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

86 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)Suspenseful · light gore · brutal violence · emotionally heavy · RA reprogrammed cyborg protects a young boy and his mother from a relentless, shape-shifting assassin.Prime Video · Paramount+ · Kanopy
2. 2Arrival (2016)Cerebral · full attention · emotionally devastating · measured · PG-13An expert linguist races to understand an alien language, navigating a suspenseful, melancholy, and cerebral mystery.Paramount+ · Peacock · Kanopy85
3. 3Metropolis (1927)Epic · late-night trip · strong violence · emotionally heavy · 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)Surreal · late-night trip · emotionally heavy · measured · RA man's life unfolds in multiple realities, a dreamlike journey through love, loss, and profound choices.Prime Video · Kanopy · Hoopla
5. 5Minority Report (2002)Suspenseful · light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · PG-13A cop in a future where murder is foreseen races to outwit a system that predicts his own crime.Prime Video · Paramount+ · Kanopy
6. 6A Trip to the Moon (1902)Whimsical · late-night trip · measured · GAstronomers blast to the Moon in a cannon-propelled rocket, encountering whimsical, pulpy perils on a surreal adventure.Max · Kanopy
7. 7Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)Big broad humor · feel good · family watch · brisk · PGA speedy, blue hedgehog and an evil genius clash in a brisk, wholesome, and campy sci-fi comedy.Paramount+ · Kanopy · Hoopla
8. 8Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)Epic · party watch · 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+ · Kanopy · Pluto TV
9. 9Source Code (2011)Suspenseful · 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)
10. 10Doctor Who (2005) · seriesWholesome humor · whimsical · family watch · emotionally heavy · TV-PGA two-hearted alien travels all of time and space, saving planets with whimsy, suspense, and heart.AMC+ · Kanopy · Hoopla
11. 11The Man from Earth (2007)Cerebral · late-night trip · measured · NRA professor's farewell party becomes an intimate, cerebral debate when he reveals an impossible secret about his past.Prime Video · Kanopy · Hoopla
12. 12Total Recall (1990)Pulpy · full attention · brutal violence · graphic gore · RA construction worker's virtual vacation to Mars becomes a gritty, relentless fight for a shifting reality.Paramount+ · Kanopy
13. 13Night 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+
14. 14World War Z (2013)Properly scary · graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally heavy · PG-13A relentless global pandemic unleashes gritty, high-octane action as one man races to save humanity.Paramount+ · Peacock · Starz
15. 15Transformers (2007)Epic · party watch · 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
16. 16Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)Epic · strong violence · emotionally heavy · brisk · PGAn old enemy's vengeful return forces a starship crew into a brisk, intimate, and epic battle.Paramount+ · Kanopy
17. 17A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)Melancholy · full attention · emotionally devastating · measured · PG-13A robotic boy programmed for love yearns for acceptance in an epic, yet intimate, sci-fi adventure.Paramount+ · Peacock · MGM+
18. 1810 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.Peacock · Paramount+ · Kanopy
19. 19Face/Off (1997)High octane · party watch · brutal violence · relentless · RAn FBI agent surgically steals a terrorist's face, but the criminal mastermind wakes up and wants his life back.AMC+ · Kanopy · Hoopla
20. 20They Call Me Jeeg (2016)Dark satire · gritty · full attention · strong violenceA misanthropic brute gains super-strength from radioactive waste, finding purpose through a deluded girl's anime fantasy.Prime Video · Kanopy · Hoopla
21. 21Snowpiercer (2013)Gritty · full attention · brutal violence · graphic gore · RA relentless journey through a frozen, class-divided world unfolds with bleak, gritty suspense.Kanopy · Tubi
22. 22Dark City (1998)Suspenseful · late-night trip · emotionally heavy · measured · RA man's fractured memories haunt him in a sunless, surreal city controlled by telekinetic beings.Kanopy · The Roku Channel · Plex
23. 23Equilibrium (2002)Tense · graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally heavy · RA relentless enforcer of emotional suppression secretly rebels against the gritty, totalitarian world he upholds.Paramount+ · Kanopy · Hoopla
24. 24Coherence (2014)Suspenseful · emotionally heavy · measured · NRFriendships fray and reality warps as a comet's passing unleashes unsettling, cerebral suspense.Prime Video · Peacock · Kanopy
25. 25The 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.Prime Video · AMC+ · Kanopy
26. 26Melancholia (2011)Bleak · full attention · emotionally devastating · a slow burn · RA mysterious planet approaches Earth, intensifying the surreal and bleak melancholy between two estranged sisters.Peacock · Kanopy · Fandango at Home (free)
