Seven Weird Movies Everyone Must See Once

What do you look for in a movie? If you're like me, you're into unique films that leave you smiling, crying or thinking, but always questioning reality, trying to see it from another perspective. While some may believe that the following pieces are too outside-of-the-box for their tastes, I think everyone should give them a view at least once. So now, ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to present seven weird movies everyone should watch.

1. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) A classic science fiction piece directed by Stanley Kubrick, 2001 is most noted for its revolutionary special effects, minimal dialogue with sound being used to drive the plot rather than conventional narrative methods, and borderline surreal imagery. It touches on the topics of human evolution, artificial intelligence, extraterrestrial life and technology.

The film is divided into four parts, not including the intermission. It's difficult to summarize the plot because there is some debate about what is actually happening since it was purposely filmed to be enigmatic and subject to interpretation. Some themes include the possibility of extraterrestrials having involvement in human evolution, the power of weaponry, the dangers of giving technology too much control, and the idea that what's outside the realm of human exploration may be completely different from anything that's been imagined or encountered before. This movie, though weird, is an experience, one you can't pass by.

2. A Clockwork Orange (1971) This is another strange film by Kubrick. A Clockwork Orange has been praised for its originality and artistic merit and also condemned for its violent and sexually explicit content. Still, it leaves you struggling with such questions as: What's more horrifying, the idea that a character could commit such brutalities, or the possibility that a person's mind could be conditioned by an outside force to feel pain from something that once brought pleasure? Is there anything a person could possibly do to deserve removal of their free will? Will I ever think of the song "Singing in the Rain" in the same light again?

The film is set in a near-future dystopian England. It's narrated in first person by the main character, Alex DeLarge. Alex and his gang," the droogs", are an extremely sadistic bunch that enjoy engaging in theft, assault, violent rape, drug use and other "ultra-violence".

Eventually, Alex, after murdering a woman with a phallus shaped statue, winds up in jail. He is sentenced to spend 14 years incarcerated, but is given the opportunity to participate in an experimental rehabilitation and be released after only two. The experiment, a sort of aversion therapy, leaves Alex defenseless and, as an accidental side effect, unable to enjoy his favorite composer, Beethoven. You actually begin to pity this character, a person who had brutally raped a woman while joyfully singing in an earlier scene. Would you want science and the government to have the power to remove free will, even if it meant fewer criminals? Definitely thought provoking and definitely a must-see.

3. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) Richard O'Brien's cult classic, musical, horror parody, comedy, gender bending, science fiction, stage show turned movie The Rocky Horror Picture Show is one of those "it doesn't get any weirder than this" sort of films. The deeper meaning? Extraterrestrial transvestites know how to throw great parties and have short tempers but high sex drives? I'm not too sure on this one, but I think the meaning of this film is that it's okay to have no real meaning. Just go crazy, be who you want and have a good time. Of course, as with all movies, the significance may differ from one person to another. The only lesson I got from it is, depending on my mood at the time, I should either avoid or seek out spooky castles that draw in motorcyclists on dark, stormy nights.

I'd summarize the plot for you, but I think this is one you'll just have to see for yourself if you haven't already. Let's just say it has aliens, romance, sexual themes, murder, cannibalism, mind control, betrayal and some awesome music and dancing. Sounds like fun? Go check it out.

4. Beetlejuice (1988) A comedic look at the afterlife as directed by Tim Burton, Beetlejuice is undoubtedly weird. The "other side" features a strange array of creatures and design crafted in the dark whimsical fashion typical of the worlds envisioned by Burton. Though put in a humorous light, it leaves viewers asking themselves a rather serious question: what does happen after we die?

In Beetlejuice, a couple die in a car crash and learn they must haunt their house for several years. This wouldn't be so difficult, except a family of yuppies move into their home and start changing everything. Though they befriend the new homeowners' daughter, the ghost couple wants the family to leave. They are told the only way this can be accomplished is by scaring them out. Since their attempts at frightening the yuppies fail, they go against good advice and summon Betelgeuse, a self proclaimed "bio exorcist", to remove the pesky people. They find out that it was a mistake to call him, and decide to try their hand at scaring once more. They forget, however, to un-summon him, leaving the door open for trouble. An odd plot to a very weird movie.

5. Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988) What do you get when you take a classic film noir and toss in a bunch of crazy cartoons? You get Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Directed by Robert Zemeckis and produced by Steven Spielberg, Who Framed Roger Rabbit is live action/animation hybrid murder mystery set in 1947 Hollywood. In this world, cartoons interact with people and live in an area outside Hollywood known as Toontown, a wacky, colorful place full of talking cars and falling anvils.

A distraught Roger Rabbit runs off into the night after being shown pictures of his wife, Jessica, cheating on him by playing "patty cake" with Marvin Acme, the owner of Toontown and Acme Corporation. Soon after, Marvin Acme comes up dead, and Roger receives immediate blame.

Eddie Valient, the detective who was hired to take the pictures of Jessica, meets Baby Herman, Roger's friend and costar, who insists that Roger is innocent and the real murderer was after Acme's will that would grant the property rights of Toontown to the Toons. Valient shrugs Herman off and enters his apartment to find Roger waiting for him. Roger pleads his case, and, reluctantly, Valient decides to help him. This is undoubtedly a weird twist on the mystery genre, but an enjoyable one all the same.

6. Pleasantville (1998)Pleasantville is movie that teaches the viewer three things: Things won't always go as you feel they are supposed to; people have the power to change their paths in life and there is beauty in imperfection.

Written, produced and directed by Gary Ross, the film is about a pair of teenage twins (the boy David and the girl Jennifer) who are very different from each other. Jennifer is popular and superficial while David is quiet and socially awkward. While fighting over a television remote given to them by a mysterious television repair man, they somehow end up in the black and white living room on David's favorite 50's sitcom, Pleasantville. They are believed by everyone to be the children from the show, Bud and Mary Sue, so they assume the names and pretend to be them in an effort to not disrupt the characters' perfect world.

However, although everyone is safe and content, content is as far as it goes. There is no intense emotion, good nor bad, in Pleasantville. There are also no ideas, no reading, no questions, no excitement and no knowledge of other places or of sex. The world is black and white with everyone going according to script without even considering other ways of thinking.

Though they try to avoid it, the twins expose the townspeople to new viewpoints, adding color to their world. The people who fear shifting from the traditional path, however, persecute those engaging in the new ways of thinking, a parallel of racial segregation. This thought provoking but weird film has just the right mix of drama and comedic relief. It's a pleasure to watch, I assure you.

7. Donnie Darko (2001) Ever think your life and the choices you make have no effect on those around you? Donnie Darko, written and directed by Richard Kelly, shows how one changed event resulting in the survival of a person when they should have died can alter the course of many lives.

One night Donnie is called from his bedroom by a vision of man in a menacing rabbit costume named Frank who warns him that the world will end in 28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes and 12 seconds. While he is outside, a jet engine crashes through Donnie's bedroom. Had he been asleep in bed, he'd have been killed. Because Frank saved his life and continues to tell him secrets about life and time travel, he listens to Frank when instructed to commit acts of violence against property. Plus, Frank assures Donnie he can't get caught.

The film touches on themes of predestination, time travel, and parallel universes. Though difficult to follow all the creator's intentions (seriously, watch it and then look at this film guide to find out what you missed, because you will miss things), what I took back from it is this: While Donnie's survival and continuance of life affects all those around him and ultimately results in tragedy, it shows the power of a person and how one choice (to follow the scary rabbit into the night) can change the future entirely. After Donnie's death would things be better for these people? Who knows, but they would indeed be different.

HOWEVER, it all occurs in a tangent universe where people don't act as they normally would, so I may be completely off on this. All I know is this movie is weird and you should see it.

Next time you're at the video store and want to try something out of the ordinary, keep these weird titles in mind. Who knows? You may find yourself enjoying these films and seeking out more of the same. At the very least, you can turn to your partner and say "That was some freaky stuff, huh?" and hit the sack grateful you'll never have to watch it again.

Sources:

Personal Experience

2001: A Space Odyssey

A Clockwork Orange

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Beetlejuice

Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

Pleasantville

Donnie Darko