U.S. Regions: 10. Enemy - HBO Max 9. Synecdoche, New York 8. Snowpiercer 7. American Psycho - HBO Max 6. Donnie Darko - HBO Max 5. Inception 4. Stalker - HBO Max 3. Brazil 2. Mulholland Drive 1. 2001: A Space Odyssey - HBO Max CANADA Regions: ( 10. Enemy - NETFLIX, STARZ, Prime Video *I couldn’t find any others in Canada right now. Try using a VPN to access these in the other countries listed. www.cyberghostvpn.com/FlickConnection U.K. Regions: 10. Enemy - Mubi 9. Synecdoche, New York 8. Snowpiercer - STARZ, Sky Go 7. American Psycho - STARZ 6. Donnie Darko - FreeVee 5. Inception - Sky Go 4. Stalker - BFI Player 3. Brazil - Disney+ 2. Mulholland Drive - STUDIOCANAL 1. 2001: A Space Odyssey - HBO Max AUSTRALIA Regions: 10. Enemy - Stan. 9. Synecdoche, New York 8. Snowpiercer - Stan., SHUDDER, AMC+ 7. American Psycho - STARZ 6. Donnie Darko - Stan. 5. Inception - NETFLIX, Paramount+, Stan. 4. Stalker - BFI Player 3. Brazil - Disney+ 2. Mulholland Drive - BiNGE 1. 2001: A Space Odyssey - SBS On Demand Go to buyraycon.com/flickconnection for 15% off your order! Brought to you by Raycon.
Brazil is one I've loved for decades. And Mullholland Drive. Plus I watched 2001 as a birthday party in 70 mm it will always be a favorite. But Snowpiercer, it absolutely is a commentary on capitalism being an unavoidable march to feudalism.
I would add; - Primer. To this day, a time travel movie I cannot wrap my head around. Makes Donnie Darko look like a connect-the-dots (though I still love Donnie Darko). - The Invitation. A “slow burn” thriller. Not to be confused with another movie that’s recently come out with the same title…this one is about a guy and his new girlfriend being invited to his ex wife’s (and her new beau) house gathering. - The Endless. This and the Resolution (and a third) are movies that are a kind of rabbit hole you NEED to go down. - Mr Nobody. Scifi time travel-esque. - Fight Club. Don’t talk about it. - 12 Monkeys. I’d check out all those movies as well.
Nice compilation, Darren. I'd just like to add a note on 2001: A Space Odyssey - the screenplay and the book were actually written in tandem, and in a strange twist, Kubrick completed and released the movie even before Clarke had finished the novel. However, if you read the novel (which IS a great read!) and then rewatch the movie, that last sequence makes a LOT more sense.
Indeed. I spent literally 20 years scratching my head over that ending and when I finally decided to read the novel is all there and is not at all an open, vague, subjective ending as I thought it was.
@@educostanzo Glad you got to experience both formats at last. And if you think about it, that final part of the book really is a challenge to imagine visually in the first place, so hats off to Kubrick once again!
Isn’t the point of this to recommend movies that are currently subscription streaming? I agree those movies are really good but idk if they are sub streaming and probably just for purchase or rent.
I've always found it baffling how many people are thrown by Memento's structure, since it always seemed so clear of a pattern to me... Nothing drives me crazier than hearing someone describe Memento as being a story told backwards (or in reverse, or whatever.) I'm guessing at least some of the people saying that are just sort of... short-handing it (since the actual pattern isn't as neatly contained within a phrase like that...) but even then that's likely misleading others into a wild misunderstanding of what they're watching. All the more troubling because like... the film is even color coded to tell you which scenes are the ones in reverse order and which ones are the scenes that aren't...
I don't remember Moon being particularly puzzling (though it is a great film) but Primer and Cloud Atlas definitely deserve nominations to a puzzling movie list!!
I’m surprised I’m not seeing anyone mention this one, but Satoshi Kon’s 1997 psych/horror/thriller, Perfect Blue, would be a great addition. Please please watch this if you haven’t already!
Kubrick did such a good job adapting 2001 into a movie, but the ending of the book is so complex and so intricately written that it’s hard to put into film. In order to truly understand the end of the film you need to read the book. I personally consider it my favorite book and I’ve read it a handful of times. It also explains a lot more about the monolith and its purpose in “the dawn of man“. Arthur C Clarke definitely created an absolute masterpiece with 2001.
@@kaviator you're both wrong, the book was adapted concurrently with the script of the movie, Kubrick even helped with the book, but he was left off of the authorship.
And Clarke helped with the script. However, the whole thing was inspired by Clarke’s short story The Sentinel (1951). So although the film certainly wouldn’t have happened without Kubrik, it was Clarke who was there first.
@@lidbass I was surprised when I learned about The Sentinel because before that I assumed the book was written before the movie rather than simultaneously. The original object in The Sentinel is a pyramid, right? To think about the iconic monolith being a pyramid seems so bizarre. Regardless, I have it on my list of books to get!
As soon as I heard “the director kind of messed up adapting this from the original book” I knew it was American Psycho. I don’t mind the movie but the book is something else, it was an absolute rollercoaster to read. I loved how the book kept continuously hinting at both possibilities (whether he actually murdered anyone or not), it was brilliant because either one would make sense. I felt like it didn’t matter which one was true, the main point was that Patrick just didn’t know who he was because he was trapped constantly trying to fit into a vapid, vain culture comprised of self absorbed yuppies who couldn’t even recall his name, let alone notice his strange behaviour. And it was just brilliant how the author would quickly switch from a provocative, graphic murder scene to a chapter where Patrick drones on about Whitney Houston’s music, it was jarring and intended to just mess with the reader. I found it really effective. Anyway, I could go on about the book all day. I think my favourite thing about the movie was the actors. I just felt like the movie shoehorned in some stuff from the book but missed the point of it at times. I think the thing that really disappointed me was when his secretary found his deranged scribbling because it appeared to be suggesting that it was all in his head. The book didn’t have that scene and I felt it was more ambiguous. I also feel like the chase scene with the police was too fantastical in the movie to believe, it was fantastical in the book too but we can just assume that’s due to Patricks’ unreliable narration. It can be very difficult to translate unreliable narration into a film, it often just doesn’t really work in the same way
From what you described it really does sound like something hard to adapt to film. I actually didn't mind the movie but the book sounds like a read worth checking out. Cheers.
I was happy to see Brazil on the list, but wished you mentioned there are two versions, ending very differently. Terry Gilliam fought hard to keep the original ending. Also worth noting is Robert De Niro as Harry Tuttle, a man “consumed” by paperwork. I have the DVD and will re-watch it so the song will be stuck in my head all during the work week, with a smile on my face like Sam Lowry.
Agreed. Depending on the ending you choose, one will have a vastly different experience. Same goes for Donnie Darko. I wish he would have steered people towards the theatrical cut. I also wish he explained that part of the “confusing” elements of Mulholland Dr are derived from the fact that it was originally a rejected television pilot. Lynch went back and filmed like 45 minutes of additional footage and released it theatrically. Some of the themes and characters likely would have been explained or fleshed out over multiple seasons.Not a bad film, but I do think Eraserhead or Inland Empire should have been listed in its stead, in my opinion.
@@tabooandexilefrom what I heard it wasn't just a TV show pilot but a spin off in the Twin Peaks universe. Which makes sense because I think the cowboy was suppose to be something like a Black lodge spirit. Such a shame it never took off as a series.
@@kri249 While Lynch never offers his interpretation of his works, we, as fans must formulate our own. I’ve always loved that about his art. The Cowboy/Lodge Spirt theory is an interesting one, and one I’ve never heard. I think a more popular (?) theory is one that says Watts character is sleeping/dreaming most of the film. From the point she lays her head on the pillow early in the film up to the point where the Cowboy tells her to wake up. ...But only Mr Lynch knows for sure.
