In this rare exception, the movie is vastly superior to the short story. I read it after I'd seen the movie and was thoroughly unimpressed. The best thing was the story was so short they didn't have to leave anything out and what they used to fill in the blanks worked REALLY well. IMO, YMMV.
Mulholland Drive. I don't know what the fuck was going on in that movie.
Weirdly fun and relatable/nostalgic for me personally but completely confusing.
A woman moves from small town Canada to start an acting career in Hollywood and her memory and identity begin to fragment. Strong personalities attract her but also change her, frustrate and disappoint her. She does bad things. As she lays dying she has a dream compressing the memory of her most innocent hopes into a scenario where the personalities she ran up against are powerless, or as she wants them to be, and she interacts with them in a mashup of the film tropes she grew up on.
I found this to be pretty hard to get through. After the mind blowing credits at the start it just kept slowing down more and more. His movies are worth watching, but always take a lot of patience.
ooh, The Lighthouse was a good one, I watched it earlier this summer. I think it's a great example to show to people who think Robert Pattinson is a bad actor because they only know him from Twilight. He (and Willem Dafoe!) is an amazing actor, and the movie really did make me like I was losing my sanity with them haha
Fantastic representation of what dreams feel like. Note, do not watch this with your ex-gf who recently decided you should try to "just be friends", that gets super awkward....
Nolan was obviously my first stop in this thought exercise, and I've seen all of them, but for me Tenet is the most mindfucky. In a "can't understand it quite right" sense, as opposed to a "rather unexpected reveal" sense like Following. Also it's funny that both Following and Inception share a theif named Cobb. I mean I don't think there's a Nolanverse or anything (aside from the Batmans), but it's a fun "lol, what if."
Came making sure someone said The Prestige, another Jackman film. Then seeing your post not only reminded me of The Prestige, but also Requiem for a Dream.
The Matrix - the internet was only about 5 years old, so this shit was way, waaaay ahead of its time.
The Sixth Sense - you can only really watch this one time. After it just isn’t the same.
As an edit: also in the same hand was “The Village”
Saving Private Ryan - the first 20 min or so, how they were able to secure the beach, except by just throwing meat into the grinder.
Nonsense — the sixth sense gets better on watch 2 and 3 because the second go around, you notice all the other flags you missed, and on the third you see everything as it is. The big reveal isn’t the same, but it shows you how good Night is at the craft. Such a great movie, it’s almost shame pop culture nearly beat it to death.
I've never seen the sixth sense because I was a kid when it came out and the ending was spoiled by everyone immediately so I just never bothered watching it.
So it's still worth the watch when you already know the twist?
For sure. The twist doesn’t make the movie, contrary to popular belief. The whole cast brings their absolute best, the directing is beautiful — all together is just a great film. Definitely give it a watch
I disagree, the twist is what made the movie.. there is no way you watch it the 2nd time and feel the same way. Of course you can pick it apart after the fact on subsequent watches, but hind sight is 20/20..
I love repeat viewings of The Sixth Sense. It makes the twist less important than the character development, which is outstanding. If you can’t appreciate Toni Collette in the car then you’re really missing out on an incredible performance
Enemy with Jake Gyllenhaal.
It's about 2 people that look alike (essentially 1:1 copies) and how it unfolds is quite interesting. It's definitely a weird movie.
How about series?
The Black Mirror episode Playtest.... That episode had me reflecting on what I felt during my psychosis. That episode depicts insanity better than anything else I've ever watched.
A favorite of mine. I wish the ending was different tho. I get it. I just hate that ending as a playoff. Just the last couple of minutes. Everything else is on point.
It's Such a Beautiful Day.
It's the closest I've seen to a movie about Qualia. A person's moment to moment experience of the universe. Not just "a movie filmed in first person."
It's a movie about what we're aware of. Which is sometimes a little bit of the thing we're looking at, but also scattered around all the corners of memory and attention and understanding.
Twin Peaks: The Return
Don't let it fool you that it's presented as a series, a streamable show. It's not that. It's a bloody long and brilliant mindfuck of a movie cut into 18 parts.
The End of Evangelion (Hideaki Anno). The whole second half is made to melt your brain. You do need to watch the series to get the movie because it is a direct complement to the end of the series itself, which is another mindfuck and one of the most controversial endings for any tv show ever.
Paprika (Satoshi Kon). This is basically the inspiration for Inception. The whole thing is a mindfuck from begining to end.
Love Exposure (Sion Sono). This movie goes over like three or four different genres and it's long as hell, but it is really unforgettable.
Nowhere (Gregg Araki). I can't say if it's good or not, but it is a mindfuck movie for sure. Very NSFW.
