We know the suspense is killing you.

The 50 best thriller movies of all time, ranked

We know the suspense is killing you.

By Wesley Stenzel

Wesley Stenzel

Wesley Stenzel is a news writer at **. He began writing for EW in 2022.

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August 21, 2026 5:00 p.m. ET

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‘Zodiac’; ‘Oldboy’; ‘Wait Until Dark’. Credit:

Merrick Morton/Paramount; Show East; Courtesy Everett

How does one define a thriller in cinematic terms? There needs to be a baseline level of suspense and tension that makes the viewer anxious for what’s next, but the beauty of a thriller is in its ability to cross-pollinate with other genres. It can blend easily with traditional horror, crime, erotic drama, high-stakes mystery, and even comedy, keeping audiences glued to their screens through the power of a ticking clock — figurative or literal.

The best thriller movies get our pulses racing and make us lean in involuntarily to see how our protagonist will escape whatever fraught situation they’ve found themselves in. Directors like Alfred Hitchcock, Steven Spielberg, and Jordan Peele have expertly played with audience expectations, delivering edge-of-your-seat experiences that keep audiences coming back for more.

Ahead, we’ve ranked the 50 best thriller movies of all time, spanning cinematic history from the early sound era to modern classics.

Gravity (2013)

Sandra Bullock as Ryan Stone in ‘Gravity’.

Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Alfonso Cuarón’s out-of-this-world thriller touts some of the best technical wonders that big-budget filmmaking has to offer, complementing the movie’s narrative simplicity and thematic depth. Starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, *Gravity** *effectively utilizes slick, dizzying long takes and breathtaking visual effects to capture the grand, chaotic isolation of space. The bare-bones survival story provokes a primal, adrenaline-pumping suspense that few films achieve, and it’s utterly transfixing throughout its runtime.

Where to watch *Gravity*: Paramount+

Nightcrawler (2014)

Jake Gyllenhaal as Lou Bloom in ‘Nightcrawler’. Chuck Zlotnick/Open Road Films

Jake Gyllenhaal delivers his scariest performance to date in Dan Gilroy’s scathing indictment of the contemporary media landscape. The *Brokeback Mountain* star plays Lou Bloom, a psychopathic freelance cameraman willing to do *anything* to get a leg up in Los Angeles’ crime reporting. Gyllenhaal portrays Lou as a vicious and disturbingly clever manipulator, and bravely makes no effort to make him remotely sympathetic or likable. It’s a sociopath performance that rivals all-time greats like Robert De Niro in *The King of Comedy* and Christian Bale in *American Psycho*.

Where to watch *Nightcrawler*: Netflix

The Housemaid (1960)

Kuk Dong Seki Trading Co.

In Kim Ki-young’s classic psychological drama, the arrival of a new maid (Lee Eun-shim) creates a rift of paranoia and distrust between a piano teacher (Kim Jin-kyu) and his wife (Ju Jeung-ryu). With rich commentary on social class, smooth camera movements gliding between rooms, and the symbolically charged use of a staircase, *The Housemaid* was one of Bong Joon-ho’s primary inspirations for *Parasite*. The film was remade by the same director twice, and it also received a 2010 remake from Im Sang-soo.

Where to watch *The Housemaid*: The Criterion Channel

War of the Worlds (2005)

Paramount Pictures

Steven Spielberg’s reimagining of H.G. Wells’ sci-fi classic explores the terror of alien invasion from the perspective of a working-class family on the East Coast. *War of the Worlds* fuses post-9/11 paranoia and the terror of parenting to create one of Spielberg’s most thrilling blockbusters with a dark, genuinely scary atmosphere of ordinary people being wiped out by incomprehensible tragedy. The filmmaker’s visual direction is as strong as ever, with immersive long takes and dazzling shot selections that nobody else would think of, while Tom Cruise and Dakota Fanning excel as the frazzled father and daughter at the story’s heart.

Where to watch *War of the Worlds*: Paramount+

A History of Violence (2005)

William Hurt as Richie Cusack in ‘A History of Violence’. Everett

Based on the DC graphic novel of the same name, *A History of Violence* marks David Cronenberg’s first of several electrifying collaborations with Viggo Mortensen. The film centers on a mild-mannered family man whose mysterious past comes back to haunt him after he stops an attempted robbery at his diner. Despite being more straightforward and grounded than most of his other work, the film contains some of the tautest tension and gnarliest gore in Cronenberg’s filmography, and features complex performances from Mortensen, Maria Bello, William Hurt, and Ed Harris.

