Films about Evil and Suffering:
General Description:
Films about evil and suffering explore the darker side of human nature, delving into the depths of human depravity and the anguish it causes. These films often depict the struggle between good and evil, the consequences of immoral actions, and the pain inflicted upon others.
List of Films:
“Se7en”, 1995
Director: David Fincher
Directed by David Fincher, this psychological thriller follows two detectives as they hunt down a serial killer who uses the seven deadly sins as his modus operandi. The film explores the twisted psyche of the killer and the profound suffering he inflicts upon his victims.
Starring: Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kevin Spacey, R. Lee Ermey, John C. McGinley, Richard Schiff, Richard Roundtree, Mark Boone Junior, Reg E. Cathey, Daniel Zacapa, John Cassini, Bob Mack, Peter Crombie, George Christy, Endre Hules, Hawthorne James, William Davidson, Bob Collins, Jimmy Dale Hartsell, Charline Su, Dominique Jennings, Allan Kolman, Beverly Burke, Gene Borkan, Julie Araskog, Mario Di Donato, Alfonso Freeman, Harrison White, Bob Stephenson, Michael Reid MacKay, Richard Portnow, Tudor Sherrard, Pamala Tyson, Lennie Loftin, Sarah Reinhardt, Emily Wagner, Martin Serene, Michael Massee, David Correia, Ron Blair, Jennifer Mueller, Leland Orser, Lexie Bigham, Evan Mirand, Paul Eckstein, Harris Savides, Rachel Flanagan, Heidi Schanz;
Production year: 1995;
Genre: thriller, drama, crime, detective;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 127 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 8,6;
More information about the film “Se7en” on the website imdb.com
“Schindler's List”, 1993
Director: Steven Spielberg
Directed by Steven Spielberg, this powerful and haunting film tells the true story of Oskar Schindler, a German businessman who saves the lives of over a thousand Jewish refugees during the Holocaust. It showcases the immense evil and suffering inflicted upon the Jewish population by the Nazis.
Starring: Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes, Caroline Goodall, Embeth Davidtz, Jonathan Sagall, Malgoscha Gebel, Shmuel Levy, Mark Ivanir, Béatrice Macola, Andrzej Seweryn, Friedrich von Thun, Krzysztof Luft, Harry Nehring, Norbert Weisser, Adi Nitzan, Michael Schneider, Miri Fabian, Anna Mucha, Albert Misak, Michael Gordon, Aldona Grochal, Jacek Wójcicki, Beata Paluch, Piotr Polk, Ezra Dagan, Beata Deskur, Rami Heuberger, Leopold Kozlowski, Jerzy Nowak, Uri Avrahami, Adam Siemion, Magdalena Dandourian, Pawel Delag, Shabtai Konorti, Oliwia Dabrowska, Henryk Bista, Tadeusz Bradecki, Wojciech Klata, Elina Löwensohn, Ewa Kolasinska, Bettina Kupfer, Grzegorz Kwas, Vili Matula, Stanislaw Koczanowicz, Hans-Jörg Assmann, Geno Lechner, August Schmölzer, Ludger Pistor, Beata Rybotycka;
Production year: 1993;
Genre: drama, biography, history, war;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 195 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 9;
More information about the film “Schindler's List” on the website imdb.com
“American History X”, 1998
Director: Tony Kaye
Directed by Tony Kaye, this film follows a former neo-Nazi leader who tries to prevent his younger brother from following the same path of hate and violence. It delves into the consequences of racism and the personal transformation that can arise from confronting one's own prejudices.
