Best Mind-Bender Movies - Part 1

TOP MIND-BENDER MOVIES

Part 1:  Who did it? What’s going on? And for the Love of God, who is Keyser Söze?


10.) Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) Guillermo del Toro

Ofelia, in the immediate aftermath of the Spanish Civil War is faced with a cruel fascist stepfather. Thanks to her vivid imagination, Ofelia can step into the fairy realm in an attempt to regain a sense of control and meaning in her otherwise senseless life. The fact that it’s completely breathtaking is totally beside the point. In the end, the plot makes no decisions for you, though it does leave clues along the way.

9) Primal Fear (1996) William Diehl/Gregory Hoblit

So the two lead actors “phoned it in” and the director appears to have graduated from the “Law and Order” School of Ho-Hum Cinematography, but you’re not watching this film for the director or the leads (you just don’t know it yet). You’re watching the film for a completely unknown talent (at the time), Ed Norton. It’s Aaron’s world, and you’re literally hanging on every syllable.

8.) Se7en (1995) Andrew Kevin Walker/David Fincher

Is there a better villain out there than Kevin Spacey as John Doe? Possibly. But I think Spacey could hold his own against any name you tossed out. I’m not sure which was more chilling – his eyes or his smile. Either way, you know that in the end, John Doe holds all the cards.

7.) The Illusionist (2006) Neil Burger

Okay so Ed Norton vs. Paul Giamatti. Who do YOU think will win? So that was pretty much a given, but you’d still be hard-pressed to put the details together as quickly as Inspector Uhl.

6.) The Prestige (2006) Christopher Nolan

Christopher Nolan has read his Shakespeare and understands well that the best conflicts arise from problems of knowing: who knows what and, more importantly, what DON’T they know? If you thought the Illusionist had some tricks up his sleeve, you haven’t met these two magicians.

5.) Wild Things (1998) John McNaughton

Who is sleeping with whom? Or who is ‘in bed’ with whom? Or wait, who is screwing whom? Wait, who? I thought I knew, but then I really did know, but then I didn’t, and then I was sure, and then I was just totally wrong. And I’m usually pretty good at this stuff!

4.) Fight Club (1999) Chuck Palahniuk/David Fincher

Damn the Man! We must destroy Ikea Sectionals with our manly bloody muscles to reclaim our authenticity! Or something like that. The soap thing was funny. And the effects were really neat. Even though I’m pretty sure that everyone on the planet has seen this movie, I’m not giving anything else away.

3.) The Sixth Sense (1999) M. Night Shyamalan

So this may be a cliché today and you really only ever get to watch this movie twice and then that’s it, but there’s a reason it’s a classic (and, I might add, the only decent movie M. Night ever made).

2.) The Game (1997) David Fincher

So what do you get the man who has everything? For the love of all that is sane in the universe, ANYTHING but “The Game”! (Unless you intend to buy him this movie, in which case, you have my approval) As if this movie isn’t weird enough, I spent a good portion of it going, “Have I seen that guy before? Was he the guy from Alf?” He wasn’t, but now I’m thinking maybe he was a doctor from “The Stand” or something. (No, not Michael Douglas, I know who HE is.)

1.) The Usual Suspects (1995) Bryan Singer

When my former boss Melissa found out I had not seen this film, she forced me to immediately go out and watch it. She appeared so desperate, I immediately complied. All I have to say is if you haven’t seen this movie, go out immediately and watch it. What is the matter with you?