A selection of psychological movies with meaning – a real find for movie buffs and fans of pictures with a tense plot. This fascinating movie will not just brighten up your evening, but will help you learn the secrets of human nature.
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
- IMDB Rating – 8.1
- Genre: Drama, Crime
- Production: UK, USA / 2017
- Budget: $15,000,000
- Worldwide Box Office: $160,192,031
- Director: Martin McDonagh
- Starring: Frances McDormand, Sam Rockwell, Woody Harrelson, Lucas Hedges, Caleb Landry Jones, Abbie Cornish, Peter Dinklage, John Hawkes, Kerry Condon, Clark Peters
The American province is shocked by a brutal crime, because the victim of a rapist and murderer was a local girl. A few months later, the murderer has not been found, the life of the town returns to its usual course, but not for the grief-stricken Mildred Hayes.
After unsuccessful attempts to reach justice, the desperate mother hangs a provocative statement on billboards. The woman accuses the sheriff of indifference and incompetence, without thinking about the consequences of a bold act.
Director Martin McDonagh was inspired by real posters of an unsolved crime. Texas police ignored evidence that pointed to the guilt of a man from a powerful family. The killer was never punished, and the billboards are still on the highway decades later.
Agassi
- IMDB Rating – 8.1
- Genre: Melodrama, Thriller, Drama, History
- Production: Korea South / 2016
- Budget: $8,800,000
- Worldwide Box Office: $37,692,886
- Director: Park Chang-wook
- Starring: Kim Min-hee, Kim Tae-ri, Ha Jung-woo, Jo Jin-un, Kim Hae-sook, Moon So-ri, Lee Young-nyeo, Lee Dong-hwi, Yoo Min-jae, Jo Eun-hyun
The action of the erotic thriller develops in the 30s of the last century, when Korea was under the occupation of Japan. A resident of a creepy brothel Sook-hee gets an amazing chance to change her life.
An experienced swindler called Count offers the girl to get a job in a rich Japanese family under the guise of a personal maid of Mrs. Hideko. The swindler hopes to make the young heiress of an impressive fortune fall head over heels, but soon the perfectly worked out plan fails.
The Korean actors in the movie had to communicate in Japanese, so a teacher was assigned to each of them before filming. The speech in the movie sounded so clear that the stars were applauded at the premiere.
Room
- IMDB Rating – 8.1
- Genre: Thriller, Drama
- Production: Canada, Ireland, UK, USA / 2015
- Budget: $13,000,000
- Worldwide Box Office: $35,401,758
- Director: Leonard Abrahamson
- Starring: Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay, Sean Bridgers, Joan Allen, Tom McCamus, William H. Macy, Cas Anwar, Randal Edwards, Amanda Brugel, Joe Ping
Joy Newsam was kidnapped as a teenager by a maniac, but over the years has not lost hope of returning to her family. The girl gave birth to a son from the rapist, with whom she is forced to live in a shabby building.
Joy tries by all means to preserve Jack’s psychological health, which is not easy in inhuman conditions. When the girl gets a chance to escape, she goes towards freedom without a second thought. The captive does not suspect that new trials await her ahead, and the return to the usual life can be painful.
Before filming began, the performer of the main role Brie Larson spent several weeks in seclusion, trying to better understand the inner state of the heroine. The actress followed a strict diet to keep her weight in line with the prisoner deprived of a normal diet.
Arrhythmia
- IMDB Rating – 7.4
- Genre: Melodrama, Drama
- Production: Russia / 2017
- Budget: ₽ 54,326,362
- Worldwide Box Office: $1,594,942
- Director: Boris Khlebnikov
- Starring: Alexander Yatsenko, Irina Gorbacheva, Nikolai Schreiber, Maxim Lagashkin, Albina Tikhanova, Alexander Samoilenko, Elena Drobysheva, Evgeny Muravich, Anna Kotova-Deryabina, Nadezhda Markina
Oleg works in the ambulance brigade, giving himself completely to his vocation and saving people. The man believes that death itself retreats at the sight of talented doctors, and does not notice the approaching catastrophe.
The marriage has long failed, and the desperate wife decides to file for divorce. The family can still be saved, but it is difficult for Oleg to make a final choice. On one side of the scale is his beloved wife Katya, and on the other – the lives of ordinary people in need of emergency medical care.
