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Films are crafted with the primary goal of captivating the audience and holding their interest throughout the entire duration. Filmmakers aim to engage moviegoers in the narrative, creating an immersive experience in the world of the story. Filmmaking is essentially storytelling, and stories are meant to keep viewers enthralled. Whether a movie evokes uncontrollable laughter or challenges the audience to decipher its intricacies, the objective is to keep viewers hooked from the opening scene to the closing credits.
It’s true that some movies have straightforward narratives that don’t demand viewers to meticulously follow every detail; the plot remains comprehensible even with minimal attention. Nonetheless, most movies are rich in detail, and paying close attention is ultimately more rewarding. If you’re genuinely enjoying a film, it’s assumed you’d want to be fully engaged anyway. However, certain films absolutely require viewers’ undivided attention throughout their runtime.
These films are replete with critical details and interwoven plot elements that necessitate focused attention to grasp what’s happening. Watching these movies might entail frequent pausing and rewinding if you happen to divert your gaze for even a moment. Fortunately, these movies are so captivating that not paying attention doesn’t even feel like a viable option. So, without further delay, here are 20 movies that demand your complete concentration from beginning to end:
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20 Movies That Require Your Full Attention From Start to Finish
Shutter Island (2010)
In Martin Scorsese’s Shutter Island, featuring Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo, the movie continuously plays tricks on its viewers’ minds throughout its entire duration. Set in the 1950s, the story centers on US Marshal Teddy Daniels (played by DiCaprio), who is tasked with investigating a case at Boston’s Shutter Island Ashecliffe Hospital. Though he takes on the assignment for personal reasons, he soon becomes convinced that he’s been lured there as part of a sinister scheme orchestrated by the hospital’s doctors. These doctors are involved in controversial and unethical treatments that verge on the illegal and malevolent.
As Teddy encounters resistance from the hospital staff, who deny him access to crucial records that could unravel the mystery, and with a looming hurricane isolating the island from the mainland, he finds himself questioning not only the reality of his surroundings but also his own sanity.
If you divert your attention from this film for even a moment, you’ll find yourself deeply perplexed, given the rapid pace of the plot and the multitude of revelations awaiting the audience.
Inception (2010)
Similar to Shutter Island, Christopher Nolan’s Inception is another mind-bending film that can leave viewers utterly perplexed if they don’t stay fully engaged throughout its duration. The movie is designed to play with your sense of reality, much like it does with the characters within it. So, if you fail to give it your complete attention, you’ll likely find yourself lost in the narrative.
In the story, the focus is on Dom Cobb, portrayed by DiCaprio, a skilled thief with a unique expertise in self-extraction. His specialty involves pilfering valuable secrets from the deepest corners of people’s subconscious minds while they’re in the dream state, where the mind is most susceptible. Due to his line of work, he’s become a wanted criminal. When offered a chance at redemption through the challenging task of performing inception, he eagerly seizes the opportunity. Inception doesn’t involve stealing an idea from a dream but instead requires planting one, involving intricate layers of dreams within dreams and crafting an ideal dreamscape for the mission.
Predestination (2014)
In the Spierig brothers’ film “Predestination,” we follow the journey of a highly skilled temporal agent known as The Barkeep (played by Ethan Hawke) as he embarks on his final mission to track down a relentless criminal who has evaded capture for decades. Along the way, The Barkeep joins forces with a mysterious individual who goes by the pseudonym The Unmarried Mother (portrayed by Sarah Snook). Without revealing too much, important revelations about their identities and their intertwined destinies slowly emerge during a conversation at a 1970 New York City bar.
This movie constantly presents unexpected plot twists, seamlessly expecting its audience to keep up with the rapid developments. It demands your undivided attention throughout, as the narrative unfolds with a series of surprising twists and turns.
Triangle (2009)
In the movie “Triangle,” Jess, played by Melissa George, drops off her son at school and joins her friend on a yacht for an afternoon outing. However, she can’t shake the feeling that something is not right about their trip. After the boat is damaged in a severe storm, they have no choice but to board a nearby ocean liner for safety. On the ship, Jess experiences a strange sense of déjà vu. Despite the appearance of abandonment, they are not alone; someone is on board, determined to hunt them down.
“Triangle” intentionally plays with your perception from the very beginning. The characters, especially Jess, make puzzling decisions, and every situation feels unsettling. Throughout the movie, it seems like crucial information is missing, and even as the plot twists are revealed, you still sense that something is amiss. The entire film is a mind-bending experience, but the third act, in particular, will make you forget everything that came before it.
Donnie Darko (2001)
Donnie Darko seamlessly combines the most captivating elements of mystery, thriller, and science fiction genres to deliver a profoundly mind-bending cinematic experience.
