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These sci-fi films may not be on your radar.
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00:00When we think of great sci-fi, our minds are often cast back to the 1980s. With movies
00:05like The Thing, The Terminator and Aliens, it was clear that decade was a golden age
00:09for the genre. But there are lesser known sci-fi films that came out recently which
00:14deserved a lot more recognition. Considering so many of these movies are available on streaming
00:19services like Netflix and Amazon Prime, there's nothing stopping you checking them out right
00:24this second.
00:25So with that in mind then, I'm Ellie with WhatCulture and here are 10 recent sci-fi
00:29movies you probably haven't seen.
00:32Number 10. In the Shadow of the Moon
00:35In the Shadow of the Moon begins with a cop called Locke whose night patrol starts like
00:40any other night. But when three random people across the city suddenly die after their brains
00:45melt from the inside, Locke can't make heads or tails over what killed them. For the next
00:5020 years, he obsesses over the case, unaware his actions will shape the world's future.
00:54If you went into this film cold, you wouldn't have the slightest clue you were watching sci-fi.
00:59Until the end, the story plays out like a detective thriller. But as the science fiction qualities
01:05slowly but surely seep into the plot, you realise what Locke is dealing with is far from ordinary
01:10police work.
01:11Like most great mysteries, In the Shadow of the Moon has a perfect balance of not revealing
01:15too much until the climax, while simultaneously maintaining intrigue from the opening scene.
01:20Even though the film deals with some complex scientific concepts and profound theories,
01:25it focuses on Locke's struggle above all else, giving the viewer a deeper connection
01:29to the story.
01:30Number 9. Code 8
01:32Code 8 works like a more realistic version of X-Men. In this world, superpowered individuals,
01:37or powers, don't use their abilities to battle supervillains or aliens. Instead, they are assigned
01:42jobs which fit their skillset. Since superhumans took all the big jobs, countless non-powered people
01:48are made redundant, causing a lot of resentment in society.
01:52When powers are replaced themselves by robots called Guardians, which work like the X-Men's
01:56Sentinels, they are figuratively tossed onto the street, forcing many of them to turn to
02:01crime to survive.
02:03If you are bored of formulaic CGI-filled superhero flicks, but still enjoy the core concept, Code
02:088 is the movie for you. It performs better worldbuilding in the first five minutes than most blockbusters
02:14manage in their entirety. The special effects are used sparingly, but always looks
02:18slick and polished. Also, if you're a fan of CW's Arrowverse, Code 8 has siblings Stephen
02:23and Robbie Amell as the two leads. The only real detriment is the film only clocks in at
02:2898 minutes. Because the filmmakers created such a magnificent world, it's a shame the viewers
02:33didn't get a chance to see more of it.
02:35Number 8. Spectral
02:37Spectral centers on a supernatural black ops team who fight ghosts. Based on the premise
02:42alone, you'd think this is the sort of trashy B-movie churned out by Asylum Studios. But Spectral
02:47works because everything is plagued straight. When the military first detect the phantoms
02:52on a spectral camera, they assume they're just a glitch. When the apparitions begin attacking
02:56soldiers, the government officials assume they're dealing with a human enemy with cloaking
03:00technologies. When the officials realize the threat is supernatural, they refuse to tell
03:04their men, believing they won't take the mission seriously. Unsurprisingly, this lack of communication
03:09prevents the soldiers from being prepared for the metaphysical threat, causing many of them
03:13to die needlessly. Instead of filling the runtime with excessive backstories and forced banter,
03:19Spectral jumps into the action straight away and rarely lets up. Since the enemy is invisible
03:24and can kill anyone it touches, every scene is dripping with tension. Even though once-respected
03:29sci-fi franchises like The Terminator and The Matrix have been chucking out pointless and bloated
03:34sequels in recent years, creative films like Spectral prove the genre still has plenty to offer.
03:40Number 7, Prospect. In Prospect, a teenage girl called C finds herself stuck on an alien
03:46planet. Out of desperation, she is forced to ally with Ezra, the man who is indirectly responsible
03:52for her father's death. From the very beginning, the sci-fi aspect is on full display, but as
03:57the plot unfolds, it focuses more on Ezra and C building a relationship despite their heated
04:02conflict. Even though Ezra could be depicted as irredeemable, Pedro Pascal has no difficulty finding
04:09the character's humanity, making you deeply care about him even though his duplicity makes
04:14it impossible to tell where his loyalty truly lies. Because of the shoestring budget, under
04:19$4 million, the special effects are minimal. However, fans of the genre won't feel cheated
04:25at all since the powerhouse performances of the leads are guaranteed to keep anyone enthralled.
04:31Since Prospect isn't well known, it's no surprise it failed to make a splash upon its release
04:35back in 2018. But due to its subtle world-building, sharp script, non-clichéd characters and nuanced
04:42performances, it's gradually earning a reputation as an underappreciated gem in the genre.
04:47Number 6, Oxygen. Oxygen opens with a woman called Liz awakening in a sealed chamber. She is
04:55informed by an artificial intelligence unit that she will run out of air in under two hours. At first,
05:00the premise sounds identical to Ryan Reynolds buried, save for the futuristic setting. But
05:05Oxygen has one difference that stops it from feeling like a carbon copy. In this film, Liz doesn't
05:10know who she is, meaning she cannot begin to guess why she's been placed in such a container. She
05:15doesn't even know if her chamber is in a science lab, underground or outer space. Not only that,
05:21her AI is programmed to avoid answering key questions, forcing Liz to speak to the computer in a roundabout
05:27way to uncover the truth. When Liz starts to piece everything together, the viewer might feel like
05:32the story will lose its appeal, since the mystery is gone. But don't worry, Oxygen keeps throwing curve
05:37balls at you until the last few minutes, not giving the viewer a moment to relax. With an intricate script,
05:43a phenomenal performance from Melanie Laurent and creative direction, Oxygen is guaranteed to keep
05:49viewers engaged from start to finish. 5. Advantageous
05:54Advantageous is set in a future where most of humanity is suffering with poverty and infertility.
