Here at Ready-Made, we just launched our new collection, Parallel Universe, where we've created an alternate reality for everyday jewelry basics. In combination with our new launch and quarantine orders, we thought it was time for a cinematic escape that transcended reality into these different universes. From darker existential themes, to romance, and animation we’ve gathered our top movies featuring parallel universes for when you’re in the multiverse mood.
- Another Earth
Another Earth conceptualizes science fiction, placing it as the backdrop of a personal story about drama and romance. The movie centers on a young woman attempting to redeem herself from a tragic accident she caused. Her victim, a music professor who reached the peak of his career before the tragedy, struggles with loss and grief. During a time where society has progressed to the discovery of a parallel planet Earth, the two become entangled through their past. We enjoyed Another Earth because it brought out philosophical questions about the dangers of discovering a parallel universe while also examining themes on the human condition such as forgiveness and second chances.
- Woodshock
Woodshock is the film debut of fashion sister founders, Kate and Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte. This feature film took us on an illusive inner journey through the redwoods, using drugs as a catalyst. The main character played by Kirsten Dunst works at a Cannabis dispensary in North Carolina, where in the opening scene she uses a laced joint to help her terminally ill mother commit suicide. The story centers drugs (hence the parallel universe) but is mostly about grief and the inner turmoil it may bring. The film’s experimental style presents these personal struggles through hallucinations and intensified images of her stumbling through beautiful but creepy landscapes. We enjoyed the film for the melancholic stream of consciousness rather than where the story ends up—we also loved seeing fashion creators utilize a different medium to express their artwork.
- Comet
Comet offers a surreal romance film that parallels 500 Days of Summer and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. The love story between the two main characters is shown to us in five different universes, consistently jumping from altered frames throughout the movie. The film allows us to differentiate these realities from the character’s hairstyles and sometimes galaxy clustered backdrops, but the nonlinear narrative forces us to question what is present, past, or even fantasy. We love the witty dialogue and the dream-like imagery that features glitches and space visuals, driving this unclear story about love and destiny.
- Coraline
Forced to move to a new town, eleven-year-old Coraline wanders around her old and mysterious house to discover a hidden entrance to an “other world” where all her fantasies and dreams come true. Through songs, mystery, and symbolism, this dark animated film invites us to think about what “home” actually means while presenting us an eerie alternate universe. This visually stimulating stop motion also brings out a juxtaposition of strange otherness and playfulness that we love.
- Donnie Darko
No film list is complete without a cult classic. Donnie Darko is a psychological thriller about a disturbed teenager (played by Jake Gyllenhaal) who suddenly keeps seeing a demonic bunny. The mind-bending story takes place in an exaggerated portrayal of white suburbia for a truly trippy coming of age story. The film’s philosophies for time travel show us both a Primary Universe and a Tangent Universe but we’re not so sure if they're alternate universes or the deteriorating psyche of the teen. This difficult-to-follow movie is easy to get lost in if you enjoy ominous films that cover existential themes of religion, death, or sanity.
Images courtesy of scifinow.co.uk (Another Earth), filmdaily.co (Woodshock), NYT (Comet), Focus Features (Coraline), Newmarket Releasing/Everett Collection (Donnie Darko).
