In the world of cinema, few elements are as captivating and exhilarating as a well-executed plot twist. They can be a turning point of a movie. Something that changes everything. An entity that can make a decent movie into a phenomenal one. These gems defy our expectations, challenge our perspectives and make the audience think about them long after the movie ends.
I’m excited to take you on a journey through some of the most fascinating films with unexpected plot twists. We’ll be exploring the art of suspenseful storytelling and admiring the work of talented directors and screenwriters who have created intricate and mind-blowing narratives. From classic thrillers to mind-bending science fiction, these films have definitely made a lasting impression on the world of cinema, and they’re sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. So, let’s dive in and discover the unparalleled storytelling prowess of these amazing films!
Gone Girl
Director: David Fincher
For Fans of : Mystery, Thriller
Where to Watch:
At first glance, Nick Dunne and Amy seem to have a perfect marriage. Nick is a writer for a men’s magazine, while Amy is the daughter of a snobby mother who wrote a popular children’s book series called “Amazing Amy,” which was based on her own childhood. Amy’s diary entries, which we hear in voiceover, reinforce the idea that Nick and Amy are meant to be together.
However, things are not as they seem, and their relationship begins to deteriorate. On their fifth wedding anniversary, Nick returns home to find Amy has disappeared under mysterious circumstances. It soon becomes clear that Nick is not the perfect husband he appeared to be, and their marriage was far from perfect. The couple’s distrust and dissatisfaction with each other eventually lead them to hate each other, with Amy feeling unwanted in her own home. The media’s attention quickly turns to the disappearance, causing Nick to fight for his innocence. Even those closest to him begin to doubt him, as the media had painted Amy as an American sweetheart.
The question of whether Amy is dead or alive looms, and Nick is the primary suspect. Their troubled marriage only adds fuel to the fire. But things are not what they seem, and the story takes shocking twists and turns, ultimately exposing the dark secrets at the heart of their relationship.
“When two people love each other and they can’t make that work, that’s the real tragedy.”
The Usual Suspects
Director: Bryan Singer
For Fans of : Crime, Mystery
Where to Watch:
The Usual Suspects is one of my very favourite movies. It is filled with memorable dialogues and I love to quote them anytime I get a chance. Whenever I discuss this film with others or even watch some scenes again, I get as excited as a little kid.
The movie begins on a ship docked in San Pedro Bay where we see Dean Keaton sitting on one end of the ship lighting his cigar and trying to light up the ship through the inflammable fuel on it when a shadowy figure stops him from doing so. In a very calm manner, he twists his gun and kills him. Before getting off the boat this person, whose name is Keyser Soze, as we understand from Dean Keaton, throws his cigarette, and the ship blasts in flames.
The next day the police find 27 dead bodies with only two survivors. One is a Hungarian mobster who is hospitalized because of his severe burns and the other is a con artist named Verbal Kint who is under interrogation by the LAPD. Kint recounts the events leading up to the disastrous drug deal, which involved a group of criminals with code names: Dean Keaton, Michael McManus, Fred Fenster, and Keyser Söze, a shadowy and mythic figure. The criminals are manipulated into pulling off the heist by a mysterious lawyer named Kobayashi, who claims to be working for Keyser Söze.
As Kint’s narrative unfolds, Kujan becomes increasingly intrigued by the legend of Keyser Söze, a ruthless and enigmatic criminal mastermind. The film’s plot is a complex puzzle with numerous twists and turns, culminating in a shocking revelation regarding the true identity of Keyser Söze and the events surrounding the ill-fated drug deal.
“Keaton always said, “I don’t believe in God, but I’m afraid of him.” Well I believe in God, and the only thing that scares me is Keyser Soze.”
Parasite
Director: Bong Joon-ho
For Fans of : Mystery, Thriller, Comedy, Drama (I know- a lot of genres)
Where to Watch:
I rarely say this, but I have never seen a movie quite like this. It may sound cliche, but I cannot stress enough how different this movie is. The story follows Kim Ki-taek and his family as they struggle with poverty in their basement home. When Ki-woo lands a job as a tutor for the wealthy Park family’s daughter, he slyly maneuvers his way into the lives of the Parks and recommends other family members for various service positions, all while keeping their true relationship hidden.
As the Kims become more involved in the Park household, the film delves into themes of class inequality and social hierarchy while maintaining a satirical and darkly comedic approach. This movie put me through a rollercoaster of emotions, from warmth and love to comedy, fear, and shock, without ever being tonally inconsistent. It’s truly a unique and unforgettable viewing experience.