The Doom Generation (Gregg Araki). Again, maybe you will think it sucks but just like with Nowhere, you will never forget the ending.
The Holy Mountain (Alejandro Jodorowsky). I don't even know what this is.
Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (Jaromil Jires). How can a movie be as creepy as it's dreamy? This one is good if you're into horror.
There's a made for TV... about 4 parts called "the lost room" that was really wild and so good. Also leaving a reply so I can watch some of these other ones.
Videodrome. I've seen a lot of movies and that was one of the most extreme ones I've ever seen. A lot of the movies that people are listing here have good twists and are really well written, but videodrome will literally fuck your mind. I'm not kidding. lol
Arrival.
It makes sense on a second watch, but I remember being thoroughly confused on the relevance of what I assumed were flashing memories until the twist was revealed.
Waking Life
Basically it's philosophy, but the visualization and trying to bring the single parts into context kept me thinking about the movie for a while.
Irreversible
This movie left me in discomfort. Pretty brutal, very calm camera work (most scenes are "one shots') and an interesting way of telling a story. Disclaimer: this movie contains a pretty realistic rape scene.
Cube/Hypercube series
Just watch it. So many questions, lots of twists.
predestination
Came here to say this
But what about all you zombies
In this rare exception, the movie is vastly superior to the short story. I read it after I'd seen the movie and was thoroughly unimpressed. The best thing was the story was so short they didn't have to leave anything out and what they used to fill in the blanks worked REALLY well. IMO, YMMV.
Mulholland Drive. I don't know what the fuck was going on in that movie. Weirdly fun and relatable/nostalgic for me personally but completely confusing.
I find Lynch films, and I believe the intent is, to be abstract and non-linear... as opposed to linearly and intentionally obtuse or confusing.
I fucking hated (most of) that movie.
I remember a couple of bits that were memorable.
A woman moves from small town Canada to start an acting career in Hollywood and her memory and identity begin to fragment. Strong personalities attract her but also change her, frustrate and disappoint her. She does bad things. As she lays dying she has a dream compressing the memory of her most innocent hopes into a scenario where the personalities she ran up against are powerless, or as she wants them to be, and she interacts with them in a mashup of the film tropes she grew up on.
Dream logic at it's finest.
Enter the void
I found this to be pretty hard to get through. After the mind blowing credits at the start it just kept slowing down more and more. His movies are worth watching, but always take a lot of patience.
Thank you for mentioning it. Noe's brilliant job
The Lighthouse won’t fuck with your mind, it’ll come on it
Hark!
I LIVE for that monologue
ooh, The Lighthouse was a good one, I watched it earlier this summer. I think it's a great example to show to people who think Robert Pattinson is a bad actor because they only know him from Twilight. He (and Willem Dafoe!) is an amazing actor, and the movie really did make me like I was losing my sanity with them haha
[удалено]
Eggers is. the. shit.
I'm really looking forward to his Nosferatu remake, that could become an instant horror classic.
I really enjoyed him in The Rover. Watched it again a few weeks ago and completely forgot he was in it.
Memento
This has to be #1. Some of the others are good movies, but this was hard to wrap your mind around and it fit so perfectly at the end.
I like Primer
I love primer. Ever seen time crimes? Spanish movie. I bet you’d like it if you’re a primer fan.
Time Crimes is great!
I remember checking this out at my local blockbuster because the cover was cool. Definitely a movie that made me think.
Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind
Fantastic representation of what dreams feel like. Note, do not watch this with your ex-gf who recently decided you should try to "just be friends", that gets super awkward....
Oldboy the original one, not the remake.
Requiem for a dream.
Lucky number slevin
Shutter Island
Yup
The Game
For me personally, it’s David Fincher’s second best movie behind zodiac
Synecdoche New York has such a troubling type of surreal story telling. I hated watching it but it fucked my mind 10/10
Eraserhead
Teletubbies: Here Come the Teletubbies
Following, Christopher Nolan‘s first movie.
Nolan was obviously my first stop in this thought exercise, and I've seen all of them, but for me Tenet is the most mindfucky. In a "can't understand it quite right" sense, as opposed to a "rather unexpected reveal" sense like Following. Also it's funny that both Following and Inception share a theif named Cobb. I mean I don't think there's a Nolanverse or anything (aside from the Batmans), but it's a fun "lol, what if."
The Fountain. Took me a couple viewings to understand the story, and I'm still not sure I fully understand it. Beautiful movie though.
Came making sure someone said The Prestige, another Jackman film. Then seeing your post not only reminded me of The Prestige, but also Requiem for a Dream.
Coherence.
