As the great comedian Charlie Chaplin once said: "Life is a tragedy when seen in close-up, but a comedy in a long shot." Films about dysfunctional family relationships are those special kinds of entertainment that convey the importance of strong family bonding to audiences. Yet, the appeal of these dysfunctional family movies stems from their satirical commentary on the adamance of sustaining family values which led to unprecedented situations.

Be it a tragedy or a comedy, dysfunctional family films constantly undergo reinterpretations that manage to sustain audiences' interest in the genre. Movies about family problems and all the messiness that comes with these relationships continue to dominate cinema today, with the best ones highlighting how dysfunctional dynamics between characters can provide tragic, comedic, or even darkly humorous viewing experiences.

10 'Goodnight Mommy' (2014)

Directed by Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala

Two nine-year-old twin brothers await their mother's return to their lakeside home. When their mother arrives home from her cosmetic surgery, the twins are startled by their mother's bandaged appearance and sudden personality change. In the absence of a father figure, the children discover clues that their "mother" is not who she claims to be.

Fans of extreme horror films would be bewildered by the Austrian film that befuddles the line between innocence and malevolence. Goodnight Mommy is an unsettling portrait of a changing relationship between a mother and her sons, and not for the better. For anyone who gets queasy or uneasy when kids are involved in horror movies, it's best to steer clear of this one, as it truly pushes some boundaries (which others may find intriguing).

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9 'The Quiet Family' (1998)

Directed by Kim Jee-woon

Sometimes the best partners in crime are your family members. And with the Kangs in The Quiet Family, this is most certainly the case. The South Korean dark comedy follows a family who owns a lodge in a remote hiking area. After their first customer dies of suicide, the family hastily buries the body to avoid unwanted attention and bad publicity. Unfortunately, their customers start dying under outrageous circumstances, which continuously besieges the family to cover up their misdemeanors.

The darkly comedic movie is perfect for audiences with an offbeat sense of humor, as there seems to be no rhyme or reason for the way the family's customers keep dropping like flies. As the Kangs' antics escalate towards the unforgettable conclusion, audiences won't be able to take their eyes off their screens.

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8 'Shiva Baby' (2020)

Directed by Emma Seligman

One of the stand-out indie films of 2020, Shiva Baby is a comedy-horror hybrid that highlights the tragedy of being a bisexual college student in a Jewish family that thrives on gossip about other people's misfortunes. Attending a shiva (Jewish mourning rituals) with her clueless parents, the main protagonist Danielle (Rachel Sennott), is thrown into impassive conservations with judgemental relatives, comparisons with her ex-girlfriend, and direct confrontations with her sugar daddy and his wife.

Maybe Danielle and The Graduate's Benjamin should attend counseling together. Surrounded by passive-aggressive family members who are unaware of any sort of modern views on sexuality and life in general, the protagonist understandably has a hard time when she encounters unexpected people from her life in this context.

7 'The Mitchells vs. the Machines' (2021)

Directed by Michael Rianda

A much-needed lighthearted take on the genre, Mike Rianda's directorial debut became an instant classic family film when it first premiered. The Mitchells vs. the Machines chronicles the disastrous road trip of the Mitchells, a wacky family with proud parents, a weird young son, and an awkward teenager, Katie (Abbi Jacobson). They struggle to bond like a regular family, which becomes even harder when the robot uprising starts to happen around them. Soon, it's up to the Mitchells to find a way to work together and save the world.

With witty pop culture references, fantastic animation, and a surprising emotional depth, the animated movie has something to offer for viewers of all ages. It's a painfully relatable look at many modern families' struggles today, and an inspiring tale of how it's possible to overcome anything (even the robot apocalypse).

6 'Hereditary' (2018)

Directed by Ari Aster

Toni Collette is definitely the face of the dysfunctional family in movies. In Hereditary, after the death of the secretive matriarch of the Graham family, her daughter Annie (Collette) and her family start having increasingly strange encounters that threaten their once peaceful home life. A traumatizing tragedy soon opens up the doors for even more horrifying things to happen to the scarred family.

