Hi reader! I'm just sharing a list of some of my favorite interesting films. Most of these films are mind blowing or compelling to watch. Enjoy reading!
Mulholland Dr. (2001) dir. David Lynch- Another beautiful and bizarre film, The story begins when a car accident on the winding Mulholland drive, renders a woman amnesiac and befriends an aspiring Hollywood actress named Betty Elms. This film explores the idea of dreams, trauma, obsession & deepest desires. while watching this film, there's a mix of confusion and mystery because it leaves the viewer the task of putting the things in a particular order as if entering into someone else's mind. A surreal thriller mystery, that is worth watching if you want a movie with a great plot twist.
The Truman Show (1998) dir. Peter Weir- I discovered this movie in Letterboxd because of its great reviews. Also, I grew up watching Jim Carrey comedy movies but this time, It wasn't a comedy film but the message of this movie was truly relevant up to this day. The film explores the life of an insurance salesman who also happens to be the star of the most popular live show in television history. This film is like a mirror of what is happening nowadays where people broadcast their lives on reality tv shows and social media platforms.
A Clockwork Orange (1971) dir. Stanley Kubrick- A dystopian crime film based on a 1962 novel with the same name. I became interested with Stanley Kubrick's films after I watched his film entitled, "The Shining" and "Eyes wide shut" which is also a thrilling one. In Clockwork Orange, it explores the idea of violence, juvenile delinquency, psychiatry and other social, political subjects. It is the story of a sadistic gang leader whom imprisoned and volunteers for a conduct-aversion experiment. The film is a mix of dark sense of humor and powerfully disturbing scenes.
Paris, Texas (1984) dir. Wim Wenders- A story of an aimless drifter who has been missing for four years, wanders out of the desert and must reconnect with society, himself, his life, and his family. It is a movie with a tagline, "a place for dreams, a place for heartbreak and a place to pick up the pieces." while watching the film, it feels like a bit of poetic and mundane. I like the deep sense of the story and the American southwest shots.
Pulp Fiction (1994) dir. Quentin Tarantino- I recently discovered this movie and I just love the character style of Uma Thurman. This is a neo-noir, black comedy crime film with a touch of pop-culture. The story revolves around the lives of two mob hitmen, a boxer, a gangster's wife and a pair of bandits that are intertwined on a series of violence and redemption. The film is quite compelling and witty at the same time.
The Lobster (2015) dir. Yorgos Lanthimos- In a dystopian near future, single people, according to the laws of The City, are taken to The Hotel, where they are obliged to find a romantic partner in forty-five days or are transformed into beasts and sent off into The Woods. This film is quite an open ending, intriguing and there is somehow authentic about the pressure that a society puts on an individual to find their own "soulmates" which can lead to reckless choices.
The King of Comedy (1982) dir. Martin Scorsese- Another funny yet important message that was tackled about this film is the celebrity culture, becoming famous for the sake of being famous. It has a lot to say about the world we live in today; the obsession and fame. It is a satirical black comedy about a passionate yet unsuccessful comic who craves for a spotlight and took it for himself by kidnapping a late-night talk show host who value his own privacy. I just admire the message of the film how it stood relevant up to this day.
Back to the Future (1985) dir. Robert Zemeckis- One of my favorite films during quarantine. The story, retro feels, cinematography and characters are perfect. What I love about time travel films is the feeling of nostalgia. It's a story about a 17 year old boy named Marty Mcfly who's accidentally sent thirty years into the past by a time-travelling DeLorean invented by his close, eccentric scientist friend, Doc Brown.
The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) dir. Wes Anderson- I love Wes Anderson Film aesthetics and his signature style when it comes to films. I've also watched "Moonrise Kingdom" but I like The Grand Budapest even more. The story of this movie revolves around a writer who met the owner of a high-class hotel who tells him of his early years of serving as a lobby boy in the hotel's glorious years under an exceptional concierge.
Memento (2001) - dir. Christopher Nolan - It's a story about an ex-insurance investigator who can no longer build new memories because of an accident and he attempts to find the murderer of his wife, which is the last thing he remembers. At first, It was confusing to watch, but at the same time, compelling because as the scenes progresses, you will completely understand the story.
Requiem for a dream (2000) - dir. Darren Aronofsky - This movie has a lot of reviews. People say it's disturbing to watch but I just think that it's triggering in a sense that it shows human's deepest, darkest desires in the expense of self infliction and complicated relationships. This movie is good that I won't watch it again but still I would gladly recommend.
Dogtooth (2009)- dir. Yorgos Lanthimos - This is the movie description: A controlling, manipulative father locks his three adult offspring in a state of perpetual childhood by keeping them prisoner within the sprawling family compound. Another different kind of story from the director of "The killing of a Sacred deer" and "The Lobster"
The Sixth Sense (1999) dir. M. Night Shymalan - One of the best plot twist that I've seen in a movie. There is a bit of eerie feels while watching this movie. I've watched this at midnight, but I can say that it's not too scary. It has an excellent story and a plot twist that would give you an insight to the perspective of such ghosts or spirits.
Coherence (2014) - dir. James ward Byrkit- A story of an Eight friends at a dinner party experience a troubling chain of events due to the malevolent influence of a passing comet. The movie is a psychological science fiction that has a simple casts and story but suggest multiple realities and ominous other worlds.
Shutter Island (2010) - dir. Martin Scorsese - Another Scorsese's film. Although the film is somewhat predictable, Shutter Island still managed to thrill, entertain, and leave an impact. The story is about a U.S. Marshals on a ferryboat headed towards Shutter Island, an island containing a federal mental hospital for the criminally insane. They are going to the island because a woman patient named Rachel escaped the day before.
Inception (2010) dir. Christopher Nolan - This movie is a different kind of heist film because it talks about dreams. It is a science fiction, action-thriller, with original screenplay that is like the film "memento" with some mystery and twistiness.
The others (2002) - dir. Alejandro Amenabar - Another mind twist movie starring Nicole Kidman. The film revolves around a woman who lives in her darkened old family house with her two photosensitive children becomes convinced that their home is haunted.
Parasite (2019) dir. Bong-Joon Ho - Parasite is fantastic. It's clever. It's funny. It's disturbing. And yes, there is a powerful underlying theme of the divide between rich and poor.
Author's note: Some of the film details are from IMDB and Rotten tomatoes. Have you watched any of these movies? I'm spending some of my spare time watching films and this lists will be updated as soon as I'm finish watching. Please feel free to comment and suggest other films.
