Be aware, this post does contain spoilers. These are in no particular order
1. House of Wax (2005)
First of all, I’m not good with horror. This is just fact. I can sometimes watch it and be okay with it, but mostly I’m not a fan. I do, however, have this bad habit of wanting to watch movies that contain some of my favorite actors. And Jared Padalecki is in this movie. Most people know I love Supernatural, and Gilmore Girls. And I just plain ol’ love me some Jared. Chad Michael Murray also starred in this disgusto-fest. And at the time of me sitting down with my little brother to watch the movie, I loved me some Chad too. I still like Chad now, but not nearly as much. I think his time on One Tree Hill is the best of him, honestly. Oh, Paris Hilton was also in this movie, and her existence is sometimes enough to make a person uncomfortable. In fact, for her role in this, she won a Razzie Award for Worst Actress of the Decade and Worst Supporting Actress. Kudos.
So my brother and I decided to watch this movie. Stupid me. Stupid us. Horror is already outside of my comfort zone, and then we watched it in the dark. And the title itself. House of Wax. *shudders* Wax museums. No. Just no. Dolls scare the bajeebers out of me. Now you have life size replicas of people and characters. Hell to the no. (I just channeled Mercedes there, did you catch it?)
These psychopaths kidnap people who come through their town, and then cut their achilles tendons, and “wax” them alive. They make wax dolls out of LIVING HUMAN BEINGS. Can you say… WICKED UNCOMFORTABLE… terrifying and disturbing. I did not finish the movie. My lovely Jared gets waxed alive, and when his buddy see him and realizes that its his actual living friend because his eyes are moving… he tries to help. But see… the wax is sealed on. So when he tries to de-wax him. Half of his face falls off. And there, my friends, is where I turned the movie off. Holy bananas was that about the worst thing I have ever seen. And one of the very few movies I actually could not finish because I was so uncomfortable and so freaked out and sad and disgusted. And yes. Moving on.
2. American History X (1998)
So, don’t get me wrong. I LOVED this movie. Edward Norton is incredible. He is the picture of redemption and change. The ability to forgive others and oneself for things that are both in and out of your control.
But lets be real here. Racism is a hot topic. It’s a real topic. It’s an important topic. But it’s also an uncomfortable topic. Mostly because you never know what’s going to come out of someones mouth. I spend much of my life wondering how people could think certain things about other people. For any reason. You can’t make sense of cruelty. It’s painful, and… uncomfortable.
Going beyond just the “simple” -yeah right- topic of racism, you have intense graphic violence. The kind that is so brutal, you literally have to be numb to be able to actually watch it fully engaged. Someone getting their skull cracked on a curb is nauseating, and beyond brutal. There is rape, there is language that makes you shudder and then there is nudey bits flopping about at time. Call be a prude, I care not, but excessive nudity has always bugged me. I do not need to see your wang and doodleberries. Keep it zipped Hollywood.
The family treats each other not so nicely, until later Derek is trying to save his younger brother from becoming like himself. And then when you get to the ending. Well, you will just have to watch for yourself.
It was nominated for many awards, a lot of them for Edward Norton, and he did win the Golden Satellite Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama.
3. The Rules of Attraction (2002)
James Van Der Beek, Shannyn Sossamon, and Ian Somerhalder. You’d think, yes. But the whole thing is about sex, drugs, and doing the stupidest possible things.
James Van Der Beek is deplorable in this. Right from the get go, he is frighteningly sadistic and cruel and disgusting. Which makes sense that his character is the younger brother to Patrick Bateman (American Psycho’s main character), but man, I do not like when I have to hate Dawson Leery. But man oh man, if he was trying to shy away from his days as Dawson, he succeeded, but he made me want to cringe at the mere sigh of him in the process. He’s a drug dealer, he gets into money issues for obvious reasons, and he treats women like toys. No, like less than toys.
