Cerebral (@)
Time travel/paradox/memory movies (kind of a catchall for some of my favorite types of movies). Expect unreliable narrators, spatial-temporal discontinuity, and multiple twists. Think Memento, Se7en, Fight Club, Inception. These types of films are generally popular, so ill try to stick with the lesser known ones.
Predestination
This is the reason I made this list. It has maybe the most interesting time paradox I’ve seen in a movie but I’ve never met anyone who has seen it. Pretty solid action overall and Ethan hawk is always great. Don’t let the title, the fact that it came out in 2015, or the crappy cover art stop you from seeing this. This movie great to watch with groups because you’ll all have a collective “Oh Shit!” moment.
Rotten Tomatoes (84%) | Pirate Bay
Pairs well with a Dark N’ Stormy
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Most people have seen this but if you haven’t you must. Its a great love/breakup story and is so beautifully done. Fun fact: The director of this, Michael Gondry, also did Dave Chapelle’s block party and is a very prolific French filmmaker who collaborate with Bong Joon Ho (who has his own list up top) on a movie called Tokyo!.
Rotten Tomatoes (93%) | Netflix
Pairs well with Clementine Negroni’s til blackout
Bonus: Truman Show - This is worth rewatching. One of the best movies of that decade. Rotten Tomatoes (94%)
Mr. Nobody
Jared Leto stars. Hmm what to say about this one. This is a bizarre but engaging movie. I don’t totally understand it, but I supposed its a little about life’s many paths or at least the illusion of them. Definitely worth a watch if you want to puzzle about what you just saw. Good with open-minded company.
Rotten Tomatoes (67%) | Netflix
Pairs well with a flight of absinthe
Requiem for a Dream
Daron Aronofsky film - Super depressing and extremely hard to watch but probably Jared Leto’s best performance. Will trample all over your soul but it is really worth a watch at least once in your life. Don’t chase that dragon!
Rotten Tomatoes (79%) | Netflix
Pairs well with Corpse Reviver
Bonus: PI - Another Daron Aronofsky movie that is so crazy to watch. I definitely recommend this is you liked Requiem for a Dream. Rotten Tomatoes (88%)
Primer
Too complicated to really enjoy the first time around but it is world class example of how to do a lot with a little. Writer, director and actor, Shane Carruth, uses a $7,000 budget to create one of the most complex time travel movies whose full plot will unwind after a few viewings (or reading a blog). Find a friend who has seen it and convince him to watch it with you one more time, then find a new victim and repeat.
Rotten Tomatoes (72%) | Pirate Bay
Pairs well with Genny Light
Bonus: Enter the Void - Many will not have the stomach for this film. It is bizarre and way over the top but basically follows a guy into a DMT trip, his death, and eventual reincarnation. But seriously this movie is so nasty so fair warning and DO NOT watch it on a plane. Rotten Tomatoes (71%)