Video of studio session for "Spontaneity (Acoustic)" on Youtube

Just posted the footage I shot of the recording session for "Spontaneity (Acoustic)". The clip features Chavo Villanueva on guitars, Jorge Villanueva on percussion and Teca Garcia of Tijuana No on charango and Peruvian flutes.



The song is featured as a bonus track on the "Spontaneity" single and can be purchased on iTunes and other digital retailers.

Final Album from "Innocence of Time" Behind the Scenes

Just posted the final collection of images taken during the filming of "The Innocence of Time" music video on the Alphanaut Ning site. These images were taken in the Hollywood Hills, Griffith Park and the beach near Malibu.


If you haven't already checked out the finished product, you can view the Innocence of Time music video on Youtube.

New Photos added to Alphanaut's Ning Site

During the filming of "The Innocence of Time" music video, I was fortunate to have my family with me on location. Actually, my nephew Austyn was down to star in the first half of the production as the lone astronaut stranded on some strange world. My mom, a shutter-bug herself, captured tons of great still photos from behind the scenes, while my sister Stephanie shot video footage.

Just posted two more photo galleries to the Alphanaut Ning Site of what they captured during the filming. The first is from our final day in the desert near Joshua Tree National Park. The second is from our day in downtown Los Angeles.


Keep up to date with Alphanaut at the official Ning Site.

Alphanaut's new single "More Than I Do" Hits online stores

Heads up on a new release!

"More Than I Do", the third single from the Alphanaut album "Out of Orbit" has just hit online stores. The release includes an edit of the album version and a remix of the song "More Than I Do (Flip's Stripped Mix)" by the artist Flip.


Click below to pick up a copy of the Alphanaut single "More Than I Do" on iTunes



Or visit Amazon to make your purchase.

Alphanaut "The Innocence of Time" Part 2

Here is the video for the second segment of Behind the Scenes footage we filmed while making the music video for "The Innocence of Time".




In part 2, the scenes were shot in downtown Los Angeles. We utilized a number of locations that day including the Second Street tunnel, rail yard, Bonaventure Hotel and Million Dollar Hotel.

Nils Timm was at the helm with his regular crew including Rob Toth and Kanna Taniuchi with Mark's sister and mother on board capturing the behind the scenes happenings.

The Making of "The Innocence of Time" Part One

Finally had time to edit the behind the scenes footage shot during the creation of "The Innocence of Time" music video. Here are moments from Day One, set to the "Guilty As Charged Remix" of the song by Ted Scarlett.



Thanks to Stephanie, my sister, for capturing this footage for me.

Purchase a copy of "The Innocence of Time" on iTunes

Alphanaut Ning Community Now Live

Yesterday marked the official launch of the Alphanaut Community Site at Ning.com I've been working on this environment off and on for the last six months, and finally have it to a point where I feel comfortable letting fans and friends know about it. For the first 100 people to join in and set up their free profile, I'm offering a complimentary CD quality song download through Bandcamp.

If you're not familiar with Ning, they offer a really cool community space that can be used by anyone, for pretty much any purpose. I'm hoping it will provide me with a more centralized space where I can communicate with everyone about the latest happenings with the project. The site is in it's early stages but you can currently listen to all my tracks, cruise through every video and check out the discography pages with liner notes and lyrics for every release. I'm looking forward to adding more interactive features in the coming months.

Thanks so much to everyone for their support! Anyone who want to join Alphanaut on Ning CLICK HERE. I'll email you your link and coupon code for the free tune!

My iMix of Lesser Known New Wave on iTunes

Created my first iMix on iTunes and decided to focus on some lesser known music by both well known and not so well known acts from the past. Check it out and give it a rating on iTunes if you like it.

Help Select the Next Alphanaut Single From "Out of Orbit"

I wanted to give fans and friends some input on selecting the third single for the album "Out of Orbit". After combing over stats of what songs seem to be getting the most plays and downloads, I chose the top three.

To vote, first have a listen to each song by hitting the play button for each tune. Then visit the poll listed below to cast your vote.

