Prometheus (2012)

The search for answers can lead us to places we might be better off never finding. Ridley Scott's "Prometheus," set in the same universe as his original "Alien," begins when archaeologists Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green) discover a star map in ancient cave paintings that they believe points to humanity's creators, beings they call the Engineers. Funded by tycoon Peter Weyland (Guy Pearce), who secretly hopes the creators can extend his life, they journey aboard the ship Prometheus with icy corporate overseer Meredith Vickers (Charlize Theron), the ship's laid-back captain, Janek (Idris Elba), and the enigmatic android David (Michael Fassbender), who has spent the long voyage studying languages and watching "Lawrence of Arabia." Arriving in 2093 on a distant moon, LV-223, the crew discovers a vast structure containing the remains of the Engineers and mysterious canisters of black liquid. But on a distant moon, they uncover a terrifying threat that could destroy them - and all of mankind. David's secret experiments with the liquid have horrifying consequences, and Shaw must fight to survive, including a harrowing self-performed surgery. Fassbender's eerie, curious performance is a standout, and the film earned an Oscar nomination for its visual effects. You'll be pondering its big questions long after it ends.