Top 50 Visual Postmodern Movies
This is my personal list of the top 25 most "Postmodern" films, or cinema that uses an imaginative and fun postmodern vibe(or has themes within) Be it Ettore Sottsass and the Memphis Milano influence, 80's art deco, futurism, or surrealism. I know "postmodern film" means something else, but I'm using the term in relation to the specific stylistic movement.
List activity
37K views
• 2 this weekCreate a new list
List your movie, TV & celebrity picks.
50 titles
- DirectorBarry LevinsonStarsRobin WilliamsMichael GambonJoan CusackWhen Lieutenant General Leland Zevo (Sir Michael Gambon) inherits a toymaking company and begins making war toys, his employees band together to stop him before he ruins the name of Zevo Toys forever.From the Fortunato Despero futurism and Rene Magritte to the heavy Ettore Sottsass Memphis Milano vibe, Barry Levinson's visionary 1992 film "Toys" to me is about as "PoMo" as it gets.
- DirectorJulien TempleStarsGeena DavisJeff GoldblumJim CarreyA Southern California girl befriends three furry aliens after their spaceship lands in her swimming pool.Everything about this movie...from the fun funky designs and colors to the music and sound design, to the overall vibe just screams zany fun postmodern deco.
- DirectorJoel CoenEthan CoenStarsTim RobbinsPaul NewmanJennifer Jason LeighA naive business graduate is installed as president of a manufacturing company as part of a stock scam.I'd almost call this a 40's deco companion film to Toys
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsHarrison FordRutger HauerSean YoungA blade runner must pursue and terminate four replicants who stole a ship in space and have returned to Earth to find their creator.Noir deco
- DirectorTim BurtonStarsPaul ReubensElizabeth DailyMark HoltonWhen eccentric man-child Pee-wee Herman gets his beloved bike stolen in broad daylight, he sets out across the U.S. on the adventure of his life.
- DirectorDavid ByrneStarsDavid ByrneJohn GoodmanAnnie McEnroeA small but growing Texas town, filled with strange and musical characters, celebrates its sesquicentennial and converge on a local parade and talent show.The angles, the set pieces, the vibe...heck Talking Heads. PoMo off the charts.
- DirectorTerry GilliamStarsJonathan PryceKim GreistRobert De NiroA bureaucrat in a dystopic society becomes an enemy of the state as he pursues the woman of his dreams.
- DirectorJim AbrahamsDavid ZuckerJerry ZuckerStarsBette MidlerDanny DeVitoJudge ReinholdA couple cheated by a vile businessman kidnaps his wife in retaliation, not knowing that their enemy is delighted that they did.Virtually every single design and style seen in the home here is total Memphis Milano design...heck even the dog is wearing a Memphis necklace. Postmodern up the yin yang
- DirectorRobert ZemeckisStarsMichael J. FoxChristopher LloydLea ThompsonAfter visiting 2015, Marty McFly must repeat his visit to 1955 to prevent disastrous changes to 1985...without interfering with his first trip.80's cafe, nuff said
- DirectorJulian SchnabelStarsJeffrey WrightMichael WincottBenicio Del ToroThe brief life of Jean Michel Basquiat, a world renowned New York street artist struggling with fame, drugs and his identity.
- DirectorSpike JonzeStarsJohn CusackCameron DiazCatherine KeenerA puppeteer discovers a portal that leads literally into the head of movie star John Malkovich.
- DirectorCory McAbeeStarsCory McAbeeRocco SistoGregory Russell CookSamuel Curtis, an interplanetary trader, sets forth through a rustic and remote solar system, unaware that his old friend Professor Hess is trying to kill him.
- DirectorMichel GondryStarsGael García BernalCharlotte GainsbourgMiou-MiouA man entranced by his dreams and imagination is love-struck with a French woman and feels he can show her his world.
- DirectorNeil BerkeleyStarsWayne WhiteMimi PondPaul ReubensA documentary on the life and current times of artist Wayne White.This is about Wayne White, the creator of the look of Pee Wee's Playhouse and some of Peter Gabriel's music videos
- DirectorStephen SayadianStarsMadeleine ReynalFox HarrisLaura AlbertThe granddaughter of an infamous doctor experiments with hormone and shock therapies at her asylum for the insane.
