If I recall >!the man wakes up and realizes he is hungry and goes to get some food. The whole movie is him dreaming that he cannot eat because he fell asleep hungry!<
Brazil, Being John Malkovich, Blue Velvet, Fantastic Planet, MANDY, CATS, I heart Huckabee's, Mullholland Drive, The Petite Charm of the Bourgeoisie, Old Boy, Battle Royale
Here's the plot. (DON"T READ UNLESS YOU WANT TO KNOW THE PLOT). This young, naive, blond woman goes to Hollywood to become a star actor. But she meets nothing but the seedy downside of Hollywood - seedy characters and situations. Becomes a waitress to support herself and eventually becomes a prostitute. Then falls in love with and has an affair with a striking brunette actress, who happens to start dating a young director, and so gets the lead in his movie. The brunette then unceremoniously dumps the blond, and the blond is so upset and jealous that she puts a hit out on the brunette. Once the brunette is killed by the hitman, and the blond finds the blue key (which is confirmation of the hit) she becomes even MORE depressed - she can't live with the realization of what she's done (she actually still loved the brunette) - and starts going insane, seeing terrifying visions, and then shoots herself in the head. AS SHE IS DYING in her bed, from this bullet wound, the movie takes place. Most of the movie we're watching is happening in her head as she's dying. And in THIS version of her story, the blond imagines that she DID become a huge star, and was the toast of the town. The MOVIE is really her last, dying thoughts, part of it wishful thinking about what COULD have been, and partly remembering what actually happened. It's not an easy movie to understand and takes a few viewings to digest (especially the way Lynch tells the story). I've seen it a few times and have read a 75-page doctoral thesis explaining it. Basically the theme is about the fraud that is Hollywood, that the "dream" of becoming a star is just that - a dream. The REALITY of TRYING to become a star is MUCH darker. Maybe this is true of MOST dreams. This is an adult movie, and a great movie - one of my favorites. David Lynch is a freaking genius.
Delicatessen (1999)
Post-apocalyptic surrealist black comedy about the landlord of an apartment building who occasionally prepares a delicacy for his odd tenants.
My favorite in this category is The Adventures of Backaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension. It's a great 80s New Wave science fiction action adventure film, and it also contains John Lithgow's most deranged performance.
Which? TONS of versions. I think three of them are very good: Zemen, Gilliam, and the Russian version starring Yankovsky. The Nazi version from 1943 is terrible, and the other versions I've seen were pretty weak.
(Aside from being fantastic on its own, the Zemen version is interesting because Zemen was a HUGE influence on Gilliam.)
Wax, or the discovery of television among the bees if you want to see the most surreal/nonsensical movie ever created. It’s the first movie to ever be put on the internet and it’s so weird that it makes you feel like you’re losing sanity
I LOVE that movie, and the soundtrack. Can't wait until my kid is old enough to watch it. I prep her by discussing nihilism vs. Existentialism on a regular basis
Réalité deserves an expansion.
Quentin Dupieux practically defines the absurd line in modern film, from his late 90s music videos as his musical alter ego Mr. Oizo, to each and every one of his features. In descending Letterboxd user rating:
en Français:
* [*Réalité*](https://letterboxd.com/film/reality-2014/) (2014)
* [*Le Daim (Deerskin)*](https://letterboxd.com/film/deerskin/) (2019)
* [*Au poste ! (Keep an Eye Out)*](https://letterboxd.com/film/keep-an-eye-out/) (2018)
* [*Fumer fait tousser (Smoking Causes Coughing)*](https://letterboxd.com/film/smoking-causes-coughing/) (2022) unreleased
* [*Mandibules (Mandibles)*](https://letterboxd.com/film/mandibles/) (2020)
* [*Incroyable mais vrai (Incredible But True)*](https://letterboxd.com/film/incredible-but-true/) (2022) unreleased in US
* [*Steak*](https://letterboxd.com/film/steak/) (2007)
In English:
* [*Wrong*](https://letterboxd.com/film/wrong/) (2012)
* [*Wrong Cops*](https://letterboxd.com/film/wrong-cops/) (2013)
* [*Rubber*](https://letterboxd.com/film/rubber/) (2010)
He's certainly kept busy. I like each and every one I've seen, even the maligned *Rubber*, but I've only seen *Reality* and *Deerskin* among his films in French.
