These 9 Movies Have Very Weird Premises, But Are Still Extremely Entertaining

Some of the weirdest movies ever made have great entertainment value. Wild and bonkers premises that seem to be too whimsical and chaotic often lead to unexpectedly meaningful and fun viewing experiences. That’s not a guarantee, as many movies are plain weird, and you can find innumerable whimsical films that go nowhere despite having potential. However, it isn’t rare for an apparently silly and meaningless-on-paper premise to give us a memorable movie that will enthrall us till the end of time.

While some of the most unintentionally hilarious movie characters of all time were born accidentally and don’t necessarily enrich a film, intentionality with goofiness is a promising storytelling technique. Yes, many horror movie moments meant to be scary are hilarious by mistake, but trying to mix laughter with horror can yield wonderful results, as demonstrated by the most hilarious horror comedy movies that entertain audiences endlessly. So, some movies with very weird premises can be extremely entertaining as well.

9

Ratatouille (2007)

Directed by Brad Bird

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Ratatouille

G

Animation

Comedy

Family

Fantasy

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9/10

55

8.1/10

Release Date

June 21, 2007

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9/10

55

8.1/10

Ratatouille follows Remy, a culinary-inclined rat living in Paris, who dreams of becoming a chef. Despite societal obstacles, he finds an opportunity to prove his talents when he ends up beneath a prestigious restaurant, allowing his sophisticated palate to assist in creating extraordinary dishes.

Cast

Patton Oswalt, Ian Holm, Lou Romano, Brian Dennehy, Peter Sohn, Peter O’Toole, Brad Garrett, Janeane Garofalo, Will Arnett, Julius Callahan, James Remar, John Ratzenberger, Teddy Newton, Tony Fucile, Jake Steinfeld, Brad Bird, Stéphane Roux, Jack Bird, Andrea Boerries, Marco Boerries, Lindsey Collins, Thomas Keller, Brad Lewis, Lori Richardson, Michael Giacchino

Runtime

111 minutes

Director

Brad Bird

Writers

Brad Bird, Jim Capobianco, Jan Pinkava

Producers

Andrew Stanton, Brad Lewis

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Try explaining to someone that a rat with weirdly strong culinary skills can use tufts of hair on a struggling chef’s head to guide him like a puppet and take him to the heights of fame he was destined for based on his ancestry, and they’ll call you mad. The elevator pitch for Ratatouille sounds like it’d have been impossible to convince any producer, and yet, Brad Bird and the wonderful team behind the movie gave us one of the most memorable animated films in recent years.

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The relationship between the rat Remy and his human friend or puppet, funnily named Linguini, is beautiful, and only makes sense in animation. The gorgeous art complements the story of rags-to-riches, as the rat, ideally supposed to be living in the sewers and eating rotten or discarded food, becomes a gourmet chef by proxy, and the famous chef Gusteau’s bastard son lives up to his dad’s reputation. With soulful music, energetic character interactions, chaos, and a bonkers premise, Ratatouille is one of Pixar’s finest movies.

8

Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)

Directed by Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan

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Everything Everywhere All at Once

R

Adventure

Comedy

Action

ScreenRant logo

8/10

35

8.6/10

Release Date

March 25, 2022

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8/10

35

8.6/10

In Everything Everywhere All at Once, a middle-aged laundromat owner (Michelle Yeoh) is distracted from her financial and family issues by a multiversal crisis. With just her husband (Ke Huy Quan) to support her through the confusion, she must contend with her overbearing traditional father (James Hong), a pencil-pushing auditor (Jamie Lee Curtis), and her emotionally-distant daughter (Stephanie Hsu). 

Cast

Jenny Slate, Ke Huy Quan, Stephanie Hsu, Harry Shum Jr., Jamie Lee Curtis, James Hong, Michelle Yeoh

Runtime

132 minutes

Director

Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert

Writers

Daniel Scheinert, Daniel Kwan

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A woman is suddenly contacted by a version of her husband from an alternate reality, who possesses his body and lets her access her alternate versions from other universes so she can end the apocalypse of the multiverse. On paper, the premise of Everything Everywhere All At Once sounds too silly and goofy to amount to anything of significance and substance. Yet, it’s one of the best films of all time.

