Life changing movies

[Bodhitree]

I came across an interesting list the other day, of 50 movies to change your life. It isn’t just a countdown, but split into ten themes, with five movies for each theme. It’s been really interesting for me to discuss initially what makes a film life changing, and then afterwards which films meet that bar for me personally.

Here is the original list I found on YouTube, to provide a basis for discussion:

0:00 The Set-Up
1:50 Part I: Existence
2:23 The Seventh Seal *
5:58 2001: A Space Odyssey *
9:55 Blade Runner *
13:31 The Tree of Life
17:34 The Turin Horse
21:10 Part II: Time and Memory
21:45 8 1/2
25:47 The Mirror
30:12 Once Upon a Time in America
33:39 The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
37:28 Arrival *
41:25 Part III: Passion
42:03 Andrei Rublev
45:49 Amadeus *
49:43 The Prestige *
53:41 Synecdoche, New York
57:32 First Man
1:01:34 Part IV: Love
1:02:13 Dersu Uzala
1:06:05 Children of Heaven
1:09:40 Good Will Hunting *
1:13:18 Before Sunset
1:17:05 Portrait of a Lady on Fire
1:20:48 Part V: Humanity
1:21:24 Tokyo Story
1:24:47 Land of Silence and Darkness
1:28:31 The Elephant Man
1:32:32 Satantango
1:36:20 Paterson
1:40:19 Part VI: War and Evil
1:40:55 Paths of Glory
1:44:50 Apocalypse Now *
1:48:37 Come and See
1:52:18 Shoah
1:56:09 The Thin Red Line
2:00:16 Part VII: Justice
2:00:56 12 Angry Men
2:04:40 Judgment at Nuremberg
2:08:49 Harakiri
2:12:33 Memories of Murder
2:16:27 No Country For Old Men *
2:20:24 Part VIII: Society
2:21:04 Network
2:24:44 Koyaanisqatsi *
2:28:25 Jurassic Park *
2:32:18 There Will Be Blood *
2:36:19 The Big Short
2:39:53 Part IX: Psyche
2:40:29 Jeanne Dielman, 23, Quai Du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles
2:44:32 Taxi Driver
2:48:27 Heat *
2:52:24 Grizzly Man
2:56:11 Inception *
3:00:40 Part X: Goodness and Virtue
3:01:20 It's a Wonderful Life
3:05:28 Ikiru
3:09:27 The Shawshank Redemption *
3:13:21 The Lord of the Rings *
3:17:25 Kingdom of Heaven *

I’ve asterisked the films I’ve seen, only 17 out of the 50, but I’d like to see a few more.

 

[KaliYoni]

life changing

What did the list-maker mean by "life changing"? I think the term can be interpreted in many ways. For example, "this movie made me interested in other movies like it" is pretty different from "this movie caused me to become a nun".

 

[Bodhitree]

What did the list-maker mean by "life changing"? I think the term can be interpreted in many ways. For example, "this movie made me interested in other movies like it" is pretty different from "this movie caused me to become a nun".

The list was part of a video essay, I’ll see if I still have a link. But I think he meant movies which significantly changed the way you look at the world. I reckon movies that change one’s life direction are so rare that it’s too high a bar, and you’re unlikely to come across even two, let alone fifty.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I came across an interesting list the other day, of the 50 most life changing movies. It isn’t just a countdown, but split into ten themes, with five movies for each theme. It’s been really interesting for me to discuss initially what makes a film life changing, and then afterwards which films meet that bar for me personally.

Here is the original list I found on YouTube, to provide a basis for discussion:

