Since ancient times, human beings have asked questions about who we are, why we exist, what the meaning of life is, how and why we feel, perceive, think and act. in general, how the universe works and why it does it that way.
The visualization and reflection of these and other phenomena have generated different types of explanations, which over time have been developed and contrasted through different scientific disciplines. Not in vain, philosophy is considered the mother of all sciences.
For this reason, philosophy today continues to be an exciting field of study that allows us to reflect on the origin of what we know today and ask ourselves about what is still unknown from different perspectives.
In this article they will be revealed 20 essential films for philosophy students due to the deep reflection on life and reality that can be made from them.
1. The Truman Show (Peter Weir)
This well-known film is part of the list of essentials for philosophy students due to its theme and the reflection it allows regarding one’s own life. In this film we are told the life of Truman, who from the moment of his birth unknowingly participates in a reality show in the city of Seaheaven, created specifically for the reality show. The protagonist’s entire life is being filmed and controlled by the reality team
Truman’s life seems calm and normal until he begins to realize that what happens around him is scripted and prepared around him, with the other citizens being actors and he being the only totally real person in the city, which ends trying to escape.
The film reflects how the protagonist tries to know who he is and why his world is the way it is. On a philosophical level, it can serve to reflect on who we are, how we act towards others and the level of control and surveillance we have over our own life and what others could have.
2. Matrix (Lilly Wachawski and Lana Wachowski)
Another well-known and relatively recent film, The Matrix is a particularly philosophical film that references Plato’s cave myth, discussing his argument that we live in a false reality programmed by machines. However, unlike the myth of the cave, In the Matrix, reality is devastating, with the human being harvested like a plant and subdued through illusion
This film reflects the doubt of what is real, and how it can be seen, another philosophical theme being the search for freedom and the ability to choose. The differentiation between the experienced world and the rational world typical of Plato is also seen.
The film Origin is set in a world where there are professionals with the ability to enter the dreams of others, accessing other people’s subconscious and working with them. The protagonist of the film is one of them, who is haunted by his talent and by a painful past and because of this he is unable to have a normal life.
One of the jobs they are proposed to do ends badly, so the contractor cajoles them so that instead of obtaining information from a person’s subconscious, they introduce ideas into it. The story is complicated by the possibility of being trapped in the world of dreams, making it difficult to discern when one is awake and when one is in a dream.
On a philosophical level, one can ask oneself if one is really living or if what one experiences is just a dream, asking oneself what exactly reality is and if it is really that important to know. Freedom of choice and other recurring philosophical themes such as the human mentality, guilt, doubt, the need for redemption and hope are also discussed.
4. Ikiru (Akira Kurosawa)
During this film we see how its protagonist, Kenji Watanabe, leads a monotonous life. little active and empty, which he does not realize until cancer is detected. After the diagnosis, he will try to find meaning in his life and the time he has left
Philosophically we find such relevant themes as death and the fear of it, loneliness, choice and the search for a vital meaning.
5. The day Nietzsche cried (Pinchas Perry)
In this film we can see how the well-known philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche has a high level of hopelessness, which is why an appointment is being prepared for him with the also renowned Dr. Breuer, a renowned dynamic orientation professional and one of Freud’s teachers. Initially the therapy seems unsuccessful, but over time it would help to improve his situation. In the same way, the philosopher helped the doctor to cope with social pressures, creating bonds of friendship between them.
Melancholy, social pressure, desperation and friendship are prevailing topics in the film.
6. A Clockwork Orange (Stanley Kubrick)
A Clockwork Orange is another classic with great philosophical significance During the course of the film we see a group of gang members led by Alex, the protagonist. Together they carry out various violent and criminal acts, committing rapes and brutal beatings until, during one of them, one of the people attacked dies and Alex is trapped.
He is subsequently subjected to aversive procedures to control and avoid his violent behavior, and after the treatment the young man begins to visualize the consequences of his actions, taking revenge on the people he attacked.
From a philosophical point of view, the film allows us to reflect on cruelty, violence and the desire to destroy others, as well as the consequences of our own actions. It also serves as a critique of different theoretical models, such as behaviorism.
As in other films and works by Kubrick, one can also see a criticism of the progressive technologization of human activity, idiotizing the mass media and making them little aware of reality, as with Alex’s parents.
7. The seventh seal (Ingmar Bergman)
This film is set in the Middle Ages, at the time when Blovk, a Swedish knight who participated in the crusades At a specific moment the knight meets death, who has come to look for him. The knight proposes a game of chess, during which they will remember aspects of his life and reflect on the fears, doubts and questions that he has been asking throughout his life.
As in the case of the previous film, in this film we are made to think about death and boredom with life. They also talk about what it means to live and die, hedonism, love or innocence.
