Alien, 1979

There are very few films that come close to the splendor that is Alien—sci-fi or not. A stellar cast, a brilliant director, dialogue that feels so natural you feel like you’re one of the Nostromo’s crew members, beautiful sets that look like real, inhabited spaces, and horrifying practical effects, all set against the backdrop of a simple but effective premise: something alien has invaded a space, and there’s virtually nothing humans can do about it. It cuts to the core of many of the themes science fiction loves to unpack: the inevitable degradation of everything thanks to capitalism, human beings’ smallness in this universe, the horrors that lurk in parts unknown, the fallibility of humanity. It is pitch-perfect, the kind of science fiction film all other science fiction films strive to be.

If you’re looking for an even better explanation as to why Ridley Scott’s 1979 sci-fi horror masterpiece is on this list, may I point you to Carolyn Petit’s excellent write-up in our rankings of the Alien films. — Alyssa Mercante