15 films that expand consciousness and change your outlook on life

I myself really love films that change consciousness and worldview.
Some of them are very popular and are included in the Top films of their genre, and you know them and have watched these masterpiece films. Others are little known, but no less interesting. In this Top 10 I included very good, soulful films that change consciousness and make us think a little and look at this world differently, from a different angle.

Here you can not only read a brief description of the film, but also watch its trailer, so that later you can watch exactly the film whose trailer you liked the most.

So, what are these mind-altering films? Let's take a look at my Top...

Another land

KinoPoisk: 7.1

• USA, 2011
• Director: Mike Cahill
• Cast: Brit Marling, Matthew-Lee Erlbach, DJ Flava, William Mapother, Meggan Lennon, Ai Diana, Bruce Colbert, Paul S. Mesi, Ana Valle, Jeffrey Goldenberg

The scientist found a planet similar to Earth, and on the night of discovery, his life tragically intersected with the destinies of a student and a composer. This story is not about astronomy and doubles, but about how people unsuccessfully try to forget their past. The heroine Brit Marling wants to erase from the memory of people accidentally killed in a car accident. To do this, she is ready to escape to another planet.

Why is it worth watching?

The film definitely has a charm that never leaves the screen. A cold atmosphere of hopelessness and the inability to warm another person. A film about the unrealistic desire to escape from oneself.

1"Fight Club" (1999)

“Intrigue.
Chaos. Soap" A real pearl of American cinema based on the novel of the same name by the shocking genius Chuck Palahniuk. A film, “torn” into quotes, delightful and terrifying, capable of taking you beyond the limits of your mind and turning all your ideas about the structure of the world upside down; a film that rightfully deserves to take first place in the rating, “Fight Club” is an ardent protest against the stereotypes of modern society, a rebellion against the system and the cult of material values. Renounce everything to find freedom! - that's what this picture will teach you.

Mind games

KinoPoisk: 8.5

• USA, 2001
• Director: Ron Howard
• Cast: Russell Crowe, Ed Harris, Jennifer Connelly, Christopher Plummer, Paul Bettany, Adam Goldberg, Josh Lucas, Anthony Rapp, Jason Gray-Stanford, Judd Hirsch

A brilliant mathematician at the beginning of his career made a revolution in one of the branches of science. A young scientist who has become world famous is arrogant and self-confident, but suddenly his life collapses. Doctors pronounce young Nash's verdict: "paranoid schizophrenia." The disease develops, but the hero managed to emerge victorious from a hopeless situation. Next to the brilliant man, suffering from a terrible illness, is his wife, whose loyalty and love helped him overcome all the trials with dignity.

Why is it worth watching?

An Oscar-winning film, deep and thought-provoking.

Planet Ka-Pax

KinoPoisk: 8.0

• Germany, USA, 2001
• Director: Ian Softley
• Cast: Kevin Spacey, Jeff Bridges, Mary McCormack, Alfre Woodard, David Patrick Kelly, Saul Williams, Peter Gerety, Celia Weston, Ajay Naidu, Tracy Vilar

A strange man in dark glasses, calling himself Protom, entered the psychiatric institute. He claims to have been born on the planet Ka-Pax and transported to Earth in a beam of light. A strange patient convincingly proves his extraterrestrial origin and gives a date for returning home. The experienced doctor Powell, who is trying to treat a patient, is alarmed by an incredible guess: perhaps Prot is not mad and his words are true.

Why is it worth watching?

Excellent acting, wonderful music, an atmosphere of mystery. The film contains a message that everyone will understand in their own way.

Invisible side

Year of release: 2009.

Country of origin: USA.

Key roles: S. Bullock, K. Aaron, T. McGraw.

He is a lonely, clumsy and illiterate African-American teenager of incredible “volume and size.”

He is alone. Not understood by anyone, not cared for by anyone, not needed by anyone. Only for them - a “white”, quite prosperous family that risked taking responsibility for his life and future.

A film that everyone, without exception, will benefit from watching.

