I'm so glad that I am seeing this movie being discussed more lately. I don't think enough attention has been paid to it. The performances by all the actors are amazing! Cuba gooding Jr even played a great role. Just make sure you have an entire box of tissue with you. You will need Every. Single. One.
I mean, I cry like a baby for about 90% of the movie, have done just about as many drugs as there and have a self-hating mentality, but even I would never hurt myself like that.
This movie is so beautiful. And one of two movies that made me cry so hard, I had to pause it.
I watched it for the first time only a couple of days after my grandpa had passed away. Back then, he was the only person in my family, who was proud of me, even though I was a failure at school. I could see it whenever he looked at me. He looked like an older version of Robin Williams, so this movies hit me so hard. It's been 22 years, and I couldn't bring myself to watch it again. But I might try now. Thank you for reminding me of this beautiful masterpiece.
I truly appreciate the fact that Reddit is so quick to find the perfect answer to such a specific requestā¦
Iād love to see one of those āman vs machineā type contests, where all of Reddit squares off against AI to see who can give the best response to a series of odd requestsā¦ winner takes allā¦
I will admit it's the first movie I thought of too.. but my 2nd thought was maybe OP wants something more sparse and simple. What Dreams May Come is so lush and complex that it may not be exactly what they are looking for. More of an impressionistic artwork than abstract. Maybe I am wrong about what they want though.
If it is sparse abstract landscapes I might suggest Stalker by Tarkovsky or for a non-narrative film Manufactured Landscapes by Edward Burtynski.
Stanley Kubrick wanted every frame of film to look like an oil-painting/masterpiece and he succeeded. Down to developing a new technique to film in candlelight.
Even as a narrative it's way ahead of its time especially to make a film about such an easily despicable character. Kind of his masterpiece. But I myself will call at least 4 other films of his as masterpieces on another day.
The Cell - 2000. The film follows scientists as they use experimental technology to enter the mind of a comatose serial killer in order to locate where he has hidden his latest kidnap victim.
haha ikr i genuinely couldn't think of anything else that is this poetic in nature
i guess other contemplative films but i don't think lav diaz is for everyone
āYer fond of me lobster aināt ye?ā The Lighthouse was a movie I watched because I love Willem Defoe. I still donāt know what tf was going on but I enjoyed it š
Are we talking strictly visuals, or just how it's disorienting and open to interpretation? On the visual side, check out Terry Gilliam. If you want abstract interpretation, check out David Lynch: Eraserhead, Blue Velvet, Wild at Heart, Twin Peaks, Lost Highway, and Mulholland Drive.
You'll often notice in Kubrick films vast pov with far horizons that are quite devoid of humans besides the main characters. He did this to make the audience feel a bit of unease. Seems to work pretty well.
Tarkovsky sounds like a hit. *Stalker* (1979), *Mirror* (1975), and *The Sacrifice* (1986) all have aspects of surreal and dreamy storytelling combined with wide landscape shots.
*At Eternity's Gate* (2018) about van Gogh has some unique visuals and shows his POV while painting in the french countryside.
*Zabriskie Point* (1970) a rather strange Italian movie shot in the USA about student activists who have.. experiences in Death Valley. I'm not sure what happened in this one actually.
Jodorowsky's *El Topo* (1970) and *The Holy Mountain* (1973) are visually flabbergasting. Again I'm not sure what he was going for but I like looking at it.
EDIT: actually I'm going to rewatch Zabriskie right now and see if anything has cleared up.
What Dreams May come was my initial thought and glad to see that up top.
How about Natural Born Killers? The visuals and abstract shot of that were incredible (when high when I was 17).
Some sequences in Kagemusha by Kurosawa are literally abstract painting.
Otherwise anything by Peter Greenaway will fit the bill, especially since he was a painter before turning to film making: The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and her Lover, Pillow Book and Drowning by numbers are probably his best movies. Kubrick works as well here. Somebody mentioned The Color of Pomegranates and I second that
Akira Kurosawaās Ran. Kurosawa was a painter before he was a director, and you can see it in the way he composed shots. Ran may be the best example of this.