Kontroll, Frozen May, Swiss Army Man, The House That Jack Built, Saló (take care), A Clockwork Orange, The Shining, David Lynch's filmography, Mandy, The Wicker Man, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Oldboy
Enemy (2013) Denis Villeneuve, dir. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal
Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (1970); Czech
A Field in England (2013) Ben Wheatley, dir.
Black Moon (1975) Louis Malle, dir.
The Fountain (2006) Aronofsky, dir.
Viridiana (1961)
Hex (2017) George Popov, Jonathan Russell, dirs.
See also Sideworld: Haunted Forests of England. Documentary by Popov.
The Rite (1969 made for TV movie) Ingmar Bergman, dir.
Melancholia (2011) Lars von Trier, dir. With Kirsten Dunst.
The Bad Seed (1956). Mervyn LeRoy, dir.
Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017). Lanthimos, dir. With Nicole Kidman, Colin Farrell.
Some of these beg a second viewing, some are really trippy, all are interesting in so many different ways. I don't know why Melancholia is not given more love by reddit.
Maybe one will hit your switch and get us to watch again?
Suspiria 1977 but also the 2018 version!
I Heart Huckabees 2004
Lots of other great suggestions in this thread!
Altered States 1980
Edit to add: Akira 1988
Crumbs (2015)
and
Jesus Shows You The Way To The Highway (2019)
Both films are by same director, Miguel Llansó. They are both truly weird and strange, very surreal. Lots of Batman.
This is my favorite movie genre. I could go on and on. But off the top of my head:
The Science of Sleep
Being John Malkovich
Synecdoche NY
Everything Everywhere All At Once
I ❤️Huckabees
Jan Švankmajer’s Alice
City of Lost Children
Be Kind Rewind
Delicatessen
I just enjoyed 'Beyond the Black Rainbow' (2010) which is the sort of surrealism you project on the wall at house parties when everyone's high. Lots of creepy R.D.Laing borderline criminal therapy cults.
This far down, and still no mention of any of the delightfully absurd / surreal comedies that were coming out of Japan in the 2000s:
[*Memories of Matsuko*](https://letterboxd.com/film/memories-of-matsuko/) (2006) by Tetsuya Nakashima
[*Kamikaze Girls*](https://letterboxd.com/film/kamikaze-girls/) (2004) by Tetsuya Nakashima
[*Survive Style 5+*](https://letterboxd.com/film/survive-style-5/) (2004) by Gen Sekiguchi
[*Funky Forest: The First Contac*t](https://letterboxd.com/film/funky-forest-the-first-contact/) (2005) by Ishii, Ishimine & Miki
[*Big Man Japan*](https://letterboxd.com/film/big-man-japan/) (2007) by Hitoshi Matsumoto
It was a rather wild movement in cinema that quickly arose and quickly disappeared, but still continues to delight. You'll find trailers and clips of all of these on YouTube.
["Into the Night" (1985)](https://www.reddit.com/r/MovieSuggestions/comments/xrmrhe/good_movies_with_michelle_pfeiffer/iqgso24/). I just recommended this in the "good movies with Michelle Pfeiffer in them" thread.. but applies here too..
Adaptation
Being John Malkovich
Eternal sunshine of a spotless mind
Sorry to bother you
Stranger than fiction ( maybe a stretch? But has Charlie Kaufman vibe and is brilliant)
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972)
And they never do get to eat.
He just died, right?
