Gautam Anand
It’s rare that science and art shake hands. But when they do, the results are more often than not spectacular. And the spectacular results of the union between science/maths and arts are clearly visible in the below list of movies. There is no denying that filmmaking is more art than science, but these movies make no qualms about celebrating science.. Isn’t that wonderful? Here is the list of top movies ever for science lovers. You can watch some of these best science movies on Netflix or Amazon Prime or Hulu.
10. Pi (1998)
‘Pi’ is notable for its covering of an array of themes including religion, mysticism and the relationship of the universe to mathematics. The story about a mathematician and the obsession with mathematical regularity contrasts two seemingly irreconcilable entities: the imperfect, irrational humanity and the rigor and regularity of mathematics, specifically number theory.
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9. Coherence (2013)
‘Coherence’, a story of eight friends at a dinner party experience a troubling chain of reality bending events, is essentially based on a scientific theory referred to as Schrödinger’s cat theory. Schrödinger’s cat is a thought experiment, sometimes described as a paradox, devised by Austrian physicist Erwin Schrödinger in 1935. In simple terms, it is the possibility of existence of multiple simultaneous realities at the same time. Read more..
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8. Predestination (2014)
Predestination’s a befitting reality to how time-travel movies are made, and how uncertain they are. It embodies a timeless traveller, revolving in time between 1945 to 1993 in search of the fizzle bomber. The film is based on a concept known as predestination paradox. Predestination paradox is a sequence of events (actions, information, objects, people) in which an event is among the causes of another event, which in turn is among the causes of the first-mentioned event. Read more..
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7. Interstellar (2014)
‘Interstellar’ uses the science of interstellar travel, relativity, blackholes, wormholes and fifth dimension as a tool to tell an emotional father-daughter story. Many of the theories that ‘Interstellar’ uses, haven’t yet been proved; so it’s virtually impossible to portray them on-screen. But in any case, it is hell lot of fun to try to solve the puzzle that ‘Interstellar’ is. You just need a little patience and multiple viewings to completely get the film. Read more..
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6. Upstream Color (2013)
It’s next to impossible to pinpoint one thing that ‘Upstream Color’ is about, but on a broader perspective it explores the symbiotic relationship between man, animal and nature through personal journey of two individuals to self discovery after they have been stripped off everything they know and posses. Metamorphically, ‘Upstream Color’ is multi-layered, but primarily it’s about the things that are outside and beyond our control. Read more..
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5. Donnie Darko (2001)
‘Donnie Darko’ follows the adventures of the troubled title character as he seeks the meaning behind his Doomsday-related visions. The time-line in the story is directly dependent on the audiences’s ability to remain coherent and adapt to understanding the concept of “Time Travel”. Even though it is dense with ideas and nearly impossible to understand in one-viewing, very few films enjoy such cult following. Read more..
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4. The Matrix (1999)
Way more than just a movie, ‘The Matrix’ has been nothing short of a phenomenon. It changed the way people looked at the world around them and even turned them cynical. A film that virtually introduced the rather terrifying concept of simulated reality, it asked a number of vital philosophical questions about humanity and its actual purpose. Till today, not every question that the film asks has been answered.
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3. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2003)
I know many might find its place here on this list surprising, but ‘Eternal Sunshine ..‘ is as much a film about science as it is a love story. The concept of memory-erasing that the film is based on is so mind-boggling that most of the first-time viewers find themselves in a maze of complex theories. Ultimately, the film intertwines science and romance with magical results.
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2. 2001: Space Odyssey (1968)
Loosely inspired by a short story named ‘The Sentinel’ penned by Arthur C. Clarke; who co-scripted the screenplay along with Kubrick; the movie chronicles the journey of a crew of scientists to Jupiter along with the sentient computer HAL 9000. ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ dexterously uses science and space travel to dig deep into philosophical theories ranging from existentialism to evolution. Read More..
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1. Primer (2004)
‘Primer’ is not just a film; it is an elaborate science puzzle. In short it is about two friends who (sort of, accidentally) invent a form of time travel. Initially, they think of using it just to make money, but soon selfishness and shortsightedness lead them to create so many overlapping timelines (at least 9) that they lose control of themselves, their friendship, and the technology. To fully understand each and every aspect of ‘Primer’ requires multiple viewings. When you finally “get” the film, don’t be surprised if you feel ecstatic and victorious, not very different from how you feel when you are able to solve a difficult puzzle. Read more..
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