The best films aren’t just entertaining but have something interesting to say too. Sometimes it’s an out and out statement, and at other times it’s because the movie delivers a unique take on a situation. So, when a topic universally receives clichéd responses if you ask about it — say, what happens to us in the afterlife — making a movie about it that’s worth watching is an incredibly hard thing to do. Yet some films manage to deliver a compelling interpretation of what happens to us after death, while also making us see things in a different way after watching. If you’re a fan of the big questions and want to check out some films that actually try and answer them, then read ahead for our guide to the 10 best movies about the afterlife.
10. All Dogs Go to Heaven
This MGM movie is in that fun genre of animated kid’s films like Watership Down, An American Tail, and Bambi that traumatized a generation. Tears aside, it’s pretty watchable while still being challenging — maybe not what you want for a Sunday with the family, though. The film follows Charlie, a gambling, drunk dog, who is killed and, much to his surprise, sent to heaven. This is because, unsurprisingly, “all dogs go to heaven.” Charlie, however steals a magic watch that allows him to return to life. He is told he will be sent to hell when he next dies, but as long as the watch is running, he will be immortal. At first, Charlie continues his philandering ways, but a chance encounter with a little girl who can speak to animals makes him re-evaluate his behavior.
9. Ghost
A ’90s classic of the most iconic nature (who doesn’t know that pottery scene?), this Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore otherworldly romcom follows Sam (Swayze), a banker who’s killed by a mugger, only to return to earth as a ghost to watch over his bereaved girlfriend, Molly (Moore). However, in hanging around, he soon finds out his death wasn’t quite the tragic accident everyone thought it was. Whoopi Goldberg also stars as an unscrupulous psychic who finds she can speak to Sam. This movie isn’t just great because of nostalgia — the way it blends multiple genres is exquisite.
8. Enter the Void
This fantasy psychological drama is as much of a trip as the name suggests, and for a film so experimental it’s a surprisingly easy watch. And, most importantly, it’s a visual feast. Into the Void follows an American drug dealer named Oscar, who is fatally shot during a deal in a Tokyo nightclub. Instead of leaving his perspective, the film then shows him engaging in an out-of-body experience, including floating above the bustling, bright city, intercut with images from his past. Yes, it’s guilty of a kind of Orientalism, and, yes, it’s definitely a bit of a teenage boy’s fever dream, but it’s still captivating enough to check out.
6. Defending Your Life
A fantasy romcom with an outstanding cast that’s led by Albert Brooks and Meryl Streep, Defending Your Life chronicles the adventures of advertising executive Daniel Miller (Brooks) after he’s killed in a car crash. However, instead of going to heaven or hell, Daniel has to argue to a court that he’s lived a life in which he conquered his fears. If he’s successful, he goes onto a higher stage of living, otherwise he will be reincarnated on Earth so he can have another crack. In the course of the case, he meets and falls in love with Julie (Streep), a woman who seems to have all the courage he lacks. Quirky, inventive, and highly satisfying, this is definitely a film you’ll come back to.
6. The Lovely Bones
With an ensemble cast that most films would die for, The Lovely Bones is a bit divisive, with some viewers thinking it far too gory, dark, and complex, with others arguing it’s daring and brilliant. Based on a novel of the same name by the famously inventive writer Alice Sebold, it follows Susie (Saoirse Ronan), a 14-year old girl (the same age Ronan was when she took the part) who is murdered but stays on Earth to watch over her family as they deal with grief, while also seeking revenge on her killer. Her mother and father are played by Rachel Weisz and Mark Wahlberg, her grandmother by Susan Sarandon, the murderer by Stanley Tucci (a role he received an Oscar nomination for), and Michael Imperioli plays policeman in charge of the investigation. I told you it was a great cast.
5. Beetlejuice
Director Tim Burton showed off what he was all about with only his second feature film, and as a result Beetlejuice is an all-time classic of the fantasy genre, delivering humor and horror while also being an absolute aesthetic pleasure. With an all-star cast that includes Michael Keaton, Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Catherine O’Hara, and a young Winona Ryder, the film follows a recently deceased young couple who are trying to rid their former home of its new inhabitants. Finding their ability to scare lacking, they contact the “bio-exorcist” Betelguese (pronounced like the title of the film) to cause havoc and empty out the home. With a hilarious but almost Kafkaesque view of the afterlife (there’s plenty of paperwork), it’s a bizarre yet intriguing take on what happens once we’re gone, but remains more of a fun watch than a philosophical one.
4. It’s a Wonderful Life
Okay, we admit this one is a bit of a stretch as the main character doesn’t technically die in it, but he does get visions of a world without his existence, and it’s an all-time classic, so it goes on the list. Based on a short story, which in turn is loosely based on the famous Dickens novel A Christmas Carol, It’s a Wonderful Life follows the story of the helpful George, who after a life of looking after others convinces himself that he wants to end it all. However, the intervention of a guardian angel convinces him that the world is a better place with him in it.
3. Orphée (Orpheus)
French cinema has always had a special kind of appeal, and this 1950 classic from the legendary director Jean Cocteau belongs in the pantheon of great films from the land of champagne and baguettes. As the title implies, it’s loosely based on the tale of Orpheus, the man who goes into Hades to rescue his wife Eurydice, only for his lack of trust to mean she ends up in the afterlife forever. The experimental film is set in what was then modern-day Paris and switches out Hades for a Princess, and to this day is considered highly influential for its unique filming style, symbolism, and deep exploration of its themes. Although it’s part of a trilogy, it’s a great standalone watch too.
2. After Life
Beautiful, tender, yet just weird enough to stick in your mind for months afterwards, this Japanese flick is one of the most unique takes on what happens to us after death. In After Life, groups of the recently deceased choose a memory to live in for eternity, aided by a group of workers who are also dead, but refused to choose a memory so end up in limbo helping others. We follow two of these “social workers” as they get to grips with the deaths of others, all while setting up the memories that the deceased will live in forever. Smart and sweet, this is a must-watch for film lovers in general, but especially if you love Japanese cinema.
1. The Sixth Sense
What is there to say about M. Night Shyamalan’s famous film about the boy who can see dead people that hasn’t already been said? Brilliantly paced, incredibly acted, and with a twist that would put most rollercoasters to shame, The Sixth Sense is a truly astounding bit of cinema that has had a huge cultural impact. The story follows Malcolm (Bruce Willis), a child psychologist working with Cole (Haley Joel Osment), a kid who claims he can see dead people. As the plot unfurls, we begin to learn that maybe the child isn’t as delusional as Malcolm first thinks he is.