The movie was originally planned as a comedy about a couple who are forced to live together before divorce. After meeting real-life medics and stories about reform, the genre of the picture changed dramatically.
Tully
- IMDB Rating – 6.9
- Genre: Drama, Comedy, Detective
- Production: USA, Canada / 2017
- Worldwide Box Office: $15,636,462
- Director: Jason Reitman
- Starring: Charlize Theron, Mackenzie Davis, Ron Livingston, Mark Duplass, Elaine Tan, Escher Miles Fallica, Leah Frankland, Gamila Wright, Tattiona Jones, Stormy Ante
Forty-year-old Marlo is raising two children and carrying a third baby under her heart. Unplanned pregnancy has adjusted family life, where the spouses are increasingly expressing claims to each other. The appearance of a newborn becomes the last straw for a woman exhausted by everyday life, and the older brother decides to intervene in the situation.
Craig hires a young nanny Tally, so that Marlo can get a good night’s sleep. Energetic and cheerful assistant annoys the mistress of the house, but gradually the difference of characters becomes the basis for a strong female friendship.
For filming Charlize Theron had to gain more than 20 kg, and the excess weight provoked the development of depression. The actress had to work hard to regain her former shape, and the process of weight loss took 1.5 years.
The Roads Not Taken
- IMDB Rating – 5.2
- Genre: Drama
- Production: UK, Sweden, Poland, Spain, USA / 2020
- Worldwide Box Office: $105,439
- Director: Sally Potter
- Starring: Javier Bardem, Elle Fanning, Branka Katic, Salma Hayek, Dimitri Andreas, Katja Mullova-Brind, Milena Czarntke, Deborah Weston, Aaron Joshua, Sabina Cameron
In the center of the plot of the foreign drama – one day in the life of Leo, suffering from dementia. The care of a sick father took on his daughter, who hopes for the help of doctors and the wonders of modern medicine.
The girl patiently listens to the confused phrases, trying to make out the incoherent mumbling of the man, and in Leo’s head passages from the past. Mental illness gradually leads to loss of personality, but the daughter is not ready to give up and let her father fall into the abyss of subconsciousness.
Filming took place in New York, London and Spain, but the creators of the picture managed to fit in 26 days to complete the workflow.
Black Swan
- IMDB Rating – 8.0
- Genre: Drama, Thriller
- Production: USA / 2010
- Budget: $13,000,000
- Worldwide Box Office: $329,398,046
- Director: Darren Aronofsky
- Starring: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Barbara Hershey, Winona Ryder, Sebastian Stan, Toby Hemingway, Benjamin Milpierre, Xenia Solo, Christina Anapau
The top of movies with deep psychological meaning continues with an American drama about backstage struggles. A New York ballet company is preparing for the production of “Swan Lake”, and on the eve of the premiere the leading dancer leaves the stage because of her age.
Two talented dancers claim the lead role, but the competition gradually escalates into a dangerous rivalry with an unpredictable outcome. The tension in the team grows, and thoughts of possible failure hinder more than the intrigues of enemies.
A few months before filming Natalie Portman resumed ballet classes, having previously lost weight by 9 kg. The girl recommended Mila Kunis for the role of a rival, so the guest actress did not even have an interview.
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
- IMDB Rating – 7.7
- Genre: Drama, Comedy
- Production: USA / 2015
- Budget: $8,000,000
- Worldwide Box Office: $9,074,749
- Director: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon
- Starring: Thomas Mann, RJ Cyler, Olivia Cooke, Nick Offerman, Connie Britton, Molly Shannon, Jon Bernthal, Matt Bennett, Kathryn Hughes, Masam Holden
Greg is a withdrawn teenager with an unusual hobby, but his hobby is supported by his best friend. Together with Earl, the guy reshoots old movies, creating short parodies of classic stories.
A classmate Rachel is found to have cancer, and his mother sends Greg to support the girl with whom he was friends in childhood. Communication gradually turns into a buddy relationship, and the guys decide to create a special picture for the schoolgirl. However, soon good intentions lead to unexpected consequences.
The movie contains references to pictures from the 60s and 70s, which emphasizes the atmosphere of old cinema.