Here are the contenders:

More Than I Do

Mystery Loves Company

Don't Hide Away From The Sun


Cast Your Vote:


Look forward

"Happily Sedated" - The World Is Unwinding

So it's been a while since my last post featuring the inspiration behind the songs on "Out of Orbit". I've unexpectedly found myself swept up by a creative 'tidal wave' the last 6 months, which has kept me away from doing as much social networking as I would like. However, as a result of all my efforts, I have not only penned 13 songs which will be the next Alphanaut full length, but I've also begun a collection of ambient instrumentals. If all goes as planned the instrumental album will be released Spring 2011 and the full length in summer the same year. I'll keep everyone posted on how things are coming along.

The next tune up from "Out of Orbit" is "Happily Sedated". This was the only song on the album that went to the studio without a finished demo at the beginning of the recording session. I don't think I even had a lyric beyond "We're all happily sedated, in the life that we created". That's it, and the pressure was on to figure out what the message would be around that line.

At the time the songs were being recorded, the world was in free fall as economies were collapsing and our communal spirit began to deflate. One day I was out around town and took notice of how many people were shielded from the outside world by their hand held devices. One after another I noticed individuals paying more attention to the texts they were sending rather than where they were walking. That was enough to trigger the lyric "Look up, power down your cel phone" and I found myself with inspiration for the son's direction.

I wrote the song about a how each and every one of us is culpable for the woes of our current situation, and how blame can't simply be tossed at bankers and politicians. I began to realize that four decades of institutionalized excess of the Western world had drug us down and taken the rest of the world with it.

The song's message is hidden behind a catchy little tune that wound up developing rather organically in the studio.

"Happily Sedated" Lyrics - By Alphanaut

Look up, power down your cel phone
Line is busy, the call’s not free
Something’s up in the days of plenty
Too many people marking absentee
At a time when you had more money
Smiled and drove along happily
But no matter what your mind is thinking
I can hear you body singing

But if you're happily sedated
In the life that you created
Those who only disagree
Will shut the book and let it be

Get out from under your headphones
Shuffle up from your MP3s
If you want to draw my attention
Open up your mouth, stop texting me
There were days when skies were sunny
But it shifted so violently
No matter what you the future’s bringing
I can hear your body singing

But if you're happily sedated
Thinking life is overrated
Take a page from history
Shut the book and let it be

Haven't you heard your religion's withdrawn
So buddy get your dogma off of my front lawn

Because I'm happily sedated
In a life incorporated
I may not ever come around
But my boots are firmly on the ground

We’re all happily sedated
Life incorporated
Take a page from history
Shut the book and let it be

Purchase CD quality downloads of Alphanaut tunes at Bandcamp.com



To purchase "Happily Sedated" on iTunes


To purchase "Happily Sedated" on Amazon CLICK HERE

More Airplay at WRIR 97.3 FM

Just got an alert that WRIR, 97.3 FM in Richmond, VA was cool enough to spin "Night Blind" this past weekend. Until now the song was only part of a promo disc sent out to radio stations, but as of this week the song is available as one of two bonus cuts on the "Satellites Crashing" single.


Thanks again to WRIR for giving Alphanaut some airplay.

Mark

Night Blind
Alphanaut

Download Share

Satellites Crashing Single - Live on iTunes

The new Alphanaut single "Satellites Crashing" is now live on iTunes and should be popping up on all other digital retail sites in the coming weeks. The release features two non-album tracks and an instrumental version of the title cut. Here's the lineup.

1. Satellites Crashing
2. Sleep Spun Brown
3. Night Blind
4. Satellites Crashing (Instrumental)

You can also purchase "Satellites Crashing" from the Alphanaut profile at Bandcamp.com which features CD quality downloads of the songs unavailable anywhere else. Bandcamp offers artists the ability to set their own pricing and fans can purchase for the base price or donate a little extra to help support independent artists. Also, as their is no 'middle man' for the transaction like with iTunes, Amazon, etc., all the funds go directly to the project to help support future recordings.

