Ranking 30 of the Most Disturbing Movies Ever Made | Tier List

[00:00:00]It's been two years since I've done a disturbing movie tier list that is just focused on disturbing movies. Okay, I've been around the block. We've done a couple over the last year, especially focused on French film. But today, I thought we'd do a part two of a video I did two years ago talking about non-h horror films that are deemed disturbing and let's just rank them. Let's talk about them. Let's get into the nitty-gritty and let's talk about the films that actually scarred us and how much they scarred us and why. These are the films we're talking about today. I know, right? Crazy. Some of these we haven't spoken about. So, I picked a bunch of your recommendations. I watched some new ones that I've never spoken about before on this channel. And one I really do regret and some classic more mainstream disturbing films. So, I think we can contrast and compare. And just a warning, I'm not spoiling any of these films today. There is one that I'm going to go into particular detail for, but other than that, I'm going to leave it all up to you to explore cuz I want you to enjoy or not enjoy these films as much as I did. We got thrillers and dark themes at the bottom. Dark commentary.

[00:01:01]I'm uncomfortable. I hate that the E is on another line. It's just a long word.

[00:01:07]Shocking, disturbing, and humanity has failed us. I think these are all very self-explanatory, but I really wanted to have a gradient going up so we can really sort out how we feel about these films. And obviously, I want you to let me know in the comments how you feel, but also let me know how many out of this list of 30 films you have seen. and we're going through alphabetically.

[00:01:28]Let's just get straight into it. Alpha Dog. I was 16 when I first saw Alpha Dog and my god did it leave a mark on me.

[00:01:34]The film is based on a real life kidnapping. Actually, a lot of these films today are based on real life cases, but this film is based on the real life kidnapping of a boy called Nicholas Marowitz. Alpha Dog follows a group of privileged and reckless adults who kidnap this 15-year-old boy on impulse. And what begins as a petty dispute quickly snowballs completely out of control in a devastating portrait of peer pressure, toxic masculinity, aka the title, and really cowardly disgusting behavior. Knowing the events really happened does make the film more heartbreaking, but when I saw this, I had no idea that this was real. The film also has an insane, very strange cast actually. has Ben Foster, Eml Hirs, Sharon Stone, Justin Timberlake, and the late Anton Yelchin, as well as Bruce Willis, Olivia Wild, Amanda Ciphid.

[00:02:24]There's so many people in this film.

[00:02:26]It's one of those films that are pumped full of anxiety, and it just quickly spirals out of control, leaving the audience quite helpless. This one really affected me as a kid. If you haven't seen it and you like crime, you should definitely check it out. I would recommend. I'm going to actually put this one in thriller with dark themes though because I do feel like it's quite approachable.

[00:02:46]I guess if we went in tier order of what I'd recommend to people, anyone, I'd probably recommend the first two tiers.

[00:02:52]So, in the green and as we go up from there, those are more films that I would talk about online. So, I'm going to put Alpha Dog in thriller with dark themes where it belongs. Okay, our next film, Bastard Out of Carolina. I actually hadn't seen this film until now. This one had been recommended to me so many times over the years. It's based on a semi-autobiographical book and about a girl who was born without a father into a struggling family in South Carolina and her mother's new partner who targets her for abuse. I actually do think I've seen this sometime in the past because the story is oddly familiar in a really chilling way. It's told over a long period of time and it has Jennifer Jason Lee playing the mother and she's absolutely fantastic. Jenna Malone plays the daughter when she's a little bit older. So, for a large portion of the film, but it's a really fast-paced film given the backdrop, and it has more of a Lifetime kind of approach, which makes a lot of sense because I went in blind.

[00:03:49]Again, not sure if I've seen this one before, but it is a TV movie, so it's very interesting the approach to the abuse and how it's constructed within the film. It leaves a pit in your stomach, though. I can't believe how much violence they do show in a TV movie. It's strange because I don't think it's a really a commentary, but more so someone telling a story about what happened to them in a cathartic nature based on that book. I wouldn't call it a thriller and I don't think it's commentary. I just don't feel like it gets close enough to uncomfortable, but it is it is pretty messed up. It is pretty messed up. But again, I probably wouldn't recommend this as just like a thriller to go to the cinema and see.

[00:04:28]So, I'm going to put it in commentary, even though I guess that covers a lot more than I had anticipated. Maybe about the silence of children, especially the situation and the relationship she has with her mother is really interesting in this film. Okay, after that, guess what?

[00:04:44]I watched Benny's video and I don't know why this took me so long. This might have been one of the most recommended movies to me ever. I'm going to put this in the same category or same vein as We Need to Talk About Kevin. Although that film's utterly frustrating, this one was like a whole new level. The denial of plain evil is really unbearable in this film. The movie is about a wealthy young boy who has a fascination with movies and well, dark cinema. Hello. and his family end up buying him all of this high-end equipment, this elaborate setup in his house, which is pretty specky by 90s standards. And in this, the title says it all. He makes a video or he does an unspeakable act, let's say, and records it on video. And the way it happens is so sudden and I guess it sparks conversation about premeditated happen stance but then also the parents because this is such a senseless crime and the way it's approached with indifference is the true horror. It also cold opens with a very intense scene of a pig being killed which is shown several times throughout the film. But this is purposeful and it does have something to do with the story line.

[00:05:58]It's actually a very important part of the story. The whole film frustrated me, especially the relationship he has with his parent, which is the shocking part of this movie. I'm trying not to give too much away for any of these ones. I don't have to if I recommend it to disturbing movie lovers. And I do recommend checking this one out. It's quite slow, but I felt the end really saved it for me. It makes you feel very helpless as a viewer, but there is something strangely sickly satisfying about how this film ends that makes it more of a commentary. But I'm actually going to put it in shocking because this one is really disturbing. Even though it there's not a lot of disturbing moments in it or I guess screen time, it manages to drag out the dread or again the mundane approach to what happens. It just lingers and it it works. I found this film to be shocking. Next is meant to be Breaking the Waves. I'm just moving this back up cuz it's meant to be in alphabetical order. I'm just realizing. Okay, breaking the waves.