8. The Purple Rose of Cairo (Woody Allen)
This film tells the sad story of a woman during the Great Depression, using cinema as a method of escape from sadness and a life that does not satisfy her. On one of the occasions when she goes to the cinema, one of the fictional characters notices her and enters the real world by crossing the screen, and shortly after they begin a romantic relationship on both sides of the screen. However, the film’s producer finds out and devises a plan in order to return everyone to her world.
Again the theme of freedom of choice, the way of facing reality and the distinction between reality and fantasy are some of the philosophical elements seen in this film.
9. Lives told (Jill Sprecher)
It is a film divided into thirteen parts in which five different people live their lives while trying to be happy and reflecting on who they are, where they want to go, and how they try to get there.
This film analyzes the search for happiness, hope and connectivity between people and phenomena.
10. Cartesius (Robert Rosellini)
It is a film focused on the figure of René Descartes. In it we see how throughout his life the thinker tried to justify reason as the basis of thought. The philosophical interest of this film lies in the visualization and deepening of the thoughts of the well-known philosopher, as well as the type of life that led him to reflect in this way.
11. Waking Life (Richard Linklater)
Another work of great philosophical significance. During the film we see how The main character is in a permanent state of lucid dream as a result of an accident In this state he proceeds to reflect on different issues such as the meaning of life and the desire to live, even holding conversations with different thinkers from history while trying to resolve his doubts.
This film reflects dreams, the meaning of life and thought from very different perspectives, visualizing various philosophical currents.
12. 2001: A Space Odyssey (Stanley Kubrick)
A cult work of science fiction, this film covers different historical periods from prehistory to a future in which humanity is in full space exploration.
One of the best-known fragments is set in the future, in a space exploration to Jupiter in which a supercomputer seems to acquire consciousness, appearing doubt, fear and even murdering one of its crew members.
Evolution, intelligence and the development of technology, along with the existence of consciousness in humans and non-humans, are topics to reflect upon after viewing it.
13. The Tree of Life (Terrence Malick)
The film focuses on the eldest son of the O’Brien family, Jack, who throughout his life has seen his mother as tender and loving and his father as stern and serious. At 19 years old, Jack’s brother loses his life, which has serious effects on family life Years later, an adult Jack begins to ask himself deep existential questions, reflecting on the influence that his family, environment and experiences have had on his life.
It can allow reflection on thinking, the effects of interaction and socialization.
14. The possible lives of Mr. Nobody (Jaco Van Dormael)
A recent film that reflects the life of the last mortal human in a world in which the majority of human beings have left that condition thanks to the advances of science. Just about to die, Mr. Nobody thinks, remembers and imagines a series of possible situations that they could have experienced if he had decided on certain courses of action.
Freedom and choice, as well as love and the meaning of life, are themes on which the film allows us to reflect.
15.Blade Runner
One of the great classics of science fiction In this film we see how society has evolved to create replicants, robots initially thought of as slaves until they rebelled, a rebellion that resulted in their banishment. Many of these replicants return, ignoring some of them who are not human. The Blade Runners are a police team dedicated to destroying them, among which is the protagonist of the story.
Consciousness, perception, inequality and rejection, misunderstanding and fear go hand in hand in this film, being themes that can be observed and subsequently debated after viewing.
16. The Butterfly Effect (Eric Bress and Mackye Gruber)
This film stars Evan, a young man traumatized by painful events from the past Through reading, the young man discovers a way to go back in time and change some of the events that marked his life, making the future different. However, fixing one of the events can cause other consequences that are as painful or more painful than what originally happened.
Some of the philosophical themes discussed in this film are the passage of time, destiny, action and choice, and remorse.
17. V for Vendetta (James McTeigue)
This film is about V, an extravagant and intellectual man who is dedicated to fighting against the tyranny of dystopian society in which he spends his life, seeking revenge through the destruction of the political system.
Corruption, politics and the search for freedom are themes present in the film.
18. Fight Club (David Fincher)
This film is about the life of an insomniac and empty young man who after meeting a soap salesman decides with him to found a secret fight club, based on the thought that only pain makes life worth living and in which members can vent their frustration.
This film can serve to reflect on the topic of pain, the appreciation of life from different perspectives, knowing and perceiving what is real, how we think and how all this affects our lives.
19. Artificial intelligence (Steven Spielberg)
What is the human being and from what point can we consider that something is alive or real? These are some of the themes that can be explored in this film.
The plot is based on David, a robot boy created and programmed with the ability to love in a world where the only thing that makes humans and robots different from each other are feelings. Despite his creation, people are not able to accept him, so the little robot will try to find the answer to who he is.
20. Deep Sea (Alejandro Amenábar)
The story told in this film, based on real events, tells the life of Ramón Sampedro and his search for euthanasia after decades of being bedridden because of an accident.
Freedom of choice, the right to life and to dispose of one’s own death and suffering are central themes of this film.
