Added by mom3feistykids on 30 Jul 2011 02:52

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Philosophy in Movies: Identity

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Decade: Rating: List Type:

5258

8.4

Memento (2000)

I recently watched this for the first time, and I was mesmerized. It's the kind of movie you should go into without knowing anything about the premise or plot, if possible. It's an interesting exploration of identity. Leonard suffers from a neurological condition which has disabled his short term memory. When he falls asleep, or in moments of stress, his memory is wiped clean. When he awakens, he has to start over, with no recollection of what's happened before. In his quest to find his wife's murderer, he leaves himself mementos, photos with notes telling him whom he can trust and messages tattooed on his skin. Since he has no memory of his recent experiences and actions, starting anew each day, does he have a cohesive identity? Is he morally responsible for things he's done? This movie also has wonderful things to say about the varying reliability of memory.

mom3feistykids's rating:

3823

7.5

7.7

Being John Malkovich (1999)

I haven't seen this movie yet, but it's been recommended as a springboard for discussing this topic. A puppeteer discovers a hidden doorway in his office, which turns out to be a portal into actor John Malkovich's mind. If someone else is in your mind, do you still maintain your identity?

mom3feistykids's rating:

1873

7.4

7.6

The Thin Red Line (1998)

I haven't seen this movie yet, but it's been recommended as a springboard for discussing this topic. I don't yet know why. In World War II, a group of young soldiers is brought in to relieve battle-weary Marine units in Guadalcanal. The reasons for this war become increasingly distant until they're merely fighting for survival and the lives of their comrades.

803

7.6

7.7

Open Your Eyes

A disfigured man needs to have his face completely rebuilt. How does this affect his sense of identity?

3239

6.4

6.9

Vanilla Sky

This is a remake of Open Your Eyes.

263

6.5

6.7

Cypher (2002)

1673

7.5

7.6

Dark City (1998)

6642

8.3

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

mom3feistykids's rating:

433

5.9

6.2

The Final Cut (2004)

Thanks to the giraffe for recommending this movie, which opens up a world where memory implants are used.

9314

8.3

8.8

Fight Club (1999)

Hat tip to SpikeEnigmaSlash.

mom3feistykids's rating:

I am seeking movies for a curriculum on Film Studies & Philosophy I'm writing for my homeschooled teen-ager and me. This section deals with questions of personal identity.

What gives us a cohesive sense of identity throughout our lives? Is it the fact that our physical appearance remains the same? Is it our consistent personality, values, and worldview? Or is it our stream of consciousness -- our continuing flow of memories? Some of the films in this list deal with individuals whose memories have been lost or altered in some way.

Comments and suggestions are enthusiastically welcomed. :-)