9 Confusing Films Where Absolutely Nobody Knew What Was Going On

5. Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives

One of the most peculiar Palme d'Or winners in recent memory, Thai movie Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives is a frustratingly impenetrable effort from Apichatpong Weerasethakul, which much like The Fountain considers the idea of reincarnation. Uncle Boonmee is dying, and during the last days of his life, he gathers his loved ones (including the ghost of his dead wife and his disappeared son, who has been transformed into some sort of red-eyed monkey phantom) to reminisce on his apparent past lives while also considering why he has fallen ill and what awaits him after death. Though most of the movie revolves around heady conversations, there are several surreal interludes, perhaps most memorably when Boonmee reveals his past life as a princess who ends up having sex with a fish (pictured above). While Uncle Boonmee boasts plenty of stunning visuals, it's also a difficult-to-swallow movie for anyone but the most seasoned cineaste prepared to follow its utterly unconventional construction. Weerasethakul makes little attempt to explain the images, instead letting them flow even when they don't appear to make much sense, but at least having the good grace to have a sense of humour about it. Theories: Clearly, the movie is broaching the notion of our universal fear of death, but what about these apparent past lives, which are given practically no context? Given that Uncle Boonmee is part of a larger art project called Primitive, it's possible that to glean more meaning from it, one needs to take in the entire set of photographs and video installations. In short: it's probably too much effort for most people, even ardent supporters of art cinema.