Best Art-house Sci-Fi Movies of All Time: Art-house is a broad genre and although the definition of the word is not very clear, films that do not follow a set commercial pattern are generally considered art-house films.
Now imagine what the possibilities are if science fiction meets the art-house genre. Some of the greatest pieces of art are created and some of them are mentioned below.
Best Art-house Sci-Fi Movies of All Time
2046 (2004)
Wong Kar Wai is a master of emotions and makes films which are subtle, unique and heart touching.
2046 tells the story of a writer who imagines a world in the year 2046 where a train takes people to the past to relive the memories of their lost love while he himself remains entangled with the memories of his own lost love.
Somehow, the reality meets the fiction and we see a film, which probably is one of the absolute best films of 21st century.
Solaris (2002)
The remake of a Russian film of the same name, this film comes very close to touching the masterpiece original film in its feel and content.
Directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring George Clooney in the lead role, the film tells the story of a psychologist who arrives on a spacecraft to investigate the claims that people see the memories of their past lives.
The twist comes into the story when the psychiatrist starts feeling the same phenomenon. An absolute masterpiece, this is one of the most thought provoking science fiction films of the recent times.
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
If you ever needed a testimony to the great talent of filmmaker Stanley Kubrick, look no further than this grand masterpiece the man made in 1968. The VFX in the film were path-breaking for its time and they still continue to amaze film lovers all around the world.
The plot revolves around a few US space missions as they find a sign of extra terrestrial life on the moon. The film then takes a complex metaphysical turn, essentially introducing us humans to our true self. This is a must watch.
Primer (2004)
Made on a shoestring budget, the film was one of the highlights of that year and a film festival darling. Two friends work on a machine together and accidentally create a time machine.
As they go on trying it, only then do they come to know the real consequences of their creation. The film was path breaking in its treatment and introduced the audiences to a whole new side of why we should not mess with the rules of nature, without fully prepared, or in general. Primer is still considered as one of the best Time Travel Movies of All Time.
Upstream Color (2013)
Filmmaker Shane Carruth comes yet again with another thoughtful and mind opening science fiction film that challenges the human beings to think about the impact of our un-quenched curiosity on the nature.
Entangled in the life cycle of an organism, a man and a woman come close and find themselves in troubles after troubles. Beautifully shot, the film was yet another sleeper hit and gave the audiences a lot of things to think about in terms of science and philosophy.
Under the Skin (2013)
Under the Skin is slow, so slow that it might annoy you, but only if you fail to understand the message behind that subtle and slow treatment.
As the haunting music plays in the background and Scarlett Johansson lures several young men into the trap, you feel yourself getting in the grip of the film slowly.
Somehow, by the end of it, you are left with an uneasy feeling in your gut but the sense of achievement will always be there, the achievement of watching probably one of the coolest film of all times.
Arrival (2016)
Arrival starts with a young college linguist professor Louise Banks who gets invited by the government to maybe talk to and understand aliens that have landed on our planet. While she succeeds in decoding the message, the humanity is in the grasp of a danger as it tries to attack the seemingly helpful aliens.
The last 15 minutes of the film are so beautiful and complex, you wouldn’t be able to help yourself but shed a few tears on whatever is being presented to you on screen. The film ends on a high note and as the time warps itself for Louise, we are left dumbstruck with a genius plot twist.
You Can Checkout the Full Explanation about the Arrival Film.
Also Read: Best Hollywood Movies about Aliens
Melancholia (2011)
Everybody knows that director Lars Von Tries’ films are not very easy to watch. The man takes the themes of depression, stress and disgust and makes some of the best pieces of art.
The film starts with a man and a woman as they host their wedding party for their family and friends. The woman is suffering from depression and also, there is a planet hurling towards earth, threatening to destroy it. Would he be Lars Von Treis, if he did not find a bonkers connection between the two?
Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
Blade Runner 2049 is a loose sequel to the Ridley Scott film of the same name. This time, Ryan Gosling takes the charge of playing the leading role in the film as a detective who somehow is a replicant and not a real human being.
But he gets a sign that he might be real and in search of the truth, he comes across a few buried down secrets that shake his own concept of the reality. Winning an Oscar for its brilliant cinematography, the film was a strong contender for an Oscar award for Best Picture in 2018.
Children of Men (2006)
Directed by Alfonso Cuaron, Children of Men starred Clive Owen in the leading role. The year is 2027 and the humanity fears extinction as the population has become largely infertile.
In the midst of this chaos, a woman is found pregnant, holding in her womb probably the answer to the growing infertility in men and now its job of Theo, a government man, who has to bring the girl to the safety, away from prying eyes.
As cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki creates some timeless frames, the plot moves seamlessly with extreme long takes and tonnes of emotions.
Also Read: Best Post Apocalyptic Movies of All Time
Your Turn!
These are our favourite best Art House science fiction Movies of All The Time, now you can share your favourite art-house cinema in Sci-Fi Genre in the comments.
