Top 20 Psychological Puzzle Films
Best Psychological Puzzle Films of All Time
Movies with psychological puzzle narrative in any form (drama, crime, science fiction and fantasy, comedy, mystery, horror, thrillers e.t.c.)
Definition: Puzzle films focus on plot twists and storytelling that diverges from standard definitions of time and space, thus making the viewer’s goal to piece together the chronology and truth of the narrative like a puzzle. These films prompt the questioning of the qualities of their narration by exhibiting one or more of the following: unusual story structure, violations of causal logic, or flaunted, unresolved gaps in the causal chain of the story.
Psychological Puzzle Film defined as those that possess narratives in which the orientation of events in the plot to diegetic reality is not immediately clear, thus creating doubt in the viewer's mind as to how reliable, knowledgeable, self-conscious, and communicative the
narration is. An unreliable narration represents repression, marking the fantasy as either flashback or present-tense reality, only to reveal its unreliability at a strategic moment in the plot. Viewers may attribute these characteristics to a mentally unstable character who are trying to repress knowledge of a trauma and instead of depicting utter chaos or no discernible reality, the films depict two competing realities: the conscious and the unconscious.
Characteristics: mystery, non-tradition narration model, complicate/labyrinth storytelling, plot twists, non-linear timelines, back-and-forth timeline, fragment space/time, time loops, parallel narratives, a genuine flashback bridge the gap between true reality and imagined reality, alternate reality, maladjusted protagonist, multiple protagonists and multi-plot, scrambled-time schemes, experimental forms.
Essential / Must-see / Genre-defying: puzzle films:
Other Lists:
Top 40 Puzzle Movies
Top 100 Paranoid Films
Top 100 Psychological Thrillers
Top 100 Psychosexual Thrillers
Top 100 Psychological Horror Thrillers
Movies with psychological puzzle narrative in any form (drama, crime, science fiction and fantasy, comedy, mystery, horror, thrillers e.t.c.)
Definition: Puzzle films focus on plot twists and storytelling that diverges from standard definitions of time and space, thus making the viewer’s goal to piece together the chronology and truth of the narrative like a puzzle. These films prompt the questioning of the qualities of their narration by exhibiting one or more of the following: unusual story structure, violations of causal logic, or flaunted, unresolved gaps in the causal chain of the story.
Psychological Puzzle Film defined as those that possess narratives in which the orientation of events in the plot to diegetic reality is not immediately clear, thus creating doubt in the viewer's mind as to how reliable, knowledgeable, self-conscious, and communicative the
narration is. An unreliable narration represents repression, marking the fantasy as either flashback or present-tense reality, only to reveal its unreliability at a strategic moment in the plot. Viewers may attribute these characteristics to a mentally unstable character who are trying to repress knowledge of a trauma and instead of depicting utter chaos or no discernible reality, the films depict two competing realities: the conscious and the unconscious.
Characteristics: mystery, non-tradition narration model, complicate/labyrinth storytelling, plot twists, non-linear timelines, back-and-forth timeline, fragment space/time, time loops, parallel narratives, a genuine flashback bridge the gap between true reality and imagined reality, alternate reality, maladjusted protagonist, multiple protagonists and multi-plot, scrambled-time schemes, experimental forms.
