burtt) in 'WALL-E'. Disney/Pixar

Pixar's ninth feature begins by indulging our most cynical fears: The world as we know it will one day be overrun by garbage, undone by corporate monopolization. A touch rich coming from a Disney-owned company? Sure, but *WALL-E*'s heart is in the right place, its story of an adorable trash-collecting robot alerting young viewers to the perils of environmental disregard and unchecked human consumption. Director Andrew Stanton treats his youthful audience as equals, elevating the animation with complex shots that mimic live-action cinematography and allowing them to unfold across long stretches that feature not a single line of dialogue.

Where to watch *WALL-E*: Disney+

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The 31 best sci-fi movies of all time

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Whether they concern enemies becoming lovers or complicated love triangles, you'll fall head over heels for these romcom films currently streaming. The 15 best romantic comedy movies on Netflix Whether they concern enemies becoming lovers or complicated love triangles, you'll fall head over heels for these romcom films currently streaming. By Kevin Jacobsen and Angela Andaloro on April 1, 2026 8:31 a.m. ET :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/netflixromcoms0107263ebfe063bba84fffb1e9cd3d2590e9c4.

Whether they concern enemies becoming lovers or complicated love triangles, you'll fall head over heels for these rom-com films currently streaming.

The 15 best romantic comedy movies on Netflix

Whether they concern enemies becoming lovers or complicated love triangles, you'll fall head over heels for these rom-com films currently streaming.

By Kevin Jacobsen and Angela Andaloro

on April 1, 2026 8:31 a.m. ET

Leah Lewis as Ellie Chu and Daniel Diemer as Paul Munsky in 'The Half of It'; Glen Powell as Charlie Young in 'Set It Up'; Noah Centineo as Peter Kavinsky and Lana Condor as Lara Jean Song-Covey in 'To All the Boys I've Loved Before'. Credit:

There are so many different ways you can fall in love, and romantic comedies serve to remind us of that. Maybe you're dreaming of an unexpected romance, like in *Hit Man*. You could also be looking for a plot with strong female leads, such as *The Incredible Jessica James* or *People We Meet on Vacation*.

Whatever kind of love story you're in the mood for, you'll find your perfect match on our list of the best romantic comedies currently streaming on Netflix, as of April 2026.

Alex Strangelove (2018)

Daniel Doheny as Alex Truelove and Antonio Marziale as Elliot in 'Alex Strangelove'. Netflix

A coming-of-age rom-com that sees a popular teen wrestle with his sexuality may sound like a familiar narrative, but *Alex Strangelove* adds its own spin. Alex Truelove (Daniel Doheny) lives in an especially progressive and supportive environment for a high school tale, nearly void of the common prejudices against queerness. Still, Alex doesn't know what — or who — he wants, and he has to learn about himself before he can know for sure.

EW's critic praises the film's underlying theme beneath its (occasionally cringey) twists and turns, writing, "It's hard to fault the bigger message here: that we all deserve the right to be true to who we are, even if it takes a few hard turns — and some collateral emotional damage — to get there." —*Angela Andaloro*

Where to watch *Alex Strangelove*: Netflix

**EW grade: **B

**Director:** Craig Johnson

**Cast: **Daniel Doheny, Antonio Marziale, Madeline Weinstein, Joanna Adler, William Ragsdale

Always Be My Maybe (2019)

Ali Wong as Sasha Tran and Randall Park as Marcus Kim in 'Always Be My Maybe'. Ed Araquel/Netflix

Who says you can't go home again? Ali Wong shines in this romantic comedy about childhood best friends who cross paths as adults after an awkward teenage romance ended badly. Fast forward 16 years, and life has taken celebrity chef Sasha Tran (Wong) and unsuccessful musician Marcus Kim (Randall Park) to some very different places. Much has changed, but their chemistry sure hasn't as the two come face-to-face with their many differences on the road to reconciliation. Throw in a disastrous double date featuring Keanu Reeves playing, well, Keanu Reeves, and you've got yourself a chaotic love triangle unlike any you've seen before. —*A.A.*

Where to watch *Always Be My Maybe*: Netflix

**EW grade: **B

**Director: **Nahnatchka Khan

**Cast: **Ali Wong, Randall Park, James Saito, Daniel Dae Kim, Keanu Reeves

The Half of It (2020)

