The Schleich Awards for Best Neuroscience Related Movie of the Year (Neuroscience Fiction): 2014-2021
By Xavier Vagus
August 3rd, 2022
Read here for the winners from 1998-2013 and a recap of the award. Named in honor of Carl Ludwig Schleich, a scientist, artist and novelist who understood the importance of the transection of art, science and imagination.
"A critic once called me an enemy of science. Well I have become an enemy of the science that with narrow-minded dogmatism merely makes war upon all that lies beyond the hedge of its methodical self-circumscribed garden, which yields only those vegetables that feed the gardener, but refuses to know anything of all the possibilities of the free and lovely virgin forest wherein one may indeed lose one's way."
-Carl Schleich
What makes neuroscience fiction? The Schleich Awards are for many different types of neuro related movies: from AI and sci fi, to mind-bending surrealism and fantasy, to psychological thrillers. Without further ado - here are the finalists and awards for best Neuroscience related movie and the nominees from 2014-2021:
2014 - Intersteller, What We Do in the Shadows, Ex Machina, The Imitation Game, The Maze Runner, Lucy, Birdman, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Transcendence, Still Alice
After a paltry year in 2013, 2014 comes back with a vengeance, with several worthy titles including Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, an excellent sequel to a Schleich winner. Lucy also made a run, but in the end the story wasn't what it could be. But nothing is beating Ex Machina and it's devious take on AI and mental manipulation, and may be the Schleich all time winner.
Faulty mechanism
2015 - The Martian, Inside Out, The Lobster, Tomorrowland, Jupiter Ascending
In a year maybe as bad as 2013, The Martian seems like the obvious winner because of the mental fortitude of the protagonist and the capability of human mind. Inside Out, a clever children's movie about emotions, also stakes a claim. But The Lobster noses it's way to the top in a really bizarre slow burn of a movie, that is either really good or really bad. Without a clear winner, two very different movies: The Martian and The Lobster, share the top prize in the first dual winner since The Matrix and Being John Malkovich in 1999.
Maybe we should see other people
Marvel makes an appearance in the Schleich awards with Doctor Strange for the first and likely last time, but a linguist who figures out how to talk to aliens in Arrival is hands down the best neuro movie in this year.
Nice penmanship
2017 - It, Get Out, The Shape of Water, Life, War of the Planet of the Apes, Ghost in the Shell, Thelma, Mayhem
The Ghost in the Shell original from 1995 off of Masamune Shirow's genius manga - maybe the OG of modern neuro movies and a major influence on the Matrix - would win hands down, but the remake is not on the same level, and in this year we have....Pennywise....
Just taking a bath
2018 - Ready Player One, Annihilation, A Quiet Place, Climax, Upgrade, High Life, The Miseducation of Cameron Post
Some sneaky decent neuro based movies in 2018, but the winner has to be the one where alien plantesque life can control your brain... read the book first - phenomenal.
Say Ah
2019 - Jojo Rabbit, Joker, Vivarium, Ad Astra, The Sound of Metal, It Chapter 2, I Am Mother
Joker is a close second and the decent into madness was well-done and really should win, and would give Joaquin Phoenix another Schleich nod, as he is the unquestioned king of neuro movies - but Jojo Rabbit and the imaginary friend is too twistedly ridiculous.
Nothing like having fun with your imaginary friend
2020 - The Father, Soul, Possessor, Archive, Black Bear, Horse Girl
2020 lagged, as expected - The Possessor was close, but in a thin year Black Bear comes out on top for pure pyschosexual manipulation, Aubrey Plaza and Sarah Gadon's awesome performances, blurred parallel story lines that have something to do with a bear, a movie within a movie, and an ending that makes you go - whoa, wait a min....
Sittin on the dock of the bay
2021 - Dune, Swan Song, Mad God, The Matrix Resurrections, The Suicide Squad, Nightmare Alley, After Yang, Belle, I'm Your Man, Memoria
Nothing is better in the pychological thriller genre than Nightmare Alley, and gives Guillermo del Toro a well-deserved Schleich award, as 2021 rebounds from 2020 with a strong year. Bradley Cooper redeems himself again from the travesty of Limitless and starts to make a run at Joaquin Phoenix for the Schleich king. Back to back psychological thrillers during these pandemic years is fitting.
You need a light?