A mindfuck movie is defined by Wikipedia as: a movie where misdirection is used to lead to an ending that is completely unexpected, but is coherent with the rest of the movie, and even consistent with clues subtly presented during the course of the movie.

Here is my list of mindfuck movies. Some don’t have a twist per se, but they will still fuck you up:

1. 12 Monkeys: Directed by Terry Gilliam, this time traveling movie is excellent and twisting. This is a must see.

2. 1984: We’re a bit behind schedule, but this movie is a dark look into an Orwellian future with Big Brother controlling your every move. Everyone should have to read this book in school. The movie is great but the book is even better.

3. Alice In Wonderland: Created in 1951, this animated Disney movie is still totally trippy. Obviously they knew about mushrooms and smoked a lot of dope back then.

4. Barton Fink: Written by the Coen brothers, this is just a fucked up movie.

5. Big Fish: This movie is a wild and trippy ride and is a departure from most of the rest of the list in that it isn’t as dark and disturbing. A very good movie.

6. Blade Runner: Directed by Ridley Scott, based on a Philip K Dick novel, this movie isn’t really a strict mindfuck, but it’s got some great twists that will make you think. Get the original, because the director’s cut sucks ass.

7. Blue Velvet: Directed by David Lynch, this weird trippy movie isn’t my favorite in the list, but it’s quite a mindfuck.

8. Brazil: Another Terry Gilliam movie, this brilliant Orwellian future will open your eyes and fuck with your mind.

9. Catch-22: Based on the book (which is excellent) by Joseph Heller. This is where the expression, Catch-22, came from. It’s quite brilliant and a definite must-see. Read the book if the movie doesn’t make any sense the first time, then go watch the movie again.

10. City Of Lost Children: This French movie can’t really be described too easily. I saw it some time ago, but it was a definite surreal mindfuck. It was excellent.

11. Clockwork Orange: This Stanley Kubrick film is amazingly disturbing and fucked up. Quite a fascinating commentary on human nature.

12. The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover: A Peter Greenaway movie of lust, murder and dessert. The cinematography is deliciously rich. Just don’t eat anything while watching it.

13. DOA (the original): The original version of this movie was done in 1950 and is a classic film noir. Quite excellent. What would you do if you found out you’d been poisoned and only had a few days to live? Avoid the remake as it sucked terribly. Except for Crank, which was witty and well done.

14. Donny Darko: This one was quite bizarre to watch. I hear the director’s cut is much better in that the score is what Richard Kelly, the director, actually wanted for the film, so that it gives it a more accurate feel. I found that watching this was such a mindfuck that I hated it. But upon seeing it again, it made more sense and I appreciated it more.

15. Eraserhead: A totally fucked up David Lynch movie that was incredibly disturbing. I saw it ages ago and I still remember that fucking screaming baby.

16. Fahrenheit 451: Based on the excellent book written by Ray Bradbury, this look into a dark future is quite profound. Nowadays the idea of burning books is less effective than it was. Instead sheeple have censored themselves by simply being proud of not reading anymore. Oh, don’t get me started. Anyway, it’s a great movie and definitely reflects the issues of censorship, which is total bullshit.

17. Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas: Another Terry Gilliam flick written by Hunter S. Thompson, this movie is pure mindfuck, just about from start to finish. They totally capture what it must be like to drop acid and all the other fucked up drugs they imbibe. Johnny Depp is perfect in it. The book is also quite excellent.

18. Fight Club: First rule about Fight Club is never talk about Fight Club. This movie was excellent and is definitely a mindfuck. A must see (unless you hate violence. Then go watch Beaches and cry. I don’t fucking care. Your loss) and I’ll leave it at that.

19. Freaks: This movie was done in 1932 and I’m telling you, it’s fucking disturbing. There’s a simple plot to it, but who cares because you’ll be fucked up by all the freaks (who are real). (if you’re a real life freak, I’m sorry and I mean no offense, but these are circus freaks en masse and it’s too much for my simple mind to handle all at once. So get over it and revel in your freakiness).

20. The Game: What happens when you’re filthy rich and have it all? What’s left for people to get you for your birthday? How about an all consuming Game? Unfortunately you can’t quit in the middle.

21. The Island: People are living in a Utopian society, blissfully unaware of their true nature, simple and uncomplicated. This movie isn’t too fucked up plot-wise, but it will make you think (hopefully).

