It’s now mid-October, which means the spooky season is almost over. If you’re looking for a handful of great sci-fi films to watch as a change from your annual horror movie marathon, you’ve come to the right place!
As always, we’ve scoured Netflix’s streaming library to bring you the very best sci-fi films to stream in October. This month we have a critically acclaimed classic courtesy of filmmaker Michel Gondry starring Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet, the best modern Star Trek film to date, and a classic trilogy of mecha anime films.
Let’s take a look at what this month has to offer!
Editor’s Pick: The Mobile Suit Gundam Trilogy
Image: Sunrise
Directors: Yoshiyuki Tomino, Ryōji Fujiwara
Pour: Toru Furuya, Hirotaka Suzuoki, Shozô Îzuka
Mobile Suit Gundam is one of the most important franchises in the history of anime, if not the history of science fiction as a whole. Yoshiyuki Tomino’s military science fiction TV series not only redefined the subgenre of giant robot “mecha” anime, but also the way anime and anime-related merchandise were marketed and sold to audiences.
Case in point: The trilogy of feature-length Mobile Suit Gundam films consists of re-edited ( and in some cases completely redrawn) footage from the original 43-episode anime series. These compilation films are credited with revitalizing the series’ fan base after the anime was canceled earlier this year, capitalizing on the sci-fi craze following the Japanese premiere of George Lucas’ original star Wars
In short, without these films, the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise as we know it today would not exist. Aside from its historical significance, the compilation film trilogy is an exciting, if abbreviated, way to experience the story of the original series that started it all. If you’ve ever been curious about the story of teenager Amuro Ray’s role in the war between the Earth Federation and the Principality of Zeon, this is as good a place to start as the original TV anime itself. –Toussaint Egan
Image: Paramount Home Entertainment
Director: Justin Lin
Pour:
Star Trek Beyondthe third film in the Star Trek reboot trilogy, is both the most unique of the films and probably the most clearly Star Trek film of the three. This entry follows Kirk (Chris Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto) and the rest of the crew of the USS Enterprise as they embark on a rescue mission where things are not quite as they seem.
While the other films in the trilogy are very mysterious, this film is all about sci-fi action, which turns out to be quite a natural fit for its director Justin Lin, best known for his work on the Fast and Furious series . Lin conveys a sense of energy and excitement that is missing from JJ Abrams’ contributions Over and beyond a little funnier than the previous two films. Add Idris Elba as the villainous Krall and you have the perfect mix for a great Star Trek adventure. –Austen Goslin
Eternal sunshine of the flawless mind
Image: Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
Director: Michel Gondry
Pour: Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Kirsten Dunst
The film follows the tumultuous romance between Joel (Jim Carrey) and Clementine (Kate Winslet), which eventually becomes so bad that both parties separately search for a technological solution that will erase it from their memories forever.
This clever little twist leaves Eternal sunshine of the flawless mind Come to science fiction with a beautiful, melancholic love story. Even though you’ve probably seen this movie at least once, it’s probably due for another viewing. The brilliantly tragic screenplay by Charlie Kaufman (To be John Malkovich) plays even better with repeat viewings, as you almost trust the audience to know the twists and turns in Joel and Clementine’s relationship before they happen, with each new wrinkle revealing another layer of both their love and their friction with each other .
The weight of the film’s tragedy doesn’t become any less harsh knowing it’s all to come. So there’s no reason not to watch this modern classic again. —AG
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