Qualities of a goodpsychological thrillerhave been apparent in storytelling for centuries, but the subgenre didn’t start to gain prominence in cinema until the early 1990s. Today, it stands as more beloved than ever across both film and television. Ben Stiller’s hit sci-fi thriller series,Severance, which just got a second season, is just one example of many modern releases that utilize the psychological thriller genre to its greatest ends. Many of thebest thriller movies of 2024were bolstered by psychological influence.
In consideration of the evolution of psychological thrillers, the past 10 years haven’t necessarily been the golden age. When it comes to making a movie in this fashion,few hold a candle to the renowned David Fincher, the director responsible for creating several of the best psychological thrillers ever made.FromZodiactoFight Club, his films never fail to create a gripping atmosphere. While many of the greatest works in the genre found their way to screens more than 10 years ago, there are still numerous titles from this period worth watching.
Leigh Whannell managed to turn an incredibly basic concept into a nightmarish descent withThe Invisible Man. Although it’s more of a horror by most measures,the film does an unparalleled job of immersing the audience in the paranoid terror of the story world.At the center of the plot lies Cecilia Kass (Elisabeth Moss), who watches her life become a living hell after breaking up with her boyfriend Adrian Griffin (Oliver Jackson-Cohen).
As it turns out, Adrian is an inventor who created a suit that makes him completely invisible. After staging his suicide,Adrian begins to terrorize Cecilia, stalking her at every waking moment.He doesn’t just make Cecilia question her sanity, but actively puts her in situations that make others incredulous of her mental well-being. It’s a movie that jumps from zero to 100 in the flash of an eye. A sequel,The Invisible Man 2,alsorecently got a promising update.
When someone sees Adam Sandler’s name tacked onto a movie, they probably expect a feel-good family flick filled with cargo shorts, funny one-liners, and goofballs. After watchingUncut Gems, that same person would likely start to question reality.It’s a film that’s darker, grittier, and more anxiety-building than all of Sandler’s previous works combined.Uncut Gemsis a story about jewelry and sports betting but with a twist.
Uncut Gemshas the fourth most F-bombs ever used in a movie. It’s said a total of 506 times (viaIndieWire).
Sandler plays Howard Ratner, a sleazy New York jeweler who ends up making a risky bet that will make or break his life.The only problem is that Howard’s desire for money outweighs his self-worth,which ultimately comes back to bite him. There isn’t a dull moment throughout the entire runtime.Uncut Gems’endingmakes a simple basketball game look like the highest-stake event to ever take place. This movie is guaranteed to make watching just as hard as looking away.
Upon the first screening of Darren Aronofsky’sMother!,audiences will likely be left completely speechless.What seems like an idyllic countryside lifestyle quickly transforms into a tumultuous nightmare. In the film, Javier Bardem plays a man referred to as “Him” who lives in a Victorian mansion with his wife, referred to as “Mother” (Jennifer Lawrence). Everything seems fine for the couple until uninvited guests start to show up at their front door.
The husband continually lets strangers inside the house, paying no mind to the well-being of his environment, son, or wife. One by one, they begin to terrorize their surroundings. In reality,Mother!serves as an allegory for God’s abandonment of Earth before the birth of the Messiah.Thus, the wife represents Mother Earth, her husband represents God, and their uninvited guests represent humanity. The film is a wild ride, but it’s easily one ofJennifer Lawrence’s best movies.
It seems shocking thatThe Giftwas Joel Edgerton’s full-length directorial debut. As an actor, he’s more than proven himself on the silver screen. Most recently, Edgerton demonstrated his range in the Apple TV seriesDark Matter,which recently got a season 2 tease.However,The Giftshows Edgerton at his most sinister as both an actor and director.Although it’s a slow burn, the third act makes it worth the wait.
The plot follows Simon (Jason Bateman) and Robyn (Rebecca Hall), a run-of-the-mill couple who are just moving into a new home. Nothing seems out of the ordinary until Simon runs into Gordo (Edgerton), a man from his past.The two characters have a history that runs deeper than it appears. There’s something off about Gordo, and when inexplicable things start to happen to the couple, it’s clear that his intentions are far from virtuous.The Giftis incredibly powerful overall, but it’ll make stomachs turn.
Given his prominence in the fashion industry, people often forget that Tom Ford is just as proficient in the realm of filmmaking.Nocturnal Animalsrepresented his sophomore movie, arriving seven years after his directorial debutSingle Man. Considering the brevity of his cinematic resume, Ford’s effort in this film is astonishing. It’s the type of psychological thriller that layers a story within another story.
