Taking recommendations for excruciatingly sad & artistic movies
4 December 2010Hello everyone,
Christmas comes and, with Christmas, comes the obligation to sometimes offer gifts to persons to whom you have to show consideration even if you don’t like them.
In this regard, I’d like to ask you guys : would you have recommendations for artistic excruciatingly sad movies ?
Like the Grave Of The Fireflies, but not in anime. You know, the kind of movie, when you see it you realize you’ve seen a work of art, but on top of all, you want to die, or at least return to bed and bury yourself under a dozen blankets until the month ends.
Thanks if you have an idea about it that you can share in a comment, I need inspiration !
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(5 votes, average: 3.60 out of 5)







on December 4th, 2010 at 5:47 am
some that i can think of
Memoirs of a Geisha : pretty sad the whole way through
Legend of the Fall: kinda sad too but good
Basic Instinct 2: sad because that movie sucked (wasted 2 hours on the promise of titties and the titties were not good. I'll just stick to 2d)
on December 4th, 2010 at 5:50 am
Hum, well, you can try "the red violin" ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Violin ), if you don't know it yet…
on December 4th, 2010 at 5:51 am
Since there's some anime-element here, I'd recommend Death Note; L, Change the WorLd.
In my opinion it's got a fairly sad postmodern ending, don't know if it matches up to your emo-taste ;]
on December 4th, 2010 at 6:04 am
Babel
on December 4th, 2010 at 6:08 am
I tend to try and forget that kind of movie. I would have immediately recommended Grave of the Fireflies, but obviously you already are aware of that one.
I must say, either this person has an interesting taste in movies, or you REALLY do not like them.
In conclusion: Sorry, but I can't help on this request.
on December 4th, 2010 at 6:18 am
Requiem for a Dream
also http://www.avclub.com/articles/not-again-24-great…
on December 4th, 2010 at 6:30 am
Wow, I'm surprised how shitty this list is, let's get some REALLY good movies in here:
Johnny's got his gun
Requiem for a Dream (already posted)
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
The Color Purple
The Deer Hunter
Ordinary People (holy shit, one of the saddest, most beautiful, and depressing movies ever)
Schindler's List (very sad and beautiful in it's own way, one of the best movies of all time, if not the best)
How Green was my Valley
The Best Years of our Lives (holy shit beautifully depressing)
All Quiet on the Western Front
The Pianist
there are a lot more too, but these are some big name titles, I assume you've seen, oh and of course you've seen It's a Wonderful Life, but if not, that's number 1 man, number 1
on December 4th, 2010 at 6:36 am
Two pop to mind:
1) Baraka – The arc of human history illustrated by the religeous and spiritual expression of our species. It's beautifully shot, with the narrative arc of images well supported by the soundtrack. The movie is an indelible record of our aspirations and failings.
2) Curse of the Golden Flower – The inexorable tragedy of the ending will stay with you for weeks.
on December 4th, 2010 at 6:41 am
"What Dreams May Come"…Won Oscar… http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120889/ and "The Joy Luck Club" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107282/ are two movies that really got me when i first saw them. Lots of emotion in the two, and if you want art… What Dreams May Come will please you for sure.
on December 4th, 2010 at 6:41 am
"What Dreams May Come"…Won Oscar… http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120889/ and "The Joy Luck Club" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107282/ are two movies that really got me when i first saw them. Lots of emotion in the two, and if you want art… What Dreams May Come will please you for sure.
