Shubhabrata Dutta
Are you alone? Is loneliness bothering you? Are you looking for a way to pass the time all on your own? Well, we got just the thing: movies. From exciting to joyful to feel-good to something you can relate to, movies help us vent our loneliness in numerous ways. In this article, we bring you the best movies to watch on HBO Max when lonely.
12. Persona (1966)
Considered one of the greatest films of the 20th century, ‘Persona’ is written and directed by Ingmar Bergman. Starring Liv Ullmann and Bibi Andersson, the film follows two women, one who is a famed stage actress gone mute and another who is her nurse. Reviewed by the critics of the time as a “terrible knowledge of our loneliness,” the film follows the two women and their emotionally converging experience. Its take on loneliness, anxiety, and existential crisis without using a word also points to the failure of language as a means to communicate. This becomes a way for the viewers to put their insecurities in the characters in the characters, especially if they cannot speak about their issues, and watch how things unfold. A perplexing film with different outcomes for each viewer based on their perception, ‘Persona’ is a work of art in the truest sense. It can be streamed here.
11. Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
Sometimes, all we need to come out of the boredom of loneliness is a lighthearted, feel-good rom-com, and ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ is one of the best out there. Directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, it is set in the 1920s and shows the shift from silent movies to talkies using romance. Starring Gene Kelly, Jean Hagen, and Debbie Reynolds, this film and its iconic songs make it one of the greatest musical movies ever. You can stream it here.
10. Because of Winn-Dixie (2005)
As they say, when lonely, watch a dog movie. Why? Because dogs work like magic, pulling us out of our bad spaces in a likable (read ‘Lick-able’) fashion. Thus, we bring you ‘Because of Winn-Dixie,’ directed by Wayne Wang and based on Kate DiCamillo’s 2000 novel of the same name. The film follows Ten-year-old India Opal Buloni, played by a young AnnaSophia Robb in her debut role, who befriends a Berger Picard in her new hometown of Naomi in Florida. She names him Winn-Dixie after the popular supermarket chain where she finds him. The antics and adventures of this duo, as Winn-Dixie helps Opal make new friends, make ‘Because of Winn-Dixie’ a heartwarming tale of friendship, stressing its significance and the fact that it transcends species. Co-starring Jeff Daniels as Opal’s father, along with Cicely Tyson, Dave Matthews, and Eva Marie Saint, all of whom add their own charm to the story, ‘Because of Winn-Dixie’ is an effective medicine for loneliness. You can watch it here.
9. Ted 2 (2015)
All of us have wanted an imaginary friend at some point in our lives. And now that we are lonesome adults, we want someone rated R with whom we can share our anger and negative emotions, the ones we aren’t to vent out otherwise. ‘Ted 2,’ directed by Seth MacFarlane, follows best buddies John (Mark Wahlberg) and the foulmouthed Ted (voiced by MacFarlane). In the movie, we see how Ted, assisted by a lawyer and a civil rights attorney, tries to adopt a child with his human wife, Tami-Lynn. This is because the law finds Ted property and not a human. But will not being a human stop Ted from making his family complete? ‘Ted 2’ offers a window through which we can scream, laugh aloud, and, most importantly, curse. You can stream the movie here.
8. La Notte (1961)
This one is for those struggling to come out of the loneliness that has resulted from a deteriorating relationship and the feeling of being in a relationship and yet alienated. Directed by Michelangelo Antonini, this exemplary film follows a wealthy novelist and his wife (played by Marcello Mastroianni and Jeanne Moreau, respectively) who have fallen out of love. It takes place over a single day as the couple moves from one social circle to another, an adventure underscored by the basal boredom of the so-called affluent folk. Moving forward by thought rather than plot, ‘La Notte’ is something you can connect to and be a part of something historical. Why? Because this is the first Italian film to win the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. It was also one of Stanley Kubrick’s top 10 films. You can stream it here.
7. Chungking Express (1994)
Directed by Wong Kar-wai, this Hong Kong drama follows two cops (Tony Leung and Takeshi Kaneshiro) dealing with breakups and their different experiences during their respective breakup periods. While one tries to relive his relationship memories by buying particular pineapple tins, another tries to keep his head in his profession to avoid the pain. Undoubtedly a story of loneliness from a breakup or even the possibility of a breakup, ‘Chungking Express’ is a sad movie that addresses the abovementioned feeling while also reminding us that there are ways to smile even though we may not feel so. Told in the story sequence, ‘Chungking Express’ is considered one of the best rom-coms ever made. You can stream it here.