Essential / Must-see / Genre-defying: puzzle films:
- Jacob's Ladder (1990)
- Open Your Eyes (1997)
- Fight Club (1999)
- The Sixth Sense (1999)
- Mulholland Drive (2001)
Other Lists:
Top 40 Puzzle Movies
Top 100 Paranoid Films
Top 100 Psychological Thrillers
Top 100 Psychosexual Thrillers
Top 100 Psychological Horror Thrillers
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23 titles
- DirectorChristopher NolanStarsLeonardo DiCaprioJoseph Gordon-LevittElliot PageA thief who steals corporate secrets through the use of dream-sharing technology is given the inverse task of planting an idea into the mind of a C.E.O., but his tragic past may doom the project and his team to disaster.Inception (2010)*
Science Fiction – Action – Adventure – Mystery – Thriller – Sci-Fi Thriller – International Fugitive / Professional Thief – Experimental Military Technology – Subconscious Mind Infiltrate – Constructed Dreams – Valuable Corporate Secrets Heist – Espionage Action Thriller – Corporate Espionage – New Mission: Subconscious Mind Implanting (Inception) – Deception – Manipulation – Dazzling Maze – Disbelief – Distrust – Fear – Paranoia – Escape Thriller – Mystery – Mysterious Wife's Death – Femme Fatale – Dead Wife's Obsession – Psychological Thriller – Emotional Stress – Love-Loss Trauma – Psychosis – Grief Trauma – Guilt Complex – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – Perception-Reality Dichotomy – Repressed Emotions – Defence Mechanism – Derealization Symptom – Fraudian Theory – Puzzle Film – Complex Storytelling – Non-Linear Timeline – Multi-Layered Plot – Self-Conscious Narration – Dream-Like Reality – Cause-and-Effect Chain – Others – Heist Movie – Symbolism – Existentialism – Surrealism – Intelligent Film – Blockbuster – Oscar (4) Winner – Cult Status – Classic Status – T o p – Best 10's – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★★★★ (10/10)-S
Puzzle: ambiguous narration / multiperspectivity / conscious/suppressed unconscious dichotomy / is this reality or another dream-level? - DirectorDavid FincherStarsMichael DouglasDeborah Kara UngerSean PennAfter a wealthy San Francisco banker is given an opportunity to participate in a mysterious game, his life is turned upside down as he begins to question if it might really be a concealed conspiracy to destroy him.The Game (1997)*
Drama – Mystery – Thriller – Mystery Drama – Wealthy Egocentric Investment Banker – Obsessive Life-Control Freak – Childhood (Father's Suicide) Trauma – 48th Birthday – Younger Brother's Enigmatic Birthday Present – Mysterious Game – Life-Threatening – Anxiety Disorder – Uncertainty Stress – Panic Attack – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Invisible Manipulation – Manhunt – Frenetic Chase – Conspiracy Theory – Shadowy Organization – Well-Planned Conspiracy – Identity Theft – Paranoid Thriller – Jeopardy – Unknown Threat – Suspicions – Mistrust – Desperation – Obsession – Paranoia – Downward Spiral – Rabbit Hole Syndrome – Psychological Thriller – Nightmarish Fears – Psychological Struggle – Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – Adjustment Disorder – Puzzle Film – Complex Storytelling – Cause-and-Effect Chain – Others – Jigsaw Movie – Character Study – Corporate Culture Satire – Capitalism – Intelligent Film – Hitchcockian Aura – Plot Twist – Criterion Collection – Cult Status – Classic Status – T o p – Best 90's – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★★★★ (10/10)-S
Puzzle: ambiguous narration / twist-filled narration / what's real? / where the game ends and reality begins? - DirectorM. Night ShyamalanStarsBruce WillisHaley Joel OsmentToni ColletteMalcolm Crowe, a child psychologist, starts treating a young boy, Cole, who encounters dead people and convinces him to help them. In turn, Cole helps Malcolm reconcile with his estranged wife.The Sixth Sense (1999)*
Drama – Mystery – Thriller – Supernatural Mystery Drama – Philadelphia City – Child Psychologist – Troubled Young Boy Patient – Melancholy – Social Problems – Sees-Dead-People Case – Extra-Sensory Gift – Skepticism – Disbelief – Investigation – Obsession – Tragedy – Psychological Horror – Metaphysical Thriller – Anxiety Disorder – Mood Disorder – Adjustment Disorder – Claustrophobic Threat – Existential Dread – Supernatural Horror – Visual Hallucinations – Fear – Paranoia – Puzzle Film – Self-Conscious Narration – Dream-Like Reality – Others – Existentialism – Fatalism – Mind-Game Film – Misdirection Film – Plot Twist – Blockbuster – Classic Status – Cult Status – T o p – Best 90's – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★★★ (9/10)-S
