I have had the opportunity to watch a collection of very good, medium, and out-of-this-world thrillers in the course of seven years. That's the thing with me. I only watch and read thrillers or things that twist my mind. I never found the list that suited my taste - not so old, nice to watch, thrillers that make sense.
I am not talking about something like Riverdale. I am talking about thrillers that make sense. It's a short list categorized by mood. They aren't ranked in any particular order. I have rated them out of 10 on my own scale, which is based on Ending, Acting, Element of Surprise, and Satisfaction.
Obviously, there aren't any spoilers. I must actually hate someone to the core to give out spoilers.
Laugh-Out-Loud Thrillers That Just Make Sense
Sometimes, I just want to LOL around while seeking out a thriller because a little humor can't hurt. If you want something funny yet a movie has some thrill and mystery to it, this section is just for you.
Murder Mystery
I doubted if Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston could be a good duo before I watched the movie. A couple on their European vacation somehow gets roped into a murder. The watch is a hilariously feel-good thriller. It is rare to see how the humor blends so well with the thriller.
The best part? If you love this movie, there is also a sequel called Murder Mystery 2, which, needless to say, carries the same charm. Both movies are feel-good weekend movies.
IMDb- 6.1
Me- 7
A Simple Favor
Another good weekend watch. A simple favor is anything but simple. The story does seem simple for the first half of the movie. Everything takes a turn from there. I enjoyed everything about it. It's hilarious in some places and very to the point in the other.
Stephanie sets out to find her friend Emily with her husband. They found out a lot more than they asked for. You will think you have it figured out, but you never really do. That's why it is on the list.
IMDb- 6.8
Me- 7
Red Notice
Talk about a star cast - Ryan Reynolds, Gal Gadot, and the Rock. I will be honest. I only picked up to watch this one when I saw Ryan. But I stayed due to the hilarious dialogue and a good plot. As we know, Ryan is known for his comic timing. Dwayne is no less in this movie, and Gal Gadot plays her role well.
The plot revolves around an Interpol agent who tries to capture the world's renowned art thief. The movie follows a Tom-Jerry type of chase but stands out for its plot and dialogue. Overall, it is a good one-time LOL watch.
IMDb- 6.3
Me- 6
When You Feel Like Questioning Everything
There are times when you wish to challenge yourself. You wish to guess who the killer is or what is the truth along with the protagonist. For these times, I recommend the following movies.
Fractured (2019)
The story follows a father who registers his daughter and wife in a hospital. After a while, the hospital has no record of them. It seems like the wife and the daughter disappeared!
When I first watched this, I didn't have high hopes for the characters or the story. It was surprisingly good. It is a good weekend watch.
IMDb: 6.7
Me- 8/10.
The Weekend Away
A Girls' Weekend Away to Croatia goes horribly wrong when one of them disappears, and the story unfolds. The plot might seem simple, but you'll find yourself pointing fingers everywhere.
It is a nice one-time weekend watch. I saw it on a Sunday and was fully satisfied by the end. It is not much of a jumper.
IMDb- 5.7
Me- 7.5/10
Knives Out
If you loved Daniel Craig as 007, you would definitely love him as Benoit Blanc in Knives Out. It is an Oscar-nominated typical murder and detective mystery in which a reputed novelist dies, and Benoit is called upon to investigate. The story unfolds.
If you're a sucker for good old mysteries that make you scratch your head till the end, this one is for you. I would give almost anything to watch it again the first time.
IMDb- 7.9
Me- 9/10
Murder on the Orient Express
Agatha Christie is my favorite author. Of course, there will be one of hers on my list. Murder on the Orient Express presents itself in the typical murder mystery until it isn't.
If you love charming, old, clever detectives, Mr. Hercule Poirot is the one for you. The portrayal by Kenneth Branagh is to the point with eccentricity and wittiness. The plot revolves around a murder on a moving train.
IMDb- 6.5
Me- 7
When You Wanna Binge Watch A Season or Four, Who's Counting?
If you love binge-watching series, this section is for you. You won't stop in between this series. I guarantee you. I loved every one of the series below, and I am a sucker for a story that moves fast.
NEXT
You have no idea how much I dug around to remember the name of this series. Apparently, Gemini couldn't guess the name of the series with the plot as the prompt. Perplexity did.
I watched it when it was released in 2020, and I totally loved it. This is probably the only one that doesn't fit well on the list. However, even though it is Sci-fi, it feels so real in today's context and sure as hell keeps you on the edge of your seat.
The plot goes like this: Super AI goes rogue, and the creator, with a cybersecurity agent, tries to stop it before it kills all humans.
IMDb- 6.7
Me- 9
The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window
I know the name is quite long to remember. I googled it thrice to confirm the spelling. It is a nice little mystery with a good explanation. The plot goes like this: Anna is a lonely woman. She sits by her window all day. One day, a new handsome neighbor moves into the house across from her. She's happy to watch him until she witnesses a gruesome murder, and no one believes her.
People have mixed reviews for the series online. I feel it is a nice weekend watch with just eight episodes. I watched it with no expectations and felt nice after seeing it, so it made it to the list.
IMDb- 6.4
Me- 6
The Blacklist
I have a thing for charming old men. It doesn't get any more charming than Raymond "Red" Reddington. The series is super long but totally worth it. This is a week's worth of binging, but you will come back again and again for James Spader's character. Everything is on point: acting, wittiness, clever replies, voice, and charm.
The plot goes like this: Raymond Reddington is a notorious criminal who turns himself in. He has one condition for the FBI - he will only talk to Elizabeth Keen, a new agent. The series revolves around Elizabeth's relationship with Reddington and catching criminals on the Blacklist.
IMDb- 7.9
Me- 9.5
Devil In Ohio
Last on the list but worth a single watch. Devil in Ohio has the eerie feeling of good horror stories minus the paranormal activities. It has eight episodes, and each one consistently carries that eerie feeling.
The plot is simple: A psychiatrist takes in a kid who escaped from a cult, putting her own family in danger. The portrayal of the story deserves awards. You won't be pointing any fingers here but the eerie feeling carries the plot so well. You won't stop.
IMDb- 5.9
Me- 6/10
So, this is my comprehensive list of thrillers that need your attention. I hope you'll enjoy a few of them as much as I did. I would love to hear your thoughts and recommendations about thrillers.
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