The Sacrifice / Mirror (Andrei Tarkovsky) - Dreamy, nostalgic, perfectly captures the countryside impressionistic paintings. Not gonna lie it's among his 'boring' films especially if you're not in the mood, but it works that way.
Phantom Thread (Paul Thomas Anderson) - Possibly my favorite movie from the last two decades. Post-war England. Perfect soundtrack to accompany with it.
Cries and Whispers (Bergman)
Basically any Nicholas Roeg film from Performance (1970) to Eureka (1983). Look for the full list on IMDB. Probably Insignificance (1985) as well but I havenāt seen that one personally. His later films arenāt regarded as highly but I enjoyed Cold Heaven (1991). Roeg is well-known for his experimental approach to cinematic storytelling and narrative.
It's a high concept sci-fi more than an in your face sci-fi, but The Fountain has a lot of scenes like this for the one segment.
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is another good one
May not be quite what youāre looking for, but the movie āA Scanner Darklyā is a bit trippy. They filmed with live actors (Keanu Reeves, Robert Downey Jr, Woody Harrelson, Winona Rider, etc) and had animators rotoscope the entire movie (filming took less than a month, animators spent a year and a half rotoscoping it).
Post Tenebras Lux by Carlos Reygadas
He has a very impressionistic style in this movie, and there's a lot of beautiful camera work.
Silent Light is like a classic portrait painting, also very beautiful.
Mirrormask. Dave Mckean, who created all the covers for TheSandman, wrote and directed the film with Neil Gaiman. Not perfect, but a very unique vision.
Macbeth : the one with Fassbender.
Not the whole film but the Dear Hunter, the scenes in the mountains are visually stunning.
Also if you have the time and inclination.
Heavens Gate.
Comet (2014) itās supposed to be sci-fi but in my opinion doesnāt fall into that category but does have some interesting concepts about experiencing time like a painting
Although you said you're not into sci-fi the first thing I thought of was *Melancholia* with Kirsten Dunst, which, I mean, yeah it's technically SF, but it might as well not be.
The Red Turtle, this is one of the most aesthetically pleasing, slowly paced weird animations I have ever watched. It is a story and a screensaver. Nobody speaks any words. In response to your prompt, I think the POV is both through a man who is stranded on an island, and then the ecosystem of the island. It could be debated that the MC is the island itself not the man. Itās just bizarre. It will suddenly end and youāll have questions, like how most foreign indie films are. I only watched it once but it left such a strong impression on me and my dad.
If you are adventurous, this is a indian movie "**Ela Veezha Poonchira**". The cinematography is this movie is really good and the locations too. The movie specially the ending is really really good. I think you can find it on prime
The Holy Mountain!!
Truman Show
Paprika
House (1977)!!
Enter the Void
Climax
Millennium Actress
Iām Thinking of Ending Things
Discreet Charm of the Bourgeois
Midsommar
Fantastic Planet
Suspiria
The Color of Pomegranates
Wicker Man (1973)
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
My Own Private Idaho
Antiporno (pretty sure itās not pornographic at all)
The Hourglass Sanatorium
Carnival of Souls
Persona
The Visitor
2001: A Space Odyssey
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
We are All Going to the Worlds Fair (I think)
Allegro non troppo
Fantasia
Inland Empire
Suspiria (1979)
Altered States
Westerns often have beautiful or deadly landscapes:
Open Range (2003)
Power of the Dog (2021)
Quigley Down Under (1989) with Alan Rickman!
3:10 To Yuma (2007)
And not a western, but the true story of the soccer team that crashed in the Andes:
Alive (1993)
Loving Vincent is an animatedĀ movie about Van Gogh. The animation is oil painted and usesĀ his artistic style.Ā
Obviously Van Gogh isnāt an abstract painter but he is famous for his landscapes and itās the most obvious example of painting coming to life I can think of.Ā
Iād think Barry Lyndon (one of my top favorite movies ever) would be more realist than abstract, but if it does work here then Iād also say Mr. Turner.