The story revolves around Donnie (portrayed by Jake Gyllenhaal), an alienated teenager who struggles to connect with his peers, teachers, and parents. His only confidante is Gretchen (played by Jena Malone), a girl who understands him and becomes his girlfriend. Donnie also harbors a peculiar friendship with a bizarre, human-sized rabbit named Frank, visible only to him. When a jet engine inexplicably crashes into Donnie’s bedroom during his absence, it appears that this event, along with Donnie’s escape, is driven by supernatural forces.
This film is wonderfully strange in a way that keeps you fully engaged throughout its runtime. It’s an energetic, mesmerizing, and thought-provoking cinematic journey that ensnares your attention from the first frame to the closing credits.
Coherence (2013)
“Coherence” can be described as a mind-bending and enigmatic sci-fi thriller that unfolds during a single night when a group of friends gathers for a dinner party on the night a comet is passing by Earth. The evening starts off normally with conversations and nostalgia until a sudden power outage disrupts the gathering. From that point on, the night takes a bizarre turn, with the boundaries between reality and fiction becoming increasingly blurred. As time passes, the friends become disoriented and struggle to differentiate what’s real from what’s not, leading to a growing sense of unease.
To truly comprehend the unfolding events within the friend group, it is imperative for the viewer to remain fully engaged. As the night progresses, each individual’s perception of reality becomes distorted, even those who are initially reluctant to accept the inexplicable events grapple with the blurring line between reality and illusion. The film’s concluding act appears to provide some clarification and a way to distinguish fact from fiction, but it ultimately shatters any sense of certainty in its final moments.
Black Bear (2020)
Aubrey Plaza and Christopher Abbott, known for their humor and indie roles, lead the audience on an unpredictable journey in the movie “Black Bear.” The story revolves around Allison, portrayed by Plaza, a filmmaker seeking inspiration for her next project. She stays with a young couple in a secluded cabin in New York’s Adirondack Mountains. Initially, their dynamic is harmonious, but as they spend time in the woods, Allison’s inner demons start to surface. This leads to a complex game of desire, jealousy, and manipulation that blurs the line between reality and fiction in her pursuit of art.
The film combines dark humor with thought-provoking elements and is deserving of your full attention. There’s a significant shift in tone and narrative midway through the film that demands your complete engagement, making the story even more intriguing from that point onward.
Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)
Daniel’s Everything Everywhere All at Once made a huge impact in 2022 and gained a lot of attention during the awards season due to its unique approach to multiverse storytelling. This 139-minute film is captivating from start to finish, and every moment demands your full attention, thanks to the multiverse-driven narrative.
The story revolves around Evelyn, an aging Chinese immigrant struggling to save her failing laundromat business while dealing with a husband who wants a divorce and an adult daughter she can’t connect with. Her life takes a wild turn when a multiverse rift occurs during a meeting with an IRS auditor, revealing numerous parallel universes where she could have lived different lives. These experiences help her gather the knowledge to confront a threat endangering all universes.
While not overly complex to follow, EEAAO is highly entertaining, but it’s filled with hidden details and Easter eggs throughout the multiverse, which you can only catch if you remain completely focused on the film.
Memento (2000)
Christopher Nolan’s groundbreaking film, Memento, defies traditional narrative structures by employing two distinct timelines. One timeline progresses forward in time, while the other moves backward in time.
The story centers on Leonard, played by Guy Pearce, who suffers from a condition that prevents him from forming new memories. To compensate, he relies on sticky notes, Polaroids, and tattoos to remember crucial information. Leonard becomes fixated on the belief that two individuals are responsible for his wife’s murder, leading him on a mission to track down and avenge her killers.
The film’s complexity arises from these two parallel timelines, which run in opposite directions. This creates a challenge in distinguishing which events have already occurred, which are currently unfolding, and which are yet to happen. Leonard’s unreliability as a narrator due to his memory issues adds an extra layer of uncertainty, casting doubt on the accuracy of his recollections. Some events may not have transpired as he remembers them, and some may be entirely fictitious.
To fully grasp the intricacies of Memento, undivided attention is essential. The movie becomes virtually incomprehensible if you don’t immerse yourself in its intricate storytelling and unique structure.
Infinity Pool (2023)
Infinity Pool, brought to life by Brandon Cronenberg, the son of David Cronenberg, offers an unsurprisingly disturbing and mesmerizing experience. With the presence of acclaimed actors Mia Goth and Alexander Skarsgard, renowned for their roles in intense and unhinged characters, you can expect a truly bizarre journey.
The story revolves around James (played by Skarsgard) and Em (portrayed by Cleopatra Coleman), a married couple enjoying a luxurious vacation at a remote beach resort on the fictional island of La Tolqa. The resort promises exceptional service and breathtaking views, but things take a dark turn when they meet the enigmatic Gabi (played by Goth) and her husband. James and Em are lured into a world of violence and hedonism when they venture beyond the resort’s boundaries.
