Can you recommend movies in this style? [examples]

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Can you recommend movies in this style? [examples]

Howdy-doo, I asked about this back in like 2015 and still don't have a great idea of how to articulate what I'm asking for, but I've seen a lot more movies since then so maybe I can describe it better.

I'm looking for movies that have a particular storytelling presentation. These movies have a tendency to embellish reality as a means of emphasizing a feeling or an idea. It may be a relatively abstract story, but the key difference is we don't break from logic, there is still a clear narrative to the movie, but little background details may be exaggerated a bit to communicate bigger ideas. Often these are things that go un-acknowledged by other characters because what is being presented is just the perception of one of the characters or otherwise only symbolic of an idea being presented. What I am NOT looking for are Magic Realism movies, or nonsense movies along the lines of Eraserhead or Blue Velvet.

The movies Ink and Imaginaerum are clear examples of what I'm looking for, and in case you haven't seen those movies I'll include some scenes to show you what I'm talking about:

(timestamped at 34:37)

https://youtu.be/FIdqnPxfzj0?t=2077

Ink - Here we see two characters get into it over an old custody dispute, as the tension rises and the characters get in each other's face the light in the room shrinks to just a spotlight above them. There's no in-universe reason for this to happen, but it communicates that there's nothing else that matters outside of this moment, our full attention is on these two characters. (note: I'm not trying to share the full movie, this is just the only video I could find of this scene after a handful of searches)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kxpayyvtEA

Imaginaerum - Maybe not the best example, but in this clip we have an old man on his death bed as his life is flashing before his eyes. So this is a dream/memory sequence and there's a fair bit of wiggle room to take some creative liberties, but it still has to communicate a particular point. Here we see his younger self looking in a room containing a memory of him and his dad while we see a second memory of his older self on an adjacent wall with his daughter. It's a pretty trippy sequence, but the message is clear that his poor relationship with his father resulted in a poor relationship with his daughter.

And one more example to try and be extra clear on what I'm looking for:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1BbwIE3a8g

Paranoia Agent - Here we have a student who's desperate to pass his math exam, he's been pushed to the edge of his abilities and he's panicking last-minute. Suddenly he starts coughing and sneezing up equations. They're just falling out of his head. Without even questioning it, he tries to eat the equations, but more just keep coming out. This is a clear visual analogy for someone who's struggling to retain a memory, but can't help but forget what they want to remember. He's clearly overwhelmed by his schoolwork and that's communicated by twisting reality a bit. This could just as well be a nightmare of his.

I guess what I'm looking for is a sort of coherent surrealism. Hopefully I did a decent enough job of conveying the sort of storytelling style I'm looking for. If you know of movies that contain scenes like this I would be very interested in seeing them. Thank you! :)

My Verdict on Recommendations in this Thread:
Stalker - Not a Match, no surrealism whatsoever
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie - Not a Match, no surrealism whatsoever
The Hourglass Sanitorium - Not a Match, virtually no coherence
The Trial - Not A Match, virtually no surrealism

I guess I’d recommend the films of Luis Bunuel. I…think that matches what you’re looking for?

Originally Posted by Wyldesyde19 (Post 2325673)

I guess I’d recommend the films of Luis Bunuel. I…think that matches what you’re looking for?

"Avant Garde Surrealism", I don't know that that's what I'm looking for, but what movies of his would you suggest?

Originally Posted by Omnizoa (Post 2325674)

"Avant Garde Surrealism", I don't know that that's what I'm looking for, but what movies of his would you suggest?

Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, to begin with and see if that works for you and then expand into his other films.

Originally Posted by Wyldesyde19 (Post 2325676)

Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, to begin with and see if that works for you and then expand into his other films.

I will check that out, thank you.

Maybe it's because I'm generally a fan of Lynch's movies, but it's been a while since I've seen Blue Velvet, but, while admittedly stylized and exaggerated, I generally remember that one as being one of his more bound to reality movies. At least in the sense of the criteria of being "coherent."

So I guess I'm wondering how that one qualifies as "nonsense."

Here are some attempted stabs at suggestions though (I can't guess which ones break too far from reality for you):

Shura (aka Demons) (1971, Japan, Motsumoto)
Valerie and Her Week of Wonders
The Hourglass Sanatorium
Alain Resnais' Je'taime, je'taime
Naked Lunch (just be aware it's based on a real story, so all the fantasy/sci-fi stuff is a literal drug trip)
For Bunuel, I'd also guess your best bet would be The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, outside chance of Belle de Jour.

Since you mentioned Paranoia Agent, I assume you've seen stuff like Millennium Actress and Paprika.

And since the comedy countdowb just happened, I'd feel like I'd be beating a dead horse bringing up It's Such a Beautiful Day and World of Tomorrow, but I'd consider it. Not entirely sure if they'd fall within your criteria.

ETA: It has crossed my mind 8 1/2 may fit your criteria (I don't have a good sense if it's one you likely have already seen).

Originally Posted by Little Ash (Post 2325715)

I guess I just don't want any David Lynch movies.

The Hourglass Sanatorium

I actually just stumbled on this one today, looks interesting.

Since you mentioned Paranoia Agent, I assume you've seen stuff like Millennium Actress and Paprika.

I've seen the vast majority of Satoshi Kon movies.

