At their heart, movies are pure entertainment designed to make viewers feel a whole range of emotions. But they are more than stories to be quickly forgotten once the credits roll. Many have potent messages to impart to the audience.
With that in mind, a forum member recently asked fellow users to share films that are also great philosophical lessons for life. We’ve brought together the best suggestions for you to check out.
1 – The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)
Several people recommended the 2013 version of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, the second film based on James Thurber’s short story. It follows Ben Stiller’s character as he embarks on an adventure that takes him away from his mundane job and gives him a taste of what he could be doing.
2 – Pleasantville (1998)
Starring Tobey Maguire, Reese Witherspoon, and Jeff Daniels, among others, Pleasantville follows two young siblings who become trapped in a black-and-white television show. As the two adapt to the seemingly perfect town, they understand that no one way of living is better than another.
3 – Life of Pi (2012)
Ang Lee’s adventure drama film is based on Yann Martel’s earlier novel and features Suraj Sharma in the lead role as a shipwreck survivor stranded in the sea with a deadly tiger. Facing an uncertain future and death, the two unlikely passengers on the lifeboat must learn to work together and adapt to their new situation to survive the ordeal.
4 – Harvey (1950)
A comedy-drama from the 1950s, Harvey is based on an earlier play by Mary Chase. The main character, Elwood, is a rich man who has become an outcast due to his association with an invisible giant rabbit called Harvey — who is actually a being from Celtic mythology known as a Puca. The film explores what it means to be normal and how society treats those who are different.
5 – Soul (2020)
Many of Pixar’s films have a philosophical message, and Soul is no different. The 2020 comedy-drama focuses on a middle-aged man, Joe, who works as a music teacher. However, just before he gets his big chance to impress as a jazz musician, he falls into a coma and must find a way to reunite his soul with his body.
6 – American History X (1998)
American History X sees Edward Norton play violent neo-Nazi Derek Vineyard. Ending up in prison for the murder of two young black children, Derek slowly changes his personality and is eventually able to be rehabilitated. Along the way, he battles to stop his own brother from becoming indoctrinated into Nazi ideology and battles to stop his own hatred from coming to the surface once again.
7 – I Heart Huckabees (2004)
First released in 2004, I Heart Huckabees is a black comedy film that delves into the meaning of life. Two detectives work to find the connection and purpose behind a series of strange coincidences that links seemingly unconnected people. As they do so, they also confront their own feelings about why they are here and what they are meant to do.
8 – Waking Life (2001)
The animated film Waking Life features Wiley Wiggins as an unnamed protagonist who finds themselves journeying through a series of realities. In each dreamlike encounter, he engages in deep and meaningful conversations with strangers, discussing everything from free will and the meaning of like to the very idea of consciousness.
9 – A Man For All Seasons (1966)
A historical production that depicts the last part of Sir Thomas More’s life, A Man for All Seasons tells the story of a man who sticks to his principles and follows his conscience despite the threats against him. Faced with the possibility of death, the film delves into how More defied King Henry VIII and was willing to die for his beliefs.
10 – Interstellar (2014)
Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi film Interstellar stars Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway in a dystopian future where Earth has been all but destroyed, and humanity struggles with endless famine. A team led by astronaut Joseph Cooper travels through a wormhole in an attempt to find a new home for humanity and ensure the survival of the species.
11 – The Man From Earth (2007)
David Lee Smith portrays John Oldman in The Man From Earth, a character who suddenly reveals to his friends at a farewell party that he is more than 14,000 years old. Throughout the film, he and his colleagues discuss his life while also questioning the validity of his story. This raises points about what it means to be human over such a long time and whether John feels guilty for outliving all of his friends and family.
12 – Monty Python and the Meaning of Life (1983)
The final film from the British comedy group Monty Python and the Meaning of Life goes back to the sketch format used in their earlier work. Most scenes deal with a different aspect of human life, exploring the absurdities of humanity and attacking the strange traditions established over centuries.
13 – The Truman Show (1998)
In The Truman Show, Jim Carrey plays Truman Burbank — a man who believes he lives in an ordinary world but is actually the star of a reality television show that follows every aspect of his life. With every part of his life manufactured and orchestrated by outside powers, Truman discovers the truth and must choose whether to choose free will or stay trapped in this fake world.
14 – The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
Single father, Chris Gardner, portrayed by Will Smith, works to provide a better life for both himself and his young son in this 2006 film. The Pursuit of Happyness follows the characters as they face numerous hardships and become homeless but continue to struggle forward in the hope of improving their situation while refusing to accept defeat.
Source: (Reddit).
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