Where to watch *A History of Violence*: HBO Max

Gaslight (1944)

Ingrid Bergman as Paula Alquist Anton in ‘Gaslight’.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Getty

It’s unlikely that any other film on this list impacted the popular lexicon as much as *Gaslight* did. George Cukor‘s movie — a remake of a 1940 British feature, which is adapted from a 1938 play — sees a woman (Ingrid Bergman) become increasingly paranoid when her deceitful husband (Charles Boyer) makes her believe she’s going insane, inadvertently inspiring the now-ubiquitous concept of gaslighting. The film is one of the most haunting cinematic depictions of a relational power imbalance, and knowing where it’s going doesn’t soften the tension or reduce the overwhelming creepiness on display.

Where to watch *Gaslight*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

Deep Red (1975)

David Hemmings as Marcus Daly in ‘Deep Red’.

Everett Collection

Dario Argento’s classic follows a jazz musician (David Hemmings) who investigates a string of brutal murders in northern Italy. The film is a prime example of Italian giallo, a suspense subgenre that usually blends elements of slashers, murder mysteries, and psychological horror, resulting in dark, pulpy thrillers that are often more explicit than comparable American films from the same era. With a haunting soundtrack and precise, brooding cinematography, Argento creates a chillingly grimy atmosphere that pervades every frame.

Where to watch *Deep Red*: Pluto TV

Funny Games (1997)

Arno Frisch as Paul and Stefan Cpalczynski as Georg “Georgie” Schober Jr. in ‘Funny Games’.

Attitude Films/Courtesy Everett

In Michael Haneke‘s miserable film — undoubtedly the most brutal movie on this list — a family falls victim to home invaders while on vacation. *Funny Games* is a relentless work of cruelty as entertainment that’s so extreme that it corners the audience into culpability and makes you wonder why we delight in thrillers and horror movies. The dynamic between the parents and the perpetrators steadily escalates from politeness to hostility to eventual torture, all while maintaining a frustrating attitude of inevitability and justification toward the former’s fate. Haneke made a shot-for-shot English-language remake in 2007 with Naomi Watts, Tim Roth, and Michael Pitt, but his first foray packs more of a punch.

Where to watch *Funny Games*: HBO Max

Witness (1985)

Harrison Ford in ‘Witness’.

Paramount Pictures/Courtesy Everett

There’s nothing quite like this *Witness*. Harrison Ford is compelling as a hard-edged big-city detective forced into hiding in Amish country after uncovering a deadly corruption conspiracy within his own police department. The film is *almost* more of a romance than it is a thriller, but even reducing it down to those two genres feels like a disservice because so much of its power comes from its quiet, detailed focus on its complex community of characters.

Where to watch *Witness*: Paramount+

Michael Clayton (2007)

George Clooney as Michael Clayton in ‘Michael Clayton’. Warner Bros./Everett

George Clooney is one of the most compelling screen presences in contemporary American movies, and few of his projects utilize his nuanced charm as brilliantly as* **Michael Clayton*. The film sees the *Ocean’s Eleven* star portray a ruthless corporate fixer driven to his wits’ end as he realizes that his employers might actually be the bad guys. Tom Wilkinson and Tilda Swinton also put in fantastic motormouthed supporting performances (the latter of whom won an Oscar), and Tony Gilroy’s dialogue is exemplary.

Where to watch *Michael Clayton*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

Three Days of the Condor (1975)

Robert Redford as Joe Turner in ‘Three Days of the Condor’.

Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty

Sydney Pollack’s quintessential conspiracy thriller revolves around a dizzying government cover-up that sends a CIA analyst (Robert Redford) on the run after his entire team is mysteriously killed. It’s two hours of paranoid cinematic bliss, wherein an impeccably befuddled Redford wears some of the most stylish outfits in Hollywood history while struggling to find a single person he can trust, eventually falling into a tense relationship with a stranger whom he takes hostage (Faye Dunaway).

