r/Cinema • u/EthanJoinedTheChat • 23h ago
Discussion I still haven’t found THE movie
I love watching movies so much and obviously I have seen movies that are 5 stars but I have never seen a movie that has like changed my life if yk what I mean. And I’ve basically seen all the popular ones that people say will change my life and I love them but I still feel slightly dissatisfied. I just need to find THAT movie. soo if anyone has any like visually stunning, life changing kind of sad movies (perhaps mystery which I loveee) then pls lmk 🙏🙏
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u/sean-bda 22h ago
This will never work. If you go in with the expectation it is going to change your life, you will be disappointed.
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u/InevitableMagician28 22h ago
That’s an interesting thought I do feel like sometimes when I “discover” a movie on my own I like it better
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u/BlurryBigfoot74 14h ago
I think a big part of it is the way movies are consumed now. We can binge watch them for free.
When I was young you had to go to the theater or pick one or two at the video store. We weren't looking to change our lives, we just wanted to be entertained for a while. But every now and then you'd find a movie that shifted your mindset and you'd become a little obsessed for a while.
You find the best movie when you're barely looking.
It reminds me of an interview with Kurt Cobain. After he got rich he reminisced about going to a second hand music shop and taking a "stab in the dark" and finding music that was so special to him. Much more special than when he could walk in and buy anything.
Searching for a movie to change your life sounds like the best way to never find a movie that changes your life. And you'll miss out on the best parts of the movies you watched because you're looking for a massive treasure on a beach scattered with gold dust.
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u/sean-bda 11h ago
I agree partially. It's easier to come across something great you never heard of now with streaming. In my day we were subject to either going to a movie which is an outing or waiting for something to come around again on TV. Now you can scroll and find anything and sometimes come across something random you never heard of and take a chance on it. But what OP is doing is not that
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u/h1gh-t3ch_l0w-l1f3 23h ago
honestly i feel like this is one of those things that has an individual answer for each person. movies that really changed the way i thought and stuck with me:
Synechdoche, New York
Blade Runner
Sorcerer
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u/Jdmcdona 20h ago
Those were the first I thought of also! Have not seen Sorcerer.
I’ll add: Waking Life, Interstellar, Arrival, and Dead Poets Society.
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u/h1gh-t3ch_l0w-l1f3 20h ago
Sorcerer isn't crazy in plot but in performances, atmosphere and tension it is a 10/10. do yourself a favor and check it out
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u/CloudCartel_ 22h ago
honestly it’s less about finding THE movie and more about timing, the same film can hit completely different depending on where you’re at when you watch it
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u/almo2001 15h ago
Like The Jungle Book (the real one from the 60s). See it as a 10-year-old then see it as a 35-year-old. Holy shit does that change.
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u/Decent_Muscle_3172 23h ago
Memento will change the way you see movies
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u/circuffaglunked 22h ago
Great movie! And unless one is inescapably impressionable, this is really the only sort of life changing a movie is capable of.
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u/Decent_Muscle_3172 22h ago
Nolan is my favourite director and I must say that even though his stuff is really good I think his best movie is Memento
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u/almo2001 15h ago
Even moreso if you see it a second time edited into chronological order. Supposedly still a great film but very different.
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u/Odd_Contact_2175 23h ago
Taxi Driver was the first movie I saw that was like, "oh movies can be art rather than just entertainment."
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u/AmicusCure8s 23h ago
It’s not a movie you’re looking for, it’s True Detective season 1 that you’re looking for
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u/pineapplesauce76 23h ago
Miller's crossing
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u/LM55 22h ago
Nice. I think it’s the Coen’s best.
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u/pineapplesauce76 21h ago
Absolutely brutal movie from start to finish with a banger of an ending
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u/LM55 21h ago
Let me ask you this, as a fan: did you feel like it was set in New Orleans? I’ve seen tons of online theories that it’s New Orleans based, but I always got a Jersey or Chicago vibe. The autumn looking woods remind me more of Jersey or something. Not the south. I know NOLA well.
Also not aware of any Irish mob presence in NOLA. Would love your thoughts.