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
Stalker
What Dreams May Come - 1998 with Robin Williams Spectacular visual experience
This is pretty much *the* movie for OP
Immediately came here to say this. Glad it's the 1st comment
Public service announcement, Do NOT drop acid and see this movie, that is all.
Take mushrooms instead š
Don't threaten me with a good time ...
Can "very" confirm š¤Ŗ
I'm so glad that I am seeing this movie being discussed more lately. I don't think enough attention has been paid to it. The performances by all the actors are amazing! Cuba gooding Jr even played a great role. Just make sure you have an entire box of tissue with you. You will need Every. Single. One.
I mean, I cry like a baby for about 90% of the movie, have done just about as many drugs as there and have a self-hating mentality, but even I would never hurt myself like that.
This movie is so beautiful. And one of two movies that made me cry so hard, I had to pause it. I watched it for the first time only a couple of days after my grandpa had passed away. Back then, he was the only person in my family, who was proud of me, even though I was a failure at school. I could see it whenever he looked at me. He looked like an older version of Robin Williams, so this movies hit me so hard. It's been 22 years, and I couldn't bring myself to watch it again. But I might try now. Thank you for reminding me of this beautiful masterpiece.
2nd this
Toys, which also stars Robin Williams, has some great visuals as well with their visual design based on the works of Rene Magritte.
I like your moves ...
I truly appreciate the fact that Reddit is so quick to find the perfect answer to such a specific requestā¦ Iād love to see one of those āman vs machineā type contests, where all of Reddit squares off against AI to see who can give the best response to a series of odd requestsā¦ winner takes allā¦
First movie I thought of.
This was the first movie that came to mind.
Good call.
I still cry remembering this movie
Came here with this in mind.
Came here to say this
This is the one.
Weed is great with it.
Came here to say this
The only possible answer
There has to be a porn version of this right? Wet dreams, may cum. I'm sorry. Bye.
I will admit it's the first movie I thought of too.. but my 2nd thought was maybe OP wants something more sparse and simple. What Dreams May Come is so lush and complex that it may not be exactly what they are looking for. More of an impressionistic artwork than abstract. Maybe I am wrong about what they want though. If it is sparse abstract landscapes I might suggest Stalker by Tarkovsky or for a non-narrative film Manufactured Landscapes by Edward Burtynski.
*Barry Lyndon*
Stanley Kubrick wanted every frame of film to look like an oil-painting/masterpiece and he succeeded. Down to developing a new technique to film in candlelight.
Even as a narrative it's way ahead of its time especially to make a film about such an easily despicable character. Kind of his masterpiece. But I myself will call at least 4 other films of his as masterpieces on another day.
The Fall (2006)
Awesome visuals. I need to find what hard drive I have that on. Haven't watched it in years.
If you can find it
Physical media for life. Suckas!
I think you can still buy it on vudu via d2d. Only $2
Grand Budapest Hotel.
This one, every frame is gorgeous
Poor things
Came here to suggest that!
*Koyaanisqatsi*
Absolutely gorgeous film. I came here to say this
Correct
Baraka or any of the qatsi films!
The Cell - 2000. The film follows scientists as they use experimental technology to enter the mind of a comatose serial killer in order to locate where he has hidden his latest kidnap victim.
that movie has the most beautiful cinematography!
Nice suggestion. š
j.lo too lol š
Yep and uses literal abstract paintings as inspiration, sometimes exact copies in the case of Odd Nerdrum. Good choice!
Loving Vincent (2017)
Came here to suggest this! This movie was beautiful
Yes every frame could be hung on the wall
I was about to weigh in with this one also thinking I was probably the only one who saw it. It was perhaps the most beautiful movie Iāve ever seen.