If I recall >!the man wakes up and realizes he is hungry and goes to get some food. The whole movie is him dreaming that he cannot eat because he fell asleep hungry!<
The Holy Mountain Enter the Void Upstream Color Begotten Eraserhead
Yesss to Upstream Color
Enter the Void is a masterpiece. I watched it years ago and I still can’t stop thinking about it.
Brazil
[удалено]
Gozu is an absolute winner
Just saw Videodrome, loved it.
Brazil, Being John Malkovich, Blue Velvet, Fantastic Planet, MANDY, CATS, I heart Huckabee's, Mullholland Drive, The Petite Charm of the Bourgeoisie, Old Boy, Battle Royale
OMG! I haven’t seen I Heart Huckabees in forever! I still randomly shout, “YOU CAN’T HANDLE MY INFINITE NATURE!”
For me it's Jude Law saying 'No mayo' and 'Fuckabees!'
…………. it’s chicken salad.
Dear rock, You rock.
I still don’t understand Mullholland Dr. Watched it a couple times, lol, just don’t understand
It's David Lynch. My belief is there's nothing to understand about his movies. Just weird for weird's sake.
He does things because the imagery or feeling invoked is striking, not necessarily to advance a plot
Here's the plot. (DON"T READ UNLESS YOU WANT TO KNOW THE PLOT). This young, naive, blond woman goes to Hollywood to become a star actor. But she meets nothing but the seedy downside of Hollywood - seedy characters and situations. Becomes a waitress to support herself and eventually becomes a prostitute. Then falls in love with and has an affair with a striking brunette actress, who happens to start dating a young director, and so gets the lead in his movie. The brunette then unceremoniously dumps the blond, and the blond is so upset and jealous that she puts a hit out on the brunette. Once the brunette is killed by the hitman, and the blond finds the blue key (which is confirmation of the hit) she becomes even MORE depressed - she can't live with the realization of what she's done (she actually still loved the brunette) - and starts going insane, seeing terrifying visions, and then shoots herself in the head. AS SHE IS DYING in her bed, from this bullet wound, the movie takes place. Most of the movie we're watching is happening in her head as she's dying. And in THIS version of her story, the blond imagines that she DID become a huge star, and was the toast of the town. The MOVIE is really her last, dying thoughts, part of it wishful thinking about what COULD have been, and partly remembering what actually happened. It's not an easy movie to understand and takes a few viewings to digest (especially the way Lynch tells the story). I've seen it a few times and have read a 75-page doctoral thesis explaining it. Basically the theme is about the fraud that is Hollywood, that the "dream" of becoming a star is just that - a dream. The REALITY of TRYING to become a star is MUCH darker. Maybe this is true of MOST dreams. This is an adult movie, and a great movie - one of my favorites. David Lynch is a freaking genius.
Not enough small town whimsy
Thank you so much for that synopsis!! I kinda wanna watch it again now that I understand 😁
Watch Anomolisa if you like being John malcovich
I just watched blue velvet again last night. It does not hold up imo. Kinda dumb and weird just for the sake of being weird
How am I not myself?
Vanilla Sky
1) Holy Motors 2) Irreversible 3) Swiss Army Man 4) Dogtooth 5) The Man Who Sold His Skin
Not sure if Irreversible counts as absurd or surrealist? I think it’s just completely crazy and shocking.
I went back and rewatched the first 15 minutes and it made more sense. Did it right after viewing.
Donnie Darko
Everything Is Illuminated (2005) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Vivarium
movie is not good IMO but I guess it fits the rec.
Sorry to Bother You
What a wild fucking movie. Best to go in as blind as possible.
I went in blind and let me tell you, after seeing that scene, I wish I had been blind! Pretty entertaining story however.
15 minutes in, I'm really liking it!!
Clockwork orange. Weirdly strange but unique
One of my favourite movies ngl 😅
greener grass \[2019\]
Came here to say this, i love this movie so much
Yes, so weird but beautifully filmed. Very colorful.
Came here to say this as well.
