8 Stunning Sci-Fi Films Like Interstellar
If you are any sort of a Sci-fi movie fan, you must have heard about or watched Christopher Nolan’s inspirational Interstellar. Thanks to Nolan’s ability to mess with the viewer’s thoughts and combine scientific theories with human emotions, this movie is regarded as one of his greatest films ever. If you like this movie, as I do, it may be hard to find an equally breathtaking story. However, that does not mean that there are no other Sci-fi flicks with a story or emotional impact close to Interstellar’s.
There are numerous other sci-fi adventure films like Interstellar that will take you off of this planet, shake your mind and spark some emotions. So, if you liked Interstellar, this list of our eight best movies that are similar (in one way or another) will renew the experience.
1. Moon (2009)
Is there a genre like space drama and horror because that is where this movie would perfectly fit? Moon is a unique sci-fi flick because it defies all labels by adding drama, psychological thriller and horror in the mix. The story revolves around six characters, but only Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell), an astronaut, and his robot, GERTY (voiced by Kevin Spacey) have the most of the screenplay. Sam works as at a large energy corporation that mines clean energy from the Moon. Things get out of normal when Bell gets injured after an accident in his lunar rover and wakes up in the space station’s sickbay, with another Sam Bell beside him. Watch this great character study movie for the thrill!
Director: Duncan Jones
2. Gravity (2013)
This movie by Alfonso Cuaron is a must-watch if you are a drama fan and loved Interstellar. Most reviewers have highly rated this movie, with some calling it the most intriguing movie of the 2010s. The story is based on two astronauts, Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney) and Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock). The two astronauts, who are on a mission, are hit by high-speed space debris in the depths of space. Being stranded far from home, the only hope of getting back is one of them sacrificing their life to save the available resources.
The lone survivor must also fight to stay alive despite being wrapped by grief and loneliness. All these scenarios make a brilliant and emotionally intense story that will keep you glued to your screen. Don’t miss this if you are a space dramas fan!
Director: Alfonso Cuarón
3. Ad Astra (2019)
Are you are Brad Pitt fan? Then you should add this movie to your to-watch movie list. Like Interstellar, Ad Astra is based on an emotional father-son story and numerous existential questions that will mess with your mind for its entire run time. The film follows Roy McBride (Brad), an astronaut who goes to space in search of his father, H.Clifford McBride (Tommy Lee Jones). H. Clifford is believed to have died on a station in Neptune’s orbit while on a mission to identify the intelligent alien life that has become a threat to Earth and the solar system. Needless to say, it’s not that simple and if you’re looking for an easy ride then this movie isn’t it. A thought-provoker that split the critics.
Director: James Gray
4. The Martian (2015)
Though The Martian’s story may be a little different from that of interstellar, they both have stunning visuals and brilliant storytelling. Interstellar stars Jessica Chastain and Matt Damon also feature in this movie.
The Martian is a story of survival based on the life of Mark Watney (Damon), an astronaut who is left alone on Mars after a mission. Mark struggles to survive in the harsh environment, leading to a series of disturbing, funny and emotional experiences, like when he tries to grow food on the red planet. This combination of humour, action and numerous emotional moments makes this movie like interstellar that is a must-watch.
Director: Ridley Scott
5. Sunshine (2007)
Directed by Alex Garland, this movie is comparable to Interstellar in terms of the conceptual theories they explore. It also has deep Sci-fi aspects, a great story and unique visual effects. Sunshine follows international astronauts on a desperate mission to drop a nuclear charge into the sun to “re-ignite” it. However, things quickly go from bad to worse when the first ship, “Icarus 1”, disappears.
This tragedy is then followed by a nice twist when the crew in “Icarus 11” receive a distress signal from “Icarus 1”, the ship that disappeared, on their way past Mercury. Will they respond or continue with their mission? Let me not reveal everything in two paragraphs. Just go and watch the movie!
Director: Danny Boyle
6. Inception (2010)
Another one by Christopher Nolan and a movie that crosses multiple movie genres! Sharing a director is enough reason to add this movie to the list of movies similar to Interstellar. The fictional story follows Dominick (DiCaprio), a smart thief who gets into people’s subconscious minds and steals information. The story gets interesting when “Dom” targets a Japanese businessman. The latter gives him an offer to erase his criminal history if he uses “inception” to steal someone else’s idea and implants it into another person’s mind.
Inception has all you would hope for in a good sci-fi movie, from top stars like Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ken Watanabe, Elliot Page, Dileep Rao and many more, to a great story and mind-blowing visuals.
Director: Christopher Nolan
7. Oblivion (2013)
If there are wondering if there are sci-fi oldies like Interstellar, Oblivion should be on your list. This film is based on the director’s unpublished graphic novel, pays homage to 1970s science fiction movies. It features renowned actors like Tom Cruise, Morgan Freeman, Olga Kurylenko, Andrea Riseborough, among others.
Oblivion is set in 2077, a time when Earth is destroyed by extraterrestrials called Scavengers, forcing humanity to relocate to Titan, Saturn’s largest moon. The film is based on the experiences of Jack Harper, a technician who has been sent back to Earth to service the drones used by humans to fight the remaining extraterrestrials. However, things go off-plan when scavengers capture Harper, meaning he must fight for his life and his mission to save the human race.
Director: Joseph Kosinski
8. Primer (2004)
We end the list with a movie shot inside a garage, costing only $ 7000, which is way below Interstellar’s $ 165 million. The film revolves around engineers who accidentally invent a time-travelling device but don’t know how to use it. Though they are sure that their machine is great, things start heading south when the trust between these friends break. You will need your wits about you to follow this one but for those who do, the payoff is worth it!
Director: Shane Carruth
Mind-Bending Sci-Fi Served With A Twist
As Sci-Fi movies have matured and developed they increasingly like to play with our minds – and these films like Interstellar are a good example. There are twists, surprises and always the unexpected. This is such a great genre for thought-provoking cinema. We love it and hope that you do as well.
For more ideas about movies of any type and taste, check out the BoB App to find those you can recommend to friends and family. Why not check out if you have the best streaming subscriptions for your tastes at the same time!