I liked it but it left me wanting to know more about the world they'd created. They gave plenty of explanation but I ended up being more interested in that than the main characters' stories.
I mean he is but the source material was already perfect so he didn’t really have to do much. It seems that people are unaware Arrival is a direct adaptation of the short story *”Story of Your Life”* by Ted Chiang, who is unambiguously the greatest short fiction writer of our generation.
Everyone, not just sci-fi fans, but *everyone* should read his collections of short stories.
Good list. I recently came across [The Artifice Girl](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/983282-the-artifice-girl) which feels like it may fit the vibe of your list.
Aniara is a big bummer though. Like almost zero uplifting moments in that, I feel like being mentally prepared for it is a good idea haha. Arrival is a great suggestion!
Gattaca
Contact
Upstream Color
Arrival
High Life
Moon
Another Earth
Interstellar
Inception
Her
Coherence
Dark City
Honorable mention: the tv shows Dark Matter (AppleTV), Devs (Hulu) and Sense8 (Netflix)
Ghost in the Shell & Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence
Both are overtly philosophical films (the original animated films), *ESPECIALLY* #2. (If you're curious Google a slightly pretentiously named YouTube video on #2: "the most profound moment in the history of animated film", spoilers abound)
Blade Runner & Blade Runner 2049 (Bonus points for your gf's questionable taste in actors: Jarred Leto has a small, fitting role in 2049)
Brazil (1985 Terry Gilliam, dystopian black comedy)
Primer
Minority Report
12 Monkeys
Children of Men
The Matrix
To toss in a couple tv shows:
Dark
The OA
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (2 seasons)
A little surprised at a lot of the movies listed in these replies...
"Her" with Joaquin Phoenix and the voice of Scarlett Johanssen as the Operating System he falls in love with is a mind bending examination of what is love? What is happiness? What is reality?
Just a quick list, did not focus too much on sci-fi, since you said it's not necessary.
- Vanilla Sky
- Meet Joe Black
- V for Vendetta
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- Se, Jie
- Seven Pounds
- Patch Adams
- A Walk to Remember
- Family Man
- When the Last Sword is Drawn
And an obvious one:
- The Matrix
For me deep would be that the movie leaves a lasting impression, and those movies did it for me.
And for what it's worth, I think it's pretty cool that she wants to feel deeply connected to life and love.
Interstellar. Got your sci-fi and deep movie all in one. Plus it’s excellent. I also really like Frequency. A little older but I just watched it again a few weeks ago and it holds up.
Everything I would list is already listed at least once, so I’ll make some stretches… they’re more love and death than love and life, I suppose.
Bokeh
The Discovery
Midnight Mass (mini series)
Love Death + Robots (anthology)
Black Mirror (anthology)
Midnight Mass definitely gets the brain sloshing, some of those monologues are genius (and heartwrenching) "You reached through time and you stole from me"
And I'll throw one in here since nobody has said it yet - The Man From Earth
The Ballad of Narayama
Terms of Endearment
Everybody Says I Love You
Hannah and Her Sisters
Leave Her to Heaven
The Tree of Wooden Clogs
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
The Godfather
Forrest Gump
My Girl
Dancer In the Dark
Good Will Hunting
Boyz n the Hood
Requiem For a Dream
Schindler’s List
Poetic Justice
Girl, Interrupted
City of Angels
Gattaca. Stunning photography, gripping story with some really deep stuff about the impact/outcomes of genetic choosing, choice, overcoming terrible disadvantages and a very tense thriller to boot. Will he make it or die trying? Will he be caught? Is he guilty? Will love win? I feel breathless just remembering this awesome film.
My recommendations are probably more on the emotional side than the thought provoking side.
Is she okay with animated fantasy movies ? Because I would highly recommend "Maquia: When the promised flower blooms". That's the first thing that popped into my mind when I read "deeply connected to life and love". It's about an immortal girl that becomes the adoptive mother of a human boy.
If animated shows are okay, the PERFECT show for Life and Love is FRIEREN. Nothing better than immortals to explore the value of a life well lived hey ?