on December 4th, 2010 at 6:43 am
Precious
Old Boy (Highly Recommend)
The Green Mile
Requiem for a Dream
Million Dollar Baby
Crash
Monster's Ball
Brian's Song
8mm
Children of Men
No particular order
on December 4th, 2010 at 6:46 am
La vita è bella
on December 4th, 2010 at 6:51 am
Foreign Films:
10 Promises To My Dog (Japanese)
The Way Home (Korean)
Magnifico (Philippines)
American Films:
A Walk to Remember
Gran Torino (gives you that epic feeling)
Remember the Titans
Titanic
The Namesake
Bridge to Terabithia
The Cure
My Girl
on December 4th, 2010 at 7:05 am
Any Uwe Boll film will make you want to put a gun in your mouth…
Seriously though, these are my recomendations
Lord of the flies
Blue – from the Three colors thrilogy
The house of the flying knives – (everyone in love dies)
Hero – (sad, yet inspiring)
Soilent green – (apocalyptic)
Pan's Labyrinth
Amores perros (They preserved the spanish title for the american market)
Requiem for a dream – warning, this is not for the queasy, but its a great movie
I know many more but these are the ones that came quick to mind.
on December 4th, 2010 at 7:09 am
Oh, oh!! I forgot 2 great ones.
Cinema Paradiso… Beautiful, it brings you from joys to tears to sadness
Il Postino (the postman of Neruda, I believe is the english title), sad too
on December 4th, 2010 at 7:13 am
I am Sam, anoying sad movie.
I've seen this Will Smith movie, with his son, where he loses all the money, and i was dloading porn so i cant remember the name :P
on December 4th, 2010 at 7:25 am
I would recommend "Wit" though I dunno how easy it is to find. If you were looking at anime series, then Witchblade is a good one to make you feel like shit by the series end.
on December 4th, 2010 at 7:26 am
Empire of the Sun
Tideland
on December 4th, 2010 at 7:29 am
* In the Mood for Love – the most grown-up love story. Words can't describe how good this is.
* Raise the Red Lantern – like Curse of the Golden Flower (same director – Zhang Yimou), but its tragedy cuts cleaner because the photography is so minimalist.
* Just Run (¿Tú qué harías por amor? is the original title)
on December 4th, 2010 at 7:49 am
The only movie that I can think that is sad and somewhat artistic is "Let the Right One In", not the LAME American remake. The foreign version is better, I suggest hearing the Swedish audio and reading the English subtitles. The movie was highly praised. here is a link
[http://www.dvdempire.com/exec/v4_item.asp?partner_id=10007594&item_id=1447494&utm_source=google&utm_medium=portal&utm_campaign=de_free]
If you do decide to check it out, get the one with the Theatrical Subtitles.
on December 4th, 2010 at 7:50 am
The Notebook
on December 4th, 2010 at 7:50 am
Now the link works
http://www.dvdempire.com/exec/v4_item.asp?partner…
on December 4th, 2010 at 7:55 am
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/9qs6k/…
Browse through this list. Honestly. 10x more people giving good replies.
Personal Suggestion:
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
The Fountain
Enjoy :P
on December 4th, 2010 at 8:01 am
Salton Sea
The Last Samurai
Crouching Tiger hidden dragon is fantastic and sad.
Children of Men the film is dark and very sad.
on December 4th, 2010 at 8:12 am
Ditto. It'll make you laugh too… but that makes you cry harder
on December 4th, 2010 at 8:13 am
Gonna add “Bucket List” and it was mentioned earlier; “Pursuit of Happiness” both have that feelgood elements in them. Bucket list would be the sadder of the two.
on December 4th, 2010 at 8:14 am
It's a mini series not a movie, but Generation Kill will pull your heart strings
on December 4th, 2010 at 8:22 am
Cosigned on Wit. It is easily the most emotionally devastating fictional motion picture I have ever seen. Emma Thompson's performance is flawless from beginning to end, and the ending will leave you a wreck. The first time I saw this movie, I was so completely unprepared for what it did to me that I had to watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation immediately afterwards just to get myself back on a stable emotional keel. And this was in July.
A close second, by the way, is the final episode of the first series of Gunslinger Girl, but that's an anime series.
on December 4th, 2010 at 8:24 am
Wow, a fair number of the movies mentioned above are really not that sad. Geisha, Pursuit of Happyness, Bucket List, Crouching Tiger, and a bunch more are not nearly on the level of Grave of the Fireflies.