27. 27Frequency (2000)Suspenseful · 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
28. 28Star Trek: First Contact (1996)Epic · 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)
29. 29The Return of the Living Dead (1985)Properly scary · graphic gore · strong violence · brisk · RBumbling warehouse workers unleash a darkly comic zombie plague with broad humor and pulpy, gritty scares.AMC+ · MGM+ · Kanopy
30. 30Super 8 (2011)Suspenseful · light gore · measured · PG-13A group of friends filming a zombie movie uncovers a terrifying secret after a devastating train derailment.Paramount+ · Peacock · Kanopy
31. 31Star Trek Beyond (2016)Dry wit · epic · party watch · strong violence · PG-13A witty and brisk adventure pushes the Enterprise crew to their limits against a formidable new enemy.Paramount+ · Kanopy
32. 32Delicatessen (1991)Dark satire · surreal · late-night trip · strong violence · RA post-apocalyptic apartment building serves up dark humor and surreal romance with a side of mystery meat.Kanopy · Plex · Tubi
33. 33Escape from New York (1981)Gritty · light gore · strong violence · brisk · RA hardened war hero has one day to rescue the president from a lawless, island-sized maximum-security prison.Kanopy · The Roku Channel · Plex
34. 34Galaxy Quest (1999)Dry wit · campy · comfort watch · brisk · PGHas-been actors are mistaken for space heroes, leading to a brisk, whimsical, and witty adventure.Paramount+ · Kanopy
35. 35The 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 · Peacock · Kanopy
36. 36Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)Dry wit · whimsical · comfort watch · brisk · PGA brisk, whimsical adventure sends a crew back in time, saving Earth with wholesome humor and uplifting hijinks.Paramount+ · Kanopy · Tubi
37. 37War 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.Max · Paramount+ · Peacock
38. 38Cube (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)
39. 39Bumblebee (2018)Wholesome humor · nostalgic · comfort watch · strong violence · PG-13A heartwarming adventure unfolds when a teenager revives a battle-scarred robot in a brisk, wholesome 80s tale.Paramount+ · Kanopy · YouTube (free)
40. 40Vanilla Sky (2001)Suspenseful · late-night trip · emotionally heavy · measured · RA wealthy man's life unravels into a surreal, dreamlike mystery after a devastating accident.Paramount+ · Peacock · Kanopy
41. 41Spaceballs (1987)Big broad humor · satirical · comfort watch · brisk · PGA brisk, campy space adventure unfolds with broad humor and witty satire as heroes race to save a princess.Prime Video · Kanopy · Hoopla
42. 42The Island (2005)Suspenseful · 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
43. 43The Space Between Us (2017)Melancholy · date night · emotionally heavy · measured · PG-13A Martian-born teen experiences Earth's wonders and human connection while searching for his origins.Prime Video · Kanopy · Fandango at Home (free)
44. 44Timecrimes (2007)Suspenseful · light gore · emotionally heavy · measured · RA man's accidental journey an hour into the past unravels a tense, surreal, and cerebral disaster.Kanopy · Hoopla · Plex
45. 45The Giver (2014)Earnest · full attention · emotionally heavy · measured · PG-13A boy discovers the heavy burden of memory and emotion in a world engineered for blissful ignorance.Kanopy · Hoopla · The Roku Channel
46. 46Overlord (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
47. 47Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)Big broad humor · whimsical · comfort watch · brisk · PGTwo high school friends travel through time, gathering historical figures for an excellent, most triumphant history report.MGM+ · Kanopy · Hoopla
48. 48District B13 (2004)Gritty · 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
49. 49A Scanner Darkly (2006)Surreal · 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)
50. 50Event 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+ · Peacock · AMC+
51. 51Mars Attacks! (1996)Dark satire · campy · party watch · strong violence · PG-13Humanity faces absurdly campy Martian invaders whose "peaceful" intentions quickly turn into darkly comic annihilation.Kanopy · The Roku Channel · Plex
52. 52Sorry to Bother You (2018)Dry wit · satirical · late-night trip · emotionally heavy · RA telemarketer's magical voice unlocks a darkly comic, surreal journey through corporate Oakland.Kanopy
53. 53Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)Epic · party watch · 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
54. 54Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)Epic · party watch · brutal violence · relentless · PG-13Giant robots battle for Earth's future in a relentlessly paced, high-octane adventure with epic stakes.Paramount+ · Starz · Kanopy
55. 55Pandorum (2009)Properly scary · graphic gore · strong violence · brisk · RTwo amnesiac astronauts awaken to a chilling, pulpy nightmare on a gritty, abandoned spacecraft.Kanopy · Hoopla · The Roku Channel
56. 56Knowing (2009)Suspenseful · light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · PG-13A father deciphers chilling predictions while a suspenseful, epic mystery unfolds around his family.Kanopy · Hoopla · Tubi
