The Films About Psychic Powers subgenre includes Films About ESP, Films About Telekinesis, Films About Telepathy, Films About Precognition and Premonitions, Films About Pyrokinesis, Films About Dream Telepathy and Films About Clairvoyants. The majority of Films in the Psychic Powers subgenre often reside within the Sci-Fi, Horror and Drama genres. For films that deal with spirit possessions and the supernatural, those can be found in our list of Films About the Paranormal, Hauntings & Ghosts and Films About Exorcism & Possession.
Update 9/13/23: We recently created a list of every Psychic Powers Film listed by Psychic Power Ability. This list includes all the Films About Telekinesis, Telepathy, Pyrokinesis and more. We will also be releasing lists of the best films by each psychic ability in addition to an article of the best comedies about psychic powers over the next few weeks and months.
The 1970’s ushered in the era of Psychic Powers as a popular subgenre as films during that decade reflected the paranoia of the 1970’s. Many films during this decade focused on the more sinister effects of psychic powers such as Telekinesis and Precognition or Clairvoyance. Carrie (1976) is known as both a classic Psychic Powers film of this decade (and of the subgenre) but there were also many notable films during this period including The Reincarnation of Peter Proud (1975), The Spell (1977), The Fury (1978), The Medusa Touch (1978) and Patrick (1980).
The 1980’s began the Golden Age of Films About Psychic Powers as more psychic abilities appeared in films. Telepathy (the ability to receive or send thoughts with the mind) was a popular psychic ability in a classic film of the subgenre, The Shining (1980). Pyrokinesis (the ability to control fire or heat using your mind) was utilized in the film Firestarter (1984). Precognition or Clairvoyance (the ability to see events in the future) appeared in The Clairvoyant (1982) and The Dead Zone (1983). Telekinesis (the ability to influence or move objects with the mind) was the major narrative of Scanners (1981). And Telepathy with Dream Projection is utilized by the psychic Alex Gardner in the film Dreamscape (1984). Other notable films of this decade included Resurrection (1980), Poltergeist (1982), Making Contact (1985) and Black Rainbow (1989).
The 1990’s saw the same quantity of Psychic Powers films, but the quality had decreased significantly. The classic film of this decade, The Sixth Sense (1999), was a box office hit with a narrative based on a child who could see and talk to dead people. Other notable films of this decade included Sleepwalkers (1992), The Dark Half (1993), Hideaway (1995), In Dreams (1999) and Stir of Echoes (1999).
The 2000’s continued to see a decrease in films about Psychic Abilities with only a few notable films of the subgenre including The Gift (2000), Premonition (2004) and Knowing (2009). It wasn’t until the 2010’s that Psychic Powers films regained their popularity with Haunters (2010), Beyond the Black Rainbow (2010), Odd Thomas (2013), Thelma (2017), Brightburn (2019), The Nightshifter (2019), Eli (2019) and Doctor Sleep (2019). The 2010’s also saw two popular films of the subgenre get remakes with Patrick (2013) and Carrie (2013). Unfortunately, both remakes remained inferior to the original films they were based on.
Our list of Films About Psychic Powers includes over 75+ films from 1968 – 2021 and covers psychic abilities including ESP, Telekinesis, Telepathy, Precognition, Clairvoyance, and Pyrokinesis. For our list of The Top Films About Psychic Powers You Haven’t Seen, we chose films based within the Horror and Sci-Fi genres as recommended films to check out. You won’t see Star Wars (the force is technically a psychic ability) or Comedies in this list as the following films all featured a darker side to psychic abilities. The honorable mentions that did not make our list include The Power (1968), The Psychic (1977), The Spell (1977), The Medusa Touch (1978), Hideaway (1995) and Brightburn (2019).
We have embedded a compilation video of our Top Psychic Powers Films You Haven’t Seen and more details on these films can be found in the list below. Note: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
#10
The Clairvoyant
Plot: An artist can see and draw a killer’s crimes before they’re committed.
Psychic Ability: Precognition or Clairvoyance
KBZ’s Take: Also known as The Killing Hour, this film plays more like a Giallo film with mystery and investigation featured more than slasher type kills. However, it’s a surprisingly good mystery film as the clairvoyant artist is romantically pursued by two men (a cop and a talk show host) who could be the killer. While it’s not a great film, it’s suspenseful enough to make it a recommended film of the subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3UqudYn
Plot: College professor starts experiencing flashbacks of an earlier life.