I can't believe you left out the Australian movie Predestination, starring Ethan Hawke and Sarah Snook. That is the ultimate (I'll keep it clean.) mind warp movie. It is based on a Heinlein short story. It is one of the few movies that improve on the original written story. Don't watch any previews, just watch the movie. Then be prepared to watch it twice or three times to make sure you got everything.
The fountain, Eraserhead, primer, predestination and memento should be definitely on the list. Although the ten movies were confusing and puzzling I believe I could understand them. But The fountain, Eraserhead, primer, predestination and memento were really shocking for me and i had to watch them again and I am still not sure if I understood them right
The Fountain truly is a unique movie. The Fall (by Tarsem Singh) isn't a mind-frick movie, but it's beautiful and impactful in the same way and worth watching if you liked The Fountain.
I’m glad Mulholland Drive is up there. It’s a pet peeve that people often think it’s all about vibes and “weird for the sake of weird”. It follows a coherent, tight plot if you appreciate what is going on with the structure of the movie.
Yeah, his weird is authentic. :) I've found the harder you try to get it, the less you probably will. If i can relax my mind and just enjoy the ride, his messages always seem to come through in the end. There are also moments that make absolutely no sense at all. For me it feels like I'm observing a waking dream, with the characters coming in and out of consciousness all along the way, and doing my best to keep up! :)
I'm on the other side, and I find all of Lynch's films to be unwatchable. I actually deeply dislike them and cannot understand his following's deep loving devotion.
Stalker is based on the novel “Roadside Picnic” by Arcady and Boris Strugatsky and has actually been available for quite a while on the Criterion Channel.
A great list of my favorite kind of movies. One that i don't think gets mentioned that I think deserves recognition is Shane Carruth's Upstream Color. A beautiful mind-bending puzzle of a movie that he made after Primer. I would love to see a part 2 of this list!
Could I ask you how Upstream Color is from an animal rights/animal violence perspective? This is also my favorite type of movie but I know that part of it involves a pig farm so I haven't watched it yet... Also, I would personally add Jacob's Ladder to this list, and switch Mullholland Drive for Lost Highway.
M glad you have mentioned this movie i watched the whole video believing upstream is not gonna be made in video or in the comment section .... I think it's bcz of the least viewed movie, if u watch it you're gonna appreciate it
@@ginsoakedgirl4 My wife couldn't watch it because of the pigs. It's not that bad, but whatever you think of the pig scenes, I think you will find it pays off in the end.
My #1 movie-as-puzzle is Primer by Shane Carruth. You never know which timeline or which version of a character you're watching, they could have gone back in time and altered it 100 times by the time we're watching it
I've watched it like 9 times and every time I think yes I'm following the plot. Then it gets to the part where they are looking for a dog by a fountain and then the whole thing falls apart like there is a vital part of the plot missing and then it just makes no sense at all. Looking forward to watching it again though.
Honestly I found the movie boring. Despite the mindfuckery of it all it's still a boring plot. Still, I would watch it again just to trace the timeliness because I do like puzzles. Apparently their ties are the indicators to follow. I tried this on my first viewing but dozed off a few times because, boring movie.
Just found your channel and love what you're doing. You sent me way back to myself and three other friends watching 'Brazil' in the theatre. All of us were gob-smacked into silence as we walked the 15 minutes to our favourite bar. Complete silence-there was no way to process in words what we had just seen. And I'm not talking about just the ending.
This was excellent. I’m not sure that anyone will ever be able to truly understand 2001: A Space Odyssey. I don’t think it was meant to be understood. Just appreciated. And I will absolutely be rewatching Donnie Darko. Thank you!
Excellent list and the top 2 are both in my top 5 films of all time. Both are incredible masterpieces. Aronofsky's The Fountain and Anno's The End of Evangelion would've been great additions too.
Darren saved The Fountain from utter extinction and I wish the studio didn't pull the rug so we would've gotten the original vision. That said, for me, mother! is by far more puzzling of what the actual intended message is than The Fountain.
Pro tip for watching 2001. A little more than 20 minutes before the end, text will appear onscreen saying “Jupiter and Beyond the Infinite”. At that moment, press play on ‘Echoes’ by Pink Floyd. Enjoy.
I think Tenet from Christopher Nolan fits this list well too. I've rewatched it several times and still pick out things planted in the film. It's very confusing until you see it all start to unravel halfway through the film.
Nolan films are easy to figure out. Just imagine a guy who needs to confuse the viewer so he feels smarter than them and then pretends you missed the big point he was making but didn't actually set out to make. I think his father beat him with a Physics book or something
Great List I would like to see a part 2 this could be the tip of the iceberg. I love movies that make you think also besides movies some TV series are wonderfully complex and thought provoking ie The Prisoner
Something that trips up a lot of people is limiting yourself to **one message** in a movie. I'm thinking of Kubrick in particular, but in any movie the writer, and/or director can have many different tricks to a film. You don't need to finally know the secret to a film. For example, in The Shining, of course the pov when Wendy has a scene gets continuity tricks specific to her pov. That's just one way to mess with your head. It doesn't mean you finally figured out the secret to The Shining. The impossible floor plan, the knives in the kitchen, on and on... That film messes with you many ways. Kubrick was editing scripts on the fly throughout, even during filming.
Synecdoche, New York is one of my favorite movies. I don't think it's really as avant garde or abstract as it is sometimes said to be. Caden is trying to create a play that sums up the entire human experience -- the story that tells everyone's story. He does so by endlessly recreating and analyzing his experiences -- which is what a great many of us spend our lives doing in our heads. The movie, by following Caden's life and his failure to realize his ambitions, and as a consequence his failure to make sense of his life, ends up doing what Caden fails to do. The movie ends up summing up what a human life is. Your life will pass before your eyes, the years will slip away as old age strips you of your features, you will try to make sense of the passing years in vain, you will spend it trying to resurrect relationships you never really had, you will wonder what else there is but loneliness -- yet, there will be moments that break through it, the shining moments of truth for your life. The truth that seem to stand out of time and strike you all at once that your time here was significant.
I'm surprised you didnt also include David Lynch's "Lost Highway". I watched that movie so many times and still watch it again yearly. I liked Mulholland Drive but not as much as Lost Highway. Probably one of my all time favorite movies along with American Psycho and Natural Born Killers.
I like Lost Highway a lot too but I think Mulholand Dr has a lot more method to the madness and interconnected details that can be hard to see through on first viewing.
Bravo! I adore each and every one of these films. When I find a film where I sense the presence of an arc, a through line, if you will, and it doesn’t reveal itself to me on the first viewing, I stay with it and watch it multiple times without trying to read something into it, which can be a challenge. It’s akin to reading and rereading certain poems, and allowing whatever revelation or understanding come to me in the moment. I’ve found some truly great works of art change in significance and meaning for me over time, and I find that just delicious. Mulholland Drive is one such film that has had enormous significance for me in conjunction with certain experiences I’ve had. Again, this is a terrific video. Thankyou.
Congratularions for the so well-made list. However, I think it was very esssential to to mention that the russian film"Stalker" is based on the amazing novel "Roadside picnic" written by brothers Strugatsky
Great list! I would also add Primer, Tideland, Pan's Labyrinth, City of Lost Children, Fear(s) of the Dark, Three Colors, Circle, Requiem for a Dream, Sharp Objects, Another Earth, Let the Right One In, and Coherence.
A movie I love (because I understand it) but it confuses pretty much everyone I know is Predestination, based on the Robert A. Heinlein novella Attention All You Zombies. I loved Donnie Darko when I saw it, although I don't remember much about it. I probably should watch it again. Snowpiercer was fun, but not what I consider a really great movie. Brazil is one of my all time favourite movies and 2001 is simply gorgeous. To get the composites to not have visual errors as so many movies do, he had people hand trace the model shots to create the mattes for the optical printer. That was great except for the poor bugger who had to trace the open framework of Station V!
I agree. I watched it a few times and even read the wikipedia explanation and it still took me several minutes to really think about it before I got it. Yeah that film is freaking amazing. Once I got it the film was even more amazing.
