Each of these films is both beautiful and terrifying in its own way.
Some films leave such a deep mark on the soul that revisiting them feels almost terrifying. These films are brilliant, but their emotional intensity, brutality, or hopelessness are so overwhelming that even the most devoted fans admit: "Once is enough."
4. Funny Games (1997) – When the movie hates you personally
Director: Michael Haneke
Haneke is a master of psychological torture for the viewer, but the original Funny Games takes sadism to another level. The film doesn’t just scare you, it openly mocks you: accusing you of enjoying on-screen violence while ensuring you can't look away. With polite psychopaths, broken fourth walls, and an unrelenting sense of hopelessness, Funny Games is a unique experiment. It became a cult classic, but rewatching it? No thanks.
3. Requiem for a Dream (2000) – Never again
Director: Darren Aronofsky
If you ever feel tempted to try illegal substances, just rewatch Requiem for a Dream. Two hours, and the desire will vanish forever. Aronofsky created a visual masterpiece that’s impossible to forget: Ellen Burstyn as a lonely mother, Jared Leto with his festering arm, Jennifer Connelly in a hellish nightclub... The Lux Aeterna soundtrack will stay in your mind forever. The film is perfect, but after the first viewing, all you’ll want to do is lie down and stare at the ceiling.
2.Martyrs (2008) – French hell on Earth
Director: Pascal Laugier
Martyrs is not a horror movie. It’s an existential torture. The film starts as a dark revenge drama, then transitions into something so brutal that even genre fans have to watch it through their fingers. It has everything: torture, psychological pressure, and that infamous ending. Laugier intentionally plays with these clichés, forcing the viewer to question, "Why am I even interested in this?" No answer, and no strength to rewatch it.
1.Grave of the Fireflies (1988) – The anime that makes everyone cry
Director: Isao Takahata
"This film should be watched once, and never again," is the sentiment shared by nearly everyone who’s seen Grave of the Fireflies. The story of a brother and sister trying to survive in wartime Japan is pure agony. No hope, no comfort — only hunger, despair, and a golden box filled with ashes. Based on true events, it becomes even more unbearable.
Conclusion: Brilliant, but...
These films are like powerful poison: they change you forever, but a second dose could destroy you mentally. They should be watched at least once to understand the full power of cinema. But if you ever feel like rewatching them, maybe switch to something lighter — like a documentary about kittens.