0:00 The Set-Up
1:50 Part I: Existence
2:23 The Seventh Seal *
5:58 2001: A Space Odyssey *
9:55 Blade Runner *
13:31 The Tree of Life
17:34 The Turin Horse
21:10 Part II: Time and Memory
21:45 8 1/2
25:47 The Mirror
30:12 Once Upon a Time in America
33:39 The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
37:28 Arrival *
41:25 Part III: Passion
42:03 Andrei Rublev
45:49 Amadeus *
49:43 The Prestige *
53:41 Synecdoche, New York
57:32 First Man
1:01:34 Part IV: Love
1:02:13 Dersu Uzala
1:06:05 Children of Heaven
1:09:40 Good Will Hunting *
1:13:18 Before Sunset
1:17:05 Portrait of a Lady on Fire
1:20:48 Part V: Humanity
1:21:24 Tokyo Story
1:24:47 Land of Silence and Darkness
1:28:31 The Elephant Man
1:32:32 Satantango
1:36:20 Paterson
1:40:19 Part VI: War and Evil
1:40:55 Paths of Glory
1:44:50 Apocalypse Now *
1:48:37 Come and See
1:52:18 Shoah
1:56:09 The Thin Red Line
2:00:16 Part VII: Justice
2:00:56 12 Angry Men
2:04:40 Judgment at Nuremberg
2:08:49 Harakiri
2:12:33 Memories of Murder
2:16:27 No Country For Old Men *
2:20:24 Part VIII: Society
2:21:04 Network
2:24:44 Koyaanisqatsi *
2:28:25 Jurassic Park *
2:32:18 There Will Be Blood *
2:36:19 The Big Short
2:39:53 Part IX: Psyche
2:40:29 Jeanne Dielman, 23, Quai Du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles
2:44:32 Taxi Driver
2:48:27 Heat *
2:52:24 Grizzly Man
2:56:11 Inception *
3:00:40 Part X: Goodness and Virtue
3:01:20 It's a Wonderful Life
3:05:28 Ikiru
3:09:27 The Shawshank Redemption *
3:13:21 The Lord of the Rings *
3:17:25 Kingdom of Heaven *

I’ve asterisked the films I’ve seen, only 17 out of the 50, but I’d like to see a few more.

To be honest, I would have preferred a list that you had compiled yourself, - as it would have had more significance and meaning for you - and read your explanations for why these movies meant something to you - rather than one culled from the internet via YouTube.

This is because any list compiled (and published) on YouTube will have been influenced, firstly, by stuff that is currently deemed 'popular', (rather than, possibly, thought-provoking), and secondly, will have been also influenced (perhaps, excessively) by a youthful leaning demographic, and, above all, thirdly, will have been drawn from a specific cultural context (i.e. English speaking US made movies).

None of these 'types' of movies are of much interest to me, whereas many of the movies that I, personally, have preferred, and have found powerful, moving, thought-provoking, have come from European sources, and quite a number of those also come, complete with sub-titles.

 

[KaliYoni]

movies which significantly changed the way you look at the world

A funny thing about that list is that it is essentially the Criterion Collection's catalog!
;-)

Anyway, three that immediately popped into my head:
Land Without Bread/Las Hurdes (disproves the online "Pics or It Didn't Happen" meme)
Triumph of the Will/Triumph des Willens (is it art? is it propaganda? or is it possible to be both?)
Everything Everywhere All At Once (can every genre be in one movie? Yes, yes, yes!!!)

 

[maflynn]

That list seems odd, not sure of the criteria being used but many of those movies are far from life changing. Many of the listed movies are mediocre at best (not me saying but their box office performance), others are bland in terms of not offering life changing topics, or special effects, or story depth.

The omissions are too many to count, but I'll mention a handful
Gone with the wind
Star Wars
God Father
Wizard of OZ
The Jazz Singer first talking movie.
Ben Hur

 

[Mousse]

Wizard of OZ

This movie taught all about pretty privilege. The Wick Witch of the West gets the villain treatment because she's ugly. From the start, all she wanted was to reclaim her sister's ruby slippers from her sister's killer. Why isn't Dorthy vivified for kill two ugly women and robbing the dead? Well, she was being used by Glinda the Good [Looking] Witch--who was the real villain--used Dorthy to steal the ruby slippers. That's my take. She got away with it because she's good looking. Pretty privilege🤨

Jaws gave me aquaphobia for years. I avoided going near water or the beach or boats. Thanks for the trauma, Bruce.😢

 

[Huntn]

What did the list-maker mean by "life changing"? I think the term can be interpreted in many ways. For example, "this movie made me interested in other movies like it" is pretty different from "this movie caused me to become a nun".

Good point. I’d say the term is mostly a misnomer, not to insist there are no movies that were life changing to someone one, as in choosing a profession or adopting a cause based on a movie.

That said:

• Life changing? Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines, led me to become a pilot. 😊
• 2001- was an incredibly disappointing movie to a 15 year old in the theater who wanted to see a space movie!, but got a bunch of classical music and artistic sequences. 😳 Since then I saw the light and cherish this film and its sequel.
• It's a Wonderful Life- incredible! A favorite film and story, watching as I type.
• The Shawshank Redemption- great flick.
• The Lord of the Rings- amazing, but it helps if you were already vested in the books. 😁
• Jurassic Park- The first film where the only reason you know an animal is cgi is because you know they don’t exist.
• Avatar- created the first CGI film created in a warehouse, where the entire world feels real.
• The Longest Day- Epic.
• Fail Safe- Toying with Armageddon. Pretty sobering for an 11 year old to absorb at the theater (taken there by his father).
• I’m sure they’re more! (Not a movie title) 😛