Inception. For me, the ending isn’t whether it’s a dream or not, because the protagonist is exactly where he wants to be. If it’s a dream, then he’ll happily live there. If it’s not a dream, he’ll happily live there.
I like that idea. If you rewatch it you'll notice Cobb is only wearing his wedding ring in dreams. I didn't see it in the ending. That could be his true totem.
Excellent list, Darren. I've seen all but 3 on your list, but Stalker is the one that stands out for me. I watched about a year ago and thought it was simply amazing. Slow, deliberately paced, but very intriguing. I plan to rewatch it again soon. Thanks for this list.
@@johncooper7663 For those who don't know, the novel is Roadside Picnic by the Strugatsky brothers. I will try to find a copy of it, John. Thanks for the recommendation.
Glad I found the channel just now, you really seem to have one hell of an operation going on here! The room you filmed in here just looks great and that color of purple/magenta/whatever the fuck automatically improves any situation of any type. And you got the host thing down very well, energetic and entertaining. Can't beat it! Subbed up, appreciate the effort clearly put in here, everyone have a Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays YEA!
I now have a couple to add to my watch list. Some other great ones are 'Lost Highway', another Lynchian rabbit-hole; 'Naked Lunch' from the master of WTF, David Cronenberg; and Christopher Nolan's sophomore feature, 'Memento'.
Nice list. For some reason I was expecting to see Interstellar and Memento on this list, but you coulda said all Chris Nolan movies as well as all Kubrick. Definitely going back to watch some of these again tho!!! 😊
There's a wierd and perplexing movie that most peoplehave forgotten, Naked Lunch. Based on the book by William S Burroughs, they didn't think could be made into a movie because it is so dense and so bizarre. This is one of David Cronenberg's most interesting movies but it has kind of been forgotten.
The rerelease of the directors cut (in the White DVD case) of Donny Darko is probably the best version as it includes added graphic overlays/cut that really remove the disjointedness the original version was plagued with, without harming the integrity of the film at all.
I have seen most of these and will watch the rest soon. These reminded me about watching Primer the first time. I immediately had to watch it again, found another new thing and had to watch it a third time. Luckily, with a 70 or so minute runtime, It didn't take my whole day, but I love those kinds of experiences with movies.
Nice list! Happy to see Mulholland Drive, Brazil and Donnie Darko make it! Will have to check out Enemy and Synecdoche and I keep hearing about Stalker - the cinematography looks amazing - so I must watch that soon.
I love this list. When I saw the title, I said to myself that if "Brazil" is not included I'm going to be pissed! Then I got to thinking about what other movies should be added to this: "Dark City" "Memento" "The Killing of a Sacred Deer" and/or "The Lobster" "Midsommar" and/or "Hereditary" "Fight Club" "Her" "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" "Vanilla Sky" (both versions) "Eraserhead" "Blue Velvet" "The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover" Of course, there are a lot of classic movies that would fit this category but because they are so ingrained in our psyche, they are not easily thought of: "Citizen Kane," "Vertigo," "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf," "Rashomon," "The Shining," and "Chinatown." Of course, I more than doubled your list but the topic really made me think about which movies should be included. Thank you!
Hi! I'm inCanada and was searching for Brazil last week . Couldn't find it. I saw it a couple of times. I really love it. Really imaginative and beautiful piece. I saw Mulholland Drive when it came up, didn't like it. Saw it twice since and don't connect with it. Will try again, I love David Lynch. I saw Donnie Darko last week too, again. A must watch. Love Jake Gyllenhaal. There's only Stalker I haven't seen on your list. Will try to find it. Enemy is one of my all time favorites, it blew my mind and again, Jake Gyllenhaal. I would give a really honorable mention to Predestination and Coherence. I don't remember hearing about Coherence to this day and it's an amazing movie. If you like doppelgangers that's a great pick.
I humbly offer a couple of what i'd opine as "Bangers" in the puzzling category :D 1. "Possession" (c. 1981)from Andrzej Zulawski is an obscure and massively underappreciated film imho that's hard to categorize without giving too much away. It basically starts as a couple breaking up upon the husband's arrival home from some business abroad and the downward spiral gets wild. Don't watch trailers if you don't want to be spoiled on this one. Stars Isabelle Adjani and Chris Neil. It's one of the most obscure movies I've never heard of before where the lead actress won a best actress award @ Cannes and the Film also won the Palme d'Or. The film had amazing cinematography from Bruno Nuytten the lighting is incredible shot in '81 it looks like something else, more modern! Another footnote of interest is that Carlo Rambaldi worked on this film's effects, of Alien and ET fame. Another suprising footnote, the film is shot in cold war Berlin replete with the wall and East German border guards actually looking towards Chris in front of his Western side apartment window with binoculars!! I'm puzzled how this movie stayed off my radar for so long granted it's definately not everyone's cup of tea to the point where it was banned in some countries for a time. I guess it's limited distribution and the bad reputation that some attribute to the film tanked it's visibility in the long run. I cannot imagine the impact this film would have had on my mind back in 1981, that's a tough one to figure. I have only seen it just this year. & 2. "The Strange Color of Your Body's Tears" (c. 2013) from Helene Cattet & Bruno Forzani. Another movie where a husband returns home to a problem. This time 'round his wife is seemingly missing and the investigation into her disappearance ... yeah this gets god damn weird pretty quick. Maybe it's more style over substance but the movie has incredible style at least owing to quite a few tips of the hat to "Giallo" style films but with a twist. Dreamlike dread keeps your focus on slowly unfolding details relayed seemingly out of sequence or clearly impossible or symbolic, like from the unconscious mind actually I don't even know if I drew any conclusions as to what actually occurred I'll have to watch it again I guess. Great cinematography and sound production also should mention and a couple of sick trailers. My apologies for my writing i'm a little sick/distraught and sleep deprived but eager to just put these two films up here.
I think Alejandro Jodorowsky could be put in here just for The Holy Mountain alone. Overall great list, even though I am probably more of a fan of Eraserhead but that flick has been put on lists since it was created, so understandable.
I feel like maybe he was picking movies that are readily available to stream? I love all these movies and I'm so happy that Stalker and Brazil are getting a little recognition. So surprised in this day and age more people don't stan holy mountain tbh.
STALKER is amazing, I loved the games even though bug ridden to the point of being unplayable. I think growing up in the 80's, being close enough to Chernobyl that we were told to stay inside for a few weeks. No playing outside, no hanging clothes out to dry big in the 80's. The cold war was really a worry much more so than what's going on today, people were afraid of nuclear conflict.
Enemy is a great film, and I think it may be his first film in English, but August 32nd on Earth was his first feature film and by the looks of it, probably filmed in a lower budget than Enemy. It’s a great little film, especially because it’s so different from the films he’d become famous for in the future.
If you're struggling with 2001, I've always suggested watching the sequel 2010. Not nearly as good as 2001, by a very large margin, but a nice companion to the original that definitely clears up some of the its ambiguity.
First time ever watching you. I was thoroughly captivated. I subscribed and liked and hit the bell. You speak very well...thank you for doing what you do.
Spoilers! Enemy - spiders are women Synecdoche - the never ending opus is in his head til he dies Snowpiercer - it is what it is American Psycho - he is so banal his murders didn’t happen. The book is different. Donnie Darko - dunno, haven’t seen it. Inception - movies are dreams, this movie is a dream that incepts you. Stalker - an examination of faith in the Wizard of Oz Brazil - he becomes crazy and is a happy ending Mullholand Drive - the casting couch and Hollywood politics 2001 : opening of the third eye beyond rationality
I dont find most of these all that confusing. I know what your talking about in regards to inception, but its still debatable if thats actually telling us if he's in reality, it could just mean he believes he is in the real world. The point at the end is it doesnt matter whether he is dreaming or awake, all that matters is that he believe its is real
I had the good fortune of attending a small private screening of LYAM with the screenwriter, Alain Robbe-Grillet, who did a live voice-over commentary. He was a guest professor at my undergrad which is well known for science, not so much humanities. Maybe 15 people in the room max. Unforgettable experience and I still have my signed copy of The House of Assignation.
