Thought Provoking Movies

I guess this is a more personal question, than a broad question, but what movies have made you think the most? About life in general I guess. For me the movie that made me think the most was "Sleepers". Never has a movie ever made me think twice before doing something stupid. I would kill myself if I had to do what happened to those kids. I say "what happened" because it is a true story. Oddly enough a girl on my brothers floor in his dorm is the daughter of the man who wrote the book about what actually happened to him and his friends. The movie didn't make me sad, or happy, or mad. It made me scared. Scared of what people do. The movie was real. I mean sure a movie about a serial killer is just as scary a movie, but I sort of dismiss those movies since it seems like it would never happen to me. But this movie was different. It could very well happen to me. I've only gotten into some serious trouble once(thanks to my running abilities ), and when I realized the potential danger of what could happen to me, I immediately thought of this movie. It is the one movie that I think about the most in whatever situation arrises.

What movies make you think?

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Unbreakable -- but not in a way that made me reflect on life. The movie made me think about the movie. I kept on realizing things I hadn't realized before. A review of the "Trivia" section for Unbreakable on IMDB.com only increased this interest. When I left the theatre, Unbreakable was a solid movie. When I'd gotten home after talking about it in the car, It was a good movie...and now, months later, it's a great movie.

Geez Chris, there is such a thing called "obsession".

JFK and Do the Right Thing were both thought provoking. So was A.I., which had me questioning the actual nature of love itself.

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Geez now I'm starting to think I'm a freak for being so affected by a movie.

Naw...don't say that. You're a freak, but not because you're affected by a movie. And yeah, I am most definitely obsessed (or nearly so) with Unbreakable. The movie is just amazing. The music alone is riveting. I'm listening to it right now -- it's good all on it's own, without the movie. The camera work was even more amazing, and the general concept blew them both away. I can't get over how amazing that movie is.

No, you're not a freak, OG. SLEEPERS was a good film, and an even better book. Lorenzo Carcaterra wrote it and it's truly engrossing and sad. I'd pick up a copy if I were you.

Now, for my movies...THE THIN RED LINE really made me think about the usefulness (if any) and purpose of war. Can we extend this to books too? The book HIROSHIMA completely reversed my opinion on the dropping of the atomic bombs. REQUIEM FOR A DREAM made me think twelve times before I'd ever get into doing drugs seriously. THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST was another one. Reflecting on religion and whether it is an actual cleanser of the soul or just a social institution for order puts me in a tizzy, but it's important to dissect these things, I think. DOGMA made me think, too, but in a more satirical sort of way about organized religion.

Night Chills by Dean Kontz(third time mentioning that book!! What is wrong with me???) has made me paranoid of people trying to brainwash me through ads. It really has. I always try and look for subliminal things in ads when I look at them now.

I know this probably isn't one of those you would think of, but The Green Mile made me think of judging people by their looks. I mean take this movie for example, you have no choice anyways, John Coffey is in death row for something he didn't do, the only reason is because he's black and he's not real bright. In all actualality he's very bright, and he has something most people don't, love for others. So whenever I go to judge someone I have to think to myself, and think back to this movie. If you haven't seen it by now, crawl from the computer and go rent it. Well worth it!!

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"I was walking down the street with my friend and he said, "I hear music", as if there is any other way you can take it in. You're not special, that's how I receive it too. I tried to taste it but it did not work." - Mitch Hedberg

Schindlers List. Especially the two scenes you see the little girl in the red dress.

A few films that have made me ponder life, the universe & everything are:

Alex Proyas' DARK CITY
Truman Capote's IN COLD BLOOD
Oscar Wilde's THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY
Alan Parker's MIDNITE EXPRESS
John Frankenheimer's SECONDS
Alan Pakula's THE PARRALAX VIEW
GATTACA
David Finchner's FIGHT CLUB

plus loads of others...the themes of these films constantly cause me to examine the state of society & at times the definition of sanity.
[Edited by Deckard on 07-23-2001]

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I've never seen In Cold Blood or Dorian Gray but they are my two favorite books. Dorian Gray is mind-blowing.
As far as thought provoking films go, here's some:
Fight Club (Everything)
Magnolia (Family)
Dogma (Religion)
Deer Hunter (Futility of Life, war)
Miller's crossing (Friendship)
They Might Be Giants ("Look about you. The old Testament's got it all wrong. We never left the garden. This is paradise. It's hard to see i grant you but it is here.")
Bottle Rocket (Personal Freedom)

I'm sure I'll think of more to add to this list, but the first one to come to mind was Welcome To Sarajevo. Why? Because while these very real events were happening in the former Yugoslavia, I was alive and well on the other side of the world, oblivious to any suffering over there, complaining about not having anything good to eat in the fridge or that the best movies at Blockbuster were always checked out. Whatever.

It was 1991 when the events in that film took place, and life was good here. Seeing a movie like that... really made me think of how damn good we have it.

I remember seeing that movie...you have a good point Matt. I forgot all about that movie til you said something. Very good movie. One of those rare "REAL" movies

honestly, just about anything that doesn't spell it out for you provokes some kind of deeper thought. personally, i think kubrick is genius at this. he has the ability to create scenes and even specific shots that are symbolic and filled with deeper meanings. A clockwork orange was created to question the true origin of human evil. that's one of the most thought provoking thoughts ever put to film. 2001: A space oddysey questions our place in the universe and our role in the evolution of mankind. dr. strangelove and full metal jacket examine the effects of war, both on the individual and on the world in general. i would say these are themes that are quite possibly some of the most thought provoking themes ever presented in film. so, pretty much anything by kubrick. also, the godfather by coppola is socially relevant on a lot of levels. the examination of a specific part of american culture, and also the examination of the role of family life in society is something that is stimulating from the beginning to the end. the whole thing isn't really complicated or abstract as it is an honest depiction of family life for gangsters. this is also one of the reasons that scorsese is one of my favorites. he has a way of adding fine detail to a movie that very few directors have. think about taxi driver. i think that movie was so interesting because the whole thing centered around society and the social aspects of this guy's life. i hate it when a movie pulls punches because it thinks it ought to cater to a younger audience. it just seems like good directors don't do that. also, i think american history x is an unbelievably good, even underrated movie that is extremely socially relevant, to the point that i wish my civic participation teacher would have shown it in class. i adamantly speak out against racism every chance i get, because i think it is a horrible disease that has afflicted modern society for way too long, and this movie is just mind bogglingly accurate, honest, and sincere in its message. this is the type of movie i wish i could have written or directed. movies like this should be made more often, for sure.

Hey, break that up into a few paragraphs. It's impossible to read!

Hear, Hear!

thanks, OG

I think American History X is a very good movie. It's quite underrated, and extremely powerful. I've got some probs with it, but this isn't an American History X thread...

Do the Right THing, for me, is the most accurate and realistic portrayal of race relations in American film, and one of the most important works of art on the subject ever.

When I saw Pearl Harbor I thought "why the hell am I here? What on earth am I watching?"

Most thought provokin movie for me (you know I do have thoughts sometimes, hahaha) was Seven Samurai. It was the fitrst time I ever saw very poor people in a movie. You know, like that guy Yohei who was pickin up rice from the floor after most of it was stolen. And then there was that very poor old lady in the village who said she wanted to die. I cried & cried & cried, it was so sad. Ever since, I have colected money for poor people in asia becuz they need it the most. Pigsnie even told me that in indonesia people eat wood.

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