One of the best psychological horror films about demonic families, Hereditary is also a heartbreaking film about the sufferings experienced from losing your loved ones, prompting one to resort to extreme measures to ease their pain. Aster cements himself as a modern horror master with this A24 film, which is celebrated by the genre's fans everywhere.

5 'Boyhood' (2014)

Directed by Richard Linklater

Richard Linklater's Boyhood took 12 long years to portray the coming-of-age story of Mason Evans Jr. From the age of 6 all the way to 12th grade at age 18. The film examines Mason's bumpy transition from childhood to adolescence and his ever-changing relationship dynamics with his divorced parents and sister. The movie is known for using the same cast members, essentially allowing viewers to see them grow up.

Detailing the little things in life, such as relentless sibling bickering, unfulfilled promises made with parents, and first experiences with romance, Boyhood is a poignant tale of growing up brimming with anecdotes that many will resonate with. What makes its dysfunctional family so impactful is how realistic and grounded it is.

4 'Little Miss Sunshine' (2006)

Directed by Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton

An iconic movie from the 2000s, Little Miss Sunshine revolves around the chaotic Hoover family, made up of the dad Richard (Greg Kinnear), his wife Sheryl (Toni Collette), their daughter Olive (Abigail Breslin), and a brother and grandfather to complete the messy picture. Together, they go on a hilarious road trip to support Olive, who wants to win the titular child pageant.

In their legendary yellow Volkswagen, the Hoovers' patience with each other quickly runs out, as the dysfunctional family's bizarre behavior begins to clash. Along the way – and several gut-busting antics later – they learn just how much they love each other, despite their nonsensical quirks. Little Miss Sunshine's dysfunctional family sets itself apart by being an incredibly lovable bunch that infuses the film with optimism and hope.

3 'The Royal Tenenbaums' (2001)

Directed by Wes Anderson

Aside from the symmetrical shots and deadpan humor, movies about family relationships have also been director Wes Anderson's trademark in cinema. This is especially evident in The Royal Tenenbaums, a film that depicts the eccentricities, heartaches, and disappointments faced by the Tenenbaums.

It all started, perhaps, because of patriarch Royal Tenenbaum's (Gene Hackman) sudden departure from the family. After learning of her ex-wife's potential remarriage, Royal returns to his family 22 years later, claiming he had cancer. However, his grown-up children have other equally exasperating matters on their minds, and the rest of the film depicts their quirky adult lives and how their childhoods have shaped their paths.

2 'Knives Out' (2019)

Directed by Rian Johnson

One of the most famous movies with dysfunctional families, Knives Out is a mystery film that begins when acclaimed crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) is found dead in his house. While the police believe it to be suicide, the renowned Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) thinks there's more to the story than meets the eye. With the help of Harlan's personal maid Marta Cabrera (Ana de Armas), Detective Blanc commences his investigation into the enigmatic but deteriorating Thrombey family, with each member shrouding secrets that may shed light on Harlan's untimely demise.

Featuring a star-studded ensemble cast, the success of Knives Out lies not only in the movie's dry but sardonic hilarity but its ingeniously plotted whodunit narrative. The crime that's eventually uncovered is inextricably linked with the family's messy relationships and each character's selfish motive.

1 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' (2022)

Directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert

The international phenomenon and now Oscar-winning masterpiece from the Daniels, Everything Everywhere All at Once follows the wild journey an aging Evelyn Wang (Michelle Yeoh) embarks on after learning she's the only one who can save the multiverse. It's the last thing she needs considering she's already struggling to maintain her hectic laundromat, failing marriage, and messy relationship with her daughter, Joy (Stephanie Hsu).

The zany film takes viewers on an unbelievable and often hilarious trip as Evelyn discovers her alternate selves, soon learning that the big baddie she has to stop is a version of her own daughter. At its core, EEAAO is a stirring movie about a dysfunctional family just trying to find its place in the wide universe (and next to each other).

NEXT: Family Films That Are Great For Kids But Not As Good For Adults