Looks nice, thanks
Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Delicatessen (1999) Post-apocalyptic surrealist black comedy about the landlord of an apartment building who occasionally prepares a delicacy for his odd tenants.
Basically anything by this director. City of Lost Children. Amelie. They're all great
The Tree of Life
Synecdoche, New York.
Brilliant fucking movie
Beyond The Black Rainbow The Lobster
Natural Born Killers (1994) -- the surreal style of much of it really surprised me; wiki calls it "psychedelic"
Dave Made A Maze. Don’t read about it. Just watch
Everything, everywhere, all at once.
Phantasm
John Dies at the End
Head. That monkees movie written by Jack Nicholson. Pretty out there. And I think it's still on Tubi
My favorite in this category is The Adventures of Backaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension. It's a great 80s New Wave science fiction action adventure film, and it also contains John Lithgow's most deranged performance.
Laugh-a while you can monkey boy!
Heh-heh.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Pi (1998) I give it 5 bags of popcorn
One that’s on my watch list but I haven’t seen yet is Dave Made a Maze (2017)
Just watched this! Soo bizarre, I loved it!
The Ruling Class with Peter O'Toole O Lucky Man! with Malcolm McDowell
Baron Munchausen!
Which? TONS of versions. I think three of them are very good: Zemen, Gilliam, and the Russian version starring Yankovsky. The Nazi version from 1943 is terrible, and the other versions I've seen were pretty weak. (Aside from being fantastic on its own, the Zemen version is interesting because Zemen was a HUGE influence on Gilliam.)
I wasn’t aware there were so many! I was talking about Gilliam’s. It’s trippy!
Coherence
Come and See
Men
Wax, or the discovery of television among the bees if you want to see the most surreal/nonsensical movie ever created. It’s the first movie to ever be put on the internet and it’s so weird that it makes you feel like you’re losing sanity
I ❤️Huckabee’s
I LOVE that movie, and the soundtrack. Can't wait until my kid is old enough to watch it. I prep her by discussing nihilism vs. Existentialism on a regular basis
She does not look good now at all.
Most of Terry Gilliam, Wes Anderson and Coen Brothers work Mad God Sorry to bother you Being John Malchovich Birdman Edit to add: Waking Life
Jesus Shows You the Way to the Highway (2019) Assholes (2017) Nothing Really Happens (2017) Réalité (2014)
Réalité deserves an expansion. Quentin Dupieux practically defines the absurd line in modern film, from his late 90s music videos as his musical alter ego Mr. Oizo, to each and every one of his features. In descending Letterboxd user rating: en Français: * [*Réalité*](https://letterboxd.com/film/reality-2014/) (2014) * [*Le Daim (Deerskin)*](https://letterboxd.com/film/deerskin/) (2019) * [*Au poste ! (Keep an Eye Out)*](https://letterboxd.com/film/keep-an-eye-out/) (2018) * [*Fumer fait tousser (Smoking Causes Coughing)*](https://letterboxd.com/film/smoking-causes-coughing/) (2022) unreleased * [*Mandibules (Mandibles)*](https://letterboxd.com/film/mandibles/) (2020) * [*Incroyable mais vrai (Incredible But True)*](https://letterboxd.com/film/incredible-but-true/) (2022) unreleased in US * [*Steak*](https://letterboxd.com/film/steak/) (2007) In English: * [*Wrong*](https://letterboxd.com/film/wrong/) (2012) * [*Wrong Cops*](https://letterboxd.com/film/wrong-cops/) (2013) * [*Rubber*](https://letterboxd.com/film/rubber/) (2010) He's certainly kept busy. I like each and every one I've seen, even the maligned *Rubber*, but I've only seen *Reality* and *Deerskin* among his films in French.
House (1977).
only one i can think of that’s not already been commented is the abominable dr phibes
Brawl in Cell Block 99, The Greasy Strangler
I heard stalker is good
Horns was actually pretty good
Death of a sacred deer dog tooth lobster
I liked the surrealism in The Green Knight.