Flight
- IMDB Rating – 7.3
- Genre: Thriller, Drama
- Production: USA, UAE / 2012
- Budget: $31,000,000
- Worldwide Box Office: $161,772,375
- Director: Robert Zemeckis
- Starring: Denzel Washington, Kelly Reilly, Bruce Greenwood, Don Cheadle, John Goodman, Tamara Tuney, Brian Geraty, Melissa Leo, Nadine Velasquez, Michael Beasley
William Whitaker is an experienced pilot, and once professionalism helps to avoid a monstrous disaster. During the next flight in the airliner fails control system, but the pilot manages to land the board, making a risky maneuver.
On the ground, William is met by enthusiastic journalists, TV channels fight for the opportunity to interview the hero, and the people of the country thank him for saving the passengers. As the investigation begins, the perfect image gradually disappears, turning yesterday’s triumphant hero into a dangerous criminal.
The script is based on the true story of Canadian Captain Pichet, who managed to land an airplane with two failed engines. The heroic role was ruined by a reporter who remembered the pilot’s criminal past.
Nocturnal Animals
- IMDB Rating – 7.5
- Genre: Thriller, Drama
- Production: USA / 2016
- Budget: $22,500,000
- Worldwide Box Office: $30,311,857
- Director: Tom Ford
- Starring: Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Shannon, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Isla Fisher, Ellie Bamber, Armie Hammer, Carl Glusman, Robert Aramayo, Laura Linney
Susan is happy with her beloved husband, but the past unceremoniously intrudes into the perfect life. Her ex-spouse makes an unusual request to read his manuscript and meet after reading the novel.
From the first page of the literary work, Susan embarks on a journey through the recesses of memory, where she tried to safely bury the bygone events. In one night, everything that seemed valuable and inviolable to the woman, as well as the confidence in the existence of an ideal reality, collapses.
The shooting process took only 2 months, and the cameraman chose 35 mm film for his work. Modern cinematography has already switched to digital technology, but the classic method allowed to convey the depth of the actors’ acting.
Manchester by the Sea
- IMDB Rating – 7.8
- Genre: Drama
- Production: USA / 2016
- Budget: $9,000,000
- Worldwide Box Office: $78,988,148
- Director: Kenneth Lonergan
- Starring: Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Kyle Chandler, Lucas Hedges, Ben O’Brien, S.J. Wilson, Anna Baryshnikov, Gretchen Mol, Heather Burns, Jamie Tennille
Lee Chandler does not have stars from the sky, works as a plumber and lives in a semi-basement apartment. Tragic circumstances force the guy to return to his hometown, where his older brother died of cardiac arrest.
The funeral cannot be held because of the frozen ground, and Lee is forced to stay with his orphaned nephew, for whom he is appointed guardian. Chandler does not agree with the last will of the deceased, as he is not ready to take responsibility for the teenager. In addition, the town recalls the turning point that completely changed Lee’s fate.
In the scene in the morgue Casey Affleck unexpectedly cried for the crew, although such strong emotions were not provided by the script. The director decided to keep the shots, which fit perfectly into the plot.
Eyes Wide Shut
- IMDB Rating – 7.5
- Genre: Thriller, Drama, Detective
- Production: USA, UK / 1999
- Budget: $65,000,000
- Worldwide Box Office: $162,091,208
- Director: Stanley Kubrick
- Starring: Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Sydney Pollack, Maria Richardson, Rade Sherbedjia, Todd Field, Vinessa Shaw, Skye Dumont, Faye Masterson, Lili Sobieski.
The Harfords are the perfect married couple, held up as role models. However, their outward well-being hides unseemly secrets. While Bill provides for the family, Alice is bored and finds solace in erotic fantasies.
When a woman decides to confess her fictional liaisons to her husband, the marriage falters for the first time. Offended Bill is shocked by his spouse’s words, but does not want to limit himself to racy dreams. A series of random events leads the man to the castle, where the most daring desires can be realized.
Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise got so into the roles of estranged spouses that they broke up shortly after filming ended.
Demolition
- IMDB Rating – 7.0
- Genre: Drama, Comedy
- Production: USA / 2015
- Budget: $10,000,000
- Worldwide Box Office: $4,366,460
- Director: Jean-Marc Vallee
- Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Naomi Watts, Chris Cooper, Judah Lewis, S.J. Wilson, Polly Draper, Malachy Cleary, Debra Monk, Heather Lind, Wass M. Stevens
The life of financier Davis Mitchell falls apart when he learns of his wife’s death, and the universe itself turns against the widower. The nearest vending machine won’t dispense a candy bar, and the man decides to vent his anger on the machines’ customer service.