Where to watch *Three Days of the Condor*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

Blood Simple (1984)

Frances McDormand as Abby in ‘Blood Simple’. Janus Films

The Coen brothers’ quiet debut film is among their most suspenseful works. It sees a Texan bar owner (Dan Hedaya) hire a private detective (M. Emmet Walsh) to expose an affair between his wife (Frances McDormand, also in her feature debut) and his employee (John Getz). The lighting and camerawork do a lot of heavy lifting in *Blood Simple*, creating a palpably tense atmosphere without the help of a notable score or even much dialogue. Every image has significance and maintains a consistently dark mood.

Where to watch *Blood Simple*: HBO Max

Contagion (2011)

Jude Law as Alan Krumwiede in ‘Contagion’. Everett Collection

Nearly a decade before COVID-19, Steven Soderbergh’s medical drama presciently depicted the structural flaws and social dynamics that make pandemics so surreal and devastating. With an outrageously talented ensemble that includes Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Laurence Fishburne, Marion Cotillard, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law, and Elliott Gould, *Contagion* is the rare American movie that focuses on a collective that’s bigger than a few individuals. The film approaches its health crisis with amazing balance and breadth, resulting in a mortifying conflict that feels uniquely global in scale.

Where to watch *Contagion*: HBO Max

Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

Nicole Kidman as Alice Harford in ‘Eyes Wide Shut’.

Everett Collection

Stanley Kubrick’s final film follows a paranoid New York doctor who embarks on a bizarre late-night journey after discovering a troubling secret about his wife. The movie exploits the supercharged star power of then-real-life-couple Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman to deliver a haunting odyssey grappling with latent sexual desire, anxiety, and the uncomfortable darkness lurking in the shadows of polite society. It’s as mysterious as *2001* and nearly as chilling as *The Shining*, with a confounding, nightmarish atmosphere that makes the whole saga feel like a half-remembered dream.

Where to watch *Eyes Wide Shut*: Tubi

Run Lola Run (1998)

Moritz Bleibtreu as Manni and Franka Potente as Lola in ‘Run Lola Run’. Everett Collection

In Tom Tykwer’s zippy crime drama, a young woman (Franka Potente) must help her boyfriend obtain 100,000 Deutschmarks in 20 minutes — and she has multiple chances to do so, as she’s stuck in an inexplicable time loop. Before *Edge of Tomorrow* and *Source Code*, *Run Lola Run* brilliantly converted the *Groundhog Day* formula into an intense, efficient action film. It cleverly explores the butterfly effect, demonstrating how even the smallest events can have life-or-death consequences.

Where to watch *Run Lola Run*: Hulu

Oldboy (2003)

Choi Min-sik as Oh Dae-su in ‘Oldboy’.

Tartan Films/courtesy Everett

Park Chan-wook’s nasty revenge saga has a killer premise: a man (Choi Min-sik) is abducted and locked in a hotel room for 15 years, during which he learns that his wife has been murdered and he has been framed for the crime. After he’s inexplicably released, he struggles to find vengeance. The protagonist’s righteous mission leads him to some grim, intense situations, which Park renders with kinetic style, most notably in its iconic hammer sequence. And the movie ends with one of the most dispiriting twists in mainstream movie history.

Where to watch *Oldboy*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

The Insider (1999)

Al Pacino as Lowell Bergman and Russell Crowe as Dr. Jeffrey Wigand in ‘The Insider’. Everett Collection

Michael Mann’s thrilling drama follows a reporter (Al Pacino) who uncovers a vast conspiracy with the help of a tobacco industry insider (Russell Crowe). The film rests on the strength of its gripping journalistic procedure, showing the minutiae of working with a source, putting a story together, and sending it out to the public. Every step of the process unfolds with the highest possible stakes, to the point where the investigation jeopardizes the future of multiple industries and threatens the protagonists’ lives.

Where to watch *The Insider*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

Perfect Blue (1997)

Mima Kirigoe (voice: Junko Iwao) in ‘Perfect Blue’. Everett

In Satoshi Kon’s animated classic*,* a pop star attempts to jump into television acting and faces violent consequences. It’s a swirling nightmare of obsession, celebrity, violence, misogyny, and psychological instability. Sadayuki Murai’s twisty script constantly upends our understanding of the film’s reality, resulting in what might be a record-breaking number of rug pulls.

