Film Lists

I am so grateful for the healing capacity that movies have had for me though out my life. My intention for creating these film lists was to create a resource for people like myself who use film as a means for inspiration. I like to be provoked or moved in a way that results in a realization or breakthrough of some kind. I enjoy seeing the world of ideas through many perspectives. I also like to be uplifted when I am down and a good movie leaves me feeling energized.

I chose categories that I thought would be the most useful for someone looking for a film to satisfy a desired end. I enjoy stories that dramatize (intentionally or not) the classic cycle of the hero's journey or show a full "alchemical" transformation. I am also drawn to anything that would be classified as psychological, metaphysical, supernatural, surrealistic, mystical, mythological, philosophical, Zen, existentialist, spiritual, paranormal, scientific or based on a true story. I think that the realizations and inspirational feelings you walk away with is the best way to judge the value of a film, at least as a tool for feeding the soul. I will be updating the lists periodically. Enjoy!

Contents

  1. Advanced Human and Superhuman Skills, Powers, Gifts and Sensibilities

  2. Afterlife and references to Supernatural Beings (light and dark)

  3. Based on a True Story

  4. Comedy or Humorous Moments within a Drama

  5. Documentary or Conversational

  6. Extraterrestrials (or references to them)

  7. Fantasy

  8. Foreign

  9. Musicals, or film with a music video format or film that is related to music or musicians.

  10. Play of the Mind

  11. Surrealism and Experimental to Way-Way Out There

  12. Time, Space Travel, Science Fiction, Alternate Realities, Synchronicity, The Future, Dejavu or Past Lives

### Warning intense Adult viewing (may contain violence, disturbing scenes or horror)

1. Advanced Human and Superhuman Skills, Powers, Gifts and Sensibilities

(Martial Arts, Zen, ESP, Telekinesis, Remote Viewing, Channeling, Healing, Cosmic Consciousness, Prodigies, High IQ calculations and talents due to autism, yogic powers etc…)
  • Bee Season (2005)
  • Carnivale (HBO Series) (2003-2005)
  • Conversations with God (2006)
  • Forbidden Planet (1956)
  • Hearts in Atlantis (2001)
  • House of Cards (1993) with Kathleen Turner and Tommy Lee Jones
  • Karate Kid (1984)
  • Man Who Could Work Miracles, The (1936)
  • Mr North (1988)
  • Peaceful Warrior (2005)
  • Phenomenon (1996)
  • Powder (1995)
  • Rainman (1988)
  • Suspect Zero (2004) ###
  • The Gift (2000)
  • The Green Mile (1999)
  • The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000)
  • The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
  • The Matrix Revolutions (2003)
  • The Matrix (1999)
  • The Village of the Damned (1960)
  • Thunder Heart (1992)
  • Vitus (2006)
  • The Missing (2003) ###
  • The Last Wave (1977)
  • The Last Samurai (2003)
  • The Guardian (2006)
  • The Incredibles (2004)
  • Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins (1985)
  • The Golden Child (1986)
  • Minority Report (2002) ###
  • Unbreakable (2000)
  • Dreamkeeper 2003
  • Frequencies (2013)

2. Afterlife and references to Supernatural Beings (light and dark)

  • Always (1989)
  • Angels in America (2003)
  • Blithe Spirit (1945)
  • City of Angels (1998)
  • Defending your Life (1991)
  • Dragonfly (2002)
  • Fearless (1993)--Weir
  • Field of Dreams (1998)
  • Five People you Meet in Heaven (2004)
  • Flatliners (1990)
  • Frequency (2000)
  • Ghost (1990)
  • Heaven Can Wait (1978)
  • It’s A Wonderful Life (1946)
  • Made in Heaven (1987)
  • Meet Joe Black (1998)
  • Prelude to a Kiss (1992)
  • Siesta (1987)
  • Stay (2005)
  • Stir of Echoes, A (1999)
  • The Others (2001)
  • The Sixth Sense (1999)
  • Truly Madly Deeply (1991)
  • Waking Life (2001)
  • What Dreams May Come (1998)
  • Wristcutters: A Love story (2006)
  • 1408 (2007) ###

