10 Seriously Weird Sci-Fi Movies That Deserve Your Attention

Not every sci-fi movie can be like Star Wars, but sometimes the weird ones are fun to watch.

The City of Lost Children
Union Générale Cinématographique

Science fiction has been a major genre of motion pictures since the first years of the medium, and that means that there are tens of thousands of sci-fi movies most people alive today have never seen. To be fair, many weren't any good, and it wasn't until the past half-century that sci-fi established itself as a viable genre for the masses.

Movies like 2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Wars, and Blade Runner helped it along the way, but for every amazing sci-fi movie you've seen, there are tons you haven't, and some of them are seriously weird.

Just because a movie is described that way, that doesn't mean it's not any good, and if you have the time, you should sit down and expand your sci-fi knowledge by watching something you've never seen before.

Whether you missed it when it came to theaters, or it never managed to get beyond a straight-to-video release, there's a good chance you haven't seen everything on this list. These ten sci-fi clicks may be weird, but they deserve your attention, if only for a single viewing. The movies listed here are presented in no particular order, as they are all independently weird and otherwise incomparable to one another.

10. Dark City (1998)

The City of Lost Children
New Line Cinema

Dark City was released back in 1998, and it didn't receive a lot of attention while it was in theaters, which lead to a box office disappointment. When it moved over to home video, it found new life and quickly became a cult classic.

The film is as weird as it is brilliant, and it deserves a viewing or two if it escaped your attention when it was first released. Everything about the story leaves the viewer guessing, as the plot is confusing and difficult to follow, which suits the main character, who awakens with amnesia in a hotel room with a ritualistically murdered woman's body filling the room.

It's clear the man, whom we later learn is named John Murdoch, is the killer, but he has no memory of the crime and sets out to prove his innocence. Throughout this ordeal, he is hunted by enigmatic, pale bald men, who have strange powers and the ability to alter the world to suit their needs.

Over time, John acquires the same powers, and the film throws a curveball at the audience (and the characters) by changing the entire setting and story in a single scene. Describing it further would give away the twist, and that would be a disservice to anyone who has yet to see this incredibly unusual and amazing film.

Contributor
Contributor

Jonathan is a graphic artist, illustrator, writer, and game designer. Jonathan retired from the U.S. Army in 2017 and enjoys researching and writing about history, science, theology, and many other subjects. He writes for ScreenRant, CBR, NerdBastards, Listverse, Ranker, WhatCulture, and many other sites online. You can check out his latest on Twitter: @TalkingBull or on his blog: jonathanhkantor.com