6. Dune (2021)
Since you feel lonely, let’s take you on an interstellar journey to a different planet. Put on your headphones and immerse yourself in Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi epic that will give you some much-needed respite. ‘Dune’ is set in an alternate universe and follows the Atreides family, which rules planet Caladan. After the Emperor makes King Leto Atreides the fiefholder of Arrakis, a desert planet prosperous with a substance called spice that heightens awareness, the Atreides family arrives on Arrakis. Leto replaces Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, who is later told by the Emperor to destroy the Atreides, fearing its rise in power. Meanwhile, Leto decides to shake hands with Arrakis natives, the Fremen, while his son Paul envisions a holy war and a mysterious woman. The connections between all these plot points and the significance of Paul’s visions are revealed in this one-of-a-kind film. The cast includes Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Jason Momoa, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Zendaya and Javier Bardem. The film is based on the 1965 eponymous novel by Frank Herbert. You can watch ‘Dune’ here.
5. Problemista (2023)
This is a mind-bending, surreal, and deeply personal story about Alejandro, an immigrant who has recently entered adulthood and is struggling to make it big as a toy maker at Hasbro. The catch is that he will be deported to El Salvador in 30 days unless he gets his visa sponsored. This is when fate brings art critic Elizabeth into his life, who wants to exhibit his artist husband’s work and hires Alejandro. If he can help her with it, she shall sponsor his visa. What makes ‘Problemista’ personal and apt for a lonely viewing is Alejandro’s lonely struggle, which seems never-ending. He is doing what he wants to do, hoping it will make him what he wants to be, but the obstacles are overwhelming. One thing at a time is easier said than done, and Elizabeth is way out of his league.
To add to the narrative, we have the concept of Cryogenesis, a process of freezing the human body, symbolizing the absence of emotions and feelings. However, the ending is what makes up for all the chaos, thereby serving as a reminder that, in the end, everything does fall into place. If not, it’s not the end, especially with. Cryogenesis at disposal. Starring Julio Torres as Alejandro and Tilda Swinton as Elizabeth, ‘Problemista’ is directed by Julio Torres. You can watch it here.
4. Joker (2019)
A formidable film showcasing urban isolation, ‘Joker’ shows the origin of the highly popular DC Comics villain Joker/Arthur Fleck, Batman’s arch-enemy. Fleck is a party clown living an impoverished life underscored by a society that has shunned him and treated him as a freak all the time. The way he is abused, mentally and physically, ultimately makes him embrace a life of chaos wherein he takes up the name Joker, one that stands as an embodiment of the tragedy of life that is no less than a comedy.
While we do not suggest you take the path that Arthur Fleck (played by Joaquin Phoenix, who won the Best Actor Oscar for the role) took, it is important to see the toll that mistreatment and isolation can take and even cost a person their sanity. So, if you feel this way, reach out to your near and dear ones for help. Asking for help doesn’t mean you are weak. It lets you know who really cares for you and strengthens your relationship with them by allowing them to come closer. You can stream ‘Joker’ here.
3. Her (2013)
A movie that showcases our relationship with our personal devices, especially computers and smartphones, when trying to cope with loneliness, as well as how technology plays a role in helping us develop connections, ‘Her’ follows an introverted author facing a divorce, who bonds with his new AI. Author Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix) gives the AI of his operating system a feminine voice and calls it Samantha (voiced by Scarlett Johansson). Over time, Samantha adapts to Twombly, something Twombly takes as love. Can we judge him for it? Aren’t we doing the same thing? If you are lonely, ‘Her’ allows you to be a part of someone else’s loneliness and ironically makes you feel better as you, along with Twombly, bond with Samantha. Directed by Spike Jonze, ‘Her’ can be streamed here.
2. Only Yesterday (1991)
Pick up any Studio Ghibli movie, and your feeling of loneliness will be taken care of in a most moving manner. This one is also a Studio Ghibli venture, directed by Isao Takahata and based on the manga of the same name, created by Hotaru Okamoto and Yuko Tone in 1982. We follow twenty-seven-year-old Taeko Okajima, who arrives in the countryside at her elder sister’s in-laws’ place to escape city life’s hustle and bustle. Her journey and stay there remind her of her childhood and make her cherish the memories, all of which take the shape of a fruitful realization. A movie that is philosophical in a very visually appealing and heartwarming manner, ‘Only Yesterday’ is bound to take you back to your childhood and remind you of your loved ones. Who knows, you might even call them up and catch up very soon! Wouldn’t that be nice? You can watch ‘Only Yesterday’ here.
1. Lost in Translation (2003)
This Oscar-winning Sofia Coppola directorial is about two people, separated by age but united by loneliness, who meet in a foreign land. Bob Harris (Bill Murray), an American actor past his prime, and Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson), a Yale graduate, meet in Tokyo, Japan. Spending time and having private conversations slowly sparks an unlikely friendship between the two. However, their time is limited, and we see them making the most of it together against Tokyo’s nightlife. Can limited time together limit happiness? It is up to you to figure out whether their friendship blooms into romance, but don’t be afraid of getting “lost in translation” because that is the drawback that hope brings. You can watch it here.
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