8 Movies From 2013 That Completely Went Over Audiences' Heads

6. Upstream Color

The most enigmatic and confusing film of 2013, Upstream Color went over the heads of more than just audiences. Even the smartest and most insightful viewers had trouble deciphering Shane Carruth's sophomore directorial effort, one of the most head-scratching movies in recent memory. The plot is much too complex to delve into much detail here, but it's fair to assume that the reason it wasn't more popular and well marketed was because no one really knew how to explain it without writing a dissertation. While it has been acclaimed at film festivals for its inventiveness, cinematography, and acting, it has made less than 500,000 dollars at the box office and never saw a release of more than 43 theaters. Right now it's hard to tell how Upstream Color will be remembered in coming years. Few people have seen it and even fewer people have understood it, but it seems a good bet to become something of a cult classic. Maybe after a few viewings, Upstream Color will either become clearer and be appreciated as a lost gem, or be confirmed as simply incomprehensible. Either way, Upstream Color is definitely an intriguing film that completely went over most people's heads.