Good list, I've seen most of these movies. If you do a follow-up of other puzzling movies I'd include "Barton Fink" (1991). It confused a lot of people when it first came out but is perfectly understandable when you understand what is happening to the title character.
I agree...I saw it with a friend and at first, I was SO bored because it seemed like nothing was happening. But when John Goodman's character showed up, the movie abruptly took a sharp left turn, and I watched the rest of it intently. Excellent movie.
3 off the top of my head that fit this genre are Tenet, Predestination and Lost Highway. I understood Predestination the most, as impossible as it might be.
I hope this channel grows and grows because its one of the few left where you actually learn something and hear it in a cultural, educated way. I'm watching your videos everytime with much attention, curisoity, excitement and ultimately child-joy. You talk about movies. Period. In an civilised, almost artsy, critique way which is amazing. Love it. Keep up. You are doing the good work. Thank you!
More hard-to-understand-but-very-satisfying-in-the-attempt-at-understanding-them movies; Naked Lunch - David Cronenberg Existenze - David Cronenberg Fantastic Planet - French The City of Lost Children - French
Wow nice video. I’m currently in a Go tournament and the theme is “the last words of Stalker” and the description for the tournament talks about the movie. I will need to find a copy of it FOR SURE
Completely solid list. Well earned subscription. Question: why is the film called "Brazil"? Was there a throwaway line in the movie that I missed? Or just pure nonsensical naming?
I Hard-Core LOVE this type of Mental SawMill Story, Script, Film, and Direction. - Enemy. - The Whistlers. - Revenge (Coralie Fargeat) - Trance. - Blade Runner 2049. - Cloud Atlas. - Zoom. (Indie Alison Pil mind melter) - The Survivalist. - Open Grave. - 3,000 Years of Longing. - Sucker Punch. - Mr Nobody. - The Congress. (No Particular Order.) ...ALL Are (Freakin') TOP NOTCH Mind Melt Cinema.🎨
Some great movies mentioned here. Cloud Atlas in particular is criminally underrated, from what I've seen. Nobody ever brings it up, and I'm the only person I know that saw it and enjoyed it
@@amunra4256 - Thank You for Lovely Comments and Observations there.🙏 - I've actually bumped into and rubbed elbows with others who've seen this Transcendental Mind Melt Masterpiece; who confoundedly don't like the thing.. 🤔🤨😐🤷♂️🤷♀️🤨🤨🤨🤔🤔🤔😐. It's Weird .. It's.. ... Definitely a Story/Film that one has GOT to Think About if "You" (proverbially speaking) are to reap its Panoply of Gorgeous Wonderful Beautiful Benifits.. ... as are ALL, of these; to varying degrees.
Nailed it! Guess I know now where my niche is. I've got Synecdoche teed up and just when I thought I was through with Tarkovsky, there's Stalker waiting! Great list and category.
these are good films. only Mulholland Drive and Synecdoche are complicated in way that has to be solved. The others have dense layers of themes and references and multiple levels of interpretation, which makes them excellent art too. I would have picked: Mind Game, Kuso, Holy Mountain, El Topo, Inland Empire, When Black Birds Fly, Naked Lunch, Incident at Loch Ness, Strawberry Mansion, Conspirators of Pleasure, Act of Killing, Mother!
I always thought that 2001: A Space Odyssey was based on the book by Arthur C. Clarke. I only recently learned that Clarke and Kubrick co-wrote the movie concurrently and Clarke wrote the book (some say Kubrick worked on it too) as a straight novelization of the film. Clarke later wrote 3 sequel novels
Great list! I would put stalker number 1 on this list, tarkovsky is a master. Maybe ill add Michael Haneke ( cache) Jodorowsky (el topo/ The holy Mountain) Harmony Korine (Gummo/Mr Lonely) Vincent Gallo ( The brown bunny ) Satoshi kon ( Paprika ) Takashi miike ( Visitor Q ) I wouldn't put inception in here for the sole reason that it is a paprika rip off and a bit overrated. Sorry Nolan fans.
Mullholland Dr. is fantastic, but it really should be viewed at least twice before you make any definitive comments or reviews on it. It's quite the portrait of a descent into madness. Watts and Harring are great together.
U.S. Regions:
10. Enemy - HBO Max
9. Synecdoche, New York
8. Snowpiercer
7. American Psycho - HBO Max
6. Donnie Darko - HBO Max
5. Inception
4. Stalker - HBO Max
3. Brazil
2. Mulholland Drive
1. 2001: A Space Odyssey - HBO Max
CANADA Regions: (
10. Enemy - NETFLIX, STARZ, Prime Video
*I couldn’t find any others in Canada right now. Try using a VPN to access these in the other countries listed. www.cyberghostvpn.com/FlickConnection
U.K. Regions:
10. Enemy - Mubi
9. Synecdoche, New York
8. Snowpiercer - STARZ, Sky Go
7. American Psycho - STARZ
6. Donnie Darko - FreeVee
5. Inception - Sky Go
4. Stalker - BFI Player
3. Brazil - Disney+
2. Mulholland Drive - STUDIOCANAL
1. 2001: A Space Odyssey - HBO Max
AUSTRALIA Regions:
10. Enemy - Stan.
9. Synecdoche, New York
8. Snowpiercer - Stan., SHUDDER, AMC+
7. American Psycho - STARZ
6. Donnie Darko - Stan.
5. Inception - NETFLIX, Paramount+, Stan.
4. Stalker - BFI Player
3. Brazil - Disney+
2. Mulholland Drive - BiNGE
1. 2001: A Space Odyssey - SBS On Demand
Go to buyraycon.com/flickconnection for 15% off your order! Brought to you by Raycon.
Memento should be on this list.
Brazil is one I've loved for decades. And Mullholland Drive. Plus I watched 2001 as a birthday party in 70 mm it will always be a favorite. But Snowpiercer, it absolutely is a commentary on capitalism being an unavoidable march to feudalism.
You and me should definitely discuss movies.
@@David_Lo_Pan
I remember U
" Pi " by Darren Aronofsky is a classic that should be on anyone's watchlist
I would add;
- Primer. To this day, a time travel movie I cannot wrap my head around. Makes Donnie Darko look like a connect-the-dots (though I still love Donnie Darko).
- The Invitation. A “slow burn” thriller. Not to be confused with another movie that’s recently come out with the same title…this one is about a guy and his new girlfriend being invited to his ex wife’s (and her new beau) house gathering.
- The Endless. This and the Resolution (and a third) are movies that are a kind of rabbit hole you NEED to go down.
- Mr Nobody. Scifi time travel-esque.
- Fight Club. Don’t talk about it.
- 12 Monkeys.
I’d check out all those movies as well.
Where can I watch it? 😅🙏
Nice compilation, Darren. I'd just like to add a note on 2001: A Space Odyssey - the screenplay and the book were actually written in tandem, and in a strange twist, Kubrick completed and released the movie even before Clarke had finished the novel.
However, if you read the novel (which IS a great read!) and then rewatch the movie, that last sequence makes a LOT more sense.
Indeed. I spent literally 20 years scratching my head over that ending and when I finally decided to read the novel is all there and is not at all an open, vague, subjective ending as I thought it was.
@@educostanzo Glad you got to experience both formats at last. And if you think about it, that final part of the book really is a challenge to imagine visually in the first place, so hats off to Kubrick once again!
@@dailyselfadvancement ruclips.net/video/KYcekxnsjyY/видео.htmlsi=FWrXh0-halEkgC_7
I always found this take very interesting!
Mulholland Drive still one of my all time favorites.
Yes! Mine too! David Lynch is one of the greatest in my opinion ❤
I’d add to this list, Dark City, and The Man Who Fell to Earth.
