47 Fucked-Up Movies That Will Mess With Your Mind So Freaking Much

    What...did...I...just...watch???

    Spencer Althouse
    by Spencer Althouse

    BuzzFeed Staff

    We asked the BuzzFeed Community to tell us which movies completely messed with their heads. Here are the mind-melting results.

    1. Horse Girl (2020)

    Alison Brie and Molly Shannon in "Horse Girl"
    Netflix

    What it's about: "Sarah, a socially isolated woman with a fondness for arts and crafts, horses, and supernatural crime shows, finds her increasingly lucid dreams trickling into her waking life."

    Why you should watch it: "It’s not about horses, I promise. It’s about an introverted, lonely girl who starts having weird and scary experiences. It's freaky, so just trust me on this one. Also, it stars Alison Brie and is on Netflix." —katelynf478

    2. Midsommar (2019)

    Florence Pugh and William Jackson Harper in sunny Sweden at a cult
    A24

    What it's about: "A couple travels to Sweden to visit a rural hometown's fabled midsummer festival. What begins as an idyllic retreat quickly devolves into an increasingly violent and bizarre competition at the hands of a pagan cult."

    Why you should watch it: "I watched it about a week ago. During some parts I had to turn down the volume and close my eyes. The movie is still running through my mind." —Genevievemnm

    3. Sorry to Bother You (2018)

    Lakeith Stanfield in a blue suit and talking to someone on the toilet, lol
    Mirror Releasing

    What it's about: "In an alternate present-day version of Oakland, telemarketer Cassius Green discovers a magical key to professional success, propelling him into a universe of greed."

    Why you should watch it: "There are moments in this movie that will have you turning to the person next to you and asking, 'What the hell did I just watch?,' but in a good way." —christinet4

    4. We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)

    Tilda Swinton looking frightened in "We Need to Talk About Kevin"
    Oscilloscope Laboratories

    What it's about: "Kevin's mother struggles to love her strange child, despite the increasingly dangerous things he says and does as he grows up. But Kevin is just getting started, and his final act will be beyond anything anyone imagined."

    Why you should watch it: "I've watched this movie multiple times, and just seeing how everything unfolds is so unnerving. It'll make you think for days." —emilytheIt

    5. Nightcrawler (2014)

    Jake Gyllenhaal looking creepy as hell in "Nightcrawler"
    Open Road Films

    What it's about: "When Louis Bloom, a con man desperate for work, muscles into the world of Los Angeles crime journalism, he blurs the line between observer and participant to become the star of his own story."

    Why you should watch it: "It realllllly messed with me, and it made me look differently at the people I trust." —jacobg48

    6. Cloud Atlas (2012)

    Tom Hanks, Bae Doona, and Halle Berry in "Cloud Atlas"
    Warner Bros. Pictures

    What it's about: "An exploration of how the actions of individual lives impact one another in the past, present, and future, as one soul is shaped from a killer into a hero, and an act of kindness ripples across centuries to inspire a revolution."

    Why you should watch it: "It's soooo intriguing, and part of you will leave completely baffled. I highly recommend it." —rachelc77

    7. Uncut Gems (2019)

    Adam Sandler crying with a bloody nose
    A24

    What it's about: "With his debts mounting and angry collectors closing in, a fast-talking New York City jeweler risks everything in hope of staying afloat and alive."

    Why you should watch it: "It's not disturbing in the traditional sense, but your heart and mind will be racing. It's a tough movie to watch. The end literally gutted me for weeks." —maddiec4

    8. Strange Circus (2005)

    A woman surrounded by red roses, and another person wearing masquerade headwear
    TLA Releasing / courtesy Everett Collection / Sedic

    What it's about: "An erotic novelist is writing a morbid story of a family destroyed by incest, murder, and abuse. Her assistant sets out on a mission to uncover the reality of this story, but the reality might be too much to bear."