Right from the beginning, the film is deeply unsettling, but as they step outside the resort, it spirals into a crazed and nerve-wracking rollercoaster. It constantly keeps its audience on edge, throwing unexpected twists and allowing its characters to unleash their wildest sides. It’s incredibly strange and complex, yet utterly captivating, demanding your full attention to truly grasp its unique allure.
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Triangle of Sadness (2022)
If you’re a fan of movies that employ multi-part storytelling and take unexpected narrative twists while infusing a darkly humorous touch, then “Triangle of Sadness” is a must-watch.
Directed by Ruben Östlund, this dramedy, which won the Palme d’Or, is a delectably entertaining exploration of the super-rich and those who cater to their desires. The story revolves around a celebrity couple, Yaya (played by Charlbi Dean), an Instagram influencer, and Carl (played by Harris Dickinson), a male model. They’re invited to embark on a luxury cruise for the ultra-wealthy, which is managed by an exceptional crew and an unstable captain portrayed by Woody Harrelson. As the guests revel in extravagance and the crew tirelessly attends to their every whim, what begins as a vlog-worthy vacation takes a dramatic and darkly comical turn for the worse.
The film delivers a truly unpredictable, shockingly audacious, and side-splittingly funny shift in its storyline. If you dare to divert your attention for even a moment, you might wonder if you’re still watching the same movie.
Titane (2021)
Julia Ducournau has directed only two full-length films, but both stand out as captivating and unconventional cinematic achievements. Her second film, “Titane,” revolves around a character named Alexia, who has lived with a titanium alloy implant in her skull since a traumatic childhood car accident. A decade later, she’s a quietly violent go-go dancer at underground car events and has developed a bizarre obsession with cars. Simultaneously, a series of mysterious murders plagues the city, and the fire chief is reunited with his long-lost son after ten years.
The film’s plot, aside from being exceptionally strange and peculiar, is intricately woven, intentionally taking its time to provide answers to the audience, if it does so at all. In essence, it’s so incredibly odd and unsettling that you must fully engage with it to make any sense of what’s happening.
The Call (2020)
“The Call” is a stellar South Korean horror thriller that showcases the excellence of South Korean cinema. The story revolves around two 28-year-old women residing in the countryside near Seoul, who communicate through a landline telephone. Seo-yeon is staying at her mother’s house in 2019, while Young-sook resides there with her step-mother in 1999. Despite the two-decade gap, they converse daily and form a deep friendship. As they ponder the possibility of altering the past, Seo-yeon begins to realize that some things are best left untouched.
This film is both gripping and disturbing, with a plethora of plot twists to keep viewers engaged. Seo-yeon’s discoveries uncover the mystery behind her ability to communicate with someone 20 years in the past, and Young-sook’s increasingly unsettling behavior adds to the suspense. However, keeping up with the complex timelines and surprises demands your full attention.
I’m Thinking of Ending Things (2020)
In classic Charlie Kaufman style, his drama/thriller “I’m Thinking of Ending Things” is a disorienting and thought-provoking journey from beginning to end. The story revolves around a young woman, portrayed by Jessie Buckley, who embarks on a snowy road trip to upstate New York to meet her boyfriend’s parents at their farmhouse. Despite her reservations about the relationship, the couple becomes stranded at the farmhouse due to a fierce blizzard, leading the young woman to question her identity, her boyfriend, and the very nature of reality. Describing the unfolding of this film is akin to explaining a car crash as it unfolds—complex and mind-bending.
The movie deliberately blurs the lines between what’s real and what’s not for the young woman, leaving the audience in a state of uncertainty. In addition to the bewildering visuals and cryptic dialogue, the film is riddled with references to other movies, literature, and notably, the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical “Oklahoma!” Watching this film demands your full attention, and you might even find yourself hitting pause to do some research to fully grasp its intricacies.
Lost Highway (1997)
David Lynch is renowned for creating films that challenge our perception of reality and leave viewers questioning what they’ve just seen. His movies are never straightforward, and they require viewers to navigate complex narratives. In a David Lynch film, nothing is simple, and everything holds a deeper meaning, which is what makes his work so exceptional.
“Lost Highway” embodies all these characteristics and is arguably one of his finest works. The film centers on Fred Madison (played by Bill Pullman), a saxophonist accused of a mysterious murder of his wife, Renee (portrayed by Patricia Arquette). While on death row, Fred inexplicably transforms into a young man named Pete Dayton (played by Balthazar Getty) and manages to leave prison to start an entirely different life. As Pete is released, their two lives begin to intersect in a surreal and suspenseful manner, all manipulated by a shadowy gangster boss named Dick Laurent.