3. Based on a True Story

  • 7 Years in Tibet (1997)
  • A Beautiful Mind (2001)
  • A River Runs Through It (1992)
  • An Angel at my Table (1990)
  • Apollo13 (1995)
  • Asoka (2001)
  • Awakenings (1990)
  • Blue Butterfly, The (2004)
  • Brubaker (1980)
  • Camille Claudel (1988)
  • Chariots of Fire (1981)
  • Charlie Wilson’s War (2007)
  • Cinderella Man (2005)
  • Conversations With God (2006)
  • Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007)
  • Emerald Forest, The (1985) (Although this film was promoted as a film based on a true story, it is more accurate to say it was inspired by an actual abduction and assimilation story (from a newspaper article) which apparently couldn’t be verified.) Regardless, the film is as pertinent today as it was in 1985.
  • Erin Brokovich (2000)
  • Fairy Tale: A True Story (1997)
  • Finding Neverland (2004)
  • Freedom Writers (2007)
  • Frida (2002)
  • Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)
  • Ghandi (1982)
  • Good Morning Vietnam (1987)
  • Good Night, and Good Luck (2005)
  • Hilary and Jackie (1998)
  • Horse Whisperer, The (1998)
  • Hotel Rwanda (2004)
  • Kundun (1997)
  • Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
  • Lorenzo’s Oil (1992)
  • Man on the Moon (1999)
  • Miracle Worker, The (1962)
  • Miss Potter (2006)
  • Mothman Prophecies, The (2002)
  • Music Within (2007)
  • Patch Adams (1998)
  • Prize Winner of Defiance Ohio, The (2005)
  • Running With Scissors (2006)
  • Schindler’s List (1993)
  • Serpent and the Rainbow, The (1987)###
  • Shine (1996)
  • Siddhartha (1972)
  • Something the Lord Made (2004)
  • Swimming Upstream (2005)
  • The Constant Gardener (2005)
  • The Entity (1982) ###
  • The Insider (1999)
  • The Italian (2005)
  • The Magdalene Sisters (2002)
  • The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (1999) ###
  • The Natural (1984) (composite of Ted Williams and Eddie Waitkus)
  • The Pursuit of Happyness [sic](2006)
  • The Secret of Nikola Tesla (1979)
  • The Straight Story (1999)
  • Fur (2006)
  • The Tracker (2002)  the one about an Australian aborigine tracker
  • HER (2013)

4. Comedy or Humorous Moments within a Serious Drama

  • A Christmas Story (1983)
  • About Schmidt (2002)
  • Adam's Rib (1949)
  • After Hours (1985)
  • All of Me (1984)
  • Amelie (2001)
  • Annie Hall (1977)
  • As Good as it Gets (1997)
  • Barefoot in the Park (1967)
  • Being There (1979)
  • Benny and Joon (1993)
  • Best in Show (2000)
  • Big Lebowski, The (1998)
  • Biloxi Blues (1988)
  • Blast from the Past (1999)
  • Blind Date (1987)
  • Born Yesterday (1950)
  • Brighton Beach Memoirs (1986)
  • Bringing up Baby (1938)
  • Bucket List, The (2007)
  • City Slickers (1991)
  • Committed (2002)
  • Continental Divide (1981)
  • Dan in Real Life (2007)
  • Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986)
  • Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb (1964)
  • Eagle VS Shark (2007)
  • Ed Wood (1994)
  • Employee of the Month (2006)
  • Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Sex But Were Afraid to Ask (1972)
  • Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
  • Fish Called Wanda, A (1988)
  • Flirting with Disaster (1996)
  • French Kiss (1995)
  • Fun with Dick and Jane (2005)
  • Garden State (2004)
  • Ghost World (2001)
  • Gods Must be Crazy, The (1981)
  • Harold and Maude (1971)
  • Harvey (1950) - Jimmy Stewart
  • History of the World-Part I (1981)
  • I Heart Huckabees (2004)
  • I Love you to Death (1990)
  • It Happened One Night (1934)
  • It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)
  • Joe Vs the Volcano (1990)
  • Keeping the Faith (2000)
  • Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
  • Little Rascals (1994) see the classic originals from the 20's and 30's if you can
  • Love Actually (2003)
  • M*A*S*H (1970)
  • Meet the Fockers (2004)
  • Meet the Parents (2000)
  • Mighty Aphrodite (1995)
  • Money Pit, The (1986)
  • Moscow on the Hudson (1984)
  • Mozart and the Whale (2005)
  • Mr. Mom (1983)
  • My Favorite Year (1982)
  • Night At The Opera, A (1935)
  • Office Space (1999)
  • Parenthood (1989)
  • Play it Again Sam (1972)
  • Punchline (1988)
  • Radio Days (1987)
  • Raising Arizona (1987)
  • Return of the Pink Panther (1975)
  • Revenge of the Pink Panther (1978)
  • Rocket Gibraltar (1988)
  • Royal Tenenbaums, The 2001
  • Shakespeare in Love (1998)
  • Shot in the Dark, A (1964)
  • Some Like it Hot (1959)
  • Something Wild (1986)
  • The Birdcage (1996)
  • The Burbs (1989)
  • The Freshman (1990)
  • The Hot Rock (1972)
  • The Jerk (1979)
  • The Out-of-Towners (1970)
  • The Party (1968) - Peter Sellers
  • The Philadelphia Story (1940)
  • The Pink Panther (1963)
  • The Seven-Year Itch (1955)
  • The Sting (1973)
  • The Wedding Singer (1998)
  • Throw Mamma from the Train (1987)
  • Trading Places (1983)
  • Trains, Planes, and Automobiles (1987)
  • Victor Victoria (1999)
  • Waking Ned Divine (1998)
  • Weddings Crashers (2005)
  • Welcome to the Doll House (1995)
  • What's New, Pussycat? (1965)
  • What's Up Doc? (1972)
  • When Harry Met Sally (1989)
  • Yes Man (2008)
  • You Can't Take It With You (1938)
  • Zero Effect (1998)
  • Zoolander (2001)
  • The Full Monty (1997)
  • A Single Man (2009)
  • W.E. (2011)
  • Words and Pictures (2013)
  • Bagdad Cafe (1988)

