25 Movies Both Disturbing and Beautiful

PocketEpiphany Published 04/04/2022 in ftw

Sometimes, we watch beautiful movies that move us. Other times, we watch disturbing ones that horrify us.

But what if you're in the mood for both? We've rounded up the definitive list of movies that are both completely disturbing and amazingly beautiful.

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1. Empire of the Sun. This movie wrecked me as a kid (I was about the same age as the protagonist). Went back and watched it as a father, wrecked me again. That ending is an absolute gut shot.-u/Spodson
2. Das Boot. It does not hold back or make war look glamorous.-u/12inch_Juicy_Burrito
3. The original Let the Right One In. Something about it was so eerie and creepy yet peaceful.-u/happy_happosai2
4. Watership Down. Beautiful artwork. Graphic imagery. My childhood was never the same.-u/ACalcifiedHeart
5. I will say City of God. A beautiful film, but really disturbing at points with how matter of fact the violence is.-u/eldest_gruff
6. Perfect BlueI watched it because I heard that it was Aronofsky's inspiration for Black Swan (also beautiful yet disturbing). Black Swan doesn't hold a candle to this mindf*ck.-u/mossadspydolphin
7. We Need To Talk About Kevin. You know if you’ve seen it.-u/MinionBanana37
8. Pan's Labyrinth is beautiful, gruesome, and heartbreaking.-u/mattad0rk
9. Fargo. Incredibly violent, but very intriguingly wholesome in a way that captures everyday humanity at its best and worst. And the show is even better for all the same reasons.-u/Mindmender
10. Grave of Fireflies My husband lends this to everyone who will take it because it hit him so hard. He wants everyone to get dragged over a mile of glass by the heart, too, I guess.-u/kahiau26
11. Requiem for a Dream. I was just at the beginning of my decade-long heroin addiction when I watched it. F*cked me up. But apparently not enough. I have never been able to watch it a second time. I literally felt like I was losing my mind at one point.-u/Queen-of-Elves
12. Schindler's List This movie is very disturbing, violent, and tragic.-u/SuvenPan
13. Blue Velvet Disturbing for obvious reasons and beautiful for the absolute mastery that 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
14. Dancer in the Dark. Amazing movie, but will never watch again-u/_shes_a_jar
15. What Dreams May Come. Yes! This movie is stunningly beautiful visually. The story is very hard and sad but very well done. Thanks for reminding me of it.-u/wubbalubbadubx2
16. Saving Private Ryan and not just the first 10 minutes - the whole thing is framed and filmed beautifully, particularly the death scenes.-u/Maxwyfe
17. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind It'll leave a hole in the heart so big that you can't watch it againAlso showcased how much of an actor Jim Carrey is, apart from being a comedian. -u/Headshot03
18. Upstream Color. A mind-bending movie about brain parasites, telepathy, and becoming one with nature.-u/Rexcadere
19. The Road. Incredibly bleak, depressing, and morbid but so beautifully made and resembles the book SO well. Easily one of my favorite movies. The way it captures the desperation and horrible things humans can do to one another but also highlights our innate instinct to push forward and survive (for better or worse). I love that movie. Definitely not a casual watch though-u/justalittlesadIguess
20. The Truman Show The moment where everything starts to click and he confronts his wife is golden. "WHO ARE YOU TALKING TO?!"-u/RGX323
21. Swiss Army Man. It opens with Paul Dano riding Daniel Radcliffe like a jet ski propelled by his farts. Which is absurd. But it also ends with Daniel Radcliffe riding off into the sunset like a jet ski propelled by his farts. And it is beautiful.-u/These-Square8340
22. Jacobs Ladder I saw this in the theater, on a day pass from a mental hospital where I was being treated for BPD and PTSD. I sat and cried like a child for ten minutes while the credits rolled. F*cked. Me. Up.Still one of my all-time favorites.-u/MetaJonez
23. American Beauty. Ignoring all of the terrible things that Kevin Spacey did, it was an equally disturbing and good experience.-u/ruchik
24. Annihilation had a good mix of stunning visuals and horror elements, so I’d say that-u/calvinyl
25. Midsommar A film that creeped me out more after I'd finished watching it then when it was on. Great film.-u/count_crow

