Top 10 Sci-Fi Movies No One Really Gets

Between installments in his influential “Dark Knight” trilogy, filmmaker Christopher Nolan told one of the most compelling original stories to hit the big screen in years. This reality-bending sci-fi action drama is not only a feat of both practical and visual effects, but also extremely tightly crafted. Led by Leonardo DiCaprio, the ensemble film follows a group of thieves who enter dreams in order to steal or implant information. As the characters dive ever deeper into sublevels of shared dreams, however, it's easy to lose track of reality - and the concept of limbo only further complicates things. Then there’s that ambiguous ending, which has generated endless discussion. And then he threw us yet another mind-melter with 2014’s “Interstellar!”

Based on a 2014 novel by the same name, “Annihilation” is the sort of film that you watch, discuss, rewatch… and then watch again. And even then, you’re probably going to want to look up some professional analysis to unpack what’s going on. The film follows a group of women, each experts in their respective fields, as they venture into “The Shimmer” - a mysterious quarantined area of coastal land characterized by strange events following a meteor impact. Filmmaker Alex Garland brings this surreal environment to life in beautiful fashion, but explains very little about how it works. Add to that the nonlinear storytelling and the fact that the Shimmer affects people’s memory, and it all makes one seriously perplexing viewing experience.

There’s two ways you can approach time travel in cinema. Either you come up with a streamlined theory for how it works within your world and you spell it out for the audience, or you lean into its complexities and embrace its inherently brain-busting qualities. “Predestination” falls squarely into the latter category. Starring Ethan Hawke, it tells the story of an unnamed temporal agent who embarks on various journeys throughout time in an attempt to thwart a bombing. A dense sci-fi thriller, “Predestination” is just over an hour and a half long, but it crams an insane amount of twists, turns, and reveals into that runtime. You might want to have a notepad handy for this one.

The 2002 American version of this film is certainly worth checking out. But if you’re looking to experience the uncomfortable madness of “Solaris” in all its glory, you’ve got to go back to the 1972 adaptation of Stanisław Lem’s novel. Made by Russian filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky, “Solaris” is a heady journey into outer space that’s more interested in questions of the mind than technology. When the crew of a space station orbiting the planet of Solaris begin experiencing hallucinations, a psychologist is sent to help. Upon arriving, however, he soon begins to succumb to strange visions of his own. The film packs a serious emotional punch and serves as both an inquiry into the human psyche, and a test of its fortitude.

After the runaway success of their 1999 film, “The Matrix”, the Wachowskis were heralded as the next great sci-fi auteurs. Unfortunately, beyond the trilogy that launched their careers, they’ve rarely managed to recapture that magic. If, however, there’s one other movie in their filmography that feels comparable in terms of both ambition and complexity, it’s “Cloud Atlas.” Based on the 2004 novel and co-directed with Tom Tykwer, this sci-fi epic traces the implications of our actions as they ripple throughout time. But with the ensemble cast playing up to 6 roles apiece across the various time periods, the film’s emotional core can easily get lost. Like so many similarly complex sci-fi films, “Cloud Atlas” polarized critics.

When the source material is as mind-bogglingly confusing and experimental as William S. Burroughs’ 1959 novel, well… any adaptation that was easy to follow wouldn’t be a very good one! Though a box office flop, David Cronenberg’s cinematic reimagining of this twisted tale earned itself a long list of awards - and a devoted cult following. The plot, for those interested, follows an exterminator on an increasingly deranged adventure after he’s poisoned by his wife, resulting in severe hallucinations. The entire thing plays out like a fever dream and is the sort of film that asks its audience to just come along for the ride. Given all the overtly uncomfortable imagery in this film, that can feel like a pretty tall order at times.

Like we said when talking about “Predestination,” time travel films tend to be fairly complex and hard-to-follow by nature. But whereas the latter film is challenging as a result of its many moving parts, “Primer” is actually a rather small story. The time travel occurs within a relatively short period of time and is mostly limited to a suburban garage. What makes “Primer” so freaking complicated and difficult to understand is, rather, filmmaker Shane Carruth’s commitment to making the time travel as scientifically founded and realistic as possible. For this reason, the film is held on a pedestal - one so high that few people can actually fully appreciate it. Carruth’s 2013 follow-up, “Upstream Color,” is no easier to digest.

Before blowing away critics and cinemagoers alike with the “The Wrestler” and “Black Swan,” Darren Aronofsky first befuddled audiences with this 2006 film. An epic romantic drama spanning space, time, and reality, “The Fountain” seemingly goes out of its way to be complicated. It tells three overlapping stories of doomed romance, with Rachel Weisz and Hugh Jackman as lovers drawn together and torn apart across time. It’s also a contemplation of mortality and an investigation of how far people will go to cheat death. But when you add a-chronological narration into the mix, and some seriously trippy visuals, well… it’s little wonder that the film scared away its audience.

Though well-received by critics, “Donnie Darko” was initially dismissed by many moviegoers as superficial, self-indulgent teen fare because its release coincided with the rise of emo music. But with time, Richard Kelly’s dark psychological thriller has come to be recognized for what it always was - an extremely intelligent film boasting a staggeringly good performance from a young Jake Gyllenhaal. Tackling issues of mental health, the pressures of adolescence, and time travel in one emotionally-charged story, “Donnie Darko” is an extremely ambitious film - especially for a directorial debut. Despite the odds, it largely succeeds, even if its complexities means it loses most viewers along the way. Kelly’s follow-up film, “Southland Tales,” is notably less successful, but rivals “Donnie Darko” in terms of the confusion it inspires.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

“Under the Skin” (2013)
Little Is Explained in This Moody Film, Leaving the Meaning Totally Open to Interpretation

“The Quiet Earth”(1985)
Time & Space, Life & Death… This Ending Will Leave You Scratching Your Head

“The Man Who Fell to Earth” (1976)
This Surreal Sci-Fi Flick Is Weird Like Only the Incomparable David Bowie Could Make It

“Mr. Nobody” (2009)
A Nonlinear Story About a Life Lived Across a Multiverse. Confused? Us Too!

“Cube” (1997)
A Canadian Precursor to the “Saw” Franchise, But More Cerebral & Paranoia-Inducing

Its reign has lasted over a half-century to date. No other sci-fi film befuddles quite like “2001: A Space Odyssey” - not even its own sequel. Amongst sci-fi filmmakers, it’s probably the single most widely cited influence, but try as they might, the disciples of Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 masterpiece can’t seem to put together a film quite as compellingly ambiguous. The movie follows a space mission to Jupiter prompted by the discovery of an ancient alien artifact, but the plot almost feels secondary. Across its 142 minute runtime, “2001” addresses a myriad of themes, including evolution, A.I., and existentialism while offering up some seriously trippy visuals. When it finally draws to a close, it’s with an ending that people are still unpacking and analyzing today.