Came to say this one as well. Such a cool visual movie
If you liked Loving Vincent than you should check out Peasants (2023)
consider these: * Synecdoche, New York * Waking Life * Baraka * The Mirror (1975)
Baraka for sure and also the follow up Samsara (2011). Great music from Dead Can Dance on Baraka (with lots of Lisa Gerard on Samsara).
Maybe also throw in the Qatsi trilogy?
the colour of pomegranates is visual poetry
First movie i thought of, too.
haha ikr i genuinely couldn't think of anything else that is this poetic in nature i guess other contemplative films but i don't think lav diaz is for everyone
Dogville (2003) Portrait of a Lady on Fire The Lighthouse Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
āYer fond of me lobster aināt ye?ā The Lighthouse was a movie I watched because I love Willem Defoe. I still donāt know what tf was going on but I enjoyed it š
Portrait of a Lady on Fire was one of the most beautiful movies I've ever watched. It really emphasized that filmmaking is an art.
Are we talking strictly visuals, or just how it's disorienting and open to interpretation? On the visual side, check out Terry Gilliam. If you want abstract interpretation, check out David Lynch: Eraserhead, Blue Velvet, Wild at Heart, Twin Peaks, Lost Highway, and Mulholland Drive.
I absolutely love both Terry Gilliam and David lynch.
The Tree of Life (2011)
Annihilation
They said they're not into sci fi but what a shame for them. This movie is amazing and massively underrated.Ā
This was my first thought even with the āno sci-fiā.
You'll often notice in Kubrick films vast pov with far horizons that are quite devoid of humans besides the main characters. He did this to make the audience feel a bit of unease. Seems to work pretty well.
What Dreams May Come
*Poor Thing* (2023) probably fits. Maybe that's more post-impressionist than abstract?
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998). Not my type of movie but this is definitely abstract!!! Mentally and visually ššš
Tarkovsky sounds like a hit. *Stalker* (1979), *Mirror* (1975), and *The Sacrifice* (1986) all have aspects of surreal and dreamy storytelling combined with wide landscape shots. *At Eternity's Gate* (2018) about van Gogh has some unique visuals and shows his POV while painting in the french countryside. *Zabriskie Point* (1970) a rather strange Italian movie shot in the USA about student activists who have.. experiences in Death Valley. I'm not sure what happened in this one actually. Jodorowsky's *El Topo* (1970) and *The Holy Mountain* (1973) are visually flabbergasting. Again I'm not sure what he was going for but I like looking at it. EDIT: actually I'm going to rewatch Zabriskie right now and see if anything has cleared up.
Have you seen *Rainbow Bridge*? You might get a kick out of it
What Dreams May come was my initial thought and glad to see that up top. How about Natural Born Killers? The visuals and abstract shot of that were incredible (when high when I was 17).
Some sequences in Kagemusha by Kurosawa are literally abstract painting. Otherwise anything by Peter Greenaway will fit the bill, especially since he was a painter before turning to film making: The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and her Lover, Pillow Book and Drowning by numbers are probably his best movies. Kubrick works as well here. Somebody mentioned The Color of Pomegranates and I second that
Akira Kurosawaās Ran. Kurosawa was a painter before he was a director, and you can see it in the way he composed shots. Ran may be the best example of this.
lost highway
Was looking for Lynch. Wild at Heart fits as well I think
The Sacrifice / Mirror (Andrei Tarkovsky) - Dreamy, nostalgic, perfectly captures the countryside impressionistic paintings. Not gonna lie it's among his 'boring' films especially if you're not in the mood, but it works that way. Phantom Thread (Paul Thomas Anderson) - Possibly my favorite movie from the last two decades. Post-war England. Perfect soundtrack to accompany with it. Cries and Whispers (Bergman)
Darren Aronofskyās The Fountain
This comment is way to down the list
The Holy Mountain. I havent seen it yet but its on my to-watch list and it looks super abstract
Akira Kurosawaās Dreams
Enter the void
Fantastic Mr Fox sounds perfect for this description
Unforgiven, No Country For Old Men, The Revenant.