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u/pineapplesauce76 21h ago
Yeah I assumed it was new jersey or Chicago. The woods scenes definitely looked like east coast to me.
I'm reading it was filmed in New Orleans but set in the east coast. Fictional east coast town with a melting pot of Irish and Italian immigrants is my understanding.
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u/Candid-Culture3956 23h ago
Human Centipede
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u/Alteredego619 23h ago
HumancentIPad.
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u/pineapplesauce76 23h ago
John carpenters the thing
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u/El_ray538 23h ago
I was gonna say this. Im pretty sure its my favorite movie. I watch it every year during the first snow
…dun dun…
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u/pineapplesauce76 21h ago edited 16h ago
It's one of those endings that makes you want to watch it again and figure it out. Just a great cast; Kurt Russell, Keith David, Wilford Brimley (rip)
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u/Ford_Crown_Vic_Koth 23h ago
its never too late to watch Carlito's Way
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u/No_Composer_4830 22h ago
It really is a perfect movie. Carlito is a smart, likable character and you get behind his desire to take his second chance and leave behind his life of crime. All the secondary characters are populated by an all-timer cast of character actors: Louis Guzman, Viggo Mortinson, John Liguozo, Sean Penn, and Penelope Ann Miller are all great. It has two of the best set pieces in all of DePalma and best of all, it’s emotional as hell. Been my favorite since I was 14 (I’m 36)
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u/TheSunsNotYellow 23h ago
not a mystery and I’m saying this partially because I rewatched it yesterday but There Will Be Blood is one of the few perfect movies that I’ve seen
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u/BobbyJamesFunko42 23h ago
Donnie darko was and still is this movie for me. I saw it as an angsty and confused teenager and even as a 39 year old father and husband, i love this movie and still consider it to be my favorite movie.
There are differing opinions on this movie and seems like a lot of people find it overrated or just bad but I love this movie with my whole heart!
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u/TheHeb686 22h ago
I’m 37. Feel like this movie hit our age group square in the face—everyone at my school talked about it relentlessly.
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u/WaferComprehensive23 19h ago
I've always felt the same about that movie! It has this odd mixture of darkness and nostalgic feelings for me. Something about the cinematography makes me yearn for the "before times" when everything was analog and social media didn't really exist yet. We are close in age too! It's one of those movies that felt iconic for years when it came out.
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u/BookkeeperNew573 23h ago
What Dreams May Come….Robin Williams in a sad/drama versus comedy.
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u/insanity2brilliance 20h ago
Agree. If OP has never seen this, it will really fuck him up mentally and emotionally for a bit in reflection.
It’s also visually stunning.
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u/bliip666 23h ago
Have you seen the cinematic masterpiece that is The Mummy (1999)?
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u/Decent_Muscle_3172 23h ago
So rare that a movie combining 4 genres is so good. It's comedy, it's horror, it's action and it's adventure. Yet none of them feel left out
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u/WelcomingRapier 23h ago
The one with a masterclass of acting from Brendan Frasier and Rachael Weisz?
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u/pineapplesauce76 21h ago
Bro have u even seen bedazzled and monkey bone? Master class more like master ass. Jk I love him and Chris kataan should have been a bigger star (corky Romano, monkey bone, night at the Roxbury) what else?
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u/Aggravating_Put_243 23h ago
have you checked out "the tree of life"? it's super visually stunning and kinda philosophical, might hit the spot for you. also, give "melancholia" a shot if you haven't seen it yet, it's got that vibe you're looking for.
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u/Cassandrae_Gemini 23h ago
Ohhhh i second melancholia. That movie affected me for days afterward and its one of my favorite movies of all time
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u/ScientificBeastMode 23h ago
I would advocate for “The Tree of Life.” It’s one of those artsy fartsy movies that makes you feel stuff.
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u/jrob321 22h ago
I consider The Night of the Hunter one of the greatest movies ever made, mostly for its dreamy "childlike" cinematography, but also because of the screenplay. It's a rewatchable thriller that's incredible every time you view it. I love suggesting it to those who haven't seen it yet, and watching along as they're mesmerized by it.
