There are many unsettling movies that get lost in the mix, here are some revolutionary films that stand the test of time.
Videodrome (1983)
Maxes “New Flesh” begins to take shape, as he realizes what he has become.
Scream (1996)
“Movies don’t create psychos. Movies make psychos more creative!”
Oldboy (2005)
After being released from his unexplained imprisonment, Oh Dae-su’s first meal as a free man is a large live octopus.
Paranormal Activity (2009)
A break from the domestic imagery present in Paranormal Activity, specters open a door to a realm only accessible by the dead
House (1977)
Considered a cult classic, House (Hausu) will have you fearing pianos, cats, disembodied floating heads, and possibly your own impulses.
The Cabin in The Woods (2012)
The Cabin In The Woods plays out to be a stereotypical teen slasher, but as the cast progresses, they discover a larger issue hiding beneath their predicament.
10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)
If you are being forced to take shelter from an enemy you do not know exists, is it an act of kindness, or a manipulative display of power?
Get Out (2017)
Get Out uses horror and comedy to highlight real issues of racism and “the ideal human form”, an unforgettable milestone for topical entertainment.
Alien (1979)
This is the movie that defined space horror, space is lonely until it isn’t.
Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
Rosemary realized there was something different about her unborn child.
Eraserhead (1977)
A classic absurdist story about a couple and their reptilian baby who won’t stop screaming.
Jacob’s Ladder (1990)
A young war veteran returns home suffering visions from PTSD, but what if others see those visions as well?
A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Can brainwashing cure a young man of violent tendencies?
Donnie Darko (2001)
A confusing and dark tale of a boy on his quest to save the universe.
Akira (1988)
Considered as the film that brought Japanese animation to America, Akira is a mind-bending tale about a young man and his experiences with a biological mutation. A must watch for those who are interested in classic Japanese animation.
Mother (2017)
An emotionally challenging movie, gripping, intense, perturbing, also a must watch.
The Matrix (1999)
One of the first movies that challenged the viewer to question whether what they experience is actually real.
Fight Club (1999)
An insomniac and a soap salesmen accidentally create a militia to fight capitalism.
Enter The Void (2009)
A French man living in Tokyo dies, his soul views the lives of others after his passing.
Mind Game (2004)
An innovative hand-drawn movie, centered around two boys who learn what it means to be alive.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)
A psychedelic joyride following a journalist and his attorney who are out in the desert reporting on an illegal motorcycle race.
Alice (1988)
As if the original Alice in Wonderland wasn’t disturbing enough, this interpretation of Lewis Carroll’s classic story is bizarre to the max.
Spirited Away (2001)
Easily mistaken for a lighthearted children’s movie, Spirited Away somehow captures how it feels to be lost in a grocery store as a kid, except the grocery store is an absurdist city where you can be killed at any moment.
Tekkonkinkreet (2006)
A beautiful animated film thats just as perturbing as it is beautiful, focused on two brothers who are just trying to make enough money to fly on a metal bird to a quiet place with a beach and palm trees.
Blade Runner (1982)
An alarmingly modern film that was released in 1982, follows a man navigating a cyberpunk universe to complete an objective, or four.
Beetlejuice (1988)
Say his name three times and he will drive the bad spirits out of your life, for a cost.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
A cautionary tale for love-seekers and amateur brain surgeons, this one hurts.
Requiem for a Dream (2000)
A spirit-crushing journey through addiction, love, and consequence. The kind of movie you do not want to be alone for.
Rubber (2010)
One of the weirdest love stories to ever exist, a bloodthirsty car tire murders everyone in its way, to chase the woman it loves.
They Live (1988)
What would you do if you found a pair of sunglasses that revealed the world has been taken over by aliens masquerading as people?
Annihilation (2018)
A disorienting re-adjustment of the natural structure of biology. Evolution is mutation, but with no natural selection those mutations go unchecked, wild even.
2001 A Space Odyssey (1968)
No list would be complete without this early masterpiece from Kubrick. 2001 A Space Odyssey encapsulates everything we know about space si-fi, including the dark, creepy parts of it.
Cannibal Apocalypse (1980)
A predecessor to most modern zombie movie formats, a war brings an insidious virus back to American soil, Atlanta starts eating itself.
Cannibal Holocaust (1980)
A survival crew finds footage from a lost group of journalists who had been captured by a tribe of cannibals.
Funny Games (1997)
A film that set the stage for bizzaro, 4th wall breaking, self referential psychological comedy horror. All that and a killer soundtrack.
