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The readers have spoken! Here’s the complete list of films (mostly) guaranteed to blow your mind.
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Summer’s the peak season for taking a trip. Every year, when the days start to heat up, it’s a perfect time to go somewhere new – whether to a sun-drenched beach on a distant shore, or a uniquely creative vision in a darkened theater.
The response was phenomenal – everyone had an opinion, if not their own films for the list.
This past summer, editor Ian MacKenzie wrote one of the most popular articles in BNT history: “The Red Pill: 10 Films Guaranteed to Blow Your Mind.” The response was phenomenal – everyone had an opinion, if not their own films for the list.
“My original intention was to compile a list of films that applied stylistic themes and narratives to hint at greater truths about our society, culture and world,” Ian said in an e-mail interview.
“I picked these movies because they were either cult favorites or generally popular. If they had been too obscure, many people wouldn’t have been able to relate and contribute to the discussion.”
And contribute they did! It’s even been suggested the list be expanded, and the comments keep coming.
Stirring Up Discussion
Tom Cruise in Eyes Wide Shut
“I hoped the list would do well, but I had no idea it would reach as many people and garner as many comments as it did. Of course, I’m happy it worked out and that it stirred up some healthy discussion,” said Ian.
While most comments were supportive, others were less enthusiastic or flat-out rude. Some people seemed to take it personally that their movies hadn’t been suggested, or that the films weren’t the greatest examples of world cinema.
“I think some people took the list as ‘the only mind blowing films out there’ instead of a list that was compiled through my subjective opinion,” Ian said. “I certainly have other films I could have added to the list (Holy Mountain, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Ghost in the Shell) but wanted to keep the list to 10.
“I appreciated many of the suggestions from readers who ‘got it.’ Others just posted movies they personally found enjoyable, but not necessarily ‘mind-blowing.’”
The Lists
As of October 12, 2008, here are the movies readers chose as “mind-blowing.”
Some titles may surprise you (perhaps suggested jokingly), while others easily qualify beyond the original 10 films.
But keep this in mind: it’s a subjective list. People have different tastes, sometimes finding value in unusual places – after all, who doesn’t have a “guilty pleasure” or two? While reading these lists, it’s wise to see where people were coming from, not criticize them for having an opinion you don’t share.
What makes these films “mind-blowing,” anyway?
Most likely, there was at least one moment where you began to think differently. Whether you went there alone or with a theater of people, no one can take that trip away from you.
American Films12 Angry Men12 Monkeys13th Floor, The14082001: A Space OdysseyAdaptationAfter HoursAIAltered StatesAmerican BeautyAmerican History XAmerican PsychoAndromeda StrainAngel HeartApocalypse NowArlington RoadArmy of DarknessAssassination of Jessie James by the Coward Robert Ford, TheBallad of Jack and Rose, TheBarakaBedazzled (1967, 2000)Before SunriseBefore SunsetBeing John MalkovichBeing ThereBermuda Depths, TheBicentennial ManBirthBlade RunnerBlood SimpleBlue VelvetBoy and His Dog, ABride to TerabithiaBuffalo 66Butterfly Effect, TheCastawayCement GardenCenter of the WorldChildren of MenChopperCitizen KaneClockwork Orange, ACloserCode 46Colossus: The Forbin ProjectComaConfessions of a Dangerous MindConstantineContactCool Hand LukeCrankCrashCubeCube 2Cube ZeroCypherDancer in the DarkDawn of the DeadDay of the DeadDay the Earth Stood Still, TheDead ManDeer Hunter, TheDefending Your LifeDéjà vuDemon SeedDiary of the DeadDiary of the Dead 2Dr. StrangeloveDude, Where’s My Car?Easy RiderEd WoodElephantElephant ManEnron: The Smartest Guys in the RoomEquilibriumEraserheadEternal Sunshine of the