The 'I Saw High Life In The Theater' meme stems from the 2018 science fiction horror film directed by Claire Denis, starring Robert Pattinson. Known for its bleak, surreal, and often disturbing atmosphere, the movie became a badge of honor among cinephiles who experienced its intense visuals on the big screen. The phrase evolved into a shorthand for surviving a challenging or 'high-art' piece of media that leaves the viewer feeling mentally altered or slightly pretentious. It is frequently used on social media platforms like Twitter and Letterboxd to mock the self-seriousness of film fans or to describe any situation that feels similarly isolating and profound.