Did you love Netflix’s ‘Annihilation’? Binge watch these next
Set for release in just two days, Alex Garland’s latest mind-bending epic looks set to take us all on a vast and visual journey before spitting us out afterward. Annihilation has been amassing rave reviews, which bodes incredibly well for those of us who live for the sci-fi genre.
If you find yourself wanting an extra helping of everything the movie is serving up, and wonder what shows and movies to watch next after Annihilation to recreate those vibes, then check out these eleven essential picks. Whether you’re watching for the first time or simply revisiting them, all should make for a perfect follow up to Garland’s latest brain snapper.
Under the Skin (2013)
If you found yourself awed by Annihilation’s surreal and stupendous visual palette then Jonathan Glazer’s Under the Skin should be top of your list to watch next. Starring Scarlett Johansson (Lost in Translation) as a somewhat literal maneater called The Female, this beguiling science fiction will haunt you just as much as Annihilation will.
Coherence (2013)
One of the finest independent science-fiction flicks of the past decade, Coherence is a head twister in a similar league to Annihilation. Proving you don’t need to enter “The Shimmer” for life to get seriously messed up, the movie – directed by James Ward Byrkit and starring Emily Baldoni (The Lost Tribe) and Nicholas Brendon (Psycho Beach Party) – sees its characters enjoying a dinner from hell as an incoming comet fractures their fun.
Never Let Me Go (2010)
Boasting a terrific cast including Keira Knightley (Atonement), Andrew Garfield (Hacksaw Ridge), Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water), and Carey Mulligan (Suffragette), Never Let Me Go also benefits from having Garland as a screenwriter. Based on Kazuo Ishiguro’s impactful novel, the movie is dark, thoughtful, and devastating.
Melancholia (2011)
Lars von Trier’s epic excavation into an apocalyptic mental health breakdown features an astounding all-star cast including Kirsten Dunst (Woodshock), Charlotte Gainsbourg (Antichrist), and forbidible father-son acting duo Alexander & Stellan Skarsgård. Melancholia bounds between miserable, mundane settings and preternatural glimpses of a woman and a world crashing into obliteration. It’s a low-key science-fiction masterpiece disguised as a high-calibre drama.
Antiviral (2012)
The always wonderfully unnerving Caleb Landry Jones (Get Out) leads this strange sci-fi tale which follows a thriving industry where fans buy the illnesses of their beloved celebrity idols. With a noir-esque mystery at its heart, writer & director Brandon Cronenberg (who is indeed the son of David Cronenberg) unravels a tense story full of intrigue, with oddly similar themes to Annihilation.
Dark (2017)
Netflix’s German sci-fi thriller is the TV equivalent of a corkscrew to the brain. It’s strange, murky, and full of surprising twists – you’ll probably end up watching the whole first season in one mind-blowing sitting.
Arrival (2016)
Director Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2049) and screenwriter Eric Heisserer (The Thing) hit all the right notes in this mysterious exploration into alien life and the concept of time. Based on the novel by Ted Chiang, Arrival will satiate those who loved Annihilation’s gift for dialogue and character development with Amy Adams (American Hustle), Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker), and Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland) leading a pack of strong performances.
mother! (2017)
Darren Aronofsky’s divisive drama might not be straight-up science fiction, but it definitely leans towards sci-fi themes in the second half of the movie. Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook) and Javier Bardem (Skyfall) lead a story full of nightmarish imagery, the likes of which will make you feel as though you’ve re-entered “The Shimmer” all over again.
Counterpart (2018)
The Starz show, which premiered in December, stars J.K. Simmons (The Bachelors) as a U.N. employee who discovers the agency he works for is hiding a gateway to a parallel dimension. Echoing some of the dark bureaucratic elements of Annihilation, the show is sure to delight.
The Mist (2007)
Frank Darabont’s adaptation of Stephen King’s mysterious novella deals with a group of people in hideout from a deadly thick mist. The movie might not match the scope of Annihilation, or even half of its special effects budget, but it definitely shares a similar vibe.
Lost (2004)
That’s right, nerds. I’m recommending we all revisit J.J. Abrams’s maddening ABC series about the survivors of a plane crash who slowly unfurl the mysteries of their new home – a tropical island full of weird happenings and unexplained plot points. Watch it and just imagine what Hurley (Jorge Garcia) might have done as part of Annihilation’s expedition team. Yikes!
