There are a lot of films that are trippy and create a psychedelic world. Some of them are horror movies, psychological thrillers and even kids movies. The trippy films consist of bone chilling imageries, cliffhanger endings and unique cinematography. Right now a lot of people are stuck at home and are in need of movies to watch. So, here are 15 movies that have a psychedelic/trippy style. (P.S. some of these of movies have rougher subjects).
Pan's Labyrinth (2006)
Pan's Labyrinth is directed by Guillermo del Toro. It's a subtitled Spanish film and is based in 1944. The daughter Ofelia witnesses her father Capitan Vidal's brutality and is drawn into the Pan's Labyrinth which is full of mythical creatures. Ofelia must make it through the creatures to become the queen of the underworld and fix the things that are wrong in her world. The creatures and the story is a hauntingly trippy adventure.
Beetlejuice (1988)
Beetlejuice is directed by the king of trippy: Tim Burton. It is about a married couple who die suddenly and are trying to kick out the new residences of their home. They meet the twisted Beetlejuice who just makes their life worse. With the help of the teen Lydia, they try to set things right. Beetlejuice shows Tim Burtons trippy style and is an all time favorite.
The Neverending Story (1984)
The Neverending Story is a fantasy kids movie directed by Wolfgang Peterson. It is about a boy named Bastian who finds a book called "The Neverending Story" that is about a fantasy land Fantasia that is threatened by "The Nothing." As Bastian reads the story he starts questioning if Fantasia is real after reading descriptions of himself within the book. The adventure in The Neverending Story is full of trippy creatures and imagery.
Fight Club (1999)
Fight Club is directed by David Fincher and stars Edward Norton and Brad Pitt. It's about a man suffering from insomnia and meets a strange salesman Tyler Durden. Soon the two men are forming an underground fight club and leaving behind anything that seems too mundane. This film is wild and leaves you questioning what exactly happened.
Black Swan (2010)
Black Swan is directed by Darren Aronofsky and stars Natalie Portman. It is about a ballerina named Nina (Portman) who pushes herself to the brink for the role of the White Swan while Lily (Mila Kunis) is going for the Black Swan role. As the two dancers friendship twists and a rivalry emerges, Nina's dark side and twisted mind begins to worsen. This movie is a thriller with trippy imagery as you see the downfall of the main character.
The Lighthouse (2019)
The Lighthouse is a bone chilling drama that is directed by Robert Eggers and stars Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe. It is about two lighthouse keepers who slowly lose their sanity as they are stuck on a strange island in New England. The film is in black and white and is based in the 1890s. It is an artistic film that shows strange imagery and unique acting.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a cult classic that is directed by Jim Sharman. It is about a couple who get stuck and discover the creepy mansion of Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry) a transvestite scientist. The couple Brad and Janet meet a mansion full of strange characters including the scientifically made Rocky. The film consists of rock songs, dancing and strange occurrences.
Donnie Darko (2001)
Donnie Darko is a strange drama/fantasy directed by Richard Kelly. Donnie Darko is a kid that sleepwalks and often sees a giant horrifying rabbit named Frank who tells him the world will end in 28 days. Donnie returns to his house and sees a jet engine has crashed into his bedroom. Throughout the film the audience is left to question if Donnie is suffering from a mental illness or if the world is really ending.
From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
From Dusk Till Dawn is created by a dream team, it is directed by Robert Rodriguez and written by Quentin Tarantino. From Dusk Till Dawn is about two bank robbers the Gecko brothers (George Clooney and Quentin Tarantino) who kidnap a preacher and his kids, to sneak across the border. They hole up in a bar that turns out to be a home base for vampires and the bar is used to lure their victims. This film is full of trippy special effects and scary looking creatures.
Paradise Hills (2019)
Paradise Hills is directed by Alice Waddington and stars Emma Roberts, Eiza Gonzalez and Milla Jovovich. It is about a fantasy island meant to reform young women but has a sinister secret. Uma and her friends start to search for the island's hidden agenda and run into something they wouldn't have guessed. The film is full of pastel colors and futuristic designs but the story is a trip itself.
A Cure For Wellness (2016)
A Cure For Wellness is directed by Gore Verbinski and stars Dane DeHaan and Mia Goth. It is about a stockbroker named Lockhart who travels to a remote wellness center to retrieve his company's CEO. Lockhart starts to suspect that the treatments are not what they seem. He finds himself diagnosed with the same illness that the guests are being kept for and starts to lose his sanity as he searches for the center's sinister secret. This film has crazy and bone chilling imagery.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a cult film directed by Terry Gilliam and stars Johnny Depp. It is about two men who drive a convertible across Las Vegas with a suitcase full of drugs. As they consume an increase of drugs, the duo trash their hotel room and trip in a casino. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is full of psychedelic imagery as you see what the two men are witnessing during their trip.
The Fifth Element (1997)
The Fifth Element is directed by Luc Besson and stars Bruce Willis, Milla Jovovich, Gary Oldman and Chris Tucker. It is about a futuristic cab driver whose life is altered by a woman who isn't from Earth. The two must save Earth from it's doom and from the evil Zorg. This film is a fantasy film with a lot of comedy and unique imagery.
Joker (2019)
Joker is a popular 2019 film directed by Todd Phillips and stars Joaquin Phoenix. What made this film unique from other DC Comic movies was it was created in an artistic way. Joker shows the life of the infamous Gothem clown. As Arthur Fleck is bullied, isolated and learns his mother isn't who he thinks; he loses his sanity. After that, Arthur becomes the mad clown everyone knows as the Joker. The transitions, imagery and film shots makes this film trippy and a thrill.
Trainspotting (1996)
Trainspotting is directed by Danny Boyle and stars Ewan McGregor. Trainspotting is about a heroin addict who stumbles through life and tries to get sober. Mark Renton tries to move to London to escape his life and friends but is brought back to his twisted life when his friends show up at his door. This film is full of twisted imagery and shocking occurrences. Although the film is trippy, it also still shows the consequences of drug addiction in a shocking way.
I hope you enjoyed this list of trippy films and have some new movies to put on your watching list. These are good films to either escape to or think about deeply. Stay safe and enjoy your movie marathon!
