"What did I just watch?" That may be the exact line a viewer may mutter to themselves or a loved one after watching something truly bizarre or confusing on the big screen. Even though movies are a compact medium with an average of around two hours in length, their storytelling techniques can boggle the mind.
Plots may be confusing or nonsensical. Maybe the acting itself is so bad that it is hard to believe what viewers just watched was real. That’s an example of a movie so bad that it’s good. Whether these ten films are truly masterpieces or not doesn’t matter. They still need rewatching so that viewers can appreciate or perhaps hate these films even more.
10 Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo
Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo is the third movie in the reboot of the series. The first two films changed things around but stuck to a lot of familiar territories. That all changed with this sequel as it is all completely new.
There is a major time skip. It still adds in familiar territory but that’s only about 10% of the plot. Every movie, or anime episode requires a rewatch in this series. It’s a lot to take in for any anime fan.
9 Fight Club
It’s hard not to talk about this movie without spoilers. It’s old enough now where most probably know the deal. Fight Club did not invent the idea of a split personality twist. It was the first film to perhaps popularize the idea on a whole new level and for a new generation though.
By the end reveal, viewers may ask themselves if any of it made sense. It seems almost impossible for anything in the film to happen between Brad Pitt and Edward Norton. That’s the question though. Does it actually make perfect sense?
8 Last Night In Soho
Last Night in Soho is a more recent example of two characters sharing the same body. At first, it seems like an innocent coming-of-age tale about a young girl, Eloise, traveling to the big city to make it as a fashion designer. Then they start having dreams.
Is she time traveling to the 60s and becoming another character? Is she actually that character? Maybe these visions are all in her head and she’s having an anxiety-induced reaction. It takes two trips to fully figure it out and thankfully it is a feast for the eyes and ears.
7 Malignant
Malignant was one of the wildest, high-budget horror movies of 2021. At first, it seems like a typical slasher movie. There are certainly some paranormal elements to it. How is the main character seeing visions of the killer every time?
Is she psychic or is there something more to it? Are there more villains at work than one? Viewers may think they have figured it out by the midpoint but the big reveal should make their jaws fly out of their skulls. Does it make sense? No, but it is a fun over the top ride to see over and over again.
6 Knives Out
Knives Out is designed to be watched on repeat. One, the cast is amazing. Every character, for what little time they have, explodes onscreen. It’s fun to just watch actors act sometimes. Two, this is a murder mystery film with clues placed on seemingly every frame of this cut.
Are there any plot holes or is this the tightest mystery in ages? Fans will have to watch it again to get to the center of this donut hole within a donut hole. Hopefully, the sequel will be just as good.
5 Sleepaway Camp
Sleepaway Camp may at first seem like a cheap ripoff of Friday the 13th. It certainly is trying to capitalize on the camp slasher craze around this time. However, the twist reveal should be more shocking than finding out Jason’s mom was the culprit in the original.
The murderer’s face once their origins are revealed should bring nightmares to the soul. It’s also just a fun, cheesy movie that is trying too hard. It is full of unintentional jokes to laugh at with friends.
4 The Room
The Room is the ultimate friend movie. How was this made? Every shot and scene of this film, if it can be called that, should leave viewers in a state of shock. What was the point of it all? It is terribly made and yet it is renowned as the best, worst movie of all time.
It is shallow and hauntingly complex at the same time. One viewing, for as bad as it is, will not be enough. Don’t be shocked if this becomes a yearly tradition.
3 The Thing
The Thing is one of the best sci-fi horror movies of all time. It’s right up there with Alien even though it doesn’t get brought up as often. The core plot revolves around an alien parasite. It can bore into the body and rework the DNA.
This means this alien can mimic anything from a dog to a human. Who is a parasite and who is human? That’s the mystery here and it creates a lot of great tension that is better upon the second viewing. Living in the cold seems bad enough let alone having to worry about alien parasites.
2 Tenet
All of Christopher Nolan’s original movies are seemingly designed to perplex and confuse viewers. One, two, or three times of review may not be enough. Memento and Inception are two great examples, but Tenet is his newest film.
That’s why it deserves the spotlight here. Also, the main character doesn’t even have a name. He is merely called the Protagonist. If that doesn’t raise an eyebrow then it’s hard to say what can. It's almost like the plot is unfinished but maybe that is the point.
1 Vampire’s Kiss
Vampire’s Kiss is a treat. People may see memes from this film all the time but may not know where they come from. It’s not exactly a horror-comedy intentionally. The film is about Nicolas Cage’s character descending into madness after a date goes weird.
Was she a vampire? Is Cage now a vampire too? The acting is over the top, giving Cage fans a fun origin film to see where it all began. Like The Room, Vampire’s Kiss is easily one of the most quotable movies on here. It is one of those experiences that need to be seen to be believed.