    Why you should watch it: "It's the creepiest, wildest movie I've ever seen. It made me so uncomfortable, and the plot twist at the end is also brilliant. It's so freaky that I'm never going to watch it again." —sudham2

    9. Jesus Camp (2006)

    Children preaching with arms raised in the doc
    Magnolia Pictures

    What it's about: "A documentary on kids who attend a summer camp hoping to become the next Billy Graham."

    Why you should watch it: "I got into the habit of watching documentaries while at the gym. I had to turn this one off and restart it at home because it was so bizarre and deserved my undivided attention. It was so wild. It was like a last-call drink that I regretted having." —jcantu

    10. Prisoners (2013)

    Paul Dano tied up in a bathroom
    Warner Bros. Pictures

    What it's about: "When Keller Dover's daughter and her friend go missing, he takes matters into his own hands as the police pursue multiple leads and the pressure mounts."

    Why you should watch it: "It made me question myself for days about how far I’d actually go for justice and for the truth." —saracryne

    11. Moon (2009)

    A man staring up at space
    Sony Pictures Classics

    What it's about: "Astronaut Sam Bell has a quintessentially personal encounter toward the end of his three-year stint on the moon where he, working alongside his computer Gerty, sends back to Earth parcels of a resource that has helped diminish our planet's power problems."

    Why you should watch it: "I still can't work out if it scared me or amazed me. Either way, it has stayed with me for years." —d497

    12. The Art of Self-Defense (2019)

    Jesse Eisenberg peering out of a window
    Bleecker Street

    What it's about: "After being attacked on the street, a young man enlists at a local dojo, led by a charismatic and mysterious sensei, in an effort to learn how to defend himself from future threats."

    Why you should watch it: "I had to rewatch it to completely understand what was going on. It’s incredible. It’s an onion movie – there are layers to it." —hellolobstersocks

    13. White Bird in a Blizzard (2014)

    Shailene Woodley standing in a blizzard, then her crying next to a fridge
    Magnolia Pictures

    What it's about: "In 1988, a teenage girl's life is thrown into chaos when her mother disappears."

    Why you should watch it: "It'll make you question whether or not you truly know the people around you." —rockchick19

    14. The Lobster (2015)

    Colin Farrell and John C. Reilly in "The Lobster"
    Film4

    What it's about: "In a dystopian future, single people, according to the laws of The City, are taken to The Hotel, where they are obliged to find a romantic partner in 45 days or are transformed into animals and sent off into The Woods."

    Why you should watch it: "Even though the plot is pretty simple, the movie is the weirdest freaking thing I have ever seen." —florencer4

    15. Mr. Nobody (2009)

    Jared Leto and a young woman starring directly at the camera in "Mr. Nobody"
    Pan-Européenne

    What it's about: "A boy stands on a station platform as a train is about to leave. Should he go with his mother or stay with his father? Infinite possibilities arise from this decision. As long as he doesn't choose, anything is possible."

    Why you should watch it: "It takes place in the future and is about the last immortal man on Earth who lives out every possible outcome of his life. It made me have weird dreams about parallel universes and made me question my existence." —marleypirochta

    16. Cape Fear (1991)

    A family peering out their window
    Universal Pictures

    What it's about: "A convicted rapist, released from prison after serving a 14-year sentence, stalks the family of the lawyer who originally defended him."

    Why you should watch it: "This is one of those occasions when the actors are wayyyy too good at their job (especially Juliette Lewis). It'll make you question everything." —creativemummy

    17. Atonement (2007)

    The fountain scene in "Atonement"
    Focus Features

    What it's about: "Fledgling writer Briony Tallis, as a 13-year-old, irrevocably changes the course of several lives when she accuses her older sister's lover of a crime he did not commit."

    Why you should watch it: "It's so heartbreaking, and the plot twist messes you up even more. I sat there in shock when the movie was over." —mega5n

    18. The Skin I Live In (2011)

    Antonio Banderas performing cosmetic surgery in "The Skin I Live In"
    El Deseo S.A.

    What it's about: "A brilliant plastic surgeon, haunted by past tragedies, creates a type of synthetic skin that withstands any kind of damage. His guinea pig is a mysterious and volatile woman who holds the key to his obsession."

