In the world of 'Gattaca,' a man born naturally-without any genes edited-poses as another man to sidestep genetic discrimination and fulfill his dreams to travel to space, raising important questions about whether gene editing is just a novel form of eugenics. Eventually, this technology could determine many human traits, from intelligence to eye color, exactly to the parents' desire.

Using CRISPR technology, scientists can now selectively edit portions of DNA in embryos, creating artificial resistance against diseases like HIV, smallpox, and cholera. Twenty-one years after the release of 'Gattaca,' the scientific community was forced to confront an issue raised by the film: gene editing. These films span the recent history of cinema, from 1956 to 2022, and thus a chronological progression can be observed, with the early successes influencing later films. The films on this list include soaring space operas, faithful docudramas, gripping thrillers, and speculative musings, but they all deal with space to some degree. To be considered for the list, a film needed over 2,500 IMDb votes and at least seven Metacritic reviews. Here, Stacker compiled a list of the best space movies of all time as determined by the Stacker score, which equally weighs a film's IMDb user score and Metascore (data from October 2020), so both critics' and fans' opinions are taken into account. From silly takes like 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' to more serious stories like 'First Man' to blockbusters like 'Star Wars,' there are probably more space-adjacent films out there than you realize. The sheer number of space-themed and set-in-space movies released over the years is a prime example of this. Space has always captured the imagination of artists with all of its potential and unknowability. Sunset Boulevard // Corbis via Getty Images

Space movies