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- Mike Bedard
- The Maltese Falcon. "The Maltese Falcon" is the film noir. Many genre tropes were first codified by this film: Smoke permeates the air, the shadows are dark and deep, and the hard-boiled P.I.
- Vertigo. "Vertigo" is widely considered to be one of Alfred Hitchcock's greatest films, and indeed, one of the greatest film ever made (via BBC). It tells the story of Scottie Ferguson, a retired detective who left the force due to his intense acrophobia and vertigo.
- Chinatown. This neo-noir classic follows Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson), a private eye who's hired by a woman to investigate her husband's misdeeds. It seems like a routine case ...
- Zodiac. Fictional mysteries are scary enough, but "Zodiac" ups the ante by exploring a real-world case. The Zodiac Killer terrified the Bay Area for years, sending letters, ciphers, and bloody clothing to local newspapers as he murdered innocents.
Top 20 Greatest Mystery Movies of All Time (The Ultimate List) by ChrisWalczyk55 • Created 10 years ago • Modified 10 years ago. The movies on this list are ranked according to their success (awards & nominations), their popularity, and their true greatness from a directing/writing standpoint.
- 20 'Chinatown'
- 19 'Gone Girl'
- 18 'The Sixth Sense'
- 17 'L.A. Confidential'
- 16 'Shutter Island'
- 15 'Prisoners'
- 14 'North by Northwest'
- 13 'Vertigo'
- 12 'Citizen Kane'
- 11 'Oldboy'
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
A renowned neo-noir mystery film, director Roman Polanski’s Chinatown is a genre-defining timeless masterpiece that follows private detective J.J. "Jake" Gittes (Jack Nicholson) as he investigates a seemingly typical infidelity case. Before he knows it, he is plunged into a labyrinthine tale of corruption, deception, and power. Set in 1930s Los Angeles, Chinatown perfectly captures the essence of the noir genre with its dark atmosphere and twisty story. Its stunning period details wonderfully...
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
Based on the eponymous bestselling novel by Gillian Flynn and directed by David Fincher, Gone Girl is a mind-blowing psychological thriller and mystery film that follows the disappearance of Amy Dunne (Rosamund Pike). All eyes turn to Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck), Amy's husband, whose erratic behavior only makes authorities and the public – captivated by the media frenzy – more suspicious of him. Layers of secrets and lies are peeled back as Gone Girl unfolds, leading to unexpected twists and tur...
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
Featuring one of the most infamous twists by director M. Night Shyamalan, The Sixth Sense is an iconic supernatural film that follows Dr. Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis), a child psychologist who forms a bond with a young boy named Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment), who claims to see the dead. The Sixth Sense stands out as a great mystery movie not only for its intriguing twistbut also for the suspense and surprising emotional depth built up before it gets there. As the story unfolds, audiences find...
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
Set in 1950s Los Angeles, L.A. Confidential is a gorgeous masterpiece centered on three LAPD detectives – Detective Lieutenant Exley (Guy Pearce), Officer White (Russell Crowe), and Sergeant Vincennes (Kevin Spacey). The trio navigates a complicated and dangerous situation involving murder, corruption, and scandal. Directed by Curtis Hanson, the renowned classic brings the gritty and seductive world of 1950s Los Angeles to life. The film's noir and mystery elementswork to create an engrossing...
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
Director Martin Scorsese's Shutter Island is a twisty psychological thriller with an absorbing mystery at the center. It tells the story of U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio), and his partner Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo), as they investigate the mysterious disappearance of a patient at Ashecliffe Hospital, a remote mental health facility located on the titular island. Teddy eventually begins to delve deeper into a mind-bending journey that blurs the lines between reality and illusion...
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
Director Denis Villeneuve’s Prisoners is a nail-biting mystery-thriller film that revolves around Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman), whose world is shattered when his young daughter goes missing. He soon takes matters into his own hands, as the official investigation doesn't seem to be going anywhere – in fact, the authorities released the prime suspect. Soon, alongside Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal), the desperate families find themselves caught in a web of unexpected twists. Prisoners explores...
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
A renowned Alfred Hitchcock thriller from the end of the '50s, North by Northwest follows the exhilarating story of an advertising executive, Roger Thornhill (Cary Grant), who goes on a wild journey after being mistaken for a government agent by international spies. As he's pursued across the country, he winds up on a train, which also happens to be carrying the enigmatic passenger, Eve Kendall (Eva Marie Saint). With remarkably elaborate set pieces and witty dialogue to go with tight pacing...
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
One of Hitchcock's most studied works, Vertigo is centered on a retired detective, Scottie Ferguson (James Stewart), who's hired by his friend to investigate his wife's bizarre behavior. The detective soon finds himself becoming obsessed with the subject he's supposed to objectively observe, which is made even more challenging by sudden bouts of vertigo while he's on the job. Aside from being the film responsible for the "Vertigo Effect" cinematic shot, Hitchcock's masterpiece provided necess...
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
Citizen Kane is a film that needs no introduction. Widely regarded as one of the greatest movies ever made, Citizen Kane is directed by and stars Orson Welles, who plays the role of a wealthy newspaper magnate. A reporter soon delves into the magnate's mysterious last word, "Rosebud," and makes some disturbing discoveries along the way. Welles' powerhouse performance is perfectly complemented by his innovative narrative structure, which follows a non-linear style. The film also showcased a gr...
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
Oldboy is a cult classic and critically-acclaimed revenge movie that revolves around Oh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik), who is kidnapped and held captive for fifteen years for seemingly no rhyme or reason. When he's suddenly released, the protagonist decides to look for the captors responsible for his suffering, but soon becomes embroiled in a major conspiracy. Directed by Park Chan-wook, Oldboy is infamous for its disturbing and iconic twist, which ties together its themes of payback and obsession. O...
Feb 3, 2024 · Uncover a world of suspense with our guide to the best mystery movies. Explore gripping plots and unexpected twists that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
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1. Sicario. 2015 2h 1m R. 7.7 (479K) Rate. 82 Metascore. An idealistic FBI agent is enlisted by a government task force to aid in the escalating war against drugs at the border area between the U.S. and Mexico. Director Denis Villeneuve Stars Emily Blunt Josh Brolin Benicio Del Toro. 2. L.A. Confidential. 1997 2h 18m R. 8.2 (620K) Rate.
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100 titles. Sort by List order. 1. Psycho. 8.5 (720K) Rate. 97. A Phoenix secretary embezzles $40,000 from her employer's client, goes on the run and checks into a remote motel run by a young man under the domination of his mother. Director Stars.
From Alfred Hitchcock's "Rear Window" to Roman Polanski's "Chinatown" to Satoshi Kon's "Paprika," Stacker rates the best mysteries, using a weighted index split evenly between IMDb.
