Movie-watching can be an enriching communal experience, but some films are better enjoyed
solo.
Contemplative dramedies, slow-burning thrillers, dialogue-free dramas — certain films are
best absorbed all by yourself, with zero distractions.
For example ...
All Is Lost
Robert Redford's ability to grip audiences with a compelling performance has never waned
throughout his long career.
That gift is particularly evident in J.C. Chandor's All Is Lost, an acclaimed 2013 drama
in which Redford's unnamed sailor endures a litany of increasingly life-threatening
mishaps during a solo ocean voyage.
Watching this film alone is a transformative experience.
There's only one character and he hardly ever speaks, which makes sounds that ordinarily
might not be noticed all the more intriguing.
With most of the sound coming from the main character shuffling around, what would normally
be an ordinary background detail becomes a key factor in the film's immersion.
Every detail in All Is Lost requires your full attention.
Gravity
Alfonso Cuarón's hit 2013 space drama Gravity is a film that filled theaters for weeks—but
in order to truly exert its devastating impact, it needs to be seen alone.
For one, the filmmakers do an excellent job of projecting panic onto the audience after
Sandra Bullock's character is marooned in space.
Fear is alleviated somewhat in a group setting, so truly putting yourself in her position
requires watching the film alone.
Whether or not there's sound in space is up for debate, but Cuarón's command of Gravity's
soundtrack is the second reason you should watch it by yourself—and with the volume
high.
It's the type of film in which the intensity continuously builds, amplified by the skillful
use of sound.
Even the crescendo in the score allows audiences to feel the emotional weight of Bullock's
character's struggle to reach Earth—and survive.
It's a thrillride best experienced alone, with nothing to distract you.
Into the Wild
Based on the novel of the same name by Jon Krakauer, Into the Wild tells the true story
of Christopher McCandless, a recent college grad who braved the Alaskan wilderness in
the early '90s and sadly passed away a few months into his trek.
Into the Wild's judgment-free dramatization of McCandless' doomed pilgrimage offers a
perfectly introspective example of a movie that makes the view think about what they
would do in a similar situation.
Who knows, maybe you'll be inspired to abandon materialism and go on a solo adventure of
your own in the Alaskan wilderness.
It's an incredibly dangerous proposition, but you wouldn't be the first.
The Fountain
Darren Aronofsky's filmography is studded with Biblical symbolism, and The Fountain,
starring Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz as star-crossed lovers, offers a particularly
absorbing example.
The film is a visual spectacle, to say the least, but its three storylines are just as
finely crafted—and easy to lose track of if you aren't paying close attention.
Lose concentration and you could easily miss details crucial to grasping the story as a
whole.
The Fountain is an exceptionally emotional story, but watching it unfold with a group
of friends might very well take you out of the moment.
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
It may be slow at times—okay, most of the time—but this dramatization of the titular
infamous killing never stops building in intensity, due in large part to the stylized directing
style of Andrew Dominik and the masterful eye of cinematographer Roger Deakins.
The train robbery scene, in particular, is an excellent example of just how hypnotic
cinematography can be.
Do yourself a favor and tune out chatter during a masterpiece like The Assassination of Jesse
James by the Coward Robert Ford.
Lost in Translation
Featuring one of Bill Murray's greatest performances, along with exceptional work from Scarlett
Johansson, Lost in Translation earned Sofia Coppola the third Best Director nomination
offered to a woman in Oscars history.
It isn't that taking in Lost in Translation with a crowd will make you lose sight of the
story—there isn't much of a plot—but the self-reflection the movie motivates stands
to be lost in a group.
Like Johansson's character learns in that unforgettable final scene, there are some
secrets you only learn when you're leaning in close enough to hear a whisper.
Any of Hayao Miyazaki's films
Legendary Japanese filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki has done more for animation than many casual
filmgoers might realize.
His movies may not be as well-known to the general public as Disney's library of hits,
but from The Castle of Cagliostro to The Wind Rises, Miyazaki and his Studio Ghibli have
expanded the animation genre to make room for sophisticated storytelling and exceptionally
beautiful visuals.
They aren't event movies, though, and they aren't made for watching with a group of friends.
Tackling thought-provoking themes in their own distinctive style, Miyazaki movies demand
the type of emotional room you can only get solo.
No Country for Old Men
Based on the Cormac McCarthy novel of the same name, this modern Western thriller won
Best Picture and Best Director at the Oscars.
It's considered one of the greatest films of the century, as well as the Coen brothers'
masterpiece…and that's saying something.
If you're unfamiliar with the form, Westerns can be slow, punctuated with intermittent
bursts of heightened action, and No Country for Old Men is a prime example.
The tension, suspense, and thrills never stop building, yet the film as a whole is eerily
quiet.
If you're forced to deal with distractions during the movie, you'll be taken right out
of the story—breaking its spell and ruining the experience altogether.
"Yes sir.
I got it under control."
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