Top 10 Mind-Bending Moments in Sci-Fi
Talk about giving your brain a headache! Join http://www.WatchMojo.com as we count down our picks for the top 10 mind-bending moments in sci-fi movies. For list, we're picking big screen twists and turns that left our minds blown and eyes doubting what they've just seen. In other words, shocking and memorable revelations or moments that kept us thinking and thinking and thinking… Warning, this list contains spoilers.
Special thanks to our users Andrew A. Dennison, connorjedi99999 and frodo mine for submitting the idea on our Suggestion Tool at http://www.WatchMojo.comsuggest
#10: Soylent Green Is People! “Soylent Green” (1973)
In a world where industrialization has turned everything into an over-populated wasteland with a steadily declining food supply, the Soylent Corporation creates Soylent Green. This water-based plankton drink is advertised as a great source of nutrition. So on the surface, it appears to be the answer to starvation, but unfortunately, it is later revealed to be made from the actual remains of human corpses. The phrase “you are what you eat” has never been more true – or more disturbing.
#9: Ash Is a Robot “Alien” (1979)
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As if dealing with a deadly chest-bursting alien wasn’t enough - the crew of the Nostromo is in for one heck of a twist when it’s revealed that their science officer, Ash, is really an android. Unbeknownst to the crew, his first priority was to bring the extra-terrestrial life form back alive for research purposes, making the humans expendable assets. Luckily for Ripley, she’s saved at the last possible moment by Parker, which leaves Ash headless and our minds blown. Ouch!
#8: Dream or Reality? “Total Recall” (1990)
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In the world of “Total Recall,” customers can purchase memories and live out their wildest dreams without ever having to leave the building. Arnold Schwarzenegger plays Douglas Quaid, a man who freaks out while getting his Mars vacation implant. We later discover that Quaid is actually a man named Hauser, who had his memory switched out so that Quaid would unknowingly lead the bad guys straight to their rebel leader. But wait, is his adventure on Mars even real, or is Schwarzenegger actually in the simulation he signed up for? Talk about amind bender that keeps on bending...
#7: Intersecting Timelines “Primer” (2004)
If we’ve learned anything over the years, it‘s that time travel isn’t all fun and games. Sure, you might be able to travel to the past and fix a crucial mistake, or journey to the future to benefit from knowing what’s to come, but there’s no denying the dangerous risks you’re taking. In one of the most complex sci-fi films ever made, the characters of “Primer” learn the repercussions of time travel with each decision they make, encountering doubles of themselves, experiencing health problems, and much much more - making us think twice about tampering with time.
#6: Fantasy Ending “Brazil” (1985)
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Now this is what we call a brain tease! The ending of Terry Gilliam’s 1985 science fiction classic is a head-spinner. What was thought to be a happy ending for Sam Lowry is quickly revealed to be the product of his own delusions. In reality, Sam is still strapped to the chair in which he was being tortured following treason charges. Jack Lint and Mr. Helpmann declare him to be a lost cause and leave Sam alone to smile and sing “Brazil” to himself. The rewind function has never been more appreciated.
#5: Neo Wakes Up in the Real World “The Matrix” (1999)
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Now that’s what you call sugarcoating! After deciding to take the red pill to go down the rabbit hole, Neo wakes up in the real world, revealing the reality of the world in which he lives: it’s a cold wasteland run by the machines. Humans are no longer born, but grown. Everyone is connected to the Matrix, which is a world that’s been created to hide them from the truth and prevent them from rising up to take back what is theirs. It certainly makes you think twice about the future of video games now, doesn’t it?
#4: The Truth about the Planet “Planet of the Apes” (1968)
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In this sci-fi flick, the main characters crash land on a planet in which highly evolved apes are the dominant species. Possessing the ability to speak and having vast human-like intelligence, these apes easily capture the humans and prove to be formidable foes. However, when Taylor manages to free himself from captivity, he learns the terrifying truth: this alien planet isn’t actually an alien planet at all BUT Earth, which has been devastated from a nuclear war that has long since passed. Truly a shocker to end all shockers!
#3: The Spinning Top “Inception” (2010)
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In the world of dreams, each extractor must each have a personal totem, for which only he or she knows its distinct characteristics in the real world - such as its weight. Knowing this allows the extractor to determine if they’re in someone else’s dream. Cobb’s totem is a spinning top that will topple over if he’s in the real world. However, the sci-fi heist thriller ends with Cobb’s top still spinning, leaving us to question whether or not he’s still in a dream or conscious, which also makes repeat viewings of the film a must.
#2: Extra-Dimensional Tesseract “Interstellar” (2014)
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Director Christopher Nolan gives us yet another thinker with his 2014 science fiction epic, “Interstellar.” The story follows a group of astronauts travelling through a wormhole in an attempt to find another planet that can sustain human life. After Cooper sacrifices himself to ensure Brand’s survival, he’s pulled back in time by an extra-dimensional tesseract, which allows him to communicate with his daughter and to give her the solution to Brand’s equation. Even though explaining all this is quite the mouthful, this barely scratches the surface of Nolan’s complex film. Before we unveil our top pick, here are few honorable mentions: - David Ends Up in the Future “Flight of the Navigator” (1986) - A Clone is Living My Life “The 6th Day” (2000) - The City is an Alien Experiment “Dark City” (1998) - Are we still in the game? “Existenz” (1999)
#1: Star Child “2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968)
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Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece is a film that still leaves viewers stunned, regardless of how many times they’ve watched it. Though many scenes will leave you with thought-provoking questions, the ending leaves your mindforever bent. As Bowman approaches the monolith near Jupiter, he’s pulled into a vortex, transporting him across space at tremendous speeds. As his journey ends, he’s transformed into a fetus inside a glowing orb, hovering near Earth. The mind can only absorb so much information at any given time and this is most certainly a brain-full. Do you agree with our list? What your favorite mind-bending sci-fi moment? For more brain twisting top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to Watchmojo.com.
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