1. Empire of the Sun. This movie wrecked me as a kid (I was about the same age as the protagonist). Went back and watched it as a father, wrecked me again. That ending is an absolute gut shot.-u/Spodson
2. Das Boot. It does not hold back or make war look glamorous.-u/12inch_Juicy_Burrito
3. The original Let the Right One In. Something about it was so eerie and creepy yet peaceful.-u/happy_happosai2
4. Watership Down. Beautiful artwork. Graphic imagery. My childhood was never the same.-u/ACalcifiedHeart
5. I will say City of God. A beautiful film, but really disturbing at points with how matter of fact the violence is.-u/eldest_gruff
6. Perfect BlueI watched it because I heard that it was Aronofsky's inspiration for Black Swan (also beautiful yet disturbing). Black Swan doesn't hold a candle to this mindf*ck.-u/mossadspydolphin
7. We Need To Talk About Kevin. You know if you’ve seen it.-u/MinionBanana37
8. Pan's Labyrinth is beautiful, gruesome, and heartbreaking.-u/mattad0rk
9. Fargo. Incredibly violent, but very intriguingly wholesome in a way that captures everyday humanity at its best and worst. And the show is even better for all the same reasons.-u/Mindmender
10. Grave of Fireflies My husband lends this to everyone who will take it because it hit him so hard. He wants everyone to get dragged over a mile of glass by the heart, too, I guess.-u/kahiau26
11. Requiem for a Dream. I was just at the beginning of my decade-long heroin addiction when I watched it. F*cked me up. But apparently not enough. I have never been able to watch it a second time. I literally felt like I was losing my mind at one point.-u/Queen-of-Elves
12. Schindler's List This movie is very disturbing, violent, and tragic.-u/SuvenPan
13. Blue Velvet Disturbing for obvious reasons and beautiful for the absolute mastery that 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
14. Dancer in the Dark. Amazing movie, but will never watch again-u/_shes_a_jar
15. What Dreams May Come. Yes! This movie is stunningly beautiful visually. The story is very hard and sad but very well done. Thanks for reminding me of it.-u/wubbalubbadubx2
16. Saving Private Ryan and not just the first 10 minutes - the whole thing is framed and filmed beautifully, particularly the death scenes.-u/Maxwyfe
17. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind It'll leave a hole in the heart so big that you can't watch it againAlso showcased how much of an actor Jim Carrey is, apart from being a comedian. -u/Headshot03
18. Upstream Color. A mind-bending movie about brain parasites, telepathy, and becoming one with nature.-u/Rexcadere
19. The Road. Incredibly bleak, depressing, and morbid but so beautifully made and resembles the book SO well. Easily one of my favorite movies. The way it captures the desperation and horrible things humans can do to one another but also highlights our innate instinct to push forward and survive (for better or worse). I love that movie. Definitely not a casual watch though-u/justalittlesadIguess
20. The Truman Show The moment where everything starts to click and he confronts his wife is golden. "WHO ARE YOU TALKING TO?!"-u/RGX323
21. Swiss Army Man. It opens with Paul Dano riding Daniel Radcliffe like a jet ski propelled by his farts. Which is absurd. But it also ends with Daniel Radcliffe riding off into the sunset like a jet ski propelled by his farts. And it is beautiful.-u/These-Square8340
22. Jacobs Ladder I saw this in the theater, on a day pass from a mental hospital where I was being treated for BPD and PTSD. I sat and cried like a child for ten minutes while the credits rolled. F*cked. Me. Up.Still one of my all-time favorites.-u/MetaJonez
23. American Beauty. Ignoring all of the terrible things that Kevin Spacey did, it was an equally disturbing and good experience.-u/ruchik
24. Annihilation had a good mix of stunning visuals and horror elements, so I’d say that-u/calvinyl
25. Midsommar A film that creeped me out more after I'd finished watching it then when it was on. Great film.-u/count_crow

beautiful and disturbing movies -- Empire of the Sun

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Empire of the Sun. This movie wrecked me as a kid (I was about the same age as the protagonist). Went back and watched it as a father, wrecked me again. That ending is an absolute gut shot.-u/Spodson