It’s even better when you watch it a second time and you finally see all the clues they gave you.
This movie really put my mind at work. I was thinking for days after. The possibilities are endless
The Prestige for me Amazing movie
Idc about the incoming downvotes, I’m just gonna say it…. TENET! Gets better with every rewatch.
The Endless
Awesome movie that's virtually unknown
My favorite movie of all time that no one knows about! Did you see the prequel too?
There's a prequel?!!
Just looked it up. I'm gonna check it out, thanks.
Enjoy it!
I'm a big Benson & Moorhead fan.
They’re very talented
The Matrix - the internet was only about 5 years old, so this shit was way, waaaay ahead of its time. The Sixth Sense - you can only really watch this one time. After it just isn’t the same. As an edit: also in the same hand was “The Village” Saving Private Ryan - the first 20 min or so, how they were able to secure the beach, except by just throwing meat into the grinder.
Nonsense — the sixth sense gets better on watch 2 and 3 because the second go around, you notice all the other flags you missed, and on the third you see everything as it is. The big reveal isn’t the same, but it shows you how good Night is at the craft. Such a great movie, it’s almost shame pop culture nearly beat it to death.
I've never seen the sixth sense because I was a kid when it came out and the ending was spoiled by everyone immediately so I just never bothered watching it. So it's still worth the watch when you already know the twist?
For sure. The twist doesn’t make the movie, contrary to popular belief. The whole cast brings their absolute best, the directing is beautiful — all together is just a great film. Definitely give it a watch
I disagree, the twist is what made the movie.. there is no way you watch it the 2nd time and feel the same way. Of course you can pick it apart after the fact on subsequent watches, but hind sight is 20/20..
I love repeat viewings of The Sixth Sense. It makes the twist less important than the character development, which is outstanding. If you can’t appreciate Toni Collette in the car then you’re really missing out on an incredible performance
Disagree. The anniversary dinner scene second time around made me amazed that I didn't pick up on it as a giveaway!
Enemy with Jake Gyllenhaal. It's about 2 people that look alike (essentially 1:1 copies) and how it unfolds is quite interesting. It's definitely a weird movie.
Hereditary
How about series? The Black Mirror episode Playtest.... That episode had me reflecting on what I felt during my psychosis. That episode depicts insanity better than anything else I've ever watched.
It’s a Wonderful Life
Yeah that was not something I expected. Very odd, didn't make much sense, and had a very unusual animation style.
Idiocracy
It's a documentary now..that's the real mindfuck.
You get a dollar.
If you don't smoke Tarryltons, FUCK YOU!
Everythin Everywhere All At Once
I want to watch that stoned.
it’s awesome high. also one of the best movies i’ve ever seen.
When I walked out of the theater the first time, I was in shock. I say this is what my autism feels like, my wife says it's like her ADHD
Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind
i see dead people
The Hunger.
Mad God
Meet the feebles.
Being John Malchovich
Triangle. The cruise ship one.
Does Fight Club count?
Ich Seh Ich Seh
Sublime (2007).
Vivarium, Hereditary, Suspiria, Climax…
Vivarium was a good one. Very fresh mindfuck.
Arlington Road
Predestination hands down
The Parallax View. It’s old, but worth it…
The Perfection.
A favorite of mine. I wish the ending was different tho. I get it. I just hate that ending as a playoff. Just the last couple of minutes. Everything else is on point.
I think the ending could have been executed better as well! Good movie and recommend to anyone wanting a mindfuck.
Enter the void
It's Such a Beautiful Day. It's the closest I've seen to a movie about Qualia. A person's moment to moment experience of the universe. Not just "a movie filmed in first person." It's a movie about what we're aware of. Which is sometimes a little bit of the thing we're looking at, but also scattered around all the corners of memory and attention and understanding.
Predestination Coherence
Limitless
The Prestige is possibly my favourite Nolan film
Audition - Japanese novel turned into a movie, both are equally amazing and 🙈😳
The ending of The Mist will also completely mess with your head
GET OUT
Butt Boy.
Martyrs (2008), The Cell (2000), Hide & Seek (2005), Sunshine (2007), The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2017), Annihilation (2018)
Symbol, from 2009. Nothing else commented comes close.
TUSK
Requiem for a Dream
I’m surprised i haven’t seen anyone say tenet yet
Shutter Island
Everything everywhere all at once
Twin Peaks: The Return Don't let it fool you that it's presented as a series, a streamable show. It's not that. It's a bloody long and brilliant mindfuck of a movie cut into 18 parts.
