Shubhabrata Dutta
We live in circles, in loops, to be precise! We are moving from one instant, one action, or one place to another, only to return to that action or place again. In other words, the world functions in closed, fast-moving, infinite loops. There are always moments that make you want to slow down or pause and reflect on this loop structure of our lives.
Watching a ‘ philosophical movie ‘ is an effective way to do this mental exercise.’ However, there is no telling how a movie can affect you philosophically since, more than a genre, philosophy is how a person perceives a particular film. You can learn about leadership from the ‘Transformers’ movies just as you can learn about the importance of family from the ‘Fast and Furious’ movies, although it is advised not to go about robbing banks for it. But yes, we are talking about those movies that can have a life-changing effect on you, and many great films in the genre are presently available on Netflix.
23. Penguin Bloom (2020)
Starring Naomi Watts, Andrew Lincoln, Griffin Murray-Johnston, and Felix Cameron, ‘penguin Bloom’ is an Australian drama directed by Glendyn Ivin. It follows wife/mother Sam Bloom, whose fall from a balcony causes her partial paralysis, thereby disallowing her from doing what she loves most: surfing. As she distances herself from her family, her kids bring home an injured magpie they name Penguin. As the magpie heals, it inspires Sam to find the strength to come out of her hopeless self until the day the bird flies away, and she finally says, “I’m better.” The film is based on the book of the same name by Cameron Bloom and Bradley Trevor Greive. The book, in turn, is based on the true story of the Bloom family’s interactions with an Australian magpie. You can watch the film here.
22. Freud’s Last Session (2023)
As the title suggests, ‘Freud’s Last Session’ shows a fictional conversation between neurologist Sigmund Freud (Anthony Hopkins) and author C. S. Lewis (Matthew Goode) about life, death, love, war, and the existence of God. The give-and-take takes place after World War II begins and incorporates Freud’s strained relationship with his lesbian daughter Anna and Lewis’ traumatic experiences as a soldier in World War I. Based on Mark St. Germain’s eponymous stage play, which is based on Armand Nicholi’s book ‘The Question of God,’ the film offers a gripping philosophical drama fueled by powerful performances. It can be streamed here.
21. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (2019)
‘The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind’ is based on the memoir by Malawian inventor/author William Kamkwamba and directed by Chiwetel Ejiofor, who also stars in it. The film centers on William (Maxwell Simba), whose love for machines eventually leads him to make a windmill that powers his drought-affected village’s only water pump, bringing water to his village. However, his journey wasn’t easy, as he had to go against his father (Ejiofor) to do what he believed was necessary.
‘The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind’ offers a philosophical take on a father-son relationship while addressing the importance of self-belief, whose undertones are incorporated in the film. Thus, while on the surface level, the film shows the hardship of life, there is a strong undercurrent of faith. You can watch the film here.
20. I Can Only Imagine (2018)
This is a biographical drama based on the life of MercyMe lead singer Bart Millard (played by J. Michael Finley) and his relationship with his abusive father, Arthur Millard (played by Dennis Quaid). It is this relationship that would ultimately make him pen the song ‘I Can Only Imagine,’ which would go on to become the best-selling Christian single of all time. The film shows the creation of the song as well. Other than Finley and Quaid, the cast of ‘I Can Only Imagine’ includes Madeline Carroll, Cloris Leachman, and Amy Grant. You can watch it here.
19. All Together Now (2020)
Directed by Brett Haley, ‘All Together Now’ is based on the novel “Sorta Like a Rockstar” by Matthew Quick. Contrary to the title, the life of optimistic and kind-hearted high schooler Amber Appleton (Auli’i Cravalho) is filled with loneliness. Her father is dead, her mother (Justina Machado) has an abusive boyfriend, and she and her mother live on a school bus that the latter drives. While showcasing the hardships that Amber undertakes, including working at a donut shop, teaching, and working at an old age home, the film also keeps on reminding us of her kind soul that makes her help those in need when she needs it the most. Whether she is able to achieve her dream amidst her obstacles is what we find out in this emotionally draining yet heartfelt drama. You can watch it here.
