Movies - TV
The 15 Best Space Opera Movies, Ranked
By LIAM GAUGHAN
15. The Fifth Element
Luc Besson's hyper-stylized, extravagant vision of the future may not be for everyone, but for those who are unafraid to get weird, "The Fifth Element" is a cult classic. Set in the 23rd century, Earth is ruled by corporate leaders, and a motley group of heroes are tasked with saving the universe.
14. Guardians
“Guardians of the Galaxy” is the first Marvel film with a story that resembles space operas like "Star Wars" or "Flash Gordon.” Directed by James Gunn, this distinctive piece of cinema is set to an eclectic soundtrack of 1970s hits, as it centers on a band of misfits that form a strange dysfunctional family.
13. Fantastic Planet
Inspired by Stefan Wul's French sci-fi novel "Oms en série,” the 1973 avant-garde film is a metaphorical story about life on the planet Ygam, where humans are kept as pets by an alien race. "Fantastic Planet" explores themes of intolerance, societal constructs, and oppression, and holds an interesting allegory for animal rights.
12. Solaris
Steven Soderbergh's 2002 remake of Andrei Tarkovsky’s 1972 sci-fi classic “Solaris” failed miserably at the box office, despite some fans preferring it over the original. The remake combined the space opera with psycho-sexual elements to create a surrealist nightmare, and was made for fans of arthouse cinema.
11. The Black Hole
Taking place in the distant future after interstellar travel has become possible, this first PG-rated film from Walt Disney Pictures took a deeply philosophical approach to the genre. Unsuccessful due to its slow-paced storytelling, "The Black Hole" is a hidden gem that science fiction fans should check out.