Star Wars changed the trajectory of science fiction ever since Lucasfilm set its course in the galaxy far, far away. But who's to say it's the only franchise that nailed down the sci-fi genre?
Here's a list of our top non-Star Wars movie picks (and no, no Star Trek and MCU movies in this one).
Metropolis (1927)
If we're talking about the possibilities of a futuristic world, Metropolis nailed things down before Star Wars came into the picture.
Both films share similar themes and visual effects, but Metropolis explores the bleak underworld and how, despite the world's progression, it's still filled with mistreated workers that set the grim scene under the stylized city.
Streaming Platforms: Amazon Prime Video
Battlestar Galactica (1978)
Take Battlestar Galactica as a lower-budget version of the George Lucas creation. The 1978 film shared similar qualities with the franchise, except that its main storyline was more akin to a space opera, focusing on a desperate search for a new home.
Coincidentally, as creator Glen A. Larson argued, the idea for Battlestar Galactica came to him in the late 1960s, years before the Lucasfilm franchise was established.
One of the only differences? Battlestar served more as a warning about the potential evils of technology, whereas Star Wars is a mythology that took place in a galaxy far, far away.
Purchase or Rent: Amazon Prime Video
Blade Runner (1982)
A detective, known as a Blade Runner, whose mission is to hunt down and "retire" (kill) escaped bioengineered androids in a dystopian 2019 Los Angeles.
This sci-fi noir film follows Rick Deckard, who is forced out of retirement to terminate four replicants (androids) who have illegally returned to Earth to find their creator and extend their four-year lifespans.
Purchase or Rent: Apple TV
The Thing (1982)
A shapeshifting alien that can imitate its victims is what terrorizes humanity in The Thing. In this case, though, The Thing is not just a sci-fi story; it's an allegory for the Cold War era.
If you're into the exploration of sentient beings and extraterrestrial life, the Lucasfilm franchise is not the only recommendation up your alley.
Purchase or Rent: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
The Last Starfighter (1984)
The Last Starfighter follows your typical everyday teenager, Alex Rogan, who meets his favorite game designer, Centauri, who reveals that he created Starfighter as a training ground to recruit actual pilots to help fight a war in space.
Think Star Wars set in the "modern" era.
Purchase or Rent: Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video
Back to the Future (1985)
Back to the Future is one of those movies that shares the same fate, illustrating a parallel between the protagonists, Luke Skywalker and Marty McFly, who find themselves on a path that could impact both their past and the future of civilization.
Streaming Platforms: Netflix
Purchase or Rent: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
Aliens (1986)
If Star Wars were 50/50 on embracing aliens as part of their living civilization, Aliens is the complete opposite.
The horror sci-fi film explores how a deep-space rescue team found Lt. Ripley's empty shuttle, which contained only a nine-year-old girl named Newt, and figure out how hundreds of aliens ended up invading the planet LV-426 colony.
Streaming Platforms: Disney+, Hulu
Interstellar (2014)
When humanity is on the brink of extinction due to an environmental catastrophe, a team of astronauts travels through a wormhole near Saturn in the hopes of finding a new home.
Interstellar bears similarities to Star Wars due to its share of robots, droids, and the concept of a "chosen one" (Murph Cooper), who must save humanity from doom.
Purchase or Rent: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
An alien invasion that gets caught in a time loop, forcing a public relations officer, Major William Cage, to relive the same day over and over until he finds a way to defeat the aliens and break the loop.
In a sense, Edge of Tomorrow and Star Wars explore the boundaries of just how far sci-fi and fantasy could interconnect with one another.
Streaming Platforms: Netflix
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