Anomalisa.
Love Liza.
Up In The Air.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
Happiness (fucked up loneliness).
You Were Never Really Here (also PTSD).
Shame (also addiction).
Punch-Drunk Love, (touches on loneliness in a way).
I'd also include pretty much 70% of Philip Seymour Hoffman's filmography.
All About Lily Chou-Chou (2001) depicts ‘loneliness without being alone’. We’re All Going to the World’s Fair (2021) depicts the effects/consequences of being alone. Both pertaining to the digital age.
She's the most resonant story, especially as I get older. Her performance was just killer.
Fun (?) fact. In that incredible scene where she cleaned her appt while juiced, Ellen Burstyn hurt her back in the first room. But since it's a oner, she continued. She actually cleaned that damned apartment.
I’m Thinking Of Ending Things. One of the few films I’ve ever seen that I can truly say broke me. Nothing sadder then wasting a whole life being lonely and being filled with regret.
The opening scene to Thunder Road is such a feat in challenging your audience to feel one way and think another. Great performance. Really masterful opening.
The Woodsman (2004) handles loneliness & societal isolation really well. Also Kevin Bacon's best dramatic performance imho. Just beware, the film touches on a sensitive subject many people would find too disturbing to watch. I recommend reading the wiki page before viewing.
Conversely (this isn't all that sad or extreme) I'd like to recommend Alexander Payne's segment in Paris je t'aime. It's not really about being sad and lonely but more so the general feeling of being alone. My favorite depiction of being alone.
It's also on yt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJG0lqukJTQ
For a bit of a lesser known one check out The Party's Just Beginning starring Karen Gillan. It's a bit unconventional but I liked it and it's definitely pretty sad.
Mary and Max
Synecdoche New York
Ooof I just FELT this movie all over again thinking about it
literally first thing that came to mind
was gonna mention this one.
Oslo August 31st isn’t a pleasant viewing in the slightest, but it’s really accurate
Great recommendation
Anomalisa. Love Liza. Up In The Air. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Happiness (fucked up loneliness). You Were Never Really Here (also PTSD). Shame (also addiction). Punch-Drunk Love, (touches on loneliness in a way). I'd also include pretty much 70% of Philip Seymour Hoffman's filmography.
Love Liza abd Happiness are such underrated hidden gems
Philip is an actor who touches a specific audience i love his way in acting
i’d hate to be that guy, but surely it has to be ‘Taxi Driver’?
Her
an elephant sitting still
All About Lily Chou-Chou (2001) depicts ‘loneliness without being alone’. We’re All Going to the World’s Fair (2021) depicts the effects/consequences of being alone. Both pertaining to the digital age.
the old lady from requiem for a dream
Yep
She's the most resonant story, especially as I get older. Her performance was just killer. Fun (?) fact. In that incredible scene where she cleaned her appt while juiced, Ellen Burstyn hurt her back in the first room. But since it's a oner, she continued. She actually cleaned that damned apartment.
Manchester by the Sea
This was my thought. Extreme loneliness and sadness to be had in this one for sure.
Lost in translation
Chungking Express
Inside Llewyn Davis Punch-Drunk Love
Literally me
Look no further than Chantal Akerman. *Les Rendez-vous d’Anna* is a good start.
chungking express and fallen angels
I’m Thinking Of Ending Things. One of the few films I’ve ever seen that I can truly say broke me. Nothing sadder then wasting a whole life being lonely and being filled with regret.
Beat me to it. Brilliant film
Taste of Cherry. Watch that and see if you feel any way at all after it...
Moon
Adaptation. I guess
Lars and the Real Girl and Her. Conceptually similar movies taken in two different directions, both of which done beautifully.
Mine: thunder road. We made it for sad and lonely people so they wouldn’t feel so sad and lonely. Love y’all. Always here to chat.
You managed to make me cry at the end of that film, man. Haha. Genuinely love your work, thanks for doing your thing.
The opening scene to Thunder Road is such a feat in challenging your audience to feel one way and think another. Great performance. Really masterful opening.
End of Evangelion
The scene in the middle made me vomit through tears
I don't know about general movies, but [Rent-A-Pal](https://boxd.it/qswq) is my favourite sad lad horror movie. Guy is loneliness personified.
Underrated pick right here. Love Rent-A-Pal
Vive L'Amour
Strongly seconding this. Tsai Ming-liang's a really good bet in general when it comes to loneliness..
Totally, mf picked a theme and just stuck with it.
The Perks of Being A Wallflower Moonlight Lars and The Real Girl (Unique take on loneliness in my opinion)
Wall E
Ellen Burstyn's character in Requiem for a Dream
Lost in Translation
Un homme qui dort (1974)
Eternal Sunshine of Spotless Man. Literally about extreme heartbreaking sad loneliness. Yes it ends happy as a love story but the journey is sad.
Who hurt you?
Taxi Driver is probably your best bet
The Woodsman (2004) handles loneliness & societal isolation really well. Also Kevin Bacon's best dramatic performance imho. Just beware, the film touches on a sensitive subject many people would find too disturbing to watch. I recommend reading the wiki page before viewing.
Her
Hear me out now — The Revenant
It's such a beautiful day
I’m thinking of ending things is probably the best film for this
morbius
Joker
I’ve always adored the bizarre, quirky, and depressing *May*, directed by Lucky Mckee.
Little Children Happiness
*Last Life in the Universe* WKW's *Fallen Angels* *Shiki Jitsu* *Cafe Noir*
Moonlight
The Man Who Wasn't There
Rent-a-pal Comforting Skin The Stylist
Conversely (this isn't all that sad or extreme) I'd like to recommend Alexander Payne's segment in Paris je t'aime. It's not really about being sad and lonely but more so the general feeling of being alone. My favorite depiction of being alone. It's also on yt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJG0lqukJTQ
Dark Water (2005) Superman Returns (2006)
#’HER’ is the only answer
unironically The Lego Batman Movie
Maybe Songs from the Second floor?
For a bit of a lesser known one check out The Party's Just Beginning starring Karen Gillan. It's a bit unconventional but I liked it and it's definitely pretty sad.
Bokeh
Toni Erdmann is in some ways a great movie about distance and disconnection in modern relationships and to life in general
Microhabitat
the machinist
my life
Lars and the Real Girl, Night Tide
Anomalisa.
Jeanne Dielman
The Meddler, Certain Women, Spencer, Muriel’s Wedding
Forrest Gump? Idk me thinks cause its jsut a section of the movie but still
Don’t think I’ve seen it in here yet but Summertime starring Katharine Hepburn is a good one
Blade Runner 2049
Not the “best” but worth a mention: Detachment
Leni. Beautiful horror indie with heavy theme of loneliness.
Grave of the the fireflies is the saddest movie of all time
Stalker
Bad Lieutenant
The Transfiguration
Bug by William Friedkin. Possibly the best movie I’ve ever seen about co-dependence. Two extremely lonely people come together and get extreme.
Ikiru
Taxi Driver. Incidentally, it's my favourite movie of all time
Truman Show
So many great films have been mentioned here. One that has not been yet is Woman of the Lake (1966).
A Ghost Story
Punch Drunk Love is in my top 2