Dogville

KinoPoisk: 7.9

• Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, France, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Spain, Australia, Norway, 2003
• Director: Lars von Trier
• Cast: Nicole Kidman, Paul Bettany, Harriet Andersson, Patricia Clarkson, Ben Gazzara, Philip Baker Hall, Jeremy Davis, Chloë Sevigny, Stellan Skarsgård, Lauren Bacall

The most famous film of the cult director Lars von Trier, known for his “philanthropy”. In “Dogville” the master managed to achieve perfection in flagellating human vices.

The girl Grace runs away from her mafia dad and finds herself in a town forgotten by God and people, far from civilization. Grace is glad that she has found refuge and tries in every possible way to be useful and please everyone, she is trusting and loves people. Residents of Dogville are torn between two feelings: fear and the desire to command. It all ends very badly, as is usual for von Trier.

Why is it worth watching?

To get acquainted with the point of view of the brilliant director and screenwriter. According to the film's author, Dogville surrounds us all. However, one should not perceive the situation artificially created by the director as typical; after all, it is grotesque.

Good kids do not cry

Year of release: 2012.

Country of Origin: Netherlands.

Key roles: H. Obbeck, N. Verkoohen, F, Linguiston.

Schoolgirl Ekki is an active and cheerful girl. She is not afraid of anything, plays football, lives a rich, colorful life, fights with boys.

And even the terrible diagnosis of “leukemia” will not break her - she will accept it as inevitable.

While adults fall into hysterics from unrequited love and cry over lost vacancies, terminally ill children continue to love life...

Trance

KinoPoisk: 7.1

• UK, France, 2013
• Director: Danny Boyle
• Cast: James McAvoy, Vincent Cassel, Rosario Dawson, Danny Sapani, Matthew Cross, Wahab Ahmed Sheikh, Mark Poltimore, Tuppence Middleton, Simon Koontz, Michael Shaffer

Simon works at an auction house and is responsible for ensuring the safety of paintings. If the painting is in danger, he must hide it in a safe. There is a robbery and Simon is hit in the head and ends up in hospital. It turns out that he has lost his memory and cannot say where the painting went, which is neither in the safe nor in the possession of the robbers. The hero is kidnapped by bandits who enlist hypnotherapist Elizabeth to help restore Simon's memory.

Why is it worth watching?

A smart movie with a memorable plot and subtle direction.

Pollyanna

Year of release: 2003.

Country of origin: Great Britain.

Key roles: Am. Burton, K. Cranham, D. Terry.

Little Pollyanna goes to live with her stern Aunt Polly after the death of her parents.

Now, instead of parental love, there are strict prohibitions and strict rules. But Pollyanna does not lose heart, because dad once taught her a simple but very effective game - to look for the good even in the worst situation. Pollyanna plays this game professionally and gradually introduces it to all residents of the city.

A kind and bright picture, a brilliant game, a movie that changes consciousness.

Start

KinoPoisk: 8.7

• USA, UK, 2010
• Director Christopher Nolan
• Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Ken Watanabe, Cillian Murphy, Marion Cotillard, Dilip Rao, Tom Berenger, Michael Caine

Cobb is the best of the robbers. It steals secrets from a person's subconscious during sleep, when the mind is defenseless. Cobb's amazing abilities made him a valuable player, but it took away everything he had ever loved. The main character has the opportunity to rehabilitate himself for his crimes. It is not an easy task to return everything to its original position, but he is ready to make the initiation. Now Cobb will implement the idea.

Why is it worth watching?

Inception is a thriller about the architecture of the mind. The kind of film that can be watched several times.

