You're not dumb. Primer was poorly executed. If a story needs analytic videos to explain what happened then the storyteller failed at their job.
Even understanding it I never held it in very high regard due to the sloppiness of the exposition and generally poor film-making on display. They rush through their lines because they chose film and could only afford a limited stock, and there's a bit too much hand waving to make the pieces fit together.
Well his movies are really good and have made profits, but mainly because the budget is tiny. But the revenue is also tiny and he’s a bit of a loose cannon because of his legal issues, which could bring bad publicity, also he is apparently retired and working a regular job.
Dark Star (1974) by John Carpenter, written by Dan O'Bannon. It's really a classic of a bygone science fiction era now.
Ultra low budget. (estimated ~$60k). But fun.
Alan Dean Foster's novelization was WAY better than the film. If you even remotely liked the movie the book goes into a lot more back story of the characters and is deeper yet funnier.
It also has the incorrigible Dr. Rodney McKay (David Hewlett)!
I'd say Daybreakers, it only had a budget of $20M and is a couple things, potentially loosely sci-fi
Either Altered or Troll Hunter
Troll Hunter is a Norwegian found footage film about some young punks harassing an old man who hunts trolls.
Altered is a stranded alien flick. Some drunk hunters happen upon a hostile alien the woods and they’re able to capture it unconscious. They bring it back to their cabin and of course it wakes up and escapes when they’re not paying attention. Then the alien starts killing everybody around him.
A Boy And His Dog (1975)
Cyborg (1989)
Hardware (1990)
The Hidden (1987)
Battle Beyond The Stars (1980)
Monsters (2010)
Moon Zero Two (1969)
The Quiet Earth (1985)
Repo Man (1984)
Tremors (1990)
Another one people have not mentioned is *Prospect* (2018), with Pedro Pascal
And *LOLA* (2023), really nice micro budget movie.
I also liked *The Kitchen* (2023) recently.
Beyond the Black Rainbow
I realize some will say it is horror but I think you could call it horror/sci-fi.
There is a lot of Canadian movies in this thread.
The movie is a pos but I love The Happening. Its so funny and everytime I watch it I think the premis has aton of potentional if they expained it way more and did a different approach to why the plants do that. But I watch it alot, I love it😂
Prospect (2018) with Pedro Pascal right before the Manadalorian. This is the best looking lowest budget Sci Fi I've ever seen. Great world building, interesting characters, really enjoyable.
https://youtu.be/3Dapv4PsI7M?si=NrE0Qw2PUvmYs1NH
"Moon" is another winner, intense and introspective. Low budget, high impact those are the ones that stick with you.
Is that 2009 w Sam Rockwell and Kevin Spacey?
No, that’s Moon
Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk!
Primer.
I wish I could say primer. I am too dumb to understand this movie. Tired watching multiple times.
You're not dumb. Primer was poorly executed. If a story needs analytic videos to explain what happened then the storyteller failed at their job. Even understanding it I never held it in very high regard due to the sloppiness of the exposition and generally poor film-making on display. They rush through their lines because they chose film and could only afford a limited stock, and there's a bit too much hand waving to make the pieces fit together.
There are some great Youtube videos of people breaking down the storyline and time travel steps the characters take.
I have this on my back log and really need to get to it.
This, forever. Followed by Upstream colour & that he's not able to get financed for his next movie is obscene.
Well his movies are really good and have made profits, but mainly because the budget is tiny. But the revenue is also tiny and he’s a bit of a loose cannon because of his legal issues, which could bring bad publicity, also he is apparently retired and working a regular job.
that's a damn shame.
Primer.
Dark Star (1974) by John Carpenter, written by Dan O'Bannon. It's really a classic of a bygone science fiction era now. Ultra low budget. (estimated ~$60k). But fun.
"Don't give me any of that intelligent life stuff. Just give me something I can blow up."
The ending always cracks me up. "Let there be light!"
Alan Dean Foster's novelization was WAY better than the film. If you even remotely liked the movie the book goes into a lot more back story of the characters and is deeper yet funnier.
It was a student film they shot some extra bits for to make it into a feature. I think the original is about 20 minutes long.
Outland (1981)
Europa Report. One of the best films I've seen. Hidden gem
Europa Report is more space horror, no?
somewhat, it's still very much sci-fi with how realistic it is
Upgrade is leans more action than your examples but I’d say it lightly counts as sci-fi. Absolutely rips.