18. White Noise (2022)
Written and directed by Noah Baumbach, ‘White Noise’ is an absurdist drama film. The plot revolves around Jack Gladney (Adam Driver), who has created “Hitler studies,” the subject he teaches at the university, though he does not understand German. Jack lives with his wife, Babette, and the four children they have between them. When one of Jack’s colleagues, Murray Siskind, approaches him to ask for his help in developing a unique field of study based on Elvis Presley, he acquiesces. The quiet life of the townsfolk is interrupted following a train accident that releases harmful gasses in the air, prompting the authorities to conduct a mass evacuation. After exposure to the chemical waste, Jack believes that he will die, which impacts his subsequent actions. You can watch the movie here.
17. Marriage Story (2019)
Starring Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver, Laura Dern, Alan Alda, and Ray Liotta. ‘Marriage Story‘ is a drama movie directed, written, and co-produced by Noah Baumbach. It centers upon the complicated relationship of an actress and her well-accomplished stage director husband. After trying counseling to settle their marital troubles, the couple fails to resolve their issues, and their problems continue to persist. While ‘Marriage Story’ does not entirely capture the complexities of the husband-wife relationship, it does give an intimate understanding of conflicts that often arise when a couple falls out of love. You may watch the film here.
16. Irreplaceable You (2018)
Directed by Stephanie Laing, ‘Irreplaceable You’ is a story about the relationship of two characters who have been friends since childhood. Abbie (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) and Sam (Michiel Huisman) have a happy life in New York City until one day, it is revealed that Abbie has been diagnosed with cancer. As soon as this news comes to light, Abbie is of the opinion that she needs to find a new person with whom Sam can fall in love. She takes upon the responsibility to look for such a person. As she goes about doing so, Abbie meets several people who become important influences on her life. They teach her that it is important to live to one’s heart’s content no matter how little time we have in our hands. This film gives us a positive philosophical perception of death as something not to be feared and to be taken as another part of life. Feel free to check out the movie here.
15. Black Mirror: Bandersnatch (2018)
‘Black Mirror’ is no doubt one of the most eye-opening TV shows we have ever seen. This series has, through its unique stories, opened our eyes to the various horrors the technologies around us can give rise to. When the makers released their film ‘Bandersnatch,’ expectations were sky-high because the film promised a movie-watching experience unlike anything we had ever seen before. The story of the film centers around a video game developer who, inspired by a book called Bandersnatch, wants to adapt it into a game where the player will get to decide how the storyline progresses. As he keeps developing the game, this character understands that even his life is not under his control. And who is controlling his life? It is us, the viewers. You can check out the film here.
14. End Game (2018)
Directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, ‘End Game’ is a short documentary that sheds light on palliative care and offers profound insights into the shortness of human life and the harsh reality of death. Following some of the most dedicated and visionary medical practitioners who are constantly fighting the battle of life and death with their patients, ‘End Game’ turns its attention towards terminally ill patients in a San Franciso hospital. While offering people much-needed moral and medicinal support, some of these doctors have taken the daunting task of changing the general outlook on death and life. You can watch ‘End Game’ here.
13. Pieces of a Woman (2020)
Based on Mundruczó and Wéber’s stage play, ‘Pieces of a Woman’ is a drama movie that follows the Boston couple Martha and Sean, who decide to have a home birth despite the risks. Unfortunately, things go well on the day of delivery, and the couple ends up losing their child. While Martha’s mother files a court case against the midwife, Eva, the protagonist, is overtaken by grief and suffering. The movie delves deeper into sensitive subjects like child loss and its repercussions while offering a compassionate understanding of the pain that parents go through when they lose their children. You may watch it here.
