Brad’s Picks: Reality Shifters

One of my favourite genres of film are what I like to call ‘Reality Shifters’ because reality shifts during the film in such a way that they cause viewers to question the current state of reality in the movie, and possibly in ‘real?’ life as well. They often weave together multiple dimensions, timelines (more on this in my Time Travel roundup), and/or lifetimes.

These movies push our pre-conceived notions of reality: about what is real, and what is illusion. Or if there is any difference at all. These movies are not for everyone, or every mood. I personally have to be in the right mind set to watch one myself, as I need to be mentally prepared to have my boundaries pushed, and that isn’t something I want every day.

Here is a list of my top movies from that genre that are my staff picks at Sid’s Vids. Now you can enjoy them too. Some are popular ones I’m sure you’ve heard of, and others probably not:

• Altered States

  Altered States (1980)
  	Rating: 6.9/10 (23,017 votes) Director: Ken Russell Writer: Paddy Chayefsky (written for the screen by), Paddy Chayefsky (novel) Stars: William Hurt, Blair Brown, Bob Balaban, Charles Haid Runtime: 102 min Rated: R Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller Released: 25 Dec 1980
  Plot: A Harvard scientist conducts experiments on himself with a hallucinatory drug and an isolation chamber that may be causing him to regress genetically.

   
• Butterfly Effect

  The Butterfly Effect (2004)
  	Rating: 7.7/10 (341,377 votes) Director: Eric Bress, J. Mackye Gruber Writer: J. Mackye Gruber, Eric Bress Stars: Ashton Kutcher, Melora Walters, Amy Smart, Elden Henson Runtime: 113 min Rated: R Genre: Sci-Fi, Thriller Released: 23 Jan 2004
  Plot: A young man blocks out harmful memories of significant events of his life. As he grows up, he finds a way to remember these lost memories and a supernatural way to alter his life.

   
• Coherence 

  Coherence (2013)
  	Rating: 7.1/10 (46,078 votes) Director: James Ward Byrkit Writer: James Ward Byrkit (screenplay), James Ward Byrkit (story), Alex Manugian (story) Stars: Emily Baldoni, Maury Sterling, Nicholas Brendon, Lorene Scafaria Runtime: 89 min Rated: N/A Genre: Sci-Fi, Thriller Released: 06 Aug 2014
  Plot: Strange things begin to happen when a group of friends gather for a dinner party on an evening when a comet is passing overhead.

   
• Dark City 

  Dark City (1998)
  	Rating: 7.7/10 (151,904 votes) Director: Alex Proyas Writer: Alex Proyas (story), Alex Proyas (screenplay), Lem Dobbs (screenplay), David S. Goyer (screenplay) Stars: Rufus Sewell, William Hurt, Kiefer Sutherland, Jennifer Connelly Runtime: 100 min Rated: R Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi Released: 27 Feb 1998
  Plot: A man struggles with memories of his past, including a wife he cannot remember, in a nightmarish world with no sun.

   
• Enter the Void 

  Enter the Void (2009)
  	Rating: 7.3/10 (42,022 votes) Director: Gaspar Noé Writer: Gaspar Noé, Lucile Hadzihalilovic (with the help of) Stars: Paz de la Huerta, Nathaniel Brown, Cyril Roy, Olly Alexander Runtime: 161 min Rated: NOT RATED Genre: Drama, Fantasy Released: 05 May 2010
  Plot: A U.S. drug dealer living in Tokyo is betrayed by his best friend and killed in a drug deal. His soul, observing the repercussions of his death, seeks resurrection.

   
• Existenz 

  eXistenZ (1999)
  	Rating: 6.8/10 (75,085 votes) Director: David Cronenberg Writer: David Cronenberg Stars: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jude Law, Ian Holm, Willem Dafoe Runtime: 97 min Rated: R Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller Released: 23 Apr 1999
  Plot: A game designer on the run from assassins must play her latest virtual reality creation with a marketing trainee to determine if the game has been damaged.

   
• Fountain 

  The Fountain (2006)
  	Rating: 7.3/10 (185,389 votes) Director: Darren Aronofsky Writer: Darren Aronofsky (screenplay), Darren Aronofsky (story), Ari Handel (story) Stars: Hugh Jackman, Rachel Weisz, Ellen Burstyn, Mark Margolis Runtime: 96 min Rated: PG-13 Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi Released: 22 Nov 2006
  Plot: As a modern-day scientist, Tommy is struggling with mortality, desperately searching for the medical breakthrough that will save the life of his cancer-stricken wife, Izzi.

   
• Inception 

  Inception (2010)
  	Rating: 8.8/10 (1,366,602 votes) Director: Christopher Nolan Writer: Christopher Nolan Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy Runtime: 148 min Rated: PG-13 Genre: Action, Mystery, Sci-Fi Released: 16 Jul 2010
  Plot: A thief who steals corporate secrets through use of the dream-sharing technology is given the inverse task of planting an idea into the mind of a CEO.

   
• Matrix Trilogy 

  The Matrix (1999)
  	Rating: 8.7/10 (1,148,739 votes) Director: Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski Writer: Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski Stars: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving Runtime: 136 min Rated: R Genre: Action, Sci-Fi Released: 31 Mar 1999
  Plot: A computer hacker learns from mysterious rebels about the true nature of his reality and his role in the war against its controllers.

   
• Source Code 

  Source Code (2011)
  	Rating: 7.5/10 (360,464 votes) Director: Duncan Jones Writer: Ben Ripley Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga, Jeffrey Wright Runtime: 93 min Rated: PG-13 Genre: Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller Released: 01 Apr 2011
  Plot: A soldier wakes up in someone else's body and discovers he's part of an experimental government program to find the bomber of a commuter train. A mission he has only 8 minutes to complete.

   
• Vanilla Sky 

  Vanilla Sky (2001)
  	Rating: 6.9/10 (201,689 votes) Director: Cameron Crowe Writer: Alejandro Amenábar (film "Abre Los Ojos"), Mateo Gil (film "Abre Los Ojos"), Cameron Crowe (screenplay) Stars: Tom Cruise, Penélope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Kurt Russell Runtime: 136 min Rated: R Genre: Fantasy, Mystery, Romance Released: 14 Dec 2001
  Plot: A self-indulgent and vain publishing magnate finds his privileged life upended after a vehicular accident with a resentful lover.

   
• Waking Life 

  Waking Life (2001)
  	Rating: 7.8/10 (46,698 votes) Director: Richard Linklater Writer: Richard Linklater Stars: Trevor Jack Brooks, Lorelei Linklater, Wiley Wiggins, Glover Gill Runtime: 99 min Rated: R Genre: Animation, Drama, Fantasy Released: 16 Nov 2001
  Plot: A man shuffles through a dream meeting various people and discussing the meanings and purposes of the universe.

   

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