Melancholy

KinoPoisk: 7.0

• Denmark, Sweden, France, Germany, 2011
• Director: Lars von Trier
• Cast: Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Kiefer Sutherland, Alexander Skarsgard, Brady Corbett, Stellan Skarsgard, Charlotte Rampling, Udo Kier, Cameron Spurr, Jesper Christensen

There are only a few days left before the catastrophe that will destroy our world - the planet Melancholia is approaching the Earth. The first part of the film is dedicated to Justine’s wedding, however, the wedding did not end with a family idyll. Justine clearly does not know how to enjoy life and does not accept generally accepted rules. The second part is the expectation of the inevitable end, now no one has any doubts - Melancholy will not fly by. The second sister, Claire, is the opposite of Justine. She feels quite comfortable in this world - a good husband, a wonderful child, life with all the amenities. Claire takes care of the depressed Justine without asking her any questions. Both of these worlds, and billions of others, will very soon cease to exist. In the world of the Apocalypse, Justine suddenly finds harmony, and the always balanced Claire loses her composure.

Why is it worth watching?

This time Lars von Trier decided to destroy humanity beautifully - and he completely succeeded. Elegantly constructed pictures, finely crafted images, the highest quality camera work, musical design beyond all ratings. We can say that this painting was created on the verge of genius.

Peaceful warrior

KinoPoisk: 7.8

• Germany, USA 2006
• Director: Victor Salva
• Cast: Scott Mechlowitz, Nick Nolte, Amy Smart, Tim DeKay, Ashton Holmes, Paul Wesley, B.J. Britt, Agnes Bruckner, Tom Tarantini, Beatrice Rosen

Talented gymnast Dan Millman dreams of the Olympic Games. Everything about him is great: awards, friends, motorcycles, girls and parties. One day Dan meets a man named Socrates and his world turns upside down. Dan suffers a serious injury, and his new acquaintance and his girlfriend Joy make him understand that he still has a lot to learn. The film is based on real events.

Why is it worth watching?

The prototype of the main character went through a difficult journey, overcame his illness and wrote a book that inspired many.

Fairy (2020)

• Russia
• Genre: drama, fantasy, thriller
• Rating: KinoPoisk - 6.7
• Director: Anna Melikyan

The film tells the story of a self-confident genius, the developer of the Kolovrat game franchise and the head of the Intergame studio. One day he visits an ancient temple in Vladimir and there on the wall he recognizes his face, painted on a fresco by Andrei Rublev. Then the man convinces himself that he is the new incarnation of the great icon painter, because even the date of his birth coincides with the day of Rublev’s death.

At the same time, a series of mysterious murders occur in the city due to national differences, and a group of criminals clearly refers to the plot of the computer game “Kolovrat”. But the creator of the game himself refuses to accept reality, complaining about purely advertising prospects. But an unexpected and chance meeting with a strange activist Tanya radically changes his life and ideas about life and death.

The film will definitely give you philosophical thoughts. The plot unfolds spasmodically, you will have time to think after watching it. Ri then accelerates, then suddenly slows down. But, in any case, it would be hard to call this fantastic picture by Anna Melikyan banal. And we boldly put the clichéd label “Not for everyone” on the film.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

KinoPoisk: 8.0

• USA, 2004
• Director: Michel Gondry
• Cast: Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Elijah Wood, Mark Ruffalo, Tom Wilkinson, Kirsten Dunst, Thomas Jay Ryan, Jane Adams, David Cross, Jerry Robert Byrne

A device has been invented that erases memories. Joel and Clementine want to forget each other and they almost succeed. Or rather, Clementine feels good, and Joel understands that he must return his beloved. His memories are fragmentary, but this makes the feeling even more poignant.

Why is it worth watching?

Lei is touchingly simple - it is impossible to run away from love. Jim Carrey is good in his new role, and Kate Winslet convincingly conveyed the character of her heroine. The film is well-structured compositionally and leaves a pleasant impression.

The Truman Show 1998

• USA
• Genre: fantasy, drama, comedy
• Rating: KinoPoisk - 8.3, IMDb - 8.1
• Director: Peter Weir

This is a story about a man who grew up and lived an ordinary life, but which, without his knowledge, was broadcast around the clock to an audience of millions. We are talking about a television experimental show. Eventually he discovers the truth and decides to escape, but it's not as easy as it seems.