The Sixth Sense
Director: M.Night Shyamalan
For Fans of : Mystery, Drama
Where to Watch:
“The Sixth Sense” is a supernatural thriller film directed by M. Night Shyamalan, released in 1999. The film revolves around Dr. Malcolm Crowe, a child psychologist played by Bruce Willis, who becomes determined to help a young boy named Cole Sear, portrayed by Haley Joel Osment. Cole possesses a troubling secret: he can see and communicate with the dead.
Malcolm initially struggles to connect with Cole, as he himself is grappling with the trauma of a former patient who he believes he failed. Cole’s ability to see ghosts both terrifies and isolates him from others, including his mother. As Malcolm delves deeper into Cole’s experiences, he becomes a mentor and protector, guiding the young boy in using his gift to help the troubled spirits he encounters. And as we go through this journey we come across some great twists.
Psycho
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
For Fans of : Mystery, Thriller
Where to Watch:
It has been 63 years since Psycho was released in the theatres. Every year, new thrillers kept releasing and yet Psycho has remained on top of them even after all these years. This should give you an idea of- What a great piece of art it is!
This is without a doubt one of Hitchcock’s best films. Also probably one of his scariest one which gets scarier the second time you watch it. At that time, the film was indeed the most shocking one ever witnessed by its original audience members.
The movie begins with Marion Crane filling up her lunch hours with her boyfriend Sam Loomis who she is unable to marry because of his alimony debts. As she returns to work, she is given 40,000 dollars which is to be deposited by her in the bank. Upon asking her boss, she makes the decision to head back home after going to the bank due to her alleged headache, which, after a brief period, turns out to be nonexistent. This leads to one of Hitchcock’s mold of an innocent person performing a crime based on some impulsive bad decisions. As anybody would have guessed, Marion steals the money and leaves immediately without telling anyone, on her way to Sam’s hometown- Fairvale. Marion drives closer to Fairvale but is slowed down by a violent rainstorm. That is when she pulls into Bates Motel where her small association with Norman Bates takes place. Telling anything more would lead to spoiling it for the first-time viewers.
Fight Club
Director: David Fincher
For Fans of : Mystery, Thriller
Where to Watch:
Fight Club is the type of movie- you either love it or hate it. Fight Club is directed by David Fincher and is based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Chuck Palahniuk. The film starts with the unnamed narrator (Edward Norton) telling us about his dully life of empty fondness for material things. “I flipped through catalogs and wondered: What kind of dining set defines me as a person” he says. He has been driven to the edge of sanity by his white-collar job and is suffering from insomnia. “When you have insomnia, you’re never really asleep and you’re never really awake”. The only relief he finds is in attending meetings of different self-help-groups for problems he does not have. May it be alcoholism or testicular cancer. He goes there just to cry and let go of his emotions, for people start to be more attentive when their time on the planet is known to them.
He encounters a charismatic and anarchistic figure named Tyler Durden, and the two form an underground fight club as a means of rebelling against societal norms and seeking purpose. One of the comments by a critic which best describes the movie states,” The movie is a telling point about the bestial nature of man and what can happen when the numbing effects of day-to-day drudgery cause people to go a little crazy.” Along with the movie being high testosterone-fueled, it turns out to be much deeper and in a way life-changing.
The Prestige
Director: Christopher Nolan
For Fans of : Mystery, science fiction, Magic, Drama
Where to Watch:
“The Prestige,” directed by Christopher Nolan and released in 2006, is a complex and gripping mystery-thriller set in the world of late 19th-century stage magic. The film follows the intense rivalry between two magicians, Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale).
The story is framed as a series of diaries, revealing the deeply personal and professional conflicts between the two illusionists. Each is driven by an obsession to outdo the other in creating the ultimate magic trick. Their competitive one-upmanship escalates to the point of tragedy, as they sabotage one another’s acts, leading to devastating consequences.
Central to the story is the mysterious and seemingly supernatural trick known as “The Transported Man,” which becomes the ultimate challenge for both magicians. Each of them becomes consumed by discovering the other’s secret, and their relentless pursuit of the truth takes a toll on their personal lives and leads to a series of shocking revelations.
Primal Fear
Director: Gregory Hoblit
For Fans of : Murder Mystery, Court Drama
Where to Watch:
The courts might not give you justice but the lawyers sure do play a vital role in the outcome. Like the bold and cheeky Chicago defense attorney Martin Vail says about truth – “The only thing that matters is my version of it. The one I create….‘the illusion of truth’”. Vail believes that every person, regardless of whatever he has done, has the right to the best defense his attorney can provide.
