Another ten films on the top 1000 films of all time too traumatic to watch again

 On the list of the top 1000 films of all time there are plenty of films too upsetting, heart-break or downright traumatic for a rewatch. I've already done one list on the subject. Here's the second. This list is in no order but chronology.

The Wicker Man (1973)

Just to be clear, I'm talking about the original film - not the Nicholas Cage remake.

Some have said that the Wicker Man is one of the scariest horror films ever made and for good reason. It follows a policeman investigating the disappearance of a little girl on a remote Scottish island, but here he finds the residents practise an obscure form of paganism.

The ending scene where the residents gaily sing while the Wicker man effigy burns is so chilling that it warrants a place on this list. Modern-day folk-horror films like the Witch and Midsommar owe a lot to the pioneering Wicker Man. It ranks 620th on the top 1000 film list.

Mississippi Burning (1988) 

Mississippi Burning is 470th on the top 1000 films list. It is simple to dismiss America's fascination with race relations, as a perverse obsession, but when you watch this film it's easy to see why it's such a big deal.

Two FBI agents, played Wilhelm Dafoe and Gene Hackman, are investigating  the disappearance of three Civil Rights activists in a small Mississippi town. But the town's residents are horrifically racist to the town's black population. This racial violence is what makes this film so disturbing to watch - all the more so, when you realise it is all based on a true story.

American History X (1998)

Ranking at 37th, American History X is the highest ranked film on this list. It also highlights America's modern-day struggle with race relations.

Edward Norton plays a reformed neo-Nazi who is trying to stop his little brother going down the same route. It is a brutally upsetting film with the infamous curb-stomp scene making it too traumatic for a rewatch.

The Pianist (2002)

At 48, the Pianist is the second-highest film on this list.

Holocaust films are always a difficult watch. The Pianist is no exception. It is an unflinching look at one of humanity's darkest moments.

But it also has an Oscar-winning performance from Adrian Brody. Yet its unrelenting look at the depravity of humanity makes it too upsetting to watch again. This is particularly relevant, as it is based on a true story.

Hotel Rwanda (2004)

Hotel Rwanda ranks 169th on the top 1000 films of all time.

From genocide in Europe, we go to the Rwandan Genocide where the Tutsi were systematically executed by the Hutu. We are a violent, self-destructive species.

However, in all this darkness, we see some hope in the form of the real-life Paul Rusesabagina who sheltered one thousand refugees in his hotel. There are some who question the true nature of heroism, but that doesn't take anything away from this brilliant if tear-jerking film. With great performances from Don Cheadle, Sophie Okonedo and Joaquin Phoenix, it even made me cry.

United 93 (2006)

Paul Greengrass' docudrama ranks 632nd on the top 1000 films of all time.

From heroism to Africa, we go to heroism in the US. More specifically heroism on 9/11. Yes, that 9/11. If you know anything about 9/11, you already know what this film is about. That's what makes this film so tragic.

It is a true tale of courage and valour, which is told powerfully. It's the only film on this list I've been brave enough to watch twice, but I'm definitely not brave enough to watch it for a third time. Now, let's take a moment to remember all the heroes on the United 93 flight.

The Kite Runner (2007)

Number 655 on the top 1000 films of all time is the Kite Runner.

Although not as traumatic as is source material, the Kite Runner is still a rough watch. It details an adult man returning to his childhood home of Afghanistan, so that he can right the wrongs of the past. However, Afghanistan has since been taken over by the Taliban and the country he knew has long gone.

If you're wondering why this film is so upsetting, it wasn't just the horrific stoning scene, but the complete loss of childhood innocence.

Incendies (2010)

Denis Villeneuve's drama ranks as number 160 on the top 1000 films of all time.

This film sees two siblings on a discovery of self-identity which has horrifying consequences for all involved.

I once said that Old Boy has one of the most shocking plot-twists of all time, but Incendies is a close second.

Set against the backdrop of the Lebanese Civil War, it's guaranteed to give you PTSD.

The Flowers of War (2011)

Clocking in at 674th on the top 1000 list, we have the Flowers of War.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: more people need to know about the Rape of Nanking. The Japanese massacred a Chinese city, shooting the men and raping the women.

