Top 10 movies that explore the human condition

Top 10 movies that explore the human condition

This list is something really important to me. I like to find movies that are commentaries on humans and humanity. Movies that express who we are as a culture and as an individual. The questions frequently asked is what is a human, what is life, what is a soul, what drives us to succeed, what fears do we have, how do we overcome them, what are morals and ethics, etc.

Ghost in the Shell . This movie had plenty of action and was fast paced, but it question what is a soul and what is life. The movie is far deeper than most people realize.

Blade Runner is an incredible movie. While a little slow it asks some very important question? What is life? Is it morally right to destroy life?  A movie that makes you think. The second movie on my list is

Star Trek II . It was centered around emotion. It is an emotional movie even though it had plenty of action.  And I love action. Kirk's emotions were the central point and the emotions of the other main characters centered around Kirk.

The girl who leap through time just wowed me the first time I saw it.  This girl found a piece of technology that allowed her to to move about in time.  So if she didn't like a test score, she could leap back and retake it.  It has many light situations and a couple of very dark scenarios.  The big thing this movie addresses is the morals and ethics of changing the rules (morality and ethics).

Edward Scissor Hands is an incredible movie. Every character is a stereo type in society. Johnny Depp plays the role perfectly. It is about a young man that is an outcast, a loner (something I easily relate to). The writer asks how society views him. Is it right or wrong for society to treat him this way? This is close to my heart because I was a loner, and in some ways still am (but as a teacher I can be an actor behind a mask). And many of the things he does are a perfect reflection of who I am. I think most people will relate to Edward because most people in this society feel alone at some time.  It is also a story about how an outcast is trying to fit in, but it is impossible because of trust from othersÖand his disability. Society does not help out these kind of people.

The sixth movie on this list is Ghost in the Shell:Innocence Very disturbing and captivating at the same time. It asked two questions; "what is reality?" and where is your moral line drawn?  The two main characters were also opposites of each other. A cyborg built like a tank and a fully human (and vulnerable) detective. It has fun exploring these two opposing personalities and makes for a very entertaining movie.  But ultimately it is left up to the viewer to answer these two questions stated above.

Ground Hog Day.  I had to put this in here because it has so many different takes on human morality. The main character explored his options.  He did some bad things and some nice things.  It wasn't until the end that his good actions released him from his imprisonment.


I really responded to Rambo 1.  A broken man is wrongly harassed.  His brain snaps and he becomes a lethal weapon.  Kind of like the ex-LAPD officer in the news recently.  So this scenario can happen.  It's called post traumatic stress disorder, but in the extreme. 


Ghost in the Shell: Solid State Society is another movie that asks moral and ethical questions.  I can't tell you what it is because it will spoil the movie, but it does ask the question of "how far can a company/government" go when trying to control a society for the common good.


Metropolis. The Anime called Metropolis is the one I am referring to.  The really really old movie of the same name has similar themes, but man is it boring.  This movie flows well and is very entertaining.  It addresses the separation of our classes.  But it does it through robots and humans in a multi-level city.