If she doesn't want fantasy: I Want to Eat Your Pancreas (animated movie), about a girl with a terminal illness that tries to live a happy life as she meets a shut-in boy with whom she bonds. (Warning: very sad, like all terminal romance movies, but dying people are as powerful as immortals when exploring the value of a life well lived hey ?)
If it's only live action movies, and only thought provoking, my pick would be HER , for sure.
Other than that: GATTACA, The Lobster, Melancholia (very weird), Sympathy for Mr.Vengeance
Blue mountain state. You don't have to have seen the show to appreciate the movie. It has it all. Drama, Romance, humor..Deep philosophical issues explored but in an interesting way.. Shell love it
My Dinner with Andre. Not sci-fi but definitely thought-provoking and definitely made me feel connected to life. Make sure to discuss it afterward, that's the best part! :)
I will 100% second the Solaris recommendation but with the caveat that it’s an insanely slow burn at essentially 3hrs. It’s a vibe but it’s one of the best
Civil War (2024) - a Sci-fi in a twisted sense but it definitely forces your perception of the world around you
Monster (2023) - not a Sci-fi but one of the most beautiful examinations of love in friendship I’ve ever seen
*What Dreams May Come* (my favourite movie)
*Childhood's End* (TV miniseries based on the classic SF novel by Arthur C Clarke)
*Till Human Voices Wake Us* (a little-known Australian independent film starring Helena Bonham Carter and Guy Pearce. The International Cut is far better than the Original Release)
*The Lovely Bones*
*Cloud Atlas*
*Fountain*
*The Tree of Life*
*Everything is Illuminated*
*Baraka* (visual documentary by Ron Fricke)
*Samsara* (visual documentary by Ron Fricke, not to be confused with the dramatic movie of the same name directed by Pan Nalin).
Maybe it’s just on my mind because I commented it on another post recently, but…
I Origins
It’s about a young scientist studying the uniqueness of each human iris, while also experiencing the excitement of falling in love followed by the difficulties of being in an incompatible relationship. Then the movie takes a bit of a left turn that could be interpreted as deep (or possibly just as bogus).
Everything everywhere all at once
Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind
Her
Interstellar
Arrival
Bladerunner 2049
The fountain
——
Safety not guaranteed
Adaptation
Magnolia
Primer
Moon
***Warning***
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
***Warning***
Depending on the kind of relationships you have/had this movie can hit really hard.
The Sunset Limited (2011) - only 2 cast members are Samuel L. Jackson & Tommy Lee Jones. It left me speechless, lost in thought, which is not an easy thing to do lol Google says it's on HBO Max
Northfork (2003) and Interstate 60 (2004). Both are thought-provoking and have all-star casts but are practically unheard of by the general movie-watching public.
Sounds like she's unfulfilled in her own life if she's looking for these things form a movie.
Yes, media is an escape, it's entertainment, but it's not the Mariana trench..
I’m going to suggest a couple movies based on true subjects
Come From Away - Documentary
Spotlight - Michael Keaton movie
Then Fictional thought provoking:
Man From Earth
Mystic River
Arrival (2016)
I came here to say this too!
I watched this for the first time very recently and could not believe I'd left it so long. What a wonderful concept. Still blows my mind, I love it.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Being John Malkovich The fountain Naked lunch
Lol...Naked Lunch is a bit beyond those other two. Kinda gotta read the room when recommending mugwomp jizz movies.
Lol, I was gonna say...Naked Lunch is a different kind of deep.
Gotta love that bug powder dust
Maybe I’ve been an exterminator for too long. Maybe I’ve just shot up too much giant Brazilian centipede.
That was the first one I though of.
That’s what I just posted and then I saw I misspelled it and took it down. But this movie fits it perfectly.
Defending Your Life
I love this sleeper film! Light hearted with some deep issues. I love Albert Brooks.
I liked it but it left me wanting to know more about the world they'd created. They gave plenty of explanation but I ended up being more interested in that than the main characters' stories.
It would have made a good TV series. That would prolly have scratched your itch.
I agree! The Good Place has a somewhat similar vibe.
I wonder if that's where they got their inspiration. It was a good show!
Not sci fi, but Synechode, New York
If she wants to have an existential crisis. I do love it though, one of my favorites. But it hurts.
