Movies About Dreams

From Christopher Nolan, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Elliot Page, Ken Watanabe
Rated PG-13

Inception is a science fiction film written and directed by Christopher Nolan. In the movie, a skilled thief, Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio), is offered a chance to regain his old life as payment for a task considered to be impossible: Inception, the implantation of an idea into a target's subconscious. With the help of a team of specialists, Cobb and his associates plan to enter the mind of a CEO to plant the seed of an idea that will drastically change the future of his company. As the team ventures deeper into the dream state, they encounter a variety of obstacles, from enemies bent on stopping them to the strange and mysterious effects of "dream-sharing." Eventually, Cobb and his crew must confront their deepest secrets in order to succeed and make it out alive.

From Makoto Shinkai, starring Ryûnosuke Kamiki, Mone Kamishiraishi, Ryô Narita, Aoi Yûki
Rated PG

Your Name is a 2016 Japanese animated romantic fantasy drama film written and directed by Makoto Shinkai, and produced by CoMix Wave Films. The film centers around two teenagers, Mitsuha and Taki, who inexplicably find themselves living each other's lives due to an unknown force. As their lives become entwined, they begin to gain an understanding of one another and develop a connection. A cosmic event brings them together and they must find a way to reunite and save the town of Itomori before it is destroyed. Along the way, the pair will discover the meaning of true love, self-discovery and the power of their bond.

From Ingmar Bergman, starring Victor Sjöström, Bibi Andersson, Ingrid Thulin, Gunnar Björnstrand
Rated Not Rated

Wild Strawberries is a classic 1957 Swedish drama film directed by Ingmar Bergman. The film follows the story of Isak Borg, an elderly professor who is forced to confront his past and his fear of death as he embarks on a journey to receive an honorary degree. Along the way, he meets various characters who help him to come to terms with his life and make peace with the present. Through his encounters, Isak learns to appreciate life more and discovers his own capacity for love. The film is an intimate portrait of life, death, and love as seen through the eyes of an elderly man on his last journey.

From Directors: Victor Fleming, George Cukor, Mervyn LeRoy, Norman Taurog, Richard Thorpe, King Vidor, starring Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr
Rated PG

The Wizard of Oz is a classic 1939 American musical fantasy film that follows the adventures of Dorothy Gale, a young girl from Kansas who is transported to the magical Land of Oz via a tornado. After arriving, Dorothy and her dog Toto find themselves in a world in which they must face off against the Wicked Witch of the West and her army of flying monkeys in order to find a way to get back home. Along the way, they befriend the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion, all of whom have their own individual motives for joining Dorothy on her quest. With the help of Glinda the Good Witch, the Wizard of Oz, and various magical creatures, Dorothy and her friends eventually make it to the Emerald City where they must convince the Wizard to grant them their wishes. Along the way, they learn important lessons about courage, friendship, and the power of believing in yourself.

From Federico Fellini, starring Marcello Mastroianni, Anouk Aimée, Claudia Cardinale, Sandra Milo
Rated Not Rated

"8½" is a surreal cinematic masterpiece by Italian director Federico Fellini. It is the story of a famous film director, Guido Anselmi, who is struggling to come up with ideas for his next movie while dealing with the pressures of fame, his troubled marriage and past relationships. The movie blurs the lines between reality and fantasy as Guido's imagination takes him on a journey of self-discovery as he tries to make sense of his life. Along the way, he meets a variety of characters, from his childhood friends to past and present lovers. Ultimately, he is able to rediscover his creative voice and is able to complete his film. "8½" is an exploration of the creative process, the search for identity, and the dreamlike fantasies of the subconscious mind.

From Terry Gilliam, starring Jonathan Pryce, Kim Greist, Robert De Niro, Katherine Helmond
Rated R

Brazil is a dystopian science-fiction film set in an alternate future where a bureaucratic government rules with an iron fist. Sam Lowry, a low-level government employee, is caught in a web of paperwork and bureaucracy, struggling to make any headway in life. When he has a strange dream of a young woman, he sets out to find her, leading him down a dangerous path of conspiracies and violence. Along the way, he discovers a secret rebel group, who are determined to fight the oppressive government, and soon finds himself caught up in their struggle. His journey to find the woman of his dreams soon becomes a mission to save his own life and the entire country of Brazil.

From David Lynch, starring Naomi Watts, Laura Harring, Justin Theroux, Jeanne Bates
Rated R

Mulholland Drive is an enigmatic film by director David Lynch. It follows the story of Betty Elms, an aspiring actress who has recently moved to Los Angeles, and her interactions with a mysterious amnesiac woman who goes by the name of Rita. As the two women investigate Rita's past, their lives become intertwined with a surreal dreamscape of Hollywood. Along the way, they uncover a dark and twisted conspiracy involving a film director and a mobster. The film is full of mystery and suspense and will leave viewers puzzling over its many hidden meanings.

