Unbearable Scenes

2547   8.3   8.7 

Children Of The Damned - City Of God

In Meirelle's masterpiece, the most upsetting scene is as a distressed kid is inducted into gangster death-culture by being forced to shoot another sobbing street urchin in the foot.

It is all the more horrifying and poignant because the prepubescent kids on film were real boys from the area, not actors...

Dionysian Child's rating:

2096   7.8   8.1 

Stand well clear - Stand By Me

The 'complete and total barf-a-rama' emitting from a young boy during a revenge fuelled pie eating contest is exaggerated and chunky.

The total and cartoon style vomit coverage brings an instant excess of saliva into my mouth!

Dionysian Child's rating:

1470   6.2   6.3 

Assualt of the Senses- Mamma Mia

So who thought that three ageing pompous British men who can't sing of move in time to music should be sexed up and placed into a musical?
This entire movie is unbearable! Every emotion and expression is over dramatised, it also lacks any form of a logical plot and so it seems, talent.

The 'head into pillow' moments come whenever Pierce Brosnan opens his flabby looking lips to warble a tune. Be especially prepared for his declaration of undying love and party dance moves.

Dionysian Child's rating:

2344   8.2   8.4 

Lost For Words- OldBoy (2003)

Not much in life has gone well for Dae-su. Kidnapped form his wife and young child at the age of 30, he is imprisoned without reason, in solitary room with nothing but a T.V for 15 years!

The unbearable scene comes towards the end of the film when in a desperate attempt to keep the truth and repercussions of his actions from the girl he loves Dae-su willingly cuts off his own tongue as a sign to his torturer of his repentance and submission to him.

It's his absolute pouring out of his soul and desperation to stop more lives being ruined by the revelation that makes watching the consequences so unbearable.

Dionysian Child's rating:

1988   7.2   7.6 

An Original Moment- Garden State

Now, I really am a fan of Natalie Portman. But just what happened in this film! I get that her character of 'Sam' is meant to be different and quirky but substituting twee mannerisms and unbearable cuteness for “character” doesn't count!!!

The horrific pinnacle of this charade of a character is when she forcefully makes poor uncomfortable Andrew Largeman (Zach Braff)stand up and create an entirely unique moment in history.
This is done by producing an annoying sound accompanied by an inane, but overly exaggerated movement. This apparently will remove any predictability and clinches from your character

She is also guilty of; sitting fully clothed in a bathtub and asking a grown man if she can collect his tears in a Dixie cup...

Dionysian Child's rating:

2940   7.3   7.6 

Keep You Eyes Open- 28 Days Later

Safe from the 'undead' within a fortified house guarded by the army the gangly trio of survivors pause to draw breath. Until they are informed that the females are to be dressed up forced into breeding to ensure the survival of the human race.

Thank goodness for Cillian Murphy who, running on pure nerve saves the two girls by shoving his thumbs deep into the eye sockets of the offending soldier.

Dionysian Child's rating:

1010   7.7   7.7 

Off with a Bang- Mysterious Skin

Most of what this film deals with can be hard to watch, but a flash back to malicious childish antics had me hiding behind my fingers.

Taking advantage of the mistrust of a handicapped boy. A Young Neil exerts an abuse of power forging a friendship of secrecy between himself and his friend Wendy.
Firecrackers are placed into the young boys mouth as he is ordered to lie still an remain silent.

Dionysian Child's rating:

1638   6.8   7.2 

A Narrow Escape- GoldenEye

Having never watched a Bond film before I sat down with my family to enjoy GoldenEye. Before the opening credits had even finished rolling I was satisfied with leaving Bond and his unrealistic cheesy chauvinism right there.

Bond is on the run on a motorbike, chasing after a pilot-less plane speeding down a runway (I have no idea why). One problem: the runway is at the top of a mountain! So, the aircraft and the bike with Bond in tow tumble into the abyss. Bond manages to free fall into the plane, gain control in the cockpit before it smashes into the rocks below and flies safely away. Phew!

3846   8   8.4 

Ass to Ass- Requiem for A Dream

To be honest, I felt a crushing sense of depression and the need to be sick through most of this gritty tale of the woe derived from drug taking.

The peak came as Marion (Jennifer Connelly) prostitutes herself in a lesbian anal orgy in order to get heroin. Her humiliation washes over her face as she is heckled and degraded in front of jeering men.

Dionysian Child's rating:

1523   8   8.2 

The House Always Wins - The Deer Hunter

The third session of Nick's (Christopher Walken)Russian Roulette game brings with it a stomach churning tension of inevitability.
The following sequences are sobering and jolt me into a sombre appreciation for life.

Dionysian Child's rating:

1374   7   7.6 

Fish Supper- A Fish Called Wanda

In what is meant to be slap-stick comedy, a farcical torture scene takes place. The character of Kevin Kline (Otto) steps the interigation up a gear by eating animal lover Ken's (Michael Palin)prize fish, Wanda.
As a child I could not see what was at all funny about the wriggling flapping fish being dangled into an open mouth.
Still, all that happens as I watch this scene is my stomach insists on doing back-flips as I subtly stare at the floor.

Dionysian Child's rating:

3989   7.6   8.4 

Fighting for Freedom- Braveheart

After all that William Wallace had gone through, and fought for, it hardly seems right that he should exit the world quite like that.
And with his final battle cry the immortal words 'Freedom' leap forth.

Dionysian Child's rating:

380   7.3   7.5 

Nail Biting- The Wind That Shakes the Barley

Set during the Irish War of Independence (1919–1921) and the Irish Civil War (1922–1923) this film illustrates how often lifelong friendships family ties are ripped apart for the sake of political ideals and religion.

During a gut wrenching 'interrogation' scene Teddy's fingernails are pulled out as his loyalty to his beliefs stop him from informing the British of any party names.

Dionysian Child's rating:

3918   8   8.3 

Finger Snapping- Pan's Labyrinth

Guillermo del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth is beautifully dark and sinister. Following Ofelia's forceful thrusting from childhood naivety to adult cruelty.

Along the way a stuttering resistant fighter against the Spanish military is captured, bound to a stake and commanded to communicate without stuttering, through his fear he fails to do so. He is then shown the implements by which he will be tortured with and clubbed around the head with a hammer.
Later on he is shown as a bloody mess, cradling a mangled hand before begging to be given a lethal overdose by a kindly doctor.

Dionysian Child's rating: