The sci-fi genre has gifted viewers with scores of trippy concepts and visuals. Throughout its history, it has continued to push the boundaries of the natural world and challenge perceptions of what’s possible. Of course, this means that much of it is exceedingly weird, but that’s not a bad thing.
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Weird ideas are also the most unique. By definition, they’re unlike their peers, giving them a novelty which speaks to moviegoers in the long run. Those products stand out the most. These sci-fi stories may put off some viewers, but their ability to channel their quirks into a bold new whole has earned them a special place in viewers' memories.
8The Machine
This little gem came a year beforeEx Machinaand was sadly overshadowed, despite a similar premise. Granted, part of that comes down to its low budget. This limitation, in turn, leads to a few strange decisions from the filmmakers.
It mainly shows in how the film conveys its ideas. Audiences see the scientists cutting the newly-created android out of latex wrapping, and it later practices ballet in an empty military bunker with lens flares in the background. Caity Lotz’s performance as the titular machine is intentionally artificial and childlike, as if she’s imitating a human. Combined with the modest production and other cinematic quirks, it gives the movie an ethereal atmosphere. Ultimately, this proves effective in showingthe otherness of robotic life.
7Escape From The Planet Of The Apes
The thirdPlanet of the Apesentry flips the script. It takes the hyper-intelligent apes,Cornelius and Zira, and places them in then-modern human society. It sounds utterly ridiculous on paper. Thankfully, the filmmakers know that, as the tale has a tongue-in-cheek tone from the start. It’s fully aware of its silly premise, and it cleverly wears that premise with pride. What’s more, stars Roddy McDowall and Kim Hunter have the charisma to pull it off.
At the same time, the film doesn’t forget the pathos inherent inPlanet of the Apes. It delivers biting social commentary amid moments of genuine gravitas. The piece is a tricky balancing act, butEscape from the Planet of the Apessomehow makes it all work.
6Star Trek 4: The Voyage Home
Similar toEscape from the Planet of the Apes, the fourthStar Trekfilm plops its otherworldly characters onto contemporary Earth. The original series had dealt with time travel and occasionally stranded its heroes in old-time human settings. That was largely due to budget, though.
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The movies had always felt bigger, so taking that big-screen approach to a small-screen adventure seems like a waste. However, it succeeds through its off-kilter charm, courtesy of the sharp script and confident direction from Leonard Nimoy. All the characters get ample time to shine, navigating ’80s San Francisco as they try to complete their mission. What’s more, each of these subplots are equally amusing. Throw in a wacky plot about saving whales to thwart a giant space anomaly, and the result is a journey that harkens back toStar Trek’s weird roots in the best way.
5Total Recall
This movie comes from the mind of Phillip K. Dick, so its place here shouldn’t be surprising. Even with that origin,Total Recalldoesn’t disappoint. At the center is a thrilling fugitive plot where Douglas Quaid’s life is unveiled as a lie, thrusting him into a fight for survival. That’s not the weird part, though.
The true strangeness comes from the world (or worlds). Earth and Mars are filled with bizarre visuals, from the mains character yanking a tracker out of his nose to a three-breasted woman propositioning him for sex. This threatens to fall into the Tim Burton or Terry Gilliam trap: being weird for the sake of being weird. But it avoids that pitfall. On the contrary, viewers easily accept it as part ofa campy Schwarzenegger flick, albeit one with more to say about what’s real and what’s not.
4Godzilla: Final Wars
SomeGodzillaflicks lean more into sci-fi than others, and plenty of them are cheesy fun as a result. That said,Final Warsgoes further than any before it. It’s a nonstop action extravaganza that never lets up for a second.
This movie throws everything at the wall. On top ofthe usual kaiju clashes(which themselves are more plentiful), the film also hasPower Rangers-style martial arts brawls, space and laser battles straight out ofStar Wars, and a peppering ofMatrixspeed for good measure. It takes these disparate elements and chuck them into a blender with utter abandon. Rarely is something not catching the viewer’s attention, and the filmmakers don’t expect them to take it the least bit seriously. In short,Godzilla: Final Warsis mindless entertainment. There’s nothing wrong with that.
3Ghost In The Shell
Like many sci-fi stories,Ghost in the Shellsports some thoughtful ideas. It poses questions about the role that experiences and memories have on reality and one’s sense of being. Such existential themesmake the original film an uncomfortable watch amid a slew of sequels.
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The presentation enhances that sensation. Its muted-yet-complex colors work in tandem with the dry delivery to craft an unnerving narrative. Most impactful of all, though, is the eerily exotic soundtrack. None of these are what audiences expect from a futuristic setting. That uncanniness helps this anime flick stand out from the pack.
2TRON
This experiment wouldn’t be possible without the advanced technology both behind and in front of the camera. Through revolutionary digital effects and a distinct visual style,TRONtakes viewers into a sprawling virtual world. It’s an exciting yet dangerous place rife with picturesque locales, light cycle battles, and disc duels. These draws should make it a widely-accessible blockbuster, right?
Unfortunately, that’s not the case. The script is rooted in computer jargon, and the characters are merely manifestations of that. The technical terminology and methodical pace might drive some people off. However, these factorsgiveTRONits own identity among other sci-fi flicks, especially since it’s one of the few tales to portray AI programs as benevolent and capable of human connection. The resulting cult following continues to this day.
1Back To The Future: Part 3
From the minute the time-traveling DeLorean rolled onscreen inthis quirky series, audiences wanted to see what the future had in store. The second film granted that wish, but the finale goes for something totally unexpected: sending Doc and Marty back to the Old West. Robbed of modern conveniences, they must scramble their meager resources and rely on their ingenuity to get home. The filmmakers use that premise to its fullest.
While the previous entry got mean-spirited at points,Back to the Future: Part 3regains the enjoyment that fans fell in love with. It accomplishes this not only through the enduring and energetic friendship of its heroes, but also through its genre-bending antics. The movie plays with several archetypes typical of a western, throwing them on their head when put against the futuristic sensibilities of the characters. The only exception is Clara. Giving Doc a romantic storyline is an odd direction, but the ensuing relationship is infectiously cute. It benefits from both the characters' endearing chemistry and the delightful addition of actress Mary Steenburgen. In the end, this epitomizes the movie’s greatest strength: giving fans what they didn’t know they wanted,making it arguably the best in the trilogy.
