Movies About Research

From Frank Darabont, starring Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Bob Gunton, William Sadler
Rated R

The Shawshank Redemption is a 1994 drama film written and directed by Frank Darabont, based on the Stephen King novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. It stars Tim Robbins as Andy Dufresne, a banker who is wrongfully convicted of murdering his wife and her lover, and is sentenced to life in the fictional Shawshank State Penitentiary. During his time at the prison, he befriends a fellow inmate, Ellis "Red" Redding (Morgan Freeman), and finds himself protected by the guards after the warden begins using him for his money-laundering skills. After two decades, Andy eventually executes a daring escape from Shawshank with the help of his friends. The film explores themes of hope, freedom, justice, and redemption.

From Wim Wenders, starring Bruno Ganz, Solveig Dommartin, Otto Sander, Curt Bois
Rated PG-13

Wings of Desire is a 1987 fantasy drama film directed by Wim Wenders and starring Bruno Ganz as an angel. The film follows two angels as they wander through the streets of Berlin, listening to the thoughts of the people around them and attempting to help them in whatever way they can. The film poetically explores themes of love, mortality, faith, and hope. Alongside the story of the angels, the film also follows the story of a literary historian (Solomon Perel) and a trapeze artist (Hanna Schygulla). As the angels help the humans around them and Perel shares stories of his past, the characters learn to embrace life and love and accept death. The film ends with the angels deciding to become human, embracing mortality and the joys that come with it.

From Andrei Tarkovsky, starring Natalya Bondarchuk, Donatas Banionis, Jüri Järvet, Vladislav Dvorzhetskiy
Rated PG

Solaris is an allegorical science fiction film directed by Andrei Tarkovsky. Set in a future where a space station orbits a mysterious planet, Solaris follows its crew as they experience strange phenomena. When a psychologist is sent to investigate, he finds out that the planet is capable of creating physical manifestations of the crew's repressed memories and emotions. As he struggles to understand the strange phenomena, the psychologist discovers the true nature of the mysterious planet and the forces that govern it. The film explores themes of loneliness, memory, and the power of the subconscious. It is a powerful and thought-provoking exploration of the human condition.

From Paul Schrader, starring Ken Ogata, Masayuki Shionoya, Hiroshi Mikami, Junya Fukuda
Rated R

Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters is a biographical drama film directed by Paul Schrader, based on the life of Japanese author Yukio Mishima. The film follows Mishima's life story from his childhood in 1940s Japan through the years leading up to his ritual suicide in 1970. It combines elements of biographical drama with surrealistic imagery, exploring themes such as identity, sexuality, and traditionalism. The film interweaves scenes of Mishima's life with scenes from his novels and plays, as well as dramatizations of his death. The film is divided into four chapters: "Beauty", "Art", "Action" and "Harmony of Pen and Sword". It is narrated by actor Roy Scheider and features a score by Philip Glass. Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters was met with positive reviews from critics and is today considered one of the greatest films about the life and works of Yukio Mishima. It won the Golden Lion at the 1985 Venice Film Festival and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

From Alejandro G. Iñárritu, starring Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro, Naomi Watts, Danny Huston
Rated R

21 Grams follows the lives of three individuals – Paul Rivers (Sean Penn), Cristina Peck (Naomi Watts) and Jack Jordan (Benicio Del Toro) – who have experienced some of life’s greatest losses. Their stories are intertwined when the tragedy of Paul’s death brings Jack and Cristina together. Through Cristina’s grief, Jack is able to come to terms with his own demons and struggles. The film’s title comes from the notion that the human soul weighs 21 grams, and each of the characters must learn to live with the weight of their losses.

From Darren Aronofsky, starring Sean Gullette, Mark Margolis, Ben Shenkman, Pamela Hart
Rated R

From Michael Lehmann, starring Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, Shannen Doherty, Lisanne Falk
Rated R

From Darren Aronofsky, starring Hugh Jackman, Rachel Weisz, Sean Patrick Thomas, Ellen Burstyn
Rated PG-13

From Vincent Ward, starring Robin Williams, Cuba Gooding Jr., Annabella Sciorra, Max von Sydow
Rated PG-13

From Directors: Warren Beatty, Buck Henry, starring Warren Beatty, James Mason, Julie Christie, Jack Warden
Rated PG

From Directors: Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie, starring Arielle Holmes, Caleb Landry Jones, Buddy Duress, Necro
Rated R

From Michael Anderson, starring Michael York, Jenny Agutter, Richard Jordan, Roscoe Lee Browne
Rated PG

From Aleksey Fedorchenko, starring Igor Sergeev, Yuriy Tsurilo, Yuliya Aug, Viktor Sukhorukov
Rated Not Rated

From Kiyoshi Kurosawa, starring Haruhiko Katô, Kumiko Asô, Koyuki, Kurume Arisaka
Rated R

From William Asher, starring Jimmy McNichol, Susan Tyrrell, Bo Svenson, Marcia Lewis
Rated R