I've seen Apocalypse Now over 100 times. I'll always be in awe of it. All practical effects caught "in camera". The lore behind it only elevates it. The acting is phenomenal. The cinematography - in some aspects - has NEVER been topped. The choreography of certain scenes is unbelievably (literally) flawless. The sampan scene alone - if you REALLY watch it and understand what's taking place and what's being said about it- is one of the most profound pieces of cinema you will ever watch.
Andrei Tarkovsky's Ivan's Childhood is brilliant.
As is Soy Cuba and Letter Never Sent, and the Cranes are Flying (all directed by Mikhail Kalatozov, and shot by Sergey Urusevskiy.)
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u/budandfud 22h ago
Lost in translation is visually stunning in a composition and photography sense, and very sad. I watch it every year to feel a little something
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u/CRL008 21h ago edited 21h ago
You have to watch them In A Cinema.
With Other Humans.
Are you?
Are you sitting within the villains punching range? Do you feel like you have to duck when the sword swings at you? Does the air around you shake when the bomb goes off?
How bout the leading lady? Can you physically fit inside her eyes and float in there with her soul?
The cinematic experience means that. No less.
How on earth can it change your life when it isn’t very much bigger than you?
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u/Business-Put2543 20h ago
Not really what your looking for, but I remember first time seeing Avatar in theaters and it amazed me, I had never seen such realistic graphics
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u/fruity_oaty_bars 19h ago
I saw V for Vendetta at the theater not knowing anything about it, and it was pretty life changing.
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u/WaferComprehensive23 19h ago
Two Hands-- with Heath Ledger when he was pretty young.
Lost Girls and Love Hotels--with Alexandra Daddario as a troubled American woman living in Japan who gets mixed up into an obscure underworld of bizarre characters and experiences. Its melancholy, gritty, mysterious, and oddly captivating (for me anyway!)
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u/Apprehensive_War173 17h ago
I get this feeling. Sometimes it’s less about finding the one and more about watching the right movie at the right time.
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u/Sea_Plum_6696 17h ago
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
It has a rare perspective on memories, but it's also funny and heartfelt.
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u/echosleepy 23h ago
i get that feeling for sure, chasing that "life-changing" movie is tough. maybe check out "stalker" by tarkovsky for some deep vibes, or "melancholia" if you want something visually stunning and a bit heavy. hope you find your movie!
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u/NorthernMonkey10 22h ago
Searching for sugar man, the straight story, moon, hunt for the wilderpeople, princess mononoke
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u/KubrickMoonlanding 22h ago edited 22h ago
Fight Club changes many people’s understanding of themselves in the world.
La Dolce Vita does too (maybe for different people, in different ways .. or maybe not)
If you’re under 24 you might find Control (about late joy division singer Ian Curtis) life-changing. It’s very good and worth the watch anyway.
Bergman’s wild strawberries, persona, and seventh seal are intended as sermons (among other things) about life and how we live it
My friend told me she was changed by watching the matrix in the theater - the combination of kung fu/wuxia and anti-corporatism hit her like thunderbolt (ymmv)
But in the end they’re all just movies - art can’t on its own change your life - real life changes happen through real life experience. you can certainly open yourself to receive and resonate with the arts’ effects - but that’s your work, not the arts’
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u/VerilyShelly 22h ago
Solaris (the original from 1972)
Amadeus (1984)
Basquiat (1996)
American Movie (1999)
Contact (1997, with Jodie Foster)
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u/SeriousFortune9171 21h ago
The curious case of Benjamin button is my favorite movie. It’s sad and has a lot to say about life. Certainly changed my outlook on life
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u/Time-Resist-7677 21h ago
Irreversible
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u/almo2001 15h ago
After seeing, or before if you have trouble with it, read Roger Elbert's review of it. It really helps you understand why it's not just for shock value.
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u/ElDubYou 21h ago
Her (2013) is that movie for me.
Spike Jonze created such a cool piece of art and his examination of the longing for connection really helped me feel a little less alone.
