Netflix's “Uglies” may have snatched the No 1 spot as soon as it landed on streaming, but unfortunately for many viewers (myself included), it lived up to its name Based on a popular novel, the film explores a fascinating dystopian world where beauty comes at a price, but its execution leaves much to be desired

“Uglies” is set in a futuristic society where everyone undergoes forced cosmetic surgery at age 16 to become “beautiful The protagonist, Tally Youngblood (Joey King), is on the verge of a transformation when she discovers a rebellious group who refuse plastic surgery and choose to remain “ugly As Tally learns more about this mysterious group, she begins to question society's values and her role within them

Fortunately, if you're looking for a better alternative to diving into the dystopian science fiction genre, we've got you covered Here are five of the best (but better) movies like “Uglies” available on the best streaming services

We had to start this list with one of the best dystopian films The Hunger Games takes place in a futuristic society called Panem, where the Capitol controls 12 districts Each year, two “tributes” from each district are forced to participate in the Hunger Games, a televised fight to the death Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), who volunteers on behalf of her sister, becomes a symbol of rebellion against the oppression of the Capitol

Whereas “Uglies” focuses on physical transformation and beauty, “Hunger Games” centers on survival and political resistance Still, both explore how oppressive societies manipulate and control individuals It is also highly recommended to watch the entire “Hunger Games” series

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For something a little more serious and harrowing, you can stream “What Happened Monday While not a young adult film, it delves deeply into the dystopian science fiction genre

The story takes place in a future where overpopulation and resource shortages have led to a strict one-child policy Seven identical sisters, played by Noomi Rapace, live in hiding, pretending to be one person in public Each sister is named after a day of the week and leaves the house only on designated days When the sister named Monday disappears, the other sisters must solve the mystery while keeping their existence a secret

While “What Happened to Monday” leans more toward action and thriller, “Uglies” is more world-building than action

Watch on Netflix

“Ready Player One” focuses on a dystopian future where most people escape harsh reality by entering the OASIS, a vast virtual reality universe The film follows teenager Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan) on a journey to find an Easter egg hidden in the OASIS by its creator, James Halliday (Mark Rylance) Whoever finds the egg will gain control of OASIS and its wealth Wade faces dangerous competitors and corporate forces that seek to take control of the virtual world for their own gain

Of course, if you've seen “Uglies,” you know that people undergo surgery to conform to society's standards of beauty In “Ready Player One,” on the other hand, people flee to the OASIS to reconstruct their identities and experience an idealized world Both stories specifically emphasize the tension between the real and the artificial

Watch on Hulu

“Don't Let Me Go” is a dystopian drama based on a novel by Kazuo Ishiguro The story takes place in an alternate world where humans clone their children in order to harvest their organs for medical purposes Three friends, Kathy (Carey Mulligan), Tommy (Andrew Garfield), and Ruth (Keira Knightley), who grew up in a seemingly idyllic boarding school, have no idea that they are clones destined to be donated organs

In “Never Let Me Go,” clones are grown to donate their organs, and in “Uglies,” people undergo forced surgery to conform to society's standards of beauty Both films raise questions about identity, humanity, and the loss of personal freedom However, I recommend watching the former instead (obviously)

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“The Maze Runner” tells the story of a teenage boy named Thomas (Dylan O'Brien) Greedo is surrounded by a huge, ever-changing maze where a ferocious creature called Griever roams The boys, who also have no memory of the past, live in the Glade and form a small community

The boys work together to find a way out of the maze, but this requires them to navigate the maze during the day when the doors are open Each night, the maze changes, and no one who enters can survive Like “Uglies,” this film is set in a society bound by strict rules However, “The Maze Runner” is much more interesting and the two sequels that follow are well worth seeing

Buy or rent on Amazon