The Best Psychological Movies Of The 21st Century
In this article we will present a careful and faithful selection of films related to psychology. We highlight that we selected the best recent psychological films, specifically those that were shown on the big screen in the 21st century.
The fact that we refer to psychological films does not simplify our work at all. This century has been very prolific with regard to quality cinema that, in one way or another, involves the spectator, makes him think and almost participate in history.
The best psychological movies of the 21st century
In this list of psychological films, we will not focus only on those that portray the theme, but on those that leave loose ends, spaces in which the viewer thinks, reflects and sees himself immersed in the plot as an extra protagonist.
That said, we’re sure you’ll have your say with many psychological movies in the comments at the bottom of the page. In addition, we focus on the quality of the film’s work, not just its psychology-related content.
The Origin , by Christopher Nolan (2010)
Inception is a film by British director Christopher Nolan that masterfully introduces us to the dreams of some of its protagonists. It stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Ellen Page, among others.
Its main psychological virtue does not reside solely in its insertion in the world of dreams. It also includes stories that invite us to reflect on what motivates a person to do what they do or the complexity involved in a grieving process.
City of Dreams , by David Lynch (2001)
It’s hard to rate a David Lynch movie. In this case, City of Dreams introduces us to a Hollywood nightmare with a main question: what happens when the dream turns to horror?
In addition, this feature film starring Naomi Watts and Laura Elena Harring has all the psychological elements of David Lynch.
The director does not offer a linear story, but seeks to “awaken” the viewer, keeping him in suspense ; the film introduces and alternates feelings of restlessness, sadness, fear, panic or surprise through images, sounds, music, dialogues, etc. It’s as if you want to play with the viewer’s mind.
Eternal Brightness of a Mind Without Memories, by Michel Gondry (2004)
Masterfully starred by Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet, it is a hard and emotional film that proposes a very interesting brain game.
Can technology make us forget so that we don’t suffer after the end of a love relationship? Is it possible to overcome this phase of grief without feeling pain? There is no answer to this question.
However, the film does not fail to point out a possibility that sounds inhumane. After all, we cannot forget that many pains or wounds, together with the healing process, improve our adaptation.
Boyhood: From Childhood to Youth, by Richard Linklater (2014)
Richard Linklater managed to create a unique masterpiece with this film. How to film a boy’s life for 12 years? The director and his team did so by filming one day a year of a boy’s life, from childhood to adolescence, for more than a decade.
In the film, we observe the evolution of a child who progresses through life in a complex moment: the passage from childhood to adolescence. Along the way, loves, disappointments, friendships, changes…
The Grand Hotel Budapest, by Wes Anderson (2014)
You might be surprised to see this movie on this list, but there’s no doubt that Wes Anderson is a brilliant director who knows how to work with characters in a masterful way. Proof of this is the movie The Great Hotel Budapest.
Under the cover of a crazy comedy that takes place in a mountain hotel at the beginning of the 20th century, Anderson shows us the miseries and greatness of every human being. Friendship, loyalty, ambition, love, solidarity, pettiness… there is not a single feeling that is not reflected in this film.
Encounters and Mismatches, by Sophia Coppola (2003)
This great Sophia Coppola film was brilliantly interpreted by Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson. What happens when two lonely and sad souls get lost in a place far from their home, where nothing holds them and nobody understands them?
A difficult-to-understand intergenerational love that goes from passion to protection and friendship.
Amnesia, by Christopher Nolan (2000)
We started with Christopher Nolan and ended with him. This film, shot backwards, that is, from the end to the beginning, tells the story of a man who wants to avenge his wife’s death.
However, due to an accident, he lost his short-term memory and therefore forgot everything that happened in his life. So he writes down everything he can and even gets a tattoo to reach his goal.
These psychological movies, although they don’t portray psychology by themselves, will make you think, seek common places, will cause restlessness and will play with your brain.