Starring: Edward Norton, Edward Furlong, Beverly D'Angelo, Jennifer Lien, Ethan Suplee, Fairuza Balk, Avery Brooks, Elliott Gould, Stacy Keach, William Russ, Guy Torry, Joe Cortese, Jason Bose Smith, Antonio David Lyons, Alex Sol, Keram Malicki-Sánchez, Giuseppe Andrews, Michelle Christine White, Jonathan Fowler Jr., Christopher Masterson, Nicholas R. Oleson, Jordan Marder, Paul Le Mat, Thomas L. Bellissimo, Cherish Lee, Sam Vlahos, Tara Blanchard, Anne Lambton, Steve Wolford, Richard Noyce, Danso Gordon, Jim Norton, David Basulto, Alexis Rose Coen, Kiante Elam, Paul Hopkins, Keith Odett, Paul E. Short, Nigel Miguel, Darrell Britt, Robert «Duckie» Carpenter, Sydney «Big Dawg» Colston, Hans Cozzens, John Embry, Maximillian Kesmodel, Barbie Marie, Andre McCoy, Allie Moss, Denney Pierce, Glendon Rich;
Production year: 1998;
Genre: drama, crime;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 119 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 8,5;
More information about the film “American History X” on the website imdb.com
“Requiem for a Dream”, 2000
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Directed by Darren Aronofsky, this harrowing drama explores addiction and its devastating effects on the lives of four individuals. It portrays the gradual descent into despair and suffering as their dreams crumble under the weight of their addictions.
Starring: Jared Leto, Marlon Wayans, Jennifer Connelly, Ellen Burstyn, Christopher McDonald, Louise Lasser, Marcia Jean Kurtz, Janet Sarno, Suzanne Shepherd, Joanne Gordon, Charlotte Aronofsky, Mark Margolis, Michael Kaycheck, Jack O'Connell, Chas Mastin, Ajay Naidu, Sean Gullette, Samia Shoaib, Peter Maloney, Abraham Abraham, Aliya Campbell, Te'ron A. O'Neal, Denise Dowse, Bryan Chattoo, Eddie De Harp, Scott Franklin, Peter Cheyenne, Brian Costello, Abraham Aronofsky, James Chinlund, Olga Merediz, Allison Furman, Robert Dylan Cohen, Ben Shenkman, Keith David, Dylan Baker, Shaun O'Hagan, Leland Gantt, Bill Buell, Jimmie Ray Weeks, Gregg Bello, Henry Stram, Heather Litteer, Jenny Decker, Ami Goodheart, Nina Zavarin, Stanley Herman, Scott Bader, Jim Centofanti, Scott Chait;
Production year: 2000;
Genre: drama;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 102 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 8,3;
More information about the film “Requiem for a Dream” on the website imdb.com
“A Clockwork Orange”, 1971
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Directed by Stanley Kubrick, this dystopian film follows a young man named Alex who leads a gang of violent criminals. It examines the nature of evil, the ethics of rehabilitation, and the consequences of societal attempts to control and eliminate evil.
Starring: Malcolm McDowell, Patrick Magee, Michael Bates, Warren Clarke, John Clive, Adrienne Corri, Carl Duering, Paul Farrell, Clive Francis, Michael Gover, Miriam Karlin, James Marcus, Aubrey Morris, Godfrey Quigley, Sheila Raynor, Madge Ryan, John Savident, Anthony Sharp, Philip Stone, Pauline Taylor, Margaret Tyzack, Steven Berkoff, Lindsay Campbell, Michael Tarn, David Prowse, Barrie Cookson, Jan Adair, Gaye Brown, Peter Burton, John J. Carney, Vivienne Chandler, Richard Connaught, Prudence Drage, Carol Drinkwater, Lee Fox, Cheryl Grunwald, Gillian Hills, Craig Hunter, Shirley Jaffe, Virginia Wetherell, Neil Wilson, Katya Wyeth, Frankie Abbott, Jack Arrow, Joe Bartlett, Roy Beck, Robert Bruce, Maurice Bush, Steadman Clark, George Coulouris;
Production year: 1971;
Genre: science fiction, crime;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 137 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 8,3;
More information about the film “A Clockwork Orange” on the website imdb.com
“The Silence of the Lambs”, 1990
Director: Jonathan Demme
Directed by Jonathan Demme, this psychological thriller follows FBI trainee Clarice Starling as she seeks the help of the incarcerated cannibalistic serial killer, Hannibal Lecter, in order to catch another serial killer. It delves into the darkness of the human mind and the suffering caused by psychopathic tendencies.
