Engaging scripts are one of the essential elements of filmmaking, which is why there are two Academy Awards categories for best screenplay. Whether original or adapted, a well-crafted, thought-provoking script must tell an intriguing story that keeps viewers invested enough not to leave their seats throughout the entire course of a film.

No doubt, there would be no movies at all without this crucial component. To celebrate the art of original screenplays, we examine some of the most memorable and creative scripts ever created (according to people on Reddit), from Stranger than Fiction to Back to the Future.

10 'Stranger Than Fiction' (2006)

Harold Crick sitting in an office listening intently to someone off camera in Stranger Than Fiction.
Image via Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group

Directed by Marc Forster, Stranger Than Fiction stars Will Ferrell as an I.R.S. auditor named Harold Crick. When he suddenly finds every aspect of his life in Chicago being narrated (though he is the only one who is able to hear it), such a thing begins to affect his existence, taking a stool on his love and work life.

A user mentioned the film in the comments of a Reddit post regarding "the most original screenplay," to which StylApp could not help pointing out that it is "Will Ferrell's best work!" Zach Helm's original screenplay is surely an imaginative one, and that is what makes it stand out.

9 'Swiss Army Man' (2016)

Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe in Swiss Army Man
Image via A24

A24's surrealist comedy Swiss Army Man counts on an interesting and unusual premise: Paul Dano plays a man stuck on a deserted island and about to kill himself — until he notices a corpse (Daniel Radcliffe) with supernatural abilities that he later befriends. After naming the dead body Manny, the two head out on a surreal journey.

"In a way. It definitely had some unique ideas and themes," slicshuter commented. Written and directed by Everything Everywhere All at Once Best Director winners filmmakers Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Swiss Army Man makes for a peculiar, unforgettable watch. "That film has no right to be as charming and sincere as it is," another user added.

8 'The Usual Suspects' (1995)

Kevin Spacey, Stephen Baldwin, Gabriel Byrne, and Benicio Del Toro in The Unusual Suspects
Image via Gramercy Pictures

With a talented cast featuring Gabriel Byrne and Benicio del Toro, Bryan Singer's The Usual Suspects tells the story of a group of five criminals arrested and brought together for questioning, as they are the main suspects of a truck hijack in New York. Given the fact that none of them is guilty, they plan revenge against the police.

On the platform, a now-deleted account has no doubt that Christopher McQuarrie's screenplay is a downright creative one. "I feel Usual Suspects at the time it was released was an extremely original screenplay," they said. "The idea the entire movie was just Verbal Kint spilling stories from the posterboard from behind Chaz."

7 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' (2004)

Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey in 'The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'
Image via Focus Features

Also written by the talented Charlie Kaufman, this thought-provoking sci-fi drama starring Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey is one of Michel Gondry's best works. The plot centers around a broken-up couple who undergoes a medical procedure where all their memories of each other are erased.

According to kilometer815, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is "pretty damn creative." Sending out messages on the importance of memory and empathy, the intriguing film is a very beloved piece of filmmaking of its genre, and that is also due to its undeniably fascinating storytelling.

6 'Groundhog Day' (1993)

Bill Murray in Groundhog Day
Image via Columbia Pictures

This Bill Murray-led comedy-drama revolves around an egotistical weatherman who reluctantly covers a story about a weather-forecasting "rat" and later finds himself stuck in a time loop on Groundhog Day, doomed to spend eternity in the same place until he finds a way to escape.

On top of its originality, the Harold Ramis-directed movie written by Danny Rubin Harold Ramis also benefits from its timelessness. "One thing Groundhog Day did, was while writing the script, someone told Harold Ramis to yank out all the pop culture references, which would help it feel much more timeless," Rathmar wrote.

5 'The Cabin in the Woods' (2011)

The friend group from 'The Cabin in the Woods'
Image via Lionsgate Films

Drew Goddard's The Cabin in the Woods is a highly prized horror mystery centering around a group of five teenagers who go for an escapade at a remote cabin in the woods. However, their plans start to crumble when they discover a sinister basement filled with artifacts.

"Been sitting there thinking of a way to answer this question without using the words 'Cabin in the Woods,'" Paris1968 said when a user asked Redditors which is, in their opinion, the most innovative original movie screenplay. Other users on the platform seem to agree that Joss Whedon and. Drew Goddard's work is ultimately an impressive creative accomplishment, including Walbricks who "was really pleased with that movie when I walked out of it!"

4 'Adaptation.' (2002)

Nicolas Cage in Adaptation.
Image via Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group

In Adaptation., viewers get to see Nicholas Cage double. The Spike Jonze-directed film also counts on Meryl Streep, Chris Cooper, and Tilda Swinton in its cast and follows a screenwriter led to despair while attempting to adapt "The Orchid Thief" by Susan Orlean for the big screen.

What is so great about Adaptation.'s screenplay is the fact that screenwriter Charlie Kaufman was previously "struggling to adapt The Orchid Thief, so he wrote a movie about himself struggling to adapt The Orchid Thief," a deleted account explained. "I was going to come in here to say this... it is one that stuck out my mind," another user added in response to a different comment also mentioning the film.

3 'Being John Malkovich' (1999)

People holding a John Malkovich mask in front of their faces in Being John Malkovich
Image via Focus Features

A highly original and enthralling surrealist comedy featuring another epic collaboration between director Spike Jonze and screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, the bizarre Being John Malkovich tells the story of a puppeteer who discovers a portal leading into the head of the literal movie star John Malkovich.

According to Primetime22, "Being John Malkovich" makes it to the top as one of the most creative screenplays (it is the product of Kaufman's genius mind, so it's really no surprise). However, another Redditor argues that Adaptation. features the superior screenplay.

2 'Memento' (2000)

Guy Pearce holding out a polaroid photograph in 'Memento'
Image via Newmarket

Christopher Nolan's twisting tale of self-deception, Memento, follows Guy Pearce's Leonard Shelby, who has short-term memory loss following a break-in at his house, which resulted in his wife being raped and murdered. Even though he struggles to make new memories, Leonard attempts to find the guy who turned his life upside down.

With a captivating, shocking screenplay by Nolan and his brother Jonathan Nolan, this intense feature is guaranteed to blow viewers' minds away. "This is a good answer. I will never forget walking out of the theater and hearing people talking about it. Classic Nolan," dipping_sauce commented when a user mentioned the film.

1 'Back to the Future' (1985)

Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly in Back to the Future
Image via Universal Studios

A thoroughly referenced movie even 38 years later, Robert Zemeckis' Back to the Future is a time-travel classic that follows Michael J. Fox's Marty McFly quest for finding his way back to the future (1985) after getting trapped in 1955 by accident.

"I know it's a circlejerky answer, but I still think no script matches how witty, smart, funny, and fast paced that movie is," Peeka789 wrote, also highlighting how clever the title is. "Every single line is amusing in some way and every single line contributes to the overall plot. It's a perfect movie," they continued.

NEXT: Movies Known for Having Near-Perfect Screenplays