The advent of nimble digital cameras and cutting edge visual effects has meant that filmmakers have been able to mount increasingly ambitious sci-fi stories on relatively small budgets.

This week sees the release of Monsters: Dark Continent, a follow-up to Gareth Edwards' brilliant 2010 debut Monsters. Not only did Monsters shoot Edwards to the big time, putting him in the director's chair for Godzilla and next year's Star Wars: Rogue One, but it also only cost less than $500,000 to make.

Below, we look at 11 incredible science fiction movies that prove you can make a great movie for just a fraction of what Avengers: Age of Ultron cost ($280 million, apparently!).

Dark Star (1974)

Moviestore Collection



Production budget: $60,000

How many could you make for the price of Avengers: 4666

Why it's essential viewing: Before he made his trio of classics Assault on Precinct 13, Halloween and The Thing, John Carpenter directed this trippy sci-fi about a crew in deep space who encounter an alien shaped like a beach ball. Yes, a beach ball. Boasting a heavy dose of comedy to go with the outer space action, this is worth seeing, whether you're a Carpenter aficionado or not.

Cube (1997)

Moviestore Collection



Production budget: $350,000

How many could you make for the price of Avengers: 800

Why it's essential viewing: Expertly blending horror and sci-fi, Vincenzo Natali's film throws a group of strangers together into a giant maze with only each others' wits to survive. Sliding through hatches in a bid to escape, they're confronted with puzzles, deadly traps and a growing sense that all hope is lost. Natali's film, which cleverly re-uses the same sets as the group head from room to room, is best described as a thinking man's Saw.

Primer (2004)



Production budget: $7,000

How many could you make for the price of Avengers: 40,000

Why it's essential viewing: Despite costing a relative pittance, writer/director Shane Carruth's Primer (in which he also starred) is one of the most mind-bending and challenging time travel movies you're ever likely to see. It's so complicated, there's diagrams and everything to try and explain it! Primer is a film that demands multiple viewings simply to just get your head around it. If you like it, Carruth's equally ambitious (and thrifty) Upstream Colour is worth a watch as well.

Timecrimes (2007)



Production budget: $2,600,000

How many could you make for the price of Avengers: 107

Why it's essential viewing: With its ingenious time-loop structure, Nacho Vigalondo's Timecrimes examines how alterations to the past can ripple into the present with devastating effect. An engaging, mind-bending experience, this is a must-see for anyone who loves a good time travel puzzler.

Moon (2009)

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Production budget: $5 million

How many could you make for the price of Avengers: 56

Why it's essential viewing: Duncan Jones drew on a host of influences - among them Alien, Outland, 2001 and Silent Running - for this story of an astronaut stranded on a lunar colony. Things take a dark turn as Sam Rockwell's character discovers he's being manipulated by a ruthless corporation back home. Jones's film brilliantly explores ideas of identity while mixing in some practical VFX spectacle to boot. This is perhaps one of the best sci-fi films of the 21st century.

Monsters (2010)

Everett Collection



Production budget: less than $500,000

How many could you make for the price of Avengers: 560

Why it's essential viewing: Taking a prosumer digital camera and actors Scoot McNairy and Whitney Able on a jaunt around South and Central America, Gareth Edwards filmed a semi-improvised love story and set it against the backdrop of an alien invasion aftermath. Adding in the VFX later via his own desktop computer, Edwards emerged with a powerful genre blend that was part-Terrence Malick, part-Jurassic Park. It's hardly a surprise to see Edwards at the helm of massive Hollywood blockbusters if this is what he can do on a sub-$500,000 budget.

Another Earth (2011)



Production budget: $100,000

How many could you make for the price of Avengers: 2800

Why it's essential viewing: The discovery of a duplicate planet sets in motion this romantic drama from Mike Cahill and star/co-writer Brit Marling. This is a thought-provoking film that uses its genre backdrop to explore ideas of forgiveness and moving on from past trauma. Another Earth notably launched the career of its creative force Cahill and Marling (who features again on this list), and is well worth tracking down.

Sound of My Voice (2011)



Production budget: $135,000

How many could you make for the price of Avengers: 2074

Why it's essential viewing: Co-written by Brit Marling of Another Earth fame, this is a grounded drama about a Los Angeles cult with only the slightest hint of sci-fi. Marling takes on the lead role of Maggie, the cult head who claims to be from the year 2054. Is she a fraud or is she telling the truth? The film keeps you guessing right until the last moment.

Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)



Production budget: $750,000

How many could you make for the price of Avengers: 373

Why it's essential viewing: Want to know how Colin Trevorrow seemingly came out of nowhere to bag the Jurassic World director's gig? Look no further than the recent Safety Not Guaranteed, a comedy about a trio of magazine journalists who answer a classified ad asking for a companion for time travel. As with Sound of My Voice, this holds off on the sci-fi reveal, but it all plays out so well you're invested in it right to the end.

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