Starring: Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Brooke Smith, Scott Glenn, Ted Levine, Anthony Heald, Kasi Lemmons, Diane Baker, Charles Napier, Roger Corman, Dan Butler, Paul Lazar, Pat McNamara, Tracey Walter, Frankie Faison, Ron Vawter, Danny Darst, Jeffrie Lane, Chris Isaak, Lawrence A. Bonney, Lawrence T. Wrentz, Don Brockett, Frank Seals Jr., Stuart Rudin, Masha Skorobogatov, Leib Lensky, George «Red» Schwartz, Jim Roche, James B. Howard, Bill Miller, Chuck Aber, Gene Borkan, Kenneth Utt, Darla, Adelle Lutz, Obba Babatundé, George Michael, Jim Dratfield, D. Stanton Miranda, Rebecca Saxon, Cynthia Ettinger, Brent Hinkley, Steve Wyatt, Alex Coleman, David Early, Andre B. Blake, Bill Dalzell, Daniel von Bargen, Tommy Lafitte, Josh Broder;
Production year: 1990;
Genre: thriller, detective, crime, drama, horror;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 118 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 8,6;
More information about the film “The Silence of the Lambs” on the website imdb.com
“Oldboy”, 2013
Director: Spike Lee
Directed by Park Chan-wook, this South Korean revenge thriller tells the story of a man who seeks vengeance after being kidnapped and imprisoned for 15 years. It explores themes of guilt, torture, and the consequences of one's actions.
Starring: Josh Brolin, Sharlto Copley, Elizabeth Olsen, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Imperioli, Pom Klementieff, James Ransone, Max Casella, Linda Emond, Elvis Nolasco, Rami Malek, Lance Reddick, Hannah Ware, Richard Portnow, Hannah Simone, Ciera Payton, Cinqué Lee, Steven Hauck, Caitlin Dulany, Ilfenesh Hadera, Phyllis Montana LeBlanc, Michael J. Burg, Lizzy DeClement, Erik Gersovitz, Gralen Bryant Banks, Dustan Costine, Lennie Hsiao, Joe Chrest, Linda Jewell, Kerry Cahill, Douglas M. Griffin, Brett Lapeyrouse, Victoria Geil, Violet Hill, Grey Damon, Jung Tan, Jordan Salloum, Sharon Gee, Elvy, Carol Sutton, Taryn Terrell, Marco Umana, Giovanni Silva, Steve Kim, Brian Oerly, Josh Diogo, Jeff Ward, William Tilk, Ronn Surels, Walter Garcia;
Production year: 2013;
Genre: thriller, drama, detective, action;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 104 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 5,8;
More information about the film “Oldboy” on the website imdb.com
“The Pianist”, 2002
Director: Roman Polanski
Directed by Roman Polanski, this biographical drama tells the true story of Władysław Szpilman, a Jewish pianist who survives the Holocaust in Warsaw. It depicts the immense suffering endured by the Jewish community during World War II and the resilience of the human spirit.
