9 deliciously bleak films and where to stream them after 'soul-crushing' horror
Following the release of their smash hit Talk To Me in 2023, the directors have returned with a similarly bleak and devastating release in their latest film, starring Sally Hawkins, Billy Barratt, Sora Wong, and Jonah Wren Phillips.
It tells the story of two step-siblings placed into foster care following the death of their father, who discover a terrifying ritual in the secluded home of their new family.
Bring Her Back is a chilling exploration of grief, with Metro film editor Tori Brazier saying the film has 'one of the most intensely grotesque and terrifying scenes she's ever seen – one that made her physically recoil.'
If you're a horror fan that looks, for whatever reason, to feel hollowed out after watching a film, it's certainly the right choice.
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And if it leaves you begging for more, here are nine more films streaming right now that are sure to ruin your day – if that's your sort of thing.
Where to watch: Shudder
The New French Extremity movement has no shortage of brutal, gruelling titles for you to choose from, but Gaspar Noé's Irréversible is a cut above the rest.
In reverse-chronological order, Irréversible follows the traumatic events that occur after a young woman, Alex (Monica Bellucci), is brutally raped by a stranger.
Her boyfriend Marcus (Vincent Cassel) and ex-lover Pierre (Albert Dupontel) decide to hire two criminals to help them find the rapist so that they can exact revenge.
Where to watch: BFI Player via Apple TV Plus
Australian thrillers are particularly well known for their mean streak, and Snowtown is one of the most chilling of the bunch.
Based on a horrifying true story, Justin Kurzel's Snowtown focuses on Jamie (Lucas Pittaway), whose homelife is a living hell with his depressed mother Elizabeth (Louise Harris) and sexually abusive brother Troy (Anthony Groves).
Jamie finds himself drawn to violent predator John (Daniel Henshall), who chases away Elizabeth's boyfriend and pushes her son to act in increasingly violent ways
Where to watch: Shudder
Speak No Evil became a word-of-mouth success in 2022 when it hit streaming channels thanks to its tense atmosphere and soul-shattering narrative – so much so that it received the remake treatment last year.
Christian Tafdrup's shocker follows Danish couple Bjørn (Morten Burian) and Louise (Sidsel Siem Koch), who meet Dutch couple Patrick (Fedja van Huêt) and Karin (Karina Smulders), while holidaying in Italy.
Patrick and Karin invite Bjørn and Louise to their remote country home for a weekend holiday, but the hosts test the limits of their guests in an increasingly tense situation.
Where to watch: BBC iPlayer
Threads disturbed viewers so much back when it was originally released that it was not shown on TV for several years after, and it's easy to see why.
Set in Sheffield, it begins with young couple Ruth (Karen Meagher) and Jimmy (Reece Dinsdale) deciding to get married after Ruth discovers she is pregnant.
However, their quiet lives are thrown into disarray with the Soviet Union and the US going to war, and a nuclear attack destroys their town.
Where to watch: Available to rent via Prime Video and Apple TV Plus
Michael Haneke's psychological thriller Funny Games caused uproar when it premiered at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival due to its graphic scenes of torture.
The film begins with George Schober (Ulrich Mühe), his wife Anna (Susanne Lothar), and their son Georgie (Stefan Clapczynski) arriving at their lakefront holiday home in Austria.
But their break turns into a nightmare when disturbed young men Paul (Arno Frisch) and Peter (Frank Giering) take the family hostage and subject them to humiliation and abuse.
Where to watch: Netflix
Isao Takahata's magnum opus Grave of the Fireflies is widely considered one of the greatest animated films of all time, and it just so happens to have the ability to emotionally cripple you.
Based on the 1967 semi-autobiographical short story of the same name by Akiyuki Nosaka, the film follows teenager Seita (Tsutomu Tatsumi) and his younger sister Setsuko (Ayano Shiraishi).
The two are separated from their parents following an American firebombing during World War II, and Grave of the Fireflies follows their desperate struggle for survival during the Pacific War.
Where to watch: Mubi
Mysterious Skin, directed by Gregg Araki, was praised by psychologists for its accurate yet shattering depiction of the long-term effects of child sexual abuse.
Based on Scott Heim's 1995 novel of the same name, the film follows Neil McCormick (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and Brian Lackey (Brady Corbet), who both experience sexual abuse as children.
Mysterious Skiin examines their lives into adulthood, with Neil becoming a sex worker and Brian becoming increasingly reclusive and obsessed with alien abduction.
Where to watch: Arrow Player
Terrifyingly realistic, making it all the more disturbing, Kotoko won the best film award at the 68th Venice International Film Festival, the first Japanese film to receive the accolade.
It focuses on the titular single mother (Cocco), who struggles to care for her infant son, Daijiro, while suffering from double vision.
The condition causes her to hallucinate, which eventually leads to her being suspected of child abuse and her son being taken away from her.
Where to watch: Prime Video, Shudder, and Arrow Player More Trending
Our list began with New French Extremity, and it ends in the same gruesome fashion with Fabrice Du Welz's Calvaire.
Also known as The Ordeal – which it certainly is – follows struggling musician Marc Stevens (Laurent Lucas), whose car breaks down while travelling through a forest.
He is found by Bartel (Jackie Berroyer), who invites him to stay at his inn, but Marc soon discovers the innkeeper has sinister plans.
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