|
Post by msdemos on Nov 21, 2021 2:14:58 GMT
Just watched the movie Downhill (2020), a well-made (production wise) film with good performances, and a drama that (on the surface) SEEMS like it might be interesting to watch, but, in the end, is just a sad, HORRIBLY depressing film, without much entertainment value to offer the viewer..... On the flip-side, an example of a VERY depressing film that I REALLY liked was River's Edge (1986). As horribly sad as the story about youth in modern day America was, the performances were SO good, and the characters SO riveting, that it was hard not to come away with a feeling that it was 99 minutes well spent, even though the subject matter is VERY disturbing !! Anybody else ?? SAVE FERRIS
|
|
|
Post by dwightmachinehead on Nov 21, 2021 2:46:07 GMT
Worth watching and not watching at the same time: Alien 3 (particularly assembly cut). It's well acted and well shot, good in its own way. Despite that it's a real shame they killed off Newt, Hicks, Bishop and Ripley. There were other scripts out there that could have developed the Alien franchise. One of the cheerful aspects of Aliens was newt and Ripley forming a mother daughter relationship. Alien 3 was such a downer and a reminder that dreams don't always come true.
|
|
|
Post by politicidal on Nov 21, 2021 3:14:57 GMT
Hehe, a friend of mine saw that one and thought the same thing. I had the same sentiments about Where'd You Go, Bernadette (2019).
|
|
lune7000
Junior Member
@lune7000
Posts: 1,091
Likes: 678
|
Post by lune7000 on Nov 21, 2021 4:22:01 GMT
Frozen (not the Disney one) is ridiculously sad b/c I can relate so much to the characters
|
|
gw
Junior Member
@gw
Posts: 1,515
Likes: 556
|
Post by gw on Nov 21, 2021 4:43:43 GMT
Frozen (not the Disney one) is ridiculously sad b/c I can relate so much to the characters I saw it on tv once. It's a scenario that is very down to Earth for being so frightening.
|
|
|
Post by Cat on Nov 21, 2021 5:09:52 GMT
I think a depressing movie totally worth watching is The Life of Oharu (1952).
|
|
|
Post by phantomparticle on Nov 22, 2021 1:03:06 GMT
The first two depressing movies that come to mind are They Shoot Horses, Don't They? and Make Way for Tomorrow (1937), a real tearjerker. Both are watchable, but the latter is particularly sad because it deals with family wounds that are probably far more common than not.
On the flip side there is Requiem for a Dream and its horrifying depiction of drug addiction, which I will never watch again.
|
|
|
Post by brandomarlon2003 on Nov 22, 2021 1:58:36 GMT
I'll See You in My Dreams. With Blythe Danner and Sam Elliott. Extremely depressing.
|
|
|
Post by Penn Guinn on Nov 22, 2021 2:27:23 GMT
Very well worth seeing
|
|
|
Post by vegalyra on Nov 22, 2021 18:53:23 GMT
Two nuclear war (or scare) themed films:
On the Beach with Gregory Peck and Ava Gardner. Ladybug Ladybug with William Daniels
|
|
|
Post by drystyx on Nov 23, 2021 1:44:53 GMT
No depressing movie is worth watching to a sane person.
Now, there are movies with some depression in them, movies about failing or about dying or about dealing with failure while keeping one's soul intact, that could be worth watching.
For instance, take Alien 3 and Alien 4. There is absolutely nothing worthwhile about #3 because it is too contrived to be a "no respect of person" theme, which it tries to be. Alien 4 manages to succeed in being "no respect of person", because it isn't contrived. It's a "roll the dice of fate" movie in a depressing situation with results that aren't contrived. You never forget that someone is actually writing #3, because #3 is so heavy handed. The writer may as well be in the prison handing out the scripts right on camera.
Some movies deemed depressing have some merit because those movies let you know anyone can fail. THE BRIDGES AT TOKO RI is a masterful film about three men who give their all up to the ditch in Korea. And we see the reactions of those who couldn't help them, particularly the two officers. It's sad, but not depressing, because even in failure there is some victory in the soul, and the men did some living to their final moments.
THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI is another good one. The only two major players who survive are likely in for more Hell. One will almost surely lose his leg when he returns from his campaign. The other will probably survive, being a doctor, but will live through Hell. In spite of all this depression, we see that even the officers suffer. One man thinks being an officer will make him not suffer and ironically it doesn't help him.
DESYAT NEGRITYAT, the truest and best version of TEN LITTLE INDIANS has a depressing tone of doom, but all ten characters are murderers, so while the murderer of murderers is still a raving lunatic, we don't get too depressed by his actions. And since it is the only book Christie ever wrote that was a really good book, and it was a great book, being true to the book makes it even more remarkable.
ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT, the 1929 version stays true to the book, unlike the poor remake with Thomas and Borgnine. Oh, the actors are great, but the book clearly has one survivor, which the original film keeps true to. The narrator's tragic story gives us a full life picture of war, so while terribly sad, we don't quite get depressed.
SEVEN SAMURAI also gives us a full life view of what would otherwise be depressing. Like the above movies, the characters who perish aren't "throw away characters" with no dignity.
Some that aren't worth viewing. Too many to name. About 95% of the horror movies since 1965 are just contrived to glorify demonic beings as being immortal.
Then there are the many neo Nazi movies promoting genocide and actually sermonizing selective sex racial genocide. This was the Hollywood formula of the seventies, and it came back with the Beavis and Butthead new age crew of the past twenty years.
|
|
basmaticathury
Junior Member
@basmaticathury
Posts: 3,130
Likes: 1,186
|
Post by basmaticathury on Nov 23, 2021 2:40:44 GMT
"The Lodge" (2019) is a poor "psychological horror" film. It is inexplicable, depressing and devoid of a smidgen of a point. One could say it's a waste of time and not worth a viewing.
|
|
|
Post by SuperDevilDoctor on Nov 23, 2021 3:01:55 GMT
Worth watching: It's depressing as hell because... The mute hero and his girlfriend are shot to death, and all the townsfolk massacred, by Klaus Kinski and his band of murderous cut-throats, who then ride away from the scene of the slaughter. The End.
|
|
|
Post by sdrew13163 on Nov 23, 2021 7:02:12 GMT
Worth watching: It's depressing as hell because... The mute hero and his girlfriend are shot to death, and all the townsfolk massacred, by Klaus Kinski and his band of murderous cut-throats, who then ride away from the scene of the slaughter. The End. Incredible movie. The snow photography is beautiful.
|
|
|
Post by marth on Nov 27, 2021 9:40:39 GMT
|
|
Jason143
Junior Member
@glaceon
Posts: 1,242
Likes: 610
|
Post by Jason143 on Nov 27, 2021 11:40:16 GMT
Manchester By The Sea
NOT WORTH WATCHING. The most boring, depressing, downbeat movie ive ever seen.
|
|
|
Post by mortsahlfan on Nov 27, 2021 13:42:35 GMT
The first two depressing movies that come to mind are They Shoot Horses, Don't They? and Make Way for Tomorrow (1937), a real tearjerker. Both are watchable, but the latter is particularly sad because it deals with family wounds that are probably far more common than not. "Horses" is my 4th favorite movie ever. I like "..... Tomorrow" too
|
|
|
Post by mortsahlfan on Nov 27, 2021 14:03:45 GMT
Two nuclear war (or scare) themed films: On the Beach with Gregory Peck and Ava Gardner. Ladybug Ladybug with William Daniels I like "on the Beach", but "Ladybug, Ladybug" is one I really love. Nuclear war threat in a setting from the point of view of children (who start to act like adults, hierarchy, etc) was very interesting, something I haven't really seen, maybe with the exception of "Little Fugitive" which isn't as threatening or depressing.
There was a movie by Mike Leigh called "Ladybird, Ladybird" that was pretty good about a troubled woman and her boyfriend/husband.
|
|
|
Post by moviebuffbrad on Nov 28, 2021 20:15:02 GMT
Worth watching: Grave of the Fireflies Threads Detroit any Michael Haneke movie
Not worth watching: Winter's Bone Beasts of the Southern Wild Nomadland
The last three are the exact same thing: poverty porn made and endorsed by limousine liberals.
|
|