Leah Lewis as Ellie Chu and Alexxis Lemire as Aster Flores in 'The Half of It'. KC Bailey/Netflix

In a modern retelling of the classic French play *Cyrano de Bergerac*, Ellie (Leah Lewis) starts ghostwriting love letters for a jock, Paul (Daniel Diemer), in exchange for some much-needed cash. But as she continues to correspond with Paul's dream girl, Aster (Alexxis Lemire), Ellie finds they have a lot in common and wonders if she's actually her better half. Though the romantic tension between Aster and Ellie pushes the film forward, the true heart of this story is the blossoming friendship between Ellie and Paul. He may not be able to write to save his life, but Paul speaks up where it counts, causing an intimate and (somewhat) overlapping love triangle between teens who are just trying to learn what life is all about. —*A.A.*

Where to watch *The Half of It*: Netflix

**EW grade: **B

**Director: **Alice Wu

**Cast: **Leah Lewis, Daniel Diemer, Alexxis Lemire, Enrique Murciano, Wolfgang Novogratz

Hit Man (2024)

Adria Arjona as Madison Figueroa Masters and Glen Powell as Gary Johnson in 'Hit Man'.

Brian Roedel/Netflix

Talk about an unconventional meet-cute. Glen Powell co-wrote and stars in this darkly comedic romantic thriller as Gary Johnson, a mild-mannered college professor who also works with the police posing as a hitman to bust murder-for-hire clients. He proves adept at his undercover job, but, after a woman named Madison (Adria Arjona) hires Gary to kill her husband, he soon finds himself developing feelings, which complicates matters. Powell delivers his best performance to date as the chameleonic faux-assassin, and his chemistry with Arjona is off-the-charts charming. —*Kevin Jacobsen*

Where to watch *Hit Man*: Netflix

**Director:** Richard Linklater

**Cast:** Glen Powell, Adria Arjona, Austin Amelio, Retta

The Incredible Jessica James (2017)

Chris O'Dowd as Boone and Jessica Williams as Jessica James in 'The Incredible Jessica James'. Netflix

Jessica Williams is a relatable force to be reckoned with in her debut lead role. As the uber-confident Jessica James, she's trying to find out what's next in both her work life and her love life, with New York City as the backdrop. However, a blind date throws a wrench in all her plans as she finds herself unexpectedly falling for Boone (Chris O'Dowd), though she's still not quite over her ex, Damon (LaKeith Stanfield).

EW's critic celebrates the rom-com for its not-so-delicate balance, writing, "Even when the film falls into indie clichés, Williams keeps things moving with her cleverness and charisma, whether she's chastising man-spreaders on the subway or introducing an as-yet-unborn baby to the fight to dismantle the patriarchy." —*A.A.*

Where to watch *The Incredible Jessica James*: Netflix

**EW grade: **B+

**Director:** James C. Strouse

**Cast: **Jessica Williams, Chris O'Dowd, Noël Wells, LaKeith Stanfield, Megan Ketch

The Lovebirds (2020)

Issa Rae as Leilani Brooks and Kumail Nanjiani as Jibran in 'The Lovebirds'. Skip Bolen/Netflix

The relationship between Leilani (Issa Rae) and Jibran (Kumail Nanjiani) is on its last legs and fading fast when the struggling couple is invited to a dinner party. On their way there, a chance encounter with a criminal changes the course of their night — and their separation. If they want to make it out alive and clear their names, the two will have to work together, but not without throwing a few passive-aggressive jabs at each other in the process.

*The Lovebirds* gives viewers a different kind of second-chance romance. It's light on the romance and heavy on the antics, making it an honest portrayal of all that can make or break a relationship — romantic or not. —*A.A.*

Where to watch *The Lovebirds*: Netflix

**EW grade: **B

**Director: **Michael Showalter

**Cast: **Kumail Nanjiani, Issa Rae, Paul Sparks, Anna Camp, Kyle Bornheimer

The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996)

Barbra Streisand as Rose Morgan in 'The Mirror Has Two Faces'.