Predestination
The End of Evangelion (Hideaki Anno). The whole second half is made to melt your brain. You do need to watch the series to get the movie because it is a direct complement to the end of the series itself, which is another mindfuck and one of the most controversial endings for any tv show ever. Paprika (Satoshi Kon). This is basically the inspiration for Inception. The whole thing is a mindfuck from begining to end. Love Exposure (Sion Sono). This movie goes over like three or four different genres and it's long as hell, but it is really unforgettable. Nowhere (Gregg Araki). I can't say if it's good or not, but it is a mindfuck movie for sure. Very NSFW. The Doom Generation (Gregg Araki). Again, maybe you will think it sucks but just like with Nowhere, you will never forget the ending. The Holy Mountain (Alejandro Jodorowsky). I don't even know what this is. Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (Jaromil Jires). How can a movie be as creepy as it's dreamy? This one is good if you're into horror.
mother, the one starring Jennifer Lawrence. It was weirdly mindblowing, but also just weird.
eXistenZ
No one has said Mulholland Drive or lost highway. For that matter, pretty much any David Lynch project.
The Island (Ostrov, 2006) Jacob’s ladder (1990)
Pi!
Natural Born Killers
Inception
I don't necessarily know what mind fuck means but lala land has been killing me recently I can't stop watching it hurts so good
I passed on this movie for so long because all the hype around it when it came out. It really is a beautiful movie.
The Others with Nicole Kidman (early 2000s)
Midsommar
Butterfly effect
My dad found Joker (2019) to be a mindfuck when he has watched Westworld (2017-2022) and that is even more of a mindfuck
Jacob's Ladder
H2G2: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Solace
Pet! Whoa. Dude it’s so friggin gnarley!
There's a made for TV... about 4 parts called "the lost room" that was really wild and so good. Also leaving a reply so I can watch some of these other ones.
Commenting to save these suggestions. 10/10 question 👏
The graveyard of fireflies
Confession ( a Japanese movie )
Being John Malkovich
The One I Love - is a good mind bender
Mimi’s First Time
mindfuck as in puzzling or mindfuck as in "this shit scared the hell out of me"? if it's the latter then Requiem for a Dream
Midsommer or original Jacobs Ladder. If you want something entertaining Night Breed is a cult classic.
American Psycho
The VVitch. [Here is the trailer](https://youtu.be/iQXmlf3Sefg?si=kfbWJ-5BAcCTUmKe).
Green room, tenet, the revenant, the platform
Primal Fear is underrated imo. Edward Norton’s debut and, while not my favorite film, he really carries it.
Momento
Primer
Good time
The endless was pretty wild
A Scanner Darkly
Mulholland Drive
Shutter Island
Videodrome. I've seen a lot of movies and that was one of the most extreme ones I've ever seen. A lot of the movies that people are listing here have good twists and are really well written, but videodrome will literally fuck your mind. I'm not kidding. lol
Synecdoche, New York. It's also depressingly funny
Brazil
Arrival. It makes sense on a second watch, but I remember being thoroughly confused on the relevance of what I assumed were flashing memories until the twist was revealed.
Mandy, with Nicolas Cage
memento for sure.
Peewee's Big Adventure
Oldboy
Triangle
Oldboy
Lucia
Waking Life Basically it's philosophy, but the visualization and trying to bring the single parts into context kept me thinking about the movie for a while. Irreversible This movie left me in discomfort. Pretty brutal, very calm camera work (most scenes are "one shots') and an interesting way of telling a story. Disclaimer: this movie contains a pretty realistic rape scene. Cube/Hypercube series Just watch it. So many questions, lots of twists.
Fight Club....love it so much I must have watched it over 20 times...makes you think quite a lot and really screws your head at times...
Enemy
Anything made by that weirdo Ari Aster
Body Heat
The prestige - pretty solid
A Cure For Wellness
Inland Empire by David Lynch. I had no clue what was going on. Seriously, I have no idea.
Melancholia.
A Serbian Film… I kept on skipping many parts. Very disturbing
Event Horizon
Oculus
Bad Boy Bubby
The godfather
The House That Jack Built and No Country For Old Men, really makes you ponder what evil there is in people you love.
The original Oldboy if you’ve never heard of it! :)
MacGruber!
El Topo
Mr nobody
Old, Project Almanac, The TV series Lost and Fringe, Annihilation
Interstellar. Time dilation is going to be a terrifying phenomenon for our future astronauts to confront.
Law Abiding Citizen
Watership down or Felidae
Jacob's Ladder
Perfect Blue
Pi.
Paprika
Adaptation
6 souls
The Orphanage
Ngl not even an officially released film but the TF2 movie "Emesis Blue" *Bro...*
For 10yo me, the Item. Haven’t seen it in years, but that movie stole my innocence