Both Great movies! I hated Dark City for like 2 years after I first saw it b/c I was just confused.... came back to it later and loved it
Both great and I would add Predestination. I'm still trying to grasp the concept of that one.
Dark City! Yes...
Dark City is great
Dark City really nails the tone of the title and what they were going for.
Love all those movies but in my opinion Jacob's Ladder and Memento have to be on the list
And Primer and Moon and Cloud Atlas
I was also thinking about those 2 movies!
Isn’t the point of this to recommend movies that are currently subscription streaming? I agree those movies are really good but idk if they are sub streaming and probably just for purchase or rent.
I've always found it baffling how many people are thrown by Memento's structure, since it always seemed so clear of a pattern to me...
Nothing drives me crazier than hearing someone describe Memento as being a story told backwards (or in reverse, or whatever.)
I'm guessing at least some of the people saying that are just sort of... short-handing it (since the actual pattern isn't as neatly contained within a phrase like that...) but even then that's likely misleading others into a wild misunderstanding of what they're watching. All the more troubling because like... the film is even color coded to tell you which scenes are the ones in reverse order and which ones are the scenes that aren't...
I don't remember Moon being particularly puzzling (though it is a great film) but Primer and Cloud Atlas definitely deserve nominations to a puzzling movie list!!
I’m surprised I’m not seeing anyone mention this one, but Satoshi Kon’s 1997 psych/horror/thriller, Perfect Blue, would be a great addition.
Please please watch this if you haven’t already!
I’d add The Empty Man to this as well. It goes from Folk horror, to detective drama, to cosmic horror. Its such an underrated but well executed movie.
I'd add psychological thriller, too.
Excellent film
Good one! I love this movie.
Kubrick did such a good job adapting 2001 into a movie, but the ending of the book is so complex and so intricately written that it’s hard to put into film. In order to truly understand the end of the film you need to read the book. I personally consider it my favorite book and I’ve read it a handful of times. It also explains a lot more about the monolith and its purpose in “the dawn of man“. Arthur C Clarke definitely created an absolute masterpiece with 2001.
Kubrik did not adapt 2001 into a movie. The book is a a novelisation of the film that came after the film's release.
@@kaviator you're both wrong, the book was adapted concurrently with the script of the movie, Kubrick even helped with the book, but he was left off of the authorship.
And Clarke helped with the script.
However, the whole thing was inspired by Clarke’s short story The Sentinel (1951). So although the film certainly wouldn’t have happened without Kubrik, it was Clarke who was there first.
@@lidbass I was surprised when I learned about The Sentinel because before that I assumed the book was written before the movie rather than simultaneously. The original object in The Sentinel is a pyramid, right? To think about the iconic monolith being a pyramid seems so bizarre. Regardless, I have it on my list of books to get!
As soon as I heard “the director kind of messed up adapting this from the original book” I knew it was American Psycho. I don’t mind the movie but the book is something else, it was an absolute rollercoaster to read. I loved how the book kept continuously hinting at both possibilities (whether he actually murdered anyone or not), it was brilliant because either one would make sense. I felt like it didn’t matter which one was true, the main point was that Patrick just didn’t know who he was because he was trapped constantly trying to fit into a vapid, vain culture comprised of self absorbed yuppies who couldn’t even recall his name, let alone notice his strange behaviour. And it was just brilliant how the author would quickly switch from a provocative, graphic murder scene to a chapter where Patrick drones on about Whitney Houston’s music, it was jarring and intended to just mess with the reader. I found it really effective.
Anyway, I could go on about the book all day. I think my favourite thing about the movie was the actors. I just felt like the movie shoehorned in some stuff from the book but missed the point of it at times. I think the thing that really disappointed me was when his secretary found his deranged scribbling because it appeared to be suggesting that it was all in his head. The book didn’t have that scene and I felt it was more ambiguous. I also feel like the chase scene with the police was too fantastical in the movie to believe, it was fantastical in the book too but we can just assume that’s due to Patricks’ unreliable narration. It can be very difficult to translate unreliable narration into a film, it often just doesn’t really work in the same way
I absolutely agree with you!
From what you described it really does sound like something hard to adapt to film. I actually didn't mind the movie but the book sounds like a read worth checking out. Cheers.
I was happy to see Brazil on the list, but wished you mentioned there are two versions, ending very differently. Terry Gilliam fought hard to keep the original ending. Also worth noting is Robert De Niro as Harry Tuttle, a man “consumed” by paperwork. I have the DVD and will re-watch it so the song will be stuck in my head all during the work week, with a smile on my face like Sam Lowry.
Agreed. Depending on the ending you choose, one will have a vastly different experience. Same goes for Donnie Darko. I wish he would have steered people towards the theatrical cut. I also wish he explained that part of the “confusing” elements of Mulholland Dr are derived from the fact that it was originally a rejected television pilot. Lynch went back and filmed like 45 minutes of additional footage and released it theatrically. Some of the themes and characters likely would have been explained or fleshed out over multiple seasons.Not a bad film, but I do think Eraserhead or Inland Empire should have been listed in its stead, in my opinion.
@@tabooandexilefrom what I heard it wasn't just a TV show pilot but a spin off in the Twin Peaks universe. Which makes sense because I think the cowboy was suppose to be something like a Black lodge spirit.
Such a shame it never took off as a series.
@@kri249 While Lynch never offers his interpretation of his works, we, as fans must formulate our own. I’ve always loved that about his art. The Cowboy/Lodge Spirt theory is an interesting one, and one I’ve never heard. I think a more popular (?) theory is one that says Watts character is sleeping/dreaming most of the film. From the point she lays her head on the pillow early in the film up to the point where the Cowboy tells her to wake up.
...But only Mr Lynch knows for sure.
I can't believe you left out the Australian movie Predestination, starring Ethan Hawke and Sarah Snook. That is the ultimate (I'll keep it clean.) mind warp movie. It is based on a Heinlein short story. It is one of the few movies that improve on the original written story. Don't watch any previews, just watch the movie. Then be prepared to watch it twice or three times to make sure you got everything.
Predestination is one of my favorite movies!! SO GOOD! Whether you're sober or tripping, it's an absolute ride. :)
It's not underrated, it's pretty much rated like the prestige from nolan
He did because it’s easy to figure out 😂
Presentation is my all time fav
Agree
The fountain, Eraserhead, primer, predestination and memento should be definitely on the list. Although the ten movies were confusing and puzzling I believe I could understand them. But The fountain, Eraserhead, primer, predestination and memento were really shocking for me and i had to watch them again and I am still not sure if I understood them right
Yeah. Like American Psycho--it doesn't really *matter* if he actually killed them, that's not the *point*.
The Fountain truly is a unique movie. The Fall (by Tarsem Singh) isn't a mind-frick movie, but it's beautiful and impactful in the same way and worth watching if you liked The Fountain.
Memento was insane!!! Mind f^*k indeed! 🤯
The fountain and cloud atlas had a very similar vibe.
Revolver with Jason Statham would fit nicely with this collection as well.
I’m glad Mulholland Drive is up there. It’s a pet peeve that people often think it’s all about vibes and “weird for the sake of weird”. It follows a coherent, tight plot if you appreciate what is going on with the structure of the movie.
MD is easily one of the Lynchs easiest movies to understand.
They included a hint sheet with the DVD to help people understand it.
Coherent is also a great scifi movie. Came in 2013 i guess.
Yeah, his weird is authentic. :) I've found the harder you try to get it, the less you probably will. If i can relax my mind and just enjoy the ride, his messages always seem to come through in the end. There are also moments that make absolutely no sense at all. For me it feels like I'm observing a waking dream, with the characters coming in and out of consciousness all along the way, and doing my best to keep up! :)
I'm on the other side, and I find all of Lynch's films to be unwatchable. I actually deeply dislike them and cannot understand his following's deep loving devotion.
Stalker is based on the novel “Roadside Picnic” by Arcady and Boris Strugatsky and has actually been available for quite a while on the Criterion Channel.