Davis harmoniously weaves the stories of his own life into the texts of his complaints, and Karen’s manager begins to take an interest in the strange letters. The woman advises the widower to seek help from a specialist, but Mitchell adheres to his own methods of recovery.
The script of the picture was written in 2007 and became one of the best unrealized projects. Jake Gyllenhaal for the second time gets a role where the character loses his spouse as a result of a tragic accident.
Perfectos desconocidos
- IMDB Rating – 6.9
- Genre: Drama, Comedy
- Production: Spain, Italy / 2017
- Worldwide Box Office: $33,262,366
- Director: Alex de la Iglesia
- Starring: Belén Rueda, Eduard Fernández, Ernesto Alterio, Juana Acosta, Eduardo Noriega, Daphne Fernández, Pepón Nieto, Beatriz Olivares, María Jesús Hoyos
Spaniards picked up the idea of Italian cinematographers, adding to the piggy bank of psychological films with deep meaning. Longtime friends gather for dinner and decide to entertain themselves with an unusual game. Smartphones are placed on the table so that everyone present can hear the interlocutor and read the incoming message.
No one assumes what secrets will come out, because everyone has their own skeleton in the closet. Not everyone is ready to hear the shocking truth that can change lives at any moment.
A total of 18 remakes of the Italian buddy-crush picture were released. The Spanish director wanted a real couple to star in the movie and invited Ernesto Alterio with Juana Acosta.
A Ghost Story
- IMDB Rating – 6.8
- Genre: Fantasy, Drama, Melodrama
- Production: USA / 2017
- Budget: $100,000
- Worldwide box office receipts: $1,951,683
- Director: David Lowery
- Starring: Casey Affleck, Rooney Mara, McColm Sepas Jr, Kenneisha Thompson, Grover Colson, Liz Cardenas, Barlow Jacobs, Richard Krause, Dagger Salazar, Sonia Acevedo
A young composer K lives in a cozy house with his girlfriend M, dreaming one day of moving from the province to the big city. At night the couple is awakened by the loud sound of a piano, and the next day the man is killed in a car accident.
M identifies her lover in the morgue, the deceased sees a bright light at the end of the tunnel, but does not want to part with reality. Finding himself between heaven and earth, the ghost observes the chosen one, who is trying to cope with the loss and return to normal life.
To create the ghost costume, Affleck had to wear multiple skirts under the sheet and use an extra hoop.
Pawn Sacrifice
- IMDB Rating – 7.0
- Genre: Thriller, Drama, Biography, History, Sports
- Production: USA / 2014
- Budget: $19,000,000
- Worldwide Box Office: $5,578,519
- Director: Edward Zwick
- Starring: Tobey Maguire, Liev Schreiber, Michael Stuhlbarg, Peter Sarsgaard, Edward Zinoviev, Alexander Gorchkov, Lily Rabe, Robin Weigert, Seamas Davy-Fitzpatrick, Aidan Lovekamp
Robert Fischer has been passionate about chess since childhood, setting himself an ambitious goal of toppling the Soviet school from the world pedestal. After lengthy negotiations, the moment of truth comes when a decisive match is organized in the midst of the Cold War.
Victory must secure the advantage in the political struggle, and Robert is ready to sit at the same board with the reigning champion Boris Spassky. The chess players have to withstand enormous external pressure, which will not go unnoticed by the grandmasters.
Pawn sacrifice – a special move in a game when a piece is given up in exchange for an advantage. The name has an implication, as both chess players have become bargaining chips for opposing governments.
Her
- IMDB Rating – 8.0
- Genre: Melodrama, Fantasy, Drama
- Production: USA / 2013
- Budget: $23,000,000
- Worldwide Box Office: $48,517,427
- Director: Spike Jones
- Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Scarlett Johansson, Amy Adams, Rooney Mara, Chris Pratt, Olivia Wilde, Matt Letscher, Kristen Wiig, Portia Doubleday, Laura Kai Chen.
After a painful breakup with his girlfriend, the writer Theodore closes in on himself, experiencing a creative crisis. The man accidentally learns about an innovative program that anticipates the user’s desires.
Theodore, out of curiosity, installs a system called Samantha to brighten his loneliness with the help of unusual communication. At first, interaction with artificial intelligence seems strange to the writer, but gradually the pleasant voice penetrates into the heart of the man.