Puzzle: misleading narration / unreliable narrator / mistaken perception / fear of the Real / past with the present confusion - DirectorAlan ParkerStarsMickey RourkeRobert De NiroLisa BonetA private investigator is hired by a man who calls himself Louis Cyphre to track down a singer named Johnny Favorite. But the investigation takes an unexpected and somber turn.Angel Heart (1987)*
Drama – Horror – Mystery – Thriller – Mystery Drama – Detective Story – Immoral Private Investigator – Enigmatic Client – Missing Person Case – Investigation – Dangerous Procedural – Mysterious Murders – Devil-Worship Cult – Voodoo / Black Magic Ritual – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Forces – Dark Backdrop – Disjointed Reality – Identity Crisis – Deception – Corruption – Madness – Religious Paranoia – Downward Spiral – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Psychological Manipulation – Power-Plays – Psychological Horror – Simmering Danger – Nightmarish Fears – Metaphysical Threat – Claustrophobic Dread – Existential Terror – Occult Horror – Mental Disorder – Paranoid Personality Disorder (PPD) – Memory Trauma – Identity Chaos – Incestuous Relationship – Neo-Noir – Urban Setting – Low-Key Lighting – Ironic Fate – Cynicism – Nihilism – Fatalism – Others – Surrealism – Cynicism – Mysticism – Satanism – Doppelgänger – Faustian Tale – Plot Twist – Cult Status – T o p – Best 80's – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★★★ (9/10)-S
Puzzle: misleading narration / unreliable narrator / mentally unstable protagonist / is this reality or lucid dream-state? - DirectorAlfred HitchcockStarsJames StewartKim NovakBarbara Bel GeddesA former San Francisco police detective juggles wrestling with his personal demons and becoming obsessed with the hauntingly beautiful woman he has been hired to trail, who may be deeply disturbed.Vertigo (1958)*
Golden Age – Drama – Romance – Mystery – Thriller – Film-Noir – Mystery Drama – Neurotic ex-Police Detective – Privet Investigation – Keep-an-Eye Case – Enigmatic Mystical Beautiful Wife – Uncanny Attraction – Passionate Obsession – Possession – Tragedy – Murder Conspiracy Theory – Manipulation – Misdirection – Seductive Woman – Emotional Lure – Murder Subplot – Psychological Thriller – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – Acrophobia – Vertigo Effect – Claustrophobic Fear – Unconscious Conflict – Love-Loss Trauma – Desperation – Depression – Guilt Complex – Emotional Breakdown – Psychosexual Drama – Platonic Obsessive Love – Male Gaze Theory – Male Desire – Voyeurism – Fetishism – Female Objectification – Scopophilia – Castration Anxiety – Phallic Symbols – Freudian Theory – Eroticism – Mysticism – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – Self-Deception – Disbelief – Paranoia – Neo-Noir – Urban Setting – Low-Key Lighting – Femme Fatale – Seduction-Deception – Detective Story – Pessimism – Others – Characterization – Doppelgänger – Low-Key Thriller – Plot Twist – Boileau-Narcejac's 1954 Novel – Cult Status – Classic Status – Best 50's – T o p – Re-Watch Value – F a v e – U.S.A. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★★★ (9/10)-S
Puzzle: unreliable narration / mentally unstable protagonist / oneiric narrative mode / how did Scottie get down from the rooftop gutter? / is this a daydream-like scenario in the mind of a dying man? - DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsLeonardo DiCaprioEmily MortimerMark RuffaloTeddy Daniels and Chuck Aule, two US marshals, are sent to an asylum on a remote island in order to investigate the disappearance of a patient, where Teddy uncovers a shocking truth about the place.Shutter Island (2010)*