For crushing despair:
Memento (2000 Christopher Nolan) <– the mystery/detective element may reduce your sadness quotient
Happiness (1998 Todd Solondz)
Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995 Todd Solondz)
Dancer in the Dark (2000 Lars Von Trier) <— warning, shot with a handheld, you need to be resistant to motion sickness
on December 4th, 2010 at 8:29 am
Oh, the 1997 version of Lolita with Jeremy Irons is pretty sad as well.
on December 4th, 2010 at 8:38 am
What wrong with anime films?
Look up the name "Makoto Sinkai"
Pick 1 of his 3 movies. Any movie, just pick one. Prepare some Kleenex.
on December 4th, 2010 at 8:50 am
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (Vol au-dessus d'un nid de coucou) is awesome. The most depressing movie I saw since The Grave Of The Fireflies
on December 4th, 2010 at 8:59 am
Off the top of my head….
Ild say Big Fish
on December 4th, 2010 at 9:43 am
The elephant man.
on December 4th, 2010 at 9:48 am
"Antichrist" is pretty brilliant it stars charlotte gainsbourg and willem defoe. it's about a therapist and his bat shit crazy wife/patient taking a vacation in the woods and she freaks out and there's all sorts of pagan shit and spiritual death/rebirth shit going on. pretty sweet.
on December 4th, 2010 at 10:09 am
A la recherche du bonheur… mais ça fini bien, trop bien pour compter dans cette liste, super film en fait !
on December 4th, 2010 at 10:19 am
Try 'ong bak 2' ! entendons-nous bien : quand je regarde un film de "karaté" j'attends que les méchants soient punis, à la fin ! bordel de merde ! ce film m'a énervé au plus haut point !
on December 4th, 2010 at 10:38 am
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
( a guy wakes up in a hospital only to find out that he can neither move his entire body nor speak and his only means of communication is the blink of his eye )
others movies already mentioned
Schindler's List
The Pianist (both movies set during the holocaust in ww2)
and also
Requiem for a Dream
on December 4th, 2010 at 10:43 am
They’ve been said, but if you see the same stuff multiple times in the comments, it’s sure to have an effect.
Schindler’s List
Requiem for a Dream
These two movies leaped to the forefront of my mind after reading the post.
on December 4th, 2010 at 10:51 am
The Road
on December 4th, 2010 at 10:52 am
A post-apocalyptic tale of a man and his son trying to survive by any means possible
on December 4th, 2010 at 11:19 am
That was one screwed-up movie. In a good way
on December 4th, 2010 at 11:20 am
Western Front is a classic. There are two versions though. And the book is waaay better than both of them
on December 4th, 2010 at 11:21 am
I thought that "Mrs. Vengeance" was sadder than Oldboy
on December 4th, 2010 at 11:28 am
Wow that's a lot of movies for you Oliv. Half of them don't count in my book as artistic, but after all, artistry is subjective.
So I'll drop my 2 cents trying not to repeat some previous good suggestions.
Chunking Express (and pretty much any Wong Kar Wai movie, enjoyed everything I've seen so far)
2046 (Wong Kar Wai also)
Amores Perros (that was gut wrenching)
21 Grams (same director as Amores)
I think movies by Kim Ki Duk (korean) are really good, sad and definitely artistic but they are very peculiar.