The film introduces the character of Aaron Stampler (Edward Norton), a young man accused of brutally murdering a beloved Archbishop in Chicago. Martin takes on Stampler’s case pro bono, seeking the media attention and fame the high-profile case could bring him. Stampler’s defense hinges on an apparent mental condition – he stutters and exhibits a timid, innocent demeanor, which makes it difficult to believe he’s capable of murder.
As the trial unfolds, Vail becomes increasingly convinced of Stampler’s innocence. He along with the audience uncover a web of conspiracy and manipulation as the case proceeds.
Chinatown
Director: Roman Polanski
For Fans of : Mystery, Thriller, Private investigator
Where to Watch:
Chinatown is one of those mystery movies where things reveal themselves but they confuse you even more. You just have to trust it will work out and, in the end, everything makes sense.
the film follows private investigator J.J. “Jake” Gittes (Nicholson) as he is hired to investigate an alleged affair involving Hollis Mulwray, the chief engineer of the city’s water department. Gittes soon realizes he’s entangled in a complex web of corruption, deceit, and power struggles.
As Gittes digs deeper into the case, he discovers that the city’s water supply is being manipulated for financial gain, leading to a severe drought and a scheme to acquire valuable land. The plot thickens when he becomes romantically involved with Evelyn Mulwray (Dunaway), Hollis’s enigmatic widow, and uncovers dark family secrets.Top of Form
“Forget it Jake, its Chinatown”
Shutter Island
Director: Martin Scorsese
For Fans of : Mystery, Thriller
Where to Watch:
“Shutter Island,” directed by Martin Scorsese and released in 2010, is a psychological thriller set in 1954. U.S. Marshals Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo) are sent to Shutter Island, a remote mental institution, to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a patient named Rachel Solando. As they delve deeper into the case, they uncover a web of secrets and deception that lead to disturbing revelations.
The island’s staff, led by Dr. John Cawley (Ben Kingsley), is uncooperative, and Teddy’s own traumatic past begins to haunt him. He suspects a conspiracy and becomes increasingly paranoid about the hospital’s intentions. The narrative takes a surreal and mind-bending turn, blurring the lines between reality and delusion.
Shutter Island has one of the most cinematic and meaningful last line cinema has seen. The first time I saw the movie, it had me scratching my head for a long time. But it is fascinating how that one line so subtly changes everything.
Knives Out
Director: Rian Johnson
For Fans of : Mystery, Thriller, Family Drama
Where to Watch:
“Knives Out” is a 2019 mystery-comedy film written and directed by Rian Johnson. The story begins with the apparent suicide of wealthy crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer). A renowned detective, Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig), is hired to investigate the death, treating it as a murder. He questions Harlan’s eccentric family members and devoted staff, all of whom have motives for wanting Harlan’s fortune.
As the investigation unfolds, secrets, lies, and betrayals within the dysfunctional Thrombey family are exposed, keeping the audience guessing about the true circumstances of Harlan’s demise. The film masterfully combines humor, suspense, and social commentary, touching on themes of privilege and family dynamics.
The Departed
Director: Martin Scorsese
For Fans of : Mystery, Thriller, Drama, Betrayal
Where to Watch:
“The Departed” is a 2006 crime thriller directed by Martin Scorsese. Set in Boston, the film revolves around the covert infiltration of the Massachusetts State Police by two moles—one a young police officer, Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio), who goes undercover to infiltrate the Irish-American gang led by Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson), and the other, Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon), who works within the police force as a mole for Costello.
As both moles rise through the ranks, tension and suspense build as they race to uncover each other’s true identities. The Departed has a stellar cast which give some really memorable performances turning this movie into one of Scorsese’s best.
Arrival
Director: Denis Villeneuve
For Fans of : Mystery, Science Fiction, Extraterrestrial life
Where to Watch:
“Arrival” is a 2016 science fiction film directed by Denis Villeneuve, based on Ted Chiang’s novella “Story of Your Life.” The story centers on linguist Dr. Louise Banks (Amy Adams) who is recruited by the U.S. military to help communicate with mysterious extraterrestrial visitors. Twelve massive, oblong spacecraft have landed in various locations across the world, and the governments are struggling to understand their purpose.
Dr. Banks, along with physicist Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner), attempts to decipher the complex circular symbols and establish a means of communication with the enigmatic aliens, known as Heptapods. I will have to admit that Arrival does get a little slow at times, but the twist at the end is really mind blowing and makes everything worthwhile.
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