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10 psychologically disturbing films - Magical Realist - Oct 17, 2025
I think it was Banksy who said "The function of art is to disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed." Here's ten films guaranteed to do just that:
Requiem for a Dream (2000): A disturbing film about the devastating effects of drug addiction, told through the story of four separate characters whose lives spiral out of control.
A Clockwork Orange (1971): Stanley Kubrick's classic depicts a charismatic but psychopathic young man who is incarcerated and undergoes a disturbing form of psychological conditioning.
Audition (1999): This Japanese horror film begins as a dark comedy but transforms into a nightmare when a lonely widower discovers his ideal woman is not who she seems.
Eraserhead (1977): David Lynch's bizarre and surrealist debut, shot in black and white, explores themes of paranoia, isolation, and domestic fear.
I Stand Alone (1998): Gaspar Noé's first feature follows a horse butcher released from prison and tormented by misanthropy and rage.
We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011): A haunting look at a mother's struggle to love her profoundly disturbed son as he grows up to commit an unspeakable act of violence.
Dogtooth (2009): A highly stylized and unsettling film about a controlling couple who raise their children in complete isolation, inventing a distorted world with its own strange vocabulary.
Visitor Q (2001): A dysfunctional family is invaded by a mysterious stranger, forcing them to confront their twisted relationships and perversions.
Kids (1995): This controversial film portrays a single day in the life of a group of Manhattan teenagers, exploring themes of teenage promiscuity, drug use, and HIV/AIDS.
Antichrist (2009): Directed by Lars von Trier, this film about a grieving couple contains extreme psychological horror and shocking, graphic scenes that portray their descent into madness.