The narrative of “Lost Highway” is presented from multiple viewpoints in a non-linear timeline and incorporates doppelgängers and video surveillance, making it essential for viewers to pay close attention.
Malignant (2020)
James Wan is renowned for his ability to craft captivating horror films filled with intriguing plot twists, and his 2021 supernatural horror movie, Malignant, certainly lives up to this reputation. Set 27 years after the unsettling incident at Simion Research Hospital, the story follows Madison (played by Annabelle Wallis), who awakens in a present-day Seattle hospital. Plagued by disturbing visions of gruesome murders that disrupt her daily life, she begins to unravel the enigmatic secrets of her past, leaving both her and local authorities baffled. As her horrifying nightmares start coming true, including the murder of her abusive husband, Madison finds herself targeted by the killer. James Wan, a master of horror, is known for weaving intricate plot twists into his films, and Malignant may very well be his most twist-laden work to date. The film continually delivers new information and revelations about Madison’s perplexing history, each one more inventive and unsettling than the last, ensuring that your attention remains riveted on the mysteries of her past.
Black Swan (2010)
Darren Aronofsky’s psychological thriller “Black Swan” is a captivating film that blurs the line between drama and horror. The story follows Nina, an emotionally fragile ballerina portrayed by Natalie Portman, who harbors ambitions of securing the lead role in Swan Lake. Living under the influence of her overbearing former ballerina mother, played by Barbara Hershey, Nina eagerly seizes the opportunity when her artistic director, Thomas (Vincent Cassel), decides to replace the principal dancer, Beth (Winona Ryder), with Nina. However, her excitement is tempered by the arrival of a new dancer, Lily (Mila Kunis), who also catches Thomas’s eye, intensifying the competition for the coveted role.
Nina embodies the qualities of the White Swan, while Lily embodies the spirit of the Black Swan. Nina’s desperate quest to prove herself capable of portraying both roles triggers a harrowing descent into madness, causing her to lose touch with reality.
Mulholland Drive (2001)
Just four years after “Lost Highway,” David Lynch returned to Hollywood with another unconventional and perplexing movie that captivates the audience.
In “Mulholland Drive,” we follow Betty (played by Naomi Watts), a young and innocent aspiring actress who arrives in Hollywood and moves into her Aunt Ruth’s luxurious apartment to pursue her dreams of stardom. The story takes a bizarre turn when a car accident on Mulholland Drive leaves an amnesiac woman named Rita (Laura Harring) in a stranger’s apartment, which happens to be Betty’s Aunt Ruth’s place. Together, Betty and Rita embark on a quest to uncover Rita’s true identity, while filmmaker Adam Kesher (Justin Theroux) faces ominous challenges in casting his latest film.
The film doesn’t adhere to a conventional narrative structure. It doesn’t follow a linear path from Point A to Point B, and time is portrayed as a flexible concept. As is characteristic of Lynch’s work, every element in the film carries significance, and every action or dialogue is deliberate. “Mulholland Drive” demands your full attention and invites you to decipher its enigmatic story.
Requiem for a Dream (2000)
Requiem for a Dream, another creation by director Darren Aronofsky, is a mind-altering and surreal cinematic journey filled with striking visuals and thought-provoking dialogue that will profoundly affect you.
The story revolves around four individuals living in Coney Island, whose drug-induced fantasies are shattered as the harsh reality of their addictions spirals out of control. Sara (played by Ellen Burstyn) is a retired widow who immerses herself in a self-help program and daydreams about becoming a contestant on the show. Her son Harry (portrayed by Jared Leto) and his friend Tyrone (played by Marlon Wayans) are addicts with aspirations of striking it big in the drug trade. Harry’s girlfriend Marion (embodied by Jennifer Connelly) has the potential for a better life but gets caught in Harry’s drug-fueled world.
What’s remarkable about the film is how it uniquely portrays each character’s addictions and delusions through mesmerizing and hallucinatory visuals. It’s a movie that demands your full attention, as it takes you on a gripping journey into the dark complexities of addiction.
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992)
“Fire Walk With Me, a prequel to David Lynch’s Twin Peaks TV series, explores the days leading up to the murder of Laura Palmer in the seemingly peaceful town of Twin Peaks, Washington. Presented in a non-linear narrative, the film unveils the complexities of Laura’s troubled life, including her relationships with two very different boyfriends, the volatile Bobby and the reserved biker James, her close friendship with Donna, her struggles with drug addiction, and her peculiar connection with her enigmatic father, Leland.
This surreal film delves deep into the hidden aspects of Laura’s private life, shedding light on the enigma that made solving her murder such a challenge in the TV series. Given the director’s distinctive style and the unexplained supernatural elements present in Twin Peaks, it’s essential to immerse yourself fully in this movie.”
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