Some films have a plot full of anguish, fear or sadness, which can cause an almost traumatic experience for the viewer. The intense plot of an audiovisual production can be so great that the audience will hardly want to see it again.
Contrary to what many people think, it is not only horror stories that convey this feeling to the viewer: it is possible to find a distressing script in dramatic films and even based on real events.
We have put together a list of films recognized and acclaimed by audiences, which deal with heavy themes to the point that many viewers only see them once. These titles can be found on major streaming platforms, such as Globoplay, Telecine, Netflix, Max and Prime Video. Watch!
1. Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
One of Studio Ghibli’s most iconic films, it tells one of the studio’s most melancholy and sad stories, set during the final moments of the Second World War. The plot follows siblings Seita and Setsuko Yokokawa, who are left destitute after the village where they lived was bombed.
Throughout the production, the brothers’ dark struggle for survival is depicted, even as they are far from the battles on the front lines of the war.
2. The Snow Society (2023)
The drama film is directed by the Spanish JA Bayona, being another production where survival is the main objective. The work portrays the tragedy of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571, which was carrying players from a rugby team, in 1972.
After a heavy snow, the plane crashes in the Andes and most of the passengers end up dying. With this, the survivors try to stay alive until the time of rescue, and while some moral dilemmas are exposed, such as spiritualism and cannibalism.
3. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008)
The story is set during the Holocaust, in the midst of Nazi Germany, a sensitive subject in itself. The protagonist is Bruno, 8 years old, who moves with his family to an isolated area, shortly after his father enters a concentration camp.
After exploring the place, the boy finds a Jewish boy in a striped uniform named Shmuel on the other side of an electrified fence. The friendship of the two boys grows amidst the dangers and horrors that surround the environment.
4. Midsommar (2019)
The film follows the style of psychological and disturbing horror, becoming a phenomenon of the genre in recent years. The plot revolves around a couple and their friends, who travel to Sweden to attend a local summer festival in a rural village.
However, the journey turns terrifying, as the group witnesses frightening pagan rituals, as well as other equally bizarre events.
5. Schindler’s List (1993)
Directed by Steven Spielberg, the film is another on the list that deals with the horrors of the Holocaust during Nazi Germany. In it, Oskar Schindler is a German businessman who wants to profit from the war by building a fortune with his factory, which has Jewish workers.
After learning about all the atrocities of the Nazis, Schindler tries to save as many Jewish employees as possible, through a list of workers who would like to stay away from the concentration camps. The production won the Oscar in 1994, in the Best Film category.
6. Carandiru (2003)
The Brazilian film tells the story of the Carandiru massacre, which occurred in 1992, following the story of Dr. Dráuzio Varella as he worked to prevent the HIV virus, in the largest penitentiary in Latin America.
Before the disastrous police action that will take place later, the health doctor witnesses the precariousness and various problems of the place, such as violence and overcrowding of the cells, while he gets to know the more supportive and dreamy side of the prisoners.
7. Bicho de Sete Cabeças (2001)
Another Brazilian film on the list, the production deals with the world of drugs and the situation of psychiatric institutions in Brazil. In the story, the relationship between Neto and his parents goes from bad to worse, and after the father finds a marijuana cigarette in his son’s coat, he decides to admit him to a psychiatric hospital.
While in the psychiatric hospital, Neto goes through several abusive situations in a cruel and inhumane system.
8. Requiem for a Dream (2000)
The psychological drama follows the stories of four characters: Sara, Harry, Marion and Tyrone. The common point between the four is the search for better living conditions and, at the same time, they are all immersed in problems related to psychoactive drugs.
As the seasons pass, the characters show signs of chemical dependency, however, they do not give up on their dreams.
9. The Well (2019)
The Spanish production is set in a vertical prison, where food is sent from higher to lower levels. On the lower level the food is scarce and consists only of the leftovers from the upper meal.
From time to time, inmates are randomly selected to change seats, occupying the spaces above or below. As the problem worsens, a rebellion in the system begins to gain strength.
10. Sweet Revenge (2010)
The horror follows the protagonist Jennifer Hills, a young writer who rents a cabin in the woods of a small town, looking for inspiration for her new book. Jennifer’s presence attracts the attention of some men who go there, sexually and psychologically abusing the woman.
The young writer manages to escape and survive the tragedy, and decides to begin her goal of searching for her attackers and carrying out her revenge.
11. Life is Beautiful (1997)
The film is the last on the list set during World War II and shows the terrors of the Holocaust. The plot tells the story of the Jew Guido, who is taken to a Nazi concentration camp together with his son Giosué.
With this, Guido tries to use his imagination to convince his son that incarceration is just a game and, thus, tries to protect him from the horrors that surround them.
12. Nymphomaniac – Vol I (2013)
The production directed by Danish Lars von Trier is considered one of the most emblematic of recent years, after Joe, a self-diagnosed nymphomaniac, was beaten and dumped in an alley behind the apartment of Seligman, a middle-aged man.
He took her to his house until she recovered, and after a while, Joe woke up and began bringing chaptered stories from her life, explaining why the young girl thought she was a nymphomaniac.
The next 12 Heavy Films for Those with the Stomach and Strong Emotions appeared first on Olhar Digital.
Source: Olhar Digital
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