Truman Burbank is the unsuspecting star of The Truman Show. He spent his entire life in the seaside town of Seahaven Island. The location is located in the mountains near Hollywood and is equipped with the latest technology to simulate day and night, as well as various weather conditions. There are 5,000 cameras that record Truman's every move, and their number increases every year. The producers discourage the man from leaving Seahaven by instilling in him aquaphobia. Everyone else in Seahaven, including his friends, his wife, his mother, the show's creator, and the executive producer, strive to capture Truman's true emotions and subtle shifts in mood to give viewers a closer look at the character. Despite illusory control, it is not possible to predict all of Truman's actions.

The show goes on and, as the 10,000th day of work ends, the man begins to notice unusual phenomena and inconsistencies: a spotlight falling from the sky, a radio frequency that accurately describes his movements, rain that falls only on him. Truman notices a disheveled man and recognizes him as his father, who snuck onto the set, but the extras, on orders from above, quickly remove this man. Over time, Truman becomes even more suspicious and decides to escape from his world...

Solaris

KinoPoisk: 8.0

• USSR, 1972
• Director: Andrei Tarkovsky
• Cast: Natalya Bondarchuk, Donatas Banionis, Yuri Jarvet, Vladislav Dvorzhetsky, Nikolai Grinko, Anatoly Solonitsyn, Olga Barnet, Vitalik Kerdimun, Olga Kizilova, Tatyana Malykh

The planet Solaris is covered by the Ocean. The employees of the space station are trying in vain to understand the secret of this planet. Strange messages are coming from the station, and the arriving psychologist Chris must figure it out. The first impression is that the scientists who survived at the station have gone crazy, but very soon Chris experiences an obsession. Once upon a time he had a wife, Hari, she committed suicide, and now she has appeared again. The Intelligent Ocean sends images that deprive you of peace and break your usual ideas.

Why is it worth watching?

It is pointless to retell the plot of the film, since it does not contain the mystery of the genius of Andrei Tarkovsky, who knew how to infuse new meaning into well-known works. A film-reflection, a film-parable, a film-philosophy - everyone will be able to see a reflection of themselves in the film.

"Mr. Nobody" (2009)

Nemo Nobody lived a long life. Waking up one day as a frail old man, he finds himself the last mortal in a grotesque future - all people have long been immortal and are watching a TV show in which he is the main star - a decrepit and insane old man living out his last days. But he has a chance to tell a new generation the story of his life, which was not similar to modern reality and could have gone completely differently.

Stay

KinoPoisk: 7.4

• USA, 2005
• Director: Mark Forster
• Cast: Ewan McGregor, Ryan Gosling, Naomi Watts, Kate Burton, Elizabeth Reaser, Bob Hoskins, Janeane Garofalo, B.D. Wong, John Tormey, Jose Ramon Rosario

This is one of those films that doesn't lead to logical conclusions or highlight the main idea. A world of metamorphoses and illusions, symbols and endless steps, clone people and identical events. An unreal world that could fall into the abyss at any second, like the life of Henry Lethem. Gradually the scraps merge into the overall picture and become a masterpiece.

Why is it worth watching?

The director created a curved world without time and boundaries between illusion and reality. The fictional reality is filled with true feelings and makes you empathize with the characters in the film.

Cook

Year of release: 2007.

Country of origin: Russia.

Key roles: An. Dobrynina, P. Derevyanko, D. Korzun, M. Golub.

Lena has everything in life: a prosperous Moscow life, a means of subsistence, a solid “boyfriend,” a career. But six-year-old, very independent Cookie from St. Petersburg has nothing. Only the pension of my grandmother, who has been dead for six months, ingenuity beyond her age and willpower.

A film of which, unfortunately, there are very few in Russian cinema. Everyone will learn worldly wisdom from this picture, and, perhaps, will become at least a little kinder to the people around them.