[00:06:53]This is LZ Vontria. As good as he gets.

[00:06:56]No, he is great sometimes. I just have such a lovehate relationship with him.

[00:06:59]And I do have uh at least two of his films on this list cuz there's not a disturbing list without him, unfortunately. Or fortunately. Anyway, at this point, I really do think I just need to do a full-on ranking of all of his films. Not a bad idea. There are some I've been putting off. So, if you would like that, let me know if you'd watch it. But Breaking the Waves follows Bess and it's set in the Scottish Highlands and she's a deeply religious young woman with mental health issues.

[00:07:24]The film is divided into chapters and becomes a heartwrenching tale of desperation and devotion. She has unconditional love for her husband which leads her down a horrible path when he is tragically hurt in an accident. The film explores themes of faith, sacrifice, and as I mentioned, devotion.

[00:07:43]That's really what this film is about.

[00:07:45]It's emotionally exhausting as best believes her suffering is an act of love brought on by God. Emily Watson delivers one of the best performances of her career. It's so startling, chilling. I believe that this film was the inspiration for St. Maud. There are so many similarities in this movie, but also falls into the same category of another film we're going to talk about, which is Nothing Bad Can Happen. In fact, I'm going to make a letter box list right now about these ones. There you go. Check that out. Absolutely daring, heartbreaking. This is one of those films where I cried my eyes out and felt like I couldn't do anything else all day. I'm going to put this in disturbing. Believe it or not, I'm putting this above Benny's. And it is all emotional, but there is just something so devastating about what happens to her throughout the story. I highly recommend it if you're looking for something that will really ruin your day. Boys don't cry is next. This is a biographical drama based on a true story. This really did happen. Uh I looked it up after re-watching it for this video. I didn't realize to the extent of uh the ending that is similar to the true story. It's about a young transgender man who escapes to this small Nebraska town searching for acceptance without anyone knowing his own identity starring Hillary Swank. It begins as a love story about fighting for who you are and also hiding who you are. And it swiftly turns into this devastating story of violence. It's like a story of hope burnt alive. The film does not stray away from showing consequences as well on both sides, concealing their identity and what that does in the climactic reveal. I think because of that, it felt like it could have lost me in some of the elements wondering what it was really trying to say. But there are these moments of glimmer. Like I said, it's like hope burnt alive. There's these moments where you see the character outside their own body and the disconnect of their identity. And I think those parts are really important and they save it and they balance out some of the more brutal elements. But I do think of course if this is a true story they should be handling that headon and they do because it's horrific what happens in this film.

[00:09:52]There's sexual abuse and it is shown in fragments as a memory. But what I find so interesting about this film as well is the jarring contrast between those genuine moments of connection that they find in this small town with all of these characters, including Chloe 7 plays their girlfriend and then the horrific acts. I remember this film as being so brutal throughout, but it's really tender at the start and it just changes so swiftly. It's horrific, but you can just feel something kind of crawling up like everything's going too well. It's not like some of the other dark films where it's just awful the entire time. And maybe sometimes that makes it worse. I don't know. I'm going to put this one in shocking. I think it's above uncomfortable and dark commentary for sure. And I I just find the ending to be really alarming. Really alarming. Another one that I hadn't spoken about at all. Oh my god, I can't believe how many of these are based on true stories which really it does show that the worst crimes of humanity or the worst things that happen to people. It comes from some kind of truth and that's what we really do connect to in disturbing film and Christine is one of those films. I'm sure you all know this image or the story of Christine Chabuk, a television reporter from the 70s in Florida who struggled with depression and professional frustration as well as feelings of isolation. She was the first person to attempt to take her own life live on television. And in this film, we follow Rebecca Hall as Christine as she tries to succeed in this changing landscape while feeling increasingly disconnected from the people around her.

[00:11:26]This film feels like a timeline because it focuses both on Christine as a person, but as well with what's happening to her around her workplace, but it's not like this over dramatic soft movie. At times it feels a little bit disconnected from her and just focuses on what was happening around her. So I do wonder how true this is to the real case. She deals with health complications in this film, her relationship with her mother, relationship with people at work, but then also it becomes this kind of commentary on the sensationalism that is encouraged for her to get a promotion.

[00:11:59]And so this whole film becomes this poetic disaster and tragedy around that.

[00:12:05]and it really ties back into itself. I don't know if that was the real I want to watch the documentary. There's a documentary on this. I don't know if it's how close it is to the real story.

[00:12:15]I guess taking it from just this film, I felt like a lot of it was pieced together to make it into a commentary alone instead of just a story about Christine, if that makes sense. I'm going to put this one in dark commentary to be honest. Although it is a thriller with dark themes, I feel like it's a little less accessible to a wide audience. Okay, because we're in alphabetical order, we've got another Christine. And this is Christine F. It's a German drama based on a real life memoir following a 14-year-old girl who was growing up in West Berlin, and she becomes trapped in the city's H, if you get what I'm saying, or H scene during the late 1970s. I mean, the substance. A lot of people wouldn't describe the film as her following a crush, but I definitely do. I think she follows her love interest down this dark path, which opens up this world of addiction, prostitution, and devastating consequences, focusing on drug dependency. But rather than presenting addiction as a simple moral failing, the film shows how vulnerable young people can be consumed by their environment, pressure, and circumstance. and its longer run time is used to show realistic detailed elements within the addiction. All of that to a David Bowie soundtrack. Actually, he appears in the film. The movie is infamous for its bleak and unflinching depiction, which is incredibly graphic, very detailed about Christine's addiction, withdrawal, and relapse. And all of that, of course, the most shocking part is her young age.

