6. Primer
At this point, we already know that Shane Carruth’s “Primer” needs a flowchart to follow if the timeline is to make sense of in the first viewing. Enough has already been written about the filmmaker’s science background that enabled him to write this great cryptic puzzle. Everyone probably knows about the film, but not all of them have watched.
The reason can be the obscurity of the plot anticipated by the average film lover, but if you really haven’t watched the film until now, don’t wait for the gem. It is true that the plot is difficult to follow even after learning about the synopsis of the film, but the journey is extremely satisfying to take.
Time travel films are rarely this fun and difficult at the same time and in the process, you will also learn about lots of interesting scientific trivia and facts. You will also scratch your head after the film ends, but it will be accompanied by a subtle smile because you have finally watched this genius of a film.
7. Jacob’s Ladder
Memories haunt us in our necessary lifecycle, even the good ones for the hope of another reconcilement. More vicious are the manifestations of the violent and tortured ones, what we wish to forget forever but which comes back in a loop in our life. It is a war within oneself to escape painful experiences, but when you are hallucinating, all hell breaks loose.
Carrying influences both from the Tibetan Book of the Dead and Genesis, “Jacob’s Ladder” refers to the liberated state when the mind journeys toward heaven, leaving the turmoil of Earth. Our protagonist Jacob is severely haunted by the cruel incidents of the Vietnam War where he participated. The war is over, but the mental wound is not complete; the mental war is running silently. He frequently watches visions of cruelty in his dream, often ones that include his dear ones.
Our Jacob is a tortured soul who tries immensely to forget the consequences of the great war. Will he be finally able to free himself, or is it all a dream and above the dealings of everyday life for Jacob? Adrian Lyne made an excellent war film in the ‘90s with “Jacob’s Ladder” that has been unduly forgotten for a long time. It is time for rejuvenation.
8. My Winnipeg
Guy Maddin was always a brave filmmaker who liked to experiment with his films. Here, in “My Winnipeg,” his love letter to the homeland, he chooses the style of a surrealist mockumentary. Yes, you heard that right. The result is an eccentric mix of everything: laughter, lucid dreams, fantasy, and everything in between. He projects Winnipeg as a city that everyone wishes to leave, but are still tranced by its appeal.
It has further personal appeal for Maddin because it is again a small biography of frozen time; he cast different actors as himself and his mother. He glamorizes the city with its achievements and also satirizes it. If you want your imagination to run free and wild, watch “My Winnipeg.” It will play with your head.
9. Pi
Everything in our universe is composed of patterns and can be decrypted if the magic number that creates the pattern can be discovered: this is what our protagonist here believes. This theory is true in the basic theoretical sense, but it is also anticipated that a necessary headache will accompany in this path. And the headache will be a severe one because it is not easy to unravel the equation of the genesis. That happens to Max Cohen, who also got attacked by hallucinations and paranoia in trying to expose the creator.
A tech thriller with number theory in its basis, “Pi” is a rare one. The religious organization comes to Max for help and prosecutes him because they believe this magic number can help them trace God. Ultimately, Cohen decides that some things are better left alone. With a mad scientist as its protagonist, “Pi” is a work of genius and boasts the arrival of an auteur in his debut film. This is a film that is not easy to forget once witnessed.
10. Enter the Void
“Enter the Void” is difficult to follow, not because of the ambiguousness of the plot, but because the film is free of narrative baggage. This is a film to experience, not to witness. The second and last film of this list that is inspired by the Tibetan Book of the Dead, it chronicles the afterlife of a young drug dealer named Oscar.
Lit by neon street lamps and POV shots, Benoit Debie shoots the film from the limbo which Oscar experiences after his untimely death. Don’t try to follow the plot, it will mess with your head. Rather; try to enjoy the film; it will still mess with your head, but additionally, you will have a great time in the cinema.