5. Documentary or Conversational

  • An Inconvenient Truth (2006)
  • Ballet Russes (2005)
  • Born into Brothels (2003)
  • Bowling For Columbine (2002)
  • Chariots of the Gods (1970)
  • Crop Circles: Quest For Truth (2002)
  • Experiencing the Soul; Before Birth, During Life, After Death (2005)
  • From Freedom to Fascism (2006)
  • Future of Food, The (2004)
  • God and Buddha: A Dialogue (1999)
  • Go Further (2003)
  • Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thomas (2007)
  • Holes in Heaven? H.A.A.R.P. (2005)
  • Hoxsey; When Healing Becomes a Crime (1987)
  • March of the Penguins (2005)
  • Mindwalk (1990)
  • Monopoly Men (phenomenon:The Lost Archives) (2001)
  • My Dinner with Andre (1981)
  • Ram Dass: Fierce Grace (2002)
  • Sicko (2001)
  • The Corporation (2003)
  • Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price (2005)
  • What The Bleep Do We Know (2006)
  • Why We Fight (2004)
  • Winged Migration (2001)
  • Matter of Heart ( about C.G. Jung) (1985)
  • Zeitgeist (2008)
  • Kymatica (2009)
  • Fastwalkers (2008)
  • Food Matters (2009)
  • Between The Folds (2008)
  • DMT: The Spirit Molecule (2010)
  • Gore Vidal, The United States of Amnesia (2013)

6. Extraterrestrials (or references to them)

  • K-Pax (2001)
  • Contact (1997)
  • Starman (1984)
  • 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
  • Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
  • Cocoon (1985)
  • Coneheads (1993)
  • Day the Earth Stood Still, The (1951)
  • Day the Earth Stood Still, The (2008)
  • Enemy Mine (1985)
  • Escape to Witch Mountain (1975)
  • ET (1982)
  • Galaxy Quest (1999)
  • Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (2005)
  • Iron Giant, The (1999)
  • Martian Child (2007)
  • Men in Black (1997)
  • Men in Black II (2002)
  • Mysterious Skin (2004) ###
  • My Stepmother is an Alien (1988)
  • Stalker (1979)
  • The Big Empty (2003)
  • Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)

7. Fantasy

  • 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T (1953)
  • 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958)
  • A Bugs Life (1998)
  • A Christmas Carol (1951) or (1958)
  • Addams Family Values (1993)
  • Alice (1990)
  • All of Me (1984)
  • Antz (1998)
  • Batman Begins (2005)
  • Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971)
  • Bee Movie (2007)
  • Beetle Juice (1988)
  • Bell, Book and Candle (1958)
  • Big Fish (2003)
  • Blade Runner (1982)
  • Brazil (1985)
  • Bruce Almighty (2003)
  • Chocolate (2000)
  • Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons,The (2008)
  • Dark City (1998)
  • Death Becomes Her (1992)
  • Evan Almighty (2007)
  • Freaky Friday (1976)
  • Golden Compass, The (2007)
  • Harvey (1950)
  • Ice Age (2002)
  • Jason and the Argonauts (1963)
  • Jurassic Park (1993)
  • King Kong (1933)
  • Legend (1985)
  • Lemony Snicket’s a Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)
  • Liar Liar (1997)
  • Lost Horizon (1937)
  • Mirror Mask (2005)
  • My Super Ex Girlfriend (2006)
  • Night at the Museum(2005)
  • Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984)
  • Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)
  • Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure (1985)
  • Peter Pan (2003)
  • Photographing Fairies (1997)
  • Purple Rose of Cairo
  • Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
  • Shrek , Shrek II, Shrek III (2001, 2004, 2007)
  • Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004)
  • Sleepy Hollow (1999)
  • Splash (1984)
  • Stranger than Fiction (2006)
  • The Ant Bully (2006)
  • The Handmaids Tale (1990)
  • The Neverending Story (1984)
  • The Shadow (1994)
  • The Truman Show (1998)--Weir
  • The Witches of Eastwick (1987)
  • Toy Story (1995)
  • Tuck Everlasting (2002)
  • V for Vendetta (2006)
  • Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)
  • The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus (2009)
  • The Tempest (2010)
  • The Zero Theorem (2014)