I figured. Thanks for the confirmation.
It's actually available on Mosfilm channel in full HD. So I don't see a reason to pay for it.
This is the whole reason I clicked on this video. This is one of my all time favorite books. The movie was great; the book is amazing.
A great list of my favorite kind of movies. One that i don't think gets mentioned that I think deserves recognition is Shane Carruth's Upstream Color. A beautiful mind-bending puzzle of a movie that he made after Primer. I would love to see a part 2 of this list!
Could I ask you how Upstream Color is from an animal rights/animal violence perspective? This is also my favorite type of movie but I know that part of it involves a pig farm so I haven't watched it yet... Also, I would personally add Jacob's Ladder to this list, and switch Mullholland Drive for Lost Highway.
M glad you have mentioned this movie i watched the whole video believing upstream is not gonna be made in video or in the comment section .... I think it's bcz of the least viewed movie, if u watch it you're gonna appreciate it
@@ginsoakedgirl4 My wife couldn't watch it because of the pigs. It's not that bad, but whatever you think of the pig scenes, I think you will find it pays off in the end.
Older fave was 90s "City of Lost Children" with Ron Perlman
My #1 movie-as-puzzle is Primer by Shane Carruth. You never know which timeline or which version of a character you're watching, they could have gone back in time and altered it 100 times by the time we're watching it
I've watched it like 9 times and every time I think yes I'm following the plot. Then it gets to the part where they are looking for a dog by a fountain and then the whole thing falls apart like there is a vital part of the plot missing and then it just makes no sense at all. Looking forward to watching it again though.
Yes, yes, YES!!!
I came here to say Upstream Color, although you can definitely put it all together on the second watch. I still can’t follow Primer.
@HussainRzvi That is a HILARIOUSLY reductive summary that has no business being so accurate.
Honestly I found the movie boring. Despite the mindfuckery of it all it's still a boring plot. Still, I would watch it again just to trace the timeliness because I do like puzzles. Apparently their ties are the indicators to follow. I tried this on my first viewing but dozed off a few times because, boring movie.
Just found your channel and love what you're doing. You sent me way back to myself and three other friends watching 'Brazil' in the theatre. All of us were gob-smacked into silence as we walked the 15 minutes to our favourite bar. Complete silence-there was no way to process in words what we had just seen. And I'm not talking about just the ending.
This was excellent. I’m not sure that anyone will ever be able to truly understand 2001: A Space Odyssey. I don’t think it was meant to be understood. Just appreciated. And I will absolutely be rewatching Donnie Darko. Thank you!
Man creates tools that push us forward, and yet the same tools become or demise.
Well, like American Psycho it was based on a book that was difficult to adapt.
It was not based on a book. The book was written at the same time as the movie.@@DraQinn
@@BecomePneuma11235 Wrong, based on a book published 9 years earlier, perhaps loosely based on the source material but still originally a book.
Excellent list and the top 2 are both in my top 5 films of all time. Both are incredible masterpieces. Aronofsky's The Fountain and Anno's The End of Evangelion would've been great additions too.
Darren saved The Fountain from utter extinction and I wish the studio didn't pull the rug so we would've gotten the original vision. That said, for me, mother! is by far more puzzling of what the actual intended message is than The Fountain.
Pro tip for watching 2001. A little more than 20 minutes before the end, text will appear onscreen saying “Jupiter and Beyond the Infinite”. At that moment, press play on ‘Echoes’ by Pink Floyd. Enjoy.
I think Tenet from Christopher Nolan fits this list well too. I've rewatched it several times and still pick out things planted in the film. It's very confusing until you see it all start to unravel halfway through the film.
Nolan films are easy to figure out. Just imagine a guy who needs to confuse the viewer so he feels smarter than them and then pretends you missed the big point he was making but didn't actually set out to make. I think his father beat him with a Physics book or something
Great List I would like to see a part 2 this could be the tip of the iceberg. I love movies that make you think also besides movies some TV series are wonderfully complex and thought provoking ie The Prisoner
Something that trips up a lot of people is limiting yourself to **one message** in a movie. I'm thinking of Kubrick in particular, but in any movie the writer, and/or director can have many different tricks to a film. You don't need to finally know the secret to a film. For example, in The Shining, of course the pov when Wendy has a scene gets continuity tricks specific to her pov. That's just one way to mess with your head. It doesn't mean you finally figured out the secret to The Shining. The impossible floor plan, the knives in the kitchen, on and on... That film messes with you many ways. Kubrick was editing scripts on the fly throughout, even during filming.
Stalker is nothing short of a cinematic masterpiece of epic storytelling with amazing atmosphere that grabs and doesn’t let go
Synecdoche, New York is one of my favorite movies. I don't think it's really as avant garde or abstract as it is sometimes said to be. Caden is trying to create a play that sums up the entire human experience -- the story that tells everyone's story. He does so by endlessly recreating and analyzing his experiences -- which is what a great many of us spend our lives doing in our heads. The movie, by following Caden's life and his failure to realize his ambitions, and as a consequence his failure to make sense of his life, ends up doing what Caden fails to do. The movie ends up summing up what a human life is.
Your life will pass before your eyes, the years will slip away as old age strips you of your features, you will try to make sense of the passing years in vain, you will spend it trying to resurrect relationships you never really had, you will wonder what else there is but loneliness -- yet, there will be moments that break through it, the shining moments of truth for your life. The truth that seem to stand out of time and strike you all at once that your time here was significant.
Haven't seen it yet, but this belongs in the RUclips comment Hall of Fame
Wonderful comment, thank you 😊
I'm surprised you didnt also include David Lynch's "Lost Highway". I watched that movie so many times and still watch it again yearly. I liked Mulholland Drive but not as much as Lost Highway. Probably one of my all time favorite movies along with American Psycho and Natural Born Killers.
I like Lost Highway a lot too but I think Mulholand Dr has a lot more method to the madness and interconnected details that can be hard to see through on first viewing.
Lost Highway is really great. After watching both it does seem that one is an exercise for another.
Mulholland Drive, so good. Took me many watches to fully get it
Snowpiercer is confusing?? It's pretty straightforward.
You should have included The Endless.
And Primer takes a lot of entangling.
Bravo! I adore each and every one of these films. When I find a film where I sense the presence of an arc, a through line, if you will, and it doesn’t reveal itself to me on the first viewing, I stay with it and watch it multiple times without trying to read something into it, which can be a challenge. It’s akin to reading and rereading certain poems, and allowing whatever revelation or understanding come to me in the moment. I’ve found some truly great works of art change in significance and meaning for me over time, and I find that just delicious. Mulholland Drive is one such film that has had enormous significance for me in conjunction with certain experiences I’ve had. Again, this is a terrific video. Thankyou.
Congratularions for the so well-made list. However, I think it was very esssential to to mention that the russian film"Stalker" is based on the amazing novel "Roadside picnic" written by brothers Strugatsky
Great list! I would also add Primer, Tideland, Pan's Labyrinth, City of Lost Children, Fear(s) of the Dark, Three Colors, Circle, Requiem for a Dream, Sharp Objects, Another Earth, Let the Right One In, and Coherence.
A movie I love (because I understand it) but it confuses pretty much everyone I know is Predestination, based on the Robert A. Heinlein novella Attention All You Zombies. I loved Donnie Darko when I saw it, although I don't remember much about it. I probably should watch it again. Snowpiercer was fun, but not what I consider a really great movie. Brazil is one of my all time favourite movies and 2001 is simply gorgeous. To get the composites to not have visual errors as so many movies do, he had people hand trace the model shots to create the mattes for the optical printer. That was great except for the poor bugger who had to trace the open framework of Station V!
I agree. I watched it a few times and even read the wikipedia explanation and it still took me several minutes to really think about it before
I got it. Yeah that film is freaking amazing. Once I got it the film was even more amazing.
Predestination is the best mindfuck movie I have ever watched.
