Those who love the sci-fi genre appreciate some of the more obscure titles as well as popular films of that ilk. There are low-budget classics as well as modern films with incredible special effects. If you’re into sci-fi, you probably appreciate how diverse the genre can be.
If you’re looking for a new movie to watch this month, we have some recommendations. These are three sci-fi movies on Peacock you need to watch in September. One or two you may have seen before but are worth watching again.
Paul (2011)
If you want something that skews more toward the comedic side, Paul will be right up your alley. Created by Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, the two also star as Graeme and Clive, sci-fi geeks whose dreams come true when they meet a being from outer space. Paul the alien, voiced by Seth Rogen (who also provides motion capture) is on the run from the Secret Service, and the friendly duo want to help him get back to his own planet.
Designed to be a parody of typical sci-fi movies and the idea of sci-fi fandom in general, Paul is a refreshing satire of a genre we love so much. Pegg is known for poking fun at typical tropes with other films like Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead, and he has the same success with Paul. The movie received positive reviews when it came out, and it’s a low-key charmer that still warrants a watch in 2024.
Stream Paul on Peacock.
It Came from Outer Space (1953)
If you’re into old-school sci-fi, It Came from Outer Space is about as classic as they come. The sci-fi horror based on Ray Bradbury’s short story The Meteor is about John (Richard Carlson) and Ellen (Barbara Rush) who see a large object resembling a meteorite crash to Earth while stargazing. Upon further inspection, John discovers that it’s an alien spaceship, but it’s buried by a landslide before anyone else can see, and no one believes him.
When strange things start happening around town, however, some minds change, and a hunt for foreign invaders begins. It Came from Outer Space is a clever, suspenseful movie that any sci-fi purist will appreciate.
Stream It Came from Outer Space on Peacock.
Videodrome (1983)
This Canadian sci-fi body horror movie from David Cronenberg is set in the early ’80s and centers around Max Renn (James Woods), CEO of a small UHF TV station who happens upon a broadcast signal of snuff films. Desperate to figure out the source of this signal, he gets caught up in a mind-control conspiracy that results in hallucinations and him losing grip on reality.
Videodrome bombed at the box office but in the decades since release, the movie is now considered a cult classic, some even naming it among Cronenberg’s best films. With psychosexual themes and a unique aesthetic, Videodrome is unlike any other sci-fi movie that had been released at the time, and arguably even since.
Stream Videodrome on Peacock.