In the 1990s, the sci-fi genre reached new heights. With the advent of CG-character technology that was revolutionized in Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Jurassic Park, the tools available for filmmaking increased exponentially. The impossible was now possible, and ideas that were once non-viable in the feature film format were now able to be realized. Of course technology is only a tool—it can get you so far, but it’s story and character that determine whether a film will stand the test of time. But master filmmakers like James Cameron, Steven Spielberg, Luc Besson, and The Wachowskis seized upon these new opportunities and crafted sci-fi films that would endure for decades.

Of course the advent of new technology also opened up a wealth of new thematic potential as well. The rise of the digital age gave way to fear of robot uprisings or computers taking over the world, and this resulted in terrific (and terrifying) stories that were relevant to a rapidly changing world.

All in all, the 90s were one of the best decades for sci-fi filmmaking, and in an effort to highlight some of the most memorable films from that period, Collider’s own Haleigh Foutch, Adam Chitwood, and Dave Trumbore have singled out 25 great examples. Behold, the best sci-fi films of the 90s.