To purchase "Satellites Crashing" from Alphanaut's Bandcamp profile


To purchase "Satellites Crashing" from iTunes


Thanks for the support!

Mark

Never Been To Athens - CD Quality Downloads

You can now download CD quality Alphanaut tunes through Bandcamp.com including the "Never Been To Athens" single which includes two remixes and the bonus cut "AL 424-15".



Support Alphanaut by purchasing direct from the artist as the Bandcamp system cuts out the middle men. This way all funds go directly into funding the next full length album.

Thanks!

Mark

Alphanaut Music Videos on iTunes

Finally, the music videos for the Alphanaut singles "Never Been To Athens" and "Jennifer" have been added to iTunes alongside the visual for "Spontaneity", which has been up for numerous months. It was a long, endless ordeal getting these videos through distribution but the wait is over.

Visit the following links to purchase a copy of the video for your computer, iPhone, iPad or other hand held device.

Purchase the Alphanaut music video for "Never Been To Athens"


Purchase the Alphanaut music video for "Jennifer"


Purchase the Alphanaut music video for "Spontaneity"

"The Innocence of Time" Music Video by Alphanaut

I just posted the latest Alphanaut music video for the song "The Innocence of Time". The tune itself is actually from "The Lunar Age" EP and was officially released as a single this time last year, however at the time I was ramping up to record "Out of Orbit" and had to dedicate my funds to the full length. I knew the video was going to have to wait, but the timing worked out perfectly as I was able to work with Nils Timm once again. Nils directed the video for "Spontaneity" and I was happy to coordinate time with him, and his busy schedule, to work on ideas for visuals for the song.

After presenting my initial concepts for the music video, we fine tuned a story line that would work within my budget, which again was next to nothing. Nils is fantastic and bringing together a crew that are passionate about film making and can create top notch visuals for a shoestring. As an example, the space suit we rented for $150, but we couldn't afford the backpack unit that came with it. So Kanna, the wardrobe girl, grabbed some cardboard boxes, covered them with white nylon, attached a few found objects that looked like controls, creating her own version of the life support unit. Brilliant!

I have some behind-the-scenes footage that I will be revealing in a few weeks and will go over a few additional bits of trivia from the shoot. Don't want to go over them now as I don't want to ruin any surprises before people watch the clip.



To purchase "The Innocence of Time" on iTunes


Or on Amazon CLICK HERE

"Sleep Spun Brown" Studio Session Video

Just posted behind the scenes footage of the Alphanaut studio session for "Sleep Spun Brown".



The song will be the bonus cut to the next single "Satellites Crashing" which should be ready to release soon. Just need to send the song to mastering and upload the files to the usual online retailers and then we're set. Hope to see the song on iTunes and Amazon by the end of July.

Sleep Spun Brown - Guest Musicians

Ted Scarlett - Piano
Chavo Villanueva - Guitar & Ebo
Alberto Campos - Drums
Art Agunod - Fretless Bass

Written by Mark Alan and Cobban Barnett

"Without You" - A Tribute To Love Left Behind

The song "Without You" was by far my most ambitious piece on the "Out of Orbit" album. I had actually written the melody back in 2006, a good year before I started seriously rolling up my sleeves to compose again. I knew this song wasn't going to be an appropriate fit for "The Lunar Age" EP, so I decided to hold it for my envisioned full length, which would have a much broader sound. I knew I wanted "Without You" to feel epic, complete with live piano, drums, percussion and strings. I got my wish on all that, with the exception of my desire for a live string section. My budget just didn't allow it this time around, but I was lucky enough to work with Benny Brydern on fully flushing out my string arrangements with synths.

For the longest time the piece floated around as an instrumental and I tried a number of lyrical ideas. Then one day I ran across an old demo with the song "Without You", which was set to an entirely different melody. I tried singing the words to my instrumental and it was a perfect fit.

