Good Movies that are Depressing

[storrsroars]

Agree on Schindler's List but I don't think I saw a movie with a more gut wrenching sad ending than Boy in the Striped Pajamas.

I'd still put Schindler's List well above Pajamas for gut wrenching. With Pajamas, I thought dad got exactly what he deserved. And the kid really didn't know what was happening, so there wasn't much terror there. Sad, but pretty black and white, where Schinder's List was a lot of grey.

 

[John]

It's not as depressing as some of the ones mentioned so far, but I just watched Nebraska. Very good movie (filmed in B&W) about an alcoholic older guy and his son. Lots of very good performances, and a sobering view of the Midwest.

 

[G0UCONN]

I'd still put Schindler's List well above Pajamas for gut wrenching. With Pajamas, I thought dad got exactly what he deserved. And the kid really didn't know what was happening, so there wasn't much terror there. Sad, but pretty black and white, where Schinder's List was a lot of grey.

Yes Schindler is "king of depressing" and gut wrenching throughout. But it had an uplifting, kind of, ending.

In contrast, Striped Pajamas ending was just brutal and I did not see it coming. May have had me most slumped walking out of theater from any movie I ever saw.

 

[storrsroars]

Yes Schindler is "king of depressing" and gut wrenching throughout. But it had an uplifting, kind of, ending.

In contrast, Striped Pajamas ending was just brutal and I did not see it coming. May have had me most slumped walking out of theater from any movie I ever saw.

I'll continuing arguing my point

SP was bad for mom, but as soon as the idea of Bruno putting on the striped pajamas was mentioned, I saw the end coming. By the father's reaction, I could easily see him rationalizing it. Screw that guy and everything he touched.

Schinder, OTOH, was having a breakdown at the end. He realized he was a criminal, even though he did some good. When he started talking about how he could've saved 10 lives by selling his car or one life by selling his pin, that IMO, was not "uplifting". Not to mention the Russian liberating soldier telling the surviving Jews not to go east because they're hated there. Or west, for that matter.

 

[G0UCONN]

I'll continuing arguing my point

SP was bad for mom, but as soon as the idea of Bruno putting on the striped pajamas was mentioned, I saw the end coming. By the father's reaction, I could easily see him rationalizing it. Screw that guy and everything he touched.

Schinder, OTOH, was having a breakdown at the end. He realized he was a criminal, even though he did some good. When he started talking about how he could've saved 10 lives by selling his car or one life by selling his pin, that IMO, was not "uplifting". Not to mention the Russian liberating soldier telling the surviving Jews not to go east because they're hated there. Or west, for that matter.

Yeah all fair points. For Schindler I was referring more to seeing all those real folks alive today at the end because of him.

Maybe me not seeing the ending coming in Pajamas is why it impacted me more (ending wise).

 

[Aluminny69]

Diary of Anne Frank had a depressing ending.

 

[August_West]

Se7en

Born on the 4th of July

I am Sam

Trainspotting

 

[G0UCONN]

Se7en

Born on the 4th of July

I am Sam

Trainspotting

Great call on Seven

 

[dbmill]

It's not as depressing as some of the ones mentioned so far, but I just watched Nebraska. Very good movie (filmed in B&W) about an alcoholic older guy and his son. Lots of very good performances, and a sobering view of the Midwest.

Nebraska is a very good movie, as as is most everything directed by Alexander Payne. We saw this film a couple of years ago. My wife loved it and still talks about it on occasion, to the point where I am taking the hint and getting the DVD for her this Christmas. Bruce Dern in his ornery mindset in this film reminds her of her father, who is still very much alive and kicking.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I remember being in a hotel on a business trip, watching Shawshank Redemption on demand, and almost turning it off about 3 times because it was so depressing. I will admit that I was not expecting that ending.

 

[G0UCONN]

I remember being in a hotel on a business trip, watching Shawshank Redemption on demand, and almost turning it off about 3 times because it was so depressing. I will admit that I was not expecting that ending.

Shawshank goes on list of movies with all time great endings.

 

[8893]

Shawshank goes on list of movies with all time great endings.

On the list of all time great movies, period. Definitely in my top five.

 

[Bliss]

Shawshank goes on list of movies with all time great endings.

Only entertainment, I know, but whenever I watch it I always have the thought there's no way they'll live happily ever after in Mexico. The FBI would never stop searching for an escaped convicted murderer and it would only be a matter of time before he was expedited back to prison.

 

[CL82]

On the list of all time great movies, period. Definitely in my top five.

It varies from time to time but:

Godfather
Casablanca
12 Angry Men
Shawshank
A Few Good Men

 

[G0UCONN]

It varies from time to time but:

Godfather
Casablanca
12 Angry Men
Shawshank
A Few Good Men

Great list.

I may lean Godfather 2 over 1 (for its Deniro backstory) but both are all time greats.

