10 Best Philosophical Movies Of All Time Ranked According To IMDb
10 Best Philosophical Movies Of All Time, Ranked According To IMDb
This list of the best philosophical movies features protagonists who question life and its meaning and their place in the world while being tested.
You Are Reading :[thien_display_title]
The best kind of movies are generally the ones that leave us bewildered and speechless. Thought-provoking movies are often considered philosophical, as they raise fundamental questions that upend everything we take for granted in normal life. Such movies tend to revolve around characters that are involved in some kind of an existential crisis or people experiencing a life or death situation.
It is in the face of real danger that people reveal their true natures and beliefs. By observing characters in movies making decisions and reacting to particular circumstances in the exact way that they choose to, the audience gets an insight into their thought processes, and that, in turn, reflects their respective philosophies on life.
10 Wings Of Desire – 8
Angels exist in the city of Berlin, bound to their role as mere observers of human lives, spending an eternity watching over people and trying to give solace or save those they can.
Set against the backdrop of a post-WW II era, this is a modernist classic featuring the town’s industrialist and reconstructed presence. Damiel tells his friend, a fellow angel Cassiel, that he misses being alive, feeling pain, experiencing the sensory pleasures. This movie is a fascinating reflection on the philosophy of life and the freedom that only humans seem to possess – a freedom to live that comes at the price of death.
9 La Dolce Vita – 8
The film follows Marcello, a gossip journalist, as he loiters in the streets of Rome searching for “the sweet life” in vain. Over a period of seven days and nights, he meets different people with different personalities, each influencing his perception of the philosophy of life.
The film is divided into seven episodes, weaved together by our protagonist in his futile quest for love and happiness. As a tabloid writer, Marcello is torn between his desire to lead a more meaningful existence in the company of other sensitive, intellectual personalities, or the lifestyle of excess and fame.
8 The Grapes Of Wrath – 8
Steinbeck’s famous novel of the same name was adapted into a movie by John Ford. The film reflects the life and struggles of an Oklahoma family as they move to California after losing their farm in the Great Depression and become migrant workers.
The American spirit is never beaten down, similarly, the characters are met with stark conditions, but they endure it without accepting defeat, and their mere survival despite all odds is a victory in itself. Unlike the novel, the film ends on a more optimistic note. It is a true epic exploring the significance of life and the absence of the need for any further meaning to it except that of being alive with and for our loved ones.
7 The Seventh Seal – 8.2
The eternal doubt of humankind asks the question, “What is there after death?” and it is the answer to this question that all philosophers, scientists and artists seek. In this film, the protagonist challenges Death to a game of chess, as if to test his own faith in the almighty, one that is not driven by sheer blind belief, but based on a more logical understanding of the workings of life and death. He plays with the idea of life as a prison and salvation attained only by the purest form of liberation – that is, through death.
One of the greatest films in the history of cinema, Bergman’s classic attempts to grasp the meaning of life as an innate need to appreciate the little things, such as the taste of strawberries or the sound of a happy song and breakfast shared with a family.
6 Tokyo Story – 8.2
One is habituated to look for drama in a cinematic plot, but that is exactly what Ozu subverts in his creations. Particularly, in this film, the narrative lacks even the smallest tension or conflict. Throughout the film, an old couple visits their children, and almost inevitably, they witness the strengths and shortcomings of their progeny first hand.
They become troublesome to their children and cause inconvenience and get neglected by their own offspring, not out of willful disinterest but because everyone is preoccupied with their own lives. The detached way in which Ozu shows us the importance of day-to-day life and seemingly insignificant activities is what makes this film deeply philosophical in its essence.
5 Rashomon – 8.2
Kurosawa’s film, Rashomon, is an exploration of what is the absolute truth. The notion of “seeing is believing” gets completely disrupted here because according to the characters in the film, what one sees is directly dependent on where one stands, thus bringing up the question of perspective into the picture.
It is a classic 6 or 9 problem, while one looks at the number and claims it to be 6, the person opposite to him looks at the same digit and perceives it to be a 9. Neither of the two is entirely wrong, yet in the case of the film plot, extending the same logic to include each character’s point of view as their version of truth makes the whole narrative unreliable.
4 Ikiru – 8.3
Ironically, Mr. Watanabe is filled with an unquenchable desire “to live” only when he gets diagnosed with cancer. An ordinary bureaucrat, he has led a very boring life until then. Sitting in a small restaurant overhearing a group of children singing happy birthday to their friend, Watanabe experiences a kind of rebirth as he decides to accomplish at least one thing worthwhile. It is from that very instant that he actually starts living and ultimately gains agency of his personal narrative.
A single man’s unwavering resolve in establishing something significant has the power to evoke myriads of emotions in the people around him – inspiration, anger, frustration – but it is after he is gone that everyone tries to understand and respects him.
3 It’s A Wonderful Life – 8.6
The best thing about this classic Christmas film is how relatable it is, even to this day. An honest hard-working man overwhelmed by the trials and tribulations that life has set for him is driven to the point of quitting until a guardian angel helps him realize his own importance. This includes the difference he has made throughout his life with the smallest acts of kindness that seemed to always go unrewarded and unnoticed – the changes his presence brought to the lives of the people around him, his neighbors and family – all of which would unravel and fall apart if he had never been born.
The film makes a complete circle, as the protagonist regains his faith in life and embraces the opportunity to return to his loved ones again at the end of the day.
2 Life Is Beautiful – 8.6
Post second world war, there was an overall sense of loss and grief in the air. People felt disillusioned and lost their purpose in life. The goofy and charming protagonist of this film inspires people to hold on to hope, something that is essential for survival. In the direst of situations, although the audience could tell he had no chance of making it out alive, because unlike other heroes, he had neither physical strength nor wealth, yet he makes use of his sense of humor and storytelling skills to save his only son.
Staying mentally strong enough to re-imagine the entire horrific concentration camp experience as a mere game to help his son overcome it, is not only heartwarming but also exceptionally admirable. It is this indomitable spirit of the character that makes the film so poignant.
1 The Shawshank Redemption – 9.3
Freedom is a matter of perception – one can be free while being imprisoned and a free man can similarly still feel trapped. It is Andy’s resilience that protects him from the amnesiac influence of spending time in jail. Prisoners begin to forget life without the rules and disciplines beyond the existence inside the jail – they become dependent on it for meaning to their own lives. Andy, being an educated and successful banker, resolves to build a library in the prison and rebels against the systematic erasure of his self-identity by nurturing and maintaining his integrity.
Sometimes, he shares his philosophical ideas about life with his best friend, Red. Ultimately, using his wit and trained patience, he executes his plan of escape with precision, but it was hope and his friendship with Red that kept him motivated throughout.
Link Source : https://screenrant.com/10-best-philosophical-movies-of-all-time-ranked-according-to-imdb/
Movies -15 Underrated Disney Movies That Need A LiveAction Adaptation
90 Day Fiancé Varyas Inappropriate Video From Gravesite Bothers Fans
10 BehindTheScenes Facts About Howl’s Moving Castle
AI Created To Give Ethical Advice Is Being Racist And Murderous
Arcane MTG Secret Lair Drops Coming For League of Legends Crossover
Adventure Time 10 Side Characters Who Deserved Their Own SpinOff
90 Day Fiancé Cast Members Who Are Heavily Involved With Fitness
