10 movies that make you question reality

Top 10 movies that make you question reality
Top 10 movies that make you question reality

Movies can take us off to unbelievable realities, force us to challenge unknowns, and even make us question the very nature of our perspectives and beliefs. From mind-bending sci-fi to revolutionary dramas, these movies take us on a visual experience and a journey through the looking glass into the unimagined.

The 10 movies curated here will make you question reality. We're going to explore the films that have shaken our perception of time, space, awareness, and ultimately the nature of existence.

10. Inland Empire (2006):

A mind-bending movie that questions reality. | Image Source: Studio Canal
A mind-bending movie that questions reality. | Image Source: Studio Canal

Inland Empire, a 2006 release, remains the last feature film by David Lynch. It is a psychological thriller that is experimental in nature. Written, directed, and co-produced by David Lynch, the film demonstrates the story of an actress as she gradually becomes a character, which turns her reality into a nightmarish, surreal world.

Inland Empire is a little difficult, yet rewarding film to watch for anyone willing to experience an unconventional approach. It is just the type of film that lives on long after the credits roll, inviting repeated viewings and innumerable interpretations according to our different perspectives.

9. A Scanner Darkly (2006):

A one of a kind animation movie starring Keanu Reeves, Robert Downey Jr., Woody Harrelson | Image Source: Warner Bros
A one of a kind animation movie starring Keanu Reeves, Robert Downey Jr., Woody Harrelson | Image Source: Warner Bros

A Scanner Darkly is a masterpiece by Richard Linklater which is based on a novel by Philip K. Dick. This 2006 science fiction film very realistically portrays a terrifying future where we see a powerful substance spreading into society. This is a multi starrer that has A-listers like Keanu Reeves, Robert Downey Jr., and Woody Harrelson. The undercover police officer Fred gets attached to the very substance that he is out to eliminate from society.

This is where Fred's reality blurs, and he starts questioning his reality and motives. Something to add to the irritatingly confused atmosphere of the movie is the one-of-a-kind animation style.

8. Being John Malkovich (1999):

A one of a kind story where an ordinary man lives through the eyes of a famous actor | Image Source: Universal Pictures
A one of a kind story where an ordinary man lives through the eyes of a famous actor | Image Source: Universal Pictures

This unusual comedy-drama film deals with identity and reality. The plot unfolds with a puppeteer, Craig, who finds a portal in a cabinet that teleports him directly into the mind of famous actor John Malkovich. Craig and his friends then can't stop exploiting this unbelievable discovery. In the end, they end up intertwined in a complicated manipulation. The movie's innovative plot and creative dialogues make it a must watch for fans of quirky screenplays.

7. Mulholland Drive (2001):

A movie that shows us a radical perspective in Hollywood | Image Source: Universal Pictures
A movie that shows us a radical perspective in Hollywood | Image Source: Universal Pictures

Mulholland Drive is a movie that combines classic film noir and mystery as a genre. Directed by David Lynch, the movie is about a young woman going through amnesia who comes to Hollywood and gets along with a promising actress in order to deal with the enigmatic and risky world of the Hollywood film industry. In the meantime, boundaries get all intertwined between reality and dreams and situations that take shape in the most unreal and loathful way. The movie dives into suspense and intrigue, with unusual imagination, and vague symbols, marking a distinct David Lynch signature style in the film.

6. The Game (1997):

A movie where an investment banker is stuck in the illusions of reality | Image Source: Walt Disney Studios
A movie where an investment banker is stuck in the illusions of reality | Image Source: Walt Disney Studios

The Game is a psychological thriller in which a wealthy investment banker, Nicholas Van Orton, 48, is offered an unusual mysterious test. In the end, Van Orton becomes extremely paranoid and consumed by a sense of danger. The film then follows up with themes of identity and control and the troubling lines that separate reality from illusion.

5. The Trueman Show (1998):

Jim Carrey as Trueman is the lead of a reality show that exposes his whole life to the viewers for entertainment | Image Source: Paramount Pictures
Jim Carrey as Trueman is the lead of a reality show that exposes his whole life to the viewers for entertainment | Image Source: Paramount Pictures

The Truman Show is a movie that emphasizes the absurd extremes of reality television. The film tells the story of a man called Truman Burbank, played by Jim Carrey, who appears to be a regular fellow, aging normally, living his life without knowing that he is the sole focus of a 24-hour reality show which has captured his life since he was born. Totally immersed in his artificially constructed world, Truman cannot help but begin to seek the truth that complicates his existence. The film brought up questions on the controversial concepts of privacy and surveillance.

4. The Matrix (1999):

Keanu Reeves in The Matrix, a generational hit that changed stories and visuals in Hollywood forever | Image Source: Warner Bros
Keanu Reeves in The Matrix, a generational hit that changed stories and visuals in Hollywood forever | Image Source: Warner Bros

The Matrix, without a doubt, is one of the most iconic sci-fi films one can watch. A computer hacker, Neo comes into contact with a group of individuals who inform him that everything he sees is a lie created by advanced machines to subjugate human beings. Subsequently, Neo is given the choice of remaining in his delusion or fighting with the resistance for the cause of liberation.

While in the Matrix, Neo did a bit of digging and finally learned the reasons for his being and the machines' ultimate agenda. He was taught the art of controlling the very code that makes the world of the Matrix coherent and learned to exercise supremacy in unimaginable ways. The film's lingering appeal can be attributed to its imaginative yet highly philosophical contextualization and brisk action sequences, thus making it not only a cult classic but also a point of reference in science fiction filmmaking.

3. Memento (2000):

A Christopher Nolan classic with a mind-boggling screenplay. | Image Source: Lionsgate Canada
A Christopher Nolan classic with a mind-boggling screenplay. | Image Source: Lionsgate Canada

Memento is an effort at a psychological thriller, which is nonlinear in nature. Leonard Shelby is the protagonist of the movie who suffers from anterograde amnesia. After the gruesome murder of his wife, Leonard starts looking for her killer, or more specifically, for the face of her murderer, and uses tattoos, photographs, and notes left to remember his mission. The film reveals Leonard's past and what led him to his current state. The unique structure of the film, along with a complex narrative, makes the viewing experience both challenging and rewarding at the same time.

2. Inception (2010):

Inception is another Christopher Nolan science fiction action film that introduces us to untapped concepts of dream sharing and manipulating dreams within dreams. The story picks up when a group of professional thieves infiltrate the subconscious minds of targets to steal information. The movie starts with their most dangerous mission to date which involves planting an idea in a target's mind rather than stealing one.

Members of the team have dabbled in the confusing, perilous world of dreams, fighting many challenges and risks, such as getting lost within the subconscious. With its mind-blowing plot, visual appeal, and thought-provoking themes, it is a must-watch.

1.Fight Club (1999):

A movie way ahead of its time that questioned and changed the ways of narration forever | Image Source: 20th Century Studios
A movie way ahead of its time that questioned and changed the ways of narration forever | Image Source: 20th Century Studios

Fight Club is a satirical drama that explores consumerism, masculinity, and the search for meaning in a seemingly meaningless world. The story unfolds as narrated by a nameless man who is an unhappy person with a pretty mundane life until he finds an underground fight club led by the charismatic enigmatic soap salesman Tyler Durden. The fight club attracts popularity and becomes dangerous, involving the narrator in this chaotic and destructive world that is portrayed in the film. The subversive tone of the movie makes it a provocative and unforgettable experience with an unbelievable twist.

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Edited by Yesha Srivastava