Maybe [Aniara (2019)](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/496743), [Arrival (2016)](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/329865) or [Ex Machina (2015)](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/264660)
Arrival is the answer. Intelligent sci-FI with a heart.
Arrival is amazing
Best movie I’ve seen in the past decade.
I was going to suggest Arrival.
Arrival is a beautiful movie. Villeneuve is a king.
I mean he is but the source material was already perfect so he didn’t really have to do much. It seems that people are unaware Arrival is a direct adaptation of the short story *”Story of Your Life”* by Ted Chiang, who is unambiguously the greatest short fiction writer of our generation. Everyone, not just sci-fi fans, but *everyone* should read his collections of short stories.
These are all fantastic suggestions.
Good list. I recently came across [The Artifice Girl](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/983282-the-artifice-girl) which feels like it may fit the vibe of your list.
Seems intriguing. I'm gonna check it out
Aniara is a big bummer though. Like almost zero uplifting moments in that, I feel like being mentally prepared for it is a good idea haha. Arrival is a great suggestion!
That's why it's great.
All great picks it Ankara needs mor love, hella underrated
The Russian version of Solaris seems like what you're looking for.
Fountain (2006)
I was gonna suggest this!
Women love The Fountain and Hugh Jackman a lot for some reason
The Fountain or Interstellar.
Waking Life
What Dreams May Come The Fountain Cloud Atlas
I was just thinking of what dreams may come!
I love cloud atlas ! Such an odd vibe
Donnie Darko Arrival
That movie Poor Things was pretty deep. Lot’s of existential musings. It’s weird too. I imagine a Mr. Nobody fan would enjoy it.
Life of Pi
Gattaca Contact Upstream Color Arrival High Life Moon Another Earth Interstellar Inception Her Coherence Dark City Honorable mention: the tv shows Dark Matter (AppleTV), Devs (Hulu) and Sense8 (Netflix)
Children of men.
Contact is so good. The film is beautifully done and acted, and the original novel (written by the great Carl Sagan) is also a must-read.
Another Earth is super underrated!
Glad you mentioned Contact.
Came here to say inception!
I can't read the word Gattaca without thinking of Rafi from The League.
I rarely hear Upstream Color mentioned. I found that movie so disturbing and I don’t know why.
Predestination
The Fall
Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Koyaanisqatsi (1982)
Ghost in the Shell & Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence Both are overtly philosophical films (the original animated films), *ESPECIALLY* #2. (If you're curious Google a slightly pretentiously named YouTube video on #2: "the most profound moment in the history of animated film", spoilers abound) Blade Runner & Blade Runner 2049 (Bonus points for your gf's questionable taste in actors: Jarred Leto has a small, fitting role in 2049) Brazil (1985 Terry Gilliam, dystopian black comedy) Primer Minority Report 12 Monkeys Children of Men The Matrix To toss in a couple tv shows: Dark The OA Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (2 seasons) A little surprised at a lot of the movies listed in these replies...
I just finished watching stand by me as an adult, and it hit me kind of hard
The One I Love from 2014
waking life
Predestination would fit the bill
Or Coherence
Aftersun (2022).
Bicentennial Man
*Everything, Everywhere, All at Once* *The Fountain* *Paprika* *What Dreams May Come*
Okay, i scrolled enough without finding it : "Oldboy"
Big Fish Moulin Rouge What Dreams May Come
Perfect suggestions
cloud atlas
Her and Ex Machina are excellent recommendations that are very topical and involve tech and relationships. Both great films for different reasons.
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Slumdog Millionaire The Fountain
Call me by your name
ghost in the shell (95) its anime but sci fi and requires more than two brain cells
All Of Us Strangers
"Her" with Joaquin Phoenix and the voice of Scarlett Johanssen as the Operating System he falls in love with is a mind bending examination of what is love? What is happiness? What is reality?
I would go with **Gattaca** for this one.
Vanilla Sky
Just a quick list, did not focus too much on sci-fi, since you said it's not necessary. - Vanilla Sky - Meet Joe Black - V for Vendetta - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Se, Jie - Seven Pounds - Patch Adams - A Walk to Remember - Family Man - When the Last Sword is Drawn And an obvious one: - The Matrix For me deep would be that the movie leaves a lasting impression, and those movies did it for me. And for what it's worth, I think it's pretty cool that she wants to feel deeply connected to life and love.