Where to watch *Perfect Blue*: HBO Max

North by Northwest (1959)

Cary Grant as Roger Thornhill and Eva Marie Saint as Eve Kendall in ‘North by Northwest’. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Getty

In Alfred Hitchcock’s spy adventure, Cary Grant stars as an ad executive mistaken for a secret agent and forced to go on the run. *North by Northwest* contains several of the most thrilling sequences in the director’s filmography, including the darkly comedic drunk driving scene, the showdown with the crop duster, and the climactic chase atop Mount Rushmore. With stunning locations, death-defying stunts, and a twisty espionage plot, the film was a huge inspiration for early James Bond movies (*From Russia With Love* notably pays homage to Hitchcock’s movie with its incredible helicopter chase sequence).

Where to watch *North by Northwest*: Tubi

Minority Report (2002)

Tom Cruise as Chief John Anderton in ‘Minority Report’. Twentieth Century Studios

In Steven Spielberg’s dystopian surveillance adventure, Tom Cruise goes on the run as a detective who struggles to prove his innocence in a predictive justice system that accuses him of a murder that he has yet to commit. It’s a dazzling sci-fi extravaganza that prompts some of the liveliest visual ingenuity of Spielberg’s career, and a lot of its style feels lovingly indebted to Alfred Hitchcock. The supporting cast is also aces, with excellent turns from Samantha Morton, Colin Farrell, Max Von Sydow, Lois Smith, and many more.

Where to watch *Minority Report*: Paramount+

Blow Out (1981)

John Travolta as Jack Terry in ‘Blow Out’.

Mary Evans/Cinema 77/Filmways Pictures/Viscount Associates/Ronald Grant/Everett Collection

In this nail-biter from Brian De Palma, John Travolta stars as an audio engineer who records a car crash and inadvertently discovers a political scandal. It’s a Hitchcockian thriller, a lament of intense political cynicism, and a troubling examination of our relationship with art and media, all rolled into one. De Palma is a filmmaker whose unmistakable style is both thematically expressive *and* visually enticing. He loves split screens, split diopters, long takes, swirling camera maneuvers, and slow motion, using them all to enhance *Blow Out*’s ideas and entertainment value.

Where to watch *Blow Out*: Tubi

Inside Man (2006)

Chiwetel Ejiofor as Det. Bill Mitchell and Denzel Washington as Det. Keith Frazier in ‘Inside Man’. Everett Collection

Spike Lee’s heist drama charts the conflict between a bank robber (Clive Owen) and a hostage negotiator (Denzel Washington). The film elegantly builds layers of tension between quiet interpersonal moments, and it feels as though any character could betray everyone else, even if they’re on the same side. Each scene reveals *just* enough information to keep us on our toes, so that, like all great heist movies, we don’t see the complete plan until the very end. It’s also technically dazzling — the camera spins and ducks throughout the bank, enhancing the anxiety of the situation while also familiarizing the audience with the layout of the building.

Where to watch *Inside Man*: Netflix

All the President’s Men (1976)

Robert Redford as Bob Woodward and Dustin Hoffman as Carl Bernstein in ‘All the President’s Men’.

The definitive journalism movie tracks Bob Woodward (Robert Redford) and Carl Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman) as they uncover the Watergate scandal at *The* *Washington Post*. The film almost exclusively takes place in offices, parking structures, and living rooms, but Alan J. Pakula’s direction and William Goldman’s screenplay ensure a constant simmering tension. There’s always an underlying fear for every character’s safety, especially when it becomes clear how high the conspiracy goes.

Where to watch *All the President’s Men*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

A Man Escaped (1956)

François Leterrier as Lieutenant Fontainer (right) in the lobby card for ‘A Man Escaped’.

During World War II, a French Resistance fighter (François Leterrier) hatches a plan to escape from a Gestapo prison. For the majority of its runtime, *A Man Escaped* derives its tension from sound design, with the protagonist obtaining valuable information as he listens to movement beyond the walls of his cell. The film’s climax is perhaps the most thrilling prison break in cinema history.