SAW (2004)
A claustrophobic psychological horror film, SAW was one of the first viral modern horror movies.
Se7en (1995)
WHATS IN THE BOX??????? WHATS IN THE BOX?!!!?!!!?!?!
The Shining (1980)
The movie that your friends won’t shut up about, even if they were born 15 years after it came out. The Shining still holds up to modern cinema, another atmospheric masterpiece by Kubrick.
The Sixth Sense (1999)
This is the movie that the term “Shyamalan Twist” comes from. You probably already know what happened in this one, if not, you’re in for a treat.
The VVitch (2015)
A story about cardinal sin, the darkness within all of us, isolation, and religious zealotry.
The Ring (2002)
A 21st century classic, bridging the gap between modern fantasy settings using commercial imagery.
The Babadook (2014)
A conversation about emotional trauma and guilt, personified by the Babadook.
The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)
A deep dive into the psychology of human survival.
Black Swan (2010)
On the search for perfection it is easy to lose yourself, as well as your grip on reality.
It Follows (2014)
This movie will make you want to walk with a friend at all times, but like the friend is beside you, not behind you, definitely not behind you.
Antiviral (2012)
Plays with the concept of obsession and adoration, squirmy body horror centric piece.
Session 9 (2001)
A disconcerting and dark story set in an actual abandoned mental hospital. Do not watch this alone.
We Need To Talk About Kevin (2011)
A terrifying personal story of a mentally stable mother attempting to raise and normalize her sociopath son.
Excision (2012)
One of the bloodiest movies in circulation, a must watch for gore lovers.
In the Mouth of Madness (1994)
A cautionary tale about a mans descent into insanity. If you like to make jokes about Stephen King in your spare time, this one is for you.
The Vanishing (1988)
A psychological horror that toys with the viewer’s empathy. Honestly, a masterpiece lost in time.
Creep (2014)
Not the average found footage flick, this movie will make you think twice about responding to craigslist ads.
Shutter Island (2010)
We all love a movie with a twist, but some films have such a massive and disorienting twist that you realize you’ve been watching a different movie than what you thought you were. This is one of those films.
Psycho (1960)
One of the true classics that, because of good engineering, stands the test of time.
What Lies Beneath (2000)
Love can drive a man crazy, especially if he hears the voice of his dead wife long after her passing.
Hannibal (2001)
A departure from the depravity of the character Hannibal Lecter, Hannibal is more of a look into the mind and motivation of a serial killer cannibal. Go figure.
The Strangers (2008)
Three people wearing masks terrorize a couple trying to enjoy their vacation together, kind of rude if you ask me.
Nocturnal Animals (2016)
A tragic and gripping story of love and loss. How far can a person bend before they snap?
Ex Machina (2015)
A conversational piece about the ethics of AI, claustrophobic, socially uncomfortable, and somewhat cringey.
Take Shelter (2011)
Pitting the intelligence of a seven year old kid against financial distress. A great storm may be coming, but there is no way to tell.
Insomnia (2002)
Two detectives sent to remote Alaska, the true question is whether they will solve their case and go home before they lose their minds.
Primer (2004)
Two dudes try to get rich the hard way, traveling in time to the future to invest in stocks that are definitely going to increase in value.
Enemy (2013)
A film about doppelgängers, love and loss, and a giant spider.
Hard Candy (2006)
A young girl plots to murder a pedophile that preys on young women online.
Queen of Earth (2015)
A mental breakdown in complete isolation can breed clarity, or insanity, take your pick.
Green Room (2015)
A celebration of anti-nazi punk rock, also a gore filled, claustrophobic, a nazi slasher that will have you at the edge of your seat.
A Bigger Splash (2015)
A Bigger Splash is an exploration of guilt, temptation, and the repercussions of following impulses.
The Master (2012)
A display of the consequences of joining a religious cult, loosely based on Scientology, yet no Tom Cruise present.
Tom at the Farm (2013)
After Tom’s girlfriend passes away, he seeks out her family who have no clue who he is. Not to spoil anything, but he gets trapped there and learns something about himself.
Stoker (2013)
Think “the village” but with Lannister style incest.
The End of Evangelion (1997)
Arguably one of the most important pieces of animation in history. It is the end of the world, the end of Evangelion. Please watch this movie. Do it for me.
Perfect Blue (1997)
A twisted story of a stalker, a celebrity, a celebrity’s stalker, who the celebrity might be stalking, descent from grandeur, romantic delusion, and loving someone you do not know.