Drama – Mystery – Thriller – Mystery Drama – Cold-War (1954) Era – US Marshal – Man-on-a-Mission – Remote Island – Mental Asylum – Patient Mysterious Disappearance – Criminal Investigation – Enigmatic Doctors – Conspiracy Theory – Mysterious Treatment – Shadowy Conspiracy – Dark Secrets – Suspicions – Paranoid Thriller – Isolation – Claustrophobia – Jeopardy – Unknown Threat – Ever-Present Dander – Fear – Mistrust – Deception – Desperation – Madness – Paranoia – Downward Spiral – Escape Thriller – Psychological Thriller – Hallucinations – Love-Loss Trauma – Mental Disorder – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – Delusional Disorder – Paranoid Personality Disorder (PPD) – Guilt Complex – Puzzle Film – Complex Storytelling – Self-Conscious Narration – Dream-Like Reality – Surrealism – Neo-Noir – Detective Story – Low-Key Lighting – Ironic Fate – Others – Mind-Game Film – Misdirection Film – Plot Twist – Dennis Lehane's 2003 Novel – Cult Status – Best 10's – Re-Watch Value – F a v e – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★★ (8/10)-M
Puzzle: misleading narration / unreliable narrator / mentally unstable protagonist / is this reality or fantasy? - DirectorDavid LynchStarsNaomi WattsLaura HarringJustin TherouxAfter a car wreck on Mulholland Drive renders a woman amnesiac, she and a Hollywood-hopeful search for clues and answers across Los Angeles in a twisting venture beyond dreams and reality.Mulholland Drive (2001)
Drama – Romance – Mystery – Thriller – Erotic Mystery Drama – Hollywood Blonde Actress – Seductive Amnesiac Dark-Haired Woman – Lost Identity Mystery – Private Investigation – Erotic Bond – Psychological Thriller – Subconscious Mind Projections - Unconscious Defence Mechanism – Unconscious Repression – Fixation – Mental Disorder – Psychosis – Dissociation – Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) – Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) – Guilt Complex – Freudian / Lacanian Theory – Psychosexual Drama – Femme Fatale – Sexual Repression – LGBT – Lesbianism – Sexual Obsession – Sexual Frustration – Puzzle Film – Complex Storytelling – Dreamlike Reality – Fragment Plot – Reversed Fantasy – Paranoid Thriller – Derealization Symptoms – Paranoid Delusions – Schizoid Chaos – Paranoia – Art-House – Bizarre – Surrealism – Eccentric – Uncanny Experience – Neo-Noir – Urban Setting – Dark Atmosphere – Low-Key Lighting – Detective Story – Femme Fatale – Deception – Obsession – Others – Indie Film – Best 00s – Cult Status – Classic Status – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Puzzle: ambiguous narration / unreliable narrator / conscious/suppressed unconscious dichotomy / reality or anxiety-driven nightmare question - DirectorAdrian LyneStarsTim RobbinsElizabeth PeñaDanny AielloMourning his dead child, a haunted Vietnam War veteran attempts to uncover his past while suffering from a severe case of dissociation. To do so, he must decipher reality and life from his own dreams, delusions, and perceptions of death.Jacob's Ladder (1990)*
Drama – Mystery – Horror – Thriller – Mystery Drama – Post-Vietnam War (1955-1975) Era – Haunted Veteran Man – Shocking War Experiences – Love-Lose (Child) Trauma – Depression – Hallucinations – Amnesia – Anxiety Disorder – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – Memory Trauma – Enigmatic Strange-Creatures Stalking – Conspiracy Theory – Government Shadowy Conspiracy – Secret Army Experiment – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Cabal – Suspicions – Doubt – Mistrust – Corruption – Confusion – Mania – Paranoia – Downward Spiral – Psychological Horror – Personal Struggles – Inner-Inferno – Emotional Chaos – Nightmarish Fears – Existential Dread – Metaphysical Terror – Mental Disorder – Delusional Disorder – Paranoid Personality Disorder (PPD) – Puzzle Film – Non-Linear Timeline – Dream-Like Reality – Art-Horror – Surrealism – Hypnotism – Fatalism – Psychedelic – Other – No-Exit Finale – Plot-Twist – Best 90's – Cult Status – Classic Status – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-S
Puzzle: misleading narration / mentally unstable protagonist / multiperspectivity / four competing possibilities of reality / the film chronicles the fantasies of a dying man? - DirectorTerry GilliamStarsBruce WillisMadeleine StoweBrad PittIn a future world devastated by disease, a convict is sent back in time to gather information about the man-made virus that wiped out most of the human population on the planet.Twelve Monkeys (1995)