The operating system was voiced by Samantha Morton, and after watching the footage, the director replaced the actress with Scarlett Johansson. The name of the program remained the same.
Calvary
- IMDB Rating – 7.4
- Genre: Drama, Detective
- Production: Ireland, UK / 2013
- Budget: $7,000,000
- Worldwide Box Office: $16,887,741
- Director: John Michael McDonagh
- Starring: Brendan Gleeson, Kelly Reilly, Chris O’Dowd, Aidan Gillen, Dylan Moran, Isaac De Bankole, M. Emmet Walsh, Marie-Josée Croze, Donal Gleeson, David Wilmot
Father James, a priest in a provincial town, is approached by a parishioner with an unusual penance. The man confesses that for years he has been subjected to regular sexual abuse by his now deceased pastor.
The visitor warns that he will kill James in a week, so the clergyman needs to get his affairs in order. However, the pastor decides to rely not on the local police, but on the will of the Lord, so he continues to bring light into the gray everyday life of the parishioners.
The film features 12 supporting actors – the number of disciples of Jesus Christ. The idea for the movie arose against the backdrop of a series of scandals about pedophile priests, but the director decided to make a movie about a good shepherd.
Professor Marston and the Wonder Women
- IMDB Rating – 7.1
- Genre: Drama, Biography, History
- Production: USA / 2017
- Worldwide Box Office: $1,899,615
- Director: Angela Robinson
- Starring: Luke Evans, Rebecca Hall, Bella Heathcote, Connie Britton, Monica Giordano, JJ Field, Chris Conroy, Oliver Platt, Maggie Castle, Alexa Havins
The plot of the biographical story revolves around an eccentric professor of psychology and his polygamous romantic relationship. William Marston valued his spouse for the qualities that were lacking in his mistress, and vice versa. Combining the best in his chosen women, the freethinker created an ideal character.
Beautiful and vulnerable, strong physically and spiritually woman is not ready to put up with the patriarchal dispensation of the world. The legendary heroine of popular comics Diana Prince became a real sensation of her time, and the idea was reborn from an unusual relationship.
The movie was promoted as a true story of Marston, but the creators of the picture admitted that much of the plot is speculative. The psychologist has never spoken about his personal life.
Wild
- IMDB Rating – 7.1
- Genre: Drama, Adventure, Biography
- Production: USA / 2014
- Budget: $15,000,000
- Worldwide Box Office: $52,501,541
- Director: Jean-Marc Vallee
- Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Thomas Sadoski, Keane McRae, Micheal Heussman, W. Earl Brown, Gaby Hoffmann, Kevin O. Rankin, Brian Van Holt, Cliff De Young.
After the death of her mother, Cheryl faces severe depression, so she tries to find solace in drugs and promiscuous sexual relations. Cheating leads to divorce, and the woman decides to break up her destructive lifestyle by hiking across several states.
The unprepared hiker has to face bad weather, hunger, wild animals and unbearable conditions. But all the troubles pale into insignificance against the nightmare that is deep inside Cheryl’s soul.
The drama is based on a true story and biographical novel by Cheryl Strayed. The young heroine was played by the real daughter of the traveler.
You’re Not You
- IMDB Rating – 7.3
- Genre: Drama
- Production: USA / 2014
- Worldwide Box Office: $894,964
- Director: George S. Wolf
- Starring: Hilary Swank, Emmy Rossum, Josh Duhamel, Stephanie Beatriz, Jason Ritter, Julian McMahon, Ali Larter, Andrea Savage, Gerald Downey, Mike Doyle
One of the best psychological movies can be safely called a life-affirming drama. The talented pianist Kate is struck by a serious illness, and the young woman fades before her eyes. Her husband hires a nurse for his wife – Beck, a music college student who dreams of conquering the stage.
The life of a young girl resembles complete chaos, and the ward prefers to adhere to a clear schedule. However, in a difficult period it is important for Kate not to think far ahead and try not to look back into the past.
The performer of the role of Beck before filming several years did not communicate with her father. After the premiere of the film, her father called the actress to reconcile and inform her about the disappointing diagnosis.