Where to watch *A Man Escaped*: The Criterion Channel

Sunshine (2007)

Everett Collection

Director Danny Boyle (*Trainspotting*) and screenwriter Alex Garland (*Ex Machina*) teamed up for a star-studded sci-fi drama/slasher about a crew of astronauts on a mission to reignite the sun after a catastrophic ice age. The impressive ensemble includes Cillian Murphy, Chris Evans, Michelle Yeoh, Benedict Wong, Cliff Curtis, and Rose Byrne. It’s a film about how the incomprehensible scale and power of the cosmos — and humanity’s minuscule place within it — can break your mind and complicate your sense of purpose. There’s a constant sense of individual and species-wide existential dread that’s rarely achieved in cinematic sci-fi.

Where to watch *Sunshine*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

Seven (1995)

New Line/courtesy Everett Collection

David Fincher’s breakthrough crime drama stars Morgan Freeman as a veteran detective and Brad Pitt as his newly minted partner as they investigate a web of murders inspired by the seven deadly sins. Though it looks like a fairly standard police procedural on its surface, *Se7en* gradually reveals itself as one of the most oppressively bleak movies ever created in the American studio system. Misery, tension, and dread emanate from every frame, as Fincher presents a world full of pain, cruelty, and evil so pervasive that its characters can only survive when they switch off their emotions.

Where to watch *Seven*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)

William Petersen as Richard Chance and John Pankow as John Vukovich in ‘To Live and Die in L.A.’. Everett Collection

In William Friedkin‘s sprawling crime saga, William Petersen plays an obsessive Secret Service agent who tries to avenge his fallen partner by busting an expansive counterfeiting ring. Willem Dafoe steals every one of his scenes as the primary antagonist. Like Friedkin’s other acclaimed crime procedural, *The French Connection* (1971), *To Live and Die in L.A.** *contains one of the most exciting car chase sequences in Hollywood history — and isn’t afraid to make its characters into unsympathetic monsters.

Where to watch *To Live and Die in L.A.*: Amazon Prime Video

Wait Until Dark (1967)

Richard Crenna as Mike Talman and Audrey Hepburn as Susy Hendrix in ‘Wait Until Dark’. Everett Collection

Audrey Hepburn gives one of her strongest performances as a blind woman battling home invaders in this terrifying suspense film based on a successful play by Frederick Knott. Like *Rear Window*, *Wait Until Dark* provides nail-biting tension without leaving the comfort of the protagonist’s on-screen home. A young Alan Arkin excels as the villain, vacillating between charismatic coolness and explosive rage.

Where to watch *Wait Until Dark*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

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Get Out (2017)

Daniel Kaluuya as Chris Washington in ‘Get Out’. Universal Pictures

Jordan Peele’s breathtaking directorial debut (which he classifies as a “social thriller”) follows a Black man (Daniel Kaluuya) as he meets the parents (Bradley Whitford and Catherine Keener) of his white girlfriend (Allison Williams) for the first time. *Get Out*‘s tense character dynamics steadily evolve from everyday awkwardness and familiar microaggressions into chilling sci-fi terror that reflects the commodification and fetishization of Black bodies in society. But Peele’s crowd-pleasing capabilities and mastery of genre tropes ensure that the film is as exciting to watch (and re-watch) as it is to analyze.

Where to watch *Get Out*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)

Jude Law as Dickie Greenleaf in ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’.

Miramax / Courtesy Everett

Matt Damon shines in Anthony Minghella’s adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s novel, which sees duplicitous antihero Tom Ripley embark on a trip to sunny 1950s Italy that goes very, very wrong. Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Cate Blanchett all excel in memorable supporting roles, but it’s Damon’s Tom who walks away with the movie, as the *Martian* star’s inherent likability invites the audience to relish his deceptiveness as he cunningly tiptoes around the truth.

Where to watch *The Talented Mr. Ripley*: Paramount+

The Departed (2006)

Jack Nicholson as Frank Costello and Matt Damon as Colin Sullivan in ‘The Departed’.

Warner Bros./Courtesy Everett

Martin Scorsese’s Best-Picture-winning remake of *Infernal Affairs* (2002) pits a dirty cop (Matt Damon) against an undercover officer (Leonardo DiCaprio) in Boston’s seedy criminal underbelly. Since both of the main characters are in constant danger of blowing their cover, *The Departed* is one of the most thrilling films in Scorsese’s filmography. Editor Thelma Schoonmaker enhances the tension with some reliably exhilarating sequences, many of which don’t even need music to heighten the suspense.