8. Foreign

  • Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams (1990)
  • Anchoress (1993)
  • A Very Long Engagement (2004)
  • Angel on my shoulder (1946)
  • Angel-A (2005)
  • Babette’s Feast (1987)
  • Before the Rain (1994) Macedonian
  • Children of Heaven (1997)
  • Cinema Paradiso (1988)
  • Dersu Uzala (1975)
  • Earth (1998)
  • Enlightenment Guaranteed (German comedy) (2001)
  • Fanny and Alexander (1982)
  • Faraway So Close (Sequel to Wings of Desire) Wim Wenders (1993)
  • Fire (1996)
  • Happenstance (2000)
  • Himalaya: L’Enfance D’Un Chef (1999)
  • I Remember Mama (1948)
  • Ju Dou (1990)
  • King of Hearts, The (1966)
  • Kitchen Stores (2003) (Norwegian comedy)
  • Malena (2000)
  • My Life as a Dog (1985)
  • Noi the Albino (2003) Icelandic
  • Raise the Red Lantern (1991)
  • Run Lola Run (1998)
  • Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring (2003)
  • The Color of Paradise (1999)
  • The Dancer Upstairs (2002)
  • The Hairdressers Wife (1992)
  • The Kite Runner (2007)
  • The Professional (1994)
  • The Scent of Green Papaya (1993)
  • The Science of Sleep (2005)
  • The Seven Samurai (1954)
  • The Seventh Seal (1957)
  • The Spirit of the Beehive (1973)
  • The Story of Qui Ju (1992)
  • The Story of the Weeping Camel (2003)
  • The Tiger and the Snow (2005)
  • The Virgin Spring (1960)
  • Three Colors --Trilogy—Blue(1993), White (1994) and Red (2003)
  • Water (2005)
  • Wings of Desire (1987)

9. Musicals, or film with a music video format or film that is related to music or musicians.

  • A Hard Day’s Night (1964)
  • Across the Universe (2007)
  • Amadeus (1984)
  • August Rush ( 2007) (pending)
  • Baraka (Blessing) (1993)
  • Chitty Chitty –Bang Bang (1968)
  • Hairspray (2007)
  • Help (1965)
  • Immortal Beloved (1994)
  • Labyrinth (1986)
  • Mary Poppins (1964)
  • Once (2007)
  • One Great Leap (2001)
  • Powaqqatsi (1988)
  • Singing in the Rain (1952)
  • The Lion King (1994)
  • Yellow Submarine (1968)
  • De-lovely (2004)
  • Chicago (2002)
  • Down With Love (2003)
  • Dr Dolittle (1967)
  • Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
  • The Point (1971)
  • Oliver (1968)
  • My Fair lady (1964)
  • Copying Beethoven (2006)
  • Funny Girl (1968)

10. Play of the Mind

(psychological challenges, illusion, dreams, delusions, virtual reality, hallucinations, memory (amnesia), past life regression, deja-vu, altered states of consciousness, etc…) Where the conflict is between a central character and his or her own mind.
  • A Beautiful Mind (2001)
  • Adaptation (2002)
  • Altered States (1980)
  • Avalon (2001) Stylized Sci-fi about virtual a reality game
  • Closetland (1991) ###
  • Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless mind (2004)
  • Fight Club (1999) ###
  • Identity (2003) ###
  • Kafka (1991)
  • On a Clear Day I Can See Forever (1970)
  • Passion of the Mind (2000)
  • Secret Window (2004)
  • Shallow Hal (2001)
  • Snow Cake (2006)
  • The Cell (2000) ###
  • The Game (1997)
  • The Machinist (2003)
  • The Majestic (2001)
  • The Nines (2007)
  • Total Recall (1990)
  • Vanilla Sky (2001) --remake of Spanish film “Open Your Eyes” (1997)
  • Waking Life (2001)

