Sci-fi on Kanopy: what is worth streaming right now (free with a library card)

79 sci-fi titles on Kanopy (free with a library card) at our last check, ranked by quality and fame, each with scare, gore and violence tags.

1. 1Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)Mildly scary · light gore · brutal violence · emotionally heavy · RA reprogrammed cyborg protects a young boy and his mother from a relentless, shape-shifting assassin.Paramount+ · Kanopy
2. 2Arrival (2016)No gore · emotionally devastating · measured · PG-13An expert linguist races to understand an alien language, navigating a suspenseful, melancholy, and cerebral mystery.Paramount+ · Kanopy · Hoopla85
3. 3Metropolis (1927)Mildly scary · strong violence · emotionally heavy · measured · NRA bleak, surreal, and epic drama unfolds in a futuristic city sharply divided by class.Kanopy · The Roku Channel · Pluto TV
4. 4Mr. Nobody (2009)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · RA man's life unfolds in multiple realities, a dreamlike journey through love, loss, and profound choices.Hulu · Kanopy · Hoopla
5. 5A Trip to the Moon (1902)No gore · measured · GAstronomers blast to the Moon in a cannon-propelled rocket, encountering whimsical, pulpy perils on a surreal adventure.Max · Kanopy
6. 6Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)No gore · brisk · PGA speedy, blue hedgehog and an evil genius clash in a brisk, wholesome, and campy sci-fi comedy.Hulu · Paramount+ · Kanopy
7. 7Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)Mildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · PG-13An unstoppable force within Starfleet detonates the fleet, leading to a brisk, suspenseful manhunt across a war-zone world.Paramount+ · Peacock · Kanopy
8. 8Source Code (2011)Mildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · PG-13A soldier repeatedly relives a train explosion, racing against time to find a bomber and alter fate.Kanopy · The Roku Channel · YouTube (free)
9. 9The Man from Earth (2007)No gore · measured · NRA professor's farewell party becomes an intimate, cerebral debate when he reveals an impossible secret about his past.Prime Video · Kanopy · Hoopla
10. 10Total Recall (1990)Mildly scary · graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally heavy · RA construction worker's virtual vacation to Mars becomes a gritty, relentless fight for a shifting reality.Paramount+ · Kanopy
11. 11Night of the Living Dead (1968)Properly scary · graphic gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · NRStrangers barricade themselves in a farmhouse, facing relentless flesh-eating ghouls and bleak, chilling suspense.Max · Peacock · AMC+
12. 12A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)No gore · emotionally devastating · measured · PG-13A robotic boy programmed for love yearns for acceptance in an epic, yet intimate, sci-fi adventure.Paramount+ · Kanopy · Hoopla
13. 1310 Cloverfield Lane (2016)Properly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · PG-13A woman wakes in a bunker, trapped by a survivalist who claims the apocalypse rages outside.Paramount+ · Kanopy · Pluto TV
14. 14They Call Me Jeeg (2016)Mildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavyA misanthropic brute gains super-strength from radioactive waste, finding purpose through a deluded girl's anime fantasy.Prime Video · Kanopy · Hoopla
15. 15Face/Off (1997)Light gore · brutal violence · relentless · RAn FBI agent surgically steals a terrorist's face, but the criminal mastermind wakes up and wants his life back.Paramount+ · Kanopy · Hoopla
16. 16Snowpiercer (2013)Mildly scary · graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastating · RA relentless journey through a frozen, class-divided world unfolds with bleak, gritty suspense.Prime Video · Hulu · Kanopy
17. 17Dark City (1998)Mildly scary · emotionally heavy · measured · RA man's fractured memories haunt him in a sunless, surreal city controlled by telekinetic beings.Kanopy · The Roku Channel · Plex
18. 18Transformers (2007)Mildly scary · light gore · brutal violence · relentless · PG-13Giant robots clash in an epic, relentless battle for Earth, with humanity caught in the high-octane crossfire.Paramount+ · Starz · Kanopy
19. 19Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)Mildly scary · strong violence · emotionally heavy · brisk · PGAn old enemy's vengeful return forces a starship crew into a brisk, intimate, and epic battle.Paramount+ · Kanopy
