5 Mind-Blowing Movies You Have To Watch

Life can get really busy sometimes, and I know how difficult it can be to find the time to sit down and watch movies. However, I’ve found that using this as an opportunity to escape, at least for a little while, is an effective way to relax the mind. This year, I challenged myself to watch more movies with a deeper meaning behind them, and I would like to recommend to you some of my favorites so far.

Here is the list of mind-blowing movies you have to watch:

1. Memento (2000)

Director: Christopher Nolan

Cast: Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano

What is the movie Momento about? 

Memento follows Leonard, who has anterograde amnesia. This condition means that he is unable to form new memories. Using Polaroid photos and the tattoos on his body, he is determined to find the people who attacked him and killed his wife. 

Why you should watch Momento?

I love how Nolan decides to tell Leonard’s story backward. It is such a unique storytelling device because we start at the “end” of the movie and watch how everything has accumulated up to that moment. The themes of memory and time are intertwined with Nolan’s clever narrative structure. This is definitely a mind-blowing movie that you have to check out, and it will make you question the reliability of our memories.

2. The Truman Show (1998)

Director: Peter Weir

Cast: Jim Carrey, Laura Linney, Ed Harris

What is The Truman Show about?

Our main character, Truman, is unaware that his everyday life is being filmed as part of a reality show, and that all the people he interacts with are actors. Once strange events start occurring, he gradually uncovers the truth and makes a plan to escape. 

Why you should watch the movie The Truman Show?

In addition to being extremely entertaining, I love how The Truman Show criticizes the entertainment industry and supports the dramaturgical theory. This movie will make you question the idea that we are all playing some role in our everyday social interactions and whether our life can be considered a series of performances.

3. Snowpiercer (2013)

Director: Bong Joon-ho

Cast: Chris Evans, Song Kang-ho, Tilda Swinton, Jamie Bell, Octavia Spencer, John Hurt

What is the movie Snowpiercer about?

In an alternate 2014, a climate engineering accident created a new ice age after a failed attempt to stop global warming. The Snowpiercer train circulating the Earth carries all of what remains of the human population, with lower-class passengers at the back and higher-class passengers at the front. Our main character, Curtis, is one of the tail-section passengers, and he decides to lead a rebellion against the elite.

Why you should watch the movie Snowpiercer?

From the director of Parasite (2019), this dark science-fiction thriller effectively explores themes of classism and morality. There are a lot of plot twists that I didn’t see coming, and I highly recommend watching this if you want to watch a movie with a deeper meaning behind it. 

4. Waves (2019)

Director: Trey Edward Shults

Cast: Kelvin Harrison Jr., Lucas Hedges, Taylor Russell, Alexa Demie, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Sterling K. Brown

What is the movie Waves about?

I can’t say much without giving spoilers, but this movie follows the lives of a suburban family as they experience loss, compassion, and growth. This movie beautifully shows how everything is connected and how one decision can change your whole life. 

Why you should watch the movie Waves?

The acting, cinematography, and soundtrack work together to beautifully capture the interconnectivity of human nature. Shults plays with the aspect ratio, color palettes, and narrative structure to effectively evoke emotion within the audience. This movie is so stunning, and it definitely makes you reconsider how you interact with others and how people can get pushed into emotional situations.

5. Fight Club (1999)

Director: David Fincher

Cast: Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, Helena Bonham Carter

What is the movie Fight Club about?

Fight Club follows an unnamed narrator who forms an underground fight club with the help of his new friend, Tyler Durden. 

Why you should watch the movie Fight Club?

Fight Club is a really great satire of toxic masculinity, consumerism, and capitalism. The fast-paced and compelling plot makes this a very entertaining watch, while also forcing us to consider how systems of social control countercultures by sacrificing politics for commerce. Also, the plot twist at the end still blows my mind to this day, so I highly recommend watching this if you haven’t already.