TriStar/Courtesy Everett Collection

Film critics weren't entirely kind to this Barbra Streisand joint upon its 1996 release, but its complex portrayal of companionship between middle-aged people is now refreshing, given the dearth of such stories decades later. Streisand and Jeff Bridges star as professors who enter a romantic relationship without the pressure of sexual intimacy. Over time, however, their walls come down as they gradually fall deeper for each other. It's a charming, mature story about finding love at one's own pace, bolstered by a scene-stealing, Oscar-nominated performance from Lauren Bacall as Streisand's domineering mother. —*K.J.*

Where to watch *The Mirror Has Two Faces*: Netflix

**Director:** Barbra Streisand

**Cast:** Barbra Streisand, Jeff Bridges, Lauren Bacall, Pierce Brosnan, George Segal

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Obvious Child (2014)

Jenny Slate as Donna Stern and Jake Lacy as Max in 'Obvious Child'. A24

This indie gem proves you can tackle thorny topics within the romantic comedy genre as long as your heart is in the right place. Jenny Slate stars as Donna, a stand-up comedian who has a drunken one-night stand with a stranger, Max (Jake Lacy), and gets pregnant. Not ready to be a mother, Donna plans to have an abortion, but things become complicated when she and Max get to know each other, and he expresses his desire to one day have grandchildren. While somewhat reductively labeled an "abortion comedy" at the time, EW's critic observes that "the movie is both smarter and more sympathetic than that glib shorthand." —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Obvious Child*: Netflix

**EW grade:** A–

**Director:** Gillian Robespierre

**Cast:** Jenny Slate, Jake Lacy, Gaby Hoffmann, Richard Kind, David Cross

People We Meet on Vacation (2026)

Emily Bader as Poppy and Tom Blyth as Alex in 'People We Meet on Vacation'.

Daniel Escale/Netflix

Emily Henry's romance novels have taken the book world by storm since 2020, so it was only inevitable that Hollywood would come calling to adapt her work. *People We Meet on Vacation*, based on Henry's 2021 novel, is the first of them — and a strong first, at that. The film follows Poppy (Emily Bader), an extroverted adventurer, and Alex (Tom Blyth), an introverted homebody, whose friendship slowly blossoms into something more over a series of summer vacations. Essentially a millennial spin on the classic rom-com *When Harry Met Sally* (1989), *People We Meet on Vacation* charms through Bader and Blyth's easy chemistry and its loving embrace of the genre's tried-and-true tropes. —*K.J.*

Where to watch *People We Meet on Vacation*: Netflix

**Director:** Brett Haley

**Cast:** Emily Bader, Tom Blyth

Set It Up (2018)

Zoey Deutch as Harper Moore and Glen Powell as Charlie Young in 'Set It Up'. Netflix

Overworked assistants Charlie (Glen Powell) and Harper (Zoey Deutch) have a corporate meet-cute in their shared office building when they bond over their demanding, miserable bosses: venture capitalist Rick Otis (Taye Diggs) and sports media maven Kirsten Stevens (Lucy Liu). Desperate to make their jobs (and lives) easier, Charlie and Harper hatch a plan to merge their superiors into a happy power couple. But playing matchmaker might be way above their pay grade.

A romantic comedy in the same vein as *The Devil Wears Prada* (2006), *Set It Up* is a satisfying take on the feel-good genre, complete with meditations on work lives, love lives, and everything in between. EW's critic hails the film as the "gold standard for the frothy summer rom-com." —*A.A.*

Where to watch *Set It Up*: Netflix

**EW grade: **B

**Director: **Claire Scanlon

**Cast: **Zoey Deutch, Glen Powell, Taye Diggs, Lucy Liu

She's Gotta Have It (1986)

(From left to right): John Canada Terrell as Greer Childs, Spike Lee as Mars Blackmon, and Tommy Redmond Hicks as Jamie Overstreet in 'She's Gotta Have It'.

Island Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

Spike Lee exploded onto the scene with his 1986 directorial debut. Made for only $175,000, *She's Gotta Have It* tells the story of Nola (Tracy Camilla Johns), a graphic artist in Brooklyn who juggles relationships with three men. The situation becomes complicated after the men meet and figure out what's happening. Meanwhile, Nola comes to realize the value of her freedom as a sexually liberated person.

