100 Life-Changing, Inspirational, and Mind-Bending Movies

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These iconic films have the power to transform you
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There’s nothing better than walking away from a film feeling like your life has been changed forever. Maybe you learned something about the world that you didn’t know, or perhaps the film inspired something in you. It’s even possible the film was just so good that you know it’ll live in your memory forever. We’ve compiled the most essential, under-seen, and widely-respected life-changing films so that you don’t have to scroll endlessly through streaming sites looking for that perfect film. Seriously—every single flick here will move you.

Life-Changing Flicks

  • Classics: The Shawshank Redemption, Forrest Gump, Good Will Hunting
  • Thrillers & Dramas: Slumdog Millionaire, Life of Pi, Loving, Hunger
  • Documentaries: Hoop Dreams, Gleason, 13th, Searching for Sugarman
  • Romance: Atonement, Carol, Moonlight, City Lights, Once
Section 1 of 10:

Inspirational Classics Everyone Should See

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  1. 1
    The Shawshank Redemption The classic tale of a man convicted of a crime he did not commit, Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins steal the show as unlikely friends who beat the odds.
  2. 2
    Dead Poets Society You’ve never been in a classroom so exciting as the one run by John Keating. Played by an infectious and inspiring Robin Williams, Dead Poets tells the powerful story of what happens when kids in need meet a life-changing teacher.
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  3. 3
    Forrest Gump Tom Hanks plays the titular Forrest. We won’t drone on about this one as it’s so iconic and you likely know a little something about the story, but if you’ve never actually watched it, this is mandatory viewing.
  4. 4
    Good Will Hunting Another Robin Williams classic, Good Will Hunting is a tearjerker of a romantic comedy about a boy who is literally smarter than everyone in the room. See this one with your romantic partner, your friends, or your parents—there’s something in it for literally everyone.
    • Fun fact: To help get in character, Robin Williams asked Affleck to take him around his old neighborhood in Boston. On their first stop, they went to a bar and were basically immediately jumped by hooligans. [1]
  5. 5
    Casablanca Perhaps the most famous film ever made, Casablanca is a World War 2-era romantic drama set in the Moroccan city of Casablanca, a kind of neutral ground where German soldiers come to take breaks on furlough. Humphrey Bogart is electrifying as club owner Rick Blaine. It’s seriously good stuff, and a great introduction to black-and-white films from an iconic era if you’re new to them!
  6. 6
    One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Jack Nicholson is a blast in this devastating and powerful film about people struggling with mental health issues. It’s a powerful look at how people with mental illness coped in a time when almost nobody understood how mental illness worked.
  7. 7
    To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee’s novel about bigotry in the US justice system comes to life in this 1962 adaptation. It’s a truly influential film and if you haven’t seen it before, you’re missing out.
  8. 8
    Schindler’s List Schindler’s List is perhaps the most famous film about the unthinkable tragedy that was the Holocaust. It’s a heartbreaking and important film, and mandatory viewing for everyone. The only way to keep history from repeating is to understand it, which is precisely what this film helps viewers do.
  9. 9
    Rocky A boxer from the slums. A thick South Philly accent. “Eye of the Tiger.” This film has it all! Rocky is the original film that kickstarted one of the most iconic film series in the history of cinema. If you haven’t watched Sylvester Stallone duke it out in the original film, you’re not doing yourself any favors by missing out.
  10. 10
    12 Angry Men While not as popular in the American Zeitgeist as Rocky or Casablanca, 12 Angry Man is just as electrifying. It’s a single-location story that takes place in real time in a single jury deliberation room. That might sound dull, but it’s anything but. You’ll be on the edge of your seat the entire time, and you’ll walk away with a brand new understanding of our justice system.
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Section 2 of 10:

Inspirational Stories about Overcoming Obstacles

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  1. 1
    Slumdog Millionaire Perhaps Danny Boyle’s best film, Slumdog Millionaire tells the story of a young man in India who ends up in a unique situation—on a game show where he might be able to walk away with life-changing money.
  2. 2
    The Pursuit of Happyness Will Smith will extract tears from your eyes in this true story about a man who comes from nothing, but will stop at nothing to give his child a better life. If you need a heaping of motivation, this is the story for you.
  3. 3
    Billy Elliot The titular Billy is an 11-year-old son of a coal miner who wants nothing more than to dance. The film is funny, touching, and a powerful portrait of the importance of accepting your loved ones for who they are.
  4. 4
    A Street Cat Named Bob This lesser-known biopic about a man struggling with addiction deserves way more eyes. Luke Treadway plays James, an addict and street performer who meets a cat that refuses to leave him alone. Eventually, James starts incorporating the cat (named Bob) into his act, and the kitty may just be what James needs to turn his life around.
    • Fun fact: The real-life Bob owns more scarves than basically any other human being. Not only is this cat an incredible talent, but he has a super fire wardrobe. [2]
  5. 5
    Hustle & Flow If you love hip-hop and you haven’t seen Hustle & Flow, you’re missing out. Terrance Howard is absolutely mesmerizing as a Memphis denizen turned rapper who does everything in his power to make it.
  6. 6
    Wild Reese Witherspoon was nominated for the Best Actress Oscar for her 2014 portrayal of a woman who decides to go on a treacherous hike to help overcome an addiction. It’s equal parts terrifying nature adventure and moving personal story, and it will leave you breathless.
  7. 7
    Gangubai Kathiawadi Also inspired by a true story, Gangubai Kathiawadi is an absolutely insane story. Set and filmed in Mumbai, the movie follows Kathiawadi, a young woman from the slums of India who is forced to work in a brothel. She claws her way out to become one of the most powerful women in all of Indian history. It’s so much better than you could ever imagine!
  8. 8
    8 Mile Eminem’s origin story, 8 Mile is the story of a budding Detroit rapper who gets humiliated on stage and has to fight their way back in the local battle rap scene.
  9. 9
    Steve Jobs It didn’t win a ton of awards and it sort of flew under the radar, but Steve Jobs is a really powerful snapshot of what made Jobs so good at his…job. It’s funny, bizarre, sad, inspiring, and potent.
    • Just FYI, make sure you’re checking out the 2015 Danny Boyle film starring Michael Fassbender, not the 2013 Jobs, starring Ashton Kutcher. We love Kutcher, but that film wasn’t all that life-changing.
  10. 10
    Life of Pi This film isn’t technically rags to riches. More like…rags to ocean adventure where you’re probably going to die but then you don’t. It’s a moving, sweeping epic about the nature of a story, the importance of family, and why it’s our duty as humans to respect the awesome power of nature.
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Section 3 of 10:

Life-Changing Films about Equality and Civil Rights

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  1. 1
    Hidden Figures This is the true story about three brilliant women who overcome racism and sexism to pull off one of the most impressive human achievements of all time. This is also great viewing for anyone interested in space travel, since it goes into the mechanics and science behind space flight!
    • Fun fact: The girls in Hidden Figures are even cooler than they’re depicted in the movie. They’re shown using a segregated bathroom, but they actually refused to do that IRL. They used the white woman’s bathroom as a way to protest Jim Crow. [3]
  2. 2
    Selma This historical drama follows the 1965 civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., played by David Oyelowo, joins Oprah Winfrey, Lorraine Toussaint, and Cuba Gooding Jr. in this potent and powerful true story.
  3. 3
    The Visitor Richard Jenkins plays Walter, a rather dull and lonely college professor who comes back from a long trip to find his landlord has rented his unit out (illegally) to two undocumented immigrants. Instead of turning them away, Walter decides to let them stay with him for a while. What happens next will bring you to tears!
  4. 4
    The Great Debaters Denzel Washington steals the show in this true story about the debate team at Wiley College in the 1930s. The debate team at this black college, a constant target of white supremacists, overcomes all odds to make it to the national stage in the world of debate—all using the power of their words.
  5. 5
    Loving This romantic drama is about the Supreme Court case where it was eventually ruled that people of different races are allowed to marry one another. The couple at the center of this drama will break your heart and inspire you in ways you may not fully understand until well after you’ve finished watching the film.
  6. 6
    A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night Does the phrase “Iranian horror film noir” do anything for you? It should! This movie follows a solitary woman who may or may not be a vampire that preys on the men who harass women at night. It’s a truly weird movie in the best way possible, and it’s a powerful look at the everyday danger women face in a society dominated by men who are never held accountable.
  7. 7
    American Honey This coming-of-age story follows Star, a homeless teen who ends up joining a band of misfits and falling in love with a very-charismatic Shia LaBeouf. It’s a riveting look at how people on the fringes of society fight for their every meal, but what makes the film so special is its sweeping narrative lens. It’s breathtaking stuff, and it will absolutely change the way you look at people less fortunate than you.
  8. 8
    The Florida Project Like American Honey, The Florida Project is a tough look at what poverty does to people. But while Honey is a sweeping epic that inspires, Florida Project is more of an intimate look that will take the breath out of your chest. It’s the story of a mom and her daughter who try to make ends meet while living in a motel near Disney World. It’s quietly powerful and devastating in the best ways.
  9. 9
    Hunger This 2008 historical drama is about the 1981 Irish hunger strike. Starring Michael Fassbender, this is mandatory viewing if you’re unfamiliar with The Troubles and the long history of political violence in Ireland. It also happens to be a truly heartbreaking look at a man who gives up his own body to fight injustice.
  10. 10
    tick…tick…BOOM! This musical follows Jonathan Larson, the author and composer of the famous musical Rent. This incredibly imaginative film shows viewers what was going on under the surface of the famous musical author’s life before Rent became real. Poverty, the AIDS epidemic, police violence, anxiety, crippling poverty, all of it was motivation. It’s a beautiful, moving tribute to a man who faced terrifying circumstances and made something magical out of it.
    • If you haven’t seen Rent, check it out! We didn’t compile a list of life-changing musicals, but if we had, Rent would have made the cut.
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Section 4 of 10:

Revolutionary and Deep Mind Benders

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  1. 1
    Primer Are you the kind of person who watches a time travel movie and finds yourself thinking stuff like what happens if you mess with something but go back and fix it, or what if you go back in time and stop your parents from meeting? If so, you have to watch Primer. Frequently cited as one of the most confusing movies of all time, this small-scale masterpiece will have you scratching your head in the best way possible.
    • Fun fact: This movie was made for $7,000. It grossed $850,000 at the box office and went on to make 11 million in DVD rentals, making Primer one of the most financially successful investments of all time! [4]
  2. 2
    2001: A Space Odyssey Speaking of complicated movies, Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey is often touted as one of the greatest movies of all time. What starts off as a profound journey into the origins of man and the nature of intelligence turns into something much more potent and mind-bending.
  3. 3
    Memento Memento is a wild movie. Here’s the overview: A man with short-term memory loss can only remember chunks of time that last a minute or so. The film is shot from his point of view, and it’s not chronological. It all amounts to a seriously puzzling viewing experience, but when it comes together…something incredible happens!
  4. 4
    Rashoman This 1950 classic might be Kurosawa’s best film. It’s a powerful study on the nature of justice, the complexity of human perspective, and the dangers of believing your truth is the ultimate truth. If you want a courtroom drama and crime thriller that will leave you breathless, this is your movie.
  5. 5
    Coherence An underseen gem of a film, Coherence follows a group of friends at a party who discover the nature of time itself may be folding in on the party. What follows is a head scratching exercise in the power of narrative structure and good writing. It will absolutely mess with the way you think about reality.
  6. 6
    Donnie Darko If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to follow a sleepwalking teenager around while they interact with a demon rabbit named Frank, we have some great news for you. This cult classic introduced the world to Jake Gyllenhall, and it has a seriously trippy story to boot!
    • Fun fact: This is Seth Rogan’s first film! He has a very tiny role as a classmate of Donnie’s and he has one line of dialogue. [5]
  7. 7
    The Holy Mountain Jodorowsky’s psychedelic masterpiece, The Holy Mountain is an outright bizarre tale about an alchemist and a god-like figure who leads 7 entities to a Holy Mountain where they hope to find some kind of enlightenment. It’s even stranger than it sounds, and it has some of the most powerful imagery of any film made ever.
  8. 8
    Synecdoche, New York Written and directed by Charlie Kaufman, Synecdoche follows Caden Cotard (played by a mesmerizing Phillip Seymour Hoffman), a struggling theater director. He decides to create a life-size replica of New York City as part of a play he’s writing, but the lines between reality and the play begin to blur. It’s a beautiful homage to the power of imagination.
  9. 9
    Muholland Drive David Lynch directed this absolutely bizarre epic follows two women who may or may not be suffering from amnesia. The film may or may not have other characters, a plot, and/or narrative coherence. Just watch it—it’s an incredibly unique and head-scratching piece.
  10. 10
    I’m Thinking of Ending Things Another Charlie Kaufman piece, I’m Thinking of Ending Things is really more of a poem than it is a movie. The film is about a couple on the verge of, well…ending things. We won’t spoil anything, but it’s way more complicated than that, and in his classic Charlie Kaufman fashion, the story sort of unravels on itself in a way that will leave you unsettled and changed.
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Section 5 of 10:

Life-Altering Dystopian Movies

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  1. 1
    Children of Men In a near-future where women can’t give birth anymore and the youngest person on the planet is 19-years-old, the planet slowly unravels as it comes to terms with the fact that humanity is going to die out soon. Wrapped around that, Theo Faron (Clive Owen) goes on the adventure of a lifetime. It raises powerful questions about empathy, political violence, and what society is even for in the first place.
  2. 2
    Book of Eli Denzel Washington plays a quiet warrior in this post-apocalyptic epic about a man on a mission. It has all of the earmarks of a classic John Wayne western, but the movie does some truly fascinating and riveting things with its classic tropes.
  3. 3
    The Road An adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s 2006 novel, The Road (2009) is an absolutely gut-wrenching film about a man and his son trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic US. The tension and devastation plot are going to unsettle you, but this film will change the way you think about human nature and death.
  4. 4
    Cube This 1997 science-fiction horror flick features five strangers who wake up in a strange building—a series of cube-shaped rooms in a cube-shaped building that shifts and rearranges itself like a Rubik’s Cube. The thing is, almost all of the rooms contain deadly traps! The film follows these five people as they try to make it out of the building alive. It’s a life-changing film based purely on how weird, memorable, and scary it is.
    • Cube contains a good amount of body horror, just FYI.
  5. 5
    Brazil Brazil is another movie that qualifies as life-changing just by sheer bizarreness. It follows a man named Sam (played by Jonathan Pryce) who escapes his extremely dull day job by daydreaming. He mistakenly stumbles into a complex web of government corruption, death, and wrongful arrests. The entire film will stick with you just for how weird the tone and story is.
  6. 6
    Blade Runner What does it mean to be human? What is a “person?” These are the questions at the heart of Ridley Scott’s 1982 Blade Runner. If you haven’t seen it, you’re missing out on one of the most iconic Harrison Ford performances of all time.
  7. 7
    Snowpiercer After climate change has ravaged the planet and created a global ice age, a band of survivors live on a perpetually-moving train. The cars are arranged in a top-down hierarchy where the “wealthiest” members of the train live at the front of the car and the underclass lives at the back. The film follows a group of workers at the back who decide to revolt. It’s a powerful allegory about the way humanity organizes itself and what makes those systems so nefarious.
  8. 8
    Her Joaquin Phoenix plays Theodore, a lonely man who falls in love with his AI assistant. This Spike Jonze satire came out in 2013, but it’s even more relevant and powerful today in the age of AI chatbots, fake art, and disembodied voices that speak to you through your phone speaker.
  9. 9
    A Clockwork Orange Stanley Kubrick’s 1971 adaptation of the famous novel follows Alex, a “droog” of high fashion who runs around with his friends committing crimes. It sounds straightforward, but the cinematography, writing, tone, and dialogue are so unique that this film will stick with you for aesthetic reasons alone.
    • The weird slang spoken by characters in A Clockwork Orange is a combination of English and Russian slang nicknamed “Nadsat” by the book’s original author. It’s an entirely made-up dialect. [6]
  10. 10
    A Scanner Darkly Keanu Reeves. Rotoscoped 1930s-style animation. Body suits that distort the nature of space-time. What more could you possibly want in a movie? This film manages to be both mind-bendingly philosophical and outright silly at the same time, which only adds to the movie’s overall impact.
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Section 6 of 10:

Philosophical Life-Changing Films

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  1. 1
    Waking Life An unnamed protagonist keeps “waking up” only to discover they’re still dreaming. Each dream contains a seriously deep convo with someone truly fascinating. If you’re looking for a fresh perspective on life, this is the movie for you.
  2. 2
    Before Sunrise The first in what would ultimately be a trilogy, Linklater’s Before Sunrise is a romantic film that follows two thoughtful souls who stumble across one another at the perfect moment. It’s like watching a life-changing relationship develop in real time!
    • Richard Linklater directed both Sunrise and Waking Life (in addition to A Scanner Darkly, which made the cut on our dystopian list). If you like philosophical movies, Linklater’s entire filmography is worth checking out.
  3. 3
    The Seventh Seal Ingmar Bergman’s 1957 classic follows a knight who returns from the Crusades who then plays a game of chess with the Grim Reaper. Often cited as one of the greatest films of all time, The Seventh Seal will fundamentally change the way you think about Christianity’s impact on the West and how it influences our understanding of human nature.
  4. 4
    The Tree of Life Maybe the most polarizing film in this article, Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life is a meditative snapshot of a man looking back on his life in the wake of his father’s death. If you’re in the mood for something thought-provoking, you can’t go wrong with this one.
  5. 5
    The Fountain Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz star in this romantic science-fiction film about a man trying to save the woman he loves. It’s an abstract snapshot of three stories that all might be the same story: a conquistador searching for the fountain of youth, a scientist trying to create a drug to save his wife, and a bald man in a bubble floating through the cosmos. It’s weird and powerful and it's a one-of-a-kind viewing experience.
  6. 6
    Rope This 1948 film by Alfred Hitchcock is a “one shot” movie—the entire film consists of a single take. What seems like a typical crime thriller is actually a deep look at sexual power, art, and the nature of what it means to see something.
    • Fun fact: Rope isn’t actually one shot—it’s just edited to look that way. The film actually consists of 10 independent shots. [7]
  7. 7
    Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind This cult classic asks the question, “If you could erase your memory to get rid of the worst trauma you’ve ever experienced at the cost of forgetting someone you once loved, what would you do?” It’s a powerful film, and it’s deeply funny as well.
  8. 8
    Ex Machina Ex Machina follows a couple of tech bros who interact with a pair of robots on a remote compound. We’re not going to share anything else since the plot of this film unfolds in a really unique and interesting way, but trust us—this is a slick and spooky enigma of a film.
    • Ex Machina is a great companion piece to Blade Runner if you’re in the mood for a double-viewing!
  9. 9
    Apocalypse Now Francis Ford Coppola is probably most well-known for the Godfather films, but Apocalypse Now is perhaps his most important work. It’s a potent update of Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, which explores the horrors and madness of war.
  10. 10
    The Substance The newest film in our article. The Substance is a freakish and hilarious critique of how society treats women (and how much damage that causes). Demi Moore is iconic as a woman who finds a way to hold on to her youth a little longer than she should be able to.
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Section 7 of 10:

Sports-Related Life-Changing Films

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  1. 1
    Remember the Titans Denzel Washington is absolutely electrifying as Coach Herman Boone. On top of that, it’s a moving true story about a Southern high school that learns to embrace diversity.
    • Fun fact: Ryan Gosling has a supporting role in this film as one of the cutest boys of all time. Seriously, he plays a California surfer kid who just loves to dance.
  2. 2
    Rudy Another football film and true story, Rudy follows Danny “Rudy” Ruettiger, an unlikely hero who walks on to Notre Dame’s football team despite everything going against him. It’s an incredibly inspiring family-friendly film with some unexpected elements.
  3. 3
    The Wrestler Both a meta-meditation on Mickey Rourke’s career and an intimate snapshot into the life of an amateur wrestler, The Wrestler is a truly touching look at what it means to sacrifice yourself for the entertainment of an audience.
  4. 4
    Million Dollar Baby Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, and Hilary Swank co-star in this Oscar-winning boxing film about a woman who has more grit and courage than anybody could possibly expect.
  5. 5
    Lagaan This 2001 Bollywood classic is the only Indian film to crack the infamous “50 Movies to See Before You Die” list. [8] It’s a sweeping epic about colonization, true love, and the power of sport. The film culminates in a high-stakes cricket game between Indian locals and British soldiers, and the over-hour-long match will have you on the edge of your seat the entire time.
  6. 6
    The Blind Side While some of the background surrounding this film is quite indefensible (the film basically ignored the real-life characters’ wishes and played fast and loose with some details), there’s no denying that The Blind Side moved hearts and minds. [9] Frankly, it’s almost more interesting and life-changing to view it today knowing how the subject of the film warped the details to make themselves look better. In that way, it’s a stunning piece of work about white saviors, bigotry, and the ways in which people redeem themselves while refusing to accept blame.
  7. 7
    Cinderella Man Russell Crowe steals the scene as a prohibition-era boxer who is pushed to the edge. It’s a classic tale that could have easily made our “rags to riches” list as well, but this really is a special watch for boxing fans.
  8. 8
    The Hustler Pool counts as a sport, in our book. This black-and-white romance follows “Fast Eddie” Felson (Paul Newman), a pool hustler who wants to take on the greats of the game. It’s slick, iconic, and makes you feel like you can almost smell the cigarette smoke and stale air of the poolhall in your home!
  9. 9
    King Richard Will Smith got a ton of flack at the Oscars in 2022 for slapping Chris Rock, which is unfortunate because it took attention away from why he was there—his killer performance as Richard Williams, the father and coach of tennis greats Venus and Serena Williams.
  10. 10
    Field of Dreams Is it so sappy that it’s basically maple syrup? Yes. Is it ridiculous melodrama? Absolutely. But these are features, not bugs, in the classic film about a man who loves baseball so much that he hallucinates ballplayers and builds a ball field in the middle of nowhere. The movie is beyond classic for a reason, so go watch it!
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Section 8 of 10:

Disturbing Life-Changing Movies

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  1. 1
    Pi It’s not as popular or well-known as Darren Aronofsky’s later work, but his directorial debut, Pi, is a serious work of art. The black-and-white film follows a mathematician who is absolutely obsessed with finding perfect order in the universe. His obsession drives him to the brink of madness, and viewers are left with a brand new way of thinking about passion and order.
  2. 2
    Come and See Often cited as the most upsetting war film ever made, Come and See is a life-altering viewing experience. It’s maybe as close as a war film can get to actually making you feel like you went to war.
  3. 3
    United 93 If you do not know the story of what happened on board United 93 on September 11th, 2001, you owe yourself the education. This film will stick with you in a powerful way.
  4. 4
    The Pianist Adrian Brody earned the Best Actor Oscar for his performance as a victim of the Holocaust who escapes his captors. If you loved Schindler’s List, this is mandatory viewing.
  5. 5
    Antichrist If you want your life changed in a kind of confusing and upsetting way, this is the horror film for you. Director Lars Von Trier ( Melancholia, Breaking the Waves ) is known for creating extremely confusing and upsetting films, but Antichrist really takes the cake. It’s the story of a couple who lose a child and decide to take a trip to the woods to heal. What follows is a gnostic fever-dream body-horror escapade on par with the worst of nightmares.
  6. 6
    Requiem for a Dream If you need inspiration to keep you clean from drugs, this movie is about as good as a PSA gets.
  7. 7
    Grave of Fireflies Isao Takahata directed this devastating anime film about the human cost of war. Grave of Fireflies follows two children who are separated from their parents during World War 2. It’s a completely mind-warping tragedy.
  8. 8
    Manchester By the Sea Honestly, you could just call this Incredible Acting: The Film. This story follows Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck) as he grapples with a terrible mistake he made.
    • Fun fact: Manchester By the Sea was the first streaming movie to be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars. [10]
  9. 9
    Hereditary This horror-mystery film will cut right through every fiber of your being and leave the hair on your skin raised for weeks. It’s an extremely bizarre story tucked inside of a strange plot about a family who may or may not be haunted.
  10. 10
    Empire This 1965 film from Andy Warhol contains a single 8-hour-long shot of the Empire State Building. It’s life-changing in the sense that you will learn new things about what it’s like to be completely bored by watching it.
    • You can find a full cut of this film here .
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Section 9 of 10:

Romantic Life-Changing Films

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  1. 1
    Touch It really flew under the radar, but if you’re looking for a tear-jerker that will fundamentally alter how you think about love and regret, you found your film. The film follows a man who travels to London and becomes a Japanese chef who falls in love, only to lose her.
    • There are a few films called Touch. Make sure you’re checking out the 2024 Icelandic film, not one of the earlier works.
  2. 2
    Past Lives Past Lives is a beautiful companion piece to Touch, as both films are about old loves. We won’t spoil anything here since the plot is essential to the themes of the film, but you will be swept off your feet!
  3. 3
    Moonlight How does homophobia create self-hate, and is there a relationship so powerful that it can cut right through all of that pain and suffering? These are the questions at the center of Moonlight, a moving portrait of a poor child from Florida who struggles with his identity due to hate and bigotry.
  4. 4
    Once If you love musicals, folk music, and suave Irish people, Once is mandatory viewing. It’s a deeply romantic film about two people who form a connection. It’s a classic will-they/won’t-they, and you’ll be on the edge of your seat the entire time. The music is incredible, too!
  5. 5
    Atonement Kiera Knightley and James McAvoy play lovers who are torn apart by war, but what’s really at the center of the film is a child’s decision to report what she thinks she sees to others. We don’t want to give too many details here, but this film will absolutely rip your heart out.
  6. 6
    City Lights Mix things up with Charlie Chaplin’s 1931 romantic comedy that follows a tramp who falls in love with a blind woman. If you’ve never seen a silent film starring Chaplin, you may be surprised. At first, you’ll wonder how such a goofy aesthetic could possibly change your life in any way. By the time those credits roll, you’ll understand!
  7. 7
    Carol One of Cate Blanchett’s most iconic performances, Carol is the story of two women who form an unlikely connection. Like Once, a will-they/won’t-they sits at the center of the story, but this flick has a whole different magical energy to it.
  8. 8
    Cold Mountain This historical drama follows a Civil War soldier (played by Jude Law) who goes on a cross-country journey to try and make his way back to his true love. It’s a sprawling epic that has something for everyone, and it will absolutely kick you right in the gut in a way you’ll never expect.
  9. 9
    Moonrise Kingdom If you want something a little more lighthearted, but still incredibly moving, Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom is a powerful snapshot of what makes young love so intense and important. It’s also maybe the funniest role of all time for Bruce Willis, who nails it as a cop on a mission.
  10. 10
    Phantom Thread Speaking of directors named Anderson, P.T. Anderson’s Phantom Thread stars Daniel Day-Lewis as an eccentric fashion designer. This film is a romance at the core, but it’s about so much more. You’ll walk away confused, alarmed, enamored, and feeling different.
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Section 10 of 10:

Documentaries to Change Your Life

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  1. 1
    Hoop Dreams This documentary from 1994 follows two high school students from inner-city Chicago who dream of playing in the NBA. The documentary is impressive for its scope—we get to follow these kids all the way through their journey—and the film will challenge your perspective on privilege, luck, and what it takes to be the best.
  2. 2
    Gleason This is mandatory viewing for anyone who wants to cry it out. Gleason (2016) tells the story of NFL player Steve Gleason, the former New Orleans Saint who famously returned an opening kick for a TD after Hurricane Katrina. He is diagnosed with ALS and the documentary follows him as he makes videos for his unborn son. It’s devastating and beautiful.
  3. 3
    Searching for Sugar Man A record put out by an unknown indie musician becomes the soundtrack for South African freedom fighters. When someone tries to find out who made the record decades later, the story takes a downright wild turn.
  4. 4
    13th One of the most important political documentaries ever made, 13th is a talking-head documentary about systemic racism in America. Even if it’s a subject you’re familiar with, you’d be stunned at how much you learn here.
  5. 5
    Man on Wire James Marsh directed this film about Philippe Petit's 1974 crazy stunt: an acrobatic wire walk between the two Twin Towers in NYC, with zero safety precautions. It may not sound like much, but the documentary will absolutely take your breath away.
    • Fun fact: With over 150 reviews and a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, Man on Wire is one of the most well-reviewed movies of all time.
  6. 6
    Capturing the Friedmans This documentary follows the Friedman family. What starts out as basically nothing but a bunch of home movies quickly unravels as the patriarch of the family is accused of some of the most heinous crimes a man can commit. If you ever wondered what it was like behind closed doors when a family is ripped apart by the unthinkable.
  7. 7
    Paris is Burning An intimate look at the LGBTQ+ ballroom scene in 1980s New York City, you’ll see a portrait of a subculture you likely never even knew existed. It will open your eyes to the injustices and bigotries marginalized people face, and you’ll meet some of the most interesting people of all time along the way.
  8. 8
    The Thin Blue Line Errol Morris’s 1988 documentary takes a look at crime, the death penalty, and police power. It’s an innovative documentary that basically invented the modern concept of a reenactment, and it’s a film that isn’t afraid of asking the hard questions.
  9. 9
    The Interrupters This 2011 documentary follows a group called CeaseFire—a nonprofit working in Chicago trying to prevent shootings by getting involved with street arguments before they escalate. It’s a powerful portrait of what life is like for people living on the edge between everyday citizens and violent criminals.
  10. 10
    Dark Days Did you know that there was a thriving community of housing-insecure people living in abandoned subways in New York for decades? Dark Days is a potent and powerful look at what life is like for the people struggling to survive in the New York subways in the 1990s.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.alltherightmovies.com/feature/20-interesting-facts-about-good-will-hunting/
      2. ↑ https://newsfeed.time.com/2013/07/27/meet-a-street-cat-named-bob/
      3. ↑ https://www.essence.com/news/girl-talk-with-if-not-for-my-girls-2/
      4. ↑ https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Primer#tab=summary
      5. ↑ https://www.thewrap.com/drew-barrymore-seth-rogen-donnie-darko-realization/
      6. ↑ https://screenrant.com/clockwork-orange-stanley-kubrick-trivia-facts/
      7. ↑ https://hitchcock52.com/2016/01/22/week-3-rope-1948-long-takes-and-disappointment/
      8. ↑ https://www.listchallenges.com/film4s-50-films-to-see-before-you-die
      9. ↑ https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/38190720/blind-side-subject-michael-oher-alleges-adoption-was-lie-family-took-all-film-proceeds
      1. ↑ https://screenrant.com/manchester-by-the-sea-facts-casey-affleck-movie/

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