“Avatar: Fire and Ash,” the third film in James Cameron’s money-spawning sci-fi fantasy saga, once again drops us onto the lush moon world of Pandora. As the Sully family settles into life among the water-dwelling Metkayina clan, a volatile new threat emerges: the Mangkwan, a fire-obsessed Na’vi tribe. With old enemy Quaritch lurking nearby and vengeance still on his mind, the question isn’t just survival — it’s whether this fractured family can truly call any corner of Pandora home.
Between its floating mountains, electric-blue reefs and those perpetually hissy blue cat-people, Pandora remains a cinematic vacation spot we’d gladly add to our travel bucket list. “Fire and Ash” doesn’t just push the story forward; it reignites that familiar sci-fi wanderlust, the itch to explore other worlds teeming with strange technologies, alien species and unfamiliar cultures.
‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ (2014)
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James Gunn may have cult favorites “Super” and “Slither” on his rap sheet, but “Guardians of the Galaxy” was the MCU movie that earned him a seat at the Hollywood high-rollers’ table. When deadly space rivals seek a trinket that promises untold cosmic power, a band of misfits needs to team up and play nice if they’re going to save the galaxy from certain annihilation.
A talking tree? A wise-cracking raccoon? A vengeful warrior too literal for his own good? It shouldn’t have worked, but with its offbeat comedic tone, “Guardians of the Galaxy” became one of the MCU’s best films and favorite team-ups, as our loveable rogues deal with ancient alien ruins, a perilous space prison and a spaceport set in the remains of a massive ancient being.
This is all while being backed by an excellent retro rock and pop soundtrack. Why can’t we get abducted from Earth and end up leading a merry band of misfits in a kickass spaceship?
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‘Tron: Legacy’ (2010)
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Years after his dad goes missing, hacker Sam Flynn finds a lead on his whereabouts, but ends up digitized and sent to the Grid, a vast digital world of sentient programs, gladiatorial games, and enough bright LED clothing to make J.J. Abrams blush.
“Tron’s” sequel might have a simplistic plot, but the stakes were simple, and its visually stunning effects still hold up 15 years later, even if a de-aged Jeff Bridges strays too far into the uncanny valley. Plus, I could watch disc wars and light cycle battles against the gorgeous neon-soaked backdrop of the Grid until real AIs take over the world.
Featuring one of the best movie soundtracks of all time by French bucket-head duo Daft Punk, you might not be able to enter the Grid, but you can taste that digital nomad life by taking a midnight city drive to the beats of “Derezzed.”
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‘Dune’ (2021)
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Director Denis Villeneuve spared no expense in ratcheting up the tension in this grandiose sci-fi epic. House Atreides finds itself in danger after being chosen as the new stewards of Arrakis, a desert planet filled with highly precious “Spice” that is critical for interstellar space travel.
Atreides heir Paul (Timothée Chalamet) now needs to evade the duplicitous House Harkonnen and forge an unlikely alliance with the nomadic Fremen populace as he devises his revenge. His ace up his sleeve? He could be the mythical Lisan al-Gaib, long prophesied to lead his followers to paradise and freedom.
With scorching sands and plenty of giant sandworms for free transport, the only things stopping your full enjoyment of this sunny destination are the lack of watering spots and being devoured by said sandworms. Still, “Dune’s” epic cinematography, sense of scale and sound design make it an absolute must-see on the big screen. I’d happily ensure a Gom Jabbar trial just to watch this on IMAX again.
Rent/buy on Apple TV or Prime Video
‘Oblivion’ (2013)
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We technically haven’t left Earth in Joseph Kosinski’s massively underrated sci-fi actioner, but the planet’s been vastly changed by brutal nuclear conflict, nature taking over, and an alien race known only as the Tet, so “Oblivion” dances around the genre of sci-fi fantasy.
Jack and Vika are two technicians left behind to repair drones with the Earth’s populace evacuated to Titan after an alien conflict. However, there’s something amiss about the setup, and Jack needs to reevaluate his whole existence after a shocking discovery.
“Oblivion” is a true visual spectacle with dream-like, desolate landscapes that once carried the peak of human civilization, now mere shades of its former glory. Air combat scenes that are thrilling and full of menace. And a fantastical alien threat that feels genuinely threatening and OP. You’ll figure out most of the plot in the first few minutes, but it’s the action, stylish visuals, performances and inspiring soundtrack that elevate this by-the-numbers sci-fi title into a great film.
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‘Annihilation’ (2018)
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A group of scientists is sent to explore the Shimmer, the site of a downed meteor that keeps changing and expanding beyond all recognition, and they are hopelessly unprepared for what faces them. Lena (Natalie Portman) and her team’s course into the Shimmer is a genre-bending expedition for the ages, mashing sci-fi, grisly horror and fantasy. Flora and fauna are mutated into something else, perverting both nature and human identity. Plus, there’s a mutant bear scene that’ll have you thinking twice before you go down to the woods today.
Ambiguous, grotesque, and utterly unnerving, “Annihilation” was considered too niche by the mainstream public to be a box office success, but it’s since garnered cult favorite status on streaming giant Netflix. I think sci-fi always works best when it holds a mirror to humanity, but director Alex Garland holds up a refractive prism to themes of mental health and the self-destructive, all-consuming nature of humankind, and whether absolution is possible.
Rent/buy on Apple TV or Prime Video
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