Science Fiction – Mystery – Thriller – Apocalyptic Mystery Thriller – Dystopian Future Year 2035 – Subterranean Societies – Underground Shelters – Mysterious Man-Made Virus Inflection Year 1996 – Deadly Plague Apocalypse – Humans Extinction – Societal-Norms Collapse – Haunted Convict – Plan: Send-Back-in-Time (Pre-Virus Era) – Virus-Sample Search Mission – Man-on-a-Mission – Investigation – Kind Female Psychiatrist – Lunatic Animal-Rights Activist – Madness – Insanity – Obsession – Mania – Hallucinations – Suspense – Tension – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – Unknown Threat – Suspicions – Mistrust – Manipulation – Desperation – Disorientation – Psychological Thriller – Neurosis – Existential Crisis – Delusional Disorder – Derealization Symptoms – Paranoid-Schizoid Position – Cassandra Complex – Nightmarish Fears – Confusion – Paranoia – Downward Spiral – Puzzle Film – Non-Linear Timeline – Dream-Like Reality – Alternate Reality – Déjà-Vu Experience – Time-Travel Paradox – Time-Loop – Anachronistic Phenomena – Others – Disaster Movie – Virus Thriller – Surrealism – Pessimism – Nihilism – Romance Sub-Plot – Stockholm Syndrome – Plot Twist – Chris Marker's 1962 Short-Film Remake – Cult Status – Classic Status – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-M
Puzzle: unreliable narration / mentally unstable protagonist / time-paradox / are these figments of imagination of a mentally unstable man? - DirectorAlejandro AmenábarStarsNicole KidmanChristopher EcclestonFionnula FlanaganIn 1945, immediately following the end of Second World War, a woman who lives with her two photosensitive children on her darkened old family estate in the Channel Islands becomes convinced that the home is haunted.The Others (2001)
Drama – Horror – Mystery – Thriller – Period Mystery Drama – Post-WWII (1945) Era – Isolated Country House – Fragile Single Mother – Two Photosensitive Children – Mysterious Three New Servants – Odd Rules – Strange Occurrences – Suspicions – Hysteria – Paranoia – Downward Spiral – Tragedy – Psychological Horror – Repressed Emotions – Ever-Present Danger – Claustrophobic Threat – Supernatural Dread – Gothic Horror – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – Delusional Disorder – Psychotic Delusion – Oblivion State – Doppelgänger Effect – Puzzle Film – Self-Conscious Narration – Dream-Like Reality – Art-House Horror – Symbolism – Expressionism – Existentialism – Fatalism – Uncanny Experience – Others – Haunted-House Tale – Gothic Horror – Ghost Story – Plot Twist – Criterion Collection – European – Spain
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Puzzle: misleading narration / unreliable narrator / mistaken perception / fear of the Real / past with the present confusion - DirectorDenis VilleneuveStarsJake GyllenhaalMélanie LaurentSarah GadonA man seeks out his exact look-alike after spotting him in a movie.Enemy (2013)*
Mystery – Thriller – Psychological Mystery Thriller – Depressed History Professor – Mysterious Bit-Part Actor – Identical Double – Opposed Personalities – Obsession – Subconscious Mind Struggles – Identity Crisis – Mental Disorder – Dissociative Personality Disorder (DID) – Psychosexual Drama – Sexual Anxieties – Sexual Frustration – Gender Dominance – Sadistic / Masochistic Split Personality – Madonna–Whore Complex – Scopophilia – Castration Anxiety – Paranoid Thriller – Magical Realism – Derealization Symptoms – Paranoid Phobias – Delusional Disorder – Schizoid Chaos – Puzzle Film – Self-Conscious Narration – Subconscious Perspective Narrative – Dream-Like Reality – Confusing Narrative – Multiple Possibilities – Flashbacks – Non-Linear Timeline – Art-Horror – Existential Dread – Identities Fuse – Unspeakable Horrors – Others – Surrealism – Existentialism – Symbolism – Bizarre – Allegorical – Metaphysical – Doppelgänger – Indie Film – A24 Production – Alternative – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – Canada
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-S
Puzzle: unreliable narration / mentally unstable protagonist /multiple possibilities / conscious/suppressed unconscious dichotomy / reality or fantasy question - DirectorDavid FincherStarsBrad PittEdward NortonMeat LoafAn insomniac office worker and a devil-may-care soap maker form an underground fight club that evolves into much more.Fight Club (1999)