- DirectorStéphane AubierVincent PatarStarsStéphane AubierJeanne BalibarNicolas BuysseCowboy and Indian's only wish was to come up with a brilliant idea for Mr Horse's birthday, but when their plan ends up in utter disaster, they'll need to travel the world and back to make things right again.This looks like something from Pee Wee's Playhouse
- DirectorPeter GreenawayStarsJJ FeildRaymond J. BarryMichèle BernierThe first of three parts, we follow Tulse Luper in three distinct episodes: as a child during the first World War, as an explorer in Mormon Utah, and as a writer in Belgium during the rise of fascism. Packed with stylistic flourishes, it's a dense, comic study of 20th century history, revolving around the contents of one man's suitcases.
- DirectorMario OrfiniStarsTrudie StylerGregg HenryBill MoseleyGene, a clever but seriously deranged computer-game designer, has been left by his wife Eva. Unable to win her back, he decides to take revenge by locking Eva in her new apartment, inside which he has released a deadly mamba snake.This whole film looks like Ettore Sottsass and the Memphis Milano group designed the set.
- DirectorChristina ClausenStarsFab 5 FreddyJeffrey DeitchJulia GruenA portrait of New York artist Keith Haring.
- DirectorTim BurtonStarsJohnny DeppWinona RyderDianne WiestThe solitary life of an artificial man - who was incompletely constructed and has scissors for hands - is upended when he is taken in by a suburban family.
- DirectorPaul SchraderStarsKen OgataMasayuki ShionoyaHiroshi MikamiA fictionalized account in four chapters of the life of celebrated Japanese writer Yukio Mishima.
- DirectorDavid LynchStarsIsabella RosselliniKyle MacLachlanDennis HopperThe discovery of a severed human ear found in a field leads a young man on an investigation related to a beautiful, mysterious nightclub singer and a group of psychopathic criminals who have kidnapped her child.
- DirectorStephen HerekStarsKeanu ReevesAlex WinterGeorge CarlinTwo rock-'n-rolling teens, on the verge of failing their class, set out on a quest to make the ultimate school history report after being presented with a time machine.
- DirectorAnnabel JankelRocky MortonStarsMatt FrewerNickolas GraceHilary TindallIn the dystopic near future, a crusading TV reporter investigates news stories with the help of a wisecracking computer version of himself.
- DirectorMatthew BarneyStarsRichard SerraMatthew BarneyAimee MullinsThe third film of a five-part art-installation epic -- it's part-zombie movie, part-gangster film.
- DirectorGregor JordanStarsBilly Bob ThorntonKim BasingerMickey RourkeOne week in L.A. in 1983, featuring movie executives, rock stars, a vampire and other morally challenged characters in adventures laced with sex, drugs and violence.
- DirectorJohannes SchaafStarsRadost BokelMario AdorfArmin Mueller-StahlIn the village of Momo the pace of time goes very slowly. Nobody is bothering about stress but everyone has time to chat and rest - until the day the grey men arrive. With a great selling strategy they offer the people an account to collect time. Now everybody is in stress in order to gain time for collecting, except for Momo who obviously is the only one without stress. Watching her former friends having no time at all for friendship and other social activities she decides to fight the grey men. The story is a modern fairy tale about how to use time.
- DirectorTim BurtonStarsAlec BaldwinGeena DavisMichael KeatonThe spirits of a deceased couple are harassed by an unbearable family that has moved into their home, and hire a malicious spirit to drive them out.
- DirectorDavid LynchStarsSheryl LeeRay WiseMädchen AmickLaura Palmer's harrowing final days are chronicled one year after the murder of Teresa Banks, a resident of Twin Peaks' neighboring town.
- DirectorPaolo SorrentinoStarsSean PennFrances McDormandJudd HirschCheyenne, a retired rock star living off his royalties in Dublin, returns to New York City to find the man responsible for a humiliation suffered by his recently deceased father during W.W.II.An aging 80s goth rocker, David Byrne of the Talking Heads, oddball landmarks across America...oh yeah. This MUST be the place.
- DirectorJay LeveyStars'Weird Al' YankovicVictoria JacksonKevin McCarthyAn unemployed visionary becomes the manager of a local television station. The station becomes a success, with all sorts of hilarious sight gags and wacky humor.
- DirectorJonathan DemmeStarsDavid ByrneBernie WorrellAlex WeirConsidered by critics as the greatest concert film of all time, the live performance was shot over the course of three nights at Hollywood's Pantages Theater in December of 1983 and features Talking Heads' most memorable songs.
- DirectorGus Van SantStarsRiver PhoenixKeanu ReevesJames RussoTwo best friends living on the streets of Portland as hustlers embark on a journey of self discovery and find their relationship stumbling along the way.
- DirectorHitoshi MatsumotoStarsHitoshi MatsumotoDavid QuinteroLuis AccinelliA man wakes up in a white room empty other than buttons on the walls, he must find out which button to push to get what he wants.
