Movies have the power to touch audiences in a way few other mediums can, and several powerful explorations of death will have viewers thinking about them well after they’ve ended. As one of the most complex and thought-provoking subject matters, the nature of mortality has fascinated writers and directors since the birth of cinema and has served as the basis for many masterful films. From dark comedies that shine a light on the existential nature of life’s end to fantastical adventures that force audiences to reckon with their mortality, death is one of cinema’s most consistently explored subject matters.
Many of the best movies ever made dealt with death in one form or another, as much like in real life, characters meet their ends in all sorts of heartbreaking manners. However, the visual power of cinema allows movies to explore not just the point at which a person leaves this world but also address the potential for life after death and whether those who have left us still live on in some way. As a topic that has fascinated philosophers for millennia, all these films will have you pondering the nature of mortality long after the credits have rolled.
You are watching: 10 Movies About Death That Will Have You Thinking Long After They’re Over
10
The Lovely Bones (2009)
Directed by Peter Jackson
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The Lovely Bones offered a fascinating, albeit unsettling, glimpse into the nature of morality as a young girl lingered in the liminal space between life and death. With Saoirse Ronan as the murdered 14-year-old girl Susie Salmon, this unique supernatural drama from The Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson addressed themes of grief, justice, and the idea of moving on. With both the deceased Susie and her family still carrying the unfinished trauma of her demise and her sinister murdering neighbor evading justice, The Lovely Bones highlighted the painful fact that closure is not always possible.
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The Lovely Bones
PG-13
Supernatural
Thriller
9.7/10
Release Date
December 11, 2009
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Runtime
135 minutes
Cast
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Mark Wahlberg
-
Saoirse Ronan
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While The Lovely Bones received mixed reviews at the time of its release, the stunning visuals and thought-provoking subject of this story made it one of Jackson’s most interesting films. With a complex narrative that encourages audiences to ponder its heavy themes, The Lovely Bones was a thoughtful meditation on life, both for the dead and those left behind. Featuring a fantastic early career performance from Ronan, her bright future as one of the biggest stars of her generation was on display from the start.
9
A Man Called Otto (2022)
Directed by Marc Forster
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A Man Called Otto was the American adaptation of the Swedish novel A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman, whose idiosyncratic exploration of death connected deeply with readers and viewers alike. With Tom Hanks as the titular Otto, this curmudgeonly 63-year-old widower grew into a cynical, fastidious crank and, after being forced into retirement, planned to kill himself and join his late wife. However, as Otto prepared to end his life, the noose broke, and he was interrupted by the arrival of new neighbors, setting into motion a series of events that had him reconsidering his fatal plan.
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A Man Called Otto
PG-13
Comedy
Drama
6/10
Release Date
December 30, 2022
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Runtime
126minutes
Cast
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Tom Hanks
-
Mariana Treviño
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While dark, Scandinavian stories such as these often get watered down when remade for an American audience, A Man Called Otto maintained the weight of the original story and was elevated by Hanks’ nuanced performance. As Otto found new meaning through the supportive power of community, it was impossible not to be won over by this film’s optimistic worldview. While A Man Called Otto will have you thinking long after the credits have rolled, the best consequence of watching this movie would be inspiring you to check in on the elderly, lonely people in your community who may be struggling.
8
Blackbird (2019)
Directed by Roger Michell
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While countless movies explore the topic of death, it’s not as often that they address tough questions about a person’s right to end their life. This divisive subject served as the basis for Blackbird, the story of a family coming together to say goodbye to its matriarch, Lily, who suffers from an incurable disease and has opted to pursue euthanasia. With a talented cast including Susan Sarandon, Kate Winslet, and Rainn Wilson, Blackbird forced viewers to reckon with how they would react if their loved one chose to die voluntarily rather than go through the pain of a terminal illness.
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Blackbird
R
Drama
Release Date
September 6, 2019
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Runtime
98 minutes
Cast
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Kate Winslet
Jennifer
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Susan Sarandon
Lily
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Mia Wasikowska
Anna
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Sam Neill
Tom
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As a remake of the Danish film Silent Heart, this weighty drama did not shy away from tackling tough questions head-on as three generations of family members struggle to accept Lily’s decision. As the end approached, Lily’s two daughters found it increasingly difficult to make peace with their mother’s willingness to leave this world before it was absolutely necessary. Blackbird dealt with a sensitive subject in a nuanced, heartfelt, and thoughtful manner, and it would be impossible to watch this story play out without reckoning with your own feelings about the complexity of euthanasia and assisted suicide.
