Turn and Face the Strange

It’s been a while since I’ve had the lovely experience of walking out of a movie theater and thinking; “What the actual heck just happened?” But to be honest, it’s been a while since I’ve walked out of a movie theater at all. At this point, it may be time to embrace the weird from home instead, with a trusted streaming service and snacks that won’t break the bank. Here are ten of the wackiest films I have ever witnessed.

10. Donkey Skin (1970)

Donkey Skin is a musical fairy tale filled with opulence, poverty, and magic. French director Jacques Demy is a master of production design and storytelling, but it is the inventiveness of this film that truly stands out. The premise includes a princess who tries to disguise herself, and escape her father, who wishes to marry her. Yes, you read that right. On top of that, there are helicopters, (in a period drama musical), and baking recipe songs!

9. Sorry To Bother You (2018)

Cassius Green (Lakeith Stanfield) is a telemarketer in some alternative futuristic yet present day Oakland. From the very start of this film till the credits roll, there is not a dull moment. The editing - as well as the plot - is fast-paced and occasionally perplexing. Viewers are transported to a world that is odd, and at times quite scary, but in reality, the film exposes the underbelly of the grotesque capitalistic world in which we live today. You just have to see for yourself.

8. A Town Called Panic (2009)

The film follows the epic adventures and shenanigans of three friends, Cowboy, Native American, and Horse, in a hyper-surrealist fashion. This was a childhood favorite of mine, but as I’m looking back on it, I can appreciate the incredible worldbuilding of this stop-motion film. If you liked Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009), you should check this out.

7. Being John Malkovich (1999)

A puppeteer finds a portal into actor John Malkovich’s head, through which one can overtake his body. It becomes an addictive experience for anyone involved, and that’s about all I can give away. Director Spike Jonze and writer Charlie Kaufman are an absolutely unmatched team, creating one of the most unbelievable and hilarious films of the recent era. If you haven’t watched this, you need to get on that.

6. Dogtooth (2009)

Three teenagers are secluded in complete isolation, living at the whim of their terrorizing parents. Vocabulary from the outside world is given new meaning, but the parents’ tormenting control does not stop there. This family is so messed up, they even make Ari Aster jealous. All of director Yorgos Lanthimos’ filmography could be categorized as some of the weirdest films I have ever experienced, but Dogtooth might just take the cake.

5. Moulin Rouge (2001)

I had thought that this was just another movie musical, but then I saw that Baz Luhrmann directed it. Oh boy. Modern influences and the usual hecticness of Luhrmann’s work turn this classic story of forbidden love on its head. Think of a seedy turn of the 20th-century Parisian nightclub where everyone is dancing to ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’. Baz really did that.

4. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)

Princess Nausicaä leads her people to try to recover after a global war. There are giant insects that help guard against any potential threats and an ever-encroaching poisonous jungle. Studio Ghibli has put out some of the most fantastical and visually stunning animated films ever. With stories based on Japanese folk tales and children’s stories, they’re truly fun for any age.

3. Border (2018)

A border guard is peculiarly skilled at their job, but after some trouble with someone suspected of being guilty, the guard’s life starts to unravel. This Swedish film is terrifying in its absurdity but also quite heartwarming as the border guard discovers their true self. There is no explanation that could possibly convey the absolute experience that this film is.

2. Swiss Army Man (2016)

Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe have incredible chemistry, as a castaway on a deserted island, and a dead body that doubles as a tool for the castaway’s survival. It’s a story of unlikely friendship and adventure, with the technical and aesthetic mastery to be taken seriously.

1. Daisies (1966)

As part of the Czechoslovak new wave cinema, Daisies is the eccentric tale of two girls who rebel against a materialistic world by completely and totally indulging themselves. Essentially, the two teens embark on a journey of mad and destructive pranks that anger everyone around them. It’s an experimental feminist piece disguised as a psychedelic trip.

Honorable Mentions: A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence (2014) and Paprika (2006)