[00:13:46]It's a very wellput together film, though. I cannot believe the things that she does. The actress is phenomenal in this movie. It is so intense though. So intense. And I I don't think I've seen graphic content so I don't want to say full frontal because that's not what I mean, but of substances the way it's shown. Again, I love films that I mean there's certain expectation to a lot of this, but I like that this does not shy away from that. I feel like it's really doing something with its messaging and being so confronting is the whole freaking point. So, I actually really like that about this movie. I would put it in disturbing for sure, for sure. For sure. Nearly humanity has failed us, honestly. But I'm saving that for the really hard ones. Ding ding ding ding ding ding ding. I haven't seen this one in a while because I kind of refuse to watch this film again. There is nothing wrong with the psychological survivor thriller Deliverance. It was nominated for three Academy Awards. But when we talk about mainstream disturbing cinema, which we'll get to more of these, it really is high up on the disturbing list. And it got to me. It really got to me. The film is about a group of friends who aim to take this canoeing trip but become the target of a violent group of locals. And while the banjo scene might be the first thing people think about, the squeal like a pig, I'm so sorry for saying that scene is what I find the most haunting. I think a lot of people find the most haunting, but people just don't talk about it because the banjo is just so catchy. But the scene that I just described, it happens during a sexual assault where one of the locals separate one of the men from the group of his friends. That line about the pig was actually improvised and not at all in the novel that the film was based on.

[00:15:31]But this film was deemed very controversial because of the scene. This is an action survival film with a star-studded cast, but also it was known as being controversial because of those elements and how they presented the locals. A lot of people described this as a backcountry movie. And it is interesting what it did for the subg genre, which has now turned into a a big trope, but it really did start with films like this. Obviously, there are some films that predate this, but after this, we had, you know, The Hills Have Eyes. This is a very accessible film though. Huge stars in this movie and it's wellknown. It's actually pretty crazy because a lot of our revenge films don't really have the gendered swapped all the time. I don't know if you'd call this that. That's a question to you guys, but it's just so alarming. I'm actually going to put this one in uncomfortable. I know that's crazy to put Bast Carolina below this, but there is something about this film. I don't want to rewatch it. It really bothered me. It really bothered me. It's a classic for a reason. And just like that, I'm back to sing LZ Vontria's praises because this, I believe, is my favorite Las Vontria film. And it is one of the most pretentious settings of a film to date. I believe the entire film is set on a sound stage with limited set dressing as we follow Nicole Kidman who plays a woman on the run who has been accepted into a small community. A place to sleep, a place to survive, a place to hide out. But soon she finds this escape has become her new prison. The setting for this film works as endless metaphors. A small town that has no walls. Everyone's privy on what's happening but turning a blind eye. And this is one of those really frustrating movies. Because in this movie, Nicole Kimman's character is abused in horrific scenes physically, mentally, and sexually. And because of the setting, well, there's nowhere to hide. There's no frrills. It's just all emotional intense weight and pressure the entire runtime. I love this film and it's horrifically disturbing. I actually thought I was going to hate this film because it is so strange. The setting, the design, this one really devastated me. I think just the performance of Nicole Kimman is so heartbreaking and what happens to her is so cruel. I don't know where to put this one though. It's definitely above the board. I would not recommend this to a lot of people and that's kind of where I keep going back to like how many people would I recommend this to. I'm going to put it in shocking. I think that's fair. It's really hard to rank these ones. I'm really putting myself to the test. And Hard Candy is a hard watch, but it's actually one of the disturbing films I've probably seen the most most rewatches. I guess I find it sickly satisfying, if that's any hint. The movie is about a teenage girl who is about to meet a full-g grown man who was interested in spending private time with her. I think this film was well ahead of its time and illustrates the dangers of the internet with this man commenting on a minor. The way he says that she is mature for her age. It's just red flags.

[00:18:30]But honestly, not everyone was talking about this when this film came out. And it's details like that that make it so haunting because this cat and mouse kind of thriller becomes this realistic story that could happen. And this is one of the only films so far that hasn't happened. Well, not in this way. Patrick Wilson plays the very sick man with Elliot Paige playing Haley. But I believe the twists in this film help it become more of a thrilling accessible I'm going to use that word accessible journey that has more realistic disturbing elements. I am being vague on purpose with this one because the twists and turns of it and the way it reveals information, the way it holds its cards close to its chest, it's really satisfying for the viewer and that's what makes me feel like it's more of a film with some disturbing elements. But I do think I would put this in dark commentary because I think it's a little bit above what I would suggest to everybody. What I'd recommend to everybody. Not everyone is okay with those themes. And honestly, fair enough.

[00:19:31]Fair enough. It's weird to put that below deliverance, but we'll come back at the end and see if we want to rearrange anything. I reserve the right to compare at the end. I would give anything to see Hard Candy again for the first time, though. Okay. In a Glass Cage. People talk about this film all the time to me. Yes, I've seen it. And yes, I actually rewatched it for this video just to have it fresh in my mind.

[00:19:50]Who doesn't want In a Glass Cage fresh in their mind? It's a very poetic Spanish psychological disturbing movie and it follows Clauss, an ex-Nazi doctor who experimented on children and was also a predator and a killer of them.

[00:20:05]The opening scene is chilling. It just shows it cold straight up what he's doing or an example of it. But then years later, we meet him again and he's actually paralyzed living in a glass cage which is an iron lung. But when a stranger comes into their life claiming to be a nurse, his old atrocities come to life and they really do come for him.

