SPIRITS OF THE AIR, GREMLINS OF THE CLOUDS

1987 • Live Action • Sci-fi

I watched this one after finding it through Ughbees' website, and oh my god am I glad I did. It's the exact type of cool random lesser-known movie that I crave to find more of. Made in Australia shortly after the release of Mad Max 3, there's an undeniable inspiration seen in the post-apocalyptic setting of this movie. Hell, I would argue that this movie's visuals influenced Fury Road just as much as Mad Max influenced this movie. It's about two middle-of-nowhere weirdo siblings trying to help a random stranger build a flying machine so that he can escape the killers that pursue him. The story never gets much more complex than this, I would say the writing is fairly simple overall, but the art direction and soundtrack really elevate the movie. I also personally like how it never gets overly dark or disturbing. A really cool movie that definitely deserves more attention.

THE ANIMATRIX

2003 • Animated • Sci-fi, Anthology

A miniseries rather than a movie, but it's short enough to watch in one sitting. I've only seen the first Matrix movie, not a diehard fan or anything. But I decided to check out Animatrix anyways because I'm a big sucker for animated anthologies, and I just happened to stumble across the DVD for it in a local video store. So I watched it, and honestly, I was blown away. Awesome animation, beloved early 2000s vibes, amazing techno soundtrack. I loved it so much. Also was nice to see studios that I recognized in the credits, like Studio 4C, who made my favorite episode as well as Tekkonkinkreet, one of my favorite movies. And Square animated the first episode, you can see a bit of that Final Fantasy DNA in the environment art. If you have any passing interest in sci-fi at all, check this shit out, it's GOATed. My episode ranking: 1. Beyond, 2. A Detective Story, 3. Matriculated, 4. Program, 5. Kid's Story, 6. World Record, 7. Second Renaissance Part II, 8. Second Renaissance Part I, 9. Final Flight of the Osiris

PERFECT BLUE

1997 • Animated • Psychological Thriller

Another highly praised anime, this time I think it really did live up to its reputation. The animation quality in Satoshi Kon's movies is always incredible, I love all these super high-quality, critically acclaimed anime movies from around this time. One thing that stuck out to me about this film was how the "obfuscation of reality" that happens during its story sorta mirrors the same thing that Cronenberg was going for in the films of his that I have watched so far. I've also seen Pararnoia Agent and Paprika in the past, so I assume this theme must be as common for Satoshi Kon as it is for Cronenberg. I think it's actually the first time I re-watched a movie first before putting it on this list since it seemed like it really benefited from a second viewing. But the rewatch just made me ask more questions. I like that aspect of the movie though, it doesn't feel deliberately convoluted, just like it's a hazy story that you have to try to decode. It's a great film that you'll probably watch over and over again.

SPEED RACER

2008 • Live Action • Action

An absolutely unhinged movie that feels like it was pulled from the same feverish hell-dimension that Spy Kids originated from. Except it's directed by the Wachowskis, the same people who created the Matrix. It's crazy how this movie manages to blend absolutely insane visuals and concepts with a coherent storyline that genuinely gripped me. It's like Hot Wheels on salvia, I love it, I want more fun sci-fi racing movies like this. I legit recommend this to anyone who has a tolerance for crazy, unusual, and cheezy movies.

NOPE

2022 • Live Action • Horror

An incredible movie that blends so many different inspirations into a cohesive and smart final product. It deserves all the praise it gets. Novel, intriguing, fun, but also really fucking disturbing when it wants to be. And also has some great imagery in it. Obviously the main appeal of this movie is the "Jean Jacket" monster that has been spoiled for many of the terminally online, myself included. But even with that surprise ruined, the movie is phenomenal on its own. Additionally, I think that that one random dude that showed up on the motorcylce near the end of the movie had a really badass helmet design, he wasn't around for long but he looked cool.

THE FLY

1986 • Live Action • Sci-fi, Horror

A remake of an older 1950s movie, and despite the fact that it's about a man gorily transforming into a fly, I still consider it to be the most accessible/normal Cronenberg movie that I've seen so far. It's more of a standard fare 80s body horror movie than, say, Videodrome, which he directed just 3 years prior. I haven't seen the original movie, and I know some people like that one more, but on its own this own was really well done - the practical effects being an obvious strong point. And I'm not sure if it was intentional or not but the story felt like a clear and grim allegory for what it's like to lose someone to substance addiction. People online say that's not what it's about but, y'know, death of the author and all that.

OFFICE SPACE

1999 • Live Action • Comedy

A great and well-known comedy movie about the mundane hell that is office life. Written and directed by Mike Judge, who also did King of the Hill and Beavis and Butthead, this movie is a great example of Judge's style of satirical comedy. It's more than a comedy, it's a venting of the pent-up frustation caused by working in a bullshit white collar job. As a result of this, it's super relatable and cathartic for anyone who's had to deal with that line of work before. Sort of tapping into a similar vein as Clerks did. I liked it a lot, most adult comedies are a little too trashy for my taste, but this one was really great.