I also may include Raiders of Lost Ark slightly over Shawshank or Few Good Men but our top 5 pretty much matchup.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Never Let Me Go. Not really a silver lining or ray of hope on that one. Fairly haunting. Most movies I forget about within a day or a couple hours. That one stuck with me for a good week or so.

 

[ZooCougar]

The Deer Hunter

 

[dbmill]

It varies from time to time but:

Godfather
Casablanca
12 Angry Men
Shawshank
A Few Good Men

My favorite movie has changed from time to time. As a teenager, it was The Graduate. As a college student, Casablanca took over. For the last ten years or so it has been The Maltese Falcon. As for composing of top 5 or even a top 10 list, it would just be too difficult for me as there are so many films that I enjoy, other to say that my top one and two would still be The Maltese Falcon and Casablanca.

 

[CL82]

Great list.

I may lean Godfather 2 over 1 (for its Deniro backstory) but both are all time greats.

I also may include Raiders of Lost Ark slightly over Shawshank or Few Good Men but our top 5 pretty much matchup.

My perfect version of the Godfather would include the Deniro back story up through the end of the first film. I wasn't a fan of the rest of the 2 story, with the exception of the Fredo, "you're dead to me" lines.

Raiders is well made movie. It keeps a terrific pace and genuinely very funny.

@dbmill - The Maltese Falcon is a very good movie as well. As is Key Largo.

 

[dbmill]

My perfect version of the Godfather would include the Deniro back story up through the end of the first film. I wasn't a fan of the rest of the 2 story, with the exception of the Fredo, "you're dead to me" lines.

Raiders is well made movie. It keeps a terrific pace and genuinely very funny.

@dbmill - The Maltese Falcon is a very good movie as well. As is Key Largo.

Right on about Raiders. It's just a load of fun.

Bogart made several excellent films, and Key Largo is one of them. Speaking of Key Largo, it is one of the films that turned my wife into a big Edward G. Robinson fan.

The first two Godfather films are among my wife's favorites. While not among my absolute favorites, both are certainly very watchable for me.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Great list.

I may lean Godfather 2 over 1 (for its Deniro backstory) but both are all time greats.

I also may include Raiders of Lost Ark slightly over Shawshank or Few Good Men but our top 5 pretty much matchup.

Godfather II is almost a perfect movie.

 

[Mano]

Never Let Me Go. Not really a silver lining or ray of hope on that one. Fairly haunting. Most movies I forget about within a day or a couple hours. That one stuck with me for a good week or so.

Ooh yea, good call, totally agree.

Another few that just came to mind: Atonement, Brokeback Mountain, The Green Mile, and Road to Perdition.

Edit for more: Syriana, The Constant Gardener, Adaptation, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. (Charlie Kaufman is from West Hartford, my home town.)

 

[Dogdeacon]

In The Bedroom - also belongs on underrated list
Crimes and Misdemeanors - similar theme a lot more talky

Speaking of rapists, I agree with citing of the Ice Storm and its always burned me that the more commercial suburbs malaise treatise American Beauty got much more love. Maybe now that Spacey's unlikability is unavoidable, Ice Storm moves ahead.

 

[dbmill]

Ooh yea, good call, totally agree.

Another few that just came to mind: Atonement, Brokeback Mountain, The Green Mile, and Road to Perdition.

Edit for more: Syriana, The Constant Gardener, Adaptation, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. (Charlie Kaufman is from West Hartford, my home town.)

Talk about quality mind bending movies, and you are bound to get around to Charlie Kaufman. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Adaptation are both excellent and surreal experiences. He also wrote the screenplay for Being John Malkovich, which is also a quality film and another rather wacked out experience.

Of course, Adaptation is the film adaptation of Susan Orleans book “The Orchid Thief”, thought by some to be an unfilmable book until Kaufman (and director Spike Jonze) got their hands on it. Kaufman literally puts a version of himself (and a nonexistent identical twin brother) into the movie, showing a version of himself going through the anguish of trying to write a screenplay about this unfilmable book. And in the process, he actually and oddly gives you a good idea of what the book is about. I find it to be a wildly brilliant exercise that will leave you thinking about it for some time to come.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Talk about quality mind bending movies, and you are bound to get around to Charlie Kaufman. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Adaptation are both excellent and surreal experiences. He also wrote the screenplay for Being John Malkovich, which is also a quality film and another rather wacked out experience.

Of course, Adaptation is the film adaptation of Susan Orleans book “The Orchid Thief”, thought by some to be an unfilmable book until Kaufman (and director Spike Jonze) got their hands on it. Kaufman literally puts a version of himself (and a nonexistent identical twin brother) into the movie, showing a version of himself going through the anguish of trying to write a screenplay about this unfilmable book. And in the process, he actually and oddly gives you a good idea of what the book is about. I find it to be a wildly brilliant exercise that will leave you thinking about it for some time to come.

Agree, Adaptation seriously underrated and sneaky funny too. The rental car door open 'bong.. bong' killed me