34 most suspenseful psychological thriller films in 2024 & 2023 (Netflix, Prime, Hulu & Cinema List)
List of the latest thriller movies in 2024 and the best thriller movies of 2023 & the 2010's. Top thriller movies to watch on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Disney+ & other Streaming services, out on DVD/Blu-ray or in cinema's right now.
New thriller movies in 2024 in Cinema & on VOD
Top movies up for release in 2024 in cinema and on VOD
DIRECTOR: Lorcan Finnegan CAST: Nicolas Cage, Justin Rosniak & Alexander Bertrand
An older man is hoping for a warm welcome when he returns to his home country of Australia. When he arrives, however, he finds himself humiliated by the local surfer gang that holds ownership over the beach. Determined to prove himself in front of his teenage son, the old surfer aims to assert dominance over the strict scheduling that has transformed an Australian beach into a less-fun destination. This thriller comes from director Lorcan Finnegan (Vivarium, Without Name, Nocebo) and screenwriter Thomas Martin (Tin Star, Ripper Street, White Widow), with a cast that includes the talents of Nicolas Cage, Nicholas Cassim, Alexander Bertrand, and Rahel Romahn.
Read more Watch the trailer of The Surfer Netflix | Amazon | All Release dates
DIRECTOR: James Hawes CAST: Rami Malek, Rachel Brosnahan & Caitríona Balfe
A London terrorist attack finds CIA cryptographer Charles Heller losing his wife in the chaos. Determined to find answers for this incident, he soon discovers that the agency is refusing to act on this aggression as something is rotten within the organization. Unwilling to accept this corrupt system, Charles proceeds to blackmail the organization while being pursued by spies to prevent him from revealing the darkest of secrets. Based on the 1981 novel of the same name by Robert Littell, this intriguing spy film is directed by James Hawes (One Life, Doctor Who) and features a cast that includes Rami Malek, Rachel Brosnahan, Caitríona Balfe, Laurence Fishburne, Adrian Martinez, Holt McCallany, and Julianne Nicholson.
Read more Watch the trailer of The Amateur Netflix | Amazon | All Release dates
Best thriller movies on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Disney+ or DVD in 2024
2023, 2022, 2021, 2020 and the 2010's best rated thriller movies out on DVD, Bluray or streaming on VOD (Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Disney+ & More).
DIRECTOR: Grant Singer CAST: Benicio del Toro, Justin Timberlake & Alicia Silverstone
New England detective Nichols is a hardened man tasked with investigating the murder of a young real estate agent. As he digs further, the case transforms into something he never expected. What follows is a dark journey that forces the detective to question his own life and the illusions that surround him. Directed by Grant Singer and co-written by Benjamin Brewer (The Trust), this crime thriller stars the talents of Frances Fisher, Karl Glusman, Alicia Silverstone, Benicio Del Toro, Justin Timberlake, and Owen Teague.
Read more Watch the trailer of Reptile Netflix | Amazon | All Release dates
DIRECTOR: Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire CAST: Tye Sheridan, Sean Penn & Katherine Waterston
Ollie Cross wants to attend medical school and figures the best way to gain experience in the field is to ride along with the aged paramedic Gene Rutkovsky. They go on a drive throughout New York City as Gene shows Ollie all the ins and outs of what goes into saving lives in such a big city. This medical thriller comes from director Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire (A Prayer Before Dawn) and stars the talents of Sean Penn, Tye Sheridan, Katherine Waterston, Michael Pitt, Mike Tyson, and Raquel Nave.