And go for some French cinema
Irreversible (I was literally in pain after it. Beware though it is NC-17)
on December 4th, 2010 at 12:17 pm
I recommend some czech movies. They're known to be like that :P
http://sueczech.wordpress.com/2007/03/17/really-g…
on December 4th, 2010 at 12:20 pm
I would say:
Stay
Vanilla Sky(not really artsy, a remake, but still thought provoking and sad)
Magnolia
Seven
Tideland(Terry Gilliam is awesome)
The Chaser
on December 4th, 2010 at 12:46 pm
Vivre d'Akira Kurosawa, le réalisateur de Kagemusha. Il considère Vvire comme son chef-d'œuvre. D'ailleurs, si tu as suivi toute l'histoire pour la mort de Satoshi Kon, l'histoire est à mettre en parallèle.
on December 4th, 2010 at 1:18 pm
I recommend any of these, they're very beautiful and all very sad. Some of them I've only watched once because even though it was good it was just too depressing. I don't think any of them really have a happy ending but they're all so good in my opinion:
The Bicycle Thief (1948)
Rashomon (1950)
The 400 Blows (1959)
Onibaba (1964)
Solaris (1972)
Au Revoir Les Enfants (1987)
Salaam Bombay! (1988)
Not One Less (1999)
The Pianist (2002)
Water (2005) (depressing Indian movie about widows)
Lust, Caution (2007) (this has some pretty graphic sex/violent scenes in it though)
Kaidan (2007)
La Vie en Rose/La Mome (2007)
on December 4th, 2010 at 1:33 pm
Yeah, Babel is a good one!
on December 4th, 2010 at 1:35 pm
The Pianist! it's a kick in the ball and you will thank that!
on December 4th, 2010 at 1:49 pm
All about Lily Chou-Chou directed by Shunji Iwai. His masterpiece.
on December 4th, 2010 at 1:49 pm
"The Green Mile" (1999) – http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120689/
"Million Dollar Baby" (2004) – http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0405159/
"Gladiator " (2000) – http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0172495/
"Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within" (2001) – http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0173840/
on December 4th, 2010 at 1:51 pm
Well, someone post Solaris, In fact, everithing by Andrei Tarkosvsky will fill your demands.
on December 4th, 2010 at 1:57 pm
Elfen Lied for an anime but the manga wrapped it up alot nicer.
on December 4th, 2010 at 2:54 pm
Hachiko. It might be super artistic, but the entire film is sad.
on December 4th, 2010 at 3:18 pm
"A.I" of Kubrick/spielberg…damn that movie "almost" make me cry…
"savior" (w/ dennis Quaid)of the war in the former Yugoslavia.
"million dollar baby", "Boys don't cry", "Dark Blue Wold"
these are my top of mind right now.
on December 4th, 2010 at 3:21 pm
call me mad, but the pianist (after he loses his family) is a very dark humor movie for me….
on December 4th, 2010 at 3:33 pm
I typically avoid those types of movies, but here:
Chunking Express
Last Samurai
Paths of Glory (possibly one of the saddest endings ever, its a slow painful sadness)
Lord of the Rings [no, I'm not joking. There is a lot of sadness in those movies. The death of Gandalf, Frodo leaving Sam behind, Leaving for Valinor...]
We Were Soldiers (very sad, the reality is terrifying).
on December 4th, 2010 at 3:40 pm
Oh dear Lord, The Road…
Just… The Road…
This is the movie i am going to watch before i commit suicide.
on December 4th, 2010 at 3:57 pm
Dunno about artistic but Lilya 4-ever is one of the best and most sad movies I have seen:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lilya_4-ever
on December 4th, 2010 at 4:12 pm
Anything by Ingmar Bergman. There are two kinds of people in the world: those who find Bergman boring and those who don't. Even the ones that enjoy Bergman admit his movies are depressing as hell.
Damn, one of my teachers in college defined him as "the saddest man of all 20th century"…
on December 4th, 2010 at 4:22 pm
Since everyone's picking oldies, i'll go current. The last airbender (Joyless but very artsy fartsy) …. then watch Monsters (If I wanted to watch tentacles touch each other…. I would have come here)
on December 4th, 2010 at 4:33 pm
I agree with Irreversible.. Although it maybe even too much. You will feel depressed for atleast a week. You will still feel it's a good movie but regret that you have seen it.
on December 4th, 2010 at 4:36 pm
Oh, before I forget, another brilliant movie:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joint_Security_Area_…
This one made me cry rather unexpectedly.