THE CORE

2003 • Live Action • Sci-fi, Disaster

Sometimes you just feel like watching a cheesy early 2000s action movie. This one fits that bill, with tropey writing and poorly aged CGI. But it also has a really cool premise that drew my attention to it in the first place. The Earth's core has stopped spinning, and everything on the surface is going haywire because of it, so some random dudes gotta drill down to the center of the planet to restart the core (by nuking it, of course). Personally, I love any sort of sci-fi mining media, like Lego Rock Raiders or Raw Metal, I feel like it's a cool setting that deserves more exploration. So that alone was enough to make me enjoy this movie, really it's the sort of thing you go into with a few beers and don't take too seriously. The idea of "people going on a treacherous voyage in a state-of-the-art vessel" also hearkens back to stories like 20 000 Leagues Under the Sea or Flight of the Navigator, which made it feel more fantastical/whimisical to me. It's a fun movie, I might watch it again some time.

NAKED LUNCH

1992 • Live Action • Drama, Crime

One of the strangest movies I have ever watched, it really feels hard to classify into any specific genre. It gives off the same feeling as a delirious dream brought on by heatstroke in the height of summer. A confusing mess of drugs, hallucinations, sex, murder, and bugs. Lots of bugs. It really got its hooks into me though, after I watched it, I returned it to the store I rented it from, but then I couldn't stop thinking about it. Almost every day for the next few months, the movie popped back into my mind. I don't know why, it just stuck with me. And then CM Kosemen made a YouTube video going over the original book which the film was (loosely) adapted from. And now I want to find and read the book too. I know that I could just look up a PDF online, but it hits different when you hunt physical media down in real life. Anyways, for whatever reason, this movie is living in my head rent free now, much like the cockroaches that lived in the walls of my last apartment. Damn bugs.

THE BRUTALIST

2024 • Live Action • Drama

I am very embarassed to admit that I watched this entire long-ass movie under the assumption that it was a biopic based on a true story, sort of like Oppenheimer. Everything that happened in the movie, I found myself asking "how accurate is this to the real thing?". I remember feeling excited to look up information about the structure that was being built throughout the film after the movie was over. That's how I found out that this was a work of fiction, by googling a building that doesn't exist. So, I guess I have to give the film credit for being written in a way that felt very believable. But that's not what the purpose of the movie was, is it? It was a movie meant to delve into the drama surrounding a construction project gone off the rails, inspired by real-world history. And at that, it certainly succeeds. But I'm still sad that that underground room with the pillars and the water isn't real. That would've been a cool place to visit.

THE SUBSTANCE

2024 • Live Action • Horror

I wasn't planning on seeing this movie originally, but I heard so much praise for it that I figured I'd see what all the fuss was about. I went into it having never seen a single second of footage, I only knew the basic premise of the film. I was immediately surprised (pleasantly) by the crazy editing style of the movie. Bright, saturated colors and super quick cuts all the time, shots rarely last more than a few seconds. And an overall frantic tone. The whole movie, even in calm scenes where nothing bad is happening, all feels like a panic attack. And then there's all the body horror stuff, handled very well and it felt very novel. The practical makeup effects were great. And it's not just a spectacle, the whole movie explores the uncomfortable truth about how our appearance shapes our life experience - a theme that anyone can relate too. This really is an all-timer, it's unhinged and smart and I totally understand the hype surrounding it. I think this will be seen as a classic for years to come.

THE LIGHTHOUSE

2019 • Live Action • Thriller

My only prior knowledge of this movie was that it was about two lighthouse keepers slowly going insane, and of course the famous "HAAAARK!" scene. While I really liked the movie overall, for some reason the thing that caught me off guard the most was how, I guess, gross it was? All the farting and poop imagery and cum and puke and whatnot. For some reason I didn't expect all that. Now it's the first thing I think of when I remember the movie, it was nasty. But if you look past that, of course, you get all the great stuff that everybody always talks about whenever the movie is brought up online. It's a genuinely inspired piece of media, drawing from strong historic and folkloric roots, presented in a cool style, and with great acting and writing. I get why people hold this film so highly now. I feel like I need to rewatch it, there were a lot of moments that felt left up to interpretation, maybe I can figure out what was really going on if I watch it again.

EXISTENZ

1999 • Live Action • Sci-Fi

This really was a spiritual successor to Videodrome, and not just because it had weird fleshy technology in it. Both of the movies were about how technology can obfuscate reality and start to make you question if anything you're seeing is even real. Which, uh, is more relevant today than ever before. Between this one and Videodrome, I think I liked this one more. It just felt more creative and weird, and you know me, I love weird imagery in film. The 90s videogame theming was cool too.

