Movies offer the best type of distraction, and an engrossing film can transport you to another reality. Surrealism is my favorite genre of film. Offering colorful, effective visuals alongside shocking and twisting story lines, these expansive artistic projects consistently leave their audience considering deeper questions.
The surrealist technique is a contemporary approach to filmmaking, which, through fantasy and irrational imagery, seeks to reveal the inner workings of the subconscious mind. These films often deviate in narrative form and rely on striking stills and bizarre story choices to remain with their audience long after the runtime of the piece.
The movement originated with filmmakers in 1920s Paris. While many of these films often remain below the public radar, some of these works and their directors have received widespread acclaim. The movement originated with French Filmmakers of the 1920s, inspired by writer André Breton, the father of surrealism.
While most of the works in this genre are not widely known, directors like Stanley Kubrick and David Lynch have brought surrealism to mainstream audiences. Stanley Kubrick, one of the most iconic filmmakers of all time, directed “Clockwork Orange” and “Eyes Wide Shut,” foundational cinematic works. Starting with his shocking surrealist film “Eraserhead,” David Lynch continued this legacy, bringing this genre’s concepts to ordinary audiences with films like “Blue Velvet” and “Mulholland Drive.”
Here is a list of films to introduce you to this important aspect of cinematic achievement and offer new fuel for your watch list.
“Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind” (2004)
This romantic drama offers an easy introduction to surrealism, as its narrative choices are not as far-fetched as other films in the genre. The film features a star-studded ensemble with Kate Winslet and the unlikely Jim Carrey starring alongside Mark Ruffalo, Elijah Wood, Kirsten Dunst and Tom Wilkinson.
The film follows a couple who seek medical assistance in forgetting one another after a painful breakup. Director Michel Gondry offers his audience stunning visuals and expert pacing, leading them on a comedic yet heartfelt journey. The screenplay was written by Charlie Kaufman, a key figure in modern surrealist film, for which he won an Academy Award.
“Donnie Darko” (2001)
Another easy introduction to surrealism, the film features a young, angsty Jake Gyllenhaal as the title character opposite a six-foot man in a bunny costume named Frank. This unlikely duo is the central fixation of Richard Kelly’s cult classic film. Frank tells Donnie that the world will end in 28 days at the start of the film, catapulting a bizarre array of increasingly destructive events.
Blending surrealism and sci-fi, the movie succeeds in its ability to capture its audience and keep them guessing at the nature of reality throughout the film’s nearly two-hour run time. Featuring an impressive cast including the lead’s sister, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone of the Hunger Games franchise and Patrick Swayze, iconic ‘80s star and heartthrob, the film is explorative and poignant. The movie discusses mental health and the monotonous pressures of American suburbia.
“Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” (2014)
The singular best picture winner on this list, the film is an interesting exploration of fame and the anxiety of losing it. The film follows Michael Keaton as an aged former superhero movie actor attempting one last grapple at fame by putting on a risky play in New York. His grip on reality slowly deteriorates throughout the production, the fear of becoming unimportant weighing heavily. Also featuring Emma Stone and Edward Norton, the film captures the effects of losing the limelight. The director, Alejandro González Iñárritu, presents his particular artistic vision through one continuous shot. His hard work and dedication to cinematic achievement did not go unnoticed, as he won the Oscar for Best Achievement in Directing in the same year.
“Sorry to Bother You” (2018)
A bizarre but masterful film, “Sorry to Bother You” stars LaKeith Stanfield, who plays an unfulfilled telemarketer. When he finally discovers the key to success, he is thrown into a world of greed and horror. Through shocking visuals and smart social commentary, the film takes you on a wild, thrilling journey. Written and directed by Boots Riley, the movie also features prominent actors Tessa Thompson, Armie Hammer, and Steven Yeun. The film tackles themes of racism and class disparity through surrealist technique and hyperbole.
“Mulholland Drive” (1999)
Directed by David Lynch, this lesbian crime drama is not at all what it seems. Following a rigid and well-known narrative structure for most of the film, the ending revelation will leave you questioning your own conception of reality. Starring Naomi Watts and Laura Harring, the movie follows an amnesiac attempting to piece together her past alongside a beautiful woman who has her eyes set on stardom. One of the most famous examples of a surrealist slow burn, this film expertly draws in its unsuspecting audience, only to break them with the final reveal.
“Being John Malkovich” (1999)
Like “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” this film’s screenplay is also written by prominent surrealist director and writer Charlie Kaufman, but is directed by Spike Jonze. The most confusing and creative conception we’ve looked at so far, the piece follows a puppeteer, bored by his mundane existence, who discovers a portal in his office building into the mind of actor John Malkovich. Malkovich, playing himself, is continuously possessed by an array of eccentric characters. Alongside Malkovich are John Cusack and Cameron Diaz, both well-known and talented actors, both getting their start in cinema. It sounds crazy, but if you’re interested, I promise you’re up for a thrilling ride.
“Synecdoche, New York” (2008)
In my opinion, “Synecdoche, New York” is the most beautiful and expansive film ever created. The film is both directed and written by the aforementioned Academy Award winner Charlie Kaufman. Starring Phillip Seymour Hoffman, a masterful Oscar winner known for his roles in many prominent films by acclaimed director Paul Thomas Anderson, and his role as Plutarch Heavensbee in the Hunger Games franchise, who gives the performance of a lifetime, this film is unlike any other.
Spanning 50 years, the film follows the sickly Caden Cotard, a theater director with a failing marriage, who sets his mind on creating an art piece representative of the human experience. With his cast and crew, he begins a decades-long endeavor to build and enliven a miniature replica of New York City within a sprawling warehouse. The film becomes increasingly confusing and self-reflective as Cotard casts actors to play figures in his life, and actors to play those actors. Trust me, I know it’s confusing. Just watch the movie.
Though this list is by no means exhaustive, I hope it can help spark an increased interest in surrealist film.