Top 20 Feel Bad Movies of the Last 20 Years

Finding somewhat of a death in the multiplexes as of late, I’ve been turning to my DVD collection for cinematic inspiration. While there are times that I seek out escapist entertainment and feel-good movies, I am currently more interested in films that say something about our culture and humanity; films that aren’t afraid to depress the audience or paint a world without a silver-coloured lining.

As culture is cyclic, our current obsession with the surface of things, to an excessively base level, suggests that we are likely moving into a substance revolution. In a time of reality TV, celebrity sex tapes, thoughtless remakes, torture porn, endless weight loss infomercials, and heroin chic fashion, it is only inevitable that a subsection of society will revolt against the desensitized norm. With that revolt, corporations will act, wanting to cash in on the trend, offering appropriately packaged social satires and criticism to a disillusioned demographic.

Coming up on the summer blockbuster season, it is unlikely that many character dramas or critiques will find themselves coming to light for some time. As a result, I have decided to assemble a list of the top 20 feel-bad films of the last 20 years. “Feel-Bad” may not be the most accurate tagline as they would more accurately be described as the “top 20 films that aren’t afraid to touch on unpleasant subject matter while exploring the nature of being”; but that has less of a hook.

#20 – The Sweet Hereafter (1997) -- Atom Egoyan’s haunting lament of a small Canadian community going through the motions of life after a bus accident has taken the lives of 14 children, and left another without the use of her legs. The bus driver survives, only to live with the burden of what she will always perceive as her fault. Hereafter isn’t a film about redemption or revenge; it is a film about life after death. These victims of tragedy have lost all meaning and hope in their lives, but go on out of necessity and social expectation. This film is so sad and so tender towards its characters, it leaves the viewer with the pain of knowing that there are some things that cannot be changed or fixed. They are fact.

#19 – Arizona Dream (1993) – Johnny Depp stars as a young man desperately out of place in a world filled with unfulfilled fantasies. Dream is a bizarre movie that has scenes throughout that need to be seen to be believed: Faye Dunaway and Johnny Depp riding around while making chicken noises, Lili Taylor attempting to hang herself with pantyhose, Vincent Gallo re-enacting the Cary Grant crop dusting scene in North by Northwest, Jerry Lewis and Paulina Porizkova as a couple, turtles walking through meatballs, and excess accordion playing. As peculiar as the film is, it explores inertia to great effect. Not to mention the impact of a successful suicide by someone who endlessly threatens to do so. There’s guilt in those around them, who viewed their endless pleas as white noise without gravity.

#18 – The War Zone (1999) – Tim Roth’s directorial debut about the impact of incest on a seemingly normal family living on the outskirts, relatively disconnected from mainstream culture, proved to be quite controversial when it came out. What may have irked viewers is how the film seems unwilling to necessarily vilify perpetrators of incest, as it instead explores lifelong hurt along with the barrage of human emotions and reactions to confusing life events. Characters never behave with singular motivators or specific moral views; they react believably given their situation. It is this that makes the film that much more challenging and impacting.

#17 – Donnie Darko (2001) – Richard Kelly’s cult debut hit has found a rather impressive audience through sheer word of mouth. It’s no surprise that this movie would find a place with so many dispassioned and angry youth, tired of not hearing their existential concerns voiced in public forums. Darko deals with the annihilation anxieties surrounding mortality and death. The mishmash of thoughts and feelings feels genuine, considering the nature of the material. Religion, time travel, social sexual taboos, and schizophrenia aside, the film is inherently about a young man coming to terms with his own death and the knowledge that the world is a better place without him. The notion of the greater good not involving oneself is heartbreaking and ideologically destructive. This thought provoking film will likely speak to generations to come.

#16 – Shopgirl (2005) – Many dismissed this film as a pretentious dalliance for Steve Martin, decidedly uninterested in the motivators behind the young woman/older man romance. This is unfortunate, as Shopgirl genuinely explores Mirabelle’s (Claire Danes) feelings of failure, isolation, and personal insignificance with great insight. It is easy to understand why a young woman who feels ignored and misunderstood would find whimsy in a refined and attention giving older man. He can offer her the stability and emotional framework that men her own age are incapable of doing.

#15 – Jesus’ Son (1999) – Billy Crudup stars as “F**khead”, a pathetic drug addicted young man who encounters many lost souls on his quest for redemption and meaning. This film is admittedly quirky; featuring topless parasailers, an alcoholic Denis Leary stealing copper wiring from an abandoned house, and a stoned Jack Black stealing pharmaceuticals. That aside, Son also examines hopelessness and failure to great insight. The characters throughout, for the most part, don’t better themselves. They are so resigned to failure and disappointment that they embrace it and their own downfall. It’s brutal and upsetting, but never played for false theatrics or unearned emotion.