Then you have Shannyn who lost her virginity in a drunken rape while it was filmed. I’m sorry, but that scene was beyond uncomfortable, because yes, that whole thing takes place on film. Times 2 because one of the characters is not only filming her being raped while she is unconscious, but he is also egging it on because he somehow thinks that it will be a good film project. Idiot, disgusting horrible idiot.
Ian. Anyone who knows me, knows of my unconditional love for my darling Ian. In this movie, he plays a scrawny (more so than usual) bisexual, who has little self respect, in that he’s so desperate for affection that he’s looking in all the wrong places. He gets himself beat up by a straight guy, who he gets all drugged up with and tries to kiss. All because he has a crush on James’ character, which might I just add, especially in this case, ew. His character is not even likable, and yet Paul (Ian) wants him. Uncomfortable.
I don’t think I could have even kept up with the number of times the F-bomb is used in just one of the scenes. The drug guy who Sean (James) works under, in just one scene, uses it so many times that I don’t think you even understand anything else he is saying, its just one big “ef” fest from beginning to end. And truly you can’t take the character seriously because he comes across as being the dumbest bag in the garbage lot.
Even in the test screening, people walked out and screamed at the screen. Did not go over well. Is not funny. Is bizarre, uncomfortable, and yes, some scenes were uniquely shot, and yes, there is some awesome art in some instances in terms of how it was shot and pieced together, but the important parts, ie. the characters, the story… that was all shit. And yes, I’m sorry for the language, but there really is no better word for it.
Uncomfortable sex, insane drug use, that leads to the worst possible behavior, language that can only be described as beyond uncreative and then of course the violence, with Ian getting beat up for kissing a dude, and then violent rape (dude, why do people think watching that sort of thing is okay?!?!)
Did it win any awards? Why yes it did, it won a Golden Trailer award for being the Trashiest. Well I’ll be a monkeys uncle, that just takes the cake.
Don’t watch this, and don’t judge me when you come to my house and see it on my shelves, I don’t even know how that happened.
4. Any and all of the Omen movies
There are many. And essentially, this one is easy for me to answer. I won’t be going into detail, because it’s not necessary.
The anti-christ. It’s about the anti-christ. That makes me uncomfortable. And now… ever since seeing any of these.. the name Damien, makes me uncomfortable. And that is all.
5. Love & Other Drugs (2010)
I love Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway. I just do. He’s hot and talented, she is gorgeous and extremely talented. Look how far she has come!
So Anne Hathaway’s character has parkinson’s, super big bummer. Jake Gyllenhaal is a drug rep. They collide. No really, like many naked times. So much nudity. I have never seen so much boobage. Sorry Anne, but I saw your tatas way more than was acceptable in my book. Super not comfortable for me. Then there was naked man ass, and more boobs. And there was under the underpants fingering. and a whole lot of Maria going… ew why. WHy why WHY.
Honestly, I was super disappointed in this movie. I thought it was tasteless, and not good. And so many people raved about it. But truly, no.
Anne Hathaway did win a Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical for this role. And I’m not saying she’s not talented, or that she didn’t act well, or deserve the award, but the movie as a whole, I personally thought was just… not up to par for the standards that have been set for these two actors.
6. Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Well, I have been telling people for years that I have this huge talent crush on Anthony Hopkins, and they always respond with… “the guy who plays the cannibal???” At this, I chuckle, indeed.
This movie is intense, and so good! But anything that involves cannibalism and skinning human beings, is, in short, out of my comfort zone. A movie like this is not for the faint of heart.
Have you ever heard someone say “Clarice” in a creepy way? Well, this is where that came from. And Jodie Foster is the face of Clarice. So yeah, we have Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster in a film together. Full of win.
There is sex and nudity, and some perverse language. So definitely be aware of that. Not to mention that it is violent and a bit gory and freaky as hell. To put it bluntly. I mean, this is a movie about a serial killer. I love thrillers, but some of them are so outside of my box.
Even if you don’t have the stomach to watch this film… which I can’t really blame you… you in the very least need to know how brilliant it is, even just so you can have a conversation about it a bit. It won FIVE Oscars, Best Picture, Best Actor in a Leading Role – Anthony Hopkins, Best Actress in a Leading Role – Jodie Foster, Best Director – Jonathan Demme, and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published – Ted Tally.