 

[Huntn]

This movie taught all about pretty privilege. The Wick Witch of the West gets the villain treatment because she's ugly. From the start, all she wanted was to reclaim her sister's ruby slippers from her sister's killer. Why isn't Dorthy vivified for kill two ugly women and robbing the dead? Well, she was being used by Glinda the Good [Looking] Witch--who was the real villain--used Dorthy to steal the ruby slippers. That's my take. She got away with it because she's good looking. Pretty privilege🤨

Jaws gave me aquaphobia for years. I avoided going near water or the beach or boats. Thanks for the trauma, Bruce.😢

• Jaws kept me out of any body of ocean with murky water, for decades, maybe to this day.
• WoZ- was an annual staple as a kid, broadcast on Thanksgiving?
• Gone With The Wind- did not see this until after college and was impressed.
• Planet of the Apes- from the golden age of SciFi.

 

[BotchQue]

I can name a few books that were life-changing, but no films (I've only seen three of the 50).

 

[I7guy]

I have seen 6 movies out the entire list. I’m not a movie goer.

 

[Bodhitree]

To be honest, I would have preferred a list that you had compiled yourself, - as it would have had more significance and meaning for you

This list set me off on thinking on the topic, so as a kind of kickstarter I wanted to use it for reference. I kind of agree with the list’s compiler — a YouTuber and film scholar named Tom — that life changing movies are not just those which are popular, but those which have a lasting impact on the way you think and see things. It’s personal, and more like just a handful of films…

I’ve been working on my own list, here is what I’ve got so far:

Schindler’s List: I found this very emotional, gripping, and a much more approachable film on the Holocaust than say the 10 hour docu Shoah. A great examination of real-life good and evil.
The Exorcist: I remember catching this on Dutch mainstream TV aged just 11, I didn’t watch all of it but what I saw scared the bejesus out of me. It gave me a lasting dislike for horror films.
Spirited Away: Hayao Miyazaki’s animated tale about a young girl getting lost in the land of the spirits I found enchanting and wondrous, it’s a film about how the world can suddenly appear larger and magical, a film about belonging and finding your place and friendship. It’s about an animist world, where there are Radish Spirits, River Spirits, and much else.
Monty Python’s Life of Brian: This hilarious tale of Jewish boy Brian being mistaken for the Messiah in Roman-controlled Palestine had me in stitches a number of times. It’s one of the funniest films ever made as well as a great send-up of Christian religion.
Blade Runner: Its vision of a dark city future haunted me for some time, hooking in with early ideas of overpopulation, pollution and the environment. The film’s ending message is actually surprisingly upbeat, about forgiveness, human nature, impermanence. It stayed with me for a long time.
The Matrix: The central idea of The Matrix was so revolutionary, so new at the time that it was literally mind-blowing, although since then it has become much more mainstream. It’s still a great action film though.
The Hobbit: I know many people prefer The Lord of the Rings over this, but it made me feel like a child again on a wondrous adventure in a land filled with strange and exciting things, whereas LotR takes itself very seriously. It has great humour, great action and an excellent dragon, and it says a lot about the role of one small burglar and his sense of goodness in large world affairs.
Dr. Strangelove: Probably the film about the Cold War, a wonderful performance by Peter Sellers, and pretty darn funny too. For a long time the world was perched on a knife edge of nuclear war, and though it is less in the zeitgeist, maybe it still is.

My films are more mainstream and less arty than Tom’s, but I don’t have the pretence of being a film scholar. I also watch far fewer films than he does, I’m sure.

 

[Bodhitree]

That list seems odd, not sure of the criteria being used but many of those movies are far from life changing. Many of the listed movies are mediocre at best (not me saying but their box office performance), others are bland in terms of not offering life changing topics, or special effects, or story depth.

The omissions are too many to count, but I'll mention a handful
Gone with the wind
Star Wars
God Father
Wizard of OZ
The Jazz Singer first talking movie.
Ben Hur

I understand that it’s tempting to just mention big budget or critically acclaimed films, but I don’t think that is the point of a list like this. It’s to provide a spur for introspection, to see which films really move the needle in changing your inner life. As such it is personal and can include small films as well as big ones.

I don’t think there is a definitive list — someone who fell in love with Star Wars and became a dedicated lifelong fan might well claim it changed their life, while for other people it was entertainment and little more. Some people fill their house with memorabilia of their favourite films, go to conventions, special screenings and so on.

I’ve changed the title of the thread to be more in line with the title of the video and Tom’s list, it is meant to be a discussion of what movies do change people’s lives and how.