Drama – Psychological Drama – White-Collar Man (The Narrator) – Insomnia – Manic-Depression – Alter-Ego Fantasy – Identity Crisis – Mental Disorder – Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) – Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) – Schizophrenia – Downward Spiral – Psychosexual Drama – Psychosexual Frustration – Sexual Obsession – Sadomasochism – Gender Dominance – Alpha Male Syndrome – Oedipus Complex – Freudian Theory – Paranoid Thriller – Self-Deception – Derealization Symptoms – Paranoid Phobias – Delusional Disorder – Schizoid Chaos – Paranoia – Black Comedy – Satirical Fiction – Social Satire – Anti-Capitalism – Irony – Puzzle Film – Bizarre – Complicate Storyline – Non-Linear Timeline – Others – Allegorical – Surrealism – Existentialism – Chuck Palahniuk's 1996 Novel – Iconic Film – Alternative – Best 90's – Cult Status – Classic Status – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A. – 1001 Must See Movies
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-S
Puzzle: misleading narration / unreliable narrator / conscious/suppressed unconscious dichotomy / mentally unstable protagonist / internal focalization / alternate personalities / what is real and what is fantasy? - DirectorChristopher NolanStarsGuy PearceCarrie-Anne MossJoe PantolianoA man with short-term memory loss attempts to track down his wife's murderer.Memento (2000)
Mystery – Thriller – Mystery Thriller – Former Insurance Investigator – Brain Injury – Anterograde Amnesia – Short-Term Memory Loss – Polaroid Photographs / Tattoos-Memos Information System – Flashbacks – Wife's Violent Murder – Revenge Thriller – Killer Pursuit – Vigilantism – Paranoid Thriller – Self-Deception – Manipulation – Anxiety – Panic Attack – Methodical Madness – Paranoia – Psychological Thriller – Mental Disorder – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – Psychoneurosis – Guilt Complex – Experiencing Devastating Trauma – Puzzle Film – Complex Storytelling – Self-Conscious Narration – Dream-Like Reality – Fragment Plot – Reverse-Chronological Structure – Art-House – Bizarre – Alternative – Intelligent Film – Neo-Noir – Dark Atmosphere – Detective Story – Anti-Hero – Femme Fatale – Others – Indie Film – Cult Status – Classic Status – Best 00's – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Puzzle: misleading narration / deceptive narrator / reality or unreliable memories question - DirectorDarren AronofskyStarsNatalie PortmanMila KunisVincent CasselNina is a talented but unstable ballerina on the verge of stardom. Pushed to the breaking point by her artistic director and a seductive rival, Nina's grip on reality slips, plunging her into a waking nightmare.Black Swan (2010)
Drama – Horror – Mystery – Thriller – Psychological Mystery Drama – Vulnerable Young Ballerina – Narcissistic Overprotective Mother – Tchaikovsky's Ballet "Swan Lake" Role Casting – Competition – Good White-Swan "Odette" Persona – New Confident Ballet Dancer – Evil Black-Swan "Odile" Persona – Artistic Jealousy – Twisted Relationship – Perfectionism – Stress – Fear – Anxiety – Madness – Paranoia – Metamorphosis – Psychological Horror – Claustrophobic Dread – Mental Disorder – Bulimia – Attachment Theory – Psychoneurosis – Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) – Schizophrenia – Downward Spiral – Psychosexual Drama – Repressed Sexuality – Genophobia – Sadism – LGBT – Sexual Obsession – Self-Mutilation – Art-Horror – Surrealism – Bizarre – Doppelgänger – Others – Cult Status – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Puzzle: ambiguous narration / unreliable narrator / conscious/suppressed unconscious dichotomy / mentally unstable protagonist / internal focalization / alternate personalities / what is real and what is fantasy? - DirectorAlejandro AmenábarStarsEduardo NoriegaPenélope CruzChete LeraA very handsome man finds the love of his life, but he suffers an accident and needs to have his face rebuilt by surgery after it is severely disfigured.Open Your Eyes (Abre Los Ojos) (1997)