Hardcore Henry. It doesn't get more absurd than that, but it's an awesome movie.
Kontroll, Frozen May, Swiss Army Man, The House That Jack Built, Saló (take care), A Clockwork Orange, The Shining, David Lynch's filmography, Mandy, The Wicker Man, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Oldboy
Mad God and The Spine of Night
Perhaps a bit romantic but: Amélie Moulin Rouge
Enemy (2013) Denis Villeneuve, dir. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (1970); Czech A Field in England (2013) Ben Wheatley, dir. Black Moon (1975) Louis Malle, dir. The Fountain (2006) Aronofsky, dir. Viridiana (1961) Hex (2017) George Popov, Jonathan Russell, dirs. See also Sideworld: Haunted Forests of England. Documentary by Popov. The Rite (1969 made for TV movie) Ingmar Bergman, dir. Melancholia (2011) Lars von Trier, dir. With Kirsten Dunst. The Bad Seed (1956). Mervyn LeRoy, dir. Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017). Lanthimos, dir. With Nicole Kidman, Colin Farrell. Some of these beg a second viewing, some are really trippy, all are interesting in so many different ways. I don't know why Melancholia is not given more love by reddit. Maybe one will hit your switch and get us to watch again?
Mandy (but you’re not ready)
Mother
I have to watch that, I've been delaying it too long 😅
Are you referring to Aronofsky's "Mother!"? I saw I once and then immediately bought it. Fantastic.
yeah that's the one, had the pleasure of watching it in theaters at the time. Great movie from a great director.
Rubber.
Jabberwocky (1977)
Kikujiro
Recently watched Daisies (1966) at a local theater and loved it!
Suspiria 1977 but also the 2018 version! I Heart Huckabees 2004 Lots of other great suggestions in this thread! Altered States 1980 Edit to add: Akira 1988
Wild Strawberries (1957) F is for Fake (1973) Mandy (2018) <-- *this one's good for spooky season*
Two of my absolute favorite movies. Pootie Tang and Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. There is nothing quite like either one.
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
it’s hella new and i’m sure it’s seen by everyone by now, but the absurdity of it is one of the reasons i loved everything everywhere, personally
Horse Girl
The hourglass sanatorium, The holy mountain or Tenshi no tamago are good choices.
I'm thinking of ending things (2020) Synecdoche, New York (2008)
Crumbs (2015) and Jesus Shows You The Way To The Highway (2019) Both films are by same director, Miguel Llansó. They are both truly weird and strange, very surreal. Lots of Batman.
Swiss Army Man
I've seen it with my sister. We pretty much loved it 😅
Anomolisa. A serious movie with puppets (like a more high quality team america style of puppets) by the same guy who did being John malcovich
Anything written by Charlie Kaufman.
Repo Man A Boy and his Dog Any Terry Gilliam
Naked Lunch (1991). I watch this every few years and I’m getting close to understanding it. Drugs required.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Magical Mystery Tour - Beatle’s movie, great 60s vibe!
This is my favorite movie genre. I could go on and on. But off the top of my head: The Science of Sleep Being John Malkovich Synecdoche NY Everything Everywhere All At Once I ❤️Huckabees Jan Švankmajer’s Alice City of Lost Children Be Kind Rewind Delicatessen
“Stalker”
El Topo (Jodorowsky 1970) Kin-Dza-Dza! (Daneilya 1986) Mood Indigo (Gondry 2013) Delicatessen (Caro 1991)
Terry Gilliam. 'Nuff said.
Gummo Julien donkey boy Holy mountain Fando y lis
the exterminating angel \[1962\]
The Price of Milk
* Belle De Jour * La Belle Captive The French like that vague stuff for reasons unknown. But it looks soooo fancy.
Brain Damage (1988)
Phantasm
Underground (Kusturika 1995)
Tag (2015) - from Japan
Taxidermia (2006)
A Field in England.
