The five most trippy films on Netflix now
(Credit: Netflix)

Films

The five most trippy films on Netflix now

Trippy films essentially cover almost all genres. It is important to understand that trippy in itself isn’t a separate genre but a mere adjective. It is an added layer to pre-existing narratives in films. In essence, it is what film studies famously called mind-bending, different, and sometimes avant-garde, and Netflix are the supreme peddlers of the art.

If you liked shows like Black Mirror, Love Death + Robots, Midnight Gospel, Rick and Morty, Bojack Horseman, or even movies like Don’t Look Up, this list will certainly make up for the lack of a well-suited weekend watchlist. Trippy movies will make you question your very own perception. 

A few more famous examples of such movies include a few of Leonardo DiCaprio’s most famous hits. Including Shutter Island, Inception, and The Great Gatsby. Not only were these films pushing the realms of cinematography and how far a cinema can go, but the added surrealistic art forms are what really drove it home.

Excited to delve deeper into this counter-sub-culture of the classical film art form? Then without any more delay let us dive right into this beautiful and mind-bending journey. Find a carefully compiled list of films that you would love if you are a fan of the alternate. 

Five most trippy films on Netflix

5. Synchronic (2019)

Synchronic is a film revolving around two paramedics based in New Orleans, Louisiana. The partners called Steve Denube (Anthony Mackie) and Dennis Dannelly (Jamie Dornan) started noticing a strange state of affairs as people started dying under bizarre circumstances. The things they heard of these deaths never made sense to them. 

Soon they realised that those mysterious deaths were linked to this odd drug that made the users revisit moments in their past. Where the users travelled to in their memory was dependent on the place where the drug was used.

Soon Steve gets diagnosed with cancer and Dennis’s daughter goes missing. When Steve starts using Synchronic he has strange sights of the drug and the disappearance being connected.

4. Bardo (2022)

Based on a personal account of a Mexican auteur called Alejandro G. Iñárritu. He was also the creator of movies like The Revenant, and Birdman gets up close and personal in his newest creation. Bardo presents the story of Silverio Gama (Daniel Giménez Cacho). Gama has been a successful journalist in the past and then he decides to turn into a documentary filmmaker.

After spending fifteen long years in the city of Los Angeles, Gama decides to return to his home country. Especially to celebrate his latest successful projects. What is truly mind-bending in the movie is the way that Silverio has portrayed his relationship with himself. The auteur took a  surrealistic approach that conveyed an essence of a version of a truth that he has lived before.

The surrealistic approach was used in the film to approach themes like immigration, death, memories, self-identity, and his dreams.

3. I am Mother (2019) 

A very interesting sci-fi thriller that is mind-bending and trippy for all the right reasons. Set in a near-apocalyptic world where humans are on the brink of extinction. Amidst this, a robot decides to raise and nurture a girl to let humanity have another chance at coming back. The plot is so out of this world and different to anything that you have seen before. Clara Rugaard portrays the girl who is called Daughter. 

The robots aid to repopulate the planet and their existence was the only thing that Daughter knew for the longest time. However, she gets curious enough to leave the bunker one day and comes across another human called Woman (Hilary Swank) who makes her question everything that she believed to be absolute.

Get ready to not stop navigating the edges of your chair for this psychological thriller will take you places you have never been before. 

2. Lucy (2014)

Yet another story about a drug that affected the life of another human. Contrary to the more obvious themes, Lucy is a more action-based thriller film. Written and directed by French sci-fi writer Luc Besson, the story revolves around a girl called Lucy who is a woman on a mission she can’t fail. Lucy, who is portrayed by Scarlett Johansson, gained special mental and physical abilities as a result of taking a performance-enhancing drug. 

The drug called CPH4 that she was forced to carry to Europe in her abdomen. However, as she got hit on her stomach by one of her captors, the drug releases to make her an evolved version of herself. When that happened she made up her mind that her only goal in life now was to destroy those responsible for keeping her captive.

This revenge-filled exciting journey has some crazy visuals and scenes where Lucy chooses to use her powers to get what she wants. A warrior had been set free and as an audience, we love to see her thrive.

1. Black Mirror: Bandersnatch (2018)

Originally a series, Black Mirror first began its run as a Channel 4 show. In spite of being one of the most interesting and well-thought TV shows of all time, the creators of the show decided they want to push their horizons further. Charlie Brooker and his team work towards fresh and innovative techniques of not only asserting dominance over the viewer’s attention but also covering various topics with usually futuristic and realistic undertones.  

When they released their first film based on the direction of the series, Bandersnatch, the audience was left beyond amazed. Based on a video game developer who is working on a game where the users decide what happens to the protagonist. Similar to the format of the movie itself, where the viewers have the option of choosing what happens next.

Taking the viewer’s immersive participation experience to a whole new level. Not only is the film the face of contemporary filmmaking but it also fights the constant threat of piracy in the industry. This film is bound to take you to places too personal where you feel like you have become the protagonist yourself.