33 Movies People Consider To Be "As Disturbing As They Are Beautiful"

"This movie really scared me as a kid, but it's not even really supposed to be scary? It's just eerie."

—u/Aninvisiblemaniac

"The special notice to the use of the color red is especially beautiful."

—u/a_bachelors_dust

"This movie wrecked me as a kid (I was about the same age as the protagonist). I went back and watched it as a father, and it wrecked me again. That ending is an absolute gut shot."

—u/Spodson

"The original. Something about it was so eerie and creepy, yet peaceful."

—u/happy_happosai2

"Beautiful artwork. Graphic imagery. My childhood was never the same."

—u/ACalcifiedHeart

"It stars Björk and is absolutely as gorgeous as it is devastating. My eyes might as well be faucets when I watch that one."

—u/neversinkatsea

"A brilliant film that is also outrageously funny and multi-leveled. But the whole tone is underscored with dire disaster all the way through to the bizarre — and nightmarish — ending."

—u/nickstuart

"I watched My Neighbor Totoro as a toddler and, apparently, loved it. My parents knew it was by Miyazaki, so they thought Grave of Fireflies would also be a good watch. I was traumatized."

—u/FFXIVHVWHL

"Incredibly violent, but intriguingly wholesome in a way that captures everyday humanity at its best and worst."

—u/Mindmender

"This movie is stunningly beautiful visually. The story is very hard and sad, but very well done."

—wubbalubbadubx2

"And not just the first 10 minutes. The whole movie is filmed and framed beautifully, particularly the death scenes."

—u/Maxwyfe

"Incredibly bleak, depressing, and morbid, but so beautifully made and resembles the book so well. Easily one of my favorite movies. The way it captured the desperation and horrible things humans can do to one another, but also highlighted our innate instinct to push forward and survive (for better or worse). I love that movie. Definitely not a casual watch, though."

—u/justalittlesadIguess

"The most underrated film. Every time you rewatch it, you find something new. The world building is outrageously good and the metaphors are incredible."

—u/Schmargen

"It would win the award for most depressing film of all time if Grave of the Fireflies didn't exist."

—u/i_love_anachronisms

"This was my first thought. Amazing imagery, so artfully done. So disturbing."

—u/VictoryaChase

"My god, that movie is incredible, but holy shit, did it fuck me up."

—u/zacjacobson

"My wife and I watched it to make sure it was okay for our daughter, but I remember thinking, 'Yo, what the fuck?' multiple times."

—u/conspiracyeinstein

"It was the first movie I thought of. Beautiful, but so damn disturbing the whole way through."

—u/arcticpoppy

"It had a good mix of stunning visuals and horror elements."

—u/calvinyl

"No matter how many times I've seen it, I still get needlessly stressed the fuck out. I know what happens, but the whole movie is done so well, it really makes you feel the anxiety of everything."

—u/Kelsusaurus

"A film that creeped me out more after I'd finished watching it than when it was on. Great film."

—u/count_crow

"For sure. One of my favorite movies. It's beautiful and complex, but definitely disturbing at some points."

—u/Lyryann

"They did an amazing job of capturing the look of the future. Every stylistic choice from clothing to architecture was from some period in the past. Blended together, it created a feeling of being out of time while still connected to the present."

—u/starmartyr

"Though it has extreme violence, the film itself is very well made and has a deep layer. The ending is something that will have the viewer asking questions, and those questions will stay in the back of your mind for a while."

—u/Brownman31316

"The thing about it being fucked up is that it’s such a slow burn in that aspect. The whole time you’re like, 'Damn this guy's kind of a dick. Damn this lady is kind of weird, too,' then all of a sudden you’re just like HOLY SHIT THEY’RE BOTH FUCKED UP and then the movie's over."

—u/clipperdouglas29

"I loved how that movie was filmed and the synth-heavy soundtrack was the best of the year. Movie looks great, and also has some pretty disturbing scenes."

—u/koolaidistheshit

"Disturbing for obvious reasons, and beautiful for the absolute mastery that David Lynch displays in the writing and directing. The pace and tone are so tightly controlled that the movie has left me stunned with every viewing. Absolute masterwork."

—u/so_sads

"That movie just about made me choose eternal bachelorhood. The woman is terrifying, but — knowing it’s just a movie — wow, what a performance, what a script!"

—u/Vic_FriesFriesFries

"My favorite movie — and probably my favorite piece of art, period — but I've only managed to watch it two times because it is so ...'"

—u/Urkle_sperm

"Isn't this the gold standard ratio of magnificent cinema and holyshitmakeitstop?"

—u/BenjRSmith