What are some movies that will break my mind?

Question

Dylan · Answer

The Up Series (1964-2026): A daring, visionary feat of longitudinal filmmaking, this landmark docu-series follows a group of British children from vastly different backgrounds, beginning at age seven.

Starting with 7 Up in 1964, the series revisits their lives every seven years to witness how class, ambition, and circumstance shape their futures.

Following the 2019 instalment, 63 Up, the series is expected to end in 2026 with the release of 70 Up. A must-watch!!

Dylan · Answer

Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma: I don't even have the words to describe how hilarious, camp, meta, silly and horny this film is. I usually don't like horror but this was genius. I didn't feel scared, just aroused.

sunset strip mall · Answer

Sans Soleil (dir. Chris Marker): a film school classic. also really amazing but it takes a few watches to kind of take in everything that's happening

Eric F · Answer

Enter The Void (2009) 💊: This film will break your mind + it has some cool graphic design.

Elaine F · Answer

Buster Keaton: The General (1926): This silent film turns 100 years old this year, and some of the stunts and action sequences still make me squirm in my seat. Not sure if it'll break your mind, but it did mine when I first saw it.

jmd · Answer

Persona (1966): Bergman's avant-garde masterpiece.

jmd · Answer

Mulholland Drive (2001): I'd say this isn't quite as brain-breaking as Lost Highway but it's definitely up there. My favorite Lynch.

jmd · Answer

Primer (2004): A low-budget, cerebral, technically focused take on the time-travel mind-bender.

jmd · Answer

Tenet (2020): Unfairly maligned, and improves quite a bit on second watch.

jmd · Answer

Lost Highway (1997): David Lynch, enough said.

Minna Kelly · Answer

Last Year at Marienbad (1961): Inscrutable in a very sleek, extremely stylized, slightly upsetting way. If you’ve seen Melancholia, you’ll see some pieces from its mood board here.

Steve M · Answer

Your Name (2016): There will be enough recommendations to keep someone busy for years when it comes to thrillers and suspense, but I wanted to throw in something that does have a mind-bend aspect but on the light hearted and sweet side. Imagine Freaky Friday in a slice-of-life teen romance and I'll say nothing more because the fun is discovering what the twist is. Anime can be a bit hard to recommend to Western audiences but this is often cited as one of the modern contemporaries to Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli in terms of accessibility and mainstream reach.

I think this is still Makoto Shinkai's seminal work that isn't overly saccharine or wistful like his other movies. Don't come at me Weathering With You and Suzume fans.

Steven Weill · Answer

Shutter Island: So many good suggestions but they’re all (obviously) dependent on them not have being spoiled. This was the first that came to mind.

Harrison · Answer

Memento: idk if it’ll break your mind but if you like Inception or Dark Knight, you’ll love Christopher Nolan’s earliest stuff.