Top 10 Movies That Introspect Existential/Metaphysical Questioning

1. A Space Odyssey



Directed by the legendary Stanley Kubrick,'A Space Odyssey' is perhaps a pioneer in the field of movies of its kind. Beginning from the concept (the show-stealer in this case) to the breathtaking photography,lighting and sound,this is one masterpiece worth watching in a lifetime.There are certain books like 'A Brief History of Time' or musical masterpieces as 'A Great Gig in the Sky' that cannot be expressed in words.'A Space Odyssey' is one such movie you cannot say many things about ; you cannot actually author a doctrine on why a monolith shows the age in an orb of light (except for maybe existence of an entity itself marks the beginning of an era of existence) or on what layers of cognitive science we actually begin to let certain human emotions penetrate our neurons.This is one movie that certainly has the capability of driving you nuts for days.

2.Interstellar



'Interstellar' is an universally relatable movie that is neither overtly intellectual in approach or presentation,nor brutally demonstrative of content. The one thing it does is raise questions,and loads of them inside your head and might even incite a series of goosebumps on the skin during the delivery of certain parts of the script.
Personally,I do not see this as much of a "must watch" ; moreover the concept of TARS is pretty much a developed version of 'Hal' from 'A Space Odyssey' (only that it's a lot let scary here).
What is truly compelling about the movie is the script,something that outlives the chronology of events in this case.

3.Gravity



Directed by Mexican director Alfonso Cuarón, 'Gravity' is a baby venture as compared to most of the other movies in this list. I am trying my best not to sound offensive but after watching masterpieces as 'A Space Odyssey','Melancholia' or 'Hail,Mary!',trust me - you would not mind bothering yourself for watching something this immature.
In a devastatingly phobic era as ours,'Don't Let Go' is almost an alternative and very acceptable as a tagline but the scientific inaccuracy wasn't quite compensated by the power of the storyline,not even the thrust of the harshness of the events that took place ; something just didn't work out well.Both the actors including George Clooney and Sandra Bullock were amazing,delivered breathtaking performances but the consistency didn't work even if the movie will incite some definitive positive,structured thoughts in your mind.So,if you want endless positivity and a lot of creamy fudge in your semi-cold coffee,this could work.It worked for me when I was in my 10th Grade but as I see it now,this wouldn't stay ; not even with the Academy Award tied to its tail.

4.Melancholia



Melancholia is the only movie in the list you will perhaps never fully get recovered of.The photography,editing,lighting and sounds are just out of the world and the concept combined to all of that developed a brilliant masterpiece,worth at least a watch in a lifetime.Seriously speaking,if you want to die watching a movie - please do watch 'Melancholia'.
'Melancholia' should also compete with 'A Man from Earth' in terms of slow pace; which is quite a brave attempt in a time as late as 2011.That being said,the dystopian flavour of the movie blends in really well with the pace and grey toned colours and the strange lightning work.Also,the concept and storyline is vividly descriptive and very,very genuine,quite abstract to a certain extent.And what I really loved about it all was the signature director's pride approach to it all,like Federico Fellini or Jean-Luc Godard or our very own Ritwik Ghatak would have towards direction - a very unapologetic,raw curvature on the end of the turning out of chronology.That is exactly how movies should be presented - proudly and fearlessly.
Summing it up,if you can wait for a slowly brewed,perfectly blended taste of Italian espresso and thank the makers after a drink on a rainy day,watching the street lights all through the evening,never excited about the delay in the delivery process - do give this a try.





5.Lucy



Honestly speaking,the cinematography of Lucy is terrible and is very unappealing aesthetically. Nothing but the beautiful actress and the striking concept of the movie is capable of attracting cinema enthusiasts in this case.That we constitute the universal totality and the totality in us is constituted out of the universe is the notion that the movie enduringly emphasises on (and does it quite well) and constantly incites you to think of the evolutional brilliance of the mind.
If you're interested in existential literature and that interest outwits your overall intrigue in cinema,do give this a try.