[00:20:26]Like I said, this is a poetic film to a certain extent. I love how this film looks though. The idea of a glass cage almost wrapping around the film with the characters being stuck in these cold tones. It feels like the glass is surrounding them all in different ways, all of their situations. This invisible cage that these characters cannot escape. It's dangerous and daring and it is actually a horrific watch because this film goes to lengths. It shows abuse sexually. It's very intense even with young children in this movie and throughout the runtime, not just at the start. I kept thinking, "Okay, this film isn't as bad as I remember." And as it went on, it really does save all its worst moments till the end. And just when you think it's getting to the edge of where it could go, it pushes through further. The way it ends leaves the viewer conflicted about the outcome, but it's really fast-paced and strong in its conviction. It's a mustwatch for any dark cinema fan. Of course, this one was banned in a lot of countries, including Australia, and honestly, I understand why. Not saying I think anything should be banned, but I totally understand.

[00:21:36]This film is very much pushing the boundaries. I would put this up in disturbing almost inhumity has failed us, but I'm just going to I'm going to put it here for the time being. Another film that was banned in Australia and it has a really funny story behind that. If you look into it about people crashing watch party where the film was shown and the police actually taking out the DVD disc out of the player is Ken Park. And I rewatched this one again because I hadn't seen it in years. And every time I rewatch any film that has anything to do with Larry Clark or Harmony Karine, I am shocked. I'm absolutely shocked and appalled that I watched this when I was younger. The themes in this one are intense. There's murder, family relations, animal abuse. The film is an examination on suburban teens, skater teens. There's a group of skater teens and all of their lives, how they're fractured by their relationship with their parents. And of course, this is Larry Clark, so there's also a huge focus on sex. The film was directed by Larry Clark and Edward Lachlan, although it was written by Harmony Karine. And Larry Clark actually changed parts of the film, including the ending. But this one is well known for its scene with a young kid, a teen kid, you know, one of the skaters, and someone's mom and their intercourse. It's so strange that that is the controversial even the poster in some cases for the film again a takeaway that people always talk about when there are other scenes that are so much worse.

[00:23:07]There is nudity shown throughout its completion all of it long scenes solo long scenes if you get what I'm saying and also some inner family scenes which they don't show too much of this but it's just it's awful. It's absolutely awful. It happens in two different parts of the film, too. It's a very weird coming of age film that shows this power struggle between the children and their parents, how they relate to their parents, how they talk about them behind closed doors, and how they reject their rules, and what really the consequences of them are. It truly does cross every line, but it also stays aggressively mundane or again indifferent to its approach. The topics on even scenes in this film aren't shown in a theatrical manner, but just plain as day, long, uncut, and just awkward. I think the worst thing about this is seeing people so young in the relation scene. Sorry, I'm trying to switch up my words so I don't get binged bopped by YouTube, but I find this one really sick. Actually, yeah, I don't like this film. I feel like I'm growing out of Larry Clark the older I get, but I'm going to put this one in disturbing. It's way worse than I remember. But in saying that, we just got to Mobius, which god, I've tried to erase this film from my head. This is one of the most extreme taboo artouse films I've ever seen. The South Korean film follows a family that completely unravels after the mother has a breakdown, a rage attack because she finds out her partner, the husband, has had an affair. And this leads her to commit an unthinkable act against her own son. I'm going to just tell you what happens in this film. If you want to skip forward 20 seconds, I'll give you a 5 seconds to do that.

[00:24:53]In this film, she cuts off his member, her sons. And guess what? This film is told entirely without any dialogue. The film follows the aftermath as the father and son become entrapped in a cycle of trauma, sexual violence, and self-destruction. It's incredibly uncomfortable. It's meant to be exploration of shame, but I feel like it just uses shocking imagery and has some of the most tabooed scenes I've ever seen. So, saying what I said about Ken Park is really interesting when you throw something like this in. What is really alarming about it though is it is labeled as a comedy on IMDb. But the whole idea of this film is it's meant to examine how pain can shatter a entire family in different ways. Like the roll on effects of that, I don't know, debatable, but it's shock for shock sake for me. I'm actually going to put this one at the top.

[00:25:41]This is so it's bad. It's bad. It's shocking for shock's sake to the extreme. Another film based on an infamous story or infamous person. This one is Monster and this is based on the infamous serial killer Ailene Waros.

[00:25:57]Charlie's Thuron brings her to life. She looks exactly like her in this film, but it definitely tells you one side of the story. I am very familiar with Ailene.

[00:26:05]So, this is an interesting film that you kind of just have to pull out some of the elements. But it's again, it's really hard to paint an entire picture of a very complicated person in any runtime. But it is a fantastically well-made film. It's thrilling, but it's chilling to the bone the way this woman moved through the world, totally aware of the darkest parts of society while being completely unaware of the rest of herself, of her own identity. In a way, it's quite haunting and Christina Richi also is in this film. She gives amazing performance. The movie shows a small segment of alien's life where she as a sex worker is assaulted and turns to killing Jon's to try and make a life for herself and a woman that she meets at a bar. I love how this film illustrates the story between these two women because it is complicated and passionate and it just doesn't bend to any norms. I think it's really interesting. It's a disturbing movie because of all the violence. And she also says that the film in the movie, she says the movie's name is linked to the idea of this amusement ride that she was so scared of called Monster. And she talks about how the smaller things are really what overcome you with fear and how you can be inside one of the most haunting things you've ever done. And it's actually not that scary when you're in them. It's always the small things. And I think that's a really interesting way of seeing how she approaches the world and these disturbing elements and what she's actually done. This film I love. I find it so haunting but also really thoughtprovoking. I'm going to put this one in dark commentary though. I will say the abuse scenes are very haunting but it's so interesting the relationship and how she moves. I just find this very compelling. Next we have Nightcrawler and this follows Jake Gyllenhaal as Lou Bloom and he is a desperate man who stumbles into the world of freelance crime journalism racing through LA filming murders, crashes and disasters to sell to local news stations. very interesting after watching Christina just earlier. And this was inspired by a photographer, but also it's a commentary and I guess ruthless satire on capitalism, ambition, and sensationalism in the media. What makes it so disturbing isn't all of the awful things that this guy sees and records, but it's his lack of empathy towards it. And then also the fact that he is rewarded by it under the guise of a thriller. I feel like this one got away with being a little bit upper marketed to a general audience when it is super [ __ ] up. To be honest, I'm going to put this one I was going to put it in dark themes, but I'm actually going to put it in dark commentary. I can't believe how similar it is to Christine in a certain way.

