Mystery stories have been very popular ever since the very first one by Edgar Allan Poe was published in 1841. So it was only natural that after the rise of cinema, the mystery genre transferred to the big screen. A lot of them were adapted from books – for example, Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories were made into movies or TV shows over 250 times. But there were also original scripts and brand new mysteries.
Mystery movies developed beyond murder. From psychological thrillers to suspense movies or historical mysteries, if you are excited about looking for answers in situations that seem to have no explanation, cinema has a lot to offer.
Solving mysteries stimulates our brain, exercises logical thinking, and teaches us to concentrate and pay attention to every detail in our surroundings. And overall, it is very entertaining to follow the characters trying to piece together every scrap of evidence they get in pursuit of the final revelation, when the answer to the mystery comes to light.
Some think that the more unexpected the twist, the better the movie mystery. And while this is not untrue, the best mysteries are the ones that retain a firm grasp on your attention throughout the process, making you wonder not only what stands behind it all but how the protagonist is going to uncover the truth bit by bit.
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#1 Knives Out
Knives Out
2019 | Director: Rian Johnson
When a wealthy mystery novelist Harlan Thrombey is found with his throat slit the morning after his birthday, no one in the family seems to be particularly upset. His family members are more interested in his will, and while the police rule the case a suicide, private investigator Benoit Blanc, who was anonymously hired to investigate the case, is the only one who seems to be unsatisfied with this decision. With some assistance from Thrombey’s nurse Martha, Blanc tries to uncover what really happened on the night when Thrombey managed to get on the wrong side of each member of his big family. Knives Out was critically acclaimed for using all the traditional murder mystery elements and putting a fresh spin on them.
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47points
#2 The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
2011 | Director: David Fincher
When Stieg Larsson’s neo-punk novel came out, it became so popular that not one but two screen adaptations were made based on the story. And though many prefer the Swedish film, you should definitely give the Hollywood version of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo a try too. It tells the story of investigative journalist Mikael Blomkvist and hacker Lisbeth Salander who are both hired to investigate the disappearance of Harriet Vanger. While digging into the events of the past, Blomkvist and Salander discover that there is much more to the Vanger family than initially meets the eye.
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41points
#3 The Girl On The Train
The Girl on the Train
2016 | Director: Tate Taylor
Rachel Watson has hit rock bottom. She lost her job and her marriage and has an alcohol problem. But instead of seeking help or trying to move on on her own, she finds solace in taking the commuter train through New York City which happens to pass the house where her ex-husband lives with his new wife, catching glimpses of their life through the train window. During these trips she comes across Megan, who used to work as a nanny for Rachel’s husband and also lives next door to him. In Rachel’s eyes, Megan and her husband Scott live her dream life, so when one day she sees Megan in her house kissing a stranger, Rachel becomes infuriated that she’s “ruined” everything. When Megan is later reported missing, Rachel gets involved in the investigation, only to reveal that her own life has been a sham.
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38points
#4 Arrival
Arrival
2016 | Director: Denis Villeneuve
Sometimes, communication is hard even with those who speak the same language as you. So imagine how hard it must be to communicate with someone who not only doesn’t speak your language, but any language known to humankind. When twelve alien aircrafts enter the Earth’s atmosphere, military forces around the world get ready for a war. The US Army recruits linguist Louise Banks to try to decipher the language of the visitors and learn their intentions. Communicating with the aliens causes Louise to have flashback visions of her life. Meanwhile, tension between the military and aliens increases, threatening a worldwide conflict. The aliens that Louise is in touch with reveal their true intentions to her as she finally understands the truth behind her visions. Arrival received multiple nominations and awards.
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38points
#5 Get Out
Get Out
2017 | Director: Jordan Peele
Chris and Rose are happy in a relationship, but when Rose invites him to visit his family in Upstate New York, Chris becomes slightly concerned as he is black and Rose is white. Despite what Rose tells him about her family not being racist, Chris notices a lot of bizarre comments and behaviors in the house, including from the black household help. Their visit coincides with an annual event Rose’s parents hold in their house. Increasing uneasiness compels Chris to leave the house, but before he can do that, he finds some disturbing proof of what really goes on in the house. From this moment on, it is all about survival for Chris, and his only hope is his friend, TSA officer Rod Williams. Jordan Peele’s directorial debut, Get Out is often called one of the best mystery movies of modern cinema.
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37points
#6 Before I Go To Sleep
Before I Go to Sleep
2014 | Director: Rowan Joffé
It is hard to wake up every morning and not remember who the people surrounding you are, even though they claim to be your close family. But it is even harder to gradually start remembering bits of information and find that they contradict what you are being told by others. Christine Lucas suffers amnesia after what she believes to be a car accident and becomes increasingly suspicious of everything and everyone around her. While Nicole Kidman received critical acclaim for her performance, Before I Go to Sleep was often compared to Christopher Nolan’s Memento, and not to the former’s advantage.
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34points
#7 Kiss The Girls
Kiss the Girls
1997 | Director: Gary Fleder
DC detective Alex Cross gets involved in a case when his niece becomes a victim of a serial kidnapper in North Carolina. When Cross arrives on location, another woman manages to escape from the kidnapper’s lair. She finds detective Cross and joins forces with him to help him find and release other women. After some effort, they succeed in their mission, rescuing all the women, including Cross’s niece. But as they get ready to celebrate their victory, Kiss the Girls has just one more twist up its sleeve – because, as is often the case with thriller movies, some things might not be what they initially seem.
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34points
#8 The Invitation
The Invitation
2015 | Director: Karyn Kusama
Will and Eden divorced after an accident where they lost their young son. Two years later, Eden and her new husband invite Will and his girlfriend for dinner with a group of old friends. Will finds himself in his old house that is full of memories of his previous life. Eden and her husband tell the guests about a new group they joined to find help in dealing with grief. Throughout the evening, Will comes across clues that lead him to believe there is something sinister about to happen in the house. Others try to calm him down, but then a poisoning attempt takes place. Will is horrified to learn the true purpose of the party. The Invitation balances between horror and thriller mystery, delivering on both.
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32points
#9 Donnie Darko
Donnie Darko
2001 | Director: Richard Kelly
Bunnies have been seen in works of fiction multiple times. But the one appearing in Donnie Darko is nothing like you’ve seen before. One night, teenager Donnie Darko encounters a figure in a costume of an enormous, demonic-like rabbit named Frank who informs him about the exact time the world will come to an end, which is in less than a month. Frank keeps appearing in front of Donnie and manipulates him to commit several crimes. As the situation around Donnie spirals downwards, on the supposed doomsday he wakes up in his bed, realizing it is the morning after the night he first saw Frank. But was it all, including Frank himself, real? Or did it all occur in Donnie’s head?
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32points
#13 Now You See Me
Now You See Me
2013 | Director: Louis Leterrier
Four magicians are brought together by an anonymous benefactor who helps them organize a show as the Four Horsemen, in which they magically transport an audience member to a bank vault in Paris, with the money from the vault appearing in the audience. As the French bank in question is reported to be really emptied of its money, the FBI and French Interpol get involved in the case. However, each time they seem to get closer to any of the magicians, they prove to be one step ahead and disappear right from under the agents’ noses. Followed by law enforcement, a TV-personality magic debunker, and now also an insurance magnate whose bank accounts the Four Horsemen emptied in favor of hurricane victims, the magicians continue their mission. But it becomes increasingly apparent they are not working alone; there is an unseen powerful figure leading them.
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28points
