10 Harrowing Movies That Will Crush Your Soul

6. United 93

The September 11 Attacks are arguably the single most impactful, world-changing event of the 21st century, not to mention one of its most tragic moments. Such is the sensitivity of the event that, while plenty of films refer to or briefly depict the attacks, very few have been made that deal exclusively with the event itself. United 93 is one of the few that falls into the latter category, and though many felt it was too soon for a 9/11 film back in 2006, it's endured as the best 9/11 movie to date. 

Avoiding manipulative emotional drama of any kind, Paul Greengrass' re-enactment of the events onboard the fourth hijacked aircraft takes a documentary-style approach, utilizing handheld cameras and a cast of unknowns. It mostly unfolds in real-time, and many of the people on-screen are never named. 

United 93 is very much a masterwork of verisimilitude. It places us right in the middle of the events of that terrible day, and as it should go without saying, the film is an almost unbearably intense, tragic experience. Sure, it shines a light on a remarkable act of courage by the passengers on the flight, but while their heroism no doubt saved many lives on the ground, it didn't save theirs.