Where to watch *The Departed*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

The Dark Knight (2008)

Heath Ledger as the Joker in ‘The Dark Knight’.

Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett

Christopher Nolan’s propulsive second trip to Gotham City strips the Batman mythos down to the bare essentials to explore the gray area between commonly oversimplified extremes: good and evil; heroes and villains; order and chaos. With a scene-stealing villain (Heath Ledger), a relentlessly percussive score, anxiety-inducing editing, and breathtaking urban cinematography, *The Dark Knight* remains the most intense comic book movie ever made. You can’t look away while it’s all happening or stop thinking about it when it’s over.

Where to watch *The Dark Knight*: HBO Max

No Country for Old Men (2007)

Javier Bardem and Zach Hopkins in ‘No Country for Old Men’.

Miramax/courtesy Everett

The Coen brothers turned to Cormac McCarthy’s 2005 novel as source material for their grimmest *and* most exciting movie, which earned them Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. The film revolves around a trio of quiet, contemplative men: Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin), a morally ambiguous everyman who stumbles upon a briefcase full of cash; Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem), a menacing assassin dispatched to follow him; and Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones), the weary sheriff trailing them both. Roger Deakins’ striking cinematography and Skip Lievsay’s chilling sound design combine to create a persistent atmosphere of dread and despair unlike anything else in the Coens’ filmography.

Where to watch *No Country for Old Men*: Paramount+

Double Indemnity (1944)

Barbara Stanwyck as Phyllis Dietrichson and Fred MacMurray as Walter Neff in ‘Double Indemnity’. Everett Collection

Billy Wilder’s splendid film noir sees an insurance agent (Fred MacMurray) conspire with an alluring housewife (Barbara Stanwyck) to murder her husband for a hefty payout. The screenplay, which Wilder co-wrote with legendary author Raymond Chandler, is filled to the brim with elegant, stylish dialogue. MacMurray’s character narrates events as they unfold, which provides an especially literary tone. And against all odds, it successfully makes you hope that the shady characters will get away with murder.

Where to watch *Double Indemnity*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

Memento (2000)

Guy Pearce as Leonard Shelby in ‘Memento’.

Everett Collection

Christopher Nolan’s neo-noir breakout follows a man (Guy Pearce) suffering from anterograde amnesia who tries to solve his wife’s murder without the ability to form new short-term memories. *Memento* pulls off a daring structural gambit: It tells its story in reverse chronology, with each scene taking place before the previous one, inviting the audience to uncover its multitude of mysteries by reconstructing the fractured narrative. Beneath all the smoke and mirrors, it’s a devastatingly somber film, and one of Nolan’s most emotionally complex projects.

Where to watch *Memento*: Netflix

The Third Man (1949)

Joseph Cotten as Holly Martins and Alida Valli as Anna Schmidt in ‘The Third Man’.

Everett Collection

Carol Reed’s noir follows an American novelist (Joseph Cotten) who visits his friend (Orson Welles) in Vienna, only to discover that he recently died in a mysterious accident. *The Third Man* employs off-putting Dutch angles and moody lighting to craft some of the most beautiful black-and-white cinematography put to film. Indeed, every shot of the characters running through Vienna’s slick, shadowy streets and tunnels is absolutely gorgeous. *The Third Man* also has the catchiest theme music of any movie on this list, courtesy of Anton Karas.

Where to watch *The Third Man*: Tubi

Mulholland Drive (2001)

Naomi Watts as Betty Elms and Laura Harring as Rita in ‘Mulholland Drive’.

Universal/Courtesy Everett

David Lynch’s *Mulholland Drive* is a confounding nightmare of artifice and fractured identity, exploring the relationship between an aspiring actress (Naomi Watts) and an amnesiac (Laura Harring). We can’t ascertain what’s real, what’s fantasy, and what’s performance when the film and its characters continually blur the lines between truth and embellishment. The dreamy rhythm established by Mary Sweeney’s editing and Lynch’s surreal imagery yields a cinematic experience that’s impossible to look away from *and* almost impossible to fully understand.