Predestination was good
Inception. For me, the ending isn’t whether it’s a dream or not, because the protagonist is exactly where he wants to be. If it’s a dream, then he’ll happily live there. If it’s not a dream, he’ll happily live there.
I like that idea. If you rewatch it you'll notice Cobb is only wearing his wedding ring in dreams. I didn't see it in the ending. That could be his true totem.
Yours is the only movie review channel I watch. Well done as always.
Excellent list, Darren. I've seen all but 3 on your list, but Stalker is the one that stands out for me. I watched about a year ago and thought it was simply amazing. Slow, deliberately paced, but very intriguing. I plan to rewatch it again soon. Thanks for this list.
Read the book. It's very good.
@@johncooper7663 For those who don't know, the novel is Roadside Picnic by the Strugatsky brothers. I will try to find a copy of it, John. Thanks for the recommendation.
Any movie by Peter Greenaway exists as an insanely complex puzzle to get mired in. I recommend Drowning by Numbers and A Zed and Two Noughts.
Glad I found the channel just now, you really seem to have one hell of an operation going on here! The room you filmed in here just looks great and that color of purple/magenta/whatever the fuck automatically improves any situation of any type. And you got the host thing down very well, energetic and entertaining. Can't beat it! Subbed up, appreciate the effort clearly put in here, everyone have a Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays YEA!
You should also check out Dark City and Primer I am sure it will be hard to find them streaming though.
I love Dark City a great movie
Absolute bangers!
@@susanjohnson5824 yes!
I now have a couple to add to my watch list. Some other great ones are 'Lost Highway', another Lynchian rabbit-hole; 'Naked Lunch' from the master of WTF, David Cronenberg; and Christopher Nolan's sophomore feature, 'Memento'.
Nice list. For some reason I was expecting to see Interstellar and Memento on this list, but you coulda said all Chris Nolan movies as well as all Kubrick. Definitely going back to watch some of these again tho!!! 😊
I am so pleased someone is finally giving a shout out to Synedoche, incredible film
Another great David Lynch addition to your list is "Lost Highway"
that and eraser head and inland empire could all be on the list
There's a wierd and perplexing movie that most peoplehave forgotten, Naked Lunch. Based on the book by William S Burroughs, they didn't think could be made into a movie because it is so dense and so bizarre. This is one of David Cronenberg's most interesting movies but it has kind of been forgotten.
"The Game" with Michael Douglas and Sean Penn
"Shutter Island"
"Arlington Road"
"Vanilla Sky"
"Machinist"
"Identity"
The rerelease of the directors cut (in the White DVD case) of Donny Darko is probably the best version as it includes added graphic overlays/cut that really remove the disjointedness the original version was plagued with, without harming the integrity of the film at all.
Your channel is exactly what I've been looking for, thanks!
I have seen most of these and will watch the rest soon. These reminded me about watching Primer the first time. I immediately had to watch it again, found another new thing and had to watch it a third time. Luckily, with a 70 or so minute runtime, It didn't take my whole day, but I love those kinds of experiences with movies.
Nice list! Happy to see Mulholland Drive, Brazil and Donnie Darko make it! Will have to check out Enemy and Synecdoche and I keep hearing about Stalker - the cinematography looks amazing - so I must watch that soon.
I love this list. When I saw the title, I said to myself that if "Brazil" is not included I'm going to be pissed! Then I got to thinking about what other movies should be added to this:
"Dark City"
"Memento"
"The Killing of a Sacred Deer" and/or "The Lobster"
"Midsommar" and/or "Hereditary"
"Fight Club"
"Her"
"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"
"Vanilla Sky" (both versions)
"Eraserhead"
"Blue Velvet"
"The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover"
Of course, there are a lot of classic movies that would fit this category but because they are so ingrained in our psyche, they are not easily thought of: "Citizen Kane," "Vertigo," "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf," "Rashomon," "The Shining," and "Chinatown."
Of course, I more than doubled your list but the topic really made me think about which movies should be included. Thank you!
6:39 Great pick. Now let’s see Paul Allen’s pic.
Hi! I'm inCanada and was searching for Brazil last week . Couldn't find it. I saw it a couple of times. I really love it. Really imaginative and beautiful piece. I saw Mulholland Drive when it came up, didn't like it. Saw it twice since and don't connect with it. Will try again, I love David Lynch. I saw Donnie Darko last week too, again. A must watch. Love Jake Gyllenhaal. There's only Stalker I haven't seen on your list. Will try to find it. Enemy is one of my all time favorites, it blew my mind and again, Jake Gyllenhaal. I would give a really honorable mention to Predestination and Coherence. I don't remember hearing about Coherence to this day and it's an amazing movie. If you like doppelgangers that's a great pick.
Donnie Darko is my favorite movie of all time. Thank you for pushing it to a new audience!
I humbly offer a couple of what i'd opine as "Bangers" in the puzzling category :D
1. "Possession" (c. 1981)from Andrzej Zulawski is an obscure and massively underappreciated film imho that's hard to categorize without giving too much away. It basically starts as a couple breaking up upon the husband's arrival home from some business abroad and the downward spiral gets wild. Don't watch trailers if you don't want to be spoiled on this one. Stars Isabelle Adjani and Chris Neil. It's one of the most obscure movies I've never heard of before where the lead actress won a best actress award @ Cannes and the Film also won the Palme d'Or. The film had amazing cinematography from Bruno Nuytten the lighting is incredible shot in '81 it looks like something else, more modern! Another footnote of interest is that Carlo Rambaldi worked on this film's effects, of Alien and ET fame. Another suprising footnote, the film is shot in cold war Berlin replete with the wall and East German border guards actually looking towards Chris in front of his Western side apartment window with binoculars!! I'm puzzled how this movie stayed off my radar for so long granted it's definately not everyone's cup of tea to the point where it was banned in some countries for a time. I guess it's limited distribution and the bad reputation that some attribute to the film tanked it's visibility in the long run. I cannot imagine the impact this film would have had on my mind back in 1981, that's a tough one to figure. I have only seen it just this year.
&
2. "The Strange Color of Your Body's Tears" (c. 2013) from Helene Cattet & Bruno Forzani. Another movie where a husband returns home to a problem. This time 'round his wife is seemingly missing and the investigation into her disappearance ... yeah this gets god damn weird pretty quick. Maybe it's more style over substance but the movie has incredible style at least owing to quite a few tips of the hat to "Giallo" style films but with a twist. Dreamlike dread keeps your focus on slowly unfolding details relayed seemingly out of sequence or clearly impossible or symbolic, like from the unconscious mind actually I don't even know if I drew any conclusions as to what actually occurred I'll have to watch it again I guess. Great cinematography and sound production also should mention and a couple of sick trailers.
My apologies for my writing i'm a little sick/distraught and sleep deprived but eager to just put these two films up here.
I think Alejandro Jodorowsky could be put in here just for The Holy Mountain alone. Overall great list, even though I am probably more of a fan of Eraserhead but that flick has been put on lists since it was created, so understandable.
Jodorowsky was an overrated, sick director killing and abusing animals while making pretentious 'arthouse' movies for himself and hipsters.
Anything by Jdorowsky should be on the list. El Topo or Fando Y Lis.
I feel like maybe he was picking movies that are readily available to stream? I love all these movies and I'm so happy that Stalker and Brazil are getting a little recognition. So surprised in this day and age more people don't stan holy mountain tbh.
I watched Perfect Blue and Paprika recently and they could easily be contenders for this list too.
STALKER is amazing, I loved the games even though bug ridden to the point of being unplayable. I think growing up in the 80's, being close enough to Chernobyl that we were told to stay inside for a few weeks. No playing outside, no hanging clothes out to dry big in the 80's. The cold war was really a worry much more so than what's going on today, people were afraid of nuclear conflict.
Enemy is a great film, and I think it may be his first film in English, but August 32nd on Earth was his first feature film and by the looks of it, probably filmed in a lower budget than Enemy. It’s a great little film, especially because it’s so different from the films he’d become famous for in the future.