The concept behind the lyric was to tell a story of someone who had passed away, moving on to the spirit world, yet unable to get over the love they left behind on Earth. I chose to reference heaven, even though I don't subscribe to any particular concept of the after life, because I felt it would be the easiest reference for most people to understand. Ironically, during my vocal sessions, I had experienced my own loss of someone close to me, so I channeled that emotion into my voice. I think the delivery on this song is pretty raw and intense, and I'm very happy with the result, though this is one I can't listen to quite yet because of the emotion that motivated my vocal parts.


"Without You" Lyrics - by Alphanaut

Raise your hands up to heaven
I’m reaching out to you
Rest your holy heart in the temple of my hands
I had waited for you
In and out of my life
But lost, the moment has gone away now

All I wanted was to see in your eyes
Someone who cared without compromise
This distant need had eternity aching
In a place where a heart is breaking
I’ve been waiting for you
I’ve been waiting for you

Raise your eyes up to heaven
I’m sanctified by you
Wash my weary soul with the grace of your hands
I’ve been waiting for you
In and out of my life
Please don’t take this moment away now

All I wanted was to see in your eyes
Someone who cared without compromise
This distant need has eternity aching
In a place where a heart is breaking
I’ve been waiting for you
I’ve been waiting for you

Raise your hands up to heaven
I’m reaching out to you
Rest your holy heart in the temple of my hands
I’ve been waiting for you
I’ve been waiting for you

How was I breathing without you
How was I dreaming without you
How was I, now how am I
Something’s keeping the terror in me alive

How was I breathing without you
How was I dreaming without you
How was I, now how am I
Something’s keeping the memory of you alive

Purchase a copy of the Alphanaut song Without You on iTunes


Or to purchase on Amazon CLICK HERE

"Out of Orbit" Review on Daily Vault

Just got word of a new review for "Out of Orbit" by Vish Iyer on the site Daily Vault. He had some kind words for the release and I thank him for his support.

Click Here to read the article on the Alphanaut album "Out of Orbit".

To purchase a copy of "Out of Orbit" on iTunes Out of Orbit - Alphanaut

Or Amazon Click Here

Third Teaser Image From the Alphanaut "The Innocence of Time" Video

Here is the third and final teaser image for "The Innocence of Time" music video. The official launch date coming in the next week or so and I'll be posting to Youtube and all the other usual video sites.

Stay tuned.

To purchase a copy of "The Innocence of Time" on iTunes


Or from Amazon.com CLICK HERE

"Stalker" Video Clip by Russian Film Maker Andrei Tarkovsky

Here's footage from a 1979 movie called "Stalker" by Russian director Andrei Tarkovsky

I watched this movie a couple months ago, and though I was really struck by it's visual style, I can't entirely recommend you sit down and give it a viewing. That is unless you like really long winded story telling. There are a lot of great moments in the film and ultimately it's a really great idea. Just found this clip on Youtube where a German band named Heimataerde used clips from the film for their music video. It actually provides a good example of scenes from the film.

Alphanaut Radio Play on WRIR 97.3 In Richmond Virginia

Just got an alert that Alphanaut garnered airplay in Richmond Virginia this past Friday evening June 4th. The song "Safe and White" from "Out of Orbit" was played on the show The Lounge.

Cool news and a big thanks to the station.

Any Alphanaut fans in the area please show your support by letting the station know you dig hearing the tunes on the air (804) 649-9737.

Thanks for your support!

Second Teaser Image From the Alphanaut "The Innocence of Time" Video

Here's another little clue pulled from the latest Alphanaut music video for "The Innocence of Time". If all goes as planned the release date for the video will be some time in July.

To purchase a copy of "The Innocence of Time" on iTunes


Or from Amazon.com CLICK HERE

"Mystery Loves Company" - By Alphanaut

Track number six on "Out of Orbit" titled "Mystery Loves Company" is another that goes further back in my song writing catalog. Bringing this one into the Alphanaut universe was probably the most difficult and the song went through about half a dozen different personalities before I settled on this arrangement. As a matter of fact, just before the final mix of the song I ripped out the original drum track that Jorge laid down and programmed the current beats.

