The 12 Most Astonishing Movies We've Ever Experienced

      These mind-blowing films may alter your perception of reality.

      They might even lead you to question if your reality is indeed real. Whoa.

      At the very least, they’ll provide you with entertainment. Here’s our compilation.

      **Planet of the Apes (1968)**

      *20th Century Fox*

      Adapted from Pierre Boulle’s 1963 novel, the movie was co-written by Michael Wilson and Rod Serling, the genius behind The Twilight Zone, who excelled at using genre narratives to convey social commentary.

      This film is astonishing, primarily due to its premise: Human astronauts crash on a planet dominated by intelligent apes that treat humans as we treat animals.

      Just when you begin to grasp the metaphorical layers regarding humanity's inhumanity, the film presents what we consider the greatest twist ending of all time.

      The franchise introduced another mind-bending aspect in its second sequel, 1971's *Escape From the Planet of the Apes*, in which the timeline starts to interconnect. The *Apes* franchise continues to this day.

      **Star Wars (1977)**

      *20th Century Fox – Credit: C/O*

      Before *Star Wars*, numerous remarkable sci-fi films existed, but its most significant innovation was its effort to make things appear aged rather than futuristic. Unlike *Star Trek*, which envisioned a utopian future, it famously portrayed “a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.”

      Thus, the good guys' ships were always rattling, hyperdrives failed, and robots were breaking down. The ragged quality of the rebellion lent *Star Wars* a realistic, anti-pretentious essence that resonated with audiences of the 1970s, instantly earning our support for the rebels.

      By maintaining low expectations — these ships are meant to look worn! — George Lucas created one of the most mind-blowing films, immersing us in a galaxy where we overlooked any visible flaws, resonating with our understanding that our own lives are riddled with imperfections, from the dent in a car we can’t justify fixing to the old jacket we can’t part with.

      *Star Wars* mirrored our reality. Or at least, most of ours. It also echoed our resentment towards an Empire that was sleek, efficient, and malicious.

      Additionally, it was a masterclass in storytelling from the opening shot of a large ship pursuing a smaller one. Even a toddler could distinguish good from evil, with or without parents reading the iconic yellow crawl.

      **Jurassic Park (1993)**

      *Universal Pictures – Credit: C/O*

      Experiencing this Steven Spielberg film in a 1993 theater felt akin to stepping into a time machine disguised as a movie theater, as you gazed through a massive window at actual dinosaurs, living out their lives during the Jurassic era, around 200 million years ago.

      Prior to 1993, no film had approached the combination of practical effects and CGI like *Jurassic Park*, and many films released in subsequent decades still fail to replicate its stunning realism.

      **The Usual Suspects (1996)**

      *Gramercy Pictures*

      There are twist endings, and then there are truly remarkable twists.

      After introducing Keyser Söze as one of cinema's most notorious villains, Christopher McQuarrie’s screenplay pulls off one of the greatest cinematic surprises — one that compels you to rewatch the entire film.

      McQuarrie has brought his talent for creative twists to various collaborations with Tom Cruise, who is noted elsewhere on this list. Their latest venture is *Mission: Impossible — the Final Reckoning*, set to hit theaters later this month.

      This film also has deep ties to cinematic history, as seen in its title, a reference to *Casablanca*.

      **Dark City (1998)**

      *New Line Cinema – Credit: New Line Cinema*

      The late ’90s saw numerous reality-altering films, but Alex Proyas’ *Dark City* offered its dystopian take a year before *The Matrix*.

      Set in a world reminiscent of a hyper-stylized 1940s noir, *Dark City* follows John Murdoch (Rufus Sewell) as he awakens in a rundown motel room next to a murdered woman. He discovers he is married to a singer named Emma (Jennifer Connelly), who has recently been unfaithful, and he may or may not be a serial killer.

      Eternally night, Murdoch yearns to reach Shell Beach, though no one remembers how to get there, while being pursued by eerie pale beings called the Strangers.

      After much behind-the-scenes discussion, the filmmakers decided to add an explanatory voiceover by Kiefer Sutherland's unsettling character, Dr. Daniel P. Schreber, which somewhat reduces the film's mystique, possibly diminishing its overall quality.

      Despite its box office failure, *Dark City* is worth watching for its cast, world-building, plot