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25 Movies Both Disturbing and Beautiful

1. Empire of the Sun. This movie wrecked me as a kid (I was about the same age as the protagonist). Went back and watched it as a father, wrecked me again. That ending is an absolute gut shot.-u/Spodson

2. Das Boot. It does not hold back or make war look glamorous.-u/12inch_Juicy_Burrito

3. The original Let the Right One In. Something about it was so eerie and creepy yet peaceful.-u/happy_happosai2

4. Watership Down. Beautiful artwork. Graphic imagery. My childhood was never the same.-u/ACalcifiedHeart

5. I will say City of God. A beautiful film, but really disturbing at points with how matter of fact the violence is.-u/eldest_gruff

6. Perfect BlueI watched it because I heard that it was Aronofsky's inspiration for Black Swan (also beautiful yet disturbing). Black Swan doesn't hold a candle to this mindf*ck.-u/mossadspydolphin

7. We Need To Talk About Kevin. You know if you’ve seen it.-u/MinionBanana37

8. Pan's Labyrinth is beautiful, gruesome, and heartbreaking.-u/mattad0rk

9. Fargo. Incredibly violent, but very intriguingly wholesome in a way that captures everyday humanity at its best and worst. And the show is even better for all the same reasons.-u/Mindmender

10. Grave of Fireflies My husband lends this to everyone who will take it because it hit him so hard. He wants everyone to get dragged over a mile of glass by the heart, too, I guess.-u/kahiau26

11. Requiem for a Dream. I was just at the beginning of my decade-long heroin addiction when I watched it. F*cked me up. But apparently not enough. I have never been able to watch it a second time. I literally felt like I was losing my mind at one point.-u/Queen-of-Elves

12. Schindler's List This movie is very disturbing, violent, and tragic.-u/SuvenPan

13. Blue Velvet Disturbing for obvious reasons and beautiful for the absolute mastery that 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

14. Dancer in the Dark. Amazing movie, but will never watch again-u/_shes_a_jar

15. What Dreams May Come. Yes! This movie is stunningly beautiful visually. The story is very hard and sad but very well done. Thanks for reminding me of it.-u/wubbalubbadubx2

16. Saving Private Ryan and not just the first 10 minutes - the whole thing is framed and filmed beautifully, particularly the death scenes.-u/Maxwyfe

17. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind It'll leave a hole in the heart so big that you can't watch it againAlso showcased how much of an actor Jim Carrey is, apart from being a comedian. -u/Headshot03

18. Upstream Color. A mind-bending movie about brain parasites, telepathy, and becoming one with nature.-u/Rexcadere

20. The Truman Show The moment where everything starts to click and he confronts his wife is golden. "WHO ARE YOU TALKING TO?!"-u/RGX323

21. Swiss Army Man. It opens with Paul Dano riding Daniel Radcliffe like a jet ski propelled by his farts. Which is absurd. But it also ends with Daniel Radcliffe riding off into the sunset like a jet ski propelled by his farts. And it is beautiful.-u/These-Square8340

22. Jacobs Ladder I saw this in the theater, on a day pass from a mental hospital where I was being treated for BPD and PTSD. I sat and cried like a child for ten minutes while the credits rolled. F*cked. Me. Up.Still one of my all-time favorites.-u/MetaJonez

23. American Beauty. Ignoring all of the terrible things that Kevin Spacey did, it was an equally disturbing and good experience.-u/ruchik

24. Annihilation had a good mix of stunning visuals and horror elements, so I’d say that-u/calvinyl

25. Midsommar A film that creeped me out more after I'd finished watching it then when it was on. Great film.-u/count_crow

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