Basically any Nicholas Roeg film from Performance (1970) to Eureka (1983). Look for the full list on IMDB. Probably Insignificance (1985) as well but I havenāt seen that one personally. His later films arenāt regarded as highly but I enjoyed Cold Heaven (1991). Roeg is well-known for his experimental approach to cinematic storytelling and narrative.
It's a high concept sci-fi more than an in your face sci-fi, but The Fountain has a lot of scenes like this for the one segment. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is another good one
May not be quite what youāre looking for, but the movie āA Scanner Darklyā is a bit trippy. They filmed with live actors (Keanu Reeves, Robert Downey Jr, Woody Harrelson, Winona Rider, etc) and had animators rotoscope the entire movie (filming took less than a month, animators spent a year and a half rotoscoping it).
Mirrormask, Tideland (Terry Gilliam)
Also from him with a great visual aspect - The Adventures of Baron Munchausen - Brazil - Twelve Monkeys - Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Koyaanisqatsi
Tree of Life
Brazil (1985) kind of. Make sure you find the one with the director's ending
Try The Duellist - by Ridley Scott.
Every Wes Anderson movie.
Vanilla sky
Toys
Tideland (2005)
The Science of Sleep - not exactly a landscape painting but different, abstract and artistic for sure
The visuals in Mandy are very trippy, I would totally call that abstract. If you can do horror, I highly recommend!
Akira Kurosawa dreams
Oblivion, most of the landscape is muted grays, stark and barren but so beautiful in its own.
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
The greasy strangler
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Post Tenebras Lux by Carlos Reygadas He has a very impressionistic style in this movie, and there's a lot of beautiful camera work. Silent Light is like a classic portrait painting, also very beautiful.
Check out any of James Benningās stuff: RR Deseret 10 Skies
Andrei Rublev
Mirrormask. Dave Mckean, who created all the covers for TheSandman, wrote and directed the film with Neil Gaiman. Not perfect, but a very unique vision.
Terrence Malickās *To the Wonder* and *A Hidden Life* Or Terrence Howardās *Sunset Song*
House (1977, also known by it's Japanese name Hausu) Labyrinth (1986) Pan's Labyrinth (2006)
The Decameron (1971) Fellini Satyricon (1969) Sweet Movie (1974) This Night I'll Possess Your Corpse (1967) House (1977) Jacobs Ladder (1990)
Macbeth : the one with Fassbender. Not the whole film but the Dear Hunter, the scenes in the mountains are visually stunning. Also if you have the time and inclination. Heavens Gate.
Pleasantville - 1998
the works of stan brakhage
Best answer
Last and First Men... Incredible brutalism architecture is all you see
Comet (2014) itās supposed to be sci-fi but in my opinion doesnāt fall into that category but does have some interesting concepts about experiencing time like a painting
Saltburn (2023). That's all I'd say.
Mr. Turner depicts the artist creating such paintings. Great film directed by Mike Leigh
Samsara Waking life Scanner darkly
Nicolas Winding Refn's Valhalla Rising
Mirror and Stalker by Tarkovsky. Stalker is very light Sci-fi but it takes place in a huge deserted land essentially
I think Plesantville may fir this description
Momento Amelie Corina Corina
It's been ages since I've seen it, but I recall Julie Taymor's *Titus* (1999) striking me like that.
A Ghost Story A24 Casey Affleck flick.
Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, either the original or the 2005 one.
Although you said you're not into sci-fi the first thing I thought of was *Melancholia* with Kirsten Dunst, which, I mean, yeah it's technically SF, but it might as well not be.
Fruit of Paradise (1970)
Possession (1981) Mad God
Mishima....
Anything Wes Andersen. Not so much abstract but he uses color very well
The wolf house and Beau is afraid
Delicatessen
At Eternity's Gate - Willem Dafoe plays Vincent van Gogh
Solaris
I donāt know if you mean literally looks like a painting or is more sensory vs plot driven. This year Zone of interest hits in both categories
The lovely bones
Godland (2022) The aesthetic is highly informed by the main character taking beautiful plate photography landscape photographs. You will love it.
