# List all of the movies with "things are not what they seem" plot device **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 17, 2003, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-of-the-movies-with-things-are-not-what-they-seem-plot-device/175923 "2003-05-17T18:23:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2003, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-of-the-movies-with-things-are-not-what-they-seem-plot-device/175923/21 "2003-05-19T06:37:51Z")
Videodrome, and almost every other movie David Cronenberg, directed comes to mind. ---
**Author:** ![DataZak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ea666f/32.png) [@DataZak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataZak)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2003, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-of-the-movies-with-things-are-not-what-they-seem-plot-device/175923/22 "2003-05-19T06:59:49Z")
Errmm… **Diceman**? Bruce Willis was in Sixth Sense, not Harrison Ford (see your spoiler tag).🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Jervoise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@Jervoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jervoise)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2003, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-of-the-movies-with-things-are-not-what-they-seem-plot-device/175923/23 "2003-05-19T08:11:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by QueerGeekGirl \* > _ **Magnolia** _ Can you explain this one? I’ve seen _Magnolia_ a few times, but saw nothing to indicate the world is not what it seems. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2003, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-of-the-movies-with-things-are-not-what-they-seem-plot-device/175923/24 "2003-05-19T10:11:21Z")
Since Bruce Willis’ character is, IIRC, the character the movie really revolves around, you look from his perspective, and in that sense, it definitely qualifies. Does Fight Club qualify? ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2003, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-of-the-movies-with-things-are-not-what-they-seem-plot-device/175923/25 "2003-05-19T11:38:13Z")
> [@](#): > > Bruce Willis was in Sixth Sense, not Harrison Ford (see your spoiler tag) Doh! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![jinty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dbc845/32.png) [@jinty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jinty)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2003, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-of-the-movies-with-things-are-not-what-they-seem-plot-device/175923/26 "2003-05-19T12:20:27Z")
Blade Runner? There’s a lot of ambiguity about who is & who isn’t a replicant, also who knows they are & who doesn’t. ---
**Author:** ![green\_bladder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@green\_bladder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/green_bladder)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2003, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-of-the-movies-with-things-are-not-what-they-seem-plot-device/175923/27 "2003-05-19T12:25:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SenorBeef \* > \*\* > Does Fight Club qualify? \*\* I think it would. I would also add [Mulholland Drive](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0166924). That really messed with my mind 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2003, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-of-the-movies-with-things-are-not-what-they-seem-plot-device/175923/28 "2003-05-20T04:18:16Z")
I’ll second Mulholland Drive ---
**Author:** ![thinksnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thinksnow/32/2849_2.png) [@thinksnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thinksnow)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2003, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-of-the-movies-with-things-are-not-what-they-seem-plot-device/175923/29 "2003-05-20T16:26:00Z")
I was going to say: anything by David Lynch would certainly work, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2003, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-of-the-movies-with-things-are-not-what-they-seem-plot-device/175923/30 "2003-05-20T18:35:17Z")
**The Hitcher**. (I maintain that the Rutger Hauer character is a figment of the main character’s imagination.) **A Beautiful Mind**. ---
**Author:** ![vl\_mungo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc8723/32.png) [@vl\_mungo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vl_mungo)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2003, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-of-the-movies-with-things-are-not-what-they-seem-plot-device/175923/31 "2003-05-20T18:39:50Z")
The Stunt Man (1980) The Manchurian Candidate ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2003, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-of-the-movies-with-things-are-not-what-they-seem-plot-device/175923/32 "2003-05-20T18:40:09Z")
**Baron Munchausen** ---
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2003, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-of-the-movies-with-things-are-not-what-they-seem-plot-device/175923/33 "2003-05-20T18:42:05Z")
How about **The Others**? ---
**Author:** ![Sigmundex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e19adc/32.png) [@Sigmundex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmundex)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2003, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-of-the-movies-with-things-are-not-what-they-seem-plot-device/175923/34 "2003-05-20T19:41:35Z")
I don’t see how The Game could not qualify. Michael Douglas goes through the whole movie living in a world that is “not what it seems”. I don’t think it matters whether or not everyone else’s reality fits with his (I’m not going to spoil anything), but he lives in a different reality than everyone else for most of the movie. I was just thinking about getting this movie the other day, now I’ll have to. It’s good. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-of-the-movies-with-things-are-not-what-they-seem-plot-device/175923/35 "2003-05-21T14:46:50Z")
**Angel Heart**. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-of-the-movies-with-things-are-not-what-they-seem-plot-device/175923/36 "2003-05-21T14:48:13Z")
**Rosemary’s Baby**? **The Stepford Wives**? ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-of-the-movies-with-things-are-not-what-they-seem-plot-device/175923/37 "2003-05-21T14:51:24Z")
**Planet of the Apes**. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-of-the-movies-with-things-are-not-what-they-seem-plot-device/175923/38 "2003-05-21T16:04:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Earl of the CC \* > \*\*This one was totally ruined by the previews, but **Terminator 2** was one. There was no indication anywhere in the movie that Ah-nold was a good guy until he protected John Conner from the other Terminator. Until then it seemed like there were 2 terminators coming to kill him. \*\* Not really-because in the beginning narration, you hear Linda Hamilton explaining that they always sent two-one to kill, and one to protect. Perhaps _The Empire Strikes Back_, when it first came out-when Palpy says, “The son of Skywalker must not become a Jedi!” Only to find out that Darth Vader is Luke’s father! ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-of-the-movies-with-things-are-not-what-they-seem-plot-device/175923/39 "2003-05-21T16:12:37Z")
Ocean’s Eleven – there’s a slick twist at the end. ---
**Author:** ![Francis\_E\_Dec\_Esq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/48db29/32.png) [@Francis\_E\_Dec\_Esq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_E_Dec_Esq)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-of-the-movies-with-things-are-not-what-they-seem-plot-device/175923/40 "2003-05-21T16:17:47Z")
**Mirage** with Gregory Peck. I hope this isn’t giving too much away, but its somewhat like _Total Recall_. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-of-the-movies-with-things-are-not-what-they-seem-plot-device/175923.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-all-of-the-movies-with-things-are-not-what-they-seem-plot-device/175923.md?page=3)