12. I’m Thinking of Ending Things (2020)
Inspired by Iain Reid’s novel, ‘I’m Thinking of Ending Things’ is a psychological thriller film directed and written by Charlie Kaufman. The Jesse Plemons and Jessie Buckley starrer revolves around a young woman who tags along with her boyfriend on a road trip to the latter’s parents. Sadly, the couple gets stuck at their destination due to a snowstorm, and the protagonist is forced to spend the rest of the time with her boyfriend’s family. The experience has a strange effect on her as she begins to question her identity and relationship. You may watch ‘I’m Thinking of Ending Things’ here.
11. Private Life (2018)
Paul Giamatti and Kathryn Hahn star in this Netflix original film, which is extremely important and relevant in today’s world. The two leading actors play the roles of a couple, Richard and Rachel, who are desperately trying to have a child after their natural processes fail. From IVF to adoption to artificial insemination- they try everything they can, but nothing seems to be working in their favor. They even go to the extent of asking Richard’s niece to donate her eggs for their artificial insemination. The process becomes so emotionally challenging for our protagonists at that point that they decide to give everything up.
While it is natural for any married couple to yearn for a child, this film teaches us that it is much more important to be happy yourself in whatever you wish to do in life. Many people have several desires that they run after throughout the day. In the process, what they don’t realize is that life slowly passes by without them even noticing it once. This is something we should never allow to happen to ourselves. You can stream the film here.
10. The Platform (2019)
Directed by Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia, ‘The Platform’ is a social science fiction-horror film written by David Desola and Pedro Rivero. The Iván Massagué and Antonia San Juan starrer focuses on the inmates of a vertical prison where the ones living on the top level are fed level while the ones surviving on the levels below are hardly given enough food to get by. The situation naturally fuels envy and pits the inmates against one another. With each passing day, the starving criminals become more and more agitated, and the anger that builds up is only waiting to be unleashed. ‘The Platform’ looks at human nature by pushing people to their very limits by starving and isolating them. You can stream ‘The Platform’ here.
9. Forgive Us Our Debts (2018)
An Italian original film from Netflix, ‘Forgive Us Our Debts’ is directed and co-written by Antonio Morabito. The story of this film centers around one man who is bogged down by the amount of money he owes to various people and desperately wants to get out of the mess. Having no way out, he decides to start working as a debt collector for a loan shark. While signing up for the same, he did not even imagine the lows he would have to stoop to to carry out his job. This situation finds him getting into situations he always wanted out of in the first place. ‘Forgive Us Our Debts’ shows us that a deal with the devil is not a way out of any situation. Because once we sell off our honor, it is like selling off our souls. And from there, any escape is next to impossible. You can stream the film here.
8. 6 Balloons (2018)
A Netflix original film, ‘6 Balloons’ stars Abbi Jacobson and Dave Franco as a brother-sister duo. The film starts with Katie (Jacobson) planning a surprise birthday party for his boyfriend Jack. When she goes to buy the cake, she also decides to pick up her brother Seth (Franco) for the party. Seth is a regular heroin user who needs to be admitted to a rehab center as soon as possible, but the two clinics where Abbi takes him turn them down. Getting more and more impatient, Seth says that he needs to get his hands on some heroin as soon as possible and even forces his sister to buy the drug for him. After quite some time, it dawns on Abbi that there is no use asking his brother to rectify himself unless he does not want it from the bottom of his heart. You can watch the movie here.
7. Dear Zindagi (2016)
‘Dear Zindagi’ is an Indian Hindi film starring Alia Bhatt and Shah Rukh Khan and directed by Gauri Shinde. The film addresses life’s philosophy from the POV of relationships. Kaira (Bhatt) is a cinematographer from Mumbai who gets bored with his boyfriend and gets involved with another guy. But when this guy goes and marries his ex, Kaira cannot handle it. The following events land her in her hometown of Goa, India, where she meets with psychologist Jehangir Khan (Khan). From here begins the discussions of her relationships, feelings, emotions, and philosophical questions and answers about life. You may watch the film here.
