7 Forgotten Sci-Fi Movies That Deserve To Be Rediscovered on Streaming (& Where)

These days, streaming services have so many sci-fi movies that it can feel impossible to find something good to watch. While new content is constantly being added, some truly excellent sci-fi films have been overlooked. Despite being well-made, they haven’t gotten the attention they deserve, and it’s time to rediscover them.

From classic 80s films to today’s sci-fi, you can find these movies on popular streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, and Prime Video. Even if you missed them when they first came out or they’ve gotten lost in streaming menus, they’re all worth watching, and streaming makes it easier than ever to rediscover them.

7) Chronicle | HBO Max

When three Seattle teens discover a strange, glowing object, they suddenly gain the power to move things with their minds. At first, it’s all fun and games, but the situation quickly becomes serious when one of the boys—who has been struggling with inner turmoil—begins to use his newfound abilities to dominate others. Chronicle blends the found-footage style with elements of superhero stories, but it feels realistic, creating a thrilling and intelligent sci-fi film that delves into the complexities of being a teenager.

The 2012 film Chronicle, directed by Josh Trank and written by Max Landis, featured rising stars Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell, and Michael B. Jordan. Remarkably, it was made for just $15 million but earned $127 million around the world. Despite being a really good movie, it’s been somewhat forgotten as superhero films have become more extravagant. If you haven’t seen this low-budget sci-fi thriller, it’s currently available to stream on HBO Max.

6) Ashfall | Prime Video

A huge volcano on the border between China and North Korea is on the verge of destroying the Korean peninsula. The only hope lies with a South Korean special forces team tasked with a dangerous mission: rescuing a North Korean defector from prison, stealing a nuclear weapon, and using it to trigger an eruption that might save them all. Ashfall blends the spectacle of a disaster movie with the tension of a military thriller, but it also unexpectedly explores themes of parenthood and family.

Released in South Korea in 2019, Ashfall was a huge hit but didn’t gain much attention internationally due to distribution issues. This disaster movie, similar to Armageddon, focuses on its characters and deserves a wider audience now that it’s available on streaming. While the science and plot are over-the-top, the film delivers with great visual effects and surprisingly heartfelt moments. You can now watch Ashfall on Prime Video.

5) Color Out of Space | Hulu

Nicolas Cage plays a farmer in New England whose family starts to fall apart after a strange meteorite lands on their property. This meteorite emits a color no one has ever seen, and as it stays on the farm, it begins to warp everything around it – plants, animals, and even time itself. The family struggles to stay grounded as reality becomes increasingly distorted. It’s a terrifying story about a family tragedy, told through a visually stunning and psychedelic lens of cosmic horror.

Following a break from directing, Richard Stanley returned with Color Out of Space, a film also featuring Joely Richardson and Tommy Chong. While it earned a strong 86% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie didn’t get wide release and is now mostly available through streaming. If you enjoy the work of H.P. Lovecraft, Color Out of Space is definitely worth watching – many critics consider it a remarkably accurate adaptation. Expect unsettling horror, disturbing visuals, and a typically unhinged performance from Nicolas Cage; you can find it streaming on Hulu.

4) Scanners | HBO Max

David Cronenberg’s classic sci-fi horror film, Scanners, depicts a world where people with special abilities – known as “scanners” – can read minds and control others, sometimes with gruesome results. When a dangerous scanner tries to create an army of psychic fighters, a secretive company hires a counter-scanner to stop him, leading to a battle of minds, body horror, and intense espionage.

Originally released in 1981, Scanners did well in theaters and even won a Saturn Award. Though it still has a dedicated fanbase, it’s largely unknown to younger viewers and often gets overlooked when people talk about director David Cronenberg’s most famous films like The Fly and Videodrome. Interestingly, the movie was made quickly with an incomplete script, which makes it feel surprisingly fresh today, especially compared to many modern streaming films. Beyond its iconic exploding head scene, Scanners offers a surprisingly timely critique of big pharmaceutical companies. You can stream it now on HBO Max.

3) See You Yesterday | Netflix

Two teenage brothers in Brooklyn create working time machines as part of a school assignment. After one brother is tragically killed by police due to a case of mistaken identity, they try to use their invention to save him. But each attempt to change the past creates even worse and more dangerous alternate realities. This exciting sci-fi adventure blends the classic feel of Back to the Future with important, contemporary social issues.

Stefon Bristol’s feature film, which began as a short in 2017, was produced by Spike Lee and received critical acclaim, including a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an Independent Spirit Award for Bristol’s first screenplay. Despite this success, the film, See You Yesterday, quickly faded from view. It’s a compelling time travel story that uses the genre to thoughtfully examine themes of loss, social injustice, and the idea that some problems are too deeply rooted to simply be fixed. Featuring a talented young cast and a cameo by Michael J. Fox, the movie is available to stream on Netflix.

2) A Scanner Darkly | Tubi

Set in a not-too-distant future where America is overwhelmed by addiction to a drug called Substance D, the film follows an undercover cop assigned to track down drug dealers—including, without realizing it, his own alternate personality. As the drug takes hold, his mind splits, and he begins to investigate his own life, unaware of the truth. The film uses a unique rotoscoped animation style to create a surreal and dreamlike atmosphere, mirroring the characters’ deteriorating mental states.

A Scanner Darkly, a 2006 film directed by Richard Linklater and based on a novel by Philip K. Dick, boasts an impressive cast including Keanu Reeves, Robert Downey Jr., Woody Harrelson, and Winona Ryder. Despite its talented actors, the movie didn’t perform well in theaters, likely due to its unique animated style and somber mood. Over the years, it became somewhat forgotten, mainly known to fans of Philip K. Dick and Richard Linklater. However, it’s a truly exceptional and captivating film, and one of the best adaptations of Dick’s writing. It’s a darkly humorous, paranoid, and emotionally powerful experience. Fortunately, you can now watch it for free on Tubi.

1) Coherence | Prime Video

A group of eight friends are having dinner when a comet streaks across the sky, and things quickly get strange. The power goes out, and they notice another house identical to theirs on the street – with people inside who look just like them. As realities begin to merge and break apart, the night descends into suspicion and chaos. Remarkably, this entire film was made for just $50,000, using the director’s own home as the set.

Released in 2013 at the Fantastic Fest film festival, Coherence marked the feature film debut of writer and director James Ward Byrkit and starred Emily Foxler (now known as Emily Baldoni). Remarkably, the entire movie was filmed in just five nights at Byrkit’s home with no pre-written script. The actors received daily instructions on notecards and improvised all their lines. Despite winning awards for its screenplay and receiving critical acclaim, Coherence had a very limited release in theaters. Many consider it to be one of the most original sci-fi films of the 21st century, blending realistic acting with a complex, well-executed plot that ultimately delivers a satisfying conclusion. You can currently stream it on Prime Video if you’re in the mood for a thought-provoking science fiction thriller.

Have you checked these out? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion in the ComicBook Forum!

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2025-12-12 20:16