#14 – Igby Goes Down (2002) – Kieran Culkan stars as Igby Slocumb, a privileged upper-crust kid with a pill popping mother, chronically depressed father and passionless brother. Having his life planned out by his parents, he is expected to attend the best schools and be a successful business man. Aware of how that life turned out for his father and how phony and insincere that world is, Igby rejects it, seeking a life of his own. It’s an insightful film about the rage and frustration a young man feels when transitioning into adulthood; having expectations thrust upon him regardless of his desire to adhere to those societal constructs. The film never really suggests a resolution to Igby’s plight as his running away from responsibility only leads to more disappointment.

#13 – Henry Fool (1997) – Hal Hartley is one of those director’s with a cult following. His tendency to wear his intellect on his sleeve leaves him open to unending criticism, but those who embrace his world find interesting perspectives on politics, consumerism and cultural signifiers. He often writes characters shrouded in isolation, unable to connect with mainstream society, who come to the forefront of popular culture through their distinct voice. Such is the case with Henry Fool, a film that focuses on Simon Grim, a depressed garbage man who is relentlessly teased and disregarded by those around him. Goaded by Henry Fool, Simon writes his thoughts in a journal, which are then uploaded onto the internet, resulting in unexpected success. It’s a seriously flawed and bloated film, but the emotion throughout is true, conveying Hartley’s comically depressive world views effectively.

#12 – Safe (1995) -- Before Todd Haynes starting making pretentious art movies about his favourite musicians, he made this powerful little drama about a woman named Carol White (Julianne Moore) who finds herself becoming allergic to “fumes”. Much discussion has surrounded the allegory of the film, which is thought by some to be about AIDS and others think it is about an allergy to society. Carol is a meek woman who is afraid to voice her opinion, living her life based on the expectations of others. It seems logical that her allergies stem from an effort to gain independence through illness. The film acts as a strong examination of the need to flee from a trapped life, wanting desperately to regain control in a world uninterested in individual opinion.

#11 – The Myth of Fingerprints (1997) – Title seems to indicate a denial of traits and characteristics dictated by blood relation. This seems logical as the film is about a dysfunctional family coming together for thanksgiving. From a cold and distant father, to his rage filled son, and defensive, oppositional daughter, there is a constant feeling of unease throughout this film. Fingerprints paints a family earmarked by disappointment and betrayals that have never been brought out into the open. These are passive-aggressive people who have let their childhood demons control and guide their adult lives, resulting in an inability to truly connect with those around them. Sadly, these are feelings that many people can identify with.

#10 – The Claim (2000) – Based loosely on Thomas Hardy’s “The Mayor of Casterbridge”, Michael Winterbottom has transferred the characters to the American Western front where greed and power begin to usher in the industrialization of the landscape. This is essentially a film about a man (Peter Mullan) coping with the demons of his past, while seeking redemption in the eyes of those he has wronged, which is mirrored by the ambitions of a younger man (Wes Bentley) whose seemingly genuine flirtations with power follow the same path. The Claim is a quiet, but emotionally true film, where a great deal of meaning is found in cinematography and moments of stillness. In fact, the final shot of this movie is one of the most moving moments in film in recent history. It tells so much of the animalistic and self serving nature of mankind, while simultaneously showing the beauty of human connection and detachment. It takes a while for this film to gain its footing, but it’s a worthwhile investment.

#9 – Heavenly Creatures (1994) – The film that brought Kate Winslet and Peter Jackson the attention and acclaim they have rightfully earned, is a heartbreaking a brutal one. It’s the story of two young women who develop “unnatural” affections for each other while escaping into a mutual fantasy world. What makes the film work so well is how effectively it structured the make-believe world of these girls, while developing a believable mutual admiration between them. The creativity surrounding that world is wonderfully juxtaposed by a very grim reality that becomes increasingly intangible for the girls. The eventual outcome of this film is devastating and horrific, ultimately making for a difficult viewing. It shows a very disturbing side to human passion and obsession.

#8 – Thomas in Love (2000) – Little seen French movie about a man named Thomas Thomas, who is agoraphobic. The entire film is told from the perspective of his computer screen, as he connects to the outside world from the safety of his home. Anxieties surrounding agoraphobia and the fear of society are handled to great effect. The audience is able to see how various people online look at Thomas when they learn of his illness; they look at him with confusion and disassociation; they feel he is being silly. Issues of spectatorship and isolation are also touched on with tenderness, as Thomas seeks human companionship without the ability to act on it.

#7 – Edward Scissorhands (1990) – It would be hard to find someone unfamiliar with Tim Burton’s masterpiece about the dread of difference. Film follows a highly creative, yet disfigured young man, as he is integrated into uniform suburban life. The locals are initially intrigued by the newcomer, but turn on him as they find their own inadequacies exacerbated in his innocent eyes. While there is a great deal of whimsy and comedy throughout this movie, there is also a haunting disappointment in a world that rejects outsiders. The assimilate or perish mentality is one that continues to flourish in our culture, regardless of any laws that force people to accept others.