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Vanilla Sky

KinoPoisk: 7.5

• USA, Spain, 2001
• Director: Cameron Crowe
• Cast: Tom Cruise, Penelope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Kurt Russell, Jason Lee, Noah Taylor, Timothy Spall, Tilda Swinton, Michael Shannon, Delaina Mitchell

Handsome David was the embodiment of success - his own publishing house, money, an expensive car, an apartment in a respectable area. He also had a girlfriend, a writer friend and enemies - the managers of his company. Life was pleasant until David got into a car accident. When he woke up from a coma, he realized that he had become disabled with a disfigured face. The new life has become a nightmare from which it is impossible to wake up.

Why is it worth watching?

The film is multi-layered and makes you think about many things. Everyone is free to choose their own vanilla palate. It may be too late to reassess values ​​- the point of no return may appear unexpectedly, so it is worth appreciating every moment of life.

"Under the Tuscan Sun" (2003)

Another film story about a journey that radically changes the life of the main character. A melodrama film about a successful writer who, after her husband’s betrayal and divorce, falls into a state of depression and creative crisis. After persuasion from a friend, the woman goes on a trip to Italy and, following a sudden impulse, ends up living in sunny Tuscany. How the life of the main character will change and what awaits her in another country, you will find out by watching the film. We promise that everything will end more than positively!

Awakening

KinoPoisk: 8.5

• USA, 1990
• Director: Penny Marshall
• Cast: Robert De Niro, Robin Williams, Julie Kavner, Ruth Nelson, John Heard, Penelope Ann Miller, Alice Drummond, Judith Malina, Barton Heyman, George Martin

Dr Malcolm Sayer is trying to help people suffering from a rare disease - immobility. Malcolm began his awakening with an experimental drug with a patient, Leonard, who had been confined to a wheelchair for 30 years. Everything worked out and the patient (Robert de Niro) experiences his rebirth with fear, reverence and enthusiasm. Encouraged by his success, Sayer gives the medicine to the rest of the patients.

Why is it worth watching?

A poignant story told with sincerity and honesty. Robert De Niro demonstrated his talent for transformation with unexpected power. This film can be safely added to the golden treasury of world cinema.

Dead man

KinoPoisk: 7.8

• USA, Germany, Japan, 1995
• Director: Jim Jarmusch
• Cast: Johnny Depp, Gary Farmer, Crispin Glover, Lance Henriksen, Michael Wincott, Eugene Beard, John Hurt, Robert Mitchum, Iggy Pop, Gabriel Byrne

Many books and articles have been written about this film, so deep are the philosophical issues raised in Dead Man. Accountant William Blake gets into big trouble and is now forced to go to the “spirit world” with an unfamiliar Indian. Johnny Depp's hero gradually turns from a timid wimp into a brutal killer. The plot can be interpreted in different ways, much depends on the viewer’s worldview and level of knowledge. The film is full of symbols and references to mythology.

Why is it worth watching?

The viewer has a large field for imagination on the subject of the plot, which can be interpreted, thought out and read through the symbols. At the same time, the film is quite easy to understand, thanks to a clearly traceable main storyline.

"Sphere" (2017)

Today, in the world of information technology and social networks, watching this film will be more relevant than ever. It takes place in the future. The main character, played by Emma Watson, gets a job at a large Internet company called Sphere. The founder of a media giant notices a talented employee and invites her to take part in an experiment that could change the ideas of billions of people about human capabilities and the boundaries of their personal freedom. The heroine will have to find out what the successful “Sphere” is hiding, and the fate of all humanity will depend on the girl’s actions.

Man from Earth

KinoPoisk: 7.7

• USA, 2007
• Director: Richard Shankman
• Cast: David Lee Smith, Tony Todd, John Billingsley, Ellen Crawford, Annika Peterson, William Katt, Alexis Thorpe, Richard Riley, Steven Littles, Chase Strug

The professor organized a party to say goodbye to his colleagues. Everything would have been very nice if the hero of the occasion had not shared a secret - he has been living on earth for fourteen thousand years.

The film makes you look at banal things in a new way: what our faith is based on, what we really are. This is an occasion to think about how we live and whether our attitude towards the environment, religion, and relationships with others is too frivolous.

Why is it worth watching?

A pleasant, intellectual movie for a relaxing evening viewing.

Films that change and expand consciousness