10 Lesser Known Sci-Fi Movies That You Need To See
3. Hard To Be A God
Don't be put off by the fact that this film is in Russian. It can't be that hard a language to learn, right? Right?!
Released in 2013, Hard to Be a God has the interesting distinction of being a sci-fi movie and a medieval epic.
Set on the planet Arkanar, which is hundreds of years behind Earth in terms of technological advancement, a group of scientists are forced to choose between staying neutral or preventing the planet's tradition of executing intellectuals.
Directed by Aleksei German and starring Leonid Yarmolnik, two heavyweights of Russian cinema, the movie plays with some big ideas, including fascism and imperialism.
In a rare twist, Hard to Be a God performed better outside of its home nation. English-language critics absolutely loved it, thoroughly endorsing its depraved look at the darkest parts of human civilisation. It's even appeared in some publications' "Best of" lists for the entire 2010s.
If foreign language movies aren't usually your thing, then maybe this isn't the best place to start. However, once you've completed your 500 hours of Russian classes, then you're in for a real treat.