35 years later, these 1988 sci-fi movies are still fresh in the minds of sci-fi aficionados. It’s interesting to look back at the influence of these films that have stood the test of time. These are the best science fiction films of 1988. Where does your favorite film end in the ranking?
10 Earth Girls are easy
Many science fiction films from the late 1980s have a more comedic tone. The first item on this list, Earth Girls are easy, uses Jim Carrey, Damon Wayans, and Jeff Goldblum as comical furry aliens. These three aliens are traveling across the galaxy when their shop crash lands in Geena Davis’ swimming pool.
Geena Davis has just found out her fiancé was cheating on her with a nurse and is heartbroken by the experience. Little did she know she needed three furry aliens in her life. After an initial awkwardness due to the language barrier, the aliens get a makeover and turn into athletic, attractive boys. Their long strange tongues also make them popular with the local women.
Despite the film’s raunchy setup, it has a wholesome and fresh feel to it. It has the right amount of ’80s camp combined with humor from the water. The film features dance numbers, musical numbers, bright colors and a juicy romantic ending.
9 Short circuit 2
Short circuit 2 continues the adventures of the sweet Johnny 5 robot. In keeping with typical sequels of the time, Short circuit 2 thinks our cast is going to the big city to ramp up the humor and the mayhem. We see Johnny 5 meet his maker and adapt to become more street-smart than before. Many sci-fi films on this list attempt to use cute or likable sci-fi characters to create empathy with their audiences. Johnny 5, despite being a robot, possesses many human traits that one can identify with. He depicts feelings and excitement and can sometimes even hit you to the heart.
Many people may find Johnny 5 too goofy or annoying, but his use of body language and expressions will win you over in the end. Johnny 5 bears a striking resemblance to the robot from the hit 2008 movie, Wall-E. While Wall-E Creator Andrew Stanton flatly denies his robot was inspired by Short circuitit is hard to deny that one did not affect the other.
8 Killer Klowns from outer space
Despite the somewhat silly premise, this gem of a monster movie is a surprisingly good movie. In Killer Klowns from outer spacea group of alien clowns decides to move to the small town of Crescent Cove. This movie is one of the main reasons why the creepy clown trope is prominent in popular culture. In 2016, many people were scared by a similar phenomenon of real clowns coming to their towns. It turned out to be mostly a hoax, but it’s definitely creepy familiar in the plot of Killer Klowns from outer space. In the film, the locals unite to stop this invasion of clowns, just as they did in the 2016 incident.
The movie takes a surprisingly well-considered approach to its horror, making every scene completely original. It would have been easy to lean into the absurdity of the premise and make something really silly, but the movie takes itself more seriously than that. Great care has been taken to make each clown unique and memorable.
7 Critters 2: The Main Course
Critters have had to live in the shadow of the more famous film, Gremlins. While Gremlins takes a more balanced approach to its horror, sci-fi, and comedy elements, the Critters movies enjoy their silliness and status as genre parodies.
Beasts 2follows the usual conventions of sequels as a sequel, trying to redo the same story, but bigger. The bounty hunters are back in the same town to hunt more critters again. While this movie didn’t do very well at the box office, it became a cult classic that gained some recognition for refusing to take anything seriously. The puppet effects have been improved from the original movie, allowing for truly outrageous moments such as the formation of a giant critter ball. Despite possessing tremendous intelligence and interstellar flight capability, the critter’s motivation is very simple. They want to eat and satisfy their hunger and will do anything to achieve their goal.
6 Wonder Mile
This entry on the list starts out as a juicy romantic comedy, but quickly turns into a serious sci-fi thriller. Besides the different tones in the film, another striking aspect is that the events take place over just one day. The film also takes place in near real-time, adding more suspense to the looming threat of nuclear strikes.
Our main characters are Harry, (Anthony Edwards) and Julie (Mare Winningham). These two meet and begin a whirlwind romance after only meeting once. However, fate interrupts the two by making Harry miss their date and instead get a call about the impending war. The film becomes a frantic mission to break the news of the disaster and get Harry and Julie out of harm’s way. Much of the film wonders if the threat is real and only realizes it is real when it’s too late. Steve De Jarnatt, the director, said his intention was to wake people up and make them think about the possibility of real nuclear war.
5 Mac and me
Mac and me has to be the cutest entry on this list. In the wake of ETs success in 1982, it inspired many feel-good kid-meets-alien movies. The film follows a family of aliens struggling to survive in a desert plane with little water. The aliens are transported back to Earth through NASA’s intervention, where they escape custody using their electrical powers. Of course, the aliens are found by young boys who stand up for their new companions.
The movie features an infamous dance number at the local McDonald’s where the alien Mac dances in a teddy bear suit to distract the FBI agents trying to capture them. In the film you will find many examples of extreme product placement. In another scene, they have to revive Mac’s family with the power of Coca-Cola. People will find the film entertaining and heartwarming. It continues the theme of friendship in a healthy way. Those looking for cheese will find some wonderful B-movie moments that will keep them entertained.
4 The Blob
This remake of a sci-fi classic takes a solid B-movie monster concept and fleshes it out (no pun intended) into a true horror sci-fi experience. In the film, a high school senior Steve McQueen finds a parasitic blob from outer space that is eating humans. Constantly plagued by teen pranks, the town doesn’t take the threat seriously until it’s too late. What’s more is that the blob leaves no trace of any evidence behind his murders.
While the film’s premise and effects are cheap by the standards of the time, the film manages to grip you with the thrill and terror of an alien in 1980s America. The movie ups the gross factor in the sequel, taking advantage of the upgrades in special effects technology since the original was released in the 1950s. The monster inside The Blob evokes fear and, despite its silly nature, comes across as a real threat. The film delivers hilarious comedy and gruesome horror in one package, making it a satisfying watch. Many consider The Blob to become one of the best horror remakes ever.
3 Strange nation
In 1988, Earth finally made contact with an alien civilization for the first time. In Strange nationthe plot follows the integration of these aliens, called newcomers, into human society. Strange nation proves why sci-fi is such an important and beloved genre. It is able to examine the complex topics that affect our modern lives through a different lens than is normally possible. The film explores themes of racism from the perspective of science fiction alien immigrants to Earth and relativizes the tribal nature of the people who live there. The film follows Detective Matthew Sykes dealing with the recent loss of his partner. He must team up with a newcomer to investigate a series of murders. Alien Nation Features fun chase scenes and intense action.
2 They live
This entry is a cult classic that plays with some interesting ideas and delivers them in a surreal sci-fi package. Many people consider They live to become John Carpenter’s greatest work, although that title is very competitive. The premise of the film is that humanity has been undermined by aliens who control human society through media images and news reports. It contains themes of anti-consumerism and rejection of propaganda. Interestingly, the studio didn’t want the aliens to be capitalists.
In the film, a smart drifter played by Roddy Piper finds a pair of sunglasses that allow him to see the subliminal messages that are part of every piece of media in America. He is also able to see the true faces of the aliens who have taken over society. These themes serve as something for audiences to chew on as they enjoy great action sequences and special effects.
1 Akira
Although it was released in America in 1989, Akira was originally first released in 1988. This groundbreaking film completely changed the way the movie system in America viewed animated films. Before Akira, these types of films were seen as made for children, but the gritty and mature themes resonated deeply with a more mature audience. In the distant future of 2019, Tokyo is in a dystopian state where the military controls the new Tokyo. 31 years ago, experiments on ESP went south, so the government of Japan drops a nuclear bomb to stop the experiments. The story follows the leader of a biker gang who makes his way through Tokyo and exposes the plot behind the control of the military.