Movie recommendations - Haider

Movie recommendations for Haider

A person at work asked for movie recommendations. I prefer giving them based on their interests, as I like multiple movies. Movies are a form of escapism, but they can be educational too. Haider mentoined that he likes realistic movies or documentaries.

Documentaries

• AlphaGo - A documentary about an AI vs Go players. I do have an article about Chess and Go. The documentary is linked within the article.
• Edvard Munch - Not sure if this is your type of documentary. It is about an artist. I do like his style, but the documentary does not cover his later, more positive period.

Similar to documentaries

These are not documentaries, but have bits and pieces of real events.

• The Imitation Game - A movie about the mathematician, Alan Turing. It involves computers and war.
• A Beautiful Mind - Another movie about a mathematician. Should probably revisit it myself.
• Oppenheimer - A movie about how the atomic bomb got made.
• The Disaster Artist - A movie about how the movie which is known as "the worst movie ever made" got made.

Drama

Somewhat realistic dramatic stories. Although not all of them are that realistic.

• Come and See - This is a heavy anti-war movie. Some consider it rather extreme. Consider yourself warned.
• Dancer in the Dark - I have a feeling that you would like this movie. Some people find it depression. Consider yourself warned.
• Requiem for a Dream - A heavy movie about addiction. Very dramatic. Consider yourself warned.
• The Skin I Live In - A movie which might make you think about gender. It is rather heavy. Not very realistic, but close enough to get the ideas across. It should make you think. Consider yourself warned.
• Grave of the Fireflies - An anti-war animated movie.

Other movies

• Oldboy - Make sure to pick the 2003 version. Certain people call this a perfect movie. It might make you think. It, for sure, has drama and should make you think.
• Love Exposure - I highly doubt you would like this one. Based on a true story does not mean that it is realistic. It is four hours longs. I do like it, but it could come over as childish humour. It covers a lot of things though. Not for everyone.

Deep anime series

I consider these anime series the best pieces of media ever. They have much philosophical thought. Although not everyone likes to think. Not everyone likes open endings either.

• Texhnolyze - This series is slow and dark. Yet it offers positivity, and is very Nietzschean. It moves slow, but it is worth it. Texhnolyze won't hold your hand. It encourages you to think about the content.
• Serial Experiments Lain- This series is rather accessible. I highly recommend it. Although hard to understand, and different interpretations are possible.
• Ergo Proxy - Well, this one is all over the place. Might be hard to understand, but it is good. Very philosophical as well.
• Neon Genesis Evangelion - The series and the first movie are fine. Although I do not like anything after that. The series have some filler, although it makes sense for the story. It is interesting, but I prefer the other ones in this list. The art is nice, but I can say that about the others in this list too.

Extreme horror

This is likely not your cup of tea. The first list are the most popular ones. I did not include this because they are extreme, but because they tell something. Do not proceed if this is not your cup of coffee. I have seen much of this genre, so I have more if this is your thing. Lunacy is probably the safest (but also very weird) to start with.

• Martyrs (2008) - Do not watch the remake. This one is infamous as one of the most extreme movies ever. I have seen more disturbing content. The questions in it are great. There are legends with similar events. One of the best extreme horror movies.

• A Cannibal Holocaust - Widely known as the most controversial movie. It was made in a different time, although it is hard to justify the killing of animals. Animals are killed within this movie. But the question it asks can be interesting. The opinions on it are diverse. It is a good movie, but controversial.

• Lunacy - It is about a man within a mental hospital. This movie features stop-motion, and is based on stories of Marquis de Sade and Edgar Allen Poe. It is rather strange, but Marquis de Sade was strange.

• The Girl Next Door - "The Girl Next Door" and "An American Crime" are both good. They are heavily inspired by the real murder of Sylvia Likens. The real events were worse, but the movies are dramatic.

• The Golden Glove - This movie is based on a real crime. Very well-made.

• Men Behind the Sun - This one is very hard to recommend. This very extreme franchise has multiple movies. It can make your head hurt. Based on the war between Japan and China. I would recommend you to keep it as last if you really want to delve into it.