Serendipity to The Matrix - five must-watch films guided by Fate

It is difficult for some and easy for others to live life believing they have no control, or little over it. While some are contenders for free will, others believe everyone is on their chosen path, and there is no one simple answer. However, these five films offer a unique perspective on fate, free will, and their respective impacts on human lives.

Serendipity (2001)

This romantic comedy is based on the concept of fate and how our lives are interlinked if our paths are truly meant to cross. Starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale, the film follows the story of two individuals, Jonathan and Sara, who meet during Christmas shopping and form a connection, despite dating other people. Leaving their future prospects up to fate, they part without any form of communication between them. The rest of the film focuses on the delicious possibility of them coming together again.

It is available for rent on Prime Video and Apple TV.

Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)

This absurdist action dramedy is directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, and is the most-awarded film of all time, with 266 awards out of 405 nominations, which include seven Oscars out of eleven nommies. Starring Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, and Stephanie Hsu in the leading roles, the film focuses on the multiversal adventure of a Chinese American immigrant family, especially its head Evelyn, as she plays a central role in preventing the destruction of all Creation and universes. The irony? Evelyn might have a chance at stopping the arch-nemesis Jobu Tupaki, only because she is the most ‘loser’ version of all Evelyns and holds endless possibilities.

It is available to watch on Sony Liv.

Final Destination (2000)

This supernatural horror features Death as the ultimate antagonist, who wields Fate with a sharp scythe and zero laxity. Thus, when a young teen Alex has a premonition that the plane he is boarding will crash, he creates a ruckus which results in his removal, along with a few other participants and supervisors. Everything occurs as envisioned by Alex, the plane crashes and everybody on it dies a gruesome death. Alex’s strange prophetic powers incur the attention of the FBI, while he and his band of survivors race against time to survive Death’s ruthless strikes.

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It is available for rent on Prime Video.

The Butterfly Effect (2004)

This scifi thriller stars Ashton Kutcher in the iconic role of Evan Treborn, a college student who discovers that he has the penchant for time travelling, which explains his childhood blackouts and memory losses, other than the obvious trauma and abuse inflicted upon him and his friends. But each time he travels back in time to correct a mistake, it ends up having an even worse outcome in his future. How does Evan correct the temporal mistakes he makes, or does he?

The film is available for rent on Prime Video.

The Matrix (1999)

This scifi action thriller focuses on a dystopian reality in which robots have imprisoned the consciousness of humans in a simulated reality while using their bodies as biofuel. It focuses on the significance of a Greek myth-like program that will foretell the identity of the One, an individual who can bend the rules of the matrix according to his will and perhaps, resolve the conflict between the humans and robots, or at least deliver the former from the tyranny of the latter. And that is where the character of Neo, essayed by Keanu Reeves, comes into play.

The film is available for rent on Prime Video and Apple TV, while it can also be watched on Jio Cinema with an additional subscription.