7 Movies That Were Lightyears Ahead Of Their Time

Film is a unique art form, and art is often used to make a statement. Whether that statement is political, personal, or social, the statement behind each film is what gives the film its value. The most important movies are the ones that present taboo topics, the ones that focus on something that is prevalent but ignored, such as racism, ableism, sexual fluidity, and mental health.

These topics, while having made their way to the forefront of the conversation in recent years, were all very controversial for the majority of the 20th century, but that didn't stop artists from exploring them in depth. The most influential films are often the ones that were the most radical at the time of their release.

'Guess Who's Coming To Dinner' (1967)

Sidney Poitier in Guess Who's Coming To Dinner — Image via Columbia Pictures

Guess Who's Coming To Dinner isn't just about racism, it's about the hypocrisy of liberals and the ability to stand by what you claim you believe. In 2022 blatant racism is talked about openly, but systemic racism that results in racial prejudices in all people, whatever their political affiliation, is buried much deeper.

When Joey (Katharine Houghton) brings her fiancé, John (Sidney Poitier) home to meet her liberal parents, played by the iconic duo Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy, the older couple must come to terms with deeply ingrained prejudices they didn't know they had. The couple raised their daughter to believe that there should be equal rights for all, and while Joey took that upbringing to heart, her parents realize they may not be as open-minded as they thought when an opportunity arises for them to prove their allyship. This film is highly relevant in today's political climate, and is not one to be missed. It also inspired many future social commentaries including Jordan Peele's horror masterpiece, Get Out.

'Ordinary People' (1980)

timothy hutton, mary tyler moore, donald sutherland, ordinary people, judd hirsch

The long-term effects of grief is something that is often overlooked, even in today's society. With so much pressure to "move on" from traumatic events, few people stop to examine the ways in which seemingly small incidents can have a huge effect on members of a family, and therefore the family as a whole, and this is where Ordinary People shines.

Following the death of the oldest son in a well-to-do family, the parents' inability to speak openly about their grief puts great strain on the surviving child (Timothy Hutton), who struggles with guilt, depression, anxiety, and suicidal tendencies. This film was one of the first to highlight the importance of mental health and the benefits of therapy, with Judd Hirsch giving an outstanding performance as Dr. Berger, the therapist who attempts to draw out the repressed emotions Conrad (Hutton) has bottled up. Mary Tyler Moore also stars as the heart-broken and distant mother and Donald Sutherland as the overwhelmed father who is trying desperately to keep everything together. Every actor's performance is absolutely phenomenal, and it is an extremely introspective look at the darker side of suburban family life.

'Modern Times' (1936)

Charlie Chaplin as a factory worker in Modern Times

For how often this film was shown to us in school, it seems like very few people actually absorbed its message. Charlie Chaplin wrote, directed, and starred in this radical comedy about the detriments of industrial society to the social soul and the long-lasting effects it has on members of the working class.

The message alone was pretty radical for the time, but the imagery of the film is really what makes it. The Tramp's (credited in this film only as "A Factory Worker") hilariously desperate attempts to keep up with the fast-paced work environment of mass production leads him to accidentally get sucked into a contraption and quite literally become a cog in the machine. Paired up with a young homeless woman, known only as "A Gamin", the two lowlifes embark on multiple adventures and challenge the status quo as they do it. Honestly, one of the most influential silent films you will see.

'Nausicaä Of The Valley Of The Wind' (1984)

nausicaa of the valley of the wind, hayao miyazaki

Before environtmentalism was a topic openly discussed in the consumer-driven world of the '80s, Hayao Miyazaki released Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, a remarkably beautiful tale about the effect of nuclear warfare and over-industrialization on the Earth's delicate ecosystem.

As pacifist Nausicaä (Sumi Shimamoto) attempts to stop two warring nations from further destroying their dying planet, she must also learn to cohabitate with mutated, giant insects whose aggression is due mainly to violence inflicted upon them by the humans of the world. Hayao Miyazaki has made some breathtaking features, but 'Nausicaä' is a visual masterpiece, as well as a powerful statement, so much so that it borders on being a spiritual experience.

'All Quiet On The Western Front' (1930)

all quiet on the western front, 7 moves that were lightyears ahead of their time

Speaking of anti-war films, let's take a look at one of the most infamous. All Quiet on the Western Front was an extremely controversial movie, being released after WWI and before WWII, the film chronicles the story of a young German enthusiast who eagerly joins the war effort and ends up traumatized by the horrors he witnesses while fighting.

The novel was written by WWI veteran Erich Maria Remarque, and he explores the brutality of war as well as the lasting effects veterans suffer while trying to adjust to civilian life after the war is over. In present day we call this PTSD, although when the book was written PTSD hadn't even been identified yet. Both the film and the novel were banned by the Nazi party, as they both clearly promoted an anti-war ideology. One of the most influential anti-war movies ever made, everyone should make time to see this masterpiece.

'2001: A Space Odyssey' (1968)

You didn't really think we'd get through this list without having at least one Kubrick, did you? This sci-fi classic is one of Stanley Kubrick's most well-known films, not just for its introspective themes but for its creative use of miniature sets to replicate breathtaking space imagery.

With ...A Space Odyssey, form is everything. Yes, it does pose the question of how much technology is too much, and are humans becoming needlessly advanced, but the true art of this film comes from the ingenious ways the filmmakers created the space landscape. These techniques influenced countless sci-fi adventures to come, and they did it all without the use of CGI. The form of the film, the how, lends itself to the theme of the film, the what. Is this amount of technology really necessary to create something great? It wasn't for this masterpiece.

'Charulata' (1964)

This beautifully subtle romance is a timeless gem that isn't as well-known as it should be, but that doesn't make it any less influential. The movie revolves around Charulata (Madhavi Mukherjee), a bored housewife who falls in love with her husband's cousin when she connects with him on art and literature.

Charulata explores the suffocating nature of married life on women during the '60s while also portraying an extremely compelling female lead. Charulata is extremely well-versed in literature, art, and philosophy, and she is a better writer than both her husband and her husband's cousin, to her cousin-in-law's surprise. The movie itself moves extremely slow, perhaps as a representation of Charulata's boring domestic life, but somehow the film isn't boring. The cinematography and direction are also spectacular, with many unique shots that contribute to the artistic masterpiece. Every film lover should watch Charulata, at least once.

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