Where to watch* Mulholland Drive*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Anthony Hopkins (center) as Hannibal Lecter in ‘The Silence of the Lambs’. Orion/Everett Collection

Jonathan Demme’s legendary film fuses crime procedural and horror elements to deliver one of the most purely entertaining movies of the last 40 years. Jodie Foster stars as Clarice Starling, an up-and-coming FBI agent who reluctantly consults imprisoned murderer Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) to track down a dangerous serial killer. *The Silence of the Lambs* is probably the most successful thriller in Oscar history, nabbing awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Actor, and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Where to watch *The Silence of the Lambs*: The Criterion Channel

Bound (1996)

Jennifer Tilly as Violet and Gina Gershon as Corky in ‘Bound’.

Randy Tepper/Gramercy Pictures/Courtesy Everett

Lana and Lilly Wachowski’s claustrophobic directorial debut sees an ex-con (Gina Gershon) and her neighbor (Jennifer Tilly) attempt to steal millions of dollars from the latter’s mobster boyfriend (Joe Pantoliano). By prioritizing the female characters’ perspective, *Bound* becomes a stylish subversion of film noir conventions, allowing the women at the center to exploit the paranoid masculine posturing of the crime-movie world for personal gain. The constantly roaming camera makes you feel like an active, voyeuristic participant in the action, and it imbues the whole endeavor with an overwhelming amount of energy and tension.

Where to watch *Bound*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

Parasite (2019)

Choi Woo-shik as Kim Ki-woo, Song Kang-ho as Kim Ki-taek, Jang Hye-jin as Kim Chung-sook, and Park So-dam as Kim Ki-jung in ‘Parasite’.

Courtesy of Neon CJ Entertainment

A working-class family infiltrates a wealthy household with a dangerous secret in Bong Joon-ho’s Best Picture-winning genre-bender. It’s a gripping tale of socioeconomic anxiety with intense performances, precise cinematography, impeccable set design, and an energetic score. Bong’s dark sense of humor also ensures that *Parasite* is the funniest movie on this list by a considerable margin.

Where to watch *Parasite*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

The Sixth Sense (1999)

Bruce Willis as Malcolm Crowe and Haley Joel Osment as Cole Sear in ‘The Sixth Sense’. Everett Collection

The supernatural mystery from M. Night Shyamalan is best known for its unforgettable twist ending, but *The Sixth Sense* is a riveting piece of suspense entertainment for its entire duration, not just its revelatory final minutes. Bruce Willis stars as a child psychologist who befriends a young boy (Haley Joel Osment) with an unusual ability. Shyamalan proves unafraid to wear his heart on his sleeve, prompting his actors to emote with a raw vulnerability that’s rare in contemporary thrillers.

Where to watch *The Sixth Sense*: Apple TV

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Peter Lorre as Hans Beckert in ‘M’.

Everett Collection

Fritz Lang’s incredible serial killer procedural follows a murderer (Peter Lorre) as he attempts to escape the clutches of law enforcement and a community of vengeful civilians in Berlin. Through its complex depiction of a bloodthirsty mob, *M* explores the disturbingly violent tendencies inherent in human nature. It all revolves around fear, displaying how collective anxiety — used as a justification to exert force, invade privacy, and enact bitter violence — has the unparalleled ability to unite and reshape societies for the worse.

Where to watch *M*: HBO Max

The Handmaiden (2016)

Kim Min-hee as Lady / Izumi Hideko and Kim Tae-ri as Maid / Nam Sook-hee in ‘The Handmaiden’. CJ Films

Park Chan-wook’s period power play sees four characters — an heiress (Kim Min-hee), her servant (Kim Tae-ri), her wealthy uncle (Cho Jin-woong), and her conniving suitor (Ha Jung-woo) — battle for vast wealth in a swirling mess of love, lust, class, political tension, cruelty, and manipulation. Park maintains a steady directorial hand, revealing precise amounts of information for rug pulls and double-crosses that are impossible to see coming but feel inevitable once they occur. Meanwhile, Kim Tae-ri and Kim Min-hee are incredible as the complex women at the center, always broadcasting layers of inner conflict that make their actions and motivations difficult to predict.