20. 20Equilibrium (2002)Mildly scary · graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally heavy · RA relentless enforcer of emotional suppression secretly rebels against the gritty, totalitarian world he upholds.Paramount+ · Kanopy
21. 21Coherence (2014)Mildly scary · emotionally heavy · measured · NRFriendships fray and reality warps as a comet's passing unleashes unsettling, cerebral suspense.Prime Video · Peacock · Kanopy
22. 22The Mist (2007)Terrifying · graphic gore · strong violence · emotionally devastating · RA relentless mist descends, trapping townsfolk in a grocery store with unseen, chilling horrors and mounting dread.Kanopy · The Roku Channel
23. 23Melancholia (2011)No gore · emotionally devastating · a slow burn · RA mysterious planet approaches Earth, intensifying the surreal and bleak melancholy between two estranged sisters.Criterion · Kanopy
24. 24Frequency (2000)Mildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · PG-13A son’s desperate call to the past creates a ripple of brutal crimes and a bittersweet fight for the future.Kanopy · The Roku Channel · Plex
25. 25Star Trek: First Contact (1996)Mildly scary · light gore · strong violence · brisk · PG-13Starfleet races through time to stop cyborgs from rewriting history and assimilating the entire galaxy.Paramount+ · Kanopy · YouTube (free)
26. 26Super 8 (2011)Mildly scary · light gore · measured · PG-13A group of friends filming a zombie movie uncovers a terrifying secret after a devastating train derailment.Paramount+ · Kanopy · Hoopla
27. 27Star Trek Beyond (2016)No gore · strong violence · brisk · PG-13A witty and brisk adventure pushes the Enterprise crew to their limits against a formidable new enemy.Paramount+ · Peacock · Kanopy
28. 28Delicatessen (1991)Mildly scary · graphic gore · strong violence · measured · RA post-apocalyptic apartment building serves up dark humor and surreal romance with a side of mystery meat.Kanopy · Tubi
29. 29Escape from New York (1981)Mildly scary · light gore · strong violence · brisk · RA hardened war hero has one day to rescue the president from a lawless, island-sized maximum-security prison.Prime Video · Criterion · Kanopy
30. 30Galaxy Quest (1999)No gore · brisk · PGHas-been actors are mistaken for space heroes, leading to a brisk, whimsical, and witty adventure.Paramount+ · Kanopy · YouTube (free)
31. 31The Host (2006)Properly scary · graphic gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · RA mutated river monster snatches a girl, and her dysfunctional family launches a darkly comedic, desperate rescue.Prime Video · Kanopy · Hoopla
32. 32Cube (1998)Properly scary · graphic gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · RStrangers navigate a deadly, cerebral maze where only their unique skills offer a bleak chance of survival.Kanopy · Hoopla · Fandango at Home (free)
33. 33War of the Worlds (2005)Properly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · PG-13An ordinary father fights to keep his children alive as an alien invasion relentlessly reshapes their world.Apple TV+ · Max · Paramount+
34. 34Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)No gore · brisk · PGA brisk, whimsical adventure sends a crew back in time, saving Earth with wholesome humor and uplifting hijinks.Paramount+ · Kanopy
35. 35Bumblebee (2018)Mildly scary · strong violence · brisk · PG-13A heartwarming adventure unfolds when a teenager revives a battle-scarred robot in a brisk, wholesome 80s tale.Paramount+ · Kanopy · YouTube (free)
36. 36Vanilla Sky (2001)Mildly scary · light gore · emotionally heavy · measured · RA wealthy man's life unravels into a surreal, dreamlike mystery after a devastating accident.Paramount+ · Kanopy
37. 37The Island (2005)Mildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · PG-13A man uncovers a terrifying truth about his utopian existence and fights for survival against a relentless system.Paramount+ · Kanopy · Hoopla
38. 38Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)No gore · brisk · PGTwo high school friends travel through time, gathering historical figures for an excellent, most triumphant history report.MGM+ · Kanopy · Hoopla
39. 39Timecrimes (2007)Mildly scary · light gore · emotionally heavy · measured · RA man's accidental journey an hour into the past unravels a tense, surreal, and cerebral disaster.Kanopy · Hoopla · Fandango at Home (free)