Read more Watch the trailer of Black Flies Netflix | Amazon | All Release dates
DIRECTOR: Mary Nighy CAST: Anna Kendrick, Kaniehtiio Horn & Charlie Carrick
Alice finds herself in a bad place for being trapped in an abusive relationship with her emotionally manipulative boyfriend, Simon. She gets away on vacation with her two best friends and feels more at ease as she rediscovers herself during the trip. While Alice is able to strip her codependency, her boyfriend still keeps her in the crosshairs and puts her mental healing and friendships to the ultimate test. Directed by Mary Nighy, this psychological thriller focusing on relationships and gender politics debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival and stars the talents of Anna Kendrick, Kaniehtiio Horn, Charlie Carrick, and Wunmi Mosaku. Read more Watch the trailer of Alice Darling
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DIRECTOR: Niki Caro CAST: Jennifer Lopez, Paul Raci & Joseph Fiennes
A female assassin finds herself on the run when dangerous assailants target her. While she tries to hide, she realizes she can’t remain hidden when her daughter's safety is at stake. With her family threatened, she comes out of her hiding spot to kill once more for her survival. But will it be enough to protect those she cares about? Directed by Niki Caro (Whale Rider) and written by Misha Green (Underground), Andrea Berloff (Straight Outta Compton), and Peter Craig (The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Parts 1 & 2), this action-packed thriller stars the talents of Jennifer Lopez, Joseph Fiennes, Omari Hardwick, and Gael García Bernal. Read more Watch the trailer of The Mother Netflix | Amazon | All Release dates
DIRECTOR: Claire Denis CAST: Margaret Qualley, Joe Alwyn & Danny Ramirez
Romance blossoms in 1984’s Nicaragua between an American journalist, Trish, and an English businessman, Daniel. They hit it off well but their relationship may have to wait when they become caught up in a dangerous situation that forces them to flee the country. Will they be able to escape and have their love endure? Based on the novel by Denis Johnson, this historical romantic drama comes from director and co-writer Claire Denis (Close, High Life, Fire) and stars Margaret Qualley, Joe Alwyn, Danny Ramirez, Benny Safdie, and John C. Reilly. Read more Watch the trailer of Stars at Noon
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DIRECTOR: Robert Lorenz CAST: Liam Neeson, Sarah Greene & Kerry Condon
A Finbar of a remote Irish village finds himself trying to make amends for his violent life. But he can’t rest when his latest mission finds him being targeted by a band of terrorists. Can he keep the killers at pay and find redemption when the world seems filled with more sinners than saints? This crime thriller comes from director Robert Lorenz and screenwriters Mark Michael McNally and Terry Loane, with a cast that includes Liam Neeson, Ciarán Hinds, Kerry Condon, and Jack Gleeson.
Read more Watch the trailer of In the Land of Saints and Sinners Netflix | Amazon | All Release dates
DIRECTOR: Karoline Lyngbye CAST: Marie Bach Hansen, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard & Mihlo Olsen
Director and co-writer Karoline Lyngbye helms this poignant drama of a family trying to get a fresh start. Stine and Teit fancy themselves as creative people who decide to raise their young son Nemo in the woods instead of the city. But their escape is complicated by the presence of another couple that threatens to tear the modern family apart. Stirring with strong drama, the film features a cast that includes Marie Bach Hansen, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard, and Milo Olsen.
Read more Watch the trailer of Superposition Netflix | Amazon | All Release dates
DIRECTOR: Benjamin Caron CAST: Julianne Moore, Sebastian Stan & Justice Smith
New York City is home to many people, rich and poor. The richest of the residents horde the wealth and make the world worst. Aiming to get back at the rich, a con artist devises a calculative plan to swindle the snobby elites out of their wealth. It’s a complicated and tough job that leads to exciting and thrilling sequences with a heist that may not go according to plan. Director Benjamin Caron (Andor, The Crown) and screenwriters Brian Gatewood and Alessandro Tanaka helm this dramatic thriller by A24 and Apple Studios. The casing includes the talents of Julianne Moore, Sebastian Stan, Justice Smith, and John Lithgow. Read more Watch the trailer of Sharper Netflix | Amazon | All Release dates
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Nemo is an art thief who fancies himself the ultimate swiper of high-priced art. His latest target is a swanky penthouse containing loads of valuable artworks from the likes of Egon Schiele, Lynn Chadwick, and Maurizio Cattelan. But the heist does not go according to plan. When he becomes trapped in the penthouse, Nemo’s mission turns into one of his survival when he is trapped inside the penthouse with nothing but high-priced artwork surrounding him. This thrilling heist picture comes from director Vasilis Katsoupis as his directorial debut with a script by Ben Hopkins (The Market: A Tale of Trade). The film’s central star is Willem Dafoe (At Eternity's Gate, The Lighthouse). Read more Watch the trailer of Inside Netflix | Amazon | All Release dates
DIRECTOR: Russell Crowe CAST: Russell Crowe, Liam Hemsworth & Elsa Pataky
Jake is a tech billionaire who is planning the ultimate poker game with his childhood friends. He assembles them all at his Miami property and starts dealing the cards. The friends in attendance are not so much friends considering how they have a questionable impression of Jake. They’re right to be questioning as Jake has a sinister intent for all of them. Those plans change when home invaders turn this estate into a hotbed arson and murder. Directed by and starring Russell Crowe, this intense thriller co-written by Stephen M. Coates additionally stars Elsa Pataky, Liam Hemsworth, Jacqueline McKenzie, Matt Nable, and RZA.