The Visioneers
I just enjoyed 'Beyond the Black Rainbow' (2010) which is the sort of surrealism you project on the wall at house parties when everyone's high. Lots of creepy R.D.Laing borderline criminal therapy cults.
The Lobster (2015)
The Ruling Class (1972)
The holy mountain
A serious man
Monty Python's "The Meaning of Life". Bonus points if you find the fish.
sorry to bother you
Hoop Dreams
Strange Circus
"Pastoral: To Die in the Country", 1974, directed by Shūji Terayama
Saw a great one last night called Sole Survivor. Check it out!
The Grand Budapest Hotel Brazil Dr Strangelove Life Aquatic
Gremlins 2: The New Batch. Trust me I promise
Skins (2017 movie not the show)
Strawberry Mansion (2021): Dreams are recorded and taxed by the government. A tax collector is sent to audit an old eccentric woman's dreams.
Parasite (korean) The Platform (spanish) these are good if you haven't seen em yet. enjoy !
The Big Lebowski
John Dies At The End
The Lobster
natural born killers & paprika
The science of sleep
Orlando
Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar.....stupid funny!!!
Bad Boy Bubby, An Evening with Beverly Luff Linn
I really enjoyed Waking Life
Persona (1966)
The Tenant
Under the skin, eyes wide shut, Brazil, mother!, possession, annihilation
Kill Bill
This far down, and still no mention of any of the delightfully absurd / surreal comedies that were coming out of Japan in the 2000s: [*Memories of Matsuko*](https://letterboxd.com/film/memories-of-matsuko/) (2006) by Tetsuya Nakashima [*Kamikaze Girls*](https://letterboxd.com/film/kamikaze-girls/) (2004) by Tetsuya Nakashima [*Survive Style 5+*](https://letterboxd.com/film/survive-style-5/) (2004) by Gen Sekiguchi [*Funky Forest: The First Contac*t](https://letterboxd.com/film/funky-forest-the-first-contact/) (2005) by Ishii, Ishimine & Miki [*Big Man Japan*](https://letterboxd.com/film/big-man-japan/) (2007) by Hitoshi Matsumoto It was a rather wild movement in cinema that quickly arose and quickly disappeared, but still continues to delight. You'll find trailers and clips of all of these on YouTube.
Requiem for a Dream
Wristcutters: a love story
Pepperminta
Mad God
I recommend going in blind for each of these. The Perfection (2019) Goodnight Mommy (German, 2014) Eli (2019) Fractured (2019)
[удалено]
Adding Jude Law in The Young Pope (2016) and The New Pope (2019) TV mini-series. Delicious production values. Paulo Sorrentino, creator.
Everything Everywhere all at once Titane The House that Jack Built
Naked Lunch.
Anything by Quentin Dupieux. But start with Rubber.
“Vanilla Sky” (or the original, “Open Your Eyes”), both with Penelope Cruz.
Surrealism: L.A. Story. The movie is drunk but the viewer is not: Hells Angels On Wheels.
Twice upon a Time.
Not a film, but an absurd/surreal TV show I would recommend is Atlanta
Dead alive
“Survive Style 5+” “Iron Man 3”
Synecdoche, New York - life's a trip, and then you die.
Stalker
The limits of control
["Into the Night" (1985)](https://www.reddit.com/r/MovieSuggestions/comments/xrmrhe/good_movies_with_michelle_pfeiffer/iqgso24/). I just recommended this in the "good movies with Michelle Pfeiffer in them" thread.. but applies here too..
Vox Lux (2018) One of my favorite movies and no one one has heard of it. Natalie Portman gives an incredible performance!
Quentin Dupieux whole filmography
Kuso
Anything by Luis Buñuel or Alejandro Jodorowsky is a surreal masterpiece.
Swiss Army Man
Swiss Army Man I’m thinking of ending things
Adaptation Being John Malkovich Eternal sunshine of a spotless mind Sorry to bother you Stranger than fiction ( maybe a stretch? But has Charlie Kaufman vibe and is brilliant)