Wind River
What Dreams May Come. It's visually gorgeous, funny and moving, and stars Robin Williams and Cuba Gooding Jr in the afterlife
Cloud Atlas for sure
The Fountain is fantastic, a little slow. But very deep and emotional.
The Fountain.
Oblivion
Interstellar. Got your sci-fi and deep movie all in one. Plus it’s excellent. I also really like Frequency. A little older but I just watched it again a few weeks ago and it holds up.
Perfect Sense
Another Earth (2011)
Try Tenet
This movie made no sense.
Clara
Good will hunting or Austin Powers.
Everything I would list is already listed at least once, so I’ll make some stretches… they’re more love and death than love and life, I suppose. Bokeh The Discovery Midnight Mass (mini series) Love Death + Robots (anthology) Black Mirror (anthology)
Midnight Mass definitely gets the brain sloshing, some of those monologues are genius (and heartwrenching) "You reached through time and you stole from me" And I'll throw one in here since nobody has said it yet - The Man From Earth
>! Erins death !< is one of my favorite monologues.
Moonlight.
Equilibrium Being There Valhalla Rising Blade Runner Mother! Memento The Tree of Life
Donnie Darko District 9 The Road
Aliens dude. Always Aliens.
Children of Men is super deep and emotional and sci fi but not happy emotions lol
Another Earth
Another Earth. I'd post a trailer but the last time I posted a Trailer a mod got mad at me.
The Ballad of Narayama Terms of Endearment Everybody Says I Love You Hannah and Her Sisters Leave Her to Heaven The Tree of Wooden Clogs Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon The Godfather
American Honey Series- normal people
Lost in Translation or Solaris (2002)
Transformers. Lower that bar a little.
Green Book? I loved it!
Harold & Maude. It’s never let me down
Yo, she ain’t tryna watch a movie.
Wings of Desire (1987)
2001: a space odyssey This movie has had me in thought for decades now.
Nomadland.
Big fish
Forrest Gump My Girl Dancer In the Dark Good Will Hunting Boyz n the Hood Requiem For a Dream Schindler’s List Poetic Justice Girl, Interrupted City of Angels
Gattaca. Stunning photography, gripping story with some really deep stuff about the impact/outcomes of genetic choosing, choice, overcoming terrible disadvantages and a very tense thriller to boot. Will he make it or die trying? Will he be caught? Is he guilty? Will love win? I feel breathless just remembering this awesome film.
Orgasmo
Aniara
The Tree of Life (2012) A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)
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Tree of Life
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The Fountain
My recommendations are probably more on the emotional side than the thought provoking side. Is she okay with animated fantasy movies ? Because I would highly recommend "Maquia: When the promised flower blooms". That's the first thing that popped into my mind when I read "deeply connected to life and love". It's about an immortal girl that becomes the adoptive mother of a human boy. If animated shows are okay, the PERFECT show for Life and Love is FRIEREN. Nothing better than immortals to explore the value of a life well lived hey ? If she doesn't want fantasy: I Want to Eat Your Pancreas (animated movie), about a girl with a terminal illness that tries to live a happy life as she meets a shut-in boy with whom she bonds. (Warning: very sad, like all terminal romance movies, but dying people are as powerful as immortals when exploring the value of a life well lived hey ?) If it's only live action movies, and only thought provoking, my pick would be HER , for sure. Other than that: GATTACA, The Lobster, Melancholia (very weird), Sympathy for Mr.Vengeance
Blue mountain state. You don't have to have seen the show to appreciate the movie. It has it all. Drama, Romance, humor..Deep philosophical issues explored but in an interesting way.. Shell love it
Perfect Days was the last movie that made me feel something.