Read more Watch the trailer of Poker Face
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DIRECTOR: Tobias Lindholm CAST: Jessica Chastain, Eddie Redmayne & Noah Emmerich
Amy was a nurse who wanted to help people but she’s reaching her limits after being overworked and overstressed with her life in general. She manages to make a friend in her latest co-worker, nurse Charlie Cullen. Hope seems to come to Amy until she makes a grim discovery. Charlie has been suspected of murdering his patients. Unsure of what to think after a series of mysterious deaths, Amy questions what to do next in this tense situation. Based on the novel The Good Nurse: A True Story of Medicine, Madness, and Murder by Charles Graeber, this medical crime-drama comes from director Tobias Lindholm (Another Round) and stars Jessica Chastain, Eddie Redmayne, Nnamdi Asomugha, Kim Dickens, and Noah Emmerich.
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DIRECTOR: Olivia Newman CAST: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Taylor John Smith & Harris Dickinson
Based on the best-selling novel by Delia Owens, Where the Crawdads Sing is set North Carolina. Among the marshes of the state, Catherine "Kya" Clarke learned to live on her own since the 1950s when her parents abandoned her. She grows up to enter into a marriage but finds herself being deceived and ultimately wrapped up in a case of murder. This mystery drama taking place between the 1950s and 1960s was directed by Olivia Newman (First Match) and stars Daisy Edgar-Jones, Taylor John Smith, Harris Dickinson, Michael Hyatt, Sterling Macer Jr., and David Strathairn.
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DIRECTOR: David Leitch CAST: Brad Pitt, Joey King & Aaron Taylor-Johnson
An exceptionally fast Japanese train becomes the target for five assassins with different jobs. However, once they board the train, they discover that their missions may be connected. They find themselves questioning each other and who they work for as a larger tale reveals itself amid their quests of violence. Based on the novel of the same title by Kōtarō Isaka, this action thriller features an all-star cast that includes Brad Pitt, Joey King, Andrew Koji, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Zazie Beetz, Masi Oka, Michael Shannon, Logan Lerman, Hiroyuki Sanada, Karen Fukuhara, Bad Bunny, and Sandra Bullock. Read more Watch the trailer of Bullet Train
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DIRECTOR: Guillermo del Toro CAST: Bradley Cooper, Toni Collette & Cate Blanchett
Director Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy, The Shape of Water) helms this remake of the classic noir thriller. Stanton Carlisle is a man of the 1940s trying to find an easy way to make some money. While working at a traveling carnival, he learns from a married couple working there are about the tricks involved in becoming a hit mentalist. The more he learns the craft, however, the digger the hole he digs for himself. This retro tale of deception stars Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Toni Collette, Willem Dafoe, Richard Jenkins, Rooney Mara, Ron Perlman, Mary Steenburgen, and David Strathairn. Read more Watch the trailer of Nightmare Alley
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DIRECTOR: Tom McCarthy CAST: Matt Damon, Abigail Breslin & Camille Cottin
Bill Baker is a working class guy at an oil-rig in Oklahoma. When he learns that is estranged daughter has been accused of a murder she did commit, Bill takes it upon himself to travel all the way to France to figure out this case. But such a journey will not be easy for the American roughneck who struggles to find his way through the barriers of language and culture to seek justice for his kid. Directed by Tom McCarthy (Spotlight), this moody legal drama stars Matt Damon, Camille Cottin, and Abigail Breslin.
Read more Watch the trailer of Stillwater
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DIRECTOR: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo CAST: Tom Holland, Ciara Bravo & Bill Skarsgård
Tom Holland becomes a serial bank robber after suffering from post traumatic stress as an Army medic. When his subsequent addiction to drugs leaves him with a huge debt, he sees no other alternative than to rob banks for a living. This thriller drama that will be streaming on Apple TV+ is directed by the Russo Brothers who are known for big block busters like the Avengers Movies. Read more Watch the trailer of Cherry Netflix | Amazon | All Release dates
DIRECTOR: John Lee Hancock CAST: Denzel Washington, Rami Malek & Jared Leto
A haggard and weary Kern County deputy sheriff, Deke (Denzel Washington), finds himself paired up with the unlikely partnership of L.A. Sheriff Department Sergeant Jim Baxter (Rami Malek) in a murder case. If they hope to catch an elusive serial killer, they’ll have to put their differences aside in this clashing of generations. Writer and director John Lee Hancock has crafted this crime thriller which additionally stars the talents of Jared Leto, Sofia Vassilieva and Chris Bauer Read more Watch the trailer of The Little Things
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DIRECTOR: Carlo Mirabella-Davis CAST: Haley Bennett, Austin Stowell & Elizabeth Marvel
An isolated housewife develops a strange urge to swallow things. A brilliantly confusing psychological thriller about a woman who decides to take back control in the most unconventional way. Read more Watch the trailer of Swallow
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DIRECTOR: Edgar Wright CAST: Anya Taylor-Joy, Matt Smith & Thomasin McKenzie
