As we venture beyond the well-trodden paths of mainstream science fiction, a universe of unfairly overlooked thrillers from the 2010s awaits our exploration.
They are the thought-provoking, the boundary-pushing, and the genre-defying; the movies that, while lacking in blockbuster budgets or widespread acclaim, resonate with a unique and compelling voice.
20. "The Man from Earth: Holocene" (2017) Rotten Tomatoes score: 50% A sequel to "The Man from Earth," it explores the life of a man who has lived for 14,000 years, now secretly hiding in plain sight as a college professor, and the existential challenges he faces.
19. "I Origins" (2014) Rotten Tomatoes score: 52% A molecular biologist's study of the human eye leads to profound implications about science, spirituality, and reincarnation, intertwining the lives of seemingly unconnected individuals.
18. "The Signal" (2014) Rotten Tomatoes score: 60% A group of college students on a road trip are drawn to a desolate area by a computer hacker, only to find themselves part of a mysterious and disturbing government experiment.
17. "Beyond the Black Rainbow" (2010) Rotten Tomatoes score: 62% Set in a heavily stylized 1983, a young woman with extraordinary abilities is held captive in a futuristic institute, leading to a mind-bending journey of escape and self-discovery.
16. "Another Earth" (2011) Rotten Tomatoes score: 66% After the discovery of a mirror Earth, the lives of a bright young student and a composer tragically intersect, leading to a journey of redemption, hope, and parallel possibilities.
15. "Time Lapse" (2014) Rotten Tomatoes score: 74% Three friends discover a mysterious camera that takes pictures 24 hours into the future, leading to manipulation, greed, and unforeseen consequences.
14. "Monsters" (2010) Rotten Tomatoes score: 74% In a world where giant creatures inhabit a quarantined zone in Mexico, a journalist and a tourist embark on a perilous journey through the infected area, discovering unexpected bonds.
13. "Sound of My Voice" (2011) Rotten Tomatoes score: 76% A couple infiltrates a cult led by a woman claiming to be from the future, leading to a complex narrative of belief, deception, and personal revelations.
12. "Europa Report" (2013) Rotten Tomatoes score: 80% A found-footage sci-fi thriller that chronicles the ill-fated mission of a crew sent to explore life on Jupiter's moon, Europa, leading to harrowing and unexpected discoveries.
11. "The One I Love" (2014) Rotten Tomatoes score: 82% A troubled couple discovers an unusual retreat that creates surreal and unsettling experiences, challenging their perceptions of reality and their relationship.
10. "Midnight Special" (2016) Rotten Tomatoes score: 83% A father goes on the run to protect his young son, who possesses special powers, from both the government and a religious cult, leading to a journey of discovery and change.
9. "Predestination" (2014) Rotten Tomatoes score: 84% A time-traveling agent embarks on a complex and paradoxical journey to stop a notorious bomber, only to discover startling truths about his own existence.
8. "Under the Skin" (2013) Rotten Tomatoes score: 84% An alien in human form traverses Scotland, luring unsuspecting men into a bizarre and fatal process, while experiencing a crisis of identity and empathy.
7. "Spring" (2014) Rotten Tomatoes score: 85% A young man in Italy falls in love with a mysterious woman harboring a dark, primordial secret, blending a romantic story with elements of horror and mythology.
6. "Upstream Color" (2013) Rotten Tomatoes score: 86% Two individuals are drawn together by the aftermath of a bizarre life cycle involving a parasite, a pig farm, and a mysterious sampler, leading them to question their identities and reality.
5. "Advantageous" (2015) Rotten Tomatoes score: 87% In a dystopian future, a woman undergoes a radical procedure to secure her daughter's future, raising questions about identity, sacrifice, and the nature of existence.
4. "Coherence" (2013) Rotten Tomatoes score: 89% During a strange astronomical event, a dinner party among friends turns surreal as they encounter disturbing anomalies and parallel realities in their neighborhood.
3. "The Endless" (2017) Rotten Tomatoes score: 92% Two brothers return to the cult they escaped from, only to find unexplainable phenomena that challenge their perceptions of time, space, and reality.
2. "The Infinite Man" (2014) Rotten Tomatoes score: 95% A man's attempt to create the perfect romantic weekend backfires when his efforts to use time travel result in complex and humorous situations.
1. "The Survivalist" (2015) Rotten Tomatoes score: 96% In a post-apocalyptic world, a survivalist living alone on a farm finds his existence threatened when he encounters a starving woman and her daughter.
