The very nature of sci-fi begs you to stretch your brain and imagine some of the most insane scenarios possible. From futuristic cities inhabited with aliens to post-apocalyptic hellscapes devoid of people, science fiction can often be challenging to digest but amazing to ponder. But for these films, too much may have been left to the imagination as many viewers are still wondering what the heck was going on.
Donnie Darko
A cult classic, Donnie Darko has transcended generations and continues to be appreciated by many. But that doesn’t stop it from being one of the most confusing stories ever told. First, it’s a haunting, giant rabbit that startles viewers, but then alternate dimensions and an apocalypse are thrown into the mix. There’s really no solution but to watch a young Jake Gyllenhaal over and over again to try and figure this whole thing out. There are worse things!
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Inception
Inception was an instant hit, with trippy visuals and the dream within a dream within a dream storyline. What confuses many is the last scene when Leonardo DiCaprio’s character spins his top, the tell he uses to see if he’s back in reality, for the last time. We want to believe he’s in the real world, reunited with his family. But his top keeps on spinning until the scene ends. So what’s the answer?
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The Lobster
Perhaps one of the most mind-boggling films on this list is The Lobster. It’s based in a world where humans must find a mate in 45 days or they will be placed in some crazy machine and turned into an animal! Oh, and they have to share a physical similarity. When main character David finds his match, who ends up suddenly blinded, the audience is left with nothing but questions.
The Guardian
Snowpiercer
This insanely violent film revolves around the idea that the human race has been confined to live on a single locomotive, as the outside world has been turned into an uninhabitable icebox. Classes collide, leading to all kinds of death and destruction. The train is inevitably destroyed, and a boy and girl are the only survivors. But when they crawl from the wreckage, they find a live polar bear! Does this mean the human race will repopulate the Earth, or is that polar bear about to get some dinner?
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Ex Machina
Most of these movies do not have happy endings. The same is true for Ex Machina. When a billionaire tech genius who creates beautiful A.I. bots for his own grotesque pleasure invites main character Caleb to study his creation, Ava, Caleb falls in love with her and plans to set her free. But, once freed, the romance ends as Ava kills her creator and leaves Caleb for dead, leaving many fans heartbroken and confused.
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