The Best Sci-Fi Movie From Each Decade Over The Past 100 Years

The science fiction genre has produced at least one masterpiece in every decade since the 1920s, and the best films have come to define their respective eras. Sci-fi is as old as cinema itself, and has always been a playground for creativity in film. Storytellers have used their imagination to dream up fascinating scenarios outside the bounds of reality.

Early science fiction films were fantastical, but as science itself began to make leaps in the 20th century, so too did the genre. Eventually, sci-fi became less idealistic and more moralistic, warning viewers of the dangers of new technology like atomic weaponry. In the ensuing decades, sci-fi became less centralized, and is now as varied as it has ever been.

The best science fiction films from each decade aren't just good movies,