21st Century Sci-Fi Masterpiece With 90% On RT Gets A New Streaming Home Next Month

A 21st Century science fiction movie ranked by some among the masterpieces of the genre – it boasts a 90% Rotten Tomatoes score – is getting a new streaming home next month. The term “masterpiece” can be applied to only a handful of sci-fi movies released in the first 25 years of the current century.

While it’s by no means definitive, the recent New York Times list of the century’s best movies provides an interesting snapsH๏τ of cinema opinion as of 2025, including a rundown of what are held by the poll’s participants to be the best sci-fi movies made since 2000.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind was crowned the best science fiction movie of the century so far by the NYT poll, followed by the more succinctly тιтled Her, Arrival and Wall-E. Overall, the list features 12 movies that can fairly be categorized as science fiction, an indication of how many strong films the genre has produced in the last quarter-century.

Despite sci-fi’s solid representation on the list, there were arguably a few snubs, including a 2009 film that wowed critics and audiences when it originally released, and is still widely regarded as a masterpiece.

Did you know: Parasite was named the best film of the 21st Century by the New York Times‘ poll

District 9 Is Getting A New Streaming Home In August

It’s Coming To Hulu August 1

District 9 alien being arrested by people with guns.

The film may not have made it onto the New York Times top 100, but District 9 is still in contention as one of the best science fiction movies made this century. Neill Blomkamp’s exercise in speculative sci-fi, featuring imaginative use of found footage techniques, currently sits at 90% on Rotten Tomatoes.

That District 9 sequel may never have arrived as hoped, but the original movie still packs a punch, and Hulu will have it on their lineup beginning August 1, 2025.

For fans of…

Alien invasion movies
Militaristic science fiction
Sci-fi action movies
Science fiction with a socio-political message

Why You Should Watch District 9

It’s A Truly Unique Take On Human-Alien Relations

District 9 is a very different take on the alien invasion genre. In this film, extra-terrestrials do not come to Earth seeking to conquer, but arrive in search of a new home, only to be herded into internment camps, where they’re treated like animals.

This unique premise sets up a compelling story about how one human comes to be bonded with the aliens, and what happens when he aids them in fighting back. The parallels with Apartheid-era South Africa are obvious, but it isn’t necessary to know the real history in order to appreciate what the film is saying.

Writer-director Blomkamp’s storytelling is exciting and, ultimately, heartfelt, and his world-building is incredibly detailed and convincing. District 9 presents an alien race that feels entirely real, and gets the audience rooting for the extra-terrestrials, who possess “humanity,” yet still seem truly alien.

The film works on every level. It’s a fantastic action-thriller, and a thought-provoking allegory, and a prodigious technical achievement that succeeds in presenting a fully-realized, thoroughly convincing dystopian world.

What ScreenRant Has Said…

In a 2024 article, ScreenRant wrote:

Many alien invasion movies are somewhat predictable, with humans defeating hostile aliens, or making friends with peaceable ones. District 9 is based on the nastier aspects of human history and is a disturbingly realistic depiction of what might happen to visiting aliens.

District 9 Key Facts
Box Office Gross	$210 million worldwide (budget $30 million)
Rotten Tomatoes Critics’ Score	90%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score	82%
ScreenRant Rating	9 stars out of 10
Oscar Nominations	Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Visual Effects