STALKER

1979 • Live Action • Sci-Fi, Drama

I had heard a lot about this movie and knew that it was considered to be 'one of the greats' by many people. And I have to agree. Watching it was quite an experience for me, I don't think I've felt this way watching any other movie. It was sort of meditative, the slow pace and quiet tone kind of lulled me into a certain state of mind, a state of mind that allowed me to really soak in the thoughts and ideas spoken by the characters. And I loved the sort of "urban exploration" aspect of the movie too, it was kind of like watching a Proper People video with a plot. Really amazing movie, but maybe not the most accessible, some people probably wouldn't be able to tolerate the slow pace or the vague nature of some scenes.

CLERKS

1994 • Live Action • Comedy

A crude comedy movie about being stuck working at a convenience store. I myself spent a good few years stuck in a cashier position so I rented this movie expecting it to tap into that same feeling of frustration you feel when you're stuck at one of those shitty jobs. And while the comedy elements took the front seat, Clerks still did explore that sort of frustration. I mean, it was made by somebody who worked at a convenience store. And filmed at the store he worked at, and produced using his own pocket money. So it was really coming from somewhere real. I know there's a ton more movies in this series, but I don't really care to watch them, they seem like stereotypical early 2000s adult comedies. There's something about Clerks that just seems more raw. It's, like, angsty or something. I liked it.

VIVARIUM

2019 • Live Action • Horror

This movie is about a young couple looking to buy their first house. On their way to see a showhome, they end up in a very strange suburban area where all the houses are identical and their real estate agent is acting so strangely one might wonder if he's even human. Soon the real estate agent disappears and they realize they're trapped there, not able to escape no matter how far they drive. And then a baby shows up in a box on their doorstep, with instructions printed on it saying "raise the child and you will be released". It's a very surreal setup and the movie really drew me in. I was surprised to see most reviews for it online were mixed or negative, I thought it was pretty great. Aside from some pacing issues, I didn't have any major problems with it. Though I did find the ending to be really depressing, I still feel kind of sad when I think of it and that doesn't happen for me with most movies. It's a creative sci-fi horror movie with a dark story and I recommend it.

GHOST IN THE SHELL

1995 • Animated • Sci-fi

I'll admit I had pretty high expectations going in to this one, after all people treat it like it's one of the best animes of all time. I definitely enjoyed it, but it also didn't quite reach the lofty heights I thought it would. The ending especially felt very abrupt, and I know there's a lot more Ghost in the Shell movies and series, so I'm assuming this movie was just trying to set up the beginning of the story more than anything. They still coulda wrapped it up a bit more neatly I think. Aside from that, though, the vibes of this movie are great. My favorite parts were the sort of interlude scenes where it was just a bunch of long shots of different parts of the city with that fantastic OST playing overtop. Those scenes alone really sell the movie for me. Not sure if I'll check out the rest of this series, but maybe one day.

EVENT HORIZON

1997 • Live Action • Horror, Sci-fi

I already knew this movie's main twist long before I ever planned on watching it, but that didn't detract from my enjoyment at all. The art direction is really good, on par with the first Alien, and of course the premise of the movie is super cool and inspiring. Two things I didn't like though. One, I found it pretty baffling that they decided to include a comic relief character in such a serious movie, even having him intrude on the climactic scene to yell out some wacky funny lines. That was probably the result of some executive meddling or something. Two, the ending felt abrupt. But from the sounds of it, that was because of tight production deadlines. Also it was an interesting choice to put some upbeat 90s techno music over the ending credits, a bit of tonal whiplash but I respect the decision. So yeah, some odd choices here and there but overall a fantastic movie.

DAVE MADE A MAZE

2017 • Live Action • Adventure, Comedy

A fun, strange little movie. It's about a guy who builds a cardboard maze in his living room and then gets lost in it. And then his friends have to save him. It feels like the setup for a PG rated family comedy movie but then you have characters saying "fuck" and people getting their heads cut off, so it's kind of an interesting mix of tones. It has a lot of really cool cardboard environments that were all built physically, and for what I'm assuming was a lower budget movie, it looks really great. It's a refreshingly creative film and a fun watch.

VIDEODROME

1983 • Live Action • Horror, Sci-fi

A movie I had known about for a long time, but hadn't gotten around to watching until now. It certainly lived up to its reputation of "being weird", that's for sure. But beyond that shallow first observation, I have to say I really fuck with its premise. Tuning into a signal from a random pirate satellite broadcast only to find some disturbing obscure snuff film, and then trying to find out where that signal came from, and then getting wrapped up in some incomprehensible crazy shit... it's extremely interesting. And this is all from a movie made in 1983, but I feel like the themes it explores are a lot more modern, more "internet-y". So it really was ahead of its time in my opinion. Cool stuff.