Jagten
- IMDB Rating – 8.3
- Genre: Drama
- Production: Denmark, Sweden / 2012
- Budget: $3,800,000
- Worldwide Box Office: $15,843,274
- Director: Thomas Vinterberg
- Starring: Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen, Annika Vedderkopp, Lasse Vogelström, Susse Wold, Anne Louise Hassing, Lars Rante, Alexandra Rapaport, Sebastian Bull Sarning, Steen Ordell Guldbrand Jensen
Forty-year-old Lucas manages to put his life back in order after a difficult divorce and job loss. He meets an interesting woman, gets a job as a kindergarten teacher and dreams of a happy future.
Dreams are shattered by the harsh reality when the young daughter of Lucas’s friend groundlessly accuses the teacher of sexual harassment. In a few days, the respected teacher becomes a pariah, from whom the town’s inhabitants turn away, but the man is determined to regain his honorable name.
The idea for the drama came to the director after a conversation with a Danish psychologist who spoke about children’s fantasies replacing reality.
Under the Skin
- IMDB Rating – 6.3
- Genre: Horror, Fiction, Thriller, Drama
- Production: UK, Switzerland / 2013
- Budget: $13,300,000
- Worldwide Box Office: $5,735,963
- Director: Jonathan Glazer
- Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy McWilliams, Lynsey Taylor McKay, Dougie McConnell, Kevin McAlinden, D. Meade, Andrew Gorman, Joe Shula, Rishtof Gadek, Roy Armstrong
An inconspicuous car with a gorgeous brunette behind the wheel is cruising along the Edinburgh-Glasgow highway. The girl has no trouble luring a hitchhiker into the car to invite him to her home for a closer acquaintance.
No one suspects that behind the guise of a lush-breasted beauty hides an alien creature. The purpose of the alien is to provide food for the inhabitants of his world, and the spy perfectly copes with the task. It is difficult to refuse to help a stranger who subdues the will with a single glance.
The roles of the victims went to ordinary men, not professional actors. The director installed hidden cameras in the van and only after filming did he inform the passenger that he was in the movie.
Ema
- IMDB Rating – 6.8
- Genre: Drama, Melodrama, Music
- Production: Chile / 2019
- Worldwide Box Office: $193,676
- Director: Pablo Larraín
- Starring: Mariana Di Girolamo, Gael Garcia Bernal, Santiago Cabrera, Paola Giannini, Giannina Fruttero, Josefina Fiebelkorn, Mariana Loyola, Catalina Saavedra, Paula Luchsinger
A childless couple of dancers decide to adopt an orphan to become a full-fledged family, but the role of parents proves to be an impossible burden. Ema and Gaston are forced to return the boy to the orphanage, accusing each other of betrayal.
A series of scandals leads to the final breakup, and the woman tries to silence the voice of conscience with the head plunging into promiscuous relations. On the path of self-destruction, Ema remains devoted to herself, so she continues to dance, despite the new trials of fate.
The picture won the prestigious “Best Film” award from the youth jury.
Rabbit Hole
- IMDB Rating – 7.0
- Genre: Drama
- Production: USA / 2010
- Budget: $10,000,000
- Worldwide Box Office: $3,409,780
- Director: John Cameron Mitchell
- Starring: Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart, Dianne Wiest, Miles Teller, Tammy Blanchard, Sandra Oh, Giancarlo Esposito, John Tenney, Stephen Mailer, Mike Doyle
Eight months ago, the Corbetta couple suffered a terrible tragedy: the death of their son in an accident. Usually grief brings people together, but Howie and Becky are gradually drifting apart.
The man is increasingly delayed at work, and in his spare time plays squash with his buddies. The woman does household chores, watching videos of her dead son at leisure. One day Becky begins to communicate with the perpetrator of the child’s death – Jason, and the gulf between her and her husband widens even more.
The movie is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name.
Unsane
- IMDB Rating – 6.4
- Genre: Thriller, Detective
- Production: USA / 2018
- Worldwide Box Office: $14,293,601
- Director: Steven Soderbergh
- Starring: Claire Foy, Joshua Leonard, Jay Fero, Juno Temple, Amy Irving, Aimee Mullins, Sarah Stiles, Zach Cherry, Mark Kadish, Colin Woodell
Young Sawyer Valentini urgently moves to another city to get rid of the persecution of an obsessive admirer. The girl manages to start a new life, but her inner fears force her to seek psychological support.
A visit to a specialist ends with hospitalization in a clinic for the mentally ill, where Sawyer faces his long-standing nightmare. Valentini recognizes a persistent suitor in one of the nurses, but there is nowhere to wait for help for the defenseless girl.