06:00When a mother called Gwen loses her job and is unable to secure an education for her daughter,
06:05she agrees to an experimental procedure which will transfer her mind into a better, younger body.
06:10When the transfer is successful, Gwen assumes her whole life will turn out for the better.
06:15Unfortunately, this is not the case. One problem which many futuristic films suffer is how they
06:20overstuff scenes with an ostentatious amount of special effects, which can be quite distracting.
06:25After all, it's hard to get invested in a character's story while they are flying cars
06:29zooming around in the background. Even though Advantageous is set in the dystopian future,
06:34the visuals and the post-apocalyptic angle are heavily downplayed, making the story more relatable.
06:40In fact, the movie focuses so much on the characters, it's easy to forget that the story
06:44takes place in the future. It effectively juggles themes about racism, ageism and class conflict
06:50while never taking away from the fundamental story.
06:534. Level 16
06:56Level 16 revolves around an all-girls militaristic facility called the Vestalis Academy.
07:01All the students are trained by the facilitators to have feminine virtues to help them get adopted.
07:07Even though the overseers are abhorrently strict and cruel, the girls obey them without question,
07:12believing the Academy is their only chance of having a real family. But when one teenager,
07:17Vivian, suspects her mentors are hiding something from her, she does all she can to expose their true
07:22intentions. Level 16 plays out like a much smarter version of Michael Bay's The Island.
07:27The premise may be similar, but Level 16 feels more like a psychological drama akin to Black Mirror
07:32rather than a sci-fi flick. Even though the horror factor could have been ramped up,
07:37it is rarely utilized, which makes the scary parts far more disturbing. Because the girls are meant
07:42to be emotionless and laconic, it would be easy for the characters to come across as dull.
07:46But due to the film's talented ensemble, especially the lead Katie Douglas,
07:51the cast invoke a lot of emotion while saying very little.
07:543. Freaks
07:56Freaks begins with a young girl called Chloe being forced by her father to memorise details
08:01about her fake mother. When she can't answer a basic question about sport, her dad tells Chloe
08:06her behaviour is going to get her killed. Although her father tells Chloe very little about the outside
08:11world, she believes he is just keeping her safe. But there's still many things she doesn't understand.
08:16What is so dangerous out there? Why does Chloe sometimes wake up in a different house?
08:20Why does a chained woman appear in her room sometimes? It's better to go into Freaks blind,
08:25since being aware of the premise will spoil the film's many surprises.
08:29Even though the viewer knows for a fact that not everything is as it seems,
08:33the plot goes in directions which the most attentive viewer won't expect.
08:37For the majority of the movie, it's impossible to tell if the characters around Chloe are evil,
08:41or they are genuinely trying to protect her. The big reveal may not be particularly original,
08:46but it doesn't feel anticlimactic, since the film forces the viewer to be completely
08:50invested in Chloe's journey of self-discovery.
08:532. What Happened to Monday
08:56What Happened to Monday takes place in a world where overpopulation has forced the
09:00world's governments to issue a law so families can only bear one child. After a woman dies giving
09:06birth to identical septuplets, their grandfather Terence takes them in and names them after the
09:11seven days of the week. To avoid the government learning of the children's existence, Terence
09:16orders each of them to venture out in public on the day they're named after. Monday goes out on
09:20Monday, Tuesday goes out on Tuesday, etc, etc, so they can pretend they're all the same person.
09:26After living in secret for 30 years, Monday disappears, jeopardising the family's life.
09:31Even though What Happened to Monday has fluid action and an inventive world, it's the performances
09:36that stand out. Although Willem Dafoe is known for playing larger-than-life characters,
09:41films like this prove he's equally as talented at portraying someone more down-to-earth. However,
09:46it's impossible for Noomi Rapace not to dominate the film since she plays the septuplets. Even
09:51though playing multiple parts can cause an actor to overact to define each of them,
09:55Rapace makes all seven characters feel like human beings rather than caricatures.
10:00Number 1. I Am Mother
10:02I Am Mother centres around an android called Mother who cares for a girl called Daughter in a secluded
10:08facility after human civilisation has been destroyed. Even though the robot seems devoted to Daughter,
10:13an encounter with a mysterious woman makes her realise Mother may not be as benevolent as she appears.
10:19As intriguing as the premise is, I Am Mother's could come across as boring due to its minimal sets
10:25and cast. Thankfully, the phenomenal performances of Hilary Swank and Clara Rougard will ensure viewers
10:31are absolutely captivated. However, Swank isn't the standout for once. Despite being a two-time Oscar
10:37winning actress, it's Mother who dominates the film. With her unblinking eye and clanking movements,
10:43she's guaranteed to keep the viewer on edge. Her gentle voice makes her more unnerving, especially
10:48when she justifies actions that are suspicious or immoral. Even though Mother is just a guy in a suit,
10:54the practical effects are so good, the average viewer would assume the robot is 100% CGI. When you realise
11:01this character was brought to life mostly through animatronics and practical effects, you appreciate
11:05the film even more. And that concludes our list. If you can think of any other examples then do let
11:11us know in the comments below and while you're there, don't forget to like and subscribe and tap
11:15that notification bell. Also, head over to Twitter and follow us there and I can be found across various
11:19social medias just by searching Ellie Littlechild. I've been Ellie with WhatCulture, I hope you have
11:24a magical day and I'll see you real soon.
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