Movies Too Disturbing To Finish

Updated October 1, 2024

Have you heard all of these Movies Too Disturbing To Finish? We bet you'll find some new picks. Here are 25 of the top ones.

Oldboy (2003)

★★★★

3.4 out of 4 stars

From Park Chan-wook, starring Choi Min-sik, Yoo Ji-tae, Kang Hye-jeong, Kim Byeong-Ok
Rated R

Oldboy is a modern classic Korean revenge thriller directed by Park Chan-wook. The story follows Oh Dae-su, an ordinary man who is inexplicably imprisoned in a strange hotel-like prison for 15 years. Upon his release, he is determined to find out who held him captive and why. He soon discovers the shocking truth behind his captivity and embarks on a violent quest for revenge. Along the way, he uncovers a dark and twisted conspiracy involving the people closest to him. As his investigation deepens, Oh Dae-su must confront his own demons in order to find closure and bring justice to those who have wronged him.

Requiem for a Dream (2000)

★★★★

3.3 out of 4 stars

From Darren Aronofsky, starring Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly, Marlon Wayans
Rated R

Requiem for a Dream is a 2000 American psychological drama film directed by Darren Aronofsky and starring Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly, and Marlon Wayans. Set in Brooklyn, New York, the film follows the downward spiral of four characters as they struggle to cope with their dreams of success. Burstyn is cast as Sara Goldfarb, an elderly widow whose life revolves around her television and dreams of being a contestant on a game show. Leto is cast as her son Harry, who along with his girlfriend Marion (Connelly) and friend Tyrone (Wayans), becomes involved in a dangerous drug-dealing scheme and gradually descends into addiction. The powerful and haunting film explores the ravages of drug addiction, the decline of the American Dream, and the destruction of relationships.

A Clockwork Orange (1971)

★★★★

3.3 out of 4 stars

From Stanley Kubrick, starring Malcolm McDowell, Patrick Magee, Michael Bates, Warren Clarke
Rated R

A Clockwork Orange is a dystopian crime film directed by Stanley Kubrick, based on the 1962 novel of the same name by Anthony Burgess. The film stars Malcolm McDowell as Alex, a charismatic and psychopathic delinquent whose pleasures are classical music, rape, and what is termed "ultra-violence". He leads a small gang on a night of rampant vandalism and violence, and is eventually arrested and sentenced to 14 years in prison. While in prison, Alex volunteers for an experimental aversion therapy developed by the government in an effort to solve society's crime problem, but not all is as it seems The therapy renders Alex unable to participate in violence of any kind, and he is released from prison and sent back into society with no ability to defend himself. He soon realizes that the government's cure is worse than the disease, and that he must find a way to struggle against the system. The film is a darkly comic exploration of violence and free will, and raises powerful questions about the role of government and individuals in society.

The Exorcist (1973)

★★★★

3.2 out of 4 stars

From William Friedkin, starring Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Linda Blair, Lee J. Cobb
Rated R

The Exorcist is a horror classic directed by William Friedkin in 1973. The film follows the story of a young girl, Regan, who is possessed by a demonic spirit. Regan’s mother, desperate to save her daughter, turns to Father Damien Karras to perform an exorcism. With the help of a seasoned veteran exorcist, Father Lankester Merrin, Father Karras must fight for Regan’s soul. The film follows the priests in their attempt to rid the girl of the demonic force, as they battle against time and a terrifyingly powerful enemy. The Exorcist is a gripping horror story that has become a classic within the genre.