From Richard Linklater, starring Ethan Hawke, Trevor Jack Brooks, Lorelei Linklater, Wiley Wiggins
Rated R

Waking Life is a 2001 rotoscope animated film written and directed by Richard Linklater. The film follows an unnamed young man (played by Wiley Wiggins) as he meanders through a dream-like state, encountering a variety of people who discuss a range of philosophical issues. As the man moves from one conversation to the next, he experiences an array of issues from existentialism to the meaning of life. The film also features many cameos by notable philosophers and thinkers, including Steven Soderbergh, Matthew McConaughey, and Ethan Hawke. By the end of the journey, the man finds himself in a seemingly inescapable loop, questioning the nature of reality and his own place in the universe.

From Satoshi Kon, starring Megumi Hayashibara, Tôru Emori, Katsunosuke Hori, Tôru Furuya
Rated R

Paprika is a 2006 Japanese animated science-fiction film directed by Satoshi Kon. The story follows Dr. Atsuko Chiba and her alter-ego, the experimental persona Paprika, who uses the experimental DC Mini device to help people with psychological problems. The device allows therapists to enter their patients' dreams and investigate the subconscious mind in order to help them resolve their issues. When the device is stolen and begins to be used for malicious purposes, Atsuko and Paprika must enter the dream world to stop the thief and protect the world's dreamscape. Along the way, Atsuko and Paprika face surreal dreamscapes, puzzling riddles, and a mysterious figure known only as the 'Paradox'. In the end, Atsuko and Paprika must battle the forces of evil to save the dream world and protect reality.

From Hayao Miyazaki, starring Hideaki Anno, Hidetoshi Nishijima, Miori Takimoto, Masahiko Nishimura
Rated PG-13

The Wind Rises is a 2013 film directed by Hayao Miyazaki that tells the story of Jiro Horikoshi, a young aeronautical engineer living in Japan during the 1920s and 1930s. The film follows Jiro from his childhood dream of designing and building airplanes, to his time at the Imperial Japanese Navy’s Department of Aeronautical Design, to his eventual career as an aeronautical engineer. Along the way, Jiro meets and falls in love with a beautiful young woman, Nahoko, and struggles to balance his dreams with the reality of a country on the brink of war. The Wind Rises is a story of creativity, passion, and dedication, as Jiro strives to pursue his ambitions in the face of an uncertain future.

From Paul Verhoeven, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sharon Stone, Michael Ironside, Rachel Ticotin
Rated R

Total Recall is a 1990 science fiction action film directed by Paul Verhoeven and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as Douglas Quaid, a construction worker who discovers that he is actually a secret agent from Mars. Quaid is forced to question his own reality as he embarks on a mission to discover the truth about his mysterious past. Along the way, he discovers a dark and dangerous conspiracy involving the powerful interplanetary corporation, Rekall Inc. As Quaid races against time to unlock the secrets of his past, he must battle against forces that threaten the future of Mars, and the entire human race.

From Ildikó Enyedi, starring Alexandra Borbély, Géza Morcsányi, Réka Tenki, Zoltán Schneider
Rated Not Rated

On Body and Soul is a 2017 Hungarian romantic drama film directed by Ildikó Enyedi. The film follows two socially awkward and introverted abattoir employees, Mária and Endre, who discover that they are sharing similar dreams. As they grow closer and become attracted to each other, their relationship is tested by their fear and insecurity, as well as by the pressures of the abattoir and their personal lives. Their connection eventually leads to a deeper understanding of themselves and each other. The film examines the themes of love, loneliness, and the importance of communication and understanding.

From Alfred Hitchcock, starring Ingrid Bergman, Gregory Peck, Michael Chekhov, Leo G. Carroll
Rated Approved

Spellbound is a 1945 psychological mystery-thriller film by Alfred Hitchcock. The film stars Ingrid Bergman as Dr. Constance Petersen, a psychiatrist at a leading psychiatric hospital who is assigned to treat a man (Gregory Peck) with an acute fear of heights and an amnesia-like condition. With the help of colleague Dr. Murchison (Leo G. Carroll) and the enigmatic amnesiac, Dr. Petersen is determined to uncover his true identity and the mystery surrounding his past. Along the way, she finds herself falling in love with him, as they race against time to solve his identity and the truth of his past. Spellbound is an intense and suspenseful mystery, filled with classic Hitchcock scares, twists and turns, that will keep viewers guessing until the very end.

From Wes Craven, starring Heather Langenkamp, Johnny Depp, Robert Englund, John Saxon
Rated R

From Jeff Nichols, starring Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain, Shea Whigham, Tova Stewart
Rated R

From Michel Gondry, starring Gael García Bernal, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Miou-Miou, Alain Chabat
Rated R

From Cameron Crowe, starring Tom Cruise, Penélope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Kurt Russell
Rated R

From John Carpenter, starring Donald Pleasence, Lisa Blount, Jameson Parker, Victor Wong
Rated R

From Neil Jordan, starring Sarah Patterson, Angela Lansbury, David Warner, Graham Crowden
Rated R

From Mike Flanagan, starring Kate Bosworth, Oleksandr Reshetilov, Thomas Jane, Jacob Tremblay
Rated PG-13