Psychological thrillers, otherwise known as mindf**k films, are unique in
the sense that they prompt us to ask ourselves the big questions in life while
keeping us at the edge of our seats. If you’re ever in the mood for an
exciting film that may or may not trigger an existential crisis, any of these
five films will do the trick. If for some reason you haven’t seen any of
these films, don’t worry, I refrained from giving spoilers.
1.Requiem for a Dream
Based on the novel by Hubert Selby Jr., Requiem for a Dream is a
cautionary tale that shows how the lives of four different people were shaped
by drug addiction. It’s fascinating what these characters tell themselves
to rationalize behavior that’s clearly against their best interest, even though
many of us tend to do the same (though not necessarily from drug-use).
Darren Aronofsky does an incredible job with cinematography, and the classical
score sets the tone perfectly. While one could probably write a thesis on
the film’s ending alone, the most I can say without spoiling it is that it’s
hopelessly depressing. Be sure you’re in the right state of mind when you
watch this masterpiece.
2. Fight Club
No thrillers list is complete without Fight Club. In case you
haven’t heard about this film from whatever rock you’re living under, this
filmis about a white-collar worker (played by Edward Norton) who forms an
underground “fight club” with a soap maker played by Brad Pitt. There are
definitely some anti-establishment themes here, though even a corporate stiff
could thoroughly enjoy this film. As far as twist endings go, this has
one of the twistiest, to the point where it’s like watching an entirely
different film the second time around.
3. Se7en
As a story about two detectives trying to catch a killer who models his
crimes after each of the seven deadly sins, this isn’t your typical murder
mystery. It’s amazing what people are capable of when motivated by their
own twisted sense of justice, especially when combined with a radical belief
system. Unlike some of these other films, however, the antagonist is very
hard to empathize with. Like most films in the genre, Se7en has
a twist ending, though unlike Shutter Island’s finale, this one is
pretty universally well-liked.
4. Memento
One of Christopher Nolan’s first sleeper-hits, Memento stars Guy
Pearce as an amnesiac who cannot form new memories, and essentially lives his
life in 5 minute intervals. Even with this debilitating disorder, he’s
determined to track down his wife’s killer at any cost. It’s interesting
how one can lose their memories while still being motivated by love and
passion. This film does a pretty good job of addressing the questions,
“Who are we without our memories?” and, “Is life nothing more than the sum of
our experiences?
5. Shutter Island
You can never go wrong with a neo-noir Scorsese
flick. Although the film starts out with a “whodunit” mystery vibe,
things get more complicated pretty quickly. As you would expect, Leonardo
DiCaprio’s performance is nothing short of masterful, and he does a great job
of showing conflict emotions of intrigue, curiosity, and remorse as he’s
interviewing the asylum’s patients. Although many viewers didn’t like the
twist ending, I felt that it was entirely plausible given the abstract nature
of this genre.
By:- Daniel Jeffries
By:- Daniel Jeffries
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