[00:28:54]When I think about it, the just the themes interlocking, it's really interesting. This is one of them, guys.

[00:28:59]This is I'm I'm not even going to beat around the bush. Let's put it straight up there. This is one of the worst films. Well, it's a very good film, but it's one of the films that have stuck with me for the longest. I've been doing this for a long time, and this film haunts my nightmares. And this is another one based on a true story. It's actually based on an article. The German film follows a young man who is part of an underground Christian punk group called Jesus Freaks. But what begins as a friendship with a strange family, which he tries to help, turns into a very intense situation when he believes that God must have brought him into their lives for a reason. and they begin to mistreat him which turns to violent abuse and sexual abuse. What makes this film so evil is that he believes he's in this situation for a reason and he just keeps putting up with the torment which is why I mentioned this connecting to breaking waves before and St. Mort in a way. It's a really hard watch with incredible performances. It's so realistic and all uncomfortably strangled with the message of vulnerable people being exploited. I gave this film a seven out of 10 when I saw it, but it honestly it's a film I'll never forget.

[00:30:08]It really has scarred me. Oh my god. And next the next one has too. I watched this when I was in film school. Pink Flamingos. John Waters at His Filthiest.

[00:30:18]But that's kind of the point. The cult classic is a story of Divine. I'm sure you know Divine. Ursula was based on her. She's an underground figure in this film who is competing with another couple to hold the title of the filthiest person alive. No joke. They go toe-to-toe prove that through degrading and vulgar acts, including the infamous dog poop scene. It's real as well. John Waters was asked once by a reporter why he let her consume this, and he said it was just a little piece of dog [ __ ] and it made her a star.

[00:30:53]Look, actually, you know what? No notes. I don't know what to say there. I think that the making of this film and all of the information around it is far more interesting than it actually is. And it's another film that is infamous for a certain scene, but it's another scene that actually scarred me. And you're not going to like what I have to say next.

[00:31:12]We aren't doing a disturbing video. So, if any of this is not your kind of cup of tea, I totally understand. That's why I describe them in a way and try and give you a heads up. But you've been warned. Uh, so in this scene, I guess they call it the chicken scene, a character called Cookie is being assaulted sexually and a live chicken is brought into the scene and then ended during the act. It's horrid. The whole film is about exploitation and shock aura. And honestly, the poop is the least of its problems. It's strange because it's all under the guise of dark humor as well. It really is shock for shock's sake. I would put it in shocking if it didn't alarm me so much. I'm actually going to put this one straight in disturbing. So strange for a comedy, but on reflection, I find it so weird what order I've put these in so far. It's really hard to compare and contrast. We'll go through at the end. This next one should be a little bit easier and hopefully we all come to the same conclusion because Seven is known as one of the greatest crime thrillers ever made. Following two detectives hunting a serial killer whose murders are inspired by the seven deadly sins. David Fincher creates a relentless bleak world where every crime scene feels more horrifying than the last.

[00:32:27]Even though a lot of the violence is shown off camera, it's what they find which makes it so insane, intense, and gory, especially for a mainstream audience. And of course, it's known for its iconic end where again, you're not really seeing the element, if you know what I'm talking about, the box. You're not really seeing it, but it's the psychological elements that work really well to paint a picture. While Seven isn't one of my favorite of this kind of film, I do give it its roses because it kept dark films on the surface somewhere in the mainstream. I don't think they all belong there, but I want a little bit of element in this so I can keep my chances high of seeing them in the cinema. This one is definitely a thriller with dark themes. And just coincidentally, because of alphabetical order, Silence of the Lambs is next. And this is actually my favorite of these types of films of a psychological crime classic. This thriller follows a rookie FBI agent who must get inside the mind of a cannibalistic killer to find another killer. There's a lot of intense scenes if we're talking about disturbing elements such as prisoners throwing their fluid, but it's also known as one of the greatest films of all time. and mainstream audiences, they should really take a look at themselves if they'll watch this and not some of the others on this list because I think that they could do it. I really do think they could do it. I do think this is very accessible, though. Of course, the performances by Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster are unmatched. It's just such a good film. I'm going to put it in thriller with dark themes. It's weird how that's more socially acceptable than some of the others, though. You know what? We need to put Nightcrawler down.

[00:34:02]I just don't think next to those ones.

[00:34:05]Come on. Okay, I've changed them already. Look at me. And next, we have Sleepers. In my last video, my part one two years ago, if this person is still watching, look, I did it. I put Sleepers in here. This has an all-star cast, including Kevin Bacon, who was oh my god, I hate him in this film. Obviously, Robert Dairo, Dustin Hoffman, Bruno Kirby, Brad Pitt, the list goes on and on and on. This one I would describe as an epic as well because it's 2 and 1/2 hours long and it's a story that comes full circle with a court case. We follow at the start a group of young boys who are sent to a reform school and they are abused there that actually doesn't really cut what happens because it is sadistic and this is all done by the guards who are there to protect them. I don't know beatings they assault them and there's even a death years later they plan their revenge and this is another one that's based on a book. It is such a fantastic film but it's so haunting especially with the abuse elements. I feel like this is another mainstream film that really has some [ __ ] up elements. It is utterly devastating, but it was a box office hit grossing at 165.5 million with a budget of 44 million. So, disturbing movies keep them in the cinema. It is entirely distressing. I'm going to actually put this in a thriller though. Oh, should I put it low? I think I'm actually going to put this higher this one. It's so weird because I'm trying to struggle between my own thoughts. how I feel as a collective, the messaging, the mainstream response. And it's so weird that deliverance is just bang there by itself with sleepers. How could sleepers be lower than that? Okay, I'm putting sleepers in uncomfortable. Actually, I do feel uncomfortable during it. God, I am having internal struggles, battles.