#6 – The Minus Man (1999) – Owen Wilson stars as Van, a surprisingly passive and subdued serial killer. He only acts on his desire to kill when the opportunity presents itself, which generally presents itself as “he takes the natural momentum of a person and moves it towards him”. While Van narrates a great deal of the film through voiceover, he doesn’t provide insight on why he kills, as his role is implicit. His actions however, indicate a moral code to his killings, as he rids the world of those who make it a worse place or seemingly don’t want to be in it. His sociopathic tendencies and emotional distance make him a wonderful provider of detached insight into all the damaged people he encounters. He acts as a cipher to those around him, saying what he anticipates they want to hear, which makes him likeable to most. It’s an interesting observation about humanity; how our security often comes from surrounding ourselves with those who mirror our likes and ideologies. The Minus Man acts as a criticism to that.

#5 – Lilya 4-Ever (2002) – Lilya is a 16-year-old girl living in Estonia without any money or prospects in the world. Abandoned by her mother, who has gone to America as a mail order bride, Lilya is forcibly evicted from her home and forced to live in a run down tenement room, where she hosts glue sniffing parties. Her only real friend is an equally lonely 11-year old boy named Volodya, whom she treats like a younger brother. Her world is bleak, but not painted with unnecessary edginess. There is a straightforward reality to her situation, which makes it that much more heartbreaking. It even makes her descent into prostitution unsurprising, as it acts as a means to an end. Eventually Lilya is manipulated by a young man, who promises her rescue, to move to Sweden, where she is locked away and used as a prostitute by an endless parade of faceless men. This isn’t an easily digested film, but it is one of great impact. No audience manipulation or contrivance is needed to tell this very real story of yet another lost soul.

#4 – Waking the Dead (2000) – Essentially a love story about the politically ambitious Fielding (Billy Crudup) and his liberal-minded hippie girlfriend Sarah (Jennifer Connelly). This relationship is one of the most convincing ones to be seen on film, partially due to some excellent character development and writing, as well as the natural chemistry of the leads. The pair each have their own ideas about how to change the world, and are equally strong-willed. While these beliefs occasionally overlap, they more often conflict as they are often disgusted with the choices the other makes. The film deals with the power of love within a political landscape, as well as the heartbreak of loss and the inability to accept it. Title refers to the death of Sarah (as introduced early in the film) and Fielding’s inability to move past it. He is unable to ground himself without her influence, finding the world too hard to cope with minus her passion. This really is a hidden gem with genuine heart and power.

#3 – The Ice Storm (1997) – Ang Lee’s examination of familial discontent and impending tragedy as an ice storm freezes the disarray of their increasingly numbed lives, is a film of unique power. The characters all act with a certain detachment from their own lives, seeking thrills in anything that can give them feeling. This is often through extra-marital affairs, dalliances with narcotics, shoplifting, and most pointedly through consciously risking ones own life. There is never a sense of escape from the confines of their existence, only an increased inability to experience joy and pleasure. Inevitable tragedy causes an overall mourning of the mess their lives have all become. While the overall message of the film isn’t overly hopeful, The Ice Storm is often humourous and handles its darker material with levity.

#2 – Ratcatcher (1999) – Set during a garbage strike in the slums of Glasgow, Scotland, Ratcatcher follows young James, who may or may not have been involved with the drowning of a fellow classmate in a trash-filled canal. Film paints a portrait of a destitute family with no real hope for more. It is often difficult to watch as director Lynne Ramsay doesn’t shy away from grim details and murky landscapes. There is nothing throughout the film to condescendingly humanize the poor, as it paints them more with the air of believability in their very human flaws.

#1 – Leolo (1992) – Tagline of the film is “Because I dream, I am not”, a statement often repeated throughout the film as young Leolo desperately clings to a fantasy world far from the squalid Montreal tenement he lives in. The film handles an almost unbearable existence with a welcome black humour. Leolo believes himself to have been conceived by an ejaculate polluted tomato that inadvertently found its way into his mother. He also has endless battles with his parents, who believe a bowel movement each day necessary to ones health and a hateful relationship with his grandfather who pays a neighbour girl to bite off his toenails. This adds needed levity to an otherwise overwhelmingly depressing movie.

What stands out about the film is some absolutely amazing voiceover writing, as well as endless optimism and idealism that repeatedly fail, leaving characters to succumb to their own inevitable defeat. In a later scene of Leolo, a group of boys pay a peer to rape a cat; the acerbic voiceover about motivations behind declawing a cat and the insights about the young man performing the act is one of the most upsetting, but brutally true rants to be captured on film. This is an audacious and unique film that really needs to be seen by anyone who considers themselves a cinephile.