A Glean movie guide
Multiverses, Mayhem, and Meaning
Find your next existential adventure.
High-concept sci-fi and absurdist comedies that balance chaos with a big heart.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
Swiss Army Man
From the directors of EEAAO, this surreal and touching story uses absurdist humor to explore deep human connection.
Alone on a tiny deserted island, Hank has given up all hope of ever making it home again. But one day everything changes when a dead body washes ashore, and he soon realizes it may be his last opportunity to escape certain death. Armed with his new “friend” and an unusual bag of tricks, the duo go on an epic adventure to bring Hank back to the woman of his dreams.
- 02
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
A visually stunning multiverse adventure that balances high-stakes action with a deep focus on family dynamics.
Struggling to find his place in the world while juggling school and family, Brooklyn teenager Miles Morales is unexpectedly bitten by a radioactive spider and develops unfathomable powers just like the one and only Spider-Man. While wrestling with the implications of his new abilities, Miles discovers a super collider created by the madman Wilson "Kingpin" Fisk, causing others from across the Spider-Verse to be inadvertently transported to his dimension.
- 03
Kung Fu Hustle
A hyper-stylized martial arts epic that heavily influenced the Daniels' approach to action and slapstick humor.
It's the 1940s, and the notorious Axe Gang terrorizes Shanghai. Small-time criminals Sing and Bone hope to join, but they only manage to make lots of very dangerous enemies. Fortunately for them, kung fu masters and hidden strength can be found in unlikely places. Now they just have to take on the entire Axe Gang.
- 04
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
A mind-bending exploration of memory and heartbreak that uses sci-fi to reveal profound emotional truths.
Joel Barish, heartbroken that his girlfriend underwent a procedure to erase him from her memory, decides to do the same. However, as he watches his memories of her fade away, he realises that he still loves her, and may be too late to correct his mistake.
- 05
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
A fast-paced, video-game-inspired romp that blends mundane reality with over-the-top, imaginative fantasy battles.
As bass guitarist for a garage-rock band, Scott Pilgrim has never had trouble getting a girlfriend; usually, the problem is getting rid of them. But when Ramona Flowers skates into his heart, he finds she has the most troublesome baggage of all: an army of ex-boyfriends who will stop at nothing to eliminate him from her list of suitors.
- 06
Being John Malkovich
A bizarre and brilliant dive into identity that captures the same 'anything can happen' spirit as the multiverse.
One day at work, unsuccessful puppeteer Craig finds a portal into the head of actor John Malkovich. The portal soon becomes a passion for anybody who enters its mad and controlling world of overtaking another human body.
- 07
Paprika
A dazzling animated fever dream where the boundaries between dreams and reality completely dissolve.
When a machine that allows therapists to enter their patient's dreams is stolen, all hell breaks loose. Only a young female therapist can stop it and recover it before damage is done: Paprika.
- 08
Turning Red
A vibrant look at generational trauma and mother-daughter bonds through a supernatural, culturally specific lens.
Thirteen-year-old Mei is experiencing the awkwardness of being a teenager with a twist – when she gets too excited, she transforms into a giant red panda.
- 09
Coherence
A tense, mind-twisting thriller where a dinner party unravels across multiple, colliding parallel realities.
Four couples gather for dinner the night a mysterious and powerful comet passes overhead.
- 10
The Mitchells vs. the Machines
A maximalist animated comedy about a dysfunctional family finding their way back to each other during a robot apocalypse
A quirky, dysfunctional family's road trip is upended when they find themselves in the middle of the robot apocalypse and suddenly become humanity's unlikeliest last hope.
- 11
Palm Springs
A sharp, funny take on the time-loop trope that tackles nihilism and connection in equal measure.
When carefree Nyles and reluctant maid of honor Sarah have a chance encounter at a Palm Springs wedding, things get complicated when they find themselves unable to escape the venue, themselves, or each other.
- 12
Run Lola Run
A high-energy sprint through three different timelines, showing how tiny choices can lead to vastly different lives.
Lola receives a phone call from her boyfriend Manni. He lost 100,000 DM in a subway train that belongs to a very bad guy. She has 20 minutes to raise this amount and meet Manni. Otherwise, he will rob a store to get the money. Three different alternatives may happen depending on some minor event along Lola's run.