[00:35:51]Let's keep moving on though. If you have not seen I think it's pronounced Spurloss. Definitely wrong. It's called The Vanishing, but I wanted to give you the original title because there is an English remake of this film, and the original is just so much better and has a different approach and I guess meaning, messaging, and ending. This is one of the most haunting psychological thrillers ever made. I could not recommend it enough. It's a Dutch film that follows a man who is obsessed with discovering what happened to his girlfriend, who we see as the audience when she disappears mysteriously at a roadside service station. And instead of relying on violence or suspense set pieces, the film builds this unbearable dread through its calm, methodical pacing and this chilling case and exploration of what actually happened.

[00:36:38]And honestly, there is just nothing like this film. It's unforgettable. It is a film that really proves that sometimes the answers are far worse than the mystery itself. It's a really well-made film. The structure is just unbeatable.

[00:36:52]The way it unravels will have you on the edge of your seat from play from the first one second. It is such a great film. So utterly devastating. I would put this one in I don't think it's commentary. I do think it's a little bit shocking, but I'm actually just going to put this in I'm uncomfortable. I would not recommend this to a lot of people. I feel like it's it's a lot to have people sit with it. A film I always find really interesting is Straw Dogs because this is another one that can be looped into our revenge films, but it's also one that has an exception to the rule because of the frustrating way it's approached. This is based on a 1969 novel. We have an intriguing setup with a married couple at each other's throats. One is an American man played by Dustin Hoffman and then it's his British wife played by Susan George and they move back to her hometown to renovate a house. But in this small town, she knows everybody and she has history with some of the residents which become increasingly aggressive towards the couple. This is a year before deliverance, but it's the same sentiment with the locals not being friendly to the protagonists and seen as these more like educated people that are coming in as strangers to this town. It's almost like an opposite western. But a lot of these revenge films have that same setup, which is really interesting. But the difference in this film is that Susan is attacked by multiple men and she doesn't even confide in her husband because of the tension between them. They have a very different approach. I a lot of it is culturally with the American husband and British wife and uh the difference in knowing the danger just not listening to each other or communicating. It's really hard to watch and he actually stands up to protect someone else not knowing the truth. It's a shocking film with some awful long assault scenes, but it also has this very strong commentary in the way you take it. I find Hoffman's character very passive and oblivion to the warning signs, but I can see there is issues on both sides in terms of their relationship and their communication. It's just really frustrating to watch. It's such a weird film. The name is referring to the Chinese straw dog or grass dog which are figures made for ceremonial purposes but then discarded after. So I guess it's focusing on the indifference to suffering of just some people. It is a very strange film though, especially the way the assault is handled and left open. I don't know. I think that this one is a thriller with dark themes. It's so interesting also thinking the difference between Deliverance and why I find this one less shocking. I think it's the approach and the tension. And I think that the whole reason I like doing these videos is the discussion of different points. Why do we find things more disturbing than other things? And in this case or in all of these films cases, it is the tension building that really sets you over the edge. Sometimes films can have more difficult subjects for some people and not as difficult for others, but also is the relentless nature of these movies and the way they approach them that makes you feel so disturbed by them. Again, everyone's different. Let's talk about The Hunt.

[00:40:07]Wow, what a film to talk about. Mad Mickelson is the lead in this and he's fantastic in everything he does. And this film is extremely uncomfortable. He plays a primary school teacher who was accused of touching his young students.

[00:40:18]The film gets so close and personal with the pursuit, but it's also controversial because of the story it conveys. And understandably it is a very heated topic also to talk about in a fictional sense because we see the kid telling a story and how that is interpreted over time.

[00:40:36]It's also a very interesting film in being Danish because of the cultural differences and the way they address this and socialize or interact with the children in schools. I'm sure it's very different everywhere. The film is violent but it does not show any harm towards children. The movie is more commentary on gossip and even people interpret the ending for this film differently which I think kind of works as part of it if you think about it.

[00:40:59]It's all the core theme of how we see this situation and our emotions understandably so getting in the way.

[00:41:07]But the film doesn't just focus on the accusations but also the presentation of Mickelson's character Lucas. He is a quiet man who keeps to himself in some way is commenting on those kinds of people in society. The performances in this film are fantastic. The way it's put together is just soul crushing and I am always in awe of children, young children who are so good and natural on camera. I don't know how I guess it's a testament to the directors as well. The way they put them on there, how they make them feel comfortable. It's just very believable. This is actually in the hundreds, the top hundreds for the IMDb top 250 films. So that's pretty high.

[00:41:46]It's a hard watch and it's painful, but it's very direct without having explicit content. So I do like that this one is all psychological for the viewer. I'm going to put this one in dark commentary for sure. That one I think I am very certain of. The next film is The Road and this is a 2009 postapocalyptic survival drama. This is directed by John Hill Coat and it's based on the Cormarmac McCarthy's Pulser Prizewinning novel of the same name. The film follows her father and his young son as they travel through the devastated world where almost all life has disappeared.

[00:42:21]All humans are gone. They're searching for safety while trying to uphold any part of humanity that they have left. It is a story of desperation and what humans will do when there is nothing left. And in this film, survivors have turned to cannibalism, scavenging whatever supplies they can find along the way, including using all humans in every way possible. It's a bleak and haunting exploration of survival and love and mortality as we follow a father and son and what it means for them to live in this situation, but also for him to prepare his son while also wanting to instill some good in him. I can't even imagine the the brain, the way someone can grow up in this society. It's awful.

[00:43:05]This is also another film that has many different interpretations by fans. I'm going to put this one in dark commentary. I feel like it's a little more intense than dark themes, but I wouldn't say it made me feel uncomfortable. But a film that made me feel very uncomfortable is The War Zone.