The shoot took only 10 days and used iPhone 7 Plus rather than professional cameras.
Melancholia
- IMDB Rating – 7.1
- Genre: Fantastic, Drama
- Production: Denmark, Sweden, France, Germany / 2011
- Budget: $7,400,000
- Worldwide Box Office: $15,946,321
- Director: Lars von Trier
- Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Alexander Skarsgard, Brady Corbett, Cameron Spurr, Charlotte Rampling, Esper Christensen, John Hurt, Stellan Skarsgard, Udo Kier.
Claire, with the support of her husband, organizes a lavish wedding celebration for her younger sister Justine, despite the approaching apocalypse. A planet with the romantic name “Melancholia” is heading towards Earth, and the collision of celestial bodies means the end of all life.
Preparing for the wedding helps Claire to distract herself from her gloomy thoughts, but once the ceremony is underway, panic sets in with a chilling wave of terror. Justine has to take on the role of caring sister, accepting the thought of inevitable death.
The idea for the movie was born in the director’s mind when he was undergoing a course of psychotherapy to treat a depressive condition. Lars von Trier endowed Justine with his own qualities, conveying his personal experiences in the character.
Collateral Beauty
- IMDB Rating – 6.8
- Genre: Drama, Melodrama
- Production: USA / 2016
- Budget: $36,000,000
- Worldwide Box Office: $88,528,280
- Director: David Frankel
- Starring: Will Smith, Edward Norton, Kate Winslet, Michael Peña, Helen Mirren, Naomie Harris, Keira Knightley, Jacob Latimore, Ann Dowd, Lisa Colon-Zayas
The list of psychological films would be incomplete without a heartwarming melodrama about the intricacies of fate. After the death of his only daughter, the head of an advertising firm Howard sees no meaning in life. Colleagues and old friends try to support the man who is sinking deeper and deeper into depression.
In despair Howard writes letters to Death, Time and Love, blaming them for the tragedy. The friends are seriously concerned about the mental state of the leader, so they come up with an unusual rescue plan.
Will Smith admitted that the role was therapeutic as it helped him come to terms with the recent loss of his father.
Limitless
- IMDB Rating – 7.4
- Genre: Thriller, Drama, Fantasy
- Production: USA, Mexico / 2011
- Budget: $26,000,000
- Worldwide Box Office: $161,849,455
- Director: Neil Burger
- Starring: Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro, Abbie Cornish, Andrew Howard, Anna Friel, Johnny Whitworth, Tomas Arana, Robert John Burke, Darren Goldstein, Ned Eisenberg.
Writer Eddie Morra is going through a prolonged creative crisis, but a meeting with an old friend gives hope for happy changes. Vernon offers his friend to try an experimental drug NZT, which makes the human brain use all its resources.
Just one pill turns out to be enough to end the affair, and Eddie decides to continue taking the miracle drug. Soon the side effects of the drug manifest themselves, but Morra has no intention of returning to the bottom of life.
The picture was a spin-off of the series of the same name, which was closed due to low ratings after the first season. De Niro agreed to star in the movie at the request of Cooper, although he considered his role boring and mediocre.
The Gift
- IMDB Rating – 7.1
- Genre: Thriller, Drama, Detective
- Production: USA, Australia, China / 2015
- Budget: $5,000,000
- Worldwide Box Office: $58,978,653
- Director: Joel Edgerton
- Starring: Jason Bateman, Rebecca Hall, Joel Edgerton, Allison Tolman, Tim Griffin, Beezy Phillips, Adam Lazarre-White, Bo Napp, Wendell Pierce, Mirra Faulks
The newlyweds Callema move into a new house, dreaming of a long and happy marriage. Their plans are shattered after a chance meeting with Gordo Moseley, Simon’s former classmate.
Kind and odd guy is happy to communicate with his buddy, so he tries to please an old acquaintance. Simon wants to put an end to the obsessive friendship, because with Gordo they are connected not only school years, but also a terrible secret. The sins of the past are embodied in the present, because revenge is a dish served cold.
The room number in which Simon’s wife finds herself symbolizes a reference to King’s novel The Shining.