40. 40The Giver (2014)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · PG-13A boy discovers the heavy burden of memory and emotion in a world engineered for blissful ignorance.Prime Video · Kanopy · Hoopla
41. 41Overlord (2018)Properly scary · graphic gore · brutal violence · relentless · RAmerican paratroopers crash behind enemy lines, facing relentless Nazi troops and a horrific secret.Paramount+ · Kanopy · Pluto TV
42. 42District B13 (2004)Light gore · brutal violence · relentless · RIn a gritty 2010 Paris, an undercover cop and an ex-thug relentlessly race to defuse a neutron bomb.Prime Video · Kanopy · The Roku Channel
43. 43A Scanner Darkly (2006)Mildly scary · light gore · emotionally heavy · measured · RAn undercover cop's identity dissolves into a surreal, bleak world as a dangerous drug takes hold.Kanopy · YouTube (free)
44. 44Event Horizon (1997)Terrifying · graphic gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · RA rescue mission to a lost spaceship becomes a chilling descent into cosmic horror and unsettling mystery.Paramount+ · Kanopy
45. 45Mars Attacks! (1996)Mildly scary · graphic gore · strong violence · brisk · PG-13Humanity faces absurdly campy Martian invaders whose "peaceful" intentions quickly turn into darkly comic annihilation.Kanopy · The Roku Channel · Plex
46. 46Sorry to Bother You (2018)Light gore · emotionally heavy · measured · RA telemarketer's magical voice unlocks a darkly comic, surreal journey through corporate Oakland.Kanopy
47. 47Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984)Mildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally devastating · RA government employee rewrites history, but his forbidden love offers little escape from Big Brother's watchful eye.Kanopy · Tubi
48. 48Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)Mildly scary · light gore · brutal violence · relentless · PG-13A young man's mind becomes a battleground as ancient robots wage a relentless, high-octane war for Earth.Paramount+ · Starz · Kanopy
49. 49Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)Light gore · brutal violence · relentless · PG-13Giant robots battle for Earth's future in a relentlessly paced, high-octane adventure with epic stakes.Paramount+ · Starz · Kanopy
50. 50The Girl with All the Gifts (2016)Properly scary · graphic gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · RA bleak future unfolds as scientists and a unique girl journey to save humanity from a fungal plague.Prime Video · Kanopy · Fandango at Home (free)
51. 51Ghost in the Shell (2017)Mildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · PG-13A cyber-enhanced soldier hunts dangerous criminals in a future where humanity and technology blur.Paramount+ · Kanopy · Hoopla
52. 52Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014)Mildly scary · light gore · brutal violence · relentless · PG-13Relentless action and pulpy sci-fi collide as ancient forces and shadowy groups threaten Earth's future.Paramount+ · Starz · Kanopy
53. 53Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · PGA measured, suspenseful adventure unfolds as McCoy harbors Spock's living essence, revealing an epic journey.Paramount+ · Kanopy
54. 54Hardcore Henry (2015)Mildly scary · extreme gore · brutal violence · relentless · RA resurrected cyborg battles a telekinetic tyrant and his army through a relentless, high-octane, pulpy Moscow.Prime Video · Kanopy · The Roku Channel
55. 55Deep Impact (1998)Mildly scary · light gore · emotionally heavy · brisk · PG-13Humanity races against a colossal comet, facing an epic struggle for survival with earnest resolve.Paramount+ · AMC+ · Kanopy
56. 56Star Trek: Generations (1994)Mildly scary · emotionally heavy · brisk · PGStar systems face destruction as two legendary captains unite across time to stop a renegade scientist.Paramount+ · Kanopy · YouTube (free)
57. 57Upside Down (2012)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · PG-13Two lovers defy opposing gravities and societal prejudice in a surreal, dreamlike quest for reunion.Prime Video · Kanopy · Hoopla
58. 58Colossal (2017)Mildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · RA woman's personal breakdown mysteriously manifests as a giant creature wreaking havoc across the world.Kanopy
59. 59Daybreakers (2010)Mildly scary · graphic gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · RA blood shortage forces vampires to farm humans while a researcher secretly develops a cure for the plague.Kanopy · Hoopla · The Roku Channel
