Every year, the Academy Awards honor the best achievements in filmmaking, and while they recognize some of the best films in the industry, those accolades are typically reserved for more mainstream dramas and not genre films, such as horror, fantasy and sci-fi. Genre films are often overlooked when it comes to awards, even when they’re critically acclaimed box-office hits.
But genre films, sci-fi in particular, often tell some of the most compelling stories in film. Even some of the best films in the genre have been ignored by the Academy. Typically, when the Academy does recognize sci-fi films, it’s in technical categories recognizing work in areas like special effects, sound or editing, and no matter what the category, they rarely win. But a few notable exceptions have earned well-deserved nominations and wins.
10 ‘Jurassic Park’ (1993)
Directed by Steven Spielberg
In Jurassic Park, a select group of experts is chosen to get an early look at a theme park featuring actual dinosaurs created from prehistoric DNA. When the park experiences a power outage, the electric fences containing the dinosaurs stop functioning, and the group has to fight to survive. The movie was directed by Steven Spielberg and is based on the novel of the same name by Michael Crichton. A number of sequels have followed.
Jurassic Park is considered a classic and one of Spielberg’s best, by both critics and audiences. It’s thrilling to watch, as well as terrifying for those of us who first saw it as kids, and it’s still beloved decades later. It was nominated for three Academy Awards, all in technical categories, and won all three, including for Best Visual Effects—effects that still hold up and look great decades after the film’s release.
Jurassic Park
- Release Date
- June 11, 1993
- Writers
- Michael Crichton , David Koepp
- Runtime
- 127
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9 ‘Avatar’ (2009)
Directed by James Cameron
The epic sci-fi, Avatar, follows the indigenous Na’vi of the planet Pandora as they battle humans trying to colonize the planet for its valuable mineral unobtainium. Despite orders to infiltrate the people, Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) ends up growing close to them. Avatar was written and directed by James Cameron. A sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, was released in 2002, and an additional four films are planned, although Cameron has indicated he has plans for more beyond that.
Avatar was a huge success in theaters, earning over $2 billion thanks in part to its gorgeous visuals and its release in 3D—but it also told a compelling, albeit familiar, story with political commentary on environmentalism and colonialism. The movie was nominated for nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original Score, and won three in technical categories, most notably for its visual effects and art direction.
Avatar
- Release Date
- December 10, 2009
- Director
- James Cameron
- Writers
- James Cameron
- Runtime
- 162
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8 ‘Star Wars: A New Hope’ (1977)
Directed by George Lucas
The classic space opera Star Wars: A New Hope tells the story of young Jedi Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and his companions as they set out to rescue the imprisoned Princess Leia, held by the menacing Sith Darth Vader, and destroy Vader’s Death Star. It was written and directed by George Lucas and is the first of a trilogy, which then went on to spawn a major franchise, with multiple films, TV shows and more.
A New Hope is a cultural touchstone now, beloved by fans worldwide. It was nominated for ten Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Score. It won seven of them, mostly in technical categories, but John Williams did win for his now-iconic score. A New Hope also received an honorary award for Special Achievement for Ben Burtt, who contributed voices to the various robots and other creatures in the film. It also holds the most nominations – and wins 0 of any Star Wars film.
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7 ‘The Shape of Water’ (2017)
Directed by Guillermo del Toro
The Shape of Water is the story of a mute woman (Sally Hawkins) in the Cold War during the 1960s who works in a high-level secret government laboratory as a cleaner. There, she discovers a human-like amphibian creature being held captive and tortured, and falls in love with him – then tries to rescue him. The film was directed by Guillermo del Toro, who also wrote the script with Vanessa Taylor.
The Shape of Water is a beautiful, compelling love story. It was nominated for 13 Academy Awards – more than any other film that year – including Best Picture, as well as a few in technical categories. The film won four of them, including Best Picture and Best Director, as well as Best Original Score for Alexandre Desplat.
The Shape of Water
- Release Date
- December 1, 2017
- Director
- Guillermo del Toro
- Writers
- Guillermo del Toro
- Runtime
- 123
- Main Genre
- Drama
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6 ‘Gravity’ (2013)
Directed by Alfonso Cuarón
In Gravity, two astronauts – one an experienced veteran, the other on her first mission – are stranded in space after their shuttle is destroyed by debris before they’re able to return from a routine spacewalk, forcing them to survive and find a way back to Earth. The two share some touching personal moments and try to keep each other safe and calm as they seek safety. The movie was directed by Alfonso Cuarón, who also co-produced, co-wrote and co-edited.
Gravity combines elements of horror and sci-fi with a survival story. The tension in the film is palpable, with amazing effects and cinematography, as well as fantastic performances from stars Sandra Bullock and George Clooney. It was nominated for ten Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and won seven of them, more than any other film that year. Most of its awards were in technical categories, including the much-deserved Best Visual Effects, but Cuarón also won for Best Director, making him the first Hispanic and Mexican to win the award.
