10 Amazing Movies That Are Total Nonsense

Whoever said great movies need to be logical and coherent?

Holy Motors Eva Mendes
Les Films Du Losange

In the age of social media and CinemaSins, there's an entire swath of film lovers growing up with the rigid notion that movies must absolutely, positively make complete sense in order to be good, let alone great.

To some, movies aren't something to be enjoyed for their craft and performances, but something to be tirelessly challenged and "beaten," lest some lapses in narrative logic break that ever-precious immersion. Still, take a breath, touch some grass as the kids say these days, and you just might appreciate the merits of films that aren't quite so eager to follow the conventions of basic storytelling sense.

There's something liberating about watching a movie that abandons the tight logic of our own world, establishes its own rules, and makes few concessions to keep the viewer apprised of what's going on. Sure, it can result in a frustrating experience if the rest of the picture isn't entertaining, but with a keen sense of style, sharp dialogue, and a killer cast, it can add up to something totally unique.

And that's absolutely true of the following ten movies, which clearly didn't prioritise coherence over basically every other aspect of their production - and thank God!

10. Donnie Darko

Holy Motors Eva Mendes
20th Century Fox

Richard Kelly's audacious directorial debut Donnie Darko is such a memorable and entertaining film in spite of the fact that its central time travel mechanics aren't worth the headache you'll get trying to make sense of them.

While the feature's die-hard fans will tirelessly remind you that the narrative comes into focus if you read some additional materials created by Kelly, is a movie really doing its job if you need to do exterior homework to figure out what's going on?

Within the vacuum of the picture's runtime itself, though, Donnie Darko defies the need for a logical throughline, quite ably subsisting on its immaculate atmosphere, top-drawer cast, the sheer weirdness of basically everything that happens, and that unforgettable Tears for Fears cover.

It's certainly a fun puzzle of a film to chew over in your brain, but not one you need to have a clear idea of in order to enjoy its memorable dialogue, characters, music, and sheer vibes.

Contributor
Contributor

Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.