Ready Player One (2018)

Steven Spielberg, the master of fantasy and the highest-grossing director in film history, adapted Ernest Cline's novel into a fast-moving vision of 2045, where the world as we know it is nearly gone. People survive in post-apocalyptic ruins, escaping from reality into a virtual game called OASIS. When its creator dies, he leaves all his fortune and complete control over the game to whoever can solve a series of 1980s-themed puzzles, finds all the keys and Easter eggs, and defeats millions of players and rival corporations.

Source Code (2011)

Did you know that David Bowie's son, Duncan Jones, is a successful British-Hollywood director? He directed the thriller Source Code, a film akin to Groundhog Day set in virtual reality. Helicopter pilot Colter Stevens keeps reliving the last eight minutes before the death of a train passenger in a bombing. During this time, he must find the terrorist, defuse the bomb, and prevent the attack. With a 7.5 out of 10 on IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes, this movie is definitely worth watching.

Thirteenth Floor (1999)

If you want to see how virtual reality was imagined way back in 1999, check out The Thirteenth Floor, based on Daniel F. Galouye's Simulacron-3. Despite its age, the film remains a popular choice. The simulation transports players to a virtual Los Angeles in 1937, where they can assume any identity they choose. They interact with realistic characters who believe they are real people. One of the game's creators is killed, while his colleague, suspected of murder, investigates the crime in both the real and virtual worlds.

Tron (1982)

The oldest film on our list, and a staple in almost every sci-fi rating, was made before some of you were even born. Tron was groundbreaking in its use of computer-generated imagery, with around 20 minutes of the film being a true marvel in the early 1980s! At the time, its special effects were outstanding (some of which still look decent today). The ENCOM Corporation fires developer Kevin Flynn and steals credit for his games. Sneaking into the lab at night to restore justice, he accidentally ends up inside his own game world as a player himself, fighting programs for survival and control.

Tron: Legacy (2010)

Nearly 30 years later, Tron received a sequel, where the main character never returned to reality. Flynn's son, hacker Sam, enters the game to find his father and encounters his father's evil clone, who has enslaved the virtual world and plans to invade the real one. Sam races on light cycles, battles with light discs, finds his real father, and saves both worlds, all backed by an iconic electronic soundtrack by Daft Punk.

eXistenZ (1999)

This sci-fi thriller by David Cronenberg tells the story of Allegra Geller, the world's leading designer of game consoles directly connected to the body, and her new unique simulation, "eXistenZ." During a presentation, someone tries to kill Allegra and damages her console. But together with Jude Law's intern, she enters virtual reality anyway to save her creation.

Ender's Game (2013)

In the distant future depicted in the film adaptation of Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game, wars with aliens are a reality. Winning such wars requires unconventional thinking, so the government selects the most gifted children for training at a special school. Only one, Ender Wiggin, will become commander and lead the human space fleet into battle. But first, he must train on a virtual simulator.

Brainstorm (1983) 

Another greeting from the fantastic 80s: Brainstorm, starring Christopher Walken and Natalie Wood. A group of scientists invents a helmet that can read and record a person's feelings, emotions, thoughts, memories, and even death onto special tapes. Another person, by donning the helmet, can see and feel everything the original subject experienced. The Pentagon secretly funds the development and, after a presentation, claims ownership of the invention. Military officials plan to use it for torture, but the developers are strictly opposed.

Otherlife (2017)

Ren Amari develops a psychotropic drug called OtherLife, which creates virtual reality directly in a person's mind, based on their thoughts and memories. While only seconds pass in the real world, under the drug's influence, a person can live for hours or even days. The government proposes to test the drug on prisoners to use it in virtual jails eventually. The heroine disagrees, but after her boyfriend dies due to improper use, she finds herself in such a prison.

Gamer (2009)

Another example of virtual reality used as punishment is the reality show Slayers, a survival game. Gamers control the bodies of real criminals serving life sentences, while it's the characters themselves who decide when to shoot. Anyone who survives 30 rounds gets freedom, but no one has made it—except John Tillman, who was wrongly convicted and managed to advance through 27 rounds.

The Lawnmower Man (1992)

A bit more old-school. Here, virtual reality is used in medical experiments. An eccentric scientist, searching for a way to make people smarter, experiments on a mentally challenged gardener named Jobe. Stimulating the brain with chemicals and immersing him in virtual reality turns the subject into a genius, posing a danger to all humankind. The special effects will likely make you laugh; the film was made in the early '90s. Still, it's worth getting to know The Lawnmower Man and memorizing a few phrases for any sci-fi fan to use in conversation.

Free Guy (2021)

Free Guy is a fast-paced action comedy starring Ryan Reynolds as Guy, a bank teller who discovers he’s actually a non-playable character (NPC) in an online video game. Each day, he’s subjected to chaos: robberies, car crashes, and more, all at the hands of real players. When he learns the game’s creator plans to shut it down, Guy teams up with a mysterious woman to save his world. If you enjoy sci-fi with a comedic twist, this film is right up your alley.

Whether you're drawn to philosophical sci-fi, high-energy action, or dark technological satire, these movies offer an exciting way to experience new worlds and compelling visions of virtual reality and its consequences, while giving you a practical way to sharpen your English along the way. Which one are you adding to your watchlist?