There are two types of movies in the world: those made for art and those made for money. All of these were made for money because that's how capitalism works. But they are also really good.
In all seriousness, a thought-provoking movie is one that leaves you with questions. It taps in to the fears and hopes we have about the world and, if done right, gives you a new perspective on it all.
5. Interstellar
"Christopher Nolan... a real homie." - the Oscars board, probably
Aside from how intensely beautiful this entire film is, I really appreciate the way Interstellar locks fingers with both recognition towards the universe's vastness and the quiet thought (or perhaps human entitlement) that it doesn't really matter.
As humans stuck on this tiny little earth, we turn our faces towards the sky in a never-ending sequence. Interstellar allows us to imagine the enormity of the universe, or at least a little bit more of it than we normally can, and that itself makes it worth watching.
Or does it? No one watches clips of space and nature, even though they are equally beautiful. No, what Interstellar does is it takes the soft dirt of art and the science and in it plants this heart-wrenching story about our place in it.
There's moral conflict! Questioning of the idea of obligation and who we owe it to! Acting as individuals vs members of the Human Race™! This is underrated, mostly because it paves the way for the underlying message behind the time warp.
Interstellar's conception and presentation of time is incredible, but even more so the concept that time itself isn't important, objective, or maybe even real. Time with those we love is. This idea wraps around the enormity of who we are and our place in the universe, and neatly shrinks it down into a simple gum-sized rectangle of how badly we wish Matthew McConaughey could have more time with his daughter.
4. Her
“Sometimes I think I've felt everything I'm ever gonna feel and from here on out I'm not going to feel anything new - just lesser versions of what I've already felt.” - Theodore Twombly, Her
After I watched this movie, I texted my friends the same question: "do you think we can fall in love w ai?" Maybe I'm surrounded by tech fetishizers, or caricatures of the Gen Z we are, but I received what amounted to a resounding yes.
Her explores this concept with a gentle note. It's surprisingly realistic, which is the scariest part. And though I didn't love the ending, I could see its possibility. This movie transports us to not only the life, but the inner thoughts of a man who doesn't know if his love is real.
And I think that's what struck me the most.
Within the span of two short hours, Her asked me a thousand questions that, in all honesty, we'll probably never know the answer to.
How do we ever know if our love is real? How can we ever know that our lovers tell us the truth? How do we know that we are real? What does it mean to grow with someone? And to grow out of someone?
We take so many shortcuts and assumptions to avoid thinking about these questions, but as our lines between tech and society blur more than ever, they become more and more upfront. In a twisted way, like a science experiment, Her allows us to ask these questions of ourselves (human beings, presumably) without involving another human.
I love this movie because you can watch it through a million different lenses. Love, technology, growth, art. It's the intersection of genres that all make you question reality a little bit closer.
3. A Beautiful Mind
If there was a movie that makes you question reality, this is it (even more than Inception, which is also on this list). Based off the biography of Nobel prize-winning economist John Nash, A Beautiful Mind studies the cross section of mental illness and academia. If I say any more, I'll spoil the movie.
2. Ex Machina
If Her examines love, technology, growth, and art, then Ex Machina imagines when those themes darken.
The cinematography is stunning. The designs are sleek and beautifully shot. It feels right without feeling natural, from the way that the technology moves to the overlook at the scenery that's just too pretty.
Furthermore, the entire movie has you guessing. Guess why our protagonist is in the lush forest. Guess what that eccentric billionaire (trope) really wants. Guess who's in on what, guess who we can trust, and if you think you know what's coming next?
Guess.
1. Inception
“It's like Inception, Morty, so if it's confusing and stupid, then so is everyone's favorite movie" - Rick, Rick and Morty
Inception is, in fact, confusing and stupid. But it's also hands-down my favorite movie. The second I finished Inception, I immediately rewatched it, and it was completely different.
What's good about Inception? Layers.
Inception, as a metaphor, visually represents layered thought.
For instance, the layering of value-thought-action. The innermost acts as a determinant for the outer layers: values determine thought, thought determines action. But none of these act at the same speed and there's no valve preventing backflow. Cognitive dissonance, whether in thought or action, causes change in values. Which causes change in thought, which causes change in action. Inception captures this representation of leveled thinking by illustrating the interplay between levels and how the ripples from one spin into the others.
Additionally, within the movie, our journey into the layers of physical invasion of Fischer's mind parallel the reveal of (mostly) narrative layers of Cobb's psyche. The stakes of these invasions also parallel, from the industry-wide threat of monopoly to the individual's threat of personal insanity.
Inception stitches these layers together, with wildly imaginative conceptions of time, gravity, and psychological-to-physical effects masterfully sewn to a beautiful soundtrack and intense, adrenaline-filled shots. It is the best movie I have ever seen.