[00:43:20]And people recommend this film to me weekly. I have spoken about this film before in a video, but I totally understand the recommendation if you haven't seen all my videos. This was Tim Roth's directorial debut, and it's a chilling adaptation of the Alexander Stewart novel of the same name from 1989.

[00:43:39]And the film is about family relations, intimate relations. This one stars Ray Winston and Tilda Swinton as well as Laura Belmont. And the movie moves slowly through a family who are unraveling due to the father and son's fixation with their sister daughter Jesse. I do say both of them. Not that all elements pertain to both of them.

[00:44:02]But it is really important because it becomes this strange fixation they have.

[00:44:08]Although it's the father that is the true danger. But there's something very weird between him and his sister from the start which is explored in a very intense scene during the film. But the film really kicks off when there is a car accident in the family and this changes the relationship between the father and the mother and then the brother catches his dad and sister in a bath together. This becomes this awful story of shame and how it holds Jesse, the daughter, hostage. And I will never forget the bunker scene in this film. I think it's one of those films that have really scarred me. And I think it scarred a lot of other people with how often you guys mention it as well. This one is a really [ __ ] up movie. I would actually put it nearly at the top to be honest. More because of how slow it unravels. It feels so realistic. I can't explain it more so than a lot of films here. The way it silently moves is just awful. I'm going to put it here for the moment. We'll come back. I just feel like I'm blind ranking these, knowing them separately, but never seeing them together. The Wind Blows is a 1986 British adult animated anti-war film.

[00:45:17]And the film follows an elderly couple as they try to survive a nuclear attack clinging to advice, these pamphlets that they've been given. And we watch this through kind of like child book like animations as the characters struggle to live dayto-day while focusing on radioactive fallout. The justosition of the two elements together is very jarring and also their normalization of the attack. It's really confronting but it couldn't be more relevant. While there's no graphic content understandably in this one, most people wouldn't watch this one or seek it out and I understand why. Although it was quite popular at the time, I know a lot of people have recommended this to me because they're from the UK. It's probably one of the most unique films on the list obviously because of the stylization, the animation. I'm going to put this one in shocking actually. No uncomfortable. Another film that made me super uncomfortable, I still don't know really how I feel about this one, is The Woodsman. And this is really interesting to talk about films like The Hunt and then this movie and the way it moves.

[00:46:16]I'm still scratching my head on why it exists. I'm conflicted. The movie stars Kevin Bacon as a convicted child predator who has been released after 12 years in prison and his struggle to start a new life with people, I don't know, like holding him accountable for his past. I feel it has a very strange sympathetic approach towards showing how family members have avoided him and how he wallows in his situation. But also before you can think about if he's changed in this situation, if that's what it's about, it's not. Because in this film, we see him attempt to do the same. He befriends a young girl with the intentions of reoffending. And before you think he stopped himself, I just don't believe that happened in this film. I mean, you can have your own take, but I think that there was outside forces that stopped these elements coming together. It's just really messed up. It's a really messed up movie. This is not graphic, but it's a depressing depiction of the strangers. I hope we never meet, but also so scary because I know that they're out there. I read a couple reviews that made the point that this is a profile film to open up the conversation about justice and more so about what justice is served and what justice stays with us. So he is ostracized after his conviction and release, but it's his badge that he has to wear through the rest of his life that is truly justice served, which I think is really interesting and a very good way of putting it. I didn't see that in it and I wish I did because that makes it feel a lot easier to watch. I haven't seen this anywhere else. This unflinching focus on just one character and this character, this man, he goes into details about what he did. He is not in denial about his crimes. It's such an awful watch. It's so powerful. I keep saying it's unflinching, but it really is. It doesn't stray away from anything, and it's so uncomfortable. I would put this one in shocking. It's still shocking me just thinking about it. Another film that is controversial but very well-liked. It is in the top 250 films on IMDb. This one only at 175, but that's still great. That's amazing.

[00:48:18]This is directed by Danny Bole. It's Train Spotting and it's based on an Irvine Welsh novel. It is a deeply stylistic look at the '90s underground drug and party scene in Edinburgh, and it's labeled as a comedy, but it does not shy away from showing intense substance abuse and the horrifying consequences of all of that. It's a very emotional tale, well known for its baby on the ceiling scene, which has become a shared nightmare for anyone who watched it. I'm sure you dreamed of that once. I have. It's a fantastic and dare I say entertaining film that takes an interesting approach to tragedy, but in a weird way, it's extremely realistic. I think that the emotional way that it approaches the subject, but also theatrical way really sticks with some viewers. And again, this is maybe the difference for a lot of people in what they find disturbing or what they would actually watch as a disturbing movie if it's better to have the bells and whistles on it because it's more digestible for audiences, but also that might make them stick with it for longer because they can empathize with the situation instead of it being a realistic portrayal where people just don't want to watch that on film all the time. I would say that this one is dark commentary. I don't think obviously it's not a thriller, but I do think it crosses a lot of boundaries that uh some thrillers wouldn't touch to be honest.

[00:49:32]Oh my god, here it is. I regret this film so much. I finally watched Trash Humpers. This is Harmony Karine at his worst. And this time, I really do mean that. I hadn't seen it before, but hey, I needed to complete my Karine arc, and I wanted to talk about some things I hadn't talked about before on this channel. Trash Humpus is exactly what it sounds like, by the way. It's exactly what it sounds like. I do believe that Karine's films come with a caution warning or they should that they're exploitation for exploitation sake. Like that's his point. He probably wouldn't agree with that. They're all experimental. So, it's really interesting that the name couldn't be more accurate this time. IMDb describes this one as following the lives of a small group of elderly psychopaths in Nashville, but it just opens up to a group of masked figures humping trash cans. The film is shot as a found footage and we follow these nonsensical scenes that are like a disturbing montage. All these people interacting with other deranged people outside of their inner circle, including a kid who demonstrates with a doll, a toy doll how to it to sex workers visiting and singing Silent Night to the group. It's erratic. It's a dump. It's Karine's worst. I mean, it's a dump. It's It's trash humpers. 1 hour and 17 minutes has never felt so long. But there are disturbing elements for sure, including unexplained bodies and blood pointing to death, but it's just nonsensical. I actually read after watching it that a lot of people believe that this is a commentary on Karine, the director, having a baby around the time of filming this or writing this and his thoughts on fatherhood. I don't know what people are trying to squeeze out of it. As he famously said in an interview, he just likes scenes from movies. He doesn't like a story. Just scenes are the things he remembers. And guess what? He got it.