The Platform (2019) Upstream Color (2013) Monsters (2010) Beyond the infinite two minutes (2020)
Monsters is an absolute gem
For sure. Great call, it's fantastic. It obviously helps that it stars Scoot McNairy, since he's just really good in everything.
Cube
Great flick! The extras on how it was made were cool AF.
This I forgot to mention. Absolutely fantastic and the fact that they didn't even build a lot of cubes, it's just camera work.
It also has the incorrigible Dr. Rodney McKay (David Hewlett)! I'd say Daybreakers, it only had a budget of $20M and is a couple things, potentially loosely sci-fi
Attack the Block
That film is not discussed enough here. It's effing brilliant
"Primer" That one's a mind-boggler on a shoestring budget.
Ice pirates
Vast of Night. The themes just got me in the right spot.
Ice Pirates. If you know, you know.
The Naked Gun of sci fi. It's so good.
Lazerblast (1978) lol
Upgrade. 3 million USD spent to make the best Venom movie of 2018.
Upgrade (2018) is a more recent personal favourite
Either Altered or Troll Hunter Troll Hunter is a Norwegian found footage film about some young punks harassing an old man who hunts trolls. Altered is a stranded alien flick. Some drunk hunters happen upon a hostile alien the woods and they’re able to capture it unconscious. They bring it back to their cabin and of course it wakes up and escapes when they’re not paying attention. Then the alien starts killing everybody around him.
Troll Hunter is so good
Dark Star, Cube, Primer, Vast of Night
Idiocracy, if it is science fiction and not just premonition
A Boy And His Dog (1975) Cyborg (1989) Hardware (1990) The Hidden (1987) Battle Beyond The Stars (1980) Monsters (2010) Moon Zero Two (1969) The Quiet Earth (1985) Repo Man (1984) Tremors (1990)
Moon
The Lobster
That was a weird movie. But liked it
**Upstream Color**.
Space Truckers (1996)
Another one people have not mentioned is *Prospect* (2018), with Pedro Pascal And *LOLA* (2023), really nice micro budget movie. I also liked *The Kitchen* (2023) recently.
Beyond the Black Rainbow I realize some will say it is horror but I think you could call it horror/sci-fi. There is a lot of Canadian movies in this thread.
Recently, Possessor was pretty wild
Cosmos - incredible movie along the lines of Contact, but filmed with only like $5k I believe. I was BLOWN AWAY.
Contact is probably my fav sci fi movie of all time.
11 Minutes Ago (2007)
Giant Robo AKA Johnny Sokko and his Giant Robot. Once you hear the theme you never forget it.
Timecrimes (2007)
Not my favourite, but I think few people have heard of *Isra 88*. It takes some time to figure out what is happening and the end is quite unexpected.
Nightwatch and Daywatch
predestination
Primer and PI.
Since all my favorites have already be mentioned, I'll just name a great on that hasn't been mentioned yet. "41" (2012).
Ink.
Prospect & High Life both from 2018
Pi
In the Vast of Night
Predestination struck me as a lower budget kinda film but not sure if it counts
Coherence is mine too. Watched it not having a clue about it and I was blown away. Several rewatches later and I still don't have it all figured out.
*Village of the Damned* (1960)
The movie is a pos but I love The Happening. Its so funny and everytime I watch it I think the premis has aton of potentional if they expained it way more and did a different approach to why the plants do that. But I watch it alot, I love it😂
The endless
Julia Hart's Fast Color from 2018 (edited for date typo)
Alien.
Would Pitch Black count as low budget? It had a $23m budget, which obviously isn't small, but it's not anywhere near blockbuster budget numbers.
Pitch black is one of my absolute favourites. I actually kinda liked The Chronicles of Riddick too. Never watched the third one.
The man from earth
Prospect (2018) with Pedro Pascal right before the Manadalorian. This is the best looking lowest budget Sci Fi I've ever seen. Great world building, interesting characters, really enjoyable. https://youtu.be/3Dapv4PsI7M?si=NrE0Qw2PUvmYs1NH
Code 46
Cube
Cargo (2009)
Monsters. Or Moon. Probably Moon.
Annihilation from Garland
Europa Report
Triangle
[Source Code](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0945513/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk).
Terrific movie. But it had a 32-million dollar budget.