20 Movies Every Nerd Must See Before They Die

17. Primer (2004)

The less said about Shane Carruth's impenetrable sci-fi drama the better, but given how little this movie panders to the audience, you might find yourself none the wiser when the closing credits roll. The basic premise is that four friends accidentally invent a device that could change the world forever. Carruth's movie is extremely low-budget and absolutely refuses to pander to its audience: technical dialogue isn't dumbed down, and characters don't reel off exposition to help the viewer understand what's going on, so a great deal of patience and concentration is required to get through it. That said, it's a superbly rewarding film for those prepared to immerse themselves in the dense dialogues: don't feel bad if you didn't get much of it on your first viewing though (or even your third or fourth), because it's a real noodle-baker.
Contributor
Contributor

Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.