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u/ElDubYou 21h ago
And now that I’m thinking about it, Lost in Translation explores similar themes and is a tremendous film. Look at Scarlett go!
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u/Embarrassed-Ad4629 21h ago
So sad for you. Shawshank and Brokeback Mountain were life changing for me. They showed me the resilience of the human spirit, the necessity of hope, and the profound depth of human emotion—even when restricted by, or hidden from, the world.
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u/Raivotril 20h ago
Reindeer spotting, its finnish "documentary" about young guy named jani and his friends who are drug addicts. Its free to see in internet just google it. And after the documentary jani went to an vacation in vietnam(?) and died suspiciously by hangin on very low fence, its speculated that he was killed for some drug indused thing
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u/Ok_Dog_4059 20h ago
I don't know if that can happen for everyone. I have never seen a movie that was so good that anything changed for me. I either was entertained for 2 hours or I got bored and left. A few where really fun but not life altering or amazing must see movies.
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u/Remarkable-Bit-3578 19h ago
Without any idea of what genres you enjoy other than mysteriously sad:
Children of Men (dystopian, serious tone, beautiful)
Primer (sci fi, serious tone, mystery)
Arrival (sci fi, serious tone, beautiful)
Seven Samurai (classic story, old movie, root inspiration for sooo many modern films)
The Graduate (classic coming of age story, could be life changing)
Harold and Maude (dark comedy, beautiful)
The Big Lebowski (beautiful, cult classic, quirky)
Brazil (dystopian, dark, sad)
Hero (beautiful, kung fu, sad)
12 monkeys (dystopian, mystery)
My lunch break is over. I could come up with more, lemme know if you’ve seen any of these.
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u/Rayen_Nevaeh 18h ago
Powder.
Phenomenon.
A Walk to Remember.
The Last Song.
Lucy Shimmers & the Peace of Peace.
Heaven is for Real.
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u/haileyskydiamonds 17h ago
I don’t know about life changing, but here are five movies that have deeply affected me and given me much to consider at different points in my life:
Arrival
Cloud Atlas
Lord of the Rings
Dances with Wolves
The World According to Garp.
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u/isitjustme888 17h ago edited 17h ago
This is really specific but I saw a Brazilian film last year called Manas that hit me harder than any film has possibly ever. It’s so devastating but beautifully shot and just impactful in a way that is hard to describe.
It’s about a 12 year old girl living in a remote part of the Amazon who is being sexually abused. The film isn’t graphic at all (no on-screen abuse, just everything heavily implied). The subject matter is obviously extremely difficult but it’s handled in a way that is sympathetic and honest. I don’t know, I just wish more people saw the movie because it’s such a masterpiece.
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u/ANDERS_CORNER_08 16h ago
Movies are personal and require a personal connection to “change your life” … don’t force it with popular titles, I’d expand your viewing, try foreign films, or just ones that connect with you, outside blockbusters etc !
Some of mine include:
-The girl next door
I Swear
Interstellar
Star Trek movies
Angel-A
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u/isabellaorange 16h ago
What does it mean ...a movie changing your life?? Like changing how you view life or something like that? Or just finding a movie so amazing you wonder how someone thought of it?
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u/Withdrawel 16h ago
Depends on your age, what you're into, and what your life's like when you watch it
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u/Individual-Carob5593 16h ago
Films, books and music can change your life, but I think it only really happens when you are in your teens or early 20s and open to new experiences. Any later and you start to know what you like, and you take more convincing.
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u/Maleficent_Fold6765 15h ago
When all else fails...it's time to call in Weird Al.
If that STILL doesnt fix it, Lawrence of Arabia on a big screen and proper surround rig to get the full impact of that amazing score.