Psychic Ability: Retrocognition
KBZ’s Take: This is one weird film and has all the hallmarks of the 1970’s era. The film is a bit of a puzzle as Peter Proud (Michael Sarrazin) starts to experience his ‘previous life’ and how the mystery unfolds to a rather surprising, and shocking, ending. Though the film is very dated, it’s still a film that holds up due to acting performances by Sarrazin, Jennifer O’Neill and Margot Kidder and the slowly revealed mystery with a ‘WTF!’ ending. Recommended for fans of the subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3XHkFuK
#8
Patrick
Plot: Comatose hospital patient kills people through his power of telekinesis.
Psychic Ability: Telekinesis
KBZ’s Take: This Australian Psychic Powers/Slasher film is a bit of a cult classic. While it was remade as Patrick (2013), the original is the version to see. Though it has a low budget, it has a surprisingly creepy atmosphere and emulates the suspense of some of Hitchcock’s best films. It’s by no means a great film, but it’s one of the better films of the Psychic Powers subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3H3chQw
Plot: Nightshift manager of a morgue can communicate with dead people.
Psychic Ability: Medium
KBZ’s Take: Be warned, this film has both some very creepy sequences and disturbing scenes in a morgue. The film suffers from pacing and is confusing at times, but that all takes a backseat to the film’s atmosphere and suspenseful third act. We don’t want to say too much about the plot to ruin the movie for you, but definitely check out this surprisingly good Brazilian film.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3EXXbZE
#6
Resurrection
Plot: Woman survives a car crash and discovers she can now heal people.
Psychic Ability: Healing Energy
KBZ’s Take: This is a forgotten film of the 1980’s and it’s one of the best you probably haven’t seen. While the film does focus on the newfound ability to heal by Edna (Ellen Burstyn), the film delves much more into the power of healing (emotionally and physically) and the friction between science and religious belief. This is a slow film set in a rural setting, but it’s worth your time and features one of the best endings to any film.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3iu7ihw
#5
Premonition
Plot: Father starts to see news clippings that predict the future.
Psychic Ability: Precognition or Clairvoyance
KBZ’s Take: This Japanese film will engage you from its intense opening sequence. While it’s labeled a Horror film (and is also on our Films About J-Horror list), it plays out as more of a thriller and mystery film with “Butterfly Effect” type elements. If you enjoyed the Final Destination films, you will also likely enjoy this. Recommended film of the subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3HbErZo
#4
The Fury
Plot: Father tries to save his son from a government agency that has kidnapped his son for his powerful psychic abilities.
Psychic Ability: Telekinesis, Telepathy and Psychometry
KBZ’s Take: A popular film of the late 1970’s, it has slowly faded into obscurity due to time. However, this is one of the best films of the psychic powers subgenre and features multiple psychic abilities in the film. The film also highlights these abilities in some thrilling sequences such as The Old Chicago amusement park. It’s one of Brian DePalma’s better films and should be sought out by younger fans of the Psychic Powers subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3AZWCgM
#3
Eli
Plot: A boy with a rare autoimmune disease starts to experience special abilities.
Psychic Ability: Telekinesis, Pyrokinesis
KBZ’s Take: We struggled putting this film on the list as it technically falls under the Films About The Paranormal, Hauntings & Ghosts. However, we decided it should be on this list for a few reasons. First, it’s a great film and regardless of subgenre, shouldn’t be missed. Second, it does feature multiple psychic abilities used throughout the film. Third, it has one of the best last 15 minutes of any film as everything is revealed.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://www.netflix.com/title/80206910
#2
Dreamscape
Plot: A psychic joins a government project to enter and control peoples’ dreams.
Psychic Ability: Dream telepathy
KBZ’s Take: This is another classic film of the 1980’s that has been forgotten over time. While most people over the age of 35 have seen this film (and still have an emotionally scarred childhood as a result), it’s a much tamer film in this day and age. But that doesn’t take away from the film’s great concept, execution and genuinely terrifying dream sequences. If you somehow have still not seen this film, it’s a much watch of the subgenre (and for other subgenres as well).
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3VorAYj
Plot: A doctor holds a girl with psychic powers captive in his institute.
Psychic Ability: Telepathy
KBZ’s Take: Opinions are divided on this film as most people love it or hate it. If you’ve seen Mandy (2018) by Panos Cosmatos, then you’ll likely know what you’re getting in this film – atmosphere, psychedelia and disturbing scenes. In our opinion, it’s a great film that you’ll want to rewatch to understand the depth of what’s going on with the Arboria Facility, how the Sentionauts function, what is hallucination vs. reality, etc. After you have watched the film, there’s some great discussions and theories about the film that you can check out here and here.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3UpDShy