7
The Children Act (2017)
Directed by Richard Eyre
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The need to protect a child’s right to medical treatment and the importance of allowing religious freedom were explored in the legal drama The Children Act. This thought-provoking story addressed the complex subject of life and death as Emma Thompson portrayed a judge who must decide a case involving a teenage boy who is refusing a blood transfusion on religious principles. While this 17-year-old boy willingly denied leukemia treatment due to Jehovah’s Witnesses’ strict interpretation of scripture, Judge Fiona Maye must determine if this is actually what the boy wants or if he’s just following his parents’ beliefs.
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The Children Act
R
Drama
Release Date
September 14, 2018
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Runtime
105 Minutes
Cast
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Emma Thompson
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Stanley Tucci
-
Fionn Whitehead
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Jason Watkins
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The Children Act told a complex story that forced viewers to question whether it was right for those who have not yet reached the age of maturity to make life-or-death decisions relating to their own health care. With several overlapping laws and freedoms, it’s hard to definitively decide at what point a person’s stated desires should be trumped by the need to protect vulnerable citizens. As a mature and subtle film that asks tough and essential questions, The Children Act will have you pondering its themes long after it’s over.
6
What Dreams May Come (1998)
Directed by Vincent Ward
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The fantasy drama What Dreams May Come painted a vivid and unique portrait of the afterlife that captured the eternal tenacity of the human spirit like nothing else. While this adaptation of the novel by Richard Matheson bombed at the box office, looking back on it now, it was a heartfelt and poignant film made all the more emotional due to the death of its star, Robin Williams. Featuring Williams as a man killed in a car crash going on an epic quest to reunite with his wife in the afterlife, What Dreams May Come was an original and thought-provoking look at the potential for life after death.
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What Dreams May Come
PG-13
Fantasy
Drama
Romance
9/10
Release Date
October 2, 1998
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Runtime
113 Minutes
Cast
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Robin Williams
Chris Nielsen
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Cuba Gooding Jr.
Albert Lewis
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Through beautiful and surreal imagery, What Dreams May Come saw the deceased pediatrician, Dr. Chris Nielsen, awake in heaven surrounded by a mountainous landscape identical to a painting his wife made of the place they wished to spend their old age. Addressing themes of death, grief, and even suicide, What Dreams May Come was an imaginative glimpse into cinema’s power to depict ethereal, incomprehensible subject matters. As a beautiful piece of filmmaking that never got its due at the time of release, What Dreams May Come was a thoughtful exploration of death and what might come after it.
5
The Farewell (2019)
Directed by Lulu Wang
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Different cultures deal with death in different ways, a fact that was central to the thought-provoking comedy-drama The Farewell. This fascinating study of cultural differences and mortality starred Awkwafina as a Chinese-American writer, Billi Wang, struggling to understand her family’s response to her grandmother Nai Nai only having a few months left to live. With her family keeping Nai Nai’s terminal lung cancer diagnosis a secret from her, they instead decide to schedule a wedding that will allow everyone to come together and say goodbye without ever letting her know she’s dying.
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The Farewell
PG
Comedy
9/10
9/10
Release Date
July 12, 2019
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Runtime
98 minutes
Cast
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X Mayo
-
Gil Perez-Abraham
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The Farewell was written and directed by Lulu Wang and partly based on her own life experiences, which highlighted the different viewpoints in the East and West around a person’s rights to their medical troubles. As a thorough unpacking of family dynamics, The Farewell asks viewers whether elderly people should enjoy their last few months alive without worrying about their illness or if it’s immoral to withhold this knowledge from them. There is an interesting argument on both sides, and it’s impossible to deny that everyone’s actions in The Farewell come from a place of love, making for thought-provoking viewing.
4
Terms Of Endearment (1983)
Directed by James L. Brooks
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The Best Picture-winning family tragedy Terms of Endearment was a deeply moving exploration of love, loss, and the complexities of human relationships. Telling the story of a mother and daughter relationship over the course of 30 years, it’s impossible not to be won over by this heartfelt and heartbreaking depiction of the hardships of life and the devastating eventuality of death. Through a devastating depiction of terminal illness, Terms of Endearment explored a young woman’s all-too-brief life and the consequences for her family and the children she left behind.
