Some movies are crafted to entertain the public, offering a thrilling escape from everyday life. Some are thought-provoking and intellectually stimulating. But then there are those that go far beyond – they challenge your perception of reality and, guaranteed, will take your head for a spin. These mind-bending productions do not merely tell a story – they play with the viewer, leaving them questioning their feeble perceptions.

These types of films often rely on time-bending twists, playing with memory or dreams, or adopting fragmented storytelling that encourages viewers to piece everything together. The experience is frequently more interactive than it is usually with other movies. These stories challenge what the public believes to be true, deconstructing the very fabric of reality. From Anderson’s The Machinist to Aronofsky’s Mother!, there are plenty of cinematic gems which leave the viewer with more questions than answers.

10

The Machinist (2004)

Directed By Brad Anderson

A haunting thriller, The Machinist follows Trevor Reznik (Christian Bale), an insomniac machinist whose lack of sleep forces him into a downward spiral of delusions. As the story progresses, Trevor starts to piece together a profoundly unsettling truth, revealing what neither he nor the viewer ever wished to find out. What is buried deep within his fragmented mind is the final piece of a dramatic puzzle that will free Trevor of his insomniac curse while simultaneously leading him to a terrifying conclusion.

Through the sleepy and thus unreliable eyes of Bale’s character, it is increasingly challenging for the public to understand what is real and what is the result of Trevor’s exhausted psyche. The film is a tense journey where the viewer finds himself as lost as the protagonist, even questioning the role and existence of the characters that surround him.

9

Donnie Darko (2001)

Directed By Richard Kelly

Blending different genres like fantasy, sci-fi, and psychological thriller, Donnie Darko is a deeply confusing movie that messes with your brain. The premise of a troubled boy (played by Jake Gyllenhaal) who has eerie visions of a creepy, albeit curiously charismatic, figure named Frank dressed in a rabbit costume is unsettling enough.

When the mysterious newfound companion begins to warn him about the upcoming end of the world, the film becomes even more disturbing. As the story unfolds, Donnie Darko introduces even more thrilling concepts, from the ʙuттerfly effect to alternate realities.

Throughout most of the plot, the viewer cannot help but wonder whether Donnie is prey to a psycH๏τic episode. The teenager might be hallucinating most of the weird events taking place. However, the film appears to suggest there is a deeper, more sinister force at play. Regardless of our interpretation, one thing appears clear: Donnie’s destiny cannot be changed.

8

The Father (2020)

Directed By Florian Zeller

The Father is not only a perplexing watch but also a groundbreaking portrayal of Alzheimer’s disease, as we have never seen before. The public is immersed in the patient’s experience instead of merely relying on the perspectives of those close to them. The result is a heart-wrenching and fragmented journey through the blurred memories of a man whose grasp of reality is gradually slipping away. As viewers, we try to piece back together a broken timeline while drowning in the impending sense of hopelessness of the story.

The movie is remarkable in how it successfully encourages the public to empathize with the experience of the main character by immersing them in the same confusion he is going through. The unconventional storytelling evokes a sense of frustration, capturing the isolation and disorientation of an often misunderstood disease.

7

The Holy Mountain (1973)

Directed By Alejandro Jodorowsky

Alejandro Jodorowsky is famous for crafting complex and bewildering movies that, although they are not always meant to be understood, are still stimulating to watch. The Holy Mountain is an example of his surreal and innovative filmmaking style.

The greatness of the story lies in its ability to play with the perception of the public, challenging them to reflect and question different aspects of life.

he film follows an alchemist who takes under his wing a Jesus-resembling figure known as “The Thief” and other eccentric characters to lead them on a transformative journey to the Holy Mountain. The movie is an immersive exploration of different themes, from faith and spirituality to self-discovery.

The bizarre scenery and absurd dynamics prompt the viewer to occasionally wonder what is happening before their eyes and why. However, the greatness of the story lies in its ability to play with the perception of the public, challenging them to reflect and question different aspects of life. This head-spinning movie is the best dark fantasy ever.

6

Saw (2004)

Directed By James Wan

With its enigmatic plot and shifting perspectives, Saw revolutionized the horror genre. The premise is terrifying and mind-blowing: two men wake up trapped in a desolate bathroom in the middle of nowhere and are forced to play a ᴅᴇᴀᴅly game orchestrated by a creepy figure known as Jigsaw.