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Nocturnal Animalsis about an LA art gallery owner named Susan Morrow (Amy Adams). Her life is virtually perfect, except for the fact that her husband, Hutton (Armie Hammer), is constantly traveling. She eventually discovers a manuscript written by her first and previous husband, Edward (Jake Gyllenhaal), describing how a teacher’s family vacation turns sinister.Edward effectively uses the novel to twist Susan’s psyche and mentally torture her,ina truly unique medium of storytelling and worth a watch.
There aren’t many films in existence quite like Lee Chang-dong’s 2018 dramaBurning. People don’t seem to mention it in conversations about thebest psychological thrillers, which comes as a surprise given how emotionally provocative the movie is. On its surface,Burningappears to be a traditional murder mystery.However, as the plot unfolds, it becomes obvious that Lee sets out to accomplish far more.
The story is primarily told from the perspective of Lee Jong-su (Yoo Ah-in), who runs into an old friend, Shin Hae-mi (Jeon Jong-seo). Shortly after, a man named Ben (Steven Yeun) shows up, and Jong-su begins to doubt his intentions. Although the movie seems like a mere character study, its themes provide several high-concept commentaries on societal issues in Korea. There’s a clear juxtaposition between the first and second acts. It starts out looking like a love story, but as the action ramps up, it’s apparent that there are significant metaphorical qualities surrounding class.
Robert Eggers has quickly certified himself as one of the most intriguing filmmakers of the modern era. He recently continued his impressive run of mind-bending folklore tales with his2024 horrorNosferatu.Eggers' unorthodox directorial style utilizes non-traditional modes of storytelling,andThe Lighthouseis no exception to this trope. The movie is a complete fever dream, but that’s kind of the point.
The Lighthouseis meant to demonstrate the mental strain that inevitably follows extended periods of isolation. At the center of the story are two lighthouse workers, Thomas Wake (Willem Dafoe) and Thomas Howard (Robert Pattison). As they continue their duties on the remote island, the two quickly spiral. The narrative is reminiscent of the surrealism explored in films likeUn Chien Andalou. Unrelated, sporadic shots are often stitched together to create sequences that turn the atmosphere back on the audience.
Those who were expecting a sequel toCloverfieldwere likely met with mixed feelings after watching10 Cloverfield Lane. Disappointed because it had absolutely nothing to do with the first movie, but equally impressed by the new direction. There are a lot of theories surroundinghow theCloverfieldmovies connect, but the leading answer suggests that a singular event joins the stories across dimensions. The film is meant to exhibit the hysteria that involves a supposed invasion.
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At the center of the story is Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) who gets in a car accident and wakes up in a strange bunker. Assuming she’s been abducted, a man named Howard (John Goodman) explains that there was an invasion and the surface is inhabitable. However,there are inconsistencies in Howard’s story, leading Michelle to believe that there was never an attack at all.It’s a psychological thriller in its purest form with an ending that blows the lid off the apparent circumstances.
Yorgos Lanthimos’The Killing of a Sacred Deeris perhaps the best modern example of a psychological thriller in existence.Surreal and atmospheric, it’s hard to find a film that creates a more uneasy feeling than this one.Even the presumed “normal” characters walk the line between this label and other. It’s completely weird from start to finish, but undeniably interesting.
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The Killing of a Sacred Deerfollows Dr. Steven Murphy (Colin Farrell), a cardiovascular surgeon, and his seemingly idyllic suburban family. When an offbeat kid named Martin (Barry Keoghan) starts hanging around, the dynamic of the family takes a sinister turn. It turns out that Steven was responsible for Martin’s father’s death. Seeking revenge, Martin promises that every member of the Murphy family will die unless Steven agrees to kill one himself. By the time ofThe Killing of A Sacred Deer’sending, audiences will be left completely speechless.
When a movie wins four out of its five nominations at the Academy Awards, it’s guaranteed to be something special.The 2020 Best Picture winnerParasitetook audiences by storm upon its release,and justifiably so. Bong Joon-ho created an experience that is equally horrifying, funny, and sad.Parasitehas many qualities that reflect its creative substance as a psychological thriller, but its application of an unpredictable narrative brings it home. At the start of the film, the plot appears to be a run-of-the-mill analogy of wealth disparity.
The members of the Kim family get a taste of the lavish lifestyle of the Parks, and their class difference becomes apparent. However, Bong takes things in a completely unexpected direction. Suddenly, people are living beneath the Parks, chaos is breaking out, and nothing is how it seems. It’s a movie that forces the audiences to put complete faith in the director.Without a clue what will happen next, it’s everything that apsychological thrillershould be. Hopefully,Bong Joon-ho’s upcoming moviewill emulate the directorial mastery demonstrated inParasite.
