PREDESTINATION (2014)

Predestination, an ambitious film filled with twists and turns from The Spierig Brothers, is one of those films that will have you thinking about it for days after you watch it. This hidden gem is adapted from Robert Heinlein's short story “—All You Zombies—,” and is probably the film I recommend to people the most if they are looking for a mind-blowing film. Plus, a star was born in the making of this film with Sarah Snook, who delivers a fucking phenomenal performance. In hindsight, it’s such a daring film that wasn’t afraid to execute something wild.  

I honestly can’t explain much about Predestination without giving away key details, so here is the simplest plot synopsis I can give: it follows a temporal agent who must pursue the one criminal that has eluded him throughout time. Sounds simple, right? Well, I promise you it’s probably one of the most original and thought-provoking movies I’ve ever seen. The joy of this film is in watching it all unfold, so buckle up! Get ready for this time-traveling sci-fi action thriller to blow your mind. 

COHERENCE (2013)

If you want to watch an anxiety-ridden psychological film, then this movie is for you. Coherence is mind-boggling and unsettling mostly because it feels so natural and real, but, at the same time, so bizarre that you’ll be thinking “WTF is happening here?!” It truly feels like you’re stuck in The Twilight Zone in the most intense way possible, and by the end, it will leave you feeling disconnected from reality. Sci-fi thrillers just do “weird” the right way, and this film certainly delivers by leaving you paranoid. 

This atmospheric mystery follows a group of eight friends at a dinner party on the night of a comet passing over. Strange things begin to unfold as the group experiences a troubling chain of events due to the influence of a passing comet. This low-budget indie is extremely clever and compelling, and I highly recommend not watching this film while stoned.  

SWISS ARMY MAN (2016)

Corpse and man become best friends…weird, right? The thing is… this film is actually kind of beautiful and heartbreaking all at the same time. Directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (aka Daniels), who just won Best Director for Everything Everywhere All at Once, they manage to use tragedy and humor much like they did in EEAAO to explore deeper aspects of the human experience within ourselves and others. We have all felt lonely in life, and this film brings a fresh take on loneliness. It’s genuinely something special, no matter how offbeat it is, and Swiss Army Man will have you laughing and/or crying throughout. 

Swiss Army Man follows Hank (Paul Dano), a hopeless man stranded on a deserted island who finds and befriends a dead body (Daniel Radcliffe) that has washed ashore. Together they go on a surreal journey of survival as they try to make their way home. 

VIVARIUM (2019)

Man, the level of weirdness in this film is off the charts. Hints of it feel like a Stanley Kubrick movie, but it’s also a modern-day satire on society's expectations and the commercialized ideas of happiness. Vivarium is such a uniquely bold indie film that it truly taps into the fear and desire of settling down into a suburban lifestyle.

This oddity follows a young couple (Jesse Eisenberg and Imogen Poots) looking for the perfect starter home when they meet a strange realtor who takes them to a mysterious housing development. The couple find themselves trapped in a mysterious labyrinthine neighborhood of identical houses and the seemingly endless nightmare maze of life. Will they find their forever home and live happily ever after? Watch the film to find out! 

THE LOBSTER (2015)

Director Yorgos Lanthimos is known for strange and obscure films, and The Lobster is probably the strangest in his filmography. It’s definitely an acquired taste, but it has a few solid themes that are very relatable, including an exploration of the pressures of conformity and the absurdity of dating in the modern era. You can’t go wrong checking out The Lobster, which stars Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz displaying some awkward energy with their performances. 

This dark comedy is set in a dystopian society where being single is illegal. It follows David (Farrell), a man who has 45 days to find a romantic partner. If he doesn’t, he will be turned into an animal of his choosing: a lobster, hence the title of the film. 

THE INVITATION (2015)

Directed by the fierce Karyn Kusama, The Invitation is a must watch for all you suspense seekers out there. The tension is crafted so beautifully throughout this film that I promise you it will have your mind racing, making you feel claustrophobic in your own thoughts. While the film has a really weird premise, it’s truly one of the best thrillers I’ve seen in some time. I’m not going to lie, it honestly made me feel like I was going insane, just like our main character, played by Tom Hardy look-alike, Logan Marshall-Green. It will have you on edge throughout.

The Invitation follows a man (Marshall-Green) who, out of the blue, receives an invitation to a dinner party hosted by his ex-wife. As one does, he accepts, and through returning to his old home, their unsettling past reopens old wounds and creates new tensions as things just don’t seem right. I mean, just imagine throwing yourself into this weird, weird situation. Would you accept the invite from your ex, or would you decline? Either way, accept your invite to watch this flick ASAP! 

CREEP (2015)

Creep is a must watch for all you weirdos out there. It also happens to be, in my eyes, one of the best Blumhouse films to date, and that is all due to Mark Duplass' wacky performance as Josef. Duplass manages to make all the hair on your arms stand up because of just how creepy he is in this movie. While it’s a disturbing found-footage, psychological thriller, it somehow manages to throw in some humor here and there. The perfect comparison for this flick is The Blair Witch Project meets The Office, and it’s a little indie-minded horror film that is extremely underappreciated. It deserves more love no matter how weird it is.

Here's a synopsis: a videographer answers a Craigslist ad to record a dying man’s messages to his unborn son, but the job begins to take a strange turn when the messages get odder and darker. Plus, after giving this one a watch, you can watch the sequel, Creep 2. 

COLOSSAL (2016)

Who would’ve thought that one of Anne Hathaway’s best performances would be in an underseen movie about her turning into a kaiju. The film we’re talking about here is Colossal, which is a clever and refreshing take on a monster movie. While this indie sci-fi dramedy has such an outrageous concept, it somehow manages to be quite amusing and surprisingly deep too. Overall, although it is a monster movie in the forefront of its heart, it’s about a woman desperately trying to gain control of her life.

Colossal follows Gloria (Hathaway), an out-of-work party girl forced to leave her life in New York City and move back home. When sudden reports surface that a giant creature is destroying Seoul, she slowly but surely comes to the realization that she is somehow connected to the phenomenon. I’m telling you, for being such a strange creature flick, Colossal will sell you on its sheer destruction, as well as the emotional beats that Hathaway brings to the table for her character. 

SORRY TO BOTHER YOU (2018)

This film has got to be one of the most bonkers and bizarre movies I’ve ever seen. Sorry to Bother You marks the directorial debut of Boots Riley, who delivers an ambitious AF film. While it’s most definitely weird, it’s also a brilliant social satire on race, class, and corporate greed. This outlandish dark comedy has a very unique voice, and it is one to go into not knowing much about. Along with its refreshing approach, it also has stellar performances from the entire cast, especially from our lead, LaKeith Stanfield. 

The movie is set in an alternate present-day version of Oakland, where young telemarketer Cassius Green (Stanfield) discovers a magical key to professional success. This ammunition propels him into a universe of greed and corporate conspiracy, which pretty much makes it the woke version of Office Space.