Lilly Wachowski and her sister Lana are among the most financially successful producers of mainstream futuristic films in Hollywood. Nevertheless, they have also produced some peculiar and unconventional films. Although it was a financial failure, their live-action CGI adaptation of Speed Racer has since cultivated a cult following. In the same way, their utterly perplexing Netflix series Sense8 has amassed a substantial following.
1. The Invasion (2006)
If you’re a fan of alien-pods-replacing-people thrillers like the 1954 original, this is the film for you. But if you’re looking for a deeper political or social subtext to go with it, look elsewhere.
For every skin-crawling scene, there’s an equally dull moment. And for every swell of horror music, there’s an excruciatingly dilated experience of Cheated-On Mom scrolling through her mistress’ Instagram feed, spitefully “liking” every post.
The Wachowskis’ directorial debut may not have had the same blockbuster impact as their follow-up films, but it’s still a suspenseful and thoughtful movie. This drama centers on a Washington, D.C. psychiatrist who discovers an insidious behavior-altering epidemic. The cast includes Golden Globe winner Nicole Kidman, Jeffrey Wright and Jeremy Northam. Bound marks the Wachowskis’ most mature work to date. It also stars Jennifer Tilly and Gina Gershon in their first roles together.
2. Ninja Assassin (2009)
The Wachowski sisters have been responsible for some of the most narratively and technically ambitious (and occasionally baffling) big budget vumoo movies of the 21st century. While they are best known for The Matrix trilogy, their filmography includes a lot more gems.
Directed by James McTeigue (V for Vendetta), Ninja Assassin is a slick, fast-paced martial arts movie with some gorgeous set pieces and choreography. It also features a good performance from Sho Kosugi, who brings some much-needed gravitas to a story that otherwise churns out ancient proverbs like they’re going out of style.
The Wachowskis began their filmmaking career as screenwriters, writing for films such as Assassins. They would go on to write issues of the comic books Ectokid and Hellraiser for Marvel and Epic Comics respectively. The siblings’ directorial debut came with the cult classic heist thriller Bound.
3. V for Vendetta (2005)
From Bound to Sense8, the Wachowski sisters have built an incredible career behind the camera. But even though their 1999 cyberpunk epic The Matrix looms large over their body of work, they also directed a handful of highly underrated films.
While their first film, Bound (1996), flopped in the box office, it features an unforgettable sensual love story between gangster’s wife Jennifer Tilly and parolee Gina Gershon. It may not have the scope of The Matrix, but it’s an impeccably crafted thriller that unfolds like a graphic novel come to life.
4. Sense 8 (2001)
Not all of the Wachowskis’ films hit paydirt (or even come close to landing), but they never seem to shy away from big, baffling concepts. With Sense 8—a TV series starring an international cast that follows eight people across the globe who discover they’re linked telepathically and emotionally—the siblings explore gender, politics, and identity on a wildly ambitious scale.
The siblings paired up with director Tom Tykwer for this science fiction drama, a kaleidoscopic narrative that spans multiple eras and features many of the same actors. Though Sense8 received mixed reviews, it was praised for its representation of LGBTQ characters and themes.
Despite its bombastic nature, this film is surprisingly grounded and focused. It’s one of the Wachowskis’ most underrated movies. It unfolds a sensual love story between mobster’s wife Jennifer Tilly and parolee Gina Gershon while also being thrillingly suspenseful and impeccably crafted.
5. Work in Progress (2017)
Nobody makes movies quite like the Wachowski sisters, a pair of siblings responsible for some of the most narratively and technically ambitious, if not always well-received, big-budget flicks of the new millennium. They’re constantly pushing the boundaries of what a film can do, taking risks that wouldn’t work on a smaller scale—think a feature with six different time periods and multiple storylines or a Netflix series in which people across the globe discover they are linked both emotionally and telepathically.
The self-proclaimed gamers (they grew up playing Dungeons and Dragons together as teens) have been exploring worlds onscreen for decades, and their catalog is full of underrated science fiction gems that don’t just take big risks, but often succeed. Although Jupiter Ascending bombed at the box office, it earned a cult following thanks to its outlandish nature—and Channing Tatum’s chimpanzee sidekick, for one.