Science Fiction – Drama – Mystery – Romance – Thriller – Romantic Drama – Wealthy Handsome Egocentric Young Playboy – Young Attractive Woman – Girl-of-his-Dreams – Love-at-First-Time – Vengeful ex-Girlfriend's – Jealous Possessive Rage – Intentionally Car-Crash – ex-Girlfriend Death – Playboy Survives – Face Completely Disfigured – Tragedy – Depression – Mystery Thriller – Psychiatric Prison – ex-Girlfriend's Murder Accusation – Psychiatrist’s Investigation – Face-Recovery Treatment – Amnesia – Hallucinations – New-Love-Interest / ex-Girlfriend Mysterious Duality – Insanity – Paranoia – Downward Spiral – Psychological Thriller – Obsessive Romance – Memory Trauma – Castration Complex – Defense Mechanism – Science Fiction – Cryogenics Company – After-Life Services – Lifelike Virtual-Reality Dreams – Puzzle Film – Complex Storytelling – Chinese-Box Narrative – Non-Linear Timeline – Dream-Like Reality – Alternate Reality – Flashbacks – Déjà-vu Experience – Ontological Enigma – Mind-Games – Art-House – Uncanny Experience – Bizarre – Psychedelic – Surrealism – Fatalism – Experimental Film – Other – Bifurcation Theory – Plot-Twist – Best 90's – Cult Status – Re-Watch Value – Foreign Language – European – Spain – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Puzzle: ambiguous - twist-filled narration / unreliable narrator / multiperspectivity / different levels of reality / what is reality and what lucid dream-state? - DirectorGiuseppe CapotondiStarsKseniya RappoportFilippo TimiAntonia TruppoA chambermaid and an ex-cop meet at a speed dating event and a romance develops. But during a romantic getaway things suddenly take a dark turn.The Double Hour (La Doppia Ora) (2009)
Drama – Crime – Romance – Thriller – Romance – Turin Italy – Lonely Attractive Slovenian Hotel-Maid – Widowed Handsome Security-Guard – Speed-Dating Event – Attraction – Fateful Tentative Romance – Crime Heist Drama – Romantic Getaway – Remote Country-Villa – Robbers Ambush – Art-Treasures Robbery – Heist-gone-Awry – Man's Death – Woman's Serious-Injury – Tragedy – Psychological Mystery Thriller – Grief Trauma – Guilt Complex – Anxious Melancholy – Hallucinations – Ghost Presence – Setup Suspicions – Police Investigation – Dark Secrets – Suspense – Claustrophobic Tension – Unsettling Atmosphere – Supernatural Threat – Puzzle Film – Self-Conscious Narration – Dream-Like Reality – Neo-Noir – Detective Story – Noirish Romance – Femme Fatale – Seduction – Deception – Corruption – Betrayal – Opportunism – Fatalism – Others – Plot-Twist – Indie Film – Foreign Language – European – Italy
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Puzzle: ambiguous narration / unreliable narrator / conscious/suppressed unconscious dichotomy / there isn't any certainty - DirectorShane CarruthStarsAmy SeimetzFrank MosleyShane CarruthA man and woman are drawn together, entangled in the life cycle of an ageless organism. Identity becomes an illusion as they struggle to assemble the loose fragments of wrecked lives.Upstream Color (2013)*
Science Fiction – Drama – Romance – Mystery – Thriller – Sci-Fi Mystery Drama – Mysterious Biological Experiment – Complex Parasite Infection – Indefinable Psychic-Link – Mind Control – Hypnosis – Manipulation – Parasite Extraction – Transfer-to-Pigs – Humans-Pigs Metaphysical Bond – Symbiosis – Romance – Young Couple – Inexplicable Attraction – Complex Bond – Common-Trauma Connection – Haunting Memories – Uncertainty Stress – Psychological Thriller – Depression – Hysteria – Identity Crisis – Existential Dread – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – Paranoid Schizophrenia – Subconscious Trauma – Puzzle Film – Self-Conscious Narration – Dream-Like Reality – Flashbacks – Non-Linear Timeline – Labyrinthine Structure – Fragment Time – Art-House – Bizarre – Metaphorical – Sophisticated – Surrealism – Existentialism – Uncanny Experience – Others – Complex Scenario – Elliptical Film – Experimental Film – Intelligent Film – Indie Film – Alternative – Best 10's – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-M
Puzzle: ambiguous narration / multiperspectivity / time-place confusion / the traumatic event momentarily blocks the flow of present into future / so what does it all mean? - DirectorChristopher NolanStarsChristian BaleHugh JackmanScarlett JohanssonAfter a tragic accident, two stage magicians in 1890s London engage in a battle to create the ultimate illusion while sacrificing everything they have to outwit each other.The Prestige (2006)