Inspired by classic movies like 'Don't Look Now' and 'Repulsion', this psychological horror movie evolves around a girl who is mysteriously able to be transported to 1960's London. Read more Watch the trailer of Last Night in Soho
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DIRECTOR: Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie CAST: Adam Sandler, Julia Fox & Lakeith Stanfield
Howard Ratner (Adam Sandler) lives a life of great risk as a jewelry store owner with a massive gambling problem. His life is a chaotic mess of mounting debts, a needy family and a growing list of enemies. But he may have just found the ultimate that could solve all of his problems. Or create more of them as the tensions mount with the stakes so high. He’ll need all the luck he can get in this intense crime thriller. Read more Watch the trailer of Uncut Gems
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DIRECTOR: Bill Condon CAST: Helen Mirren, Ian McKellen & Russell Tovey
An aging con artist cannot believe his luck when he meets a wealthy widow and marks her as his next target. But she hides a secret of her own. Read more Watch the trailer of The Good Liar
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DIRECTOR: Mike Gan CAST: Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Josh Hutcherson & Suki Waterhouse
Melinda is a shy girl who works at a gas station. When one a day a robber comes in who wants to make easy money, she somehow feels a connection with him. Read more Watch the trailer of Burn
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DIRECTOR: Rebekah McKendry CAST: Robin Riker, Brooke Newton & Matthew Lawrence
Samantha has just given birth to a daughter when her long lost grandmother Colleen appears out of nowhere. Colleen is at great help, but it soon becomes clear that her past is quite disturbing. Read more Watch the trailer of Psycho Granny
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DIRECTOR: Tate Taylor CAST: Octavia Spencer, Juliette Lewis & Missi Pyle
A bunch teenagers in a small Ohio town befriend a lonely, elderly woman. The woman (Ma) provides a place for the teenagers to hang out and get drunk. However, Ma's intentions grow more and more strange over time.. Read more Watch the trailer of Ma
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DIRECTOR: Joe Berlinger CAST: Lily Collins, Zac Efron, Angela Sarafyan, Sydney Vollmer
The Ted Bundy Documentary (by the same director, Joe Berlinger) about America's most notorious serial killer has only increased the anticipation for Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, a biographical mystery movie from the perspective of his girlfriend Elizabeth Kloepfer who for years refused to believe the truth about her frightening boyfriend. Read more Watch the trailer of Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile
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DIRECTOR: Joe Wright CAST: Amy Adams, Gary Oldman & Julianne Moore
Based on A.J. Finn’s international hit novel. Anna Fox is a child psychologist who rarely leaves her house and likes to spy on her neighbors. One night, she witnesses a crime which puts her in difficult moral position. Read more Watch the trailer of The Woman in the Window
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DIRECTOR: Reed Morano CAST: Blake Lively, Jude Law & Sterling K. Brown
Stephanie's family has been killed in an airplane crash. She was supposed to be on that same plane, and now lives with the burden. However, she finds out that the crash wasn't an accident at all. Based on the book by Mark Burnell. Read more Watch the trailer of The Rhythm Section
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DIRECTOR: Deon Taylor CAST: Dennis Quaid, Joseph Sikora, Meagan Good, Michael Ealy
A young couple buys an idyllic old house in Napa Valley. However, the guy they bought it from feels so attached to the place that he keeps coming back. Read more Watch the trailer of The Intruder
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DIRECTOR: Todd Phillips CAST: Joaquin Phoenix, Zazie Beetz, Robert De Niro, Frances Conroy
Gotham in the 1980's, Arthur Fleck is a struggling stand-up comedian. At point he snaps, becoming the vilest of all villains: The Joker. With Joaquin Phoenix as the Joker, this project is really something to look forward to. Read more Watch the trailer of Joker
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DIRECTOR: M. Night Shyamalan CAST: Anya Taylor-Joy, James McAvoy, Sarah Paulson, Bruce Willis
Almost 20 years after 'Unbreakable' and 2 years after 'Split', director M. Knight Shyamalan comes with 'Glass', a film that melds all three together into a nice trilogy. Great to see both Samuel L. Jackson and Bruce Willis back. Read more Watch the trailer of Glass
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DIRECTOR: Michael Pearce CAST: Jessie Buckley, Johnny Flynn, Geraldine James, Olwen Fouéré
A young woman living on a remote island falls for a man who's possible a serial killer. Thrilling, stylish and psychologically rich. Read more Watch the trailer of Beast Netflix | Amazon | All Release dates
DIRECTOR: Aneesh Chaganty CAST: John Cho, Sara Sohn, Alex Jayne Go, Megan Liu
After 'Cam' and 'Eighth Grade', this is another well-executed movie about (the dangers of) social media in 2018. So far the similarities though; 'Searching' is a gut-wrenching thriller about a father searching for his disappeared daughter by breaking in to her laptop. Read more Watch the trailer of Searching
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DIRECTOR: Aaron Katz CAST: Lola Kirke, Zoë Kravitz, John Cho, Greta Lee
