It’s a well-known fact that every now and then we all need a cathartic experience in order to rethink our priorities, put order to our emotions, or set them free. As Corey Atad writes for Esquire:

The beauty of art is the way it allows us to depart into another universe for a brief period, allowing ourselves the space to consider our world, to process it and come to terms with it. To laugh, and cry, and feel something profound.

The first selection of life-changing movies appeared roughly four years ago. Hope you’ll enjoy this one too and find your personal cathartic experiences within the following five titles.

5.Chef (2014)

Every list must have an item that comes as a colourful addition, so I thought why not start with it. Chef is precisely that – a colourful addition that deals with an identity crisis, and mostly, with the challenges that arise when you begin the journey of turning your passion into the means of earning a living. It’s never easy and always worth it. No one knows better than you what your calling is, just remember to listen to your heart. Chef Carl struggles when he has to follow the rules given by somebody else, so he decides to become in charge of his own fate and spicy things up! 

4.The Brand New Testament (2015)

Now that I think about it, this film can also be described as colourful. It took me some time before I decided on my fourth title, because I didn’t want to go back to the classics and the meaningful Hollywood clichés. The Brand New Testament is definitely an alternative, but highly enjoyable movie that also holds the promise of a profound experience. God is alive and active in Brussels, and it’s up to his daughter to stop him, because he’s up to no good. Given the opportunity to play God, she decides to give everyone the exact date and hour of their death. If you were to know how much time you have left, you would definitely rethink your priorities and ask yourself the most essential question: “Am I happy with where I am right now?”

3.Match Point (2005)

Whatever you do, or don’t do, it might not matter in the end, provided that everything in life is predestined. It’s an interesting thought, isn’t it? People who do good things might end up encountering a series of bad things, while people who set out to do crimes, might eventually be rewarded. Life works in mysterious ways. What determines the course of your life is not so much how much effort you invest into understanding it, but rather how you react to everything that happens, both to you personally and to the entire world. After all, the idea of living is not about keeping up with some idea of how life should look like, but finding, or rather creating, your own path in it. Whether you’re a fan of Woody Allen, or not, I guarantee the many pleasures of watching Match Point, but be warned – you need to be patient, for the best is hidden in the final minutes! 

2.The Truman Show (1998)

Truman’s story couldn’t be more relevant in today’s obsessed with reality TV world that we live in. We have all seen at least one reality TV program and, what’s more, enjoyed it! There’s no point hiding it. The Truman Show goes so far as to adopt a baby and bring his upbringing to the small screen of each house, while carefully inserting all kinds of advertisements – from beverages to real estate properties. Imagine you woke up one day and discovered your wife and best friend were both actors hired to entertain millions of people, your life derived from all privacy and honesty. I mean, I know our lives are already Photoshopped enough so as to boost our performance in the various social media platforms, but hopefully we’re still far away from the kind of reality that is strictly loyal to the ”alternative facts” philosophy.

1.Mr Nobody (2009)

I don’t think there’s enough articles I can compose so I can properly recommend this film. It’s everything and nothing like you would expect, yet you would probably want to watch it again. Here’s the best part: the more you watch it, the better it gets. It is simultaneously meaningless and meaningful, and that’s the beauty of it, that’s the beauty of life. Some days feel like you can achieve anything, others bring you under the weather and every little task feels impossible. Sometimes you meet people that reveal the best of you, while others fill you with bitter disappointments. There’s no absolute certainty, therefore, you never know if the next person you meet is going to surprise you or annoy you. You never know if a decision is the right one until you give it some time. You never truly know yourself, unless you try to get to know you better every single day. Mr Nobody might as well have been called Finding Nemo, because the protagonist’s name is Nemo and all he seems to be doing is getting lost in life, but as uncertain his adventure may be, it is one bound to inspire you – to live, to take more risks, to love.