22. Kalifornia: This movie is quite disturbing. I saw it quite some time ago, but it was good and fucked up.

23. Life Of Brian: The best Monty Python movie (in my opinion), it’s a mindfuck if you get it. Otherwise you’ll just be offended like the rest of the sheeple. Fucking funny and brilliant, this is must watch brilliance.

24. Love And A .45: If you have love and your favorite gun, what else is there? (Personally I like my .357 revolver, but that’s just me).

25. Lucky Number Slevin: Quite a good movie with a nice plot twist. I really enjoyed this one. Great acting too.

26. The Machinist: Seeing Christian Bale at 119 lbs is agonizing. He’s painful to look at. This movie is about a machinist who hasn’t slept in a year. This classic mindfuck movie is excellent.

27. The Matrix: What is the nature of reality? Quite excellent, it stays with you. The graphics were incredible for when the movie was released. (Avoid the second and especially the third movie, as they were awful).

28. Memento: Ah, a great mindfuck movie. A man suffers from short term memory loss, so he leaves himself clues with notes and tattoos, to try to figure out who killed his wife. Excellent.

29. Naked Lunch: Written by William S. Burroughs, this incredible mindfuck movie is so far out there that it works superbly to fuck you up.

30. The Name of the Rose: Based on the book written by Umberto Eco, this movie is a crime thriller set in the Dark Ages. It’s in this list because when I saw it, it was so compelling and thought provoking that I read the book, which made me think even more. Fucking brilliant stuff that led me to question everything, which has led me to being a 7th degree black belt atheist. So watch it. Then read the book which is even better.

31. Natural Born Killers: A Quentin Tarantino movie, directed by Oliver Stone, this movie is pure mindfuck. This is a satirical look at violence and the sensationalism of it by the media. Extremely relevant in our media-driven society.

32. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest: This dark movie is excellent, with Jack Nicholson at his finest. This one will stick with you.

33. Pi: Who would have thought you could have a mathematical sci-fi thriller? Well here you go, a trippy movie indeed.

34. Pink Floyd’s The Wall: Fucking genius. Most people say they need to be fucked up to watch this trippy movie, but stay sober and you’ll actually understand it. It may seem disjointed in the timeline, but the story is there and is disturbingly brilliant.

35. Psycho (the original): Directed by Alfred Hitchcock in 1960, this excellent horror movie thriller is classic.

36. Pulp Fiction: A Quentin Tarantino movie, of course it’s brilliant (until he gets in front of the camera). Excellent acting and a great plot of several lives converging. A definite must see movie.

37. Requiem For A Dream: A cheery movie about drug addiction. Not my favorite on the list, but a good mindfuck movie all the same. The direction and editing makes it, really.

38. Science Of Sleep: A man who can’t distinguish between dreams and reality falls in love with a French woman and tries to show her his world.

39. Se7en: Twisted, dark and rather disgusting, this movie is disturbing and will fuck you up. Brilliant. But don’t eat while watching it.

40. The Shining (Original): Stephen King wrote the novel but Stanley Kubrick wrote the screenplay directed this mindfuck movie that stands the test of time. Fucking brilliant and creepy, this is a must see, with Jack Nicholson in his heyday.

41. Silence of the Lambs: A brilliant movie. Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster are at their best here.

42. Soylent Green: Based on the novel by Harry Harrison, this brilliant movie takes place in the near future. Everyone should watch this. It’s excellent.

43. Straight To Hell: This list is about mindfuck movies, so this movie has to be here even though I personally hated it. It’s definitely fucked up.

44. Suspect Zero: This excellent crime drama, horror, thriller about a serial killer killing serial killers.

45. THX-1138: George Lucas’ first movie, this sci-fi drama is well done for its time and budget. A movie of rebellion against a tightly controlled society.

46. Trainspotting: This movie is fucking brilliant. Ewan McGregor is a drug addicted heroin addict in Scotland. He wants to clean up but it’s not easy. Excellent and well done.

47. Vanilla Sky: A surreal and twisty movie. Well done.

48. V For Vendetta: In a totalitarian society, do you need to use terrorist tactics to fight back? This is another must see movie that is simply brilliant.

49. Watership Down: Based on the book by Richard Adams, the animated movie will get you inside of the heads of rabbits. That’s pretty fucked up, don’t you think? The adaptation from the book is excellent.

50. A Zed and Two Naughts: A Peter Greenaway movie that will fuck you up, which is standard. I saw this over 15 years ago so I don’t remember much, except it was quite disturbing.