After a horrible crime is committed, a personal celebrity assistant in Hollywood is determined to unravel the mystery, only to get tangled up in deeper shit herself. A stylish, slow-burning psychothriller. Read more Watch the trailer of Gemini
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DIRECTOR: Anthony Byrne CAST: Natalie Dormer, Emily Ratajkowski, Ed Skrein, Joely Richardson
Sofia is a successful, blind pianist. One night, a young woman is murdered in the apartment above hers. Before she knows it, Sofia get drawn into a dark mystery. Read more Watch the trailer of In Darkness
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DIRECTOR: Neil Jordan CAST: Chloë Grace Moretz, Maika Monroe, Isabelle Huppert
Irish filmmaker Neil Jordan ('The Crying Game', 'Interview with the Vampire') returns with a psychological thriller about the destructive friendship between a widow (Isabelle Huppert) and a young woman (Chloë Grace Moretz). Read more Watch the trailer of The Widow RATING: 86/100
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DIRECTOR: Brad Anderson CAST: Rosamund Pike, Jon Hamm, Mark Pellegrino, Dean Norris
Jon Hamm and Rosamund Pike team up in this entertaining politcal thriller about a US diplomat (Hamm) charged with the close to impossible task to negotiate the release of a kidnapped compatriot in Beirut, 1982. Read more Watch the trailer of Beirut
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DIRECTOR: Gary Ross CAST: Samantha Cocozza
Olivia Munn
Cate Blanchett
Starring an all-female cast including Anne Hathaway, Cate Blanchett, Rihanna and Sandra Bullock (among others), Ocean's 8 is the much anticipated reboot of the original series by Steven Soderbergh. Read more Watch the trailer of Ocean’s 8 RATING: 85/100
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DIRECTOR: Niels Arden Oplev CAST: Michael Nyqvist
Noomi Rapace
Ewa Fröling
In Stieg Larsson's Swedish crime novel a journalist is aided by a young female hacker in his search for the killer of a woman who has been dead for forty years. The... Read more Watch the trailer of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo RATING: 80/100
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DIRECTOR: Tomas Alfredson CAST: Rebecca Ferguson
Michael Fassbender
Chloë Sevigny
Finally, a new project by Swedish director Tomas Alfredson. After his stylish adaptation of John le Carre's spy novel 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy', 'The Snowman' is yet another crime thriller. With Michael Fassbender aboard, this snowy Nordic Noir about the investigation of a young girl's death is bound to be a killer movie. Read more Watch the trailer of The Snowman RATING: 82/100
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DIRECTOR: Jeremy Saulnier CAST: Anton Yelchin
Imogen Poots
Alia Shawkat
After 2014's above mentioned Blue Ruin, we did not expect to Saulnier to pull it off again and earn himself his second place on the list. Green Room is perhaps slightly less arty, and in that sense less visually spectacular, but in terms of suspense it's stronger. In Blue Ruin the thrill mainly came from having no clue what the protagonist was going to do next. Green Room is more claustrophobic, and plays with anxiety over not knowing what happens to the protagonists. Anton Yelchin (who recently died in a tragic car accident) and his band get locked up in a room after they have witnessed a murder. Not just any murder, a murder committed by a crazy neo-nazi at a nazi hangout. The charismatic leader, played by a terrifying Patrick Stewart, is ice-cold and relentless, and immediately starts scheming to get rid of the band. Read more Watch the trailer of Green Room RATING: 85/100
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DIRECTOR: Ben Wheatley CAST: Neil Maskell
MyAnna Buring
Harry Simpson
When people in 2017 talk about British horror, absurdist horror, there is only one real name in the game. Ben Wheatley. With Kill List he properly introduced himself, and his dark and absurdist style seems here to stay. Kill List is an unsettling thriller that already shows Wheatley’s love for horror elements. Shot intimately and slightly experimentally, the film is deeply invading and is more an investigation into the human psychology than a narratively nicely tidied up film. His recent High-Rise and the 2017 Free Fire also come recommended. He has currently three other movies listed on our Best new British movies of 2017 Read more Watch the trailer of Kill List RATING: 80/100
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DIRECTOR: David Fincher CAST: Ben Affleck
Rosamund Pike
Neil Patrick Harris
The film is centered around a mediahype, but Gone Girl received more than enough attention itself. Marketeers must have known that with David Fincher as the intelligent director and Ben Affleck in a potentially dark role as the suspected husband, they had gold in their hands. And it actually really did deliver. Sure the story takes on high unlikely turns of events, but boy is it juicy stuff. Fincher is a talented writer/director, but he sometimes has the tendency to go so far in terms of making a plot waterproof, that it actually becomes dry and rather boring (A good example is the way too long and tedious Zodiac). Gone Girl is the opposite – it is constantly tickling the viewer’s curiosity and hunger for sensation, and gives the thriller enthusiast more than he/she could wish for. One of the few big budget productions that actually took me by surprise story-wise. Gone girl was based on the book by Gillian Flynn. Read more Watch the trailer of Gone Girl RATING: 88/100
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DIRECTOR: Jeremy Saulnier CAST: Macon Blair