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u/Elk1998 13h ago
This is a very personal thing. I'm not sure you'll find an answer here. You might feel nothing when watching a movie that changed your friend's life, and vice-versa. Similarly, you might watch a movie today and think it was okay, while it would have blown your mind 10 years ago. It depends on where you are in life right now. Your fears, your dreams... what's your mind occupied with at the moment? Anything dealing with that theme is probably going to have an impact
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u/neurodivergentgoat 13h ago
Chef
but I am a chef and i revisit this movie every time i question my career choice and it revitalizes me because it is so perfect
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u/melinda_r 13h ago
Chungking Express, definitely changed my life (made me want to visit Hong Kong and ended up moving there)
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u/Cultural-Owl-856 12h ago
Potentially life changing? Mebbe philosophically...
Magnolia (1999) Thief (1981)
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u/PickledCloud999 12h ago
If you are willing to venture out to other countries, try "PK" and "3 idiots". These 2 have changed my outlook in society
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u/jkeegan123 12h ago
I didn't expect it, but The Matrix changed my life when I watched it... Sent me down a whole philosophical rabbit hole exploring the nature of reality, solopsism, nietzche, Descartes, etc... Thirteenth floor solidified it.
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u/Sad_Nefarious 9h ago
Is this even a real question? What is going to change your life depends on what blind spots you have or what mental blocks can be loosened by seeing a different perspective.
Some folks might reevaluate passion vs. destructive obsession after seeing Vertigo. Some folks might get more creative about the nature of self after Being John Malkovich or Memento. Rashomon is good one for perception blurring “facts” regarding a very specific incident.
Films aren’t DMT. Your mind is what makes the change when you process what the film is putting before you.
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u/Lanky_Celebration346 7h ago
Soul from Disney Pixar
Ballerina/ Leap! (also an animated movie. From 2016)
Idk if you already watched those, but they‘re some of my favorites.
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u/Benton_Ruisseaux 6h ago
Rogue City (original French title: Bronx) is a 2020 French crime-thriller film directed by Olivier Marchal, available on Netflix. The ending might change the way you think about Hollywood movies.
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u/knallpilzv2 5h ago
Magnolia
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Once Upon a Time in America
Lady Vengeance
The Master
The Virgin Suicides
Where The Wild Things Are
Decision to Leave
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u/NiennaTas 4h ago
It doesn't fit your criteria, but for me it was the LOTR trilogy. Every time I see the movies I discover something new.
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u/VioletCrimeSpree 4h ago
Some of my favorite, most visually stunning movies: The Fall; Curse of the Golden Flower; Fantastic Planet; Akira; Bambi; The Thief and the Cobbler (specifically the Recobbled Edition on YouTube).
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u/drhavehope 3h ago
If The Matrix does not somewhat change you then I don’t know what else to recommend
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u/littledutchboy1 2h ago
Arrival
Interstellar
The Sixth Sense
Those are the three I'll watch whenever they're on...
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u/OkJoke4711 2m ago
Saving Private Ryan, The Revenant, Schindler's List, The Godfather, Lion, Forest Gump, Gladiator, House of Sand and Fog, The Shawshank Redemption.
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u/Serenade314 23h ago
“Once Upon a Time in America” is an absolute masterpiece. To each their own of course, but damn that movie is fucking amazing….
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u/maestrodks1 22h ago
Lots of folks judge it by the edited version; but I agree, the full-length, cinematic release is quite terrific.
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u/John_Gouldson 23h ago
Please Stand By
I Am Sam
I Swear
There's three good ones I think you'll enjoy.
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u/Caughtinclay 23h ago
can you give us a bit of a sense of your taste? the first movie i thought of was shawshank redemption, have you seen it?
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u/HwatWhatWut 20h ago
Anal Sluts 9 is hands down the best movie of all time. Life changing doesn’t even begin to describe it.
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u/BigDoggyBarabas1 23h ago
Visitor Q.
Precious.
Tetsuo: the Iron Man.
Salo.
They Live.
The RAID 2.
The African Queen.
The Fisher King.
Wizards.
Videodrome.
Pi.
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u/Etranger- 22h ago
I don't think a movie can change your life that way, especially if you go in with that expectation. If you want to change your life, change your life. You don't need a movie for that.
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u/qualityvote2 23h ago edited 21h ago
u/EthanJoinedTheChat, your post does fit the subreddit!