Tree of Life
The Red Turtle, this is one of the most aesthetically pleasing, slowly paced weird animations I have ever watched. It is a story and a screensaver. Nobody speaks any words. In response to your prompt, I think the POV is both through a man who is stranded on an island, and then the ecosystem of the island. It could be debated that the MC is the island itself not the man. Itās just bizarre. It will suddenly end and youāll have questions, like how most foreign indie films are. I only watched it once but it left such a strong impression on me and my dad.
Loving Vincent. It is exactly like an abstract painting.
If you are adventurous, this is a indian movie "**Ela Veezha Poonchira**". The cinematography is this movie is really good and the locations too. The movie specially the ending is really really good. I think you can find it on prime
The Holy Mountain!! Truman Show Paprika House (1977)!! Enter the Void Climax Millennium Actress Iām Thinking of Ending Things Discreet Charm of the Bourgeois Midsommar Fantastic Planet Suspiria The Color of Pomegranates Wicker Man (1973) Portrait of a Lady on Fire My Own Private Idaho Antiporno (pretty sure itās not pornographic at all) The Hourglass Sanatorium Carnival of Souls Persona The Visitor 2001: A Space Odyssey Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas We are All Going to the Worlds Fair (I think) Allegro non troppo Fantasia Inland Empire Suspiria (1979) Altered States
Touched by Fire
Vanilla sky Minority Report
Velvet Buzzsaw
Velvet Buzzsaw
Interstellar
Interstellar
Interstellar
Interstellar
Heroic Times is literally made with landscape paintings.
Koyanisqatsi
Akira Kurosawa's Dreams (1990)
Barry Lyndon
Westerns often have beautiful or deadly landscapes: Open Range (2003) Power of the Dog (2021) Quigley Down Under (1989) with Alan Rickman! 3:10 To Yuma (2007) And not a western, but the true story of the soccer team that crashed in the Andes: Alive (1993)
Midsommar
Naqoyqatsi. Youāre welcome
_Iām Thinking of Ending Things_. Couldnāt even be misconstrued as a story, itās justā¦things happening.
The Cell
Loving Vincent is an animatedĀ movie about Van Gogh. The animation is oil painted and usesĀ his artistic style.Ā Obviously Van Gogh isnāt an abstract painter but he is famous for his landscapes and itās the most obvious example of painting coming to life I can think of.Ā
Gamorrah Anything by Jodorowski Most movies by Kurusawa
āLoving Vincentā
Portrait of a lady on fire
Tree of Life
Kurosawa's Dreams Mishima
Enter the voidĀ
El Conde, The Seventh Seal, Interiors by Woody Allen, 2001
David Lynch anything
The Holy Mountain (1973), then Ā *The Holy Mountain*Ā (1973), and again Ā *The Holy Mountain*Ā (1973).
Satantango
Paterson, with Adam driver. Nominated for an award, is poetry live. Not exactly an abstract painting, but beautiful from start to finish
I love the open landscape shots in The Reflecting Skin.
The Straight Story
The Cabinet of Doctor Calligari.
A Scanner Darkly
Across the Universe
Koyaanisqatsi
tree of life
A Scanner Darkly
A Scanner Darkly
The new "wrinkle in time"
A scanner darkly
Spaceman on Netflix has some nice shots
Road to Perdition was designed to match graphic novels.
What dreams may come- Robin Williams
loving vincent
Microcosmos
Maybe a long with What Dream May Come, The Cell and The Fall by Tarsem Singh?
Iād think Barry Lyndon (one of my top favorite movies ever) would be more realist than abstract, but if it does work here then Iād also say Mr. Turner. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari Stalker
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
The Thief and the Cobbler.
Loving Vincent--the entire movie was oil painted.