We're making progress towards Spring but the evenings are still cold and dark, which makes it the perfect time to curl up on the sofa (or in bed, if you fancy) and watch a good movie.
What better place than Netflix, the streaming service that has basically become a utility. Everyone has an account at this point – or at least it seems that way – and the selection is only getting better with every passing year.
So, to while away those dark evenings, we've found the best sci-fi movies to scratch that futuristic itch right now, covering a few different bases and moods. Sit back and enjoy.
Psst... If you're looking for every sci-fi movie that Netflix has to offer right now, check out the code 1492 (opens in new tab).
Want to get a look at every new Netflix original film coming in 2022? Here's all 86 Netflix original movies coming in 2022, including Knives Out 2, The Gray Man and more.
Arrival
We're starting the list off with a bang: Arrival, starring Amy Adams as linguistics expert Louise Banks. Everything about this movie is perfect: it's beautiful, well-written, interesting, and there's a very surprising twist at the end.
Alongside Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker, and others star but one of the best things about the movie are the CGI aliens that... arrive.
We won't give too much away besides saying that you'll be gripped across the roughly two hour runtime. An excellent sci-fi movie and one that you'll be thinking about for days after.
Valerian
Look, this is a Luc Besson flick, so it's the usual case of style of substance, but boy does Besson burn through a €197 million budget to crank up the spectacle here. Visually this movie is something really special, even if its plot and (some) actors leave a bit to be desired.
The plot is really straightforward, there's a super city metropolis that is home to species from a thousand planets, and a big bad is going to eradicate it (and the universe) unless heroes Valerian and Laureline step in to save the day. Queue dump truck loads of CGI aliens and explosions.
Think The Fifth Element mashed together with Star Trek.
In Time
Our final choice is a bit of a classic at this point: In Time, starring the one and only Justin Timberlake alongside Amanda Seyfried, Cillian Murphy, and Olivia Wilde.
The premise is pretty simple: people stop ageing at 25 but are engineered to live only one additional year. We don't want to give too much away, but there are some exciting chases, excellent acting, and heartbreak.
It's one of the rare JT starring roles, too, outside of The Social Network and Friends with Benefits.
Bonus movie: Riddick
The third instalment of the Riddick franchise is well worth a watch if you're a sci-fi fan, as it returns more to the series' roots in Pitch Black, rather than the epic but flawed flabbiness of Chronicles of Riddick.
It's plotting is very similar to the original Riddick movie, with the same sort of outrun-the-threat in a hostile environment thing going on, but Vin Diesel is still his gravely-toned best as the titular lead and there's plenty of action to enjoy.
Schlocky and silly no doubt, but for a Friday night Netflix sci-fi session, well worth a watch.
For even more great Netflix movie recommendations, be sure to check out these top picks in martial arts, fantasy, and sci-fi anime.
