What more is there to be said about The Wachowskis’ legendary The Matrix than “thank you for changing the game”? Their groundbreaking cinematic reimagination of Plato’s Cave – a.k.a., what if we were all plugged into a simulation? What if our bodies were being used as batteries for a robot population that’s taken over the earth? – The Matrix hacked into our collective consciousness like nothing else. Think bullet time, think Keanu Reeves, think latex and leather, think “I know kung-fu”. Honestly, stick the three sequels on here as well. Masterpieces, plural! Exhilarating blockbuster perfection, a beautifully allegorical tale of trans liberation, and just the sexiest franchise ever. You can watch The Matrix on Amazon.
13. Annihilation
Alex Garland’s Annihilation is one of the most visually arresting sci-fi ventures in recent years: a creepy, trippy voyage into “The Shimmer”, a quarantined area encased by a mysterious barrier in the air that shines like an oil spill. Here, plants and animals mutate, all communication with the outside world is closed off, time passes in strange ways, and no one, so far, has made it back out alive – until Kane (Oscar Isaac) does. Starring Natalie Portman as army biologist Lena, Kane’s wife, Annihilation follows her eerie journey into the Shimmer alongside a group of researchers: and soon becomes a journey deep into the trauma of her marriage. The kind of watch that buries itself under your skin. You can watch Annihilation on Netflix.
12. The Host
