Whether it be a factually correct movie or one that makes you consider the meaning of life itself, there are always movies out there that make you think. To many, it is believed that we do not yet fully understand the power of filmography until we witness movies such as ones that follow. Such movies can be scientific, artistic, or just powerful in nature. How many of these have you seen?
1. "The Truman Show" (1998)
I first watched this movie with one of my friends and all she told me was that it was a hilarious comedy, a quality it did not fail to achieve. What I did not know at the time was that it also had an extremely deep meaning explaining how this man that is born solely for the purpose of a tv show relates to humanity in real life. My friend and I actually sat on the couch after the credits ran just talking and debating key elements in the movie and relating them to our lives.
2. "The Martian" (2015)
"The Martian" has actually not been out of theaters that long, but it has been known for it's amazing quality and to be extremely scientifically accurate. I would agree with these claims from personally watching the movie. Not only does this film have its scientifically accurate qualities, but it also succeeds in being one that makes you think about life. What if you were the one who was stuck on Mars and had to cultivate crops to live the length of time until you were saved? This movie makes you consider life, not only on Earth, but wherever humanity may go next.
3. "August Rush" (2007)
This movie is my personal favorite. Not only is the music exceptionally rare and beautiful, but it depicts the life of a small boy genius who makes it big in the world. In addition to this too, it also explains the love story of his parents who were passionate musicians themselves and seem to have passed their knowledge and passion of music on to their son. This movie is sure to send shivers down your spine in awe.
4. "The Help"
"The Help" has also not been out an extremely long time, but it has also been a critically acclaimed favorite. This movie illustrates the hardships that a group of African-American women had to live through as maids in racist homes as well as a story of how these women interacted and impacted the lives of the families they worked for. Note - watch this movie with caution if you are one who tends to lean towards the teary side when watching movies.
5. "The Shining"
"The Shining" is a critically acclaimed classic that stood the test of time. This movie has had many adaptations made throughout the years, but none have beat out this 1980 thriller. This film paints the scene of an undertaker who brought his family along to a snowed in resort go completely insane. As the movie unfolds, more and more is revealed about serious psychological disorders and how they have impacted not only the undertaker, but his family too.
6. "The Breakfast Club"
Ah, "The Breakfast Club." This movie is also a classic, but in a way that makes you cry tears of happiness and sadness at the same time. This movie is so famous because it is so real. It depicts the lives of five different high school students who come together and learn about each other's differences while stuck in detention. This movie is truly a tear-jerker.
7. "The Gift"
I watched this film most recently and absolutely loved it. This movie illustrates the lives of a young married couple who have recently moved to a new area (in which the reason why is kept a secret for most the movie) and have also recently reconnected with an old high school friend. Things turn south, though, when this friend turns into the stalker type and won't leave the couple alone. Not much can be said about this movie without giving away details, but it is a must see.
8. "A Beautiful Mind"
Finally, I recently watched this movie in my Intro to Psychology class as we were studying psychological disorders and treatments. This movie describes the life of John Nash, a nobel-prize winning professor turned schizophrenic all the way from his preceding life, diagnosis, treatment, and eventual recovery. This movie is truly inspirational and I highly recommend it.