Lauded for its depiction of a confident Black woman at a time when Hollywood rarely centered such characters, *She's Gotta Have It* proved to be predictive of the kinds of groundbreaking stories Lee would tell in the decades to come. The Oscar-winning filmmaker also adapted the film into a Netflix series in 2017. —*K.J.*****Where to watch *She's Gotta Have It*: Netflix******Director:** Spike Lee******Cast:** Tracy Camilla Johns, Tommy Redmond Hicks, John Canada Terrell, Spike Lee, Raye Dowell**

Someone Great (2019)

DeWanda Wise as Erin Kennedy, Gina Rodriguez as Jenny Young, and Brittany Snow as Blair Helms in 'Someone Great'. Netflix

This charming directorial debut by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson proves that break-up movies can make for great rom-coms. Jenny (Gina Rodriguez) lands her dream job at *Rolling Stone*, but it costs her her longtime boyfriend (LaKeith Stanfield). Desperate for a last hurrah in New York City before her big move, the new bachelorette rallies friends Blair (Brittany Snow) and Erin (DeWanda Wise) to help send her off, though it proves to be anything but a clean break.

The misadventures of their big night out inspire each woman to reflect on whether they've been choosing their relationships over themselves. The result is an empowering, modern spin on what's expected from the genre, placing sisterhood and self-love at the center stage. —*A.A.*

Where to watch *Someone Great*: Netflix

**EW grade: **B+

**Director: **Jennifer Kaytin Robinson

**Cast: **Gina Rodriguez, Brittany Snow, DeWanda Wise, LaKeith Stanfield, Peter Vack

Take This Waltz (2011)

Michelle Williams as Margot and Seth Rogen as Lou in 'Take This Waltz'.

Michael Gibson/Magnolia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

The complications of love are explored with great sensitivity in this bittersweet indie dramedy from writer-director Sarah Polley. Margot (Michelle Williams) and Lou (Seth Rogen) are a Toronto couple whose marriage has grown uneventful. Margot meets a rickshaw driver (Luke Kirby) with whom she has an instant connection, leading to unexpected feelings. While being with Lou is comfortable, Margot must decide whether to act on her urges and fundamentally shake up her life. —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Take This Waltz*: Netflix

**Director:** Sarah Polley

**Cast:** Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, Luke Kirby, Sarah Silverman

To All the Boys I've Loved Before (2018)

Noah Centineo as Peter Kavinsky and Lana Condor as Lara Jean Song-Covey in 'To All the Boys I've Loved Before'. Netflix

One of the better teen rom-coms for the modern age, *To All the Boys I've Loved Before* follows Lara Jean Covey (Lana Condor), a high schooler who secretly pens love letters to crushes but never sends them. Her younger sister finds them stashed away and decides to mail them herself, leading to a fair share of awkward situations. To prevent her current crush from initiating yet another cringey confrontation, she impulsively kisses one of her former crushes (Noah Centineo), which proves to be the catalyst for an ever-evolving relationship. *To All the Boys I've Loved Before* was very well-received, with EW's critic calling it "breezy and charming." —*K.J.*

Where to watch *To All the Boys I've Loved Before*: Netflix

**EW grade: **B

**Director: **Susan Johnson

**Cast: **Lana Condor, Noah Centineo, Janel Parrish, Anna Cathcart, John Corbett

You've Got Mail (1998)

Tom Hanks as Joe Fox and Meg Ryan as Kathleen Kelly in 'You've Got Mail'. Snap Stills/REX/Shutterstock

The quintessential rom-com of the "dot-com" era, *You've Got Mail* transports the charms of the 1940 classic *The Shop Around the Corner* to pre-Y2K Manhattan. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, previously seen together in *Joe Versus the Volcano* (1990) and* Sleepless in Seattle *(1993), star as Joe and Kathleen, respectively, AOL chat buddies who have never met in real life — until they unknowingly become enemies when Joe's major-chain bookstore eats away at Kathleen's independent bookstore's business. Plenty of duplicity and misunderstandings follow, with Hanks and Ryan proving why their repeated pairing in the '90s was so enjoyable.

While not quite reaching the swoony heights of its '40s inspiration, EW's critic calls *You've Got Mail* a "perfectly enjoyable star vehicle that does exactly what it sets out to do." —*K.J.*

Where to watch *You've Got Mail*: Netflix

**EW grade:** B

**Director:** Nora Ephron

**Cast:** Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Parker Posey, Jean Stapleton, Dave Chappelle

- Movie Reviews & Recommendations

Original Article on Source

Source: "EW Movie"

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Source: Movie

Published: April 5, 2026 at 08:38PM on Source: RED MAG

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