Lyrically, it's a tune I wrote after a heated debate with someone who had zealot-like religious beliefs and essentially doomed me to hell for not having the same convictions. Looking back on it from a more mature perspective, I'm not sure I got my point across as effectively as I could have, though there are elements of the lyric I still really like.

"Mystery Loves Company" Lyrics - By Alphanaut

Your hatred fears the secular mind
With the holy ghost you hide behind
The halls of truth are open wide
But you can choose the doors you hide behind
Cause your kind of virtue is no place I would hide in
I choose the housed I want to reside in

I can’t hold you up
You can’t hold me down
Mystery loves company when the best is not around
What’s hidden in the tea leaves
Or written in the stars
Mystery loves company no matter who you are

You read my mind
What a waste of your time
I blew your doors right off their hinges and gave you the answers
What do you want me to say
Je nes vous pas parlez
Is it am I, are you, did you, do you, can you think of something better to say

I can’t hold you up
You can’t hold me down
Mystery loves company when the best is not around
What’s hidden in the tea leaves
Or written in the stars
Mystery loves company no matter who you are

Purchase a copy of Alphanaut's "Mystery Loves Company" on iTunes


Or to purchase a copy on Amazon CLICK HERE

Photo From "Sleep Spun Brown" Recording Session

Here's a photo taken yesterday from the recording session for "Sleep Spun Brown", the bonus cut for the next Alphanaut single "Satellites Crashing".

From Left to Right: Chavo Villanueva (guitar and ebo), Mark Alan (voice), Ted Scarlett (piano), Alberto Campos (drums) and Art Agunod (fretless bass).

I shot video of the session as well so as soon as Ted and I have a mix together I'll be cutting the footage and posting to Youtube. Should be some time later in the month. It was great to work with every one involved, and their contributions to the song took it to another level.

Low Budget Sci Fi Short by Ataque de Pánico! "Panic Attack!"

Many out there have probably already seen this trailer, but for those who haven't it's a short film by Uruguayan director Fede Alvarez, called "Ataque de panico!" (Panic Attack). It's a story in which giant robots invade a South American city. The kicker is, it was reportedly made for $500, though some dispute that fact. Either way, it was certainly done on a shoe string budget and it's pretty exciting to see what can be done when imagination and ingenuity make up for money.



Last I read about this project, Sam Raimi that his Ghost House Pictures made a deal with Alvarez to direct a feature length movie based on the short.

"Spontaneity" Receives Platinum Auddy From YouPlaya.com

Check out Alphanaut on YouPlaya.com by clicking the link below and download a copy of the single "Spontaneity".

http://uplaya.com//albums/941/widget

"This Time" - The Complexities of Truth and Lies in Love

The song "This Time" is another that goes back away for me. It was originally recorded as part of a demo for my previous band to an entirely different melody. The lyric always meant a lot to me, and as I didn't have the rights to the original melody, I decided to put it to my own music.

As I am at heart a minimalist (I know it's not apparent at this point), I had been experimenting with the idea of creating a song that would revolve around one melodic theme throughout. The idea was to have the song build upon itself without moving off a constant progression, and from that idea the music behind "This Time" formed. Originally this music backed a very different version of "The Best Hasn't Happened Yet" from "The Lunar Age" EP, which was scrapped when it quickly became apparent it was the wrong direction for that song. I then began to fit the "This Time" lyric into the instrumental and it worked perfectly.

This was the second song, after "More Than I Do", that I gave to Chavo Villanueva to play guitar on back when I was working on the previous EP. Even though this song was pretty much flushed out before the EP sessions even started, it was sonically more expansive and I knew it had to be held back. In the end, it actually laid the ground work for how the sound for "Out of Orbit" would develop.

"This Time" was written while in a particularly turbulent relationship years ago. It's a pretty straight forward confession about lies told and received chipping away at the foundation of love. Oh, so many mistakes.