Where to watch *The Handmaiden*: Amazon Prime Video

Zodiac (2007)

Robert Downey Jr. as Paul Avery and Jake Gyllenhaal as Robert Graysmith in ‘Zodiac’. Everett Collection

This fact-based crime drama from David Fincher follows a cartoonist (Jake Gyllenhaal) as he seeks the help of a detective (Mark Ruffalo) and a reporter (Robert Downey Jr.) to track down the Zodiac Killer. Fincher’s meticulous, detail-oriented style perfectly matches the material, which explores a man’s descent into paranoid obsession as he seeks answers he’s incapable of finding. Like *Seven* and *Panic Room*, *Zodiac* is a gripping, grimy crime story filled with intense performances and slick cinematography.

Where to watch *Zodiac*: Paramount+

High and Low (1963)

Toshiro Mifune as Kingo Gondo and Tatsuya Mihashi as Kawanishi in ‘High and Low’.

Everett Collection

The first act of Akira Kurosawa’s kidnapping mystery is a Hitchcockian one-room thriller where characters receive troubling phone calls and face profound moral dilemmas. The remainder of *High and Low* is one of the strongest police procedurals of all time. It makes the minutiae of investigation unbelievably exhilarating, and the antagonist is neither sympathetic nor a one-dimensional cartoon figure. The film is also attuned to class dynamics without hitting you over the head with simplified, over-explained commentary.

Where to watch *High and Low*: HBO Max

Rear Window (1954)

James Stewart as L.B. “Jeff” Jefferies in ‘Rear Window’. Paramount Pictures/Archive Photos/Getty

In Alfred Hitchcock’s claustrophobic crime drama, a wheelchair-bound photographer (James Stewart) unravels a violent mystery as he spies on his neighbors from his apartment. With *Rear Window*, Hitchcock and his collaborators miraculously craft an exhilarating, satisfying mystery-thriller while confining the protagonist to a single location. It embraces the rush of voyeurism while calling its characters’ snoopy inclinations into question, resulting in a morally complex film that never relents in its entertainment value.

Where to watch *Rear Window*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

Children of Men (2006)

Michael Caine as Jasper Palmer, Pam Ferris as Miriam, and Clive Owen as Theo Faron in ‘Children of Men’. Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection

Based on P.D. James’ novel, Alfonso Cuarón’s dystopian drama envisions a world where universal infertility causes global upheaval, and a man (Clive Owen) must protect a young woman with a mysterious secret (Clare-Hope Ashitey). The precise chaos of its execution — particularly its meticulously choreographed, long-take action sequences and grimy production design — ensures that *Children of Men* grips you from start to finish. It’s a hauntingly beautiful story about fragments of hope in a crumbling society.

Where to watch *Children of Men*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

Al Pacino as Sonny Wortzik in ‘Dog Day Afternoon’. Everett Collection

In Sidney Lumet’s crime classic, a frazzled man (Al Pacino) tries to rob a bank to fund his partner’s sex change operation. *Dog Day Afternoon* has unique sympathy for its central characters, emphasizing their desperation and seemingly endless complexity without condescension or oversimplification. It’s tightly paced, full of excellent dialogue, and beautifully shot. Pacino gives one of the most exhausted yet energetic performances in cinematic history, and Chris Sarandon grounds the whole thing in genuine pathos.

Where to watch *Dog Day Afternoon*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

Jaws (1975)

The shark in ‘Jaws’. Everett Collection

Steven Spielberg’s terrifying shark-attack thriller set the template for the modern summer blockbuster, fusing action, suspense, and horror elements to make the entire world afraid of the water. Since the animatronic shark frequently malfunctioned on set, *Jaws* was forced to merely suggest the creature’s foreboding presence with ominous first-person camerawork instead of showing the killer up close. As a result, the film derives overwhelming tension from the creature’s unknown qualities and the terror of an unseen force wreaking havoc on an unassuming community.

Where to watch *Jaws*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

Psycho (1960)

Janet Leigh as Marion Crane in ‘Psycho’. Bettmann Archive/Getty Images

A paranoid young woman (Janet Leigh) goes on the run and encounters a suspicious motel manager (Anthony Perkins) in Alfred Hitchcock’s classic proto-slasher. *Psycho* playfully subverts expectations and rejects structural norms to deliver one of the most surprising thrillers ever committed to film. With its daring jumps between multiple protagonists, the movie makes it impossible to anticipate what might happen in subsequent scenes, while Bernard Herrmann’s ominous score turns even the most mundane scenes into nail-biters.

Where to watch *Psycho*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

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Original Article on Source

Source: “EW Movie”