This curated list of ten sci-fi films explores the often overlooked theme of homelessness through a futuristic lens. These films not only entertain but also provoke thought on social issues, technology, and human resilience, providing a unique cinematic experience that blends speculative fiction with real-world concerns.

The Matrix (1999)
Description: While not directly about homelessness, the film's depiction of humans living in pods, unaware of their true state, can be seen as a metaphor for societal neglect and homelessness.
Fact: The film popularized the concept of "bullet time" in action sequences.


Children of Men (2006)
Description: Set in a world where human infertility has led to societal collapse, the film portrays a bleak future where many live in squalor, akin to homelessness.
Fact: The film was shot using long, uninterrupted takes to enhance the realism of the dystopian setting.


A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)
Description: The film follows a childlike android who, after being abandoned, navigates a world where he encounters various forms of societal outcasts, including homeless robots.
Fact: Stanley Kubrick originally developed the project before his death, and it was later completed by Steven Spielberg.


Equilibrium (2002)
Description: In a dystopian future where emotions are outlawed, the underground resistance lives in conditions akin to homelessness, hiding from the oppressive regime.
Fact: The film was shot in Berlin, Germany, to take advantage of the city's post-World War II architecture.


The Time Machine (2002)
Description: In this adaptation of H.G. Wells' classic, the protagonist travels to the future where he encounters the Morlocks, a subterranean species living in squalor, reminiscent of homeless conditions.
Fact: The film features a cameo by the original Time Machine from the 1960 film.


The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
Description: After a sudden climate shift, survivors in New York City are forced into makeshift shelters, mirroring the plight of the homeless.
Fact: The film used real scientific theories to base its catastrophic events.


The Book of Eli (2010)
Description: In a post-apocalyptic world, Eli, a wanderer, encounters various groups living in makeshift shelters, reflecting themes of homelessness and survival.
Fact: The film was shot in New Mexico to capture the desolate, post-apocalyptic landscape.


The Hunger Games (2012)
Description: While not directly about homelessness, the districts in the film represent impoverished areas where living conditions are akin to homelessness.
Fact: The film's arena was inspired by the video game "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion."


Elysium (2013)
Description: In a future where the rich live on a space station, the poor, including the homeless, remain on an overpopulated, ruined Earth.
Fact: The film was shot in Mexico City to represent the dystopian Earth setting.


The Road (2009)
Description: This adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's novel shows a father and son traveling through a post-apocalyptic world, encountering others living in desperate conditions.
Fact: Viggo Mortensen lost significant weight to portray the emaciated father.
