To ask for the most profound films you have ever seen? *contains spoilers*

[username108]

Mine would be - Tokyo Story, Mulholland drive, Mary and Max, Good will hunting, Whats eating Gilbert Grape, Forrest Gump

@Dhalandchips Yes! I am so with you on Dumbo. Heartbreaking. Worse since I had kids.

@MagicKingdomDizzy Finally! Went through 11 pages to find someone who mentioned Memento. 100% - if you want profound, this is it. What is memory and how memory shapes us. Not something we often think about. Guy Pearce was incredible - I'd only seen him in Neighbours before that, I was blown away.

Of children & men is a film that still haunts me - that world feels like it’s looming over us, especially now
Silent Running (not to be confused with cool running’s) an older film, had me sobbing over lost hope
Donnie Darko again one that still lingers in my mind
12 monkeys - one of Brad Pitt’s finest performances and especially poignant now..

Do you mean ‘Children of Men’? Clearly the films name hasn’t haunted you 😬😂

Lots that have been been mentioned already...
Inside I’m Dancing
Green Mile
American History X
Requiem for a Dream
Monster
Boys Don’t Cry

Kids - how careless those teens were with their bodies/lives
Rabbit Proof Fence - pretty much destroyed me
Boys Don't Cry - I was so angry and sad, it's really stayed with me

Imitation of Life
Bitter Moon
The others

Breaking the waves

The Colour Purple
The Green Mile

2 films that always make me cry

Add Planetof the Apes ..original version...
Saw very young and taught me about human traits,fear,racism and needless brutality born of ignorance...

And kindness too

Add Planetof the Apes ..original version...
Saw very young and taught me about human traits,fear,racism and needless brutality born of ignorance...

...and how to write a film score. Brilliant music.

@Scunnered03 yes it was Spud that got to me too in Trainspotting 2! The bit where he comes out of the gym and has a flashback to his younger self running down the same street with Born Slippy echoing in the background. Or Renton going back home at the end and his mother’s shadow on the wall. And so many other moments - honestly one of the best films of recent years and so underrated!

V for Vendetta
The Awakenings

Just watched Contact with Jodie Foster again for the first time in ages, 23 year old film! Bit dumbed down but still a bit of a thinker.

Memento

Never let me go. Good book adaptation which imo doesn't happen often.

Atonement

Les amants do Pont Neuf (‘ the lovers on the bridge’) with Juliet binoche
A handful of dust (when I was 16)
Wuthering Heights (with Laurence Olivier)
The English Patient
Gone with the Wind
Ju dou
Shanghai Triad — just love Gong Li
The Pianist

Veronica Guerin

Ok so I got the title of the film slightly wrong when posting late at night, it was Children of Men, wouldn’t have stopped you finding it on google so I hope you are proud your contribution to the thread was to be unkind. To anyone else, do look it up, it’s on the streaming services

The Magdalene Sisters

I agree re A Star is Born (newest one as the others dont have the same impact). More modern day mental health issues really hit home in this. Its traumatic throughout I felt.

We Need to talk about Kevin. Its horrific, I had read the book 1st so knew more than the film portrayed, more sure how good the film is without that knowledge though.

I haven’t seen many of these films as I have a very short attention span and tend to get bored easily. Glad I’m not the only one to think of Babadook. That film really affected me not as a horror but it really represented how I was feeling at the time and made me seek help.

I also agree with others about Trainspotting 2.

A shout for The Deerhunter - yes, its a bit long but it's an emotional & nerve-jangling roller-coaster.

Oh, and whilst I'm here, just a public health warning from me about "Mulholland Drive" - The most annoying and unfulfilling cinematic experience of my life...You have been warned. Profound? - probably yes; Worthwhile use of 2 precious hours of my life - Definitely NOT!

I think there's a difference between profound and sad, although a film can of course be both.

For me, the two films that immediately sprung to mind were The Truman Show and Pleasantville.

They really made me think about things more widely and deeply.

The Truman Show - came out at the same time as when reality shows were taking off. Carrey acts in a more dramatic role that you wouldn't have expected and does it brilliantly, and it has one of the best final scenes ever; 'Good afternoon, good evening and good night!'

Pleasantville - starts off and you think it's going to be a cheesy teen film, but becomes more profound as the film goes on. It makes you question what in life can trigger a moment of enlightenment or passion for different people. The special effects are clever and there are nods to films classics such as To Kill A Mockingbird.

Ah, now I want to go off and watch these films instead of working!

In the name of the Father
Remember the titans
The Life of David Gale

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
A Beautiful Mind
Moving me to complete breakdown tears was The Green Mile

I need a write myself a list of films I need to watch - great thread!