Drama – Mystery – Fantasy – Thriller – Period Drama – Victorian London (19835-1900) Era – Aspiring Stage-Magician – Ambitions – Act-goes-Fatal-Wrong – Wife's Accidental-Death – Tragedy – Grif Trauma – Blame Game – Rival Stage-Magician Death-Blame – Deadly Enemies – Professional Envy – Revenge Thriller – Hate – Anger – Destroy-his-Life Plan – Ruthless Rivalry – Spying – Sabotage Acts – Revenge Spiral – Revenge-gives-Sadistic-Pleasure – Suspense – Tension – Psychosis – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Mind Games – Battle-of-Wills – Paranoia – Intrigue – Mystery Fantasy – Mysterious Legendary-Trick "The Transported Man" – Manipulation – Misdirection – Illusion – Deception – Doppelgänger – Psychological Thriller – Obsession – Traumatic Memory – Traumatic Repetition Compulsion – Fort-Da Game – Lacanian Theory – Puzzle Film – Complex Storytelling – Nonlinear Narrative – Fractured Chronology – Flash-Backs – Flash-Forwards – Others – Atmospheric – Plot Twist – Christopher Priest's 1995 Novel – Cult Status – Best 00's – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Puzzle: misleading narration / unreliable narrator / multiperspectivity / past, present and future confusion / the traumatic event momentarily blocks the flow of present into future - DirectorRichard KellyStarsJake GyllenhaalJena MaloneMary McDonnellAfter narrowly escaping a bizarre accident, a troubled teenager is plagued by visions of a man in a large rabbit suit who manipulates him to commit a series of crimes.Donnie Darko (2001)*
Science Fiction – Drama – Mystery – Fantasy – Thriller – Apocalypse Mystery Drama – Troubled Teenager – Sleepwalking Episodes – Mysterious Rabbit-Wizard Nocturnal Visitor – Manipulation – Hallucinations – Life-Threatening – Apocalyptic Future Transmissions – Mind-Bending Journey – Time Travel – Paradox – Parallel Universe – Angst – Fear – Hysteria – Paranoia – Psychological Thriller – Metaphysical Fears – Adolescent Terror – Existential Dread – Paranoid Schizophrenia – Paranoid Personality Disorder (PPD) – Paranoid Thriller – Magical Realism – Derealization Symptoms – Paranoid Phobias – Delusional Disorder – Schizoid Chaos – Puzzle Film – Complex Storytelling – Self-Conscious Narration – Dream-Like Reality – Mind-Puzzle – Others – Bizarre – Enigmatic – Surrealism – Allegorical – Social Satire – Cult Status – Indie Film – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)
Puzzle: ambiguous narration / unreliable narrator / mentally unstable protagonist / multiperspectivity / time-paradox / two separate timelines / reality or visions question - DirectorChristopher SmithStarsMelissa GeorgeJoshua McIvorJack TaylorFive friends set sail and their yacht is overturned by a strange and sudden storm. A mysterious ship arrives to rescue them, and what happens next cannot be explained.Triangle (2009)
Science Fiction – Drama – Mystery – Horror – Fantasy – Thriller – Sci-Fi Mystery Thriller – Single Autism-Boy Mother – Ocean Boating Trip With Friends – Mysterious Electric Storm – Deserted Ship board – Unknown Burlap-Masked Killer – Doppelgänger – Time Travel – Time Loop – Paradox – Fantasy – Déjà Vu Sense – Survival Horror – Trapped Survival – Time Loop Trapped – Manhunt – Stalking – Slasher Film – Psychological Horror – Claustrophobic Threat – Existential Terror – Identity Chaos – Identity Neurosis – Anxiety Disorder – Panic Attack – Guilt Complex – Paranoia – Others – Bizarre – Mindfuck – WTF Factor – Plot Twist – Alternative – Indie Film – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10) - DirectorBrad AndersonStarsChristian BaleJennifer Jason LeighAitana Sánchez-GijónAn industrial worker who hasn't slept in a year begins to doubt his own sanity.The Machinist (2004)
★★★★★★ (6/10)
Puzzle: misleading narration / unreliable narrator / mentally unstable protagonist / internal focalization / unreliable internal narrative form - DirectorDavid CronenbergStarsJames WoodsDebbie HarrySonja SmitsA programmer at a Toronto TV station that specializes in adult entertainment searches for the producers of a dangerous and bizarre broadcast.Videodrome (1983)
★★★★ (4/10) - DirectorCameron CroweStarsTom CruisePenélope CruzCameron DiazA self-indulgent and vain publishing magnate finds his privileged life upended after a vehicular accident with a resentful lover.Vanilla Sky (2001)
★★★★ (4/10)