"This Time" Lyrics - by Alphanaut

I’ve been lied to and I’ve lied
I’ve been tied to and I’ve tied
I’ve been broken and I’ve broke
And shattered dreams before I awoke
And there have been centuries
When you meant more to me
But now you take the time you draw the line

You say, believe me
This day, believe me
This time, this time

You come to my defense
But it makes no difference this time
Desire is my reward
But these are treasures I cannot afford this time

And I’ve traded greater things
Than the treasures of a thousand kings
And I’ve faded like the smoke
To find that love was an unbearable joke
And there have been memories
When you meant more to me
But now you take the time you draw the line

You say, believe me
This day, believe me
This time, this time

You come to my defense
But it makes no difference this time
Desire is my reward
But these are treasures I cannot afford this time

Purchase Alphanaut's "This Time" on iTunes

Or on Amazon by Clicking Here

First Teaser Image From the Alphanaut "The Innocence of Time" Video

Here's my first teaser image for the upcoming Alphanaut music video "The Innocence of Time", which we shot last month with director Nils Timm.

Don't want to give away too much before the video gets released in July but I'll be putting out visual hints between now and the release day.

To purchase a copy of "The Innocence of Time" on iTunes


Or purchase the song on Amazon

"Sleep Spun Brown" - New Alphanaut 'B Side' for "Satellites Crashing" Single

Just wrapped our final rehearsal for a new Alphanaut tune titled "Sleep Spun Brown" which will be a bonus cut for the forthcoming single "Satellites Crashing".



The song actually is a piece I originally co-wrote with Cobban Barnett, my good friend and former keyboard player in my band November. We had gotten together at his place in Chicago with the intention of writing as much material as possible for a new project and this piece came into existence in less than 8 hours. Unfortunately due to a family tragedy that occurred the next day, I had to depart and we were never able to return to the project. The interpretation you hear for Alphanaut is much different than the original which I plan on posting once the single is released.

Joining me in studio are Ted Scarlett on keys, Chavo Villanueva on guitar, Alberto Campos on drums and Art Agunod on bass. Both Alberto and Art were in November with Cobban and I so this song in a round about way represents a virtual reunion of sorts.

The mood of "Sleep Spun Brown" is very different from the songs on "Out of Orbit" and in some ways hints at what's to come for the new songs I'm working on for album number two. I guess if you look at this song in literary terms, the song is more like an appendage in a book, supplementary material that doesn't really relate to the work ahead or behind it.

As an aside, this was the final take of the day and I must have bumped the camera to the right when I pushed record. I'm bobbing in and out on the left there making my typical 'cameo appearance' if you will.

"Never Been To Athens" Honored at the 2010 Los Angeles Cinema Festival

Just recivied word that the Alphanaut video for "Never Been To Athens" has been honored at the Los Angeles Cinema Festival. Both director Jimmy Ahlander and me are thrilled the video received some attention again for our animated tale of a lost spaceman in his flying potato (watch the clip and it will make sense).



This is the second time "Never Been To Athens" has been honored at a film festival. In 2009 the Alphanaut video was one of five selected out of hundreds to compete in the Bornshorts International Film Festival in Denmark including works by Radiohead, Alice in Chains and other big name acts.

My hats off to Jimmy for creating a truly unique visual piece for the song.

To purchase "Never Been to Athens" on Amazon CLICK HERE

To purchase "Never been to Athens" on iTunes

New Alphanaut Publicity Photos by William Thoren

Last weekend I had publicity photos taken by my friend William Thoren to tie in with the "Out of Orbit" album art direction. I worked with Will over a year ago to bring to life my ideas for "The Lunar Age" EP, "Spontaneity" and "The Innocence of Time" singles and knew he'd come up with some great images again. Included in this post are a handful of the photos I selected.

CLICK IMAGES FOR FULL SIZE VIEW

The idea was to work inside an abandoned water tower near his house, playing with the natural light beaming through rusted out holes in it's structure. We accented the sun light with a handful of remote strobes and played around with the idea of incorporating blurred motion with parts of my body while keeping others still. What you are seeing was all done in camera with no PhotoShop enhancement. Once again wanted to play around with being barefoot which was a potential hazard as there was glass and debris everywhere.