If you're struggling with 2001, I've always suggested watching the sequel 2010. Not nearly as good as 2001, by a very large margin, but a nice companion to the original that definitely clears up some of the its ambiguity.
Loved Donnie Darko. Used to watch it all the time. It was ahead of its time for sure
Stalker is truly amazing.
I loved Mulholland Drive, but it spooked me. Still does.
First time ever watching you. I was thoroughly captivated. I subscribed and liked and hit the bell. You speak very well...thank you for doing what you do.
I am so glad you included Synecdoche. New York. I will rewatch it along with Mulholland Dr. & Stalker. Great list!
Spoilers!
Enemy - spiders are women
Synecdoche - the never ending opus is in his head til he dies
Snowpiercer - it is what it is
American Psycho - he is so banal his murders didn’t happen. The book is different.
Donnie Darko - dunno, haven’t seen it.
Inception - movies are dreams, this movie is a dream that incepts you.
Stalker - an examination of faith in the Wizard of Oz
Brazil - he becomes crazy and is a happy ending
Mullholand Drive - the casting couch and Hollywood politics
2001 : opening of the third eye beyond rationality
Really loved this list mate! Thanks
Excelent selection! Got one for today! Cheers!
good video i barely noticed 20 mins go by.... enemy and stalker would be my picks to watch, never even heard of them... thanks for the insight :)
I dont find most of these all that confusing. I know what your talking about in regards to inception, but its still debatable if thats actually telling us if he's in reality, it could just mean he believes he is in the real world. The point at the end is it doesnt matter whether he is dreaming or awake, all that matters is that he believe its is real
I'm very glad I don't have to question your commitment to Sparkel Motion.
I would add Last Year at Marienbad. It’s almost certain that both Kubrick and Lynch were heavily influenced by Resnais’s film.
Agree! Last Year at Marienbad has to be the mother of all mind-f*ck movies.
I was going to add this one, too. I love the organ music movie score.
I had the good fortune of attending a small private screening of LYAM with the screenwriter, Alain Robbe-Grillet, who did a live voice-over commentary. He was a guest professor at my undergrad which is well known for science, not so much humanities. Maybe 15 people in the room max. Unforgettable experience and I still have my signed copy of The House of Assignation.
Stalker is the BEST MOVIE EVER!
Love your work. Keep it up brother!
Good list, I've seen most of these movies. If you do a follow-up of other puzzling movies I'd include "Barton Fink" (1991). It confused a lot of people when it first came out but is perfectly understandable when you understand what is happening to the title character.
I agree...I saw it with a friend and at first, I was SO bored because it seemed like nothing was happening. But when John Goodman's character showed up, the movie abruptly took a sharp left turn, and I watched the rest of it intently. Excellent movie.
I havent even got to movie 9 and im already intrigued. Im watching enemy NOW!!
Nice video. I really think Primer should be on the list tho
I highly recommend adding Primer to this list. Low budget but still my favorite movie ever
Great list once again. I would add that Donnie Darko director's cut is best and Lost Highway maybe gets honorable mention. Thanks.
Great job. Thank you. I would also like to say that you have the best head of hair I've seen in some time.
Definitely check out Primer! One of my favorite puzzle films.
I LOVED the ending of Snowpiercer.
3 off the top of my head that fit this genre are Tenet, Predestination and Lost Highway. I understood Predestination the most, as impossible as it might be.
I hope this channel grows and grows because its one of the few left where you actually learn something and hear it in a cultural, educated way. I'm watching your videos everytime with much attention, curisoity, excitement and ultimately child-joy. You talk about movies. Period. In an civilised, almost artsy, critique way which is amazing. Love it. Keep up. You are doing the good work. Thank you!
More hard-to-understand-but-very-satisfying-in-the-attempt-at-understanding-them movies;
Naked Lunch - David Cronenberg
Existenze - David Cronenberg
Fantastic Planet - French
The City of Lost Children - French
Thanks from Russia for STALKER, man.
Wow nice video. I’m currently in a Go tournament and the theme is “the last words of Stalker” and the description for the tournament talks about the movie. I will need to find a copy of it FOR SURE
Completely solid list. Well earned subscription. Question: why is the film called "Brazil"? Was there a throwaway line in the movie that I missed? Or just pure nonsensical naming?
I Hard-Core LOVE this type of Mental SawMill Story, Script, Film, and Direction.
- Enemy.
- The Whistlers.
- Revenge (Coralie Fargeat)
- Trance.
- Blade Runner 2049.
- Cloud Atlas.
- Zoom. (Indie Alison Pil mind melter)
- The Survivalist.
- Open Grave.
- 3,000 Years of Longing.
- Sucker Punch.
- Mr Nobody.
- The Congress.
(No Particular Order.)
...ALL Are (Freakin') TOP NOTCH Mind Melt Cinema.🎨
Some great movies mentioned here. Cloud Atlas in particular is criminally underrated, from what I've seen. Nobody ever brings it up, and I'm the only person I know that saw it and enjoyed it
@@amunra4256
- Thank You for Lovely Comments and Observations there.🙏
- I've actually bumped into and rubbed elbows with others who've seen this Transcendental Mind Melt Masterpiece; who confoundedly don't like the thing.. 🤔🤨😐🤷♂️🤷♀️🤨🤨🤨🤔🤔🤔😐. It's Weird ..
It's.. ... Definitely a Story/Film that one has GOT to Think About if "You" (proverbially speaking) are to reap its Panoply of Gorgeous Wonderful Beautiful Benifits..
... as are ALL, of these; to varying degrees.
Nailed it! Guess I know now where my niche is. I've got Synecdoche teed up and just when I thought I was through with Tarkovsky, there's Stalker waiting! Great list and category.
That was an excellent FLICK CONNECTION,Darren. Great to see 2001: A Space Odyssey at your #1. Many thanks for sharing this presentation with us 👍👍👍
Daz, I don't know how you do it. Another excellent list. Thank you. I have seen most as always but I need to watch some again. Brilliant reminders !
Predestination, also comes to mind
these are good films.
only Mulholland Drive and Synecdoche are complicated in way that has to be solved. The others have dense layers of themes and references and multiple levels of interpretation, which makes them excellent art too.
I would have picked: Mind Game, Kuso, Holy Mountain, El Topo, Inland Empire, When Black Birds Fly, Naked Lunch, Incident at Loch Ness, Strawberry Mansion, Conspirators of Pleasure, Act of Killing, Mother!
@alicewright4322 Incident at Loch Ness? I hadn't suspected you of trolling until I saw that laughable suggestion.
I always thought that 2001: A Space Odyssey was based on the book by Arthur C. Clarke. I only recently learned that Clarke and Kubrick co-wrote the movie concurrently and Clarke wrote the book (some say Kubrick worked on it too) as a straight novelization of the film. Clarke later wrote 3 sequel novels
Jacob's Ladder
Thank you Sir, for turning me oneto some new and old movies to watch for the 1st time and some again and again ;P
I agree with a lot of the comments that Dark City should be on the list. Also I think eXistenZ is a seriously underrated mind bending movie.
Another 90s classic is Vanilla Sky and should also be on this list!
Great list! I would put stalker number 1 on this list, tarkovsky is a master.
Maybe ill add
Michael Haneke ( cache)
Jodorowsky (el topo/ The holy Mountain)
Harmony Korine (Gummo/Mr Lonely)
Vincent Gallo ( The brown bunny )
Satoshi kon ( Paprika )
Takashi miike ( Visitor Q )
I wouldn't put inception in here for the sole reason that it is a paprika rip off and a bit overrated. Sorry Nolan fans.
Stalker is great, people don’t know it but they know the games, films and shorts that it has inspired.
Mullholland Dr. is fantastic, but it really should be viewed at least twice before you make any definitive comments or reviews on it. It's quite the portrait of a descent into madness. Watts and Harring are great together.