57. 57The 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)
58. 58Ghost in the Shell (2017)Suspenseful · late-night trip · strong violence · emotionally heavy · PG-13A cyber-enhanced soldier hunts dangerous criminals in a future where humanity and technology blur.Paramount+ · Kanopy · Hoopla
59. 59Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014)Epic · party watch · brutal violence · relentless · PG-13Relentless action and pulpy sci-fi collide as ancient forces and shadowy groups threaten Earth's future.Paramount+ · Starz · Kanopy
60. 60Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)Epic · emotionally heavy · measured · PGA measured, suspenseful adventure unfolds as McCoy harbors Spock's living essence, revealing an epic journey.Paramount+ · Kanopy
61. 61Hardcore Henry (2015)High octane · late-night trip · brutal violence · extreme gore · RA resurrected cyborg battles a telekinetic tyrant and his army through a relentless, high-octane, pulpy Moscow.Kanopy · The Roku Channel · Plex
62. 62The Time Machine (2002)Epic · full attention · measured · PG-13A heartbroken inventor journeys 800,000 years into humanity's future, finding a world of epic, warring races.Kanopy · Hoopla · YouTube (free)
63. 63Deep Impact (1998)Suspenseful · family watch · emotionally heavy · brisk · PG-13Humanity races against a colossal comet, facing an epic struggle for survival with earnest resolve.Paramount+ · Kanopy · Hoopla
64. 64Star Trek: Generations (1994)Epic · emotionally heavy · brisk · PGStar systems face destruction as two legendary captains unite across time to stop a renegade scientist.Paramount+ · Kanopy · YouTube (free)
65. 65Upside Down (2012)Romantic · date night · emotionally heavy · measured · PG-13Two lovers defy opposing gravities and societal prejudice in a surreal, dreamlike quest for reunion.Prime Video · Kanopy · Hoopla
66. 66Colossal (2017)Dark satire · surreal · late-night trip · strong violence · RA woman's personal breakdown mysteriously manifests as a giant creature wreaking havoc across the world.Paramount+ · Kanopy
67. 67Daybreakers (2010)Gritty · full attention · strong violence · graphic gore · RA blood shortage forces vampires to farm humans while a researcher secretly develops a cure for the plague.Kanopy · Hoopla · The Roku Channel
68. 68Under the Skin (2014)Bleak · 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
69. 69Europa Report (2013)Suspenseful · emotionally heavy · measured · PG-13A found-footage mission to Jupiter's moon becomes a gritty, intimate struggle for survival against the unknown.Netflix · Peacock · Kanopy
70. 70Paycheck (2003)Suspenseful · light gore · strong violence · brisk · PG-13A genius memory-wiped for his work must piece together clues to outwit powerful forces.Paramount+ · Kanopy · YouTube (free)
71. 71Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)Big broad humor · absurdist · party watch · brisk · RFour adult friends find raunchy, absurdist adventure and nostalgic laughs after a drunken trip to 1986.Kanopy · Hoopla
72. 72Vivarium (2019)Mildly scary · no gore · emotionally heavy · a slow burn · RA young couple is trapped in a surreal housing development, forced to raise a chilling, otherworldly child.Kanopy · Hoopla · The Roku Channel
73. 73Push (2009)Suspenseful · 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
74. 74Monsters (2010)Melancholy · 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)
75. 75G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009)Pulpy · 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+ · MGM+ · Kanopy
76. 76Sphere (1998)Suspenseful · emotionally heavy · measured · PG-13Scientists plunge into the deep, unraveling an alien mystery that twists perception and unravels sanity.Kanopy · The Roku Channel · Plex
77. 77The One (2001)High octane · light gore · brutal violence · relentless · PG-13A relentless fight for survival unfolds as a man battles his own alternate-reality doppelgänger.Prime Video · Kanopy · Hoopla
78. 78Hotel Artemis (2018)Gritty · 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
79. 79The Core (2003)Suspenseful · 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
80. 802:22 (2017)Suspenseful · measuredA man's life unravels into a suspenseful, romantic mystery as he's caught in a repeating, ominous pattern.Peacock · Kanopy · Hoopla
81. 81Automata (2014)Suspenseful · 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
82. 82Gamer (2009)Gritty · 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 · The Roku Channel
83. 83Æon Flux (2005)Suspenseful · light gore · strong violence · brisk · PG-13A rebel operative uncovers surreal secrets within a walled city ruled by scientists, in a brisk, gritty future.Prime Video · Paramount+ · Kanopy
84. 84The 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
85. 85The 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 · The Roku Channel · YouTube (free)
86. 86Sharknado (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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