Spotless MindeXistenZExorcist, TheEyes Wide ShutFace in the Crowd, AFahrenheit 451Fail-safeFalling DownFemme FataleFifth Element, TheFinding NeverlandFive Easy PiecesForest, TheForrest GumpFountain, TheFour RoomsFrequencyFull Metal JacketFunny GamesGame, TheGattacaGirl, InterruptedGood, the Bad and the Ugly, TheGraduate, TheGreen Mile, TheGroundhog DayGummoHappening, TheHarold and Kumar Escape Guantanamo BayHeart of DarknessHemp for VictoryHostelI, RobotIdentityIdiocracyIn DreamsInherit the WindInland EmpireInvasion of the Body SnatchersITJacket, TheJacob’s LadderJoe Versus the VolcanoKill BillKill Bill 2Kiss of the SpiderwomanK-PaxLand of the DeadLife of David Gale, TheLiquid SkyLord of the RingsLord of WarLost HighwayLove, LizaMachinist, TheMan From Earth, TheMars Attacks!MementoMen in BlackMetropolisMilagro Beanfield War, TheMiracle MileMothman PropheciesMulholland DriveMy Dinner with AndreNaked LunchNatural Born KillersNellNight of the HunterNight of the Living DeadNines, TheNinth Configuration, TheNirvanaNo Country for Old MenOmega ManOne Hour PhotoOthelloOthers, ThePan’s LabyrinthParallax ViewParty MonsterPeaceful Warrior, ThePiPink Floyd: The WallPlanet of the ApesPrestige, ThePrimerPsychoPulp FictionPunch Drunk LovePursuit of HappynessPutney SwopeQuiet Earth, TheRazor’s Edge, TheRepo ManRequiem for a DreamReservoir DogsRevolverRollerballRoyal Tenenbaums, TheRun Lola RunRunning ScaredRunning with ScissorsRushmoreSaving Private RyanScanner Darkly, ASecondsSevenSeventh Seal, TheShawshank RedemptionShining, TheSilence of the Lambs, TheSilent RunningSin CitySix Ways to SundaySixth Sense, TheSlaughterhouse FiveSLC Punk!SleuthSliding DoorsSnatchSocietySorry, HatersSouthland TalesStraight Story, TheStrange DaysStranger than FictionTalk RadioTarnationTaxi DriverTeam America: World PoliceTerminatorThank You for SmokingThey LiveThis Is Spinal TapTHX 1138Total RecallToysTrainspottingTrigger Effect, TheTruckersUnbreakableUsual Suspects, The V for VendettaVanilla SkyVanishing PointVideodromeVillage, TheWag the DogWaking the DeadWatership DownWhat Dreams May ComeWhat the Bleep Do We Know?What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?Where the Buffalo RoamWicker ManWild Bunch, TheWisdom of Crocodiles, TheWristcutters: A Love StoryZombie Strippers Foreign Films238½Amores PerrosAuditionAvalonBad Boy BubbyBaise-MoiBlissBlowupBlue SpringBreaking the WavesCarandiruCashbackChungking ExpressCidade de Deus (City of God)Dancer in the DarkDeath Note: The MovieDelicatessenDellamorte Dellamore (Cemetery Man)Dot the IDreamsEl TopoEurope TrilogyFestenFollowingFreeway II: Confessions of a TrickbabyFunky ForestHe Loves Me, He Loves Me NotHuman TrafficIdi i Smotri (Come and See)IrréversibleKontrollLa Cité des Enfants Perdus (The City of Lost Children)La Double Vie de VeroniqueLa TrilogieLe DecalogueLe Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie PoulainLife is BeautifulMan Bites DogMathildeMbi (We)Microcosmos: Le Peuple de l’HerbeMitt Liv Som Hund (My Life as a Dog)Motorcycle Diaries, TheNo SmokingOldboyOnce Were WarriorsOpen Your EyesRomanceSans SoleilSanta SangreSeul contre tous (I Stand Alone)ShineSpoorloos (the original of the Vanishing)StalkerSweet MovieSympathy for Mr. VengeanceTae-Guki (Brotherhood)Tetsuo: The Iron Man, TheThe Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her LoverHoly Mountain, TheQuatermass Xperiment, TheScience of Sleep, TheTin Drum, TheTricouleur or Blue, White, RedVisitor QWalkaboutY Tu Mamá También AnimeAkira Ghost in the Machine Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion Paprika Perfect Blue Serial Experiments Lain Tekkonkinkreet
Now there can’t possibly be any worthy movies excluded from the list…or are there? Share in the comments!
F. Daniel Harbecke
F. Daniel Harbecke (just call him Daniel, the F’s a family thing) is currently working on “A Philosophy of Travel” which envisions travel as a metaphor for the meaningful experience of life. Daniel has lived in Europe, South America and Asia and is trying to fund his tony lifestyle in Sweet Home Chicago.
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