We're all stuck at our homes, now is the best time to push your mental limits and question reality. Here are 10 movies that will help you on your journey.
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Yellow Submarine
- 1968 Movie
- 4.4/5
An animation inspired by the songs of one of the greatest bands of all time, what's not to love? Like Fantasia, which also features on this list, Yellow Submarine is regarded as a landmark in animation, cementing it as an art form rather than just children's entertainment. The film follows the Beatles' journey to the bottom of the ocean in a yellow submarine, on a quest to save Pepperland by freeing Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band who have been entrapped by the evil Blue Meanies. The dialogue is filled with puns and jokes about the Beatles as the viewer travels through the brightly coloured undersea world to the iconic sounds of the band that changed the world.
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Waking Life
- 2001 Movie
- 4.5/5
One of the most thought provoking movies ever produced. Waking Life follows the journey of a young man heading towards an existential crisis of epic proportions, first, quietly observing, then later actively participating in conversation as he forms his own ideas. Slowly he (and you) realize that he's living in a perpetual dream state, interrupted only by brief moments of lucidity. The film touches on pretty much every imaginable philosophical question; Free Will, Ethics, Metaphysics, The meaning of life... It leaves you exhausted, as it intended. Shot digitally and animated afterwards, it also has an unfamiliar, almost uncomfortable look which just irks your already over worked mind a bit more.
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Samsara
- 2011 Movie
- 4.8/5
The result of five years spent traveling the world, filmed with top of the range 70 mm film cameras. Visually, there is not much that can compare to Samsara. Ron Fricke and Mark Magidson explore the wonders of the human and natural world. It is described as a non-verbal guided meditation, as scene by scene it reveals beauties to the viewer that otherwise would be unachievable. As they travel from the Epupa Falls in Angola, to the Dubai Mall, to Mont Blanc in Italy, and seemingly everywhere in between, they also stop to behold Buddhist monks creating Sand Mandala and children playing in Africa. Samsara is an excellent choice to just sit back, relax, and be amazed.
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Pink Floyd: The Wall
- 1982 Movie
- 3.3/5
Pink Floyd is probably one of the bands with the strongest connections to psychedelia. Their 1979 album "The Wall" was a massive success worldwide. In 1982, Roger Waters released the movie "Pink Floyd: The Wall" as a boundary shattering extension to their album. Draped in symbolism, The Wall addresses everything from sex to fascism. It tells the story of a young rockstar, Pink (Bob Geldoff), as he deals with his depression and the world in the late seventies and early eighties, all to the iconic sound of Pink Floyd. It is a sort of Rock Opera, with cutting scenes which are interluded by great animation by political cartoonist Gerald Scarfe. Pink Floyd: The Wall transcends all limitations that might be faced by a band when trying to justify the concepts which they are trying to convey in an album. It is a combination of visual and musical excellence that will capture your thoughts and take you on a journey with the one and only Pink Floyd.
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A Scanner Darkly
- 2006 Movie
- 3.8/5
A Scanner Darkly is a weird experimental approach to science-fiction thrillers that results in an excellent psychedelic watch. The entire movie was filmed digitally and then animated using a complex technique that involves drawing over the filmed footage, frame by frame. This lengthy procedure results in an unique animated look, which fits in with the overriding theme of drug use. Even though it features a star studded cast, with Keanu Reeves, Robert Downey Jr., Winona Ryder, Alex Jones, Jason Douglas and has George Clooney as executive producer, A Scanner Darkly has gone unrecognized in many circles.
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The Holy Mountain
- 1973 Movie
- 4.5/5
This under the radar classic was made possible by funding by John Lennon and Yoko Ono. The Holy Mountain is a psychedelic phenomenon exploring the meta-physical ideas of the surrealist philosopher Rene Daumal. The film is a visual treat, filled with symbolism, and can, at times, be a little unsettling. This is a must watch for any lover of surreal arts. During and before the filming both the cast and director was instructed to administer psychedelic drugs as well as undergo intense spiritual training by an Arica master. The film is an artistic triumph on many different levels.
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Fantasia
- 1940 Movie
- 3.5/5
Fantasia is probably older than most of your parents. Made in 1940, it's ability to withstand the sands of time is a testament to the greatness of Walt Disney. Try to remember that the movie is now 80 years old while Disney releases your imagination to the sounds of 8 classical masterpieces played by the Philadelphia Orchestra, and Deems Taylor as the master of ceremonies. Fantasia allows you to experience music, animation and storytelling in a way you never have before. Its legacy continues in reruns, live action-adaptations, theme parks, video games and television shows to this day.
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The Fall
- 2006 Movie
- 4.3/5
Brought to you by the producer of REM's "Losing my religion", Tarsem Singh, this movie is fast becoming a cult classic. This strange, dark tale mostly plays out in the imagination of a young Romanian patient, as she listens to the stories told to her by a famous stuntman, Roy Walker (Lee Pace) who is also in the hospital. The entire film picks up pace as it gets darker and darker until it reaches a critical point and explodes in a flurry of emotion.
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Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas
- 1998 Movie
- 4.4/5
The film adaptation of Hunter S. Thompson's best selling book has Johnny Depp playing the role of Raoul Duke, travelling across the Nevada desert under the influence of pretty much every substance known to man. Depp spent some time living with Thompson to better understand him, as the character of Raoul Duke is based on Thompson. Thompson, after all, is someone to be understood. His wild and erratic life is portrayed perfectly in the film, making it a wild, wild ride.
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Loving Vincent
- 2017 Movie
- 4.7/5
Loving Vincent is an experimental masterpiece! The first fully painted (yes, you read that right) animation film tells the story of Vincent van Gogh's postman's son who takes a journey to deliver Van Gogh's final letter. While watching this beautiful, engaging production, spare a moment to appreciate the 125 painters who spent six years to paint every frame. It gives you the sense of seeing the world through the eyes of one of history's most misunderstood minds. An emotionally gripping story portrayed through visual wonder.
People who like 10 Trippy movies to help you get through lockdown. 8
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