Devin Ratray
Amy Hargreaves
Without a doubt my favorite American indie thriller of 2014. The main character is clearly a bit of a nutter, and as a viewer you slowly and surely get more information, but the modus operandi of the suspense mainly is founded on the what the hell is next? principle. It is a bloody yet arty revenge film that ranks among 2014’s most noteworthy indies. Director Jeremy Saulnier basically bet his house on this project, and I am glad he was willing to take such risks. Not just financially, but also with regard to artistic and narrative decisions made for the film – truly original. Read more Watch the trailer of Blue Ruin RATING: 88/100
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DIRECTOR: Tom Ford CAST: Amy Adams
Jake Gyllenhaal
Michael Shannon
When it comes to revenge stories, this one is not satisfying in term of bloody payback, but is much more sophisticated. Tom Ford, the mind behind the iconically stylish 'A Single' returns with a much darker movie. A gripping revenge thriller with Amy Adams and Jake Gyllenhaal in the leads. Tom Ford, the famous fashion designer-turned director, combines the luxurious high-end art scene of New York with the gritty The Killer Inside me type atmosphere of desolate Texas. The pitch-black story is about a successful gallery owner, played by Amy Adams, who during marriage troubles of her own, receives a manuscript of her ex-husband's new novel. The highly disturbing and violent thriller book quickly becomes intensely personal. Read more Watch the trailer of Nocturnal Animals RATING: 84/100
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DIRECTOR: Scott Cooper CAST: Christian Bale
Casey Affleck
Zoe Saldana
As a bit of a old fashioned masculine film, Out of the Furnace with its gritty art-house look, was actually more enjoyable than I initially expected. I was afraid it would be some sort or forced realistic tough guy film revenge film, and it obviously was, but much better executed than I thought. Nothing groundbreaking in terms of acting as most actors were playing their typical characters, but the hill billy bad guy role by Woody Harrelson is more than noteworthy. Read more Watch the trailer of Out of the Furnace RATING: 84/100
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DIRECTOR: Claire Denis CAST: Vincent Lindon
Chiara Mastroianni
Julie Bataille
Claire Denis is not for everyone. She has proven that over and over again, and with Salauds it’s no different. However, if you want dark, twisted, and disorienting poetry, than Les Salauds is for you. It is a noir-ish revenge film without you first realizing it. There is a narrative (don’t worry), but it’s being approached in such a complex and poetic manner that you might as well be without. You see images, you see people, but you feel the emotions and atmosphere. The suspense does not work in a logical way, but creeps up on you and gets under your skin. It disturbs you and stays with you, and for that reason is one of the new best psychological thrillers of the 2010’s. It also has a prominent spot on our Best new French movies list Read more Watch the trailer of Les Salauds RATING: 81/100
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DIRECTOR: Alex van Warmerdam CAST: Jan Bijvoet
Hadewych Minis
Jeroen Perceval
This was the film that broke the Dutch 38-years silence at Cannes. Cult director Alex van Warmerdam brings the home invasion thriller genre to the next level. Comparisons may be made to Haneke’s Funny Games, but this European thriller is much weirder, creepier and more disturbing. That is because it is less ironic than a Haneke film, but waymore twisted. Some may find it tedious after a while because, like Les Salauds and Killer Joe, the suspense is mainly developed by setting up a disquieting atmosphere. Van Warmerdam certainly succeeds there Read more Watch the trailer of Borgman RATING: 85/100
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DIRECTOR: Alain Guiraudie CAST: Pierre Deladonchamps
Christophe Paou
Patrick d'Assumçao
Best described as a psychological erotic thriller located in an Eric Rohmer kind of setting, The Stranger by the Lake caused the very first conflict among our editors in 2014. Where some found it intelligent, mysterious and ultimately suspenseful, others could not help feel it was a forced arty production that ultimately committed the sin of being boring. And I guess that both parties are kind of right. It is a summery film that in the first place is simply after giving you a naturalistic yet dreamy impression of a meeting spot for gays. Not much happens and the tension build-up is dreadfully slow and rather dispersed. For some it peaks too late, but for me it was right on time, and when it peaks, it really peaks. Read more Watch the trailer of L’inconnu du Lac RATING: 77/100
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DIRECTOR: Nicolas Winding Refn CAST: Ryan Gosling
Carey Mulligan
Bryan Cranston
Few films have managed to become instant mainstream cult films. Drive is the sublimation of Refn’s experimenting with the concept of violence. As Refn says: violence is just like sex, it’s all about the build-up. And he builds it up alright. Ryan Gosling’s character is quiet and mysterious, but you sense something boiling underneath. When it finally comes out the explosion is shocking, disturbing and yes, satisfying. This combined with an incredibly cool soundtrack by Kavinsky, and shots of L.A. at night, make for a cult classic. He got everything right. Refn’s next feature, Only God Forgives, proves that he can also get it wrong. His wife made an interesting documentary about him failing after the huge success of Drive. Read more Watch the trailer of Drive RATING: 90/100