I'm really pleased with how the images turned out. William is a fantastic young photographer with a great imagination and unique use of light. You can check out his work at www.williamthoren.com

Alphanaut Top 10 Sci Fi Movie List

Thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite science fiction films, so I'm creating a 'Top 10 List' with a brief description for each one. I'm going to skip over all the obvious blockbuster films "Star Wars", "Alien", "Blade Runner", "Matrix", "Avatar", "Star Trek" (2009 version), etc., and instead touch on those that might be more obscure or easy to overlook.

Here they are starting with number 10 and working up to my all time favorite.

10. "A Boy and His Dog" (1975)
First of all, this is probably not the best film for feminists, and I admit it's recklessly sexist. Also the level of nihilism of this film will probably bother a lot of viewers, though it still remains an intriguing, surprisingly funny and wholly original film. It's centered around a young Don Johnson and his telepathic dog wander a harsh, violent post-apocalyptic world, doing their best to survive.

9. "Primer" (2004)
This is definitely what you'd call 'soft sci fi", and anyone who requires big budget sets and effects in their movies won't find what they are looking for here. Primer is a time travel film shot on a minuscule budget which relies more on it's sharp dialogue, excellent narative and characters to pull off it's story. Really a brilliant piece of film making for the genre.

8. "THX 1138" (1971)
George Lucas' directorial debut is certainly a tough nut to crack and pretty demanding on it's audience. It's story has been appropriated countless times in more recent movies. A futuristic society where love is forbidden and emotions and individuality are controlled through drugs. I've seen it several times over the years and I still struggle with some of it, though Lucas presented some of his most evocative concepts ever on screen with this one.

7. "Dark City" (1998)
When I first saw this film in the theaters I hated it so much that I nearly walked out on it. Before going in it seemed a 'no brainer' to be on my list of faves, but for some reason at that time it didn't click. I saw it ten years later and it was at that point that it's brilliance struck me. The film noir style, amazing sets, meticulous cinematography and bizarre visuals make it a must see for anyone looking for something truly unique.

6. "District 9" (2009)
I know this one isn't particularly obscure, though I had to include it on my list. The characters, apartheid inspired story, visual FX and pseudo-documentary style all add up to an amazing film. Even though I loved Avatar, I'm bummed that this much talked about film got shoved to the side once the behemoth blockbuster came around.

5. "Gattaca" (1997)
A beautifully told tale of a future earth where science and genetics have been allowed to control all aspects of humanity, weeding out what makes us all unique individuals. Some slam the film for it staid direction and acting, but to me it's representative of how people might behave in an entirely pre-programmed environment.

4. "Solaris" (2005)
The Soderbergh remake of the 1972 Russian film seems to evenly divide people. I have friends who, like me, really love it, and others who thought it was a painful snooze fest. To me it's really a beautiful, gently told story that doesn't insult the audience by spoon feeding the plot, holding our hands and pointing out the things not to be missed. I love it when a film maker asks us to use our imaginations and come to our own conclusions.

3. "Moon" (2009)
Another fantastic film from last year that I'm not sure if any one saw. I caught this one on Netflix as it seemed to vanish as quickly as it arrived at the theaters here in Los Angeles. It would be a crime to give much away with this film. You really need to add it to your rental list, sit back and enjoy the unique story.

2. "Donnie Darko" (2001)
Maybe this one really doesn't qualify as full on sci fi, though I really don't know what genre it might fall into. Donnie Darko is mind bending to say the least and often leaves much for the audience to figure out. I recommend seeing the directors cut as it includes extra footage that helps explain this strange universe.
1. "2001: A Space Odyssey" (1968)
This one might seem obvious, though many people hate the film I love it. I remember seeing this film as a kid and being fascinated by it from beginning to end. To this day it's still one of my favorite films of all time and I marvel at what Kubrick and his team achieved in 1968.

Runners up:

"Brave New World", "Farenheit 451", "12 Monkeys", "The Iron Giant", "Brazil", "Metropolis", "Cloverfield", "Ghost in the Shell" and dozens more I'm forgetting.