A selection of spooky new thriller films and old favorites, including true psychological stories.
Many people enjoy going to the movies. They enjoy being surprised with a jump scare and being on the edge of their seats during scary psychological thriller films. While horror films frequently do that, psychological thrillers are a little different. These flicks instill a fear that persists long after the lights have been turned back on. They also take a while to reveal the horror, often with a surprising turn that the audience was unprepared for.
For individuals who want to take their time becoming afraid, we have put together a list of the top psychological thriller films. Among them are works by suspenseful filmmakers like David Fincher, Martin Scorsese, and Jordan Peele. Some are well-known film adaptations of books, such as The Shining, A Simple Favour, or The Invisible Man. Just be ready to not necessarily sleep at night, regardless of the movie you choose to watch. If you’re not thinking about a psychological thriller film long after you’ve fallen asleep, what good is it?
We have compiled a list of the greatest psychological thrillers ever made. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or searching for a film to watch before Halloween and during the spooky season, this list applies to you.
List of Must-watch Psychological Thriller Films
Don’t Worry Darling (2022)
Things start to become strange for Alice Chambers (Florence Pugh). She suspects something is wrong with her husband Jack (Harry Styles). Strange occurrences also take place in their neighborhood. Something far more sinister is present, but it’s similar to a darker version of The Truman Show.
Fight Club (1999)
An anonymous man named Edward Norton is unhappy and confused by life. He gets involved with Tyler Durden, a soap salesman, played by Brad Pitt. The two men decide to create an underground fight club. However, the consequences of this decision are disastrous and unpredictable for everyone involved.
Inception (2010)
Leonardo DiCaprio plays a professional burglar in this Psychological Thriller Films, who who prefers to access people’s subconscious minds to steal information. When he discovers he can erase his criminal past, there is one catch: he must render someone unconscious. This is necessary to carry out someone else’s plan. The consequence sets off an exciting series of events.
Midsommar (2019)
Nobody anticipates a darker event. A college girl (Florence Pugh) and her pals in Sweden decide to go on a nine-day Midsummer celebration. Will anyone survive the full event alive as the attendees begin to die?
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
Con artist Tom Ripley, played by Matt Damon, travels to Italy. His goal is to persuade a wealthy guy to return home. He intends to convince the man to work for his family’s company. However, in the process, Tom’s wicked tendencies cause him to kill two people and pose as one of the victims. This sets up an intriguing scenario for the remainder of the movie. What Tom’s real plan is will have you wondering.
Nope (2022)
On a California horse ranch, Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer go on a quest to discover proof of the presence of an unknown flying object. This Psychological Thriller Films, titled “Nope,” is written and directed by Jordan Peele, known for “Get Out” and “Us.” The film is certain to have exciting turns and twists.
The Machinist (2004)
Machinist Christian Bale goes through a year without sleeping. He endures various health issues as a result, such as sleeplessness and emaciation. He begins to question his sanity as a result, as well as the life he had before this point.
The Matrix (1999)
Tom Anderson, played by Keanu Reeves, is a computer programmer who lives in the Matrix, a virtual reality. He must decide whether to embrace the horrors. Or, continue living his life as he has, to discover the truth about the society he lives in. If you’re familiar with the red pill vs. blue pill controversy, you might want to learn more about its origins.
Saltburn (2023)
Barry Keoghan portrays a character who is an Oxford scholarship student. He is a social climber but uncertain of how to thrive in that academic environment. As a result, he befriends Jacob Elordi, a wealthy student. This friendship sets off a series of events. Some people may ultimately feel uneasy about these events.
Donnie Darko (2001)
Teenage Donnie Darko struggles emotionally. While sleepwalking, he manages to avoid an accident unintentionally. Then, he starts to see an enigmatic figure dressed as a rabbit. The creature warns him that the world will end in 28 days. This sets off a series of events no one will ever forget.
Memento (2000)
A guy with short-term memory loss attempts to identify the perpetrator of the horrific attack on his wife. This Psychological Thriller Film is a mind-blowing game of cat and mouse, and the unexpected revelations scattered throughout will make people reevaluate each character.
The Prestige (2006)
Following a sad catastrophe in London in the 1890s, in this Psychological Thriller Film two men who work as a magician’s assistants decide to fight and produce the most amazing illusion that has ever been witnessed. Even those participating in the sport are surprised by the disastrous outcomes of what begins as a friendly situation.
Leave the World Behind (2023)
When all of the family’s equipment falls offline due to a cyberattack, their holiday in a gorgeous and opulent rental home takes a sinister turn. The scenario that emerges when two strangers knock on their home will undoubtedly leave you in a state of shock.
Fair Play (2023)
A young woman’s relationship with her coworker/fiance is on the verge of collapse after she receives a promotion at a competitive hedge firm. In this Psychological Thriller Film, people get a fresh glimpse of Phoebe Dynevor’s acting range as she plays one of the key protagonists in Bridgerton.
The Marsh King’s Daughter (2023)
In this Psychological Thriller Film, Daisy Ridley portrays a woman who was raised in captivity after her mother was kidnapped before she was born, based on the 2017 book of the same name. She now wishes to leave the man who reared her alone in the forest and flee.
The Invisible Man (2020)
Elisabeth Moss plays a lady who believes her ex-boyfriend is stalking and gaslighting her in this 2020 movie and novel adaptation. What’s the most terrifying aspect? Her fears are completely believable because he could be able to turn invisible after he passes away.
Knock at the Cabin (2023)
Four strangers kidnap a young couple and their daughter as they are on a family vacation in a secluded cabin. The group is then presented with the option to either sacrifice one of their own or trigger a global disaster.
Uncut Gems (2019)
Howard Ratner, a jeweler and gambler who works in the Diamond District of New York City, is portrayed by Adam Sandler. He has to risk everything to pay off his debts and regain a gemstone that he bought that is extremely valuable.
The Dark Knight (2008)
The second installment of Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy is well-known for being one of Heath Ledger’s final roles before his tragic passing. In addition to becoming iconic, his portrayal of the Joker influenced how the character is presented in subsequent motion pictures.
A Simple Favor (2018)
Two women with disparate levels of wealth appear to be unlikely friends when they first meet. The other, who also happens to be a YouTuber, decides to solve the case and locate her missing friend after one abruptly vanishes without a trace.
Parasite (2019)
After seeing this nerve-wracking movie, which became the first foreign-language film to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards, you won’t ever look at your cellar the same way again. It is a masterful critique of classism that is at times gruesome, eerie, and even darkly humorous.
Taxi Driver (1976)
Often regarded as one of the greatest films ever made, it was directed by Martin Scorsese and starred Robert De Niro as a Vietnam veteran whose anger and paranoia turn murderous.
The Babadook (2014)
Pro tip: Your children will never sleep again if you let them watch this. After a weird AF children’s book does the same, a single mother has to defend her son from an evil entity that shows up in their home. When it was released in 2014, it caused quite a stir and is still highly recommended.
Blue Velvet (1986)
We are interested in anything involving a severed human ear, an abducted child of a nightclub singer, and a nefarious conspiracy. If you haven’t watched it yet, put it in your queue immediately because it is a David Lynch classic of all time.
Zodiac (2007)
Director David Fincher’s skill at genuinely spooky sequences is fully displayed in this eerie police procedural about the real-life