The Flowers of War captures this horror in stark detail. It also looks gorgeous on screen. And it's certainly not style over substance. Along with Hotel Rwanda, it's one of the few films that made me cry. There are some who argue that Christian Bale, as a white man, had no business being in a Chinese story, but that takes nothing away from the excellent child actors or the terrifying social context.

12 Years a Slave (2013)

12 Years a Slave is the third-highest ranked film on this list at number 72.

Is there any wonder why 12 Years a Slave won the Best film Oscar? It is a fantastic if harrowing depiction of one of America's darkest periods.

With Chiwetel Eijofar giving the performance of his career, this film pulls absolutely no punches. Every time it raises your soul up, it then punches it back down.

Have I missed any films? Let me know in the comments below.

The Flowers of War review

 Number 647 on the top 1000 films of all time is Zhang Yimou's 2011 Chinese historical drama-war film - 'The Flowers of War.'

Set during the rape of Nanking, we see a group of Chinese school girls led by Shu (Zhang Xinyi) taking cover in a church led by Father Ingleman. But with this priest's recent death, the responsibility falls to his young apprentice George Chen (Huang Tianyuan.) They are soon joined by a group of high-class prostitutes led by Mi Yo (Ni Ni) and American mortician John Miller (Christian Bale).

I've said it before and I'll say it again: more people need to know about the atrocities that Japan committed against China in the run-up to the Second World War. In the West, this has always been over-shadowed in favour of the Western Front, but the rape of Nanking is one of Japan's most heinous crimes. An entire city was decimated with its men shot and women raped.

Zhang Yimou quite rightly did not shy away from showcasing the sadism of the Japanese. We saw their brutality in unflinching detail. It was upsetting to watch, but it was only being honest to what happened in real life. I thought the acting from all the child actors was very good.

The actresses playing the schoolgirls were excellent, displaying a maturity beyond their years. Despite the terrible things done to them, they never cry and complain. This was especially true of Zhang Xinyi who excelled as their leader Shu. But it also applied to Huang Tinyuan who portrayed George Chen. Despite not being much older than them, he tries his best to protect the school girls. Yet it is obvious that he is quickly out of his depth. It was difficult not to feel sorry for him as he tackled his insurmountable task. The characterisation and the acting all round was good.

The Flowers of War received a mixed reception from critics with most criticism centring on John Miller being an unnecessary distraction who was playing a white saviour. Initially, I was tempted to agree with this. John Miller was a cliched, predictable character who added so little to the first half of the film that it could have survived without him. Up until the forty-five minute mark, much of the Flowers of War focussed on the school girls with Shu taking centre-stage. She also narrates the film.

However, I did enjoy watching John Miller fulfil his reluctant hero character arc. Yes, it is predictable, but it is still enjoyable to watch. I also don't agree with him being a white saviour. How much saving does he actually do? Despite his best efforts, he does little to stop a rogue squad of Japanese soldiers attacking the church; instead it is the lone Chinese Major Li who saves everybody.

And when the Japanese demand that the girls sing at a special play it isn't Miller who suggests a solution, but Mi Yo. And when two of the prostitutes sneak out of the church, needlessly putting themselves into danger, Miller does not bring them back safe and sound. If anything he is a white failure - trying to save everybody but mostly failing. Not to mention, he was based on the real-life American missionary Minnie Vautrin.

There was also some who argue that the film was style over substance. Yes, while there was a lot of spectacle with plenty of slow-motion and vivid colours, it never detracted from the plot. This is in comparison to most Wuxia films which place spectacle front-and-centre. While the Flowers of War did focus on myth and legend, it was always tied to the plot. Even the sequence of the prostitutes singing to the schoolgirls enhanced rather than detracted from the film.

Zhang Yimou wanted to separate the Flowers of War from other similar films by highlighting and celebrating the efforts of women in the war. He certainly achieved that goal. Despite their best efforts, George and John are largely useless - yes they show remarkable bravery and self-sacrifice at the film's conclusion, but this is after four of their number have been killed.

Instead, we see the incredible strength and resourcefulness of the female characters. I've already spoken about the schoolgirls, but the prostitutes were equally intelligent and tough. Yes, the two groups quarrel on occasion - you get tiffs, arguments and fights, but, in the end they work together for the greater good.

Ultimately, I think the Flowers of War was a triumph. It looked gorgeous while also having strong writing, acting and characters. It's just way too traumatic to watch for a second time.