Elephant Song
- IMDB Rating – 6.6
- Genre: Drama, Thriller
- Production: Canada / 2014
- Budget: $6,000,000
- Worldwide Box Office: $171,505
- Director: Charles Binamé
- Starring: Bruce Greenwood, Xavier Dolan, Carrie-Anne Moss, Guy Nadon, Colm Feore, Catherine Keener, Gianna Corbisiero, Cindy Sampson, Larry Day, Melody Godin-Cormier
Michael Alyn finds himself in a psychiatric clinic after confessing to the murder of his own mother. The treatment of a difficult patient is handled by Dr. Lawrence, who after another session disappears under mysterious circumstances.
Experienced psychiatrist Toby Green is assigned to talk to Michael, because it was he who last saw the doctor. In exchange for testimony Alin makes a number of demands. Green needs to determine Michael’s illness without looking at the medical records, and from that moment begins a game of “cat and mouse”.
The film is based on the play of the same name by Canadian screenwriter Billon.
Enemy
- IMDB Rating – 6.9
- Genre: Thriller, Drama, Detective
- Production: Canada, Spain / 2013
- Worldwide Box Office: $3,468,224
- Director: Denis Villeneuve
- Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Melanie Laurent, Sarah Gadon, Isabella Rossellini, Joshua Pease, Tim Post, Kedar Brown, Darryl Deanne, Misha Heistead, Megan Mayne
Modest professor Adam Bell on the advice of a colleague rents a low-budget movie – and in one of the scenes notices his double. The man resembles him like two drops of water, and the teacher decides to look for the actor.
In the credits indicated the name Daniel St. Clair, and Adam manages to find out the address of the artist. Bell meets the pregnant wife of a rising star, trying to get as close as possible to the double. When Daniel also shows interest in the professor, the fates of the men are mysteriously intertwined.
For scenes in which the doppelgangers are side by side, the director used a tennis ball on a stick. This helped Jake Gyllenhaal to determine where to look during the dialog.
The Master
- IMDB Rating – 7.1
- Genre: Drama
- Production: USA / 2012
- Budget: $32,000,000
- Worldwide Box Office: $28,258,060
- Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
- Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Laura Dern, Jesse Plemons, Embir Childers, Rami Malek, Martin D. Dew, Kevin J. O’Connor, Patricia McCormack
Former sailor Freddie Quell suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, which developed during World War II. It is difficult for the man to communicate with people in ordinary life, and to cope with neurosis helps alcoholic drink of his own preparation.
After another scandal at work, Freddy is forced to leave the city, hiding on the deck of the ship, where he meets the charismatic creator of the sect “Origins”. Quell joins the religious movement, unaware of the secrets of the influential mentor.
Trailers for the movie consisted of scenes that were not included in the final version of the film, which helped keep the intrigue alive before the premiere.
Jacob’s Ladder
- IMDB Rating – 7.4
- Genre: Drama, Horror, Detective
- Production: USA / 1990
- Budget: $25,000,000
- US box office receipts: $26,118,851
- Director: Adrian Lyne
- Starring: Tim Robbins, Elizabeth Peña, Danny Aiello, Matt Craven, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Jason Alexander, Patricia Kalember, Eric La Salle, Ving Rhames, Brian Tarantina.
The Vietnam War left an indelible mark on the psyche of an American soldier who returned home after a serious injury. The horrors of battle haunt Jacob Singer in dreams and in reality, and the man gradually begins to lose touch with the real world.
The former military man wants to get rid of intrusive memories, but the case takes an unexpected turn after meeting with coworkers. It turns out that they are all subject to similar hallucinations, and the vicious circle of recurring events resembles hell.
Most of the military dialog in the opening scenes is improvisation.
The subway announcements appearing in the frame are real advertisements against drugs.
The Stanford Prison Experiment
- IMDB Rating – 6.8
- Genre: Thriller, Drama, Biography, History
- Production: USA / 2015
- Worldwide Box Office: $663,114
- Director: Kyle Patrick Alvarez
- Starring: Billy Crudup, Michael Angarano, Moises Arias, Nicholas Braun, Guy Charles, Keir Gilchrist, Ki Hong Lee, Thomas Mann, Ezra Miller, Logan Miller
The selection is rounded off by a strong psychological movie about the real-life experience of a leading American scientist. Philip Zimbardo decides to test a hypothesis about the influence of personal qualities of guards and prisoners on violent behavior in prison conditions.
The psychologist gathers a group of volunteers, divides them into “criminals” and “warders”, and begins a two-week experiment. At first, the trial seems like fun, but soon the situation takes a serious turn.
Because of the shocking results, the real experiment had to be stopped after a few days.
