When you sit down to watch a movie, a lot of the time you want to veg out and give your brain a little rest (see: Every Michael Bay movie). On the rare occasion you want to give your noggin a little workout, here are 12 films that will kick it into overdrive. Each is brilliant but confusing. Prepare to have your mind fucked.
Dogtooth
Dogtooth doesn’t really have a hard-to-follow plot, but ask anyone who has seen the Greek film, it’s a bizarre trip. The movie is about three teens who are kept in their parents’ compound away from the real world. Their knowledge of things comes solely from the teachings of their mom and dad. When the credits roll, you’ll ask yourself what the fuck you just witnessed. Amazon iTunes
Vanilla Sky
People either love or hate this movie. We’re guessing that’s because, after what seems like a simple story about a New York City playboy, the Cameron Crowe flick dissolves into a puddle of confusion. Even if your mind is having a hard time processing what the hell is going on, let the killer soundtrack with songs from Radiohead, Paul McCartney, and others keep you along for the ride. Amazon iTunes Netflix
Primer
Primer basically slapped our brains around until they were so numb they just gave up and went along for the ride. The low-budget flick from Shane Carruth tackled time travel with a heavy emphasis on the technology behind it and its philosophical repercussions. We loved it, but our heads needed an ice bath and a massage. Amazon iTunes
Inception
We can handle a dream, but we start getting lost when a dream is inside a dream and we don’t know who the dreamer is. Luckily, unlike with some others on this list, a few viewings should sort a lot out for you. Amazon iTunes
The Science of Sleep
Imagine a movie that’s part Wes Anderson, part The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, and part drug-induced hallucination, and you’d have The Science of Sleep. From the same director that did Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, the film entertains your brain with interesting visuals while you try to piece together what is going on. Amazon iTunes
Donnie Darko
Donnie Darko has a cult-like following for its bizarre brilliance. Time travel and a giant bunny named Frank are just two of the things that squarely place the story on the strange side. The tangled plotline unravels after a few viewings, even if there are a few loose ends. Amazon iTunes Netflix
Cloud Atlas
Back in the mid-2000s, we tried to read a book entitled Cloud Atlas. It had received some praise and was billed as “challenging.” After trying our darnedest, we just couldn’t do it. The movie eventually came out, and while it was a little easier to grasp, it still left our brains feeling like they were tossed in a Vitamix. The complex and confusing tale is based on the interconnectedness of our lives. Have fun! Amazon iTunes
Eraserhead
This list would be incomplete without at least one or two David Lynch movies. Eraserhead is his WTF opus. Best consumed as a work of fine art, the film is incredibly disturbing and plays by its own rules. As Henry deals with a variety of horrifying dilemmas, you’ll question whether you’re just asleep having a nightmare. Amazon iTunes
Memento
Memento is best viewed as a puzzle. Just like the protagonist, you gather clues and pieces as you try to see what fits. And just like a puzzle, the second time you visit it, the more you realize what you missed the first time through. Amazon iTunes Netflix
Mulholland Drive
We’ll give you one more David Lynch movie to give your brain a workout. Mulholland Drive is yet another triumph for the writer and director. Leaving much to interpretation, Lynch has given viewers little in the way of explanation for some of the plot of this 2001 mystery. The sooner you drop the “What’s going on?” attitude, the sooner you’ll enjoy the gloomy flick. Amazon iTunes
Synecdoche, New York
Google “Synecdoche, New York“ and autocomplete will finish it off with “analysis” or “explain.” That’s a pretty good sign you have a movie that’s about to fuck with your head on your hands. As Philip Seymour Hoffman’s character falls deeper and deeper into madness and the creation of his play, real life starts to become hazy, and you, the viewer, are left in a daze. Amazon iTunes
The Tree of Life
“Challenging” would be a good word to describe this Terrence Malick movie. Any time a film tackles a subject as massive as the meaning and complexity of life—Is there a more massive topic?—you can expect some grandiose confusion. The film jumps between the story of a son and his relationship with his father and the beginning of Earth and man. Sound strange and sprawling? It is. Amazon iTunes