And since the comedy countdown just happened, I'd feel like I'd be beating a dead horse bringing up It's Such a Beautiful Day and World of Tomorrow,

I actually haven't seen either of those, but the animation style looks extremely familiar. Something about a cloud?

https://c.tenor.com/A1yBRepBOlcAAAAC...t-bleeding.gif

Yeah, I dunno if I'm looking for that.

Maybe The Shout? I’ve been meaning to see that one. Also, Hourglass Sanatorium has been on my watch list for ages now.

Originally Posted by Wyldesyde19 (Post 2325730)

Maybe The Shout? I’ve been meaning to see that one.

Promising cast.

Originally Posted by Omnizoa (Post 2325726)

I guess I just don't want any David Lynch movies.
I actually just stumbled on this one today, looks interesting.
I've seen the vast majority of Satoshi Kon movies.I actually haven't seen either of those, but the animation style looks extremely familiar. Something about a cloud?

https://c.tenor.com/A1yBRepBOlcAAAAC...t-bleeding.gif

Yeah, I dunno if I'm looking for that.

Its anus is bleeding. That's from Rejected, whose story is a meta-story is seeing a sequence of animated shorts that Hertzfeldt has created as a desperate attempt to satisfy a sequence of commercial jobs. As each one gets rejected, subsequent ones keep getting more deranged.
It's Such a Beautiful Day and World of Tomorrow have more of a story and follow actual characters. They're still a bit of a stretch for what you seem to be asking for, but everything I'm thinking of is.

Looking through some movies I have, a few other ideas did cross my mind.
Picnic at Hanging Rock

Jim Jarmusch might not be your jam (it's always hard to predict who will vibe with his stuff), but:
Ghost Dog: Way of the Samurai - you might like the use of cartoons people are watching, it might help knowing some of the films he's referencing though
Dead Man - I think you'll figure out in the first five minutes if this one is for you

I didn't think there'd be anything from Oshima, but then it crossed my mind, Death by Hanging does fit the criteria description pretty well.

Speaking of films Ghost Dog is referencing - you might be interested in some Seijun Suzuki movies, but I'm not sure where you should start and where you should stop. I get the sense that by the time of Pistol Opera, he's probably too far out there for you. Branded to Kill might still be good to go (or the subsequent Taisho trilogy), but maybe something like The Youth of the Beast. But I think that's just people pushing style, and I'm not sure it's so much expressionistic.

I came back to suggest Seijun Suzuki films as well, but alas…Little Ash has beaten me to the punch.

Re: Can you recommend movies in this style? [examples]

How do you feel about the last two episodes of the Evangelion TV series?
Not asking as a suggestion, but confirming stuff like that is too detached from reality in terms of what you're looking for (or lacks the sense of grounding in the real world from the expressionistic aspect originates).

I'm assuming by not wanting Magical Realism you don't want stuff like Pan's Labyrinth which is basically telling a fairytale in parallel with the real world, though giving an abstract tone setting or presentation of reality.

Originally Posted by Little Ash (Post 2325751)

How do you feel about the last two episodes of the Evangelion TV series?

Not that Evangelion isn't on brand, but let's just say that show was a bit too much for me.

I'm assuming by not wanting Magical Realism you don't want stuff like Pan's Labyrinth which is basically telling a fairytale in parallel with the real world, though giving an abstract tone setting or presentation of reality.

No, Pan's Labyrinth is not Magic Realism, I was complaining about this in another thread. Pan's Labyrinth is just a dark fantasy movie set in an actual historical time period, Magic Realism (at least so far as I'm concerned) is more along the lines of stuff like Being John Malkovich.

Originally Posted by Wikipedia

Mexican critic Luis Leal summed up the difficulty of defining magical realism by writing, "If you can explain it, then it's not magical realism."

Re: Can you recommend movies in this style? [examples]

Also Ghost Dog is literally just Forest Whittaker as an overweight samurai hitman.

Definitely not what I'm looking for, but also definitely a movie I should watch anyway.

Re: Can you recommend movies in this style? [examples]

Only got 30 minutes into Death by Hanging, was not my jam.

This may not fit the ask and is probably too far out of bounds considering your Lynch notes, but I am religiously obliged to spread the gospel of Anthony Hopkins' Slipstream (2007). It feels a bit nonlinear and disjointed, but it works down to the last credit scroll, IMHO. Hopkins wrote, directed, and scored this.

Good luck in filling your list.

Maybe Stay (2005). It can get generic at times but the scene transitions become more gorgeous over time.

MirrorMask?

The Fall?

Maybe too fantasy, those.

The Fisher King?

Re: Can you recommend movies in this style? [examples]

Originally Posted by beelzebubble (Post 2325799)

How about Amelie?

That might fit what I'm looking for? It's been a long time since I've seen it.

Originally Posted by ynwtf (Post 2325797)

Definitely noted.

Maybe Stay (2005). It can get generic at times but the scene transitions become more gorgeous over time.

Looks nifty, some big names.

MirrorMask?

I believe I've seen Mirrormask. It also gets recommended alongside movies like Ink and Imaginaerum. Same for City of Lost Children.

The Fall?

I think I tried watching The Fall? That or I'm confusing it with The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, which I should also probably see again.

The Fisher King?

The Fisher King is routinely recommended in the areas I frequent, so maybe I should finally see that.