11. Surrealism and Experimental to Way-Way Out There

(for a more adventurous “film as Art” minded audience) –Some of these are completely abstract, highly unusual or bizarre. They favor vagueness and poetry over conventional storytelling in many cases. You have been warned.)
  • Benjamenta or This Dream People Call Human Life (1995) (Way Out There)
  • Black Moon (1975) (Louis Malle) (foreign) (Way -Way Out There~bizarre)
  • Carnivale (HBO Series) season 1 (2003) season 2 (2005)
  • David Lynch (any of his films) Note: David Lynch has been practicing TM for 30 years and his latest book “Catching the Big Fish” talks about the importance of meditation for the creative process and is full of quotes from the Upanishants.
  • Guy Madden (any of his films) silent, black and white expressionistic and highly stylized---a unique film viewing experience, like you have never seen before (for hardcore lovers of surrealism/expressionism)
  • Fellini (any of his films)
  • Life on a String (1990)
  • Kubrick (any of his films)
  • Jan Svankmajer (any of his films) especially --Alice (1988) (likes to use animated body parts)
  • Peter Greenaway--- especially Drowning by Numbers (1988), Pillow Book (1996) and A Zed and Two Naughts (1985) ###
  • Pi (1998) ###
  • Requiem for a Dream (2000) gritty (and successfully disturbing) film about addiction ###
  • The Fountain (2006)
  • The Nines (2007)
  • Uzumaki (2000) Snails and swirls—that’s all I’m going to say
  • Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) Gorgeous and mysterious!
  • Innocence (2004)
  • Tuvalu (1999) (silent)
  • Prospero’s Books (1991)
  • Afterlife (1998) (Japanese-mostly conversations—thought provoking and creative but very slow)
  • Amarcord (1974)
  • Delicatessen (1991)
  • Le Chein Andalou (Dali) (1929)
  • Steppenwolf (1974) (German) avant garde 60's-70's style visuals
  • Tuvalu (1999)
  • The City of Lost Children (1995) (French)
  • Walkabout (1971)

12. The Hero’s Journey in Film

(Movies that fit the classic hero's journey template established by Joseph Campbell.) See You Tube: The Hero’s Journey in Film.
  • Aladdin
  • Beauty and the Beast
  • Braveheart
  • Cast Away
  • Contact
  • Dersu Uzala (1975)
  • ET
  • Field of Dreams
  • Finding Nemo
  • Forest Gump
  • Free Willy
  • Harry Potter
  • Hidalgo (2004)
  • Hook
  • Jaws
  • Legend
  • Mulan
  • Peter Pan
  • Pinocchio
  • Raiders of the Lost Ark
  • Spiderman
  • Star Wars
  • The Last Samurai
  • The Lion King
  • The Lord of the Rings
  • The Matrix
  • The Natural
  • The Sword in the Stone
  • The Wizard of OZ
  • Whale Rider
  • Alice in Wonderland

13. Time, Space Travel, Science Fiction, Alternate Realities, Synchronicity, The Future, Dejavu or Past Lives

  • 12 Monkeys (1995)
  • Back to the Future (1985)
  • Back to the Future II (1989) III (1990)
  • Being John Malcovitch (1999)
  • Big (1993)
  • Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989)
  • Click (2006)
  • Donnie Darko (2001)
  • Family Man (2000)
  • Fahrenheit 451 (1966)
  • Groundhog Day (1993)
  • Happenstance (2000)
  • Happy Accidents (2000)
  • It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
  • Jumanji (1995)
  • Kate and Leopold (2001)
  • Magnolia (1999)
  • Orlando (1992)
  • Peggy Sue Got Married (1986)
  • Pleasantville (1998)
  • Primer (2003)
  • Run Lola Run (1998)
  • Serendipity (2001)
  • Sliding Doors (1998)
  • Somewhere in Time (1980)
  • The Butterfly Effect (2004) ###
  • The Celestine Prophecy (2005)
  • The Double Life of Veronique (1991)
  • The Family Man (2000)
  • The Fountain (2006)
  • The illustrated Man (1969)
  • The Lake House (2006)
  • The Lost Room (2006)
  • The Thirteenth Floor (1999)
  • Time Bandits (1981)
  • The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
  • A Field in England (2013)
  • Predestination (2014)

Trivia Note: The movies Adaptation (2002) and The Unsaid (2001) both have a digital clock blinking 4:44 AM

Back to Top