    Why you should watch it: "This one made me feel so many things. It's dark, sad, and moving." —reneenicolem

    19. Us (2019)

    The family in "Us" looking out their window
    Monkeypaw Productions

    What it's about: "A family's serene beach vacation turns to chaos when their doppelgängers appear and begin to terrorize them."

    Why you should watch it: "It's exciting and will scare the hell out of you. You'll have to rewatch it over and over again just to figure out what you missed." —pattiecolvin23

    20. The Others (2001)

    Nicole Kidman looking at her reflection in "The Others"
    Las Producciones del Escorpion

    What it's about: "A woman who lives in her darkened old family house with her two photosensitive children becomes convinced that the home is haunted."

    Why you should watch it: "I sat there for an hour thinking 'Okay, where is this going?' Then everything completely flipped, and it all clicked into place. I was telling people about that movie for the whole year after I first watched it." —lorencandace

    21. Wag the Dog (1997)

    People watching a TV broadcast of the White House
    New Line Cinema

    What it's about: "Shortly before an election, a spin doctor and a Hollywood producer join efforts to fabricate a war in order to cover up a presidential sex scandal."

    Why you should watch it: "It stars Robert De Niro and Dustin Hoffman, and it completely messed me up at a young age." —crystat

    22. Cube (1997)

    A bloody head
    Trimark Pictures

    What it's about: "Six complete strangers of widely varying personality characteristics are involuntarily placed in an endless maze containing deadly traps."

    Why you should watch it: "How people respond in a crisis is terrifying, as is the realization that there is no master plan. The Cube exists simply because it does, and that's why the movie will f*ck with your head." —Skellycog

    23. Parasite (2019)

    CJ Entertainment

    What it's about: "Greed and class discrimination threaten the newly formed symbiotic relationship between the wealthy Park family and the destitute Kim clan."

    Why you should watch it: "The movie moves at 100 miles per hour, and you'll never know what's going to happen next. It's something you'll think about long after you're done watching." —aval47

    24. Black Swan (2010)

    Natalie Portman pulling a black feather out of her shoulder
    Fox Searchlight Pictures

    What it's about: "A committed dancer struggles to maintain her sanity after winning the lead role in a production of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake."

    Why you should watch it: "It messed with my mind for months after watching it. I even researched what happened but still couldn't quite get my head around it!" —maryj487

    25. Nocturnal Animals (2016)

    Amy Adams and Jake Gyllenhaal in "Nocturnal Animals"
    Focus Features

    What it's about: "A wealthy art gallery owner is haunted by her ex-husband's novel, a violent thriller she interprets as a symbolic revenge tale."

    Why you should watch it: "It’s raw and real, and it left me with a weird feeling about this already messed-up world." —leahsbz

    26. Coherence (2013)

    Two woman looking at each other in "Coherence"
    Oscilloscope Laboratories

    What it's about: "Strange things begin to happen when a group of friends gather for a dinner party on an evening when a comet is passing overhead."

    Why you should watch it: "It's amazing. I watched it with friends at, like, 4 a.m., and it completely f*cked all of us. Nothing gets to you quite like the possibility of infinite alternate universes." —katz4lyfe

    27. Ex Machina (2014)

    Oscar Isaac and his humanlike AI robot in "Ex Machina"
    A24

    What it's about: "A young programmer is selected to participate in a groundbreaking experiment in synthetic intelligence by evaluating the human qualities of a highly advanced humanoid AI."

    Why you should watch it: "It's a little creepy, but it draws you in. I was thinking about it for days after I first watched it." —oliviab4

    28. Arrival (2016)

    Amy Adams talking to aliens in "Arrival"
    Paramount Pictures

    What it's about: "A linguist works with the military to communicate with alien life forms after 12 mysterious spacecraft appear around the world."

    Why you should watch it: "I finished the movie and sat in silence while trying to piece together what I just watched. Just trust me on this one. Please." —jazzycatsindisneyland

    29. Dancer in the Dark (2000)

    Björk in the movie
    Fine Line Features

    What it's about: "An Eastern European woman travels to the United States with her young son, expecting it to be like a Hollywood film."

