Let's be real: some movies become the defining features of our lives. They have an effect that lingers on for years after you've watched them. Thanks to the suggestions of an online community, here's a concoction of mind-altering films that will always stick in your mind.
1. Mulholland Drive: Fragmented Reality
Even after 5 years, one member shares how they still play Mullohland Drive in their head every week. If memory loss and fragmented perceptions of reality intrigue you, this film is for you!
2. Paprika: Dream Analysis Gone Wrong
Don't let Paprika's bright colors and enchanting animation fool you. The plot centers around a machine allowing therapists to enter their patient's dreams. Once it is stolen, all hell breaks loose, and only Papkria, a young female therapist, can save the day.
3. Predestination: A Permanent Memory
According to one member, Predestination plays in their head at least once a week. Talk about a lasting impact! This film is a mind-bending experience.
4. Arrival (of A New Language)
Arrival will make you challenge everything you know about language and communication. Unlike regular alien movies centered around action, this film shows a curious struggle of a linguist communicating with alien lifeforms.
5. Psycho: On the Run
Psycho is an incredible classic featuring a run-away secretary who embezzled $40,000 from her employer. The encounters she has in her hiding place leave viewers scratching their heads.
6. Vertigo: Demons, Demons Everywhere
It is always a thrill to see characters who juggle their inner demons alongside external disturbances. Thankfully, Vertigo offers a similar experience featuring a former police detective.
7. Holy Motors: Mysterious Appointments
For most users, Holy Motors is an underrated film. The story follows a man on his way to work in a limousine. The incidents that follow are mysterious and mind-boggling, to say the least.
8. The Butterfly Effect: A Life-Altering Experience
The Butterfly Effect is bound to leave audiences questioning their linear view of reality. We see an epic display of memory and supernatural means of altering one's life by reading a journal.
9. Mother: A Framing Frenzy
Mother, originally titled Madeo, is a heartwrenching tale of a mother who searches for the killer who framed her son.
10. Perfect Blue: Escaping the Past
In addition to its stunning visuals and aesthetic appeal, Perfect Blue has, quite literally, an insane plot. The story follows a singer who gave up her career to become an actress. Unfortunately, she goes insane due to ghosts from her past. One user even hailed it as an inspiration for Black Swan.
11. Hereditary: The Horrors of Grief
In addition to a well-developed cult horror story, Hereditary is an excellent display of grief. The actors went all out with their performances. It's nearly impossible not to feel what they are feeling, and for a while, you may even think you're there without a screen-like barrier in between.
12. Coherence (or Lack Thereof)
Imagine having a casual dinner party with your friends, only to be disrupted by an overhead comet. One person mentions how Coherence messed them up so badly that they couldn't stop thinking about it for days after. Plus, a post-Buffy Zander (Nicholas Brendon).
This thread inspired this post.