Originally Posted by LoathsomePete

Pi (1998)

Darren Aronofsky's directorial debut made on a paltry budget of $60,000 and filmed in black and white. If you like "art-house" films then this is about as definitive as you can get. It features a small cast with a few very memorable support characters and some interesting themes like the ancient Chinese game of Go. It also has the best electronic soundtracks I've ever heard in a movie with artists like Aphex Twin, Massive Attack, Autechre, Clint Mansell, and Orbital. The film I'm most reminded of is David Lynch's Eraserhead (1977) for its surreal nature, use of insects, and close up shots of brains. The story was intriguing and kept me interested all the way to the end and also managed to end in such a way that actually surprised me. This one is on Netflix Instant at the moment so if you're a fan of Darren Aronofsky's later work or just want to see something that's out-there, I'd recommend you give this one a try.