on December 4th, 2010 at 4:36 pm
I would recommended A.I. Artificial Intelligence : http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0212720/
OMG, this movie depressed me so badly that I wanted to die right there in the theater.
on December 4th, 2010 at 4:58 pm
gerry: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0302674/
i cried. hard.
the end is just sad, hopeless and depressing.
on December 4th, 2010 at 5:06 pm
A Moment to Remember http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0428870/
A young couple fall in love and the girl gets a rare form of Alzheimer's. Released before the Notebook, and a completely different narrative (according to IMDB as I havent seen the Notebook). Incredibly beautiful and sad.
Bad Guy http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0307213/
A tragic love story about a low life who falls in love with a beautiful coed and drags her down to him.
on December 4th, 2010 at 5:34 pm
"In the Mood for Love" by Wong kar wai
depressingly beautiful.
on December 4th, 2010 at 5:34 pm
I can't believe nobody has mentioned Edward Scissorhands… :/
on December 4th, 2010 at 6:20 pm
I recommend:
The Legend of 1900 (from the director of "Cinema Paradiso", which I recommend as well)
Ran (Akira Kurosawa)
Kagemusha (Akira Kurosawa)
Citizen Kane
If you also accept anime (even though you said you won't), I recommend:
5 centimeters per second
The Place Promised in our early days
(both are directed by Makoto Shinkai)
on December 4th, 2010 at 7:07 pm
Like a Dragon
on December 4th, 2010 at 10:19 pm
Go with Curse of the Golden Flower for sure!
I mean it's by Jay Chou, how can it not be good lol.
Also, try "The Secret That Cannot Be Told" also by Jay Chou, aka just "Secret".
on December 5th, 2010 at 12:24 am
Solanin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EMFvvv2hF4
Hanamizuki (this one is very recent) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wo2vA14m5Cg&fe…
http://asianmediawiki.com/Hanamizuki
Switching Goodbye Me 転校生 さよなら あなた Tenkôsei Sayonara anata http://asianmediawiki.com/Switching_-_Goodbye_Me
on December 5th, 2010 at 1:33 am
Yeah, that's about the saddest movie possible, I think.
on December 5th, 2010 at 2:49 am
I'd recommend:
- 7 Pounds
- Seven
- 8 MM
- L.A. Crash
- Gone Baby Gone
- The Road
- Running Scared
- Changeling
- Magnolia
- The Machinist
on December 5th, 2010 at 2:54 am
maybe – Man on Fire and City of God too …
on December 5th, 2010 at 3:07 am
well… my humble recommendation is a movie i've seen lately: "the lovely bones" by peter jackson. it's about a girl being murdered and wandering in the world between, kind of doomed to see her father desperatly trying to find the guy who killed her. it's the most artistic movie i've ever seen. a lot of great cg in a really impressionistic way. was released last yerlar, btw.
on December 5th, 2010 at 3:35 am
I second, third, and fourth these films which were already mentioned:
‘Wit’, starring Emma Thompson. It will kick you in the balls, plus she is brilliant in it.
‘Requiem for a Dream’. Highly disturbing but so very very good.
The Indian flick, ‘Water’, is a definite must. Beautifully shot and pretty gut-wrenching.
I’d like to add the South African film, ‘Yesterday’, to the mix. It’s about a young mom with AIDS and is a kick in the teeth. Also, ‘Sometime in April’ which is an HBO movie (like Wit) about the Rwandan genocide.
Here’s something beautiful but is more melancholic than sorrowful – ‘The Piano’. It is really gorgeously acted and gorgeously shot.
on December 5th, 2010 at 4:10 am
Aw man, how could I forget ‘Farewell, My Concubine’! It is fantastic! Leslie Cheung and Gong Li are mesmerizing.
Also, ‘The Mission’ starring Robert DeNiro and Jeremy Irons.