Starring: Adrien Brody, Emilia Fox, Daniel Caltagirone, Ed Stoppard, Maureen Lipman, Frank Finlay, Jessica Kate Meyer, Julia Rayner, Thomas Kretschmann, Michał Żebrowski, Wanja Mues, Richard Ridings, Nomi Sharron, Anthony Milner, Lucy Skeaping, Roddy Skeaping, Ben Harlan, Thomas Lawinky, Joachim Paul Assböck, Roy Smiles, Paul Bradley, Andrzej Blumenfeld, Darian Wawer, Zbigniew Zamachowski, Lejb Fogelman, Detlev von Wangenheim, Popeck, Zofia Czerwinska, Emilio Fernandez, Udo Kroschwald, Uwe Rathsam, Joanna Brodzik, Katarzyna Bargielowska, Maja Ostaszewska, John Bennett, Cyril Shaps, Wojciech Smolarz, Lech Mackiewicz, Ruth Platt, Frank-Michael Köbe, Torsten Flach, Peter Rappenglück, Ronan Vibert, Christoph Pieczynski, Katarzyna Figura, Valentine Pelka, Andrew Tiernan, Tom Strauss, Cezary Kosinski, Grzegorz Artman;
Production year: 2002;
Genre: drama, war, biography, music;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 149 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 8,5;
More information about the film “The Pianist” on the website imdb.com
“No Country for Old Men”, 2007
Director: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, this neo-western thriller follows a hunter who stumbles upon a drug deal gone wrong and becomes entangled with a psychopathic hitman. It explores the presence of evil in society and the struggle to maintain morality in a world of chaos.
Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Kelly Macdonald, Woody Harrelson, Beth Grant, Garret Dillahunt, Tess Harper, Barry Corbin, Stephen Root, Rodger Boyce, Ana Reeder, Kit Gwin, Zach Hopkins, Chip Love, Eduardo Antonio Garcia, Gene Jones, Myk Watford, Boots Southerland, Kathy Lamkin, Johnnie Hector, Margaret Bowman, Thomas Kopache, Jason Douglas, Doris Hargrave, Rutherford Cravens, Matthew Posey, George Adelo, Mathew Greer, Trent Moore, Marc Miles, Luce Rains, Philip Bentham, Erik V. Reeves, Josh Meyer, Chris Warner, Brandon Smith, Roland Uribe, Richard Jackson, Josh Blaylock, Caleb Landry Jones, Dorsey Ray, Angel H. Alvarado, David A. Gomez, Milton Hernandez, John Mancha, Scott Flick, Albert Fry Jr., Spencer Kayden, Rachel Manera;
Production year: 2007;
Genre: thriller, drama, crime, western;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 122 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 8,2;
More information about the film “No Country for Old Men” on the website imdb.com
“Martyrs”, 2008
Director: Pascal Laugier
Directed by Pascal Laugier, this French horror film follows a young woman seeking revenge against the people who tortured her as a child. It delves into the depths of human suffering, both physical and psychological, and questions the boundaries of morality and justice.
Starring: Morjana Alaoui, Mylène Jampanoï, Catherine Bégin, Robert Toupin, Patricia Tulasne, Juliette Gosselin, Xavier Dolan, Louise Boisvert, Jean-Marie Moncelet, Jessie Pham, Erika Scott, Isabelle Chasse, Emilie Miskdjian, Tony Robinow, Anie Pascale, Mike Chute, Gaëlle Cohen, Louis Thevenon, Jean-François Boudreau, Michel Cormier, Jean-Bernard Côté, Patrick Dorval, Mathieu Samaille, Daniel Deburghgraeve, Philippe Laugler, Hervé Desbois, Mario Mancini, Olivier Villeneuve;
Production year: 2008;
Genre: horror;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 99 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7;
More information about the film “Martyrs” on the website imdb.com
These films offer a glimpse into the darker aspects of the human condition, examining the consequences of evil actions and the profound suffering they inflict upon others. Prepare to be challenged and emotionally affected as these films explore the depths of human depravity and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of immense suffering.
The films in this selection about evil and suffering have delved deep into the darkest aspects of human nature, unearthing the complexities and consequences of malevolence. From psychological thrillers to harrowing dramas, each film has served as a mirror reflecting the capacity for both depravity and resilience within the human spirit. While these stories have been haunting and at times distressing, they have also shed light on the power of hope and redemption in the face of profound adversity. Through their unflinching exploration of the human experience, these films have challenged audiences to confront the shadows within themselves and consider the ways in which compassion and courage can triumph over the forces of evil and suffering.
