Note: this isn't a 'top 10' kind of list. I was just wondering where you could watch them (legally)...
Note that I'm based in The Netherlands, and availability strongly depends on the region you live in...
Conclusion
Let's start right here with the conclusion... It's amazing how much you cannot watch legally, even if you're willing to pay for it. Quite disappointing, to be honest. And there are too many providers / streamers now inserting tons of adds, even straight into your movie. Hold on guys, I paid for the streaming, not for the adds!
It's enshittification at its worst, I guess.
So, in the end, there is still room for DVD / Blu-ray copies, and an eventual download to rescue stuff from the abyss. Having said that, here are some great SciFi movies and series to watch...
1. Aliens
I guess this is my all time favorite SF movie. Am I still in love with Ripley? Yeah... I just might be.
The first movie Alien was great. The second Aliens even better. Skip the later instalments (though the series Alien Earth looks promising).
- Disney
2. Farscape
Farscape and the Peacekeeper Wars. Perhaps the most unique series ever.
Some claim it is only partially available on Prime but I think it's all there, except for the Peacekeeper Wars. (This video can currently not be watched at your location... Ah, don't I hate that.)
- Amazon Prime
3. Serenity
Can't have an SF list without Firefly and Serenity.
- SkyShowtime - only the movie Serenity
4. The Fitfth Element
Utter classic. Great stuff. Luc Besson might have been the only person able to pull this off.
- Nowhere
5. The Matrix
Movies 2 and 3 had great ideas, but were worse. Movie 4 is a complete waste of your time. Just stick to the first one.
- Netflix
- HBO Max
6. Terminator 2
Just as Aliens, this movie proves that a sequel can be better than the original, and the original was already great!
- Netflix
- HBO Max
7. Dark City
Nothing is what it seems. I just cannot describe this movie, but it is great.
- Amazon Prime
8. VR5
A personal favorite, which made no sense then, and even less now. But I like it.
It's too old and can't be found anywhere, but I grabbed a reasonable copy from YouTube before it was taken down.
- Nowhere
9. Battlestar Galactica
No matter if you like the controversial ending or not, the battles are unique.
- SkyShowtime
10. Babylon 5
Yeah. Now and again it's a soap opera in space, and it hasn't aged very well, but if you watch it on a small screen, it's still great.
There must be a remastered copy and it may have been once on Amazon Prime, but I could not find it anywhere.
- Nowhere
11. Guardians of the Galaxy
1 2 3... How could these ever work? Well, they do. SF, done the Marvel way.
- Disney
Existenz
Completely forgotten, thanks to the Matrix. But it deals with similar issues, and still manages to weird me out.
- Nowhere
Equilibrium
Take John Wick, The Matrix, and Existenz. Remove most of the esoteric stuff and replace that with poetry. Love it.
- Nowhere
Dune (1984)
I don't care what people say - I do like the old 1984 version just as much as the latest 2021 take.
- Nowhere
Jupiter Ascending
Entertaining. Over the top. A love story with some action, but hey, it's entertaining.
- Amazon Prime
- Pathe Thuis
The Iron Giant / De IJzeren Reus
WB dipped its toes into animation, back in 1995, and released The Iron Giant. Which is still amazing.
- Pathe Thuis
Valerian and the City of the Thousand Planets
Luc Besson threw all the money he could grab at this movie. Perhaps it is impossible to even approach the Ravian / Valerian comics, but at least he came close, very close. The romance is poor, the movie uneven, but it is more alien that most of the movies on this list. Just watch it for the visuals.
- Amazon Prime
- Pathe Thuis
Strange Days
What if you could record memories and emotions, and play them back (as entertainment)?
- Nowhere
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