6.Contact



Not to mention the beautiful performance of both the actors - Jodie Foster and Matthew McConaughey ; 'Contact' was not a very high budget film and nor had technology progressed this far back in 1979.Overcoming these 'flaws','Contact' is a movie worth watching if you're highly interested in the concept and script of cinema or just like in the case of the last movie,your interest in literature outwits your interest in cinema.'Contact' is surprisingly theoretical,even after being tagged a mainstream commercial film and there are certain scenes as at one point,Dr.Eleanor Ann Arroway (played by Jodie Foster) touches the atmosphere of a mysterious planet and each touch plays a different musical note.Her bewildered expression combined with the exasperated delivery of "They should have sent a poet." is breathtaking,indeed.
The former constantly reminds you of Nikola Tesla's take on the functioning of the universe - that is,if you were to understand the behaviour of the universe,you ought to understand it in terms of vibrations.

7.Journey To The Center of the Earth 



This movie could never be at par with any of the other selections in this list.But it indeed is worth watching because even children's rhymes have certain elements embibed in them that help you imagine numerous thing severely mature content never can.Moreover,the hypothesis of "a world within worlds" is quite intriguing,indeed.

8.The Man From Earth



Jerome Bixby's 'The Man From Earth' is mostly an indoor shoot based movie,has got to do mostly nothing with visuals except the ones that it gives birth to in your mind.The amazing randomness,projections and contradiction of the legacy of logic and the logic of emotions (Remember 'the universe is standing on a giant turtle' and 'what is the turtle standing on?' paradox in the very first page of 'A Brief History of Time?).There are some very intriguing exchange of dialogues and an epic motion to the movie that is very genuine.This would be more appealing to people truly interested in philosophical thinking rather than those who love to indulge in the art of cinema.'A Man from Earth' is more of a doctrine,when put that way.


9. The Silence of The Lambs



'The Silence of the Lambs' was not just another Dr.Hannibal Lecter movie.Unlike mainstream thrillers,the plot was set to introspect the nature and behaviour of serial killers,human beings and decode the functioning of the killer instinct instilled deep inside us.The marvelous script,intelligent blend and out of the world performances delivered by both Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster does add this to the must watch list (Only if you find yourself capable enough to tolerate the horror of psychological horror-thrillers)! 

10. Hail,Mary!



If I had to pick a favourite out of this list,I would have to pick three - 'A Space Odyssey','Melancholia' and 'Hail,Mary!'.Needless to mention how speechless Godard movies can render you with the amazing intellectual coverage,terrible quality of blending and unexpected cuts,yet oh-so-beautiful photography and an overall marvelous cinematography.
Also,Mr.Jean-Luc Godard is one hell of a proud directior - when Pope John Paul II couldn't keep his calm after the release of the film and a few protest marches broke out in the streets of America demanding "Oust 'Hail,Mary!' the movie" (you heard that right,"oust" in the later half of the twentieth century),Godard started using that as fuel to reach out people.Of course the movie could never be a mainstream success (and why would it have to?!) but Godard was clearly overwhelmed enough to put out the Pope's negative remarks as something very relevant and positive (look at every poster of the movie from then on!) and to be brutally honest,the movie is a hell of an experience in a lifetime.
The amazing juxtaposition of crop fields bending down in wind on a mellowed,cloudy day with a virgin woman's body rising up,with ribs exposed and a pair of the most innocent eyes you will find on the planet,the movie is not something you can truly give a speech on,even write a thesis on ; you just have to travel through it once.The spacetime zone it gives birth to (who cares about the intercourse prior to that?) is worth a watch universally.

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3 Comments

  1. Although I haven't watched the movie, I can say for certain that you would love Solaris, the movie, the novel of which I found similar yet more philosophical and existential than the Space Oddessy.

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    1. Umm...I just Googled that.Looks interesting,will surely give it a try.

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  2. very informative post for me as I am always looking for new content that can help me and my knowledge grow better.

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