[00:51:22]This is one of the worst things I've ever seen. Where did I put this? I don't know where to put this. I I'm going to put it uncomfortable. It was really I hated watching this. I really hated watching it, but I'm not going to give it shocking because it's just so dumb.

[00:51:35]It's just so dumb. And we're finally at Tyrannosaur, the 30th film on this list.

[00:51:40]This is a startling British film that follows Joseph, a volatile, self-destructive widowerower living in a struggling northern English town. And the film begins with this really upsetting scene of him and his dog. I just wanted to throw that out there. I found it to be gut-wrenching, but it is important to the story because it shows his violent outburst and loss of control and becomes the catalyst for the movie because he's consumed with guilt and he begins this reluctant relationship or friendship, I guess, with Hannah who is a charity shop owner and her own backstory is put on the line when you realize that she is battling horrific abuse at home. So what begins as these two broken people finding each other in comfort slowly becomes this exploration of devastation and the inability to break out of their own struggles. And if you're a fan of Olivia Coleman, I'm saying you need to watch this movie. It is devastating. It is heartbreaking. But she is so good in this movie. It's about these two complex, damaged characters who are both victims and products of the pain surrounding them. It's bleak, confronting, and emotionally exhausting, but it's a remarkable film. It is so intense, so emotional, and utterly devastating. It is one of the better disturbing films I've ever seen, though.

[00:52:57]It is a masterpiece, I would say, in disturbing cinema. I'm going to put this one in. It's not shocking.

[00:53:03]I might put it in disturbing. It really did ruin my day. Okay, here is where we have everything. I've got to reorder some of these guys. I'm not going by graphic content because that would be a graphic content list, right? So, what am I going by? I'm not going by how much I recommend them. I'm just really going by how disturbing I think these films are.

[00:53:21]And it's so hard to measure that. But it's time to do some moving around. I think that these ones do belong there.

[00:53:27]I'm going to move The Hunt to uncomfortable cuz I do think that it's more uncomfortable than some of these.

[00:53:33]And honestly, it did make me squirm. So, I don't even know why I put it in dark commentary. I think I'm going to move hard candy above that, too. Even though it's a thriller and I feel like the thrilling aspects really balance out the film and make it more of a cat and mouse game, I do think the elements, especially having an adult predator and some of the things that come from that are uncomfortable.

[00:53:54]And when I watch the film, how do I feel? I feel very uncomfortable. So, I'm going to put it there. I think that these are all right. Shocking.

[00:54:02]Definitely Benny's video did shock me.

[00:54:04]Boys don't cry is so devastating. I think it's definitely above uncomfortable. Dogville I probably would even put higher in some respects, but I think shocking is really how I felt. And yeah, I think those ones are good. Let's go up here. Yes. Yes. Maybe glass cage should go up here to be honest. I think it should. I don't know what I'm thinking. Glass Cage should definitely be out there. Christine F maybe up there, but I'm just No, I think that's right. I think that's right. I It's so funny having Divine up here. That's killing me because it really should be next to Trash Humpers. Not saying it's just complete trash, but the same it's got the same tone. And I actually I'm gonna move this one. This one is really disturbing, but I think I'm going to move it to uncomfortable to be honest because I think it's just my emotional attachment to that film that makes it it's just such an impactful film. But so are some of these. Like this is one of the best films I've ever seen. So it's all in good company. This is not in order of the way I like these films, but more so how much they have stuck to me and how far you're willing to go down the rabbit hole, how intense I do think it belongs like this. This probably should be shocking, but some of those elements I just can't get over and I can't remove that from being higher up.

[00:55:19]The standards of film have changed so much the way it's put together and the laws around it. And this film would be totally outlawed if it happened today.

[00:55:26]You guys are probably screaming at me about something, but I can't hear you.

[00:55:30]Scream louder.

[00:55:32]I think I'm keeping it like this. I'm actually I'm not happy with it cuz apples and oranges. But that's why this is a challenge. What a depressing video.

[00:55:41]Thank you so much for spending your time with me. If you made it all the way to the end, we always have a little code just to show that you're a real one and you did make it all the way to the end.

[00:55:49]I'm always trying to look for something on my desk. I do not pre-plan this part.

[00:55:53]Here's some sunscreen. I won't show you the brand. I don't know why I'm not giving any shout outs. This is not sponsored. If you talk about a sunscreen scene or the movie Sunscreen, yell at me that I didn't mention the sunscreen movie, that I'm a coward, that I wouldn't talk about the sunscreen, all that good stuff. You know, I love to hear it. But also, thank you so much for watching all the way through my video.

[00:56:12]It really does help me make these videos. Watching all the way through for any creator is the number one thing you can do to help them for free. So, I really appreciate that. Thank you to all my patronons who also keep my channel going. My Patreon starts at $2 USD a month. And with that, you get a bonus video every single week. More of a chill video, me talking about spoilers for a film. I just recently talked about The Evil Dead spoilers or doing a trailer reaction, something fun like that. I do those kinds of videos over there, just as a bonus thank you to those people.

[00:56:40]Don't forget to like this video if you liked it and leave a comment. It does help as well. And I'll talk to you all very soon. I hope you enjoyed this one, guys. It was a lot. Stay safe and stay spooky. Bye friends.