I feel like I should just throw in ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ despite its final cathartic 30 minutes because A) it is a beautiful film; B) there are plenty of dark, sad moments; and C) it has a Morgan Freeman voiceover and who can beat that?
on December 5th, 2010 at 4:32 am
if you want a really old one that is a classical sad movie i would recomend the grapes of wrath which is in black an white to find try going to youtube or letmewatchthis.com and type in the grapes of wrath
on December 5th, 2010 at 5:01 am
I would highly recomend the Film "Brazil".
Okay, it's not THAT sad, but in my book it definately counts as a freaking work of art, and it provides one of the most bittersweet feelings i've ever experienced while watching a movie.
And for god sake: it's Terry Gilliam. The man is awesome.
on December 5th, 2010 at 5:08 am
These have already been mentioned but The Last Samurai is an emotionally sad, roughly historical, telling of a time in Japan's history. Gran Torino is an excellent film as well. However, the best fitting for a crushingly sad film would have to be Million Dollar Baby. I have seen the majority of films listed by others above and MDB is the only film that I own on DVD but have never been able to watch again due to how heavy the drama is. Its that impactful on the rest of your day. Gran Torino and other Eastwood films make the list due to MDB's laying the groundwork as a must watch film.
on December 5th, 2010 at 6:13 am
Another movie to consider is "The Mist", the movie itself isn't that bad, and the ending will make you very depressed.
on December 5th, 2010 at 8:19 pm
Just one movie for u, and its all that matters eheh.. ===Blindness,=== from Jose Saramago ( portuguese boss of literature ) google it , and all i can say is that its a great movie that makes you think about itm very well directed and a good script. try it, then leave your opinion please.,
on December 5th, 2010 at 10:45 pm
Yes, films like 'Requiem for a dream' or 'Schindler's list' are beautiful and sad movies, but there's still a tiny bit of hope at the end.
I'd recommand 'Boy-A', and next 'Hunger'. You won't be disappointed.
http://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm_gen_cfilm=1… http://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm_gen_cfilm=1…
on December 5th, 2010 at 10:52 pm
It being Christmas, I suggest Joyeux Noel: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0424205/
It being based on actual events makes it even worse.
And if you're looking for something for a woman, try The Joy Luck Club: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107282/
A total weep-fest for everybody I know.
Hope this helps! Keep on with the good work
on December 5th, 2010 at 11:10 pm
Id recommend the following
"#9" – http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0472033/
"when the wind blows" …. extremely disturbing …. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090315/
"barfoot gen" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085218/
on December 5th, 2010 at 11:37 pm
If you're on to something more of artistic. I recomend La Jetée (1962), Chris Marker. It's a short film which is composed mainly by photos with a powerfull speech. This film inspired 12 monkeys by the way. But is hard to watch.
on December 6th, 2010 at 2:41 am
absolutely amazing movie: To Live
i dare you to try to watch this movie and not cry
on December 6th, 2010 at 4:05 am
I too recommend Stay (saw it up there at least once). I still feel like crying when I think about it. But oh so beautiful.
on December 6th, 2010 at 4:09 am
12 Monkeys. I have only watched that movie once and never plan on watching it again.
And if I may say so Oliver, you a real bastard for planning to give someone a gift like this. But I mean that in a good way. :-)
on December 6th, 2010 at 10:41 am
(500) days of summer
on December 7th, 2010 at 11:41 am
I would go for Donnie Darko or Schindler's list.
on December 9th, 2010 at 7:22 pm
A lot of the movies mentioned isn't all that sad imo… Just got one suggestion:
Seven Pounds (2008)
on December 15th, 2010 at 5:21 am
Martys, its a french film or 'Frozen' independent film.
on December 29th, 2010 at 12:37 am
Not in any particular order..
The Sand Pebbles
12 Monkeys
On the beach (remake by showtime, not the original
Jacob's Ladder
The Sixth Sense
Heavens' Burning