Everything Everywhere All At Once was nominated for 11 Academy Awards and won 7 of them.

As one of the best martial arts adventure movies, Everything Everywhere All At Once leans into the disorienting effect of being able to possess the bodies and have memories of other versions of yourself. It is a whimsical film with various alternate realities that explores the bond between the protagonist and her daughter. The emotional core also deals with her relationship with her husband, and despite having what seems to be a weird premise, the movie delivers on all fronts.

7

White Chicks (2004)

Directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans

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White Chicks

PG-13

Comedy

Crime

6.5/10

Release Date

June 23, 2004

White Chicks is a comedy film directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans. Released in 2004, the story follows FBI agents Kevin and Marcus Copeland, played by Shawn and Marlon Wayans, who go undercover as white women to protect socialite heirs from a kidnapping plot. The film notably combines elements of crime investigation and humorous identity swaps, focusing on the agents’ comedic challenges while disguised in their new roles.

Cast

Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Busy Philipps, Maitland Ward, Jaime King, Frankie Faison, Lochlyn Munro, John Heard

Runtime

109 Minutes

Director

Keenen Ivory Wayans

Writers

Keenen Ivory Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Marlon Wayans, Andrew McElfresh, Michael Anthony Snowden, Xavier Cook

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Few movies scream early 2000s comedy like White Chicks, remembered as a timeless artifact of the era. Shawn and Marlon Wayans play two FBI agents who are forced to take the place of two white women after they’re injured during a car accident and refuse to let them escort them to their destination. The raceplay and genderplay elements may seem dated, but the film is surprisingly sensitive and aware for its time.

As a satire on the upper class, on America’s systemic racism and transphobia, White Chicks is a classic that has aged well and deserves a better reputation than it has. With a meager 15% on Rotten Tomatoes, the film was critically panned, but it has been re-evaluated in recent years and has a Letterboxd rating of 3.54. Moreover, despite the weird premise, it’s one of the most entertaining comedies of the 2000s, with one of Terry Crews’ most memorable scenes of all time.

6

Cocaine Bear (2023)

Directed by Elizabeth Banks

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Cocaine Bear

R

Comedy

Thriller

ScreenRant logo

7/10

6.0/10

Release Date

February 24, 2023

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7/10

6.0/10

Based loosely on the true story, Cocaine Bear follows an oddball group of cops, criminals, tourists, and teens converging in a Georgia forest where a massive black bear stumbles upon and ingests a staggering amount of cocaine, setting the 500-pound bear on a coke-fueled rampage for more blow.. and blood.

Cast

Ray Liotta, Alden Ehrenreich, Christian Convery, Scott Seiss, Margo Martindale, Keri Russell, Kahyun Kim, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Brooklynn Prince

Runtime

95 Minutes

Director

Elizabeth Banks

Writers

Jimmy Warden

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Elizabeth Banks is often written off as a director because of the subpar quality of the two Pitch Perfect sequels she directed and because the Charlie’s Angels remake, a brilliant reimagination with a female lens, was critically panned. Similarly, despite receiving much love during its initial weeks of release, her latest film, Cocaine Bear, has also almost disappeared. It does, however, have the potential to become a cult classic that will survive the test of time.

Cocaine Bear is a unique creature feature where the killer is simply a bear high on cocaine.

Based on the 1995 incident when a bear overdosed on cocaine, Cocaine Bear is a unique creature feature where the killer is simply a bear high on cocaine. The horror comedy approach works in its favor as it allows the film to highlight the goofy nature of the headline, while still remaining serious about the consequences. With some great gory kills, a host of memorable one-liners, and a great ending, the film is an entertaining monster movie.