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Terms of Endearment
PG
Comedy
Drama
Release Date
December 9, 1983
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Runtime
132 Minutes
Cast
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Shirley MacLaine
-
Debra Winger
-
Jack Nicholson
-
Danny DeVito
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Through two astounding lead performances from Shirley MacLaine as Aurora Greenway and Debra Winger as her daughter Emma, Terms of Endearment explored the unnatural occurrence of a mother who outlives her own child. A particularly poignant moment came as Emma lay on her deathbed and said her final goodbye to her son, Tommy, where she acknowledged his anger and assured him that even though he couldn’t say it at the time, she knew that he loved her. This powerful scene addresses our regret after a loved one has passed and beautifully captures how she foresaw her son’s unspoken pain.
3
Soul (2020)
Directed by Pete Docter
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Pixar has consistently encouraged us to ponder life’s big questions, whether the nature of identity in Toy Story or the psychology of childhood in Inside Out. With Soul, the animation studio tackled one of the most pressing questions as it explored the meaning of life, how we find our purpose, and how seemingly small decisions add up to the grand narrative of our life story. As the middle school teacher and aspiring pianist Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx) ends up in a coma, Soul sees his spirit attempt to reunite with his body before he misses out on his big break.
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Soul
PG
Family
Animation
Adventure
6/10
8/10
Release Date
December 25, 2020
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Runtime
100 minutes
Cast
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Tina Fey
-
John Ratzenberger
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Soul was a deeply thoughtful movie about the nature of life, achievements, and what we accomplish with our short time on Earth. As Joe faces his potential demise, he’s forced to not only face his own mortality but also accept the possibility that he may never reach his ultimate potential and may fall short of achieving his dream. While the finality of death is a realization that’s daunting for everyone, perhaps the most difficult thing to accept about it is that it means closing the door on all the potential lives we haven’t lived.
2
Harold And Maude (1971)
Directed by Hal Ashby
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Harold and Maude begins with a young man’s morbid fascination with death and ends as a thoughtful exploration of existentialism, friendship, and the nature of aging. As a dark comedy of rich insight, Harold Chasen’s fascination with the macabre meant that he staged elaborate fake suicides and attended funerals of people he didn’t know to fuel his strange obsession with the end of life. However, Harold must face the harsh reality of his special interest when he befriends and eventually engages in a romance with an idiosyncratic 79-year-old woman named Maude.
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Harold and Maude
PG
Comedy
Documentary
Drama
Romance
10/10
Release Date
December 20, 1971
Director
Hal Ashby
Cast
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Ruth Gordon
-
Bud Cort
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Maude’s free-spirited nature was powerfully juxtaposed with Harold’s morbid outlook, and the pair’s unique connection highlighted the joy of life and the experiences it brings. With a beautiful soundtrack by Cat Stevens, this twisted humor and dark comedy of Harold and Maude made it one of the most fascinating movies of the 1970s. By tapping into subject matters not normally addressed in mainstream cinema, Harold and Maude was a thought-provoking and insightful pontification on the nature of living and dying.
1
Ikiru (1952)
Directed by Akira Kurosawa
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While Japanese director Akira Kurosawa was known for epics like Seven Samurai, he was also responsible for one of the most powerful meditations on death in all of cinema, Ikiru. This thoughtful drama was partially inspired by Leo Tolstoy’s novella The Death of Ivan Ilyich and told the story of a terminally ill Tokyo bureaucrat on a quest to discover the meaning of life before his comes to an end. With themes of living, bureaucracy, and familial alienation, Ikiru was rooted in Japanese culture during the 1950s but still managed to conjure eternal themes of living and dying.
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Ikiru
Not Rated
Drama
Release Date
March 25, 1956
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Runtime
143 Minutes
Cast
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-
Takashi Shimura
-
Nobuo Kaneko
-
Shin’ichi Himori
-
Haruo Tanaka
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As a hauntingly beautiful and evocative look at the end of life, Ikiru was bolstered by a tour-de-force performance from Takashi Shimura as Kanji Watanabe. With a protagonist struggling to make peace with the passive and humdrum nature of his existence, Ikiru highlighted that it’s never too late to imbue your life with meaning and rediscover what makes life worth living. As a deeply moving humanist tale, those who are feeling introspective will certainly take plenty of meaning from Ikiru.
Source: https://www.phonggdkrongpac.edu.vn
Category: Entertainment