Movies are an unbeatable, guaranteed way to grow as a human and expand the ability to look at life through different paradigms. This is one of the primary purposes of the most remarkable cinematic masterpieces. Some say that the more quality movies one sees, the greater their capability to discern things in life.
One way or another, you can correlate every event or occurrence in life with a cinematographic title, whether you’re at a friend’s home and think of throwing an “X party,” inviting a woman out and recall lessons from “What Women Want,” or going on a deeper level and trying to find an equilibrium in life like “The Giver” does. As you can see, pretty much any cinematic creation hides some meaning and lesson to extract, going beyond the marketing and media hype surrounding them. And topics and matters found in movies surround you in many more places than you may realize. For movies have enriched people throughout decades, you can spot a bunch of individuals wearing backpacks from Loungefly at a glance when you’re hanging out or men wearing some symbolistic items with their favorite characters from epic, immortal operas.
Millions of titles are recommended daily, but only some masterpieces stand out as must-see operas that can be seen repeatedly. In the subsequent paragraphs, we’ll delve deep into the four movies that should be devoured and recommended to others at least once.
Table of Contents
Fight Club
On the surface, many find Fight Club a perfect bro-time movie, given the meaningful plot in this regard and the lessons learned throughout the action. However, digging into the layers, you’ll find a story that will keep you up and thinking at night, trying to decode the many substrates conceived and finding answers to essential questions that arise down the road.
The movie is all men-oriented and features only one woman, whose role is that of an extra character. Furthermore, it tells a story about men and how rules can be personified, broken, and mended. Two men form an underground club guided by rigid rules to fight other men fed up to the back with their dull lives and thus seek adrenaline, contentment, and a sense of being in a place of toxic manliness. As you’ll see, the movie isn’t polished but aims to be a masterpiece, helping conscious viewers acknowledge areas where there’s room for improvement and act. Also, pay attention that it’s not as superficial as treating fights in a secret club, but shows paradigms of life from different men’s standpoints and treats the topic of ridding oneself of the cultural and corporate influences that govern many people’s lives.
Without breaking the core rule of the plot, there’s a spoiler you should be offered before commencing on this journey. Fight Club is a hard-to-digest movie and not for the faint-hearted, so if you’re discontent with your life but far from starting to sort things out, this movie might unsettle you. Furthermore, if you’re not into chaotic, fight-filled, and bloodshed shots, you might not find the movie’s realization to your liking since scenes abound in brutal and violent scenes.
The Godfather
One shouldn’t only watch The Godfather because it has received the recognition of one of the best movies to date, and because there’s a solid reason behind this denomination. The movie’s themes include loyalty to family, the protection of the close ones, and the general duty of a man.
The series has remarkable storytelling and performances and unparalleled cultural importance in the cinematic world. Murder, love, sex, lies, and loyalty as underlying themes make a masterpiece for endless reasons, which you’ll discover from the first moments of watching the first part of the series, occurring in 1940 when the New York Mafia was ruling. Despite misleading surface appearances and the setting, the movie doesn’t glorify the mafia lifestyle. What it’s doing instead is emphasizing the price a man must pay when opting to lead such a lifestyle.
The profound lessons gained from The Godfather are priceless for any man, so if you’ve ever slept on the idea of watching it, know that it isn’t named one of the best cinematic masterpieces of our time in vain.
12 Years a Slave
A masterpiece treating delicate matters such as racism, slavery, kidnaps, and other cruel life realities, and encompassing some of the greatest actors of our times, 12 Years a Slave explains why history and the lessons passed with generations are critical in a man’s (and not only) life. This brutal but perfectly accurate story holds true through the years, as humankind is still incapable of valuing its history as it should.
12 Years a Slave is the type of eye-opening, mind-bending movie that will absorb you and give you plenty of thoughts to munch on at night. Mankind’s expectations from and about society and people sold into slavery are recurrent themes. Still, this movie exposes it differently, with relentless brutality and an uncontainable thirst for conscientization. Slavery here is regarded as an appalling and destroying social construct, wicking humanity any time they interact. The movie overall has significant lessons to extract that are told in emotionally painful but straightforward ways.
Memento Mori
What would you do if you learned that today was your last day? Likely, endless thoughts are crossing your mind when hearing such cliché questions, bubbling to your mind’s surface as you recall all the areas you’d improve, places you’d visit, people you’d hug, and other heartwarming desires of yourself.
Memento Mori aims to remind people that each day spent on Earth is a gift that shouldn’t be taken for granted and invites viewers to see death as a natural result of living instead of a fearsome, anxiety-inducing thought. The true meaning of Memento Mori is a reminder that you have as much time as you need to live the life you want. “Remember you must die” might seem like a horrifying memento at first. Still, it’s a wake-up call for those comfortable postponing happiness and fulfillment and searching for true meaning in life.
Therefore, if you forget to enjoy the moment and want to live more in the present, this movie might offer the lessons you’re seeking. More people should meditate on life, death, and the in-between journey.
After watching the films listed above, you will understand why they are so valuable and probably suggest them to others the next time you are talking about anything similar.