I’m a fan of all kinds of science fiction movies, including ones that are comedies or have comedy elements. I can’t really call these my favorite science fiction comedy films, in spite of this post’s title, because watching comedy depends on my mood at the time. That said, here are 10 notable (to me anyway) science fiction comedy movies. I noticed I don’t really like most films in this genre that appear on other people’s lists, such as “Men in Black” (1997), “Back to the Future” (1985), and “Guardians of the Galaxy” (2014).

1. Galaxy Quest (1999) – The story is about a has-been cast of a defunct Star Trek like television series called Galaxy Quest including Tim Allen as Captain Jason Nesmith, Sigourney Weaver, and Alan Rickman as a Spock-like alien. Real aliens believe the TV show was real and enlist the actors to help in a real war. Really. My clear favorite science fiction comedy. It has many memorably hilarious scenes but my favorite is Rickman’s “By Grabthar’s Hammer, what a savings.” If you like Star Trek, I bet you’ll find this movie wildly entertaining.

2. The Fifth Element (1997) – People tend to love this film or hate it. It’s one of my favorite movies in any category. Future cab driver Korben Dallas, played by Bruce Willis, runs into alien Leeloo who is the only one who can save the world. Brilliant costumes, sets, cinematography, story, and amazing special effects for the time. I love the tons of small details in every scene.

3. Ant-Man (2015) – I generally don’t like superhero movies but I like this movie a lot. It’s not a full on comedy but it has enough humor to qualify for my list. Petty thief Scott Lang, played by Paul Rudd, is coherced into helping a scientist played by Michael Douglas and his daughter played by Evangeline Lilly. They have to use a shrinking suit to steal a weaponized shrinking suit before it can be used for evil purposes.

4. The Absent-Minded Professor (1961) – Nerdy loser college professor Ned Brainard (Fred MacMurray) accidentally invents flubber — flying rubber. He uses it to help his woeful college’s basketball team, make an old Model T automobile fly, and eventually win the heart of his girlfriend. This Disney film was the first to have a sequel, “Son of Flubber” (1963).

5. Dude, Where’s My Car? (2000) – Lame best friends played by Ashon Kutcher and Seann William Scott can’t find their car. Things get out of control with aliens, strippers, UFO cultists, angry jocks, and more. In the end, the dimwits triumph and their girlfriends, Wanda and Wilma, get necklaces that have a very nice side effect.

6. Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988) – There are some very funny parts to this movie but some pretty scary parts too. The story is about, well, killer clown aliens. Very creative movie. The plot is so absurd that it somehow works. The movie was a box office flop when released but has become quite well known.

7. Idiocracy (2006) – A soldier (Joe, played by Luke Wilson) is placed in suspended animation as part of an experiment, along with Rita a prostitute. The experiment goes awry and Joe and Rita don’t wake up for 500 years. During that time, dumb people bred and multiplied while smart people slowly died out. The result is a future that is grotesquely stupid. Parts of the movie are somewhat uncomfortable to watch because the fictional stupidity in the movie sometimes is painfully close to reality.

8. Demolition Man (1993) – A policeman (John Spartan, played by Sylvestor Stallone) and an evil criminal (Phoenix, played by Wesley Snipes) are cryogenically frozen. They wake up 36 years later to a future where these is almost no crime. Supprting actors Rob Schneider and Sandra Bullock do a nice job. The movie is funny but also interesting in its depiction of the wussification of men in the future — and it brings to mind rather sad things like corporate training for men on “how to be a better man” or “how to avoid toxic masculinity”. My comment is that it’s not necessary to have corporate training on how to be polite and courteous.

9. Paul (2011) – Graeme Willy and Clive Gollings (played by Simon Pegg an Nick Frost) are British comic book geeks who come to the U.S. to attend the San Diego Comic-Con. They take a side trip in their big RV to the desert and meet an alien named Paul and a naive girl played by Kristen Wiig. They are chased by both villains and the FBI but it all works out in the end.

10. Abbott and Costello Go to Mars (1953) – Lester (Bud Abbott) and Orville (Lou Costello) stow away on a rocket ship headed to Mars but end up at the New Orleans Mardi Gras. After some adventures they take off in the rocket ship again, but this time end up on Venus (not Mars), a planet with only women. Queen Allura likes Orville but he can’t resist temptation. The boys end up back on earth. The Venusian women were played by contestants in the 1952 Miss Universe contest.

On another day, “Have Rocket, Will Travel” (1959) featuring the Three Stooges might have made it into my list. Among other adventures, they meet a talking unicorn.