Side note… I am wigged out by butterflies and moths. Do some research.
7. RENT (2005)
I love this movie/musical. Like, LOVE it! Idina Menzel is personally one of my heroes. I don’t love her character in this, but I love her regardless.
The reason I say this is out of my comfort zone is because it deals with a lot of hard issues. Drug use, AIDS, homosexuality. Things that are sometimes hard to talk about, or that can cause controversy. But what I truly love about this movie, besides the killer cast and the awesome music, is the true loyalty, love and friendships that exist between the main characters.
Chris Columbus is a brilliant director. This broadway show put on film is so beautiful. They mixed the arts brilliantly.
Rosario Dawson won a Satellite Award for Outstanding Actress in a Supporting Role, Comedy or Musical. Well deserved too, her version of Mimi is shockingly better than the Broadway actress.
8. Saved (2004)
Jena Malone, Mandy Moore and Macaulay Culkin. Good cast. I mean, perhaps B rated cast, but at least not no-namers.
Why was this out of my comfort zone? Because it portrays Christians in the worst possible way. Granted, I know there are “Christians” out there who are like this, but it sucks that a few people give the whole faith a bad name. And that this is the way we are portrayed in movies.
That pretty much sums up why it was out of my comfort zone. A girl gets pregnant in a Christian high school, and essentially demonized by her peers. People who should be loving and supportive and forgiving and non-judgmental. Yeah, there is something to be said about teen pregnancy, but there is no excuse for cruelty. Ever.
It did win Best Feature at the Gen Art Film Festival.
9. 40 Days and 40 Nights (2002)
The whole movie is about a guy vowing to stay celibate during lent. So really, the whole movie is about sex. I mean, I still enjoyed the movie, but it is totally out of my comfort zone. Nudity, ech. There is essentially a rape scene, some language,
I really do love Josh Hartnett. When Pearl Harbor came out, I probably watched the movie 30 times. I’m a huge fan. He’s just plain adorable, plus he’s from Minnesota! Shannyn Sossamon is also in this movie (she was mentioned above in The Rules of Attraction).
Apparently this movie won a Bogey Award which is something from Germany that I have not heard about. So I’m not sure what that even means. haha!
10. The Good Girl (2002)
So this is another super weird movie that I own. Only this one… I do kinda like this one. However, I can only watch it once in a great while.
I adore Jennifer Aniston and Jake Gyllenhaal. They are both phenomenal. It’s just… this movie is just really out there as far as comfort levels go. Jennifer is married to John C. Reilly. Right there, that’s just a weird couple combination. And John’s best friend is played by Tim Blake Nelson, who’s characters name is Bubba. Yes, Bubba.
So Jennifer Aniston is bored with her life, and she strikes up an affair with her younger coworker, who is the lovely Jake. But dude, his character thinks he’s Holden Caulfield. And eventually you find out he’s a little bit crazy.
There’s a lot of adulterous sex, some language, her husband and Bubba smoke a lot of weed. And Bubba finds out about the affair and blackmails her into sleeping with him. And the worst part of that is that you see him completely naked, frontally naked. Pube hairs and all. Like, no one wants to see that.
There is death by poison berries, there is betrayal, there is lies and deceit and pain and confusion and also suicide. And really, at times its super uncomfortable.
Jennifer Aniston won a Teen Choice Award for this movie for Choice Movie Actress – Drama/ Action Adventure
Honorable Mention: Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
I’m not really going to go into too much depth with this one, as it is an honorable mention, but its creepy. It’s about the anti-christ. There is a lot of nudity, and a scene where Rosemary is raped by the actual devil. Just so not okay. I loved Mia Farrow in this. But man, the movie was sooooo outside of my comfort zone. Remember what I said about the Omen movies? This is in the same line.
Ruth Gordon won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.
So what is your top 10?
Maria Ranee 