10 Near-Perfect Sci-Fi Comedies, Officially Ranked

I love a good sci-fi movie, but I’ve noticed it can be a tough genre for some people. It’s not always the easiest to get into, and honestly, sometimes these stories take themselves too seriously. When sci-fi doesn’t have a sense of fun, it can actually hurt the movie, making it less enjoyable instead of more.

It’s a welcome change when artists add humor to sci-fi and monster movies, helping to balance out the intense battles and strange events. Some films handle this mix of genres really well, leading to the question: which one truly gets it right?

Spontaneous Is A Mind-Blowing Coming Of Age Romance

Brian Duffield made a big impact in 2023 with his incredibly unique and scary Hulu film, No One Will Save You. But he first demonstrated his talent and a knack for comedy with his first film as director, Spontaneous.

Based on Aaron Starmer’s novel, the 2020 film Spontaneous is a funny and dramatic story about two teenagers, played by Katherine Langford and Charlie Plummer, who fall in love while facing a bizarre and dangerous situation: people around them are suddenly and unexpectedly exploding. While it features a lot of gore, the movie balances it with humor and a surprisingly heartwarming message about appreciating life.

It’s What’s Inside Redefines The Body Swap Thriller

For years, stories about people switching bodies usually involved just two people. Films like Family Switch and the Freaky Friday sequel, Freakier Friday, expanded that to four. If you’re looking for a story with an even larger number of body swaps, check out It’s What’s Inside.

Greg Jardin’s new 2024 Netflix film centers on eight old friends reconnecting, but things quickly get chaotic when someone introduces a game that lets them switch bodies. This forces them to figure out who’s currently inhabiting whom. The film is clever and engaging, blending intense personal conflicts with thrilling suspense and a darkly funny tone.

Attack The Block Is The Outsiders Meets War Of The Worlds

The premise of a group of teenagers saving the world from aliens is funny to begin with. But despite acknowledging this, the film Attack the Block, written and directed by Joe Cornish, manages to create a believable and engaging story.

Before becoming known as Finn in Star Wars, John Boyega starred in Attack the Block, a clever and action-packed film about a London teen gang facing off against alien invaders. The movie also features Nick Frost from Shaun of the Dead and Jodie Whittaker, known for her role in Doctor Who. It’s a smart and exciting take on the classic monster movie, set in a modern urban environment.

The Bill & Ted Movies Are Non-Heinous Adventures

It’s easy to get lost when movies have needlessly complex rules. This frustration likely motivated Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon to create Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, a time travel film that playfully bends its own established guidelines.

The 1989 comedy Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure unexpectedly became a hit and helped launch the careers of Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter, who played Ted and Bill. They returned to their roles as the lovable, world-saving duo in the even more outlandish Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey in 1991, and again nearly three decades later in Bill & Ted Face the Music. All three films are delightfully silly and remind us to be kind and awesome to one another.

Guardians Of The Galaxy Is A Comical Cosmic Epic

From the start, Marvel movies have always included humor, but they really became known for funny, science fiction adventures later on. Many people believe Guardians of the Galaxy was a turning point for Marvel, and it’s fair to say it represents the peak of what the Marvel Cinematic Universe can achieve.

James Gunn first gained widespread recognition with a hugely successful film that critics and audiences loved for its touching story about a mismatched group of space adventurers who constantly squabbled like kids. The movie launched two equally enjoyable sequels, and it’s a great pick for anyone who wished the Star Wars films were funnier and featured a fantastic soundtrack of classic pop songs.

Galaxy Quest Brilliantly Sends Up Trekkie Culture

When it comes to science fiction, Star Wars is arguably the most popular franchise of all time. However, Star Trek comes a very close second. Its fans are incredibly dedicated, often acting as if the world of Starfleet is actually real. But what if, just maybe, it was?

I absolutely love the movie Galaxy Quest from 1999! It’s about the actors from a cancelled sci-fi TV show – Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, and a fantastic cast – who get mistaken for real space heroes by aliens. What’s so great about it is that it playfully pokes fun at science fiction, and even at the fans, but it’s always done with a lot of heart. It’s genuinely hilarious when it’s cleverly lampooning all those familiar sci-fi ideas.

WALL-E Is Pixar’s Apocalyptic Masterpiece

Pixar’s WALL-E is a remarkably clever and disturbingly realistic science fiction film – many consider it a modern classic, and possibly the studio’s greatest achievement.

The 2009 Academy Award winner for Best Animated Feature tells the story of WALL-E, a lonely robot whose job is to clean up a deserted Earth. He finds a friend in EVE, a more advanced robot sent to check if the planet can support life. When WALL-E follows EVE to the spaceship she came from, he discovers the surprising and surprisingly plausible fate of humanity.

Brazil Is A Surreal Dystopian Satire

Terry Gilliam is famous for directing imaginative and complex films like The Fisher King and 12 Monkeys, but he first gained recognition as part of the Monty Python comedy group. He even co-directed Monty Python and the Holy Grail with Terry Jones early in his career. He truly blended Python’s quirky humor with his own unique, visually striking style in his 1985 film, Brazil.

Jonathan Pryce stars in this Oscar-nominated dark comedy as a frustrated office worker living in a dystopian world. When he falls for a woman (Kim Greist), he inadvertently becomes a target of the government, turning his daydreams into a thrilling reality. Featuring Robert De Niro, Brazil is a unique and visually impressive comedy that’s both breathtaking and hilarious from beginning to end.

Everything Everywhere All At Once Is An Astonishing Interdimensional Family Dramedy

For a long time, the Oscars seemed to consistently reward predictable, mainstream films, often overlooking movies that were truly innovative and resonated with both critics and viewers. Thankfully, the Academy appeared to recognize this trend and broke from it when Everything Everywhere All At Once won seven awards, including Best Picture.

Michelle Yeoh, an Academy Award winner, stars in this critically acclaimed film by directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (known as DANIELS). The movie centers on a woman who must connect with versions of herself from other universes to stop a formidable villain. It’s a wild ride – blending heartfelt family moments with over-the-top action and comedy, all wrapped up in stunning visuals that constantly surprise you. Released during the height of the multiverse trend, Everything Everywhere All At Once stood out from the crowd and remains a uniquely impressive film.

Men In Black Is An Out-Of-This-World Highbrow Comedy

Many sci-fi comedies try so hard to be funny with their strange ideas that they end up feeling just plain odd. But Men in Black struck a better balance, combining genuine science fiction with a dry, witty sense of humor – something even its follow-up movies didn’t quite manage.

The 1997 hit film, directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, features Will Smith as a police officer who is brought into a secret agency by seasoned agent K (Tommy Lee Jones). This agency keeps watch over, and sometimes fights, aliens on Earth. With a witty script by Ed Solomon that playfully updates the buddy-cop formula, memorable lines, and a truly scary alien villain, the movie has become a lasting favorite, appealing to viewers even if they don’t usually enjoy science fiction.

2026-02-03 23:14