"Blade Runner" (1982): Starring Harrison Ford in a dystopian Los Angeles in 2019, the film's plot centers special forces known as "blade runners" whose duty is to kill escaped genetically manufactured beings known as replicants, who are used for dangerous work and are hiding in the city. ( )
"The Fifth Element" (1997): Set in the 23rd century, the film, like so many in it's genre, focuses on the race to save humanity. A taxi driver, played by Bruce Willis, is forced into the responsibility of saving the world after a young woman named Leeloo (Milla Jovovich) falls into his flying taxi. The futuristic images were designed by French comic-book createors Jean Giraud and Jean-Claude Mezieres and costumes were done by famed designer Jean-Paul Gaultier. ( )
"Terminator" (1984): Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as a cyborg assassin who has returned to 1984 from 2029 with the intention to exterminate the human race. The 2029 depiction of Los Angeles is a devastated one, where nuclear war has ravaged the quality of life and machines control the world. ( )
"Demolition Man" (1993): Starring Slyvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes -- two of the biggest action heroes of their day -- the film takes place in 2032, where a crime lord and a police officer who have been cryogenically frozen since 1996 face off in a fascist, corrupt Los Angeles. ( )
'Metropolis' (1927): This silent film by Fritz Lang depicts a depressing view of an urban dystopia set in 2026 and examines the struggle between classes. It's famous posters and imagery endure today, as well as several versions of the film. ( )