Gravity
- Release Date
- October 3, 2013
- Director
- Alfonso Cuarón
- Studio
- Warner Bros. Pictures
- Runtime
- 90
- Main Genre
- Drama
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5 ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ (2015)
Directed by George Miller
Civilization has long since collapsed in Mad Max: Fury Road, and water is a precious commodity controlled by tyrannical warlord Immorten Joe. Imperator Furiosa helps Immorten Joe’s five wives escape and aims to drive them to safety in her rig, resulting in Immorten Joe and his War Boys setting off after them. It was directed, produced, and written by George Miller, and is the fourth film in his Mad Max series.
Fury Road is the best of the Mad Max films. It’s visually stunning, with thrilling chase scenes and haunting makeup and effects, especially for Immorten Joe and his War Boys. The film is a masterclass in subtle storytelling and world building; it uses almost no exposition and instead introduces audiences to the story by immersing them in the world. The movie was nominated for ten Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, and won six of them, all in technical categories.
Mad Max: Fury Road
- Release Date
- May 13, 2015
- Director
- George Miller
- Writers
- George Miller , Brendan McCarthy , Nick Lathouris , Byron Kennedy
- Runtime
- 120 minutes
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4 ‘Dune: Part One’ (2021)
Directed by Denis Villeneuve
Based on the novel of the same name by Frank Herbert, Dune is set far into the future and tells the story of Paul Atreides and his family. The family is given the task of ruling the desert planet Arrakis, the only known source of spice, a valuable and powerful substance, then dragged into a war. Dune is the first of a two-part series and was directed by Denis Villeneuve.
Dune takes some time to build up to the meat of its plot, but ultimately, it’s a visually stunning political sci-fi epic which masterfully brings Herbert’s novel to life and serves as a faithful adaptation, with impressive performances from its cast. The film was nominated for ten Academy Awards and won six of them, including Best Original Score and others in technical categories, more than any other film nominated that year.
Dune
A noble family becomes embroiled in a war for control over the galaxy’s most valuable asset while its heir becomes troubled by visions of a dark future.
- Release Date
- September 15, 2021
- Director
- Denis Villeneuve
- Writers
- Frank Herbert , Eric Roth , Denis Villeneuve , Jon Spaihts
- Studio
- Paramount Pictures
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3 ‘Inception’ (2010)
Directed by Christopher Nolan
In the sci-fi noir Inception, thief Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) has the ability to enter people’s dreams and steal information based on what he finds there. He is given the opportunity to have his crimes forgiven, allowing him to return home to his family in exchange for planting an idea into a target’s subconscious while they sleep with the help of an expert team. The movie was written and directed by Christopher Nolan.
Inception is a modern classic. It’s a smart film which blurs the lines between dreams and reality with a complex plot and a wonderfully frustrating cliffhanger ending that’s open to interpretation. On top of that, it’s visually stunning, with thrilling action sequences and impressive effects. The movie was nominated for eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay, but all of its four wins were in technical categories.
Inception
- Release Date
- July 15, 2010
- Runtime
- 148
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2 ‘Aliens’ (1986)
Directed by James Cameron
In the sequel to sci-fi classic Alien, Ripley’s (Sigourney Weaver) shuttle is found 57 years later floating in space by a salvage team, and she returns to the planet where she first encountered the alien. She’s joined by a group of Colonial Marines directed to kill all the creatures, a task made all the more difficult when they encounter the Queen. The film was written and directed by James Cameron, and it was followed by multiple sequels, including prequels.
Aliens is the rare sequel that not only lives up to its predecessor but outdoes it, thanks to genuine horror and thrilling action sequences. And it has the Oscar recognition to show for it; it was nominated for seven awards, mostly in technical categories. The film won two of those – Best Sound Effects Editing and Best Visual Effects – but still stands with impressive nominations including Best Actress and Best Original Score.
Aliens
- Release Date
- July 18, 1986
- Director
- James Cameron
- Runtime
- 137 minutes
- Main Genre
- Sci-Fi
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1 ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ (2022)
Directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert
In the genre-bending, aptly titled Everything Everywhere All at Once, Evelyn, (Michelle Yeoh), a middle-aged Chinese immigrant, discovers she has to connect with alternate versions of herself in parallel universes to prevent a powerful entity from destroying the multiverse. This multiverse contains countless alternate versions of Evelyn and her family, and new ones are created whenever she makes a decision; this is all happening while her laundromat is being audited by the IRS.
Everything Everywhere All at Once is beloved by audiences and critics alike, and it’s more than just a sci-fi movie about alternate realities; it goes deeper than that to tell an emotional story about family. The film led the 2023 Oscars with 11 nominations, and it won seven of them, including Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Director and Best Picture. Yeoh’s win made history, as she was the first Asian woman to win Best Actress.
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