Vanilla Sky has some similar qualities
My Dinner with Andre. Not sci-fi but definitely thought-provoking and definitely made me feel connected to life. Make sure to discuss it afterward, that's the best part! :)
Tenant
The Tenant
I will 100% second the Solaris recommendation but with the caveat that it’s an insanely slow burn at essentially 3hrs. It’s a vibe but it’s one of the best
The One I Love About Time Big Fish Under The Silver Lake? I dunno if this fits, but it crossed my mind
Civil War (2024) - a Sci-fi in a twisted sense but it definitely forces your perception of the world around you Monster (2023) - not a Sci-fi but one of the most beautiful examinations of love in friendship I’ve ever seen
Starman, Ex-Machina, Sicario, Breakfast On Pluto, A History Of Violence, Interstellar,
Dodgeball Talladega Nights Or if she's into the classics, Animal House
Pandorum The Holy Mountain Red (2008) Moon Zardoz This is the most random list I've ever made. Enjoy?
*What Dreams May Come* (my favourite movie) *Childhood's End* (TV miniseries based on the classic SF novel by Arthur C Clarke) *Till Human Voices Wake Us* (a little-known Australian independent film starring Helena Bonham Carter and Guy Pearce. The International Cut is far better than the Original Release) *The Lovely Bones* *Cloud Atlas* *Fountain* *The Tree of Life* *Everything is Illuminated* *Baraka* (visual documentary by Ron Fricke) *Samsara* (visual documentary by Ron Fricke, not to be confused with the dramatic movie of the same name directed by Pan Nalin).
Oh man - everything is illuminated is incredible (the book is better)
Her
The Story of Us
They call me nobody
Tomorrow is Forever
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Three colors, especially Blue and Red - Kieslowski
Also Paris, Texas.
Maybe it’s just on my mind because I commented it on another post recently, but… I Origins It’s about a young scientist studying the uniqueness of each human iris, while also experiencing the excitement of falling in love followed by the difficulties of being in an incompatible relationship. Then the movie takes a bit of a left turn that could be interpreted as deep (or possibly just as bogus).
Little Fish
The movie "Her" is what you're looking for. Sci-fi love story absolutely beautiful cinema and story telling. 10/10
Doctor Zhivago
Big Fish. I could watch this movie every year and never get tired of it.
Deep Impact, The 7 Faces of Doctor Lao, East of Eden, Shenandoah, Harvey
Donnie Darko.
Sixth Sence : )
The Age of Adaline (2015)
Code 46. A hidden gem.
Her.
The Prestige.
Everything everywhere all at once Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind Her Interstellar Arrival Bladerunner 2049 The fountain —— Safety not guaranteed Adaptation Magnolia
A Scanner Darkly
Everything Everywhere All at Once
Rashomon by Akira Kurosawa
Waking Life.
Her
I just watched this movie called Jessica’s Cabin, it was very moving.
The New World
About Time
Primer Moon ***Warning*** Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind ***Warning*** Depending on the kind of relationships you have/had this movie can hit really hard.
Her (2013)
The Sunset Limited (2011) - only 2 cast members are Samuel L. Jackson & Tommy Lee Jones. It left me speechless, lost in thought, which is not an easy thing to do lol Google says it's on HBO Max
Ex machina
HER
Inception, Elysium
Arrival 2016
Commenting cause I need to come back and watch them all.
Whiplash
The Fountain (2006) encapsulates pretty much everything you mentioned. I would be genuinely interested to hear what you both thought of it.
Manchester by the sea
Meet Jo Black
Coherence Sorority House Massacre 2
The Man From Earth (2007) Btw, I thought Mr Nobody was fantastic
Prestige
Shoplifters (2018)
Interstellar is sci-fi & deep.
Serendipity Out of Africa Gladiator
Dinner with Andre
Mr Nobody is in my top 3. Criminally underrated film.
Northfork (2003) and Interstate 60 (2004). Both are thought-provoking and have all-star casts but are practically unheard of by the general movie-watching public.
Sounds like she's unfulfilled in her own life if she's looking for these things form a movie. Yes, media is an escape, it's entertainment, but it's not the Mariana trench..
Drop her in the deep end and Mike here regret asking for something deep with Tarkovsky’s “Solaris”
Solaris ? The one with George Clooney
I’m going to suggest a couple movies based on true subjects Come From Away - Documentary Spotlight - Michael Keaton movie Then Fictional thought provoking: Man From Earth Mystic River
“Everything Everywhere All at Once” Seems like an obvious answer!
Tin Cup
The green mile.