Image credit: Relativity Media, Paramount Pictures, British Film Company, Focus World, STX, HBO, Fun Size Horror Productions
If you're a fan of Karen Gillan, you know she's not just Nebula from the Marvel Universe.
This Scottish actress has an impressive roster of films under her belt that deserve way more attention than they get.
1. "Oculus" (2013) Before "Doctor Who" and "Guardians of the Galaxy," Karen was scaring the pants off of us in "Oculus." This is all about a haunted mirror. Two siblings, Kaylie and Tim, try to prove that this antique mirror killed their parents when they were kids. They set up cameras and all sorts of detection equipment, planning to destroy it once and for all. Kaylie starts seeing hallucinations and Tim starts doubting her sanity.
2. "The Big Short" (2015) This one's a drama, but don't let that steer you away. "The Big Short" digs deep into the 2008 financial crisis.
There are multiple storylines, one of which includes a pair of young investors, Charlie and Jamie, who discover the market instability. They enlist the help of Ben Rickert, a retired banker, to bet against the American economy. As they navigate the cesspool of Wall Street, they realize the system's more corrupt than they ever thought.
3. "Not Another Happy Ending" (2013) A rom-com with a twist. Karen plays Jane Lockhart, a writer who can only write when she's unhappy. Problem is, her life's going great. So her publisher Tom, who's secretly in love with her, tries to make her miserable to get another bestseller. Silly, right? They do all sorts of oddball stuff, like staging run-ins with her estranged dad.
But here's the thing: the more miserable Jane becomes, the more she starts falling for Tom.
4. "In a Valley of Violence" (2016) Paul, a mysterious drifter, rolls into the forgotten town of Denton with his dog. He gets into a skirmish with the sheriff's loudmouth son, Gilly. Gilly and his gang retaliate by killing Paul's dog (cue collective gasps), setting off a bloody, one-man vengeance spree. Karen plays Ellen, the sister of the obnoxious Gilly, caught in the crossfire of it all.
5. "The Circle" (2017) Mae gets hired at The Circle, a mega tech company that's like Google, Apple, and Facebook all rolled into one.
The company has a new project: tiny cameras everywhere, capturing every moment of people's lives for full "transparency." Mae initially buys into it, becoming a company star. She even agrees to go "fully transparent," meaning her life is broadcasted 24/7. But as the plot unfolds, Mae starts to question the implications of it all.
6. "7 Days in Hell" (2015) This mockumentary-style film is about tennis, but it's ridiculous in the best possible way. We follow two tennis legends, Aaron Williams and Charles Poole, who engage in an outrageous seven-day-long match at Wimbledon. Karen plays Lily, Charles' childhood friend who's now a supermodel. Lily and Charles have a complicated romantic history, making the epic tennis showdown even juicier.
7. "Conventional" (2015) This is a short film, but don't overlook it. Karen plays Rachel Milligan, an actress who's become typecast due to her role in a popular horror film. Her career isn't what it used to be, and she's stuck appearing at fan conventions. Things take a dark turn when a fan starts stalking her, leading to a bloody climax that's more horrifying than any of her movies.