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DIRECTOR: William Friedkin CAST: Matthew McConaughey
Emile Hirsch
Juno Temple
This is not for the faint of heart. And I mean that. I was surprised about how exceptionally explicit the film is when it comes to violence. It is the perfect example of what happens when you get involved with the wrong people. Some people you simply should not associate with – not even in times of distress. In this case that person was Mister rom com McConaughey on the start of his mcconaissance. It was the first film that allowed him to show more than we have seen of him before. Here you can see the darkest side of his character in True Detective. Perhaps this would have been better suited for our Best new horror movies of 2017 list Read more Watch the trailer of Killer Joe RATING: 83/100
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DIRECTOR: Martin Scorsese CAST: Leonardo DiCaprio
Emily Mortimer
Mark Ruffalo
This year Scorsese and DiCaprio once again proved to be a golden duo. Wolf of Wall Street was a huge hit. And in 2016 Leonardo finally won an Oscar for The Revenant .Shutter Island is in comparison a way more modest film. In execution at least. Story-wise it definitely is a mind-fuck, but perhaps one you could see coming. Nonetheless, I do think it’s a great thriller, one that has a nostalgic feel about it. Anything taking place at an isolated Island is awesome psychological thriller material, and DiCaprio and Marc Ruffalo are bringing their a-game to making it happen. Read more Watch the trailer of Shutter Island RATING: 88/100
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DIRECTOR: Ben Affleck CAST: Ben Affleck
Bryan Cranston
John Goodman
I happened to be working at an embassy when I was watching Argo, and I can’t deny this made the film extra interesting. Perhaps in such measure that it tipped the scales in favor of it becoming more than just a solid conventional international thriller. Because that it certainly is, a well-acted period film that narrates, with poise and accuracy, a historical happening that was huge in the world of international diplomacy. The suspense was crafted quite cleverly. Argo did not need to rely on action scenes, but knew perfectly well that what it needed to rely on was the psychological feeling of being shallowed up by a foreign country in which you can trust no-one, and you just hope to make it out alive amidst the chaos. If you are an Affleck fan, you might want to check out his Boston crime film The Town (2010) Read more Watch the trailer of Argo RATING: 85/100
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DIRECTOR: Paul Greengrass CAST: Tom Hanks
Barkhad Abdi
Barkhad Abdirahman
I was in doubt about whether I should instead of Captain Phillips suggest the Danish film Kapringen which deals with the exact same topic. The Danish film was also released in 2013, and is also about Somalian pirates hijacking a cargo ship, but it is a much more genuine, understated and realistic film than Captain Films. However, it is more a drama than a thriller. And Captain Phillips really thrills – it is a jittery, breathtaking film that reaches extreme levels of intensity. In other words, it is an incredibly tense thriller. Tom Hanks does a great job at making you care for his poor soul. Should really be seen in a cinema-worthy setting. Read more Watch the trailer of Captain Philips RATING: 88/100
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DIRECTOR: Xavier Dolan CAST: Xavier Dolan
Pierre-Yves Cardinal
Lise Roy
Critics can’t stop talking about Xavier Dolan’s Mommy (2014). That Nolan knows what he is doing in terms of producing excellent and moving drama is nothing new to us. That he also knows his stuff when it comes to thrillers was a pleasant (but not too big) surprise. He proved this with Tom at the Farm (Tom a la ferme), a ‘gay yet Hitchcockian suspense film’. Read more Watch the trailer of Tom at the Farm RATING: 83/100
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DIRECTOR: Denis Villeneuve CAST: Hugh Jackman
Jake Gyllenhaal
Viola Davis
Prisoners is topping this round-up because it stays within genre conventions (over-all at least) without ever becoming cliche or predictable. More than that, Denis Villeneuve shows how making a thriller should be done. Next to having a great plot with clever unexpected twists and turns, Prisoners gets you emotionally invested in the characters – the ones you are expected to be rooting for, but also the ones you might not expect yourself to care for. In other words, Villeneuve has managed to create real flesh and blood characters who, when inserted into extreme situations, act ambiguously, and consequently make you as a viewer question and investigate everything. His next feature, Enemy, a doppelgänger film also starring Jake Gyllenhaal, is way less straightforward, and almost feels like Villeneuve proving he is not just doing genre films now. Enemy is also great, but I wouldn’t mind Villeneuve sticking to excellent genre films like Prisoners. Read more Watch the trailer of Prisoners RATING: 93/100
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DIRECTOR: James Ponsoldt CAST: Karen Gillan
Emma Watson
Tom Hanks
The incredibly popular bestseller The Circle by Dave Eggers adapted to film. A very modern tale with the all the dark secrets we hope are not taking place at tech companies. In this technology thriller Emma Watson climbs the ranks of a social media company, and there she gets involved with a mysterious man. What first is a great experience, slowly turns grim.