However, throughout the story, between conflicting hints and unreliable points of view, it is unusually difficult for the public to have a clear understanding of what is truly behind the events. The film ingeniously lies in its ability to manipulate the perception of the characters and the viewers through half-truths and intricate riddles.

The figure of Jigsaw challenges everyone he comes across to think outside the box, finding solutions where they least expect. With its restless pacing and anxiety-ridden atmosphere, Saw sometimes almost feels like an interactive game of intellect rather than a simple movie.

5

Mother! (2017)

Directed By Darren Aronofsky

There is an intensely unhinged quality to Mother! that defied expectations and elicited shocked responses. Regardless of the controversy raised, however, there is no doubt that Darren Aronofsky’s thriller left a simultaneously confused yet powerful impression in the minds of those who watched it.

As the quiet of a seemingly happy couple is disturbed by a group of ominous presences, the movie plunges into a graphic nightmare. Considered one of the best psychological thrillers of the decade, Mother! is a disturbing journey seen through the bewildered perspective of the main victim of the story.

Beyond the increasing absurdity of the events unfolding, however, what also comes across as perplexing is the blurred lines between what is real and what is allegorical. Between its visceral symbolism and unexpectedly brutal climax, the movie is guaranteed to leave elusive answers to uncomfortable questions.

4

The Exterminating Angel (1962)

Directed By Luis Bunuel

Like many other avant-garde movies, Luis Bunuel’s productions are not meant to be understood upon first watch. There is a lot to unpack when it comes to his stories, and The Exterminating Angel is an example of his complex approach to the seventh art. The movie follows a group of aristocratic guests who, inexplicably, cannot leave their dinner party. The story is supposedly an allegory.

The unpaired genius of Bunuel lies in how cleverly he uses absurdism not only to craft an engaging narrative, but also to offer a shameless social critique of the wealthy and the privileged. At the same time, the filmmaker also encourages the viewer to come up with their interpretation of the story, leaving us creative freedom. Between cryptic allegories and alternative explanations, this “Eat the Rich” movie is a hallucinatory masterpiece.

3

Brazil (1985)

Directed By Terry Gilliam

Set in a dystopian future, Brazil is a clever sci-fi satirical film that explores the political themes of totalitarianism and hyper-surveillance in a typically Orwellian fashion. The nightmare-like society that emerges in the story is simultaneously terrifying and provocative. The movie begins when a seemingly ordinary man, Sam, decides to look for the mysterious woman who keeps appearing in his daydreams, prompting a related series of events.

The movie combines surreal scenography with satirical storytelling, creating an absurd experience for the viewer. There is a blurred line between what could be a consequence of the visionary mind of the filmmaker and what could become a reality. The viewer comes to experience a world never seen before through the innocent and curious eyes of Sam. One of the best sci-fi movies of all time, Brazil is a haunting masterpiece.

2

PapriKa (2006)

Directed By Satoshi Kon

With bizarre imagery and unsettling scenography, PapriKa is one of those movies that elicit powerful emotional reactions. The story follows Atsuko Chiba, a psychologist who uses innovative technology to enter her patients’ dreams under her alter-ego named Paprika.

As the plot thickens, the boundary between fiction and reality begins to blur. Faithful to its premise, the movie does not follow the laws of the universe.

However, the world of dreams is a dangerous and unreliable place to delve deep into. As the plot thickens, the boundary between fiction and reality begins to blur. Faithful to its premise, the movie does not follow the laws of the universe.

On the other hand, it adopts the same logic found in dreams, which is no logic at all. The anime becomes a surreal journey where nothing can ever be too absurd. There is an element of randomness which perfectly espouses the themes covered in the story. PapriKa manages to be thought-provoking and dazzling at the same time.

1

Suspiria (1977)

Directed by Dario Argento

Italian horror maestro Dario Argento has a way of messing with the head of the viewer, leaving them not only terrified but also puzzled. Suspiria, with its intense, almost psychedelic visuals and sinister setting, perfectly exemplifies that. The film is a beautifully messy sequence of absurd events, creepy twists, and unsettling images. The main character, aspiring dancer Susie Bannion, is unconsciously thrown into a world of witchcraft and dark magic.

What is guaranteed to take your brain for a spin in the story is how Argento adopts a dream-like, or more appropriately, nightmarish aesthetic to lead his character deeper into a game of deception and illusion. By the end of the film, there might be a newfound understanding of the dark secret buried between the walls of the Dance Academy where Suspiria takes place, but the journey to get there is far from linear.