I Saw the Devil (2010)

★★★★

3.1 out of 4 stars

From Jee-woon Kim, starring Lee Byung-hun, Choi Min-sik, Jeon Gook-hwan, Ho-jin Chun
Rated Not Rated

I Saw the Devil is a 2010 South Korean psychological thriller directed by Jee-woon Kim. The film follows an NIS agent, Kim Soo-hyeon (Byung-hun Lee), as he embarks on a relentless quest for revenge after his fiancée is brutally murdered and dismembered by a psychopathic serial killer, Kyung-chul (Min-sik Choi). Kim uses a variety of methods to track and torment his prey, blurring the line between hunter and hunted. As the cat and mouse game escalates, the violence and brutality become more intense, drawing the audience into a gripping tale of revenge and retribution. The film serves as a stark reminder that revenge can be a double-edged sword and ultimately, no one can escape the consequences of their actions.

Happiness (1998)

★★★★

3.1 out of 4 stars

From Todd Solondz, starring Jane Adams, Jon Lovitz, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Dylan Baker
Rated NC-17

Happiness is a dark comedy-drama film written and directed by Todd Solondz, which follows the lives of three sisters and their extended family. The story is narrated through the eyes of their younger brother, Timmy. He is the only member of the family who has not yet grown up and is still relatively innocent to the trials and tribulations of life. The eldest sister, Helen, is a successful author who is struggling to cope with her abusive husband, Allen. Her younger sister, Trish, is trying to juggle her career as a real estate agent with the demands of her three children. The youngest sister, Joy, is a depressed young woman who has been unable to maintain a stable relationship. Throughout the course of the film, the characters face a range of complex issues including depression, suicide, abuse, and family dysfunction. While at times bleak, the film also looks at the moments of joy and happiness that can be found in even the darkest of situations. The film won numerous awards, including the Grand Jury Prize at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival.

Mysterious Skin (2004)

★★★★

3 out of 4 stars

From Gregg Araki, starring Brady Corbet, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Elisabeth Shue, Chase Ellison
Rated Unrated

Mysterious Skin is a 2004 coming-of-age drama film written and directed by Gregg Araki. It is based on Scott Heim's 1995 novel of the same name. The film stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Brady Corbet as two teenage boys who are affected in different ways by a shared childhood sexual trauma. Eight-year-old Neil McCormick (Corbet) and his best friend Brian Lackey (Gordon-Levitt) are sexually abused by their Little League coach. Years later, Neil has become a promiscuous male prostitute and Brian a reclusive and obsessive compulsive. When the two finally meet again, they must confront their past traumas and find a way to move forward.

The Skin I Live In (2011)

★★★★

3 out of 4 stars

From Pedro Almodóvar, starring Antonio Banderas, Elena Anaya, Jan Cornet, Marisa Paredes
Rated R

The Skin I Live In is a Spanish thriller film directed by Pedro Almodóvar and starring Antonio Banderas. The film tells the story of a brilliant plastic surgeon, Dr. Robert Ledgard, who has devoted himself to creating a new type of synthetic skin that is resistant to any kind of damage. But Dr. Ledgard has also kept a secret—he has been using his latest invention to treat a mysterious patient known only as "Vera," a woman he has kept locked in his mansion for years. As Dr. Ledgard's sinister motives come to light, Vera is forced to confront her own dark secrets and a terrifying realization about her own identity. The Skin I Live In is a gripping tale of revenge, obsession, and shocking revelations.

Funny Games (1997)

★★★★

3 out of 4 stars

From Michael Haneke, starring Susanne Lothar, Ulrich Mühe, Arno Frisch, Frank Giering
Rated Not Rated

Funny Games is a 1997 Austrian psychological thriller written and directed by Michael Haneke. The film follows a family— George (Ulrich Mühe), Anna (Susanne Lothar), and their son Georgie (Stefan Clapczynski) — on holiday in their vacation home by a lake. When two seemingly polite young men, Peter (Frank Giering) and Paul (Arno Frisch), arrive at their home uninvited, the family's holiday quickly turns into a nightmare. The men begin a sadistic game of mind games with the family, torturing and psychologically manipulating them to fulfill their own twisted desires. As the night progresses, the family's will is tested as the men become increasingly violent, forcing the family to fight for their lives.