Update: Don't go see it. It's horrible. There is no suspense, no drama, and no real story. It tries to be an investigation into the dangers of modern technology and social media, but even intellectually it is hollow and boring. Read more Watch the trailer of The Circle RATING: 82/100
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DIRECTOR: Taylor Sheridan CAST: Jeremy Renner
Elizabeth Olsen
Jon Bernthal
Taylor Sheridan, the writer of 2016's hit 'Hell or High Water', comes with a story about a killing that has taking place at Native American Reservation. An FBI agent teams (Elizabeth Olsen) up with a local tracker (Jeremy Renner). 'Wind River', taking place in snowy Wyoming, is an atmospheric slow-burner. Read more Watch the trailer of Wind River RATING: 84/100
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DIRECTOR: M. Night Shyamalan CAST: James Mcavoy
Anya Taylor-Joy
Haley Lu Richardson
James McAvoy goes truly insane in Split, a movie about three girls who get kidnapped by a mad man with 23 different personalities. Naturally, they are trying to escape, and it's quite thrilling. Read more Watch the trailer of Split RATING: 85/100
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DIRECTOR: Michael Bay CAST: Jake Gyllenhaal, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II & Eiza González
William Sharp needs money for his wife’s surgery but can’t muster such a bill as a veteran. With no other options, he teams up with his brother Danny to take part in a daring heist for millions of dollars. The heist goes wrong, however, leading to the duo stealing an ambulance and going on the run from law enforcement in a daring chase across the city. Based on the Danish film of the same name, this action-packed crime picture comes from director Michael Bay (Bad Boys) and stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Eiza González. Read more Watch the trailer of Ambulance
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DIRECTOR: Kenneth Branagh CAST: Kenneth Branagh, Gal Gadot & Letitia Wright
Kenneth Branagh takes on the re-telling of the Agatha Christie novel, Death on the Nile. He is also one of the producers and leads the cast as Hercule Poirot. Death on... Read more Watch the trailer of Death on the Nile Netflix | Amazon | All Release dates
DIRECTOR: Benjamín Naishtat CAST: Darío Grandinetti, Andrea Frigerio & Alfredo Castro
“Red” in English, Rojo is set in Argentina in 1975 during its darkest days when those opposed to the regime would disappear. The film is directed by Benjamin Nasihtat... Read more Watch the trailer of Rojo
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DIRECTOR: Halina Reijn CAST: Carice van Houten, Marwan Kenzari & Marie-Mae van Zuilen
This 2019 Dutch drama film is directed by Halina Reijn and stars Carice van Houten, Marwan Kenzari and Marie-Mae van Zuilen. It is about a prison psychiatrist who becomes... Read more Watch the trailer of Instinct Netflix | Amazon | All Release dates
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Unfortunately, too often, thrillers aren’t really that ‘thrilling’. Like horror, it is hard to avoid cliches when it comes to writing and directing thriller movies. We managed to put together a list of thrillers that will get you at the edge of your seat.
Filmmakers in the field of suspense never had to worry as much about their reputation as their action flick counterparts. Especially with psychological thriller films. A solid conventional thriller, however cliché or unsurprising, never has to face as much contempt from critics as a run of the mill action film. Apparently, aspiring to become a Hitchockian master of suspense is a goal worth striving for. And I am glad this is the case, because this has pushed many talented art house directors into the thriller genre. Whether it is a home invasion film, an erotic thriller, a psychological thriller or a conventional detective story, it can be done tastefully and without losing its main appeal – to thrill. Read here about this decade’s (2010 -) best psychological thriller films up to 2019 & 2020.
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