The high concept is one of Hollywood's favorite movie-making devices, with outlandish ideas being thrown at studio executives all the time. With such choice, it's almost impossible for anyone to predict the outcome when it comes to the finished product, even with tried and tested formulas movies can fail to resonate with audiences, flop at the box office, and leave a hole in the studio's pocket.
On occasion though, filmmakers dare to forge a new path, they take a seemingly outrageous idea and execute it perfectly, resulting in an incredibly unique cinematic experience that stands out from its competition.
10 The Filmmakers Were Dead Right With Swiss Army Man
One of the most endearing qualities of Daniel Radcliffe's post-Harry Potter career is his determination to shed any sort of typecasting and really show his range, yet in this pursuit few expected him to go as far as playing a corpse. Swiss Army Man is the story of a lonely guy and his lifeless buddy marooned on an island.
An acting teacher would likely state that tremendous talent is needed in order to have great on-screen chemistry with a corpse, but Paul Dano would provide more than enough to make the film a wonderfully enjoyable, disturbing tale of friendship, love, and acceptance.
9 Taika Waititi Takes Down Hitler With A Barrel Of Laughs In Jojo Rabbit
A ten-year-old nazi finds a young Jewish girl hiding in his attic, and with advice from his imaginary friend, an extravagant version of Adolf Hitler, he must decide how to deal with the unexpected visitor. Jojo Rabbit was held by many as the best film of 2019.
Writer and director Taika Waititi also stars in the film as the eccentric version of Hitler, and his nazi-mocking turn in Jojo Rabbit may be his funniest performance yet. Waititi also stated that he did not do much research on Hitler, citing his reason as the evil dictator not being worth the effort.
8 Black Sheep Had Horror Fans Flocking To Theaters
Zombie sheep. It's as ridiculous, as zany, and as simple as it sounds. The New Zealand movie Black Sheep was released in 2006 and soon gained popularity across the globe. Its extreme violence and grotesque gore satisfied even the most hardcore of horror fans, while the film's technique of playing such an outrageous concept completely straight results in an abundance of hysterical scenes.
Some fans even hold the film up as New Zealand's answer to horror-comedy classic Shaun Of The Dead.
7 The Artist Silenced All Naysayers
A silent movie on its own may not seem like an outrageous concept, but The Artist was released a lifetime away from the silent era of cinema. Even though his idea was originally dismissed, director Michel Hazanavicius had planned to make a silent film for some time, and in 2011 his perseverance paid off and he got his wish.
The Artist was a roaring success, earning a total of ten Academy Award nominations, winning five, including Best Picture and Best Director.
6 Being John Malkovich Offers Up The Movie Star In A Different Light
In 1999, writer Charlie Kaufman and director Spike Jonze combined their exceptional talents to create one of the most unique and enchanting cinematic experiences. Being John Malkovich follows a puppeteer, played by John Cusack, as he exploits a newly-discovered portal into the mind of none other than legendary actor John Malkovich.
The film received numerous awards and nominations, with John Malkovich's satirical portrayal of himself often being singled out as a hilarious highlight.
5 Four Lions Is A Fantastic Exposé On Extremism
A dark satirical comedy about four young British men who aspire to be suicide bombers, Four Lions has an undoubtedly controversial concept yet it avoids the pitfalls of tasteless or offensive humor. The movie's script is packed with wit and its lead actors all contribute performances strong enough to have audiences momentarily forgetting the upsetting subject matter that the film revolves around.
Four Lions is a brave takedown of fanaticism and religious extremism. Writer and director Chris Morris won an Outstanding Debut BAFTA for the film, and it remains a hugely popular dark comedy among cinema fans today.
4 Schwarzenegger Was Prepared To Deliver The Unexpected In Junior
A bonafide action megastar, Arnold Schwarzenegger branched out from his usual fare in the late 1980s with the hit comedy Twins, where he starred alongside funnyman Danny DeVito. The duo would reunite in 1994 with Junior, and the premise was simple, Schwarzenegger becomes pregnant in the name of scientific research.
The chucklesome concept worked, Schwarzenegger and co-star Emma Thompson received Golden Globe nominations for their performances, and famous critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert gave the film two thumbs up.
3 Ted Is The Comedic Combo Of Mark Wahlberg & Seth MacFarlane
Seth MacFarlane's feature-length directorial debut Ted is a brilliant bromance versus romance movie, offering up an array of laughs to go along with the film's heartwarming story of friendship.
Mark Wahlberg plays John Bennett, a man whose unlikely wish of life for his teddy bear friend comes true, thus leaving him forced to choose between Ted the bear, or his girlfriend Lori, played by Mila Kunis. The movie was a huge box office hit and received a sequel in 2015.
2 Hitler Returns With Hilarious Effect In Look Who's Back
Adolf Hitler galavanting around modern Berlin is about as controversial as an elevator movie pitch can get, but with the 2015 German satirical comedy Look Who's Back, the idea was expertly brought to life, as was Adolf himself by Oliver Masucci. The role earned the actor a national film award nomination.
The film uses a style similar to Borat, adding in scripted scenes amongst that of Hitler interacting with real-life citizens. Look Who's Back is a mesmerizing look at how modern Germany would react to the return of Adolf Hitler, the results are as worrying as they are hilarious.
1 Nicolas Cage & John Travolta Swap Faces Then Face-Off
John Woo's Face/Off ticks all the boxes when it comes to classic '90s action, deliciously stylish shootouts, great stunt work, and explosive performances from its leads. Nicolas Cage is well known for playing lunatics on the big screen, but few characters can top that of Castor Troy.
Cage starts out the film as the homicidal maniac, only to swap faces and lifestyles with John Travolta's FBI agent Sean Archer. The ridiculous premise works thanks to the immense talent of all involved. Action thrillers don't get much better than Face/Off.