- DirectorSlava TsukermanStarsAnne CarlislePaula E. SheppardSusan DoukasA small, heroin seeking UFO lands on a Manhattan roof, observes a bizarre, drug addicted fashion model and sucks endorphin from her sexual encounters' brains.
- DirectorMartha CoolidgeStarsNicolas CageDeborah ForemanElizabeth DailyJulie, a girl from the valley, meets Randy, a punk from the city. They are from different worlds and find love. Somehow they need to stay together in spite of her trendy, shallow friends.
- DirectorLance MungiaStarsJeffrey FalconJustin McGuireKim De AngeloIn the post-apocalyptic world of 1990s Nevada, a rock 'n' roll samurai on his way to Lost Vegas takes a young orphan boy under his protection as Death and his metalhead Horsemen chase after them.
- DirectorJoel CoenEthan CoenStarsJeff BridgesJohn GoodmanJulianne MooreJeff "The Dude" Lebowski, mistaken for a millionaire of the same name, seeks restitution for his ruined rug and enlists his bowling buddies to help get it.
- DirectorAdam RifkinStarsJudd NelsonBill PaxtonWayne NewtonGarbage man Marty tries his hand at standup comedy and fails miserably until he adds the third arm to his act that mysteriously grew out of his back.
- DirectorTony GaytonStarsHerbert AbrahamsJeremy AyersBar-B-Q KillersLed by the success of the B-52's and R.E.M., Athens, Georgia was the most happening music scene in the country by the mid 80's/ Following several different bands from different genres, this film paints Athens as a magical artistic environment where bands are not in competition, but co-exist in harmony. Live performances of R.E.M.'s "Swan Swan H" and "Dream (All I Have To Do)" at the Lucy Cobb Institute chapel are included. Also featured are performances and interviews frm the B-52's, Pylon, B-B-Que Killers, Time Toy, Jim Herbert, Flat Duo Jets, Love Tractor, Kilkenny Cats, Squalls, and more.
- DirectorWim WendersStarsSam ShepardJessica LangeTim RothAn aging cowboy movie star deserts a film set and tries to reconnect with his mother, whom he hasn't seen in thirty years, only to learn that he has a child he never knew about.
- DirectorTim BurtonStarsMichael KeatonJack NicholsonKim BasingerThe Dark Knight of Gotham City begins his war on crime with his first major enemy being Jack Napier, a criminal who becomes the clownishly homicidal Joker.
- DirectorHoward DeutchStarsMolly RingwaldJon CryerHarry Dean StantonA poor girl must choose between the affections of dating her childhood sweetheart or a rich but sensitive playboy.
- DirectorSteven SoderberghStarsSteven SoderberghScott AllenBetsy BrantleyFletcher Munson, the lethargic employee of a pseudo-religious self help company, and his doppelganger, the friendly but dull dentist Dr. Jeffrey Korchek.
- DirectorWim WendersStarsWilliam HurtSolveig DommartinPietro FalconeIn 1999, Claire Tourneur's life is forever changed after she survives a car crash. She rescues Sam and travels the world with him. Writer Eugene Fitzpatrick follows and writes their story as a method of recording dreams is being developed.
- DirectorPaul VerhoevenStarsArnold SchwarzeneggerSharon StoneMichael IronsideWhen a man goes in to have virtual vacation memories of the planet Mars implanted in his mind, an unexpected and harrowing series of events forces him to go to the planet for real - or is he?
- DirectorCory McAbeeStarsCory McAbeeCrugieDavid Hyde PierceA dangerous mission reunites STINGRAY SAM with his long lost accomplice, The Quasar Kid. Follow these two space convicts as they earn their freedom in exchange for the rescue of a young girl who is being held captive by the genetically designed figurehead of a very wealthy planet.
- DirectorMichael GottliebStarsAndrew McCarthyKim CattrallEstelle GettyA young artist, searching for his vocation, makes a mannequin so perfect he falls in love with it. Finding the mannequin in a store window, he gets a job there and his creation comes to life.
- DirectorStewart RaffillStarsKristy SwansonWilliam RagsdaleMeshach TaylorA young department store intern falls in love with a female store mannequin who is really a peasant girl fallen under a thousand year spell. She comes to life whenever he removes the cursed necklace from her.
- DirectorWim WendersStarsBruno GanzSolveig DommartinOtto SanderAn angel tires of his purely ethereal life of merely overseeing the human activity of Berlin's residents, and longs for the tangible joys of physical existence when he falls in love with a mortal.