    Why you should watch it: "I saw this in theaters 20 years ago, and I have not been brave enough to watch it again. It was absolutely brilliant but so emotionally draining. Björk is amazing, and the contrast of her musical numbers scattered amid a depressing plot is magical." —amandab40

    30. Funny Games (1997)

    A man taking a kid hostage, then a TV screen with blood on it
    Concorde-Castle Rock / Turner

    What it's about: "Two violent young men take a mother, father, and son hostage in their vacation cabin and force them to play sadistic 'games' with one another for their own amusement."

    Why you should watch it: "This movie messed me UP! I tried to watch it a second time later on, but I couldn't take it anymore. I had to turn it off. It's just so real and disturbing and will make you think about what you'd do if you were in similar situations." —juliannaraem

    31. Goodnight Mommy (2014)

    A woman with bandages over her face and her young twin boys
    Radius-TWC Dimension Films

    What it's about: "Twin boys move to a new home with their mother after she has face-changing cosmetic surgery, but under her bandages is someone the children don't recognize."

    Why you should watch it: "It blew my mind. It's an Austrian film with English subtitles, but don't let that turn you away. It's about these twin boys who don't believe their mother is really their mother." —mackenziea47

    32. Kids (1995)

    A bunch of kids sitting together on a couch, smoking, in the movie "Kids"
    Shining Excalibur Films

    What it's about: "A day in the life of a group of teens as they travel around New York City skating, drinking, smoking, and deflowering virgins."

    Why you should watch it: "I grew up in a very small and sheltered town, and after seeing this movie, I was in shock for a couple of days. The story is so real and plausible, even though it scared me. All young people should watch it." —lynne236

    33. The Tree of Life (2011)

    Jessica Chastain and a baby's foot
    Fox Searchlight Pictures

    What it's about: "The story of a family in Waco, Texas, in 1956. The eldest son witnesses the loss of innocence and struggles with his parents' conflicting teachings."

    Why you should watch it: "I've watched this film several times. It always raises more questions than answers, and I am always left thinking about the expansiveness of the universe and the complexity of faith and death and family. It always leaves me in wonder." —picassopizza

    34. Primal Fear (1996)

    Laura Linney and Ed Norton in "Primal Fear"
    Paramount Pictures

    What it's about: "An altar boy is accused of murdering a priest, and the truth is buried several layers deep."

    Why you should watch it: "You think you know what the twist is, and then they blow your freaking mind!" —sierrah43

    35. L.I.E. (2001)

    A young boy standing on top of an overpass, then him looking at a book in bed
    New Yorker Films

    What it's about: "A 15-year-old Long Island boy loses everything and everyone he knows, soon becoming involved in a relationship with a much older man."

    Why you should watch it: "It's an amazing, dreadful indie drama. It explores a grieving teen's relationship with his distant father, his best friend who's an underage sex worker, and one of the friend's pedophile clients. It's nuanced without becoming abuse apologia, it's majorly unsettling, and the acting is incredible." —taelors

    36. Exam (2009)

    A man looking at a burned-up piece of paper
    Bedlam Productions

    What it's about: "Eight candidates for a highly desirable corporate job are locked together in an exam room and given a final test with just one question. It seems simple yet confusing, and tensions begin to unravel."

    Why you should watch it: "It will make you doubt who's on your side for the rest of your life." —EGOfficial

    37. The Prestige (2006)

    Hugh Jackman on stage as a magician
    Touchstone Pictures

    What it's about: "After a tragic accident, two stage magicians engage in a battle to create the ultimate illusion while sacrificing everything they have to outwit each other."

    Why you should watch it: "The multiple plot twists at the end just messed me up. I sat on the couch staring into space for 10 minutes while the credits rolled." —autumnm451

    38. John Dies at the End (2012)

    Magnet Releasing

    What it's about: "A new street drug that sends its users across time and dimensions has one drawback: Some people return no longer human. Can two college dropouts save humanity from this silent, otherworldly invasion?"

