Films that are puzzles

[mic:D]

What do you think about films that are a bit of a puzzle - where you have to think about what you've just seen to make any sense of it. Some recent popular examples are Donnie Darko, Memento and The Ususal Suspects. Other ones that come to mind are a couple of David Lynch ones - Lost Highway and Mulholland Drive. And the best puzzler of all - Primer!

Or do you prefer films that just entertain without demanding too much from the viewer?

 

[☼Sunshine.]

I think the first Saw comes in to that category too....

 

[winter_white_wolf_pup]

Basic with John Travolta and Samiel H Jackson

 

[BekindtoAnimals22]

The Shining.

 

[LAV]

I love the puzzle films. I absolutely loved Memento.

I'm afraid of watching the David Lynch films. I fear I will be led astray for hours only to find there was nothing there to begin with.

I have Mulholland Drive waiting for me on dvd, but haven't started on it yet.

 

[o_O LINA]

I like puzzle films. Also films which show the same events from different perspectives, or which cause you to reinterpret events you've already seen. Or ones where you have to figure out what's going on. The problem is that for some of these, knowing it is that kind of film is the first clue towarRAB solving it, so I don't want to mention the best titles.

 

[E=MC2]

I enjoy them at the time of watching but Im always left feeling dissatisfied at the end.

 

[aaron z]

Don't worry - there is a lot there to begin with. To understand David Lynch films you just need to know a bit about surrealism. On the latest DVD version of Lost Highway, David Lynch explains what it's about in an interview. Mulholland Drive is a bit easier to work out. There's an awful lot in there to keep you busy, but it's well worth it - wonderful film!

 

[jennifer_dozer]

I have to be in the right mood for puzzle type films, but I do enjoy them. I like films that have different layers, so that you get more from them in each subsequent viewing. I loved Donnie Darko, Usual Suspects, Memento and Lost Highway but I found Mulholland Drive quite hard going. I actually fell alseep half way through though, so that probably didn't help my understanding.

 

[ricardo9505]

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind was a puzzle to me. I had to rewatch the entire film with my friend (who knew what was going on) so she could explain it to me.

The Machinist was a freakily weird film. I wanted it to end just so I knew what the hell was going on. Then it all clicked into place. I felt very clever .

 

[rtjackson4]

I thought the usual suspects was a very good puzzle film. anyone agree?

 

[GRIMREAPER75]

Memento - watched it straight after it ended again.
Superb film!

 

[ejb_is_me_05]

Hi TB, I am familiar with surrealism in art, so that should not be a problem. I'll watch it one of these days and let you know, okay?

 

[ivethelloween]

Try David Lynch's ERASERHEAD-that's one hell of a mind scrambler!

 

[Heather Conley]

Hollywoodland - gives several variations of the plot, cracker.

 

[jamesf24]

Deja Vu just made NO sense to me whatsoever....That was a right head pickler.

On the contrary Saw 2 I thought was pure genious. I mean it didn't take me long to figure out that Amanda was in on it but I never saw the taped footage coming. Great twist.

The Departed I thought was brilliant. I mean it wasn't much of a puzzle for the viewer but it was a clever twist.

 

[hopetrammell2004]

An excellent one. I did an analysis of it once for an art project. I'll see if I can find it.