60. 60Under the Skin (2014)Mildly scary · graphic gore · emotionally heavy · a slow burn · RAn alien predator seduces lonely men in a bleak, surreal hunt across a chilling landscape.Netflix · Kanopy · Hoopla
61. 61Europa Report (2013)Mildly scary · emotionally heavy · measured · PG-13A found-footage mission to Jupiter's moon becomes a gritty, intimate struggle for survival against the unknown.Netflix · Kanopy · Hoopla
62. 62Paycheck (2003)Light gore · strong violence · brisk · PG-13A genius memory-wiped for his work must piece together clues to outwit powerful forces.Kanopy · Hoopla · YouTube (free)
63. 63Vivarium (2019)Mildly scary · emotionally heavy · a slow burn · RA young couple is trapped in a surreal housing development, forced to raise a chilling, otherworldly child.Prime Video · Kanopy · Hoopla
64. 64Push (2009)Mildly scary · light gore · strong violence · brisk · PG-13Rogue psychics in Hong Kong's underworld battle a shadowy agency in a gritty, high-octane adventure.Kanopy · Hoopla
65. 65Monsters (2010)Mildly scary · light gore · emotionally heavy · measured · RA journalist escorts a tourist through a quarantined zone where colossal alien lifeforms roam a ravaged landscape.Kanopy · Hoopla · YouTube (free)
66. 66G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009)Light gore · strong violence · relentless · PG-13Elite G.I. JOE operatives use advanced spy gear to combat a corrupt arms dealer and the Cobra organization.Paramount+ · Kanopy · Hoopla
67. 67Sphere (1998)Mildly scary · emotionally heavy · measured · PG-13Scientists plunge into the deep, unraveling an alien mystery that twists perception and unravels sanity.Kanopy · The Roku Channel · Plex
68. 68The One (2001)Light gore · brutal violence · relentless · PG-13A relentless fight for survival unfolds as a man battles his own alternate-reality doppelgänger.Kanopy · Hoopla · Tubi
69. 69Hotel Artemis (2018)Mildly scary · graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally heavy · RA gritty, brisk crime thriller unfolds in a clandestine hospital for criminals during a riot-torn future Los Angeles.Kanopy · The Roku Channel · Plex
70. 70RoboCop 2 (1990)Mildly scary · graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally heavy · RA darkly comic, satirical thriller where a cyborg lawman battles a new drug and corporate greed.Prime Video · MGM+ · Kanopy
71. 71Species (1995)Properly scary · graphic gore · strong violence · brisk · RA team of scientists hunts a beautiful, deadly alien hybrid that hungers for human procreation.MGM+ · Kanopy · Hoopla
72. 722:22 (2017)No gore · measuredA man's life unravels into a suspenseful, romantic mystery as he's caught in a repeating, ominous pattern.Kanopy · Hoopla · Fandango at Home (free)
73. 73Automata (2014)Mildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · RA corporate insurance agent uncovers a robot conspiracy that will reshape humanity's bleak future.Prime Video · Kanopy · Hoopla
74. 74The Core (2003)Mildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · PG-13A relentless, high-octane journey into Earth's core pushes a team of scientists to their gritty, epic limits.Paramount+ · Kanopy
75. 75Gamer (2009)Mildly scary · graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally heavy · RA controlled prisoner fights for freedom in a gritty, high-octane game where human lives are pawns.Kanopy · Hoopla · Plex
76. 76Æon Flux (2005)Mildly scary · light gore · strong violence · brisk · PG-13A rebel operative uncovers surreal secrets within a walled city ruled by scientists, in a brisk, gritty future.Paramount+ · Kanopy · YouTube (free)
77. 77The Darkest Hour (2011)Mildly scary · light gore · strong violence · relentless · PG-13Five young people in Moscow battle an alien invasion that exploits Earth's power grid.Kanopy · Hoopla · The Roku Channel
78. 78The Lazarus Effect (2015)Properly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · PG-13Scientists revive the dead, but a chilling twist of fate brings a terrifying new reality.Prime Video · Hulu · Peacock
79. 79Sharknado (2013)Mildly scary · graphic gore · strong violence · relentless · RA relentless, absurd hurricane of sharks and broad humor floods Los Angeles, promising crowd-pleasing, campy action.Prime Video · Peacock · AMC+

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