THEME EXPLORATION

ambition and obsession

37 films · 3 directors

Tracing the thread…

FILMS THAT EXPLORE THIS
Mulholland Drive
Mulholland Drive
2001 · David Lynch
Schrei aus Stein (Scream of Stone)
Schrei aus Stein (Scream of Stone)
1991 · Werner Herzog
The Criminal Life of Archibaldo Cruz
The Criminal Life of Archibaldo Cruz
1955 · Luis Buñuel
Brothers
Brothers
2018 · Jacques Audiard
The Traveler
The Traveler
1974 · Abbas Kiarostami
Match Point
Match Point
2005 · Woody Allen
The Last Trick
The Last Trick
1964 · Jan Švankmajer
The Last Tycoon
The Last Tycoon
1976 · Elia Kazan
The Testament of Dr. Mabuse
The Testament of Dr. Mabuse
1933 · Fritz Lang
Audition
Audition
1999 · Takashi Miike
Great Expectations
Great Expectations
1946 · David Lean
Dillinger Is Dead
Dillinger Is Dead
1969 · Marco Ferreri
Memento
Memento
2000 · Christopher Nolan
Senso
Senso
1954 · Luchino Visconti
The Killer
The Killer
2023 · David Fincher
Chungking Express
Chungking Express
1994 · Wong Kar-wai
Burning
Burning
2018 · Lee Chang-dong
Cold War
Cold War
2018 · Paweł Pawlikowski
Frankenstein
Frankenstein
2025 · Guillermo del Toro
The Secret in Their Eyes
The Secret in Their Eyes
2009 · Juan José Campanella
Touki Bouki
Touki Bouki
1973 · Djibril Diop Mambéty
Wadjda
Wadjda
2012 · Haifaa al-Mansour
Hard, Fast and Beautiful
Hard, Fast and Beautiful
1951 · Ida Lupino
The Cremator
The Cremator
1969 · Juraj Herz
The Young Girls of Rochefort
The Young Girls of Rochefort
1967 · Jacques Demy
Tony Manero
Tony Manero
2008 · Pablo Larraín
7 Boxes
7 Boxes
2012 · Juan Carlos Maneglia
A Dangerous Method
A Dangerous Method
2011 · David Cronenberg
La piel que habito (The Skin I Live In
La piel que habito (The Skin I Live In
2011 · Pedro Almodóvar
Rolling
Rolling
2015 · Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Dil Se..
Dil Se..
1998 · Mani Ratnam
Henry V
Henry V
1989 · —
Murder, My Sweet
Murder, My Sweet
1944 · Edward Dmytryk
Perfect Blue
Perfect Blue
1997 · Satoshi Kon
Reprise
Reprise
2006 · Joachim Trier
State of Fear
State of Fear
1990 · Janusz Kijowski
Winchester '73
Winchester '73
1950 · Anthony Mann
DIRECTORS WHO EXPLORE THIS
Damien Chazelle USA

Explores the psychological cost of artistic ambition through visceral, character-driven narratives.

 Darren Aronofsky United States

His films like The Wrestler, Black Swan, and The Fountain obsessively explore characters consumed by their ambitions and the psychological unraveling that follows.

 David Fincher United States

Through films like The Social Network and Zodiac, he examines the relentless drive of ambitious protagonists whose obsessions blur the line between genius and self-destruction.