6. The Secret: Dare to Dream (2020)
Based on the 2006 worldwide best-selling self-help book ‘The Secret’ by Rhonda Byrne, ‘The Secret: Dare to Dream’ follows hardworking single mother Miranda Wells with three kids to care for. She also helps her boyfriend, Tucker, manage his seafood restaurant. One day, a stranger named Bray Johnson comes looking for Miranda with an envelope. While he clarifies that he has no intentions other than delivering the envelope, Miranda isn’t wholly assured. What is his secret? What’s there inside the envelope?
Things get complex when Miranda’s late husband Matt’s mother comes across a news article about Matt’s invention with Bray’s picture. The film brings together the daily struggles of life with an unseen force that guides us all, a force that we unknowingly control, which often brings us to strangers who have the answers to our questions. Directed by Andy Tennant, ‘The Secret: Dare to Dream’ stars Katie Holmes, Josh Lucas, Jerry O’Connell, and Celia Weston. You can watch it here.
5. Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (2022)
Described as “a fable about disobedience as a virtue,” ‘Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio,’ is a stop-motion animated reimagining of the classic story of the marionette magically brought to life to bring a smile to the grieving woodcarver Geppetto who lost his son Carlo during a bombing in the Great War in Italy. It will be a disservice to the tale and the movie if we reveal any more, but we must also tell you that it is tough to put into words what the movie is able to achieve, all thanks to animation, which del Toro has clearly stated isn’t a genre but a medium. Animation is cinema. Feel free to check out the movie here.
4. If Anything Happens I Love You (2020)
This movie proves just how effective a short can be despite its runtime. ‘If Anything Happens I Love You’ is a 12-minute-long animated short film written and directed by Will McCormack and Michael Govier. It tells the story of a grieving mother and father who have lost their little daughter in a tragedy. What kind of tragedy? Telling you would be depriving you of its effectiveness. All that we can say is that it has won the Best Animated Short Oscar at the 2021 Academy Awards. You can check out the film here.
3. Queen (2014)
‘Queen’ is an Indian Hindi film directed by Vikas Bahl, wherein Rani Mehra (Kangana Ranaut) decides to go on her solo honeymoon to Paris and Amsterdam after the groom cancels the wedding. He cites the reason that his abroad lifestyle won’t allow him to adjust to her conservative nature. While it seems overwhelming at first, the trip brings Rani face-to-face with herself and the world, making her realize just how more significant her life is than just her wedding. Sometimes it takes a no to realize the many yesses that are waiting for you. You can stream the film here and find out the yesses that come Rani’s way.
2. Three of Us (2022)
Directed by Avinash Arun, ‘Three of Us’ is an intimate and contemplative Indian Hindi-language drama that illuminates the fleeting nature of life and the urge of the human heart to return and relish what it once experienced. We have Shailaja, a married woman whose dementia brings her to her childhood hometown in Konkan to relive the special moments and perhaps liberate herself when she has the chance. This includes meeting her “person” from adolescence, Daga, AKA Pradeep Kamat (Jaideep Ahlawat), who also remembers her. Both are married to different people but the way they speak to each other serves as a reminder that they have moved on in their lives but still relish what they had when they were young.
The conversations between Shailaja and her husband, Dipankar (Swanand Kirkire), who doesn’t like Shailaja interacting with another man, and Pradeep and his wife, Sarika (Kadambari Kadam), who gives him the space to deal with the emotion, are equally thoughtful but not complicated and contribute to the overall narrative that flows like a breeze. The film was nominated for eight 2023 Filmfare Awards, out of which it won two. You can watch ‘Three of Us’ here.
1. The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)
This heartwarming drama explores the sweet camaraderie between fisherman Tyler (Shia LaBeouf), who is on the run, and Zak (Zack Gottsagen), who has Down syndrome. They two bump into each other after Zak escapes from a care facility to track down his wrestling idol Salt Water Redneck. They are soon joined by Zak’s nurse, Eleanor (Dakota Johnson). The development of the friendship between Tyler and Zak becomes a feel-good yet tear-jerking commentary on the human bond that will remind you of your bonds. Directed by ‘Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz,’ ‘The Peanut Butter Falcon’ can be streamed here.
Read More: Best LGBTQ TV Series on Netflix