    Why you should watch it: "I watched it over a year ago and still don't really understand what happened, but it was so fantastic." —lilbeanhead

    39. Oculus (2013)

    Karen Gillan and a zombie-like woman in "Oculus"
    Blumhouse Productions

    What it's about: "A woman tries to exonerate her brother, who was convicted of murder, by proving that the crime was committed by a supernatural phenomenon."

    Why you should watch it: "It's a creepy but creative thriller. Just trust me on this one." —mnsea

    40. Pulp Fiction (1994)

    Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta in their black suits in "Pulp Fiction"
    Miramax Films

    What it's about: "The lives of two mob hitmen, a boxer, a gangster and his wife, and a pair of diner bandits intertwine in four tales of violence and redemption."

    Why you should watch it: "It's the type of film that, two days later, makes you think, 'OH! THE TWO SCENES ARE HAPPENING SIMULTANEOUSLY,' and you get to untangle the mess on your own." —batrxsyxa

    41. A Tale of Two Sisters (2003)

    One woman with a bloodied hand covering her mouth, and the other lying on the floor
    B.O.M. Film Productions Co.

    What it's about: "Shortly after arriving home to their cruel parents from their time at a mental institution, two sisters' lives are interrupted by the presence of a ghost."

    Why you should watch it: "It's brilliantly scary, honestly terrifying, gorgeously shot, and it has such a great twist ending that'll really make you think." —andrewm44

    42. The Game (1997)

    Michael Douglas in a taxi and a close-up of a clown
    PolyGram Filmed Entertainment

    What it's about: "After a wealthy banker is given an opportunity to participate in a mysterious game, his life is turned upside down when he becomes unable to distinguish between the game and reality."

    Why you should watch it: "It has so many twists and turns that will keep you guessing throughout the whole movie. It'll make you question absolutely everything." —ashleys3

    43. A Clockwork Orange (1971)

    A bloodied Malcolm McDowell in a white jumpsuit
    Warner Bros.

    What it's about: "In the future, a sadistic gang leader is imprisoned and volunteers for a conduct-aversion experiment, but it doesn't go as planned."

    Why you should watch it: "The whole damn movie is disturbing as hell, right down to the killing of an old lady with a gigantic ceramic dildo. Your mind won't know what to think." —darladicrecchio

    44. Suspiria (2018)

    K Period Media

    What it's about: "A darkness swirls at the center of a world-renowned dance company, one that will engulf the artistic director, an ambitious young dancer, and a grieving psychotherapist. Some will succumb to the nightmare. Others will finally wake up."

    Why you should watch it: "This is a remake of the '70s movie with the same name. I had to cover my eyes. Some parts were devastating, and others were stellar." —melialexander

    45. The Neon Demon (2016)

    Elle Fanning kissing her reflection and holding a knife
    Amazon Studios

    What it's about: "An aspiring model, Jesse, is new to Los Angeles. However, her beauty and youth, which generate intense fascination and jealousy within the fashion industry, may prove themselves sinister."

    Why you should watch it: "It still has me feeling uneasy. Beautifully shot, fantastic soundtrack, and worth sticking around to the last shocking moment." —alia419

    46. Life of Pi (2012)

    A tiger and a young boy on a boat in the middle of the ocean
    20th Century Fox

    What it's about: "A young man who survives a disaster at sea is hurtled into an epic journey of adventure and discovery. While cast away, he forms an unexpected connection with another survivor: a fearsome Bengal tiger."

    Why you should watch it: "I saw it in the theater, and it absolutely blew me away. It left me thinking nonstop for a week about how I perceive things like reality and faith." —axj66

    47. And Tusk (2014)

    Justin Long transforming into a giant walrus
    A24

    What it's about: "A brash and arrogant podcaster gets more than he bargained for when he travels to Canada to interview a mysterious recluse who has a rather disturbing fondness for walruses."

    Why you should watch it: "It just kept getting more twisted and terrifying in such a low-key way. It still haunts me now." —rianflorenceo

    Did your favorite mind-melting movie not make the list? Tell us about it in the comments below!

    Note: Submissions have been edited for length and clarity.