5

The Lobster (2015)

Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos

The Lobster (2015) - Poster - Collin Farrell

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The Lobster

R

Comedy

Drama

Romance

10

6.3/10

Release Date

October 15, 2015

The Lobster is a dystopian romantic comedy set in a world where single people are forced to find a mate within 45 days or be turned into an animal. The film follows David, a recently divorced man, who checks into a hotel where he has 45 days to find a new partner, or else he will be transformed into a lobster.

Cast

Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, Olivia Colman, Lea Seydoux, Michael Smiley

Runtime

119 Minutes

Director

Yorgos Lanthimos

Writers

Yorgos Lanthimos, Efthymis Filippou

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Yorgos Lanthimos is one of the founding directors of the Greek Weird Wave, and with that reputation, it’s no surprise that his Hollywood productions have the weirdest premises either. The Lobster is set in a dystopian future where single people are herded off to a hotel and given an ultimatum to find a romantic partner, with the threat of being turned into animals if they fail.

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Lanthimos’ previous Hollywood film, his first American English-language production, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, is one of the best thriller movies of the 2010s. The Lobster is no different, as, despite the weird and goofy premise, which leads to comedic situations, the film is a tense thriller since the premise sets off a ticking clock for the protagonist to find a romantic partner. The absurdity of the situation and Lanthimos’ trademark janky and transactional dialogue create an entertaining viewing experience with memorably anxiety-inducing scenes.

4

Swiss Army man (2016)

Directed by Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan

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Swiss Army Man

R

Adventure

Comedy

Drama

6.3/10

Release Date

July 1, 2016

Starring Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe, the 2016 comedy Swiss Army Man follows Hank, a man who befriends a dead body on a deserted island and uses its unexpected abilities to survive. It is the directed by Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan and also features Mary Elizabeth Winstead in its cast.

Cast

Timothy Eulich, Aaron Marshall, Daniel Radcliffe, Marika Casteel, Paul Dano, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Richard Gross

Director

Dan Kwan, Daniel Scheinert

Writers

Daniel Scheinert, Dan Kwan

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Daniel Scheinert directed two good movies before an amazing third, Everything Everywhere All At Once, which skyrocketed him and his directing partner Daniel Kwan to household name status. However, the duo’s Swiss Army Man remains one of the most famously weird films ever made. It also showcases Daniel Radcliffe’s acting talents, who has been diversifying his portfolio since Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II in 2011.

The Daniels had originally pitched Swiss Army Man as a joke in response to the typical and predictable Hollywood blockbusters, but they were encouraged to make a film out of the idea.

Radcliffe plays a corpse discovered by another man (Paul Dano), who has been marooned on an island. Despite being dead, the corpse has some form of sentience, and the rot in his body gives him supernatural abilities. His farts can fly the man anywhere if he holds onto the corpse and the body’s insides work as a water reservoir. With a multipurpose body, the corpse only has one drawback – it doesn’t look alive and can’t speak, which the man decides to help with. The absurd surrealism of the film only makes it more entertaining and memorable.

3

Being John Malkovich (1999)

Directed by Spike Jonze

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Being John Malkovich

R

Comedy

Drama

Fantasy

7.0/10

Release Date

October 29, 1999

Being John Malkovich: This film follows the story of an unsuccessful puppeteer named Craig who discovers a portal that leads into the mind of actor John Malkovich. The phenomenon soon entices others to explore the bizarre and controlling world of inhabiting another person’s consciousness.

Cast

John Cusack, John Malkovich, Cameron Diaz, Catherine Keener, Mary Kay Place, Orson Bean, Charlie Sheen, Reggie Hayes, W. Earl Brown, Carlos Jacott, Willie Garson, K.K. Dodds, Byrne Piven, Judith Wetzell, Gregory Sporleder, Octavia Spencer, Ned Bellamy, Eric Weinstein, Madison Lanc, Kevin Carroll, Gerald Emerick, Richard Fancy, Patti Tippo, Daniel Hansen, Mariah O’Brien

Runtime

113 minutes

Director

Spike Jonze

Producers

Charlie Kaufman, Michael Kuhn, Michael Stipe, Sandy Stern, Steve Golin

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Spike Jonze is most famous for directing the futuristic romance drama Her, a movie to avoid if you’re nervous about AI. However, if the premise of a lonely man falling in love with an AI sounds absurd, his directorial debut feature will confuse you even more. Being John Malkovich, starring the titular actor, is about a group of people who discover a means to possess the actor’s body and access the resources available to him.

Pitched as an out-of-body experience, the phenomenon of occupying John Malkovich’s body is like a drug trip to the characters in the film. What’s weirder, John Malkovich himself is present, but as a consciousness watching someone else control his body and doing things he’d never do. The brainchild of surrealist screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, the film’s exploration of bodily autonomy and body absurdity is commendable. The drama between characters abusing the ability to control someone else creates an entertaining viewing experience you won’t soon forget.

2

The VelociPastor (2018)

Directed by Brendan Steere

The VelociPastor

Horror

Comedy

Fantasy

Sci-Fi

Cast

  • hEADSHOT of Gregory James Cohan

    Gregory James Cohan

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Gregory James Cohan

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Alyssa Kempinski

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Voltaire

Release Date

September 28, 2018

Runtime

75 minutes

Director

Brendan Steere

Writers

Brendan Steere

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If the idea of a pastor who can transform into a velocipastor to fight ninjas employed by the Church to spread drug addiction, so more people come to Church looking for deliverance, doesn’t sound weird to you, nothing will. His partner in his fight and his romantic interest is a self-proclaimed hooker-doctor-lawyer with incredible martial arts skills. Nothing about The VelociPastor is remotely normal, and on paper, it just sounds like a horrible movie.

The director’s lack of restraint in doing whatever pleases him make(s) it one of the finest instances of zero-budget filmmaking.

However, the absolute lack of adherence to filmmaking norms and the director’s lack of restraint in doing whatever pleases him make it one of the finest instances of zero-budget filmmaking. It is entertaining from start to finish, never letting up on the weirdness and delivering moments of lowbrow entertainment you can never forget. Despite my low expectations, VelociPastor is a good movie that I’ll never stop recommending, for the “VFX: Car on fire” sequence, among other reasons.

1

Rubber (2010)

Directed by Quentin Dupieux

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Rubber

R

Comedy

Drama

Fantasy

Horror

Mystery

1.0/10

Release Date

November 9, 2010

Rubber is a 2010 film that follows a group of people gathered in the California desert to watch a sentient, homicidal car tire named Robert. Set in the late 1990s, the narrative unfolds as Robert becomes fixated on a mysterious woman and causes chaos in a desert town.

Cast

David Bowe, Thomas F. Duffy, Stephen Spinella, Roxane Mesquida, Jack Plotnick, Wings Hauser, Ethan Cohn, Charley Koontz, Daniel Quinn, Devin Brochu, Hayley Holmes, Haley Ramm, Cecelia Antoinette, Remy Thorne, Tara Jean O’Brien, Pete Dicecco, James Parks, Courtenay Taylor, Blake Robbins, Gaspard Augé, Pedro Winter, Michael Ross

Runtime

82 minutes

Director

Quentin Dupieux

Producers

Julien Berlan

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Not only does a tire come to life and exhibit sexual attraction towards a woman, people watch his actions like a movie in Rubber. It is nigh impossible to describe the absurd experience of watching Rubber as the self-referential sense of humor in the film must be seen to be believed. Despite being a horror movie that gets a lot of flack, I love Rubber for its lack of convention and willingness to commit to its weird premise.

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Opening with a monologue commenting on the surrealism of experiences in real life, where things occur for no apparent reason, Rubber goes on a crazy journey where you can’t predict what will happen next. It often becomes difficult to keep track of what’s occurring in the film and what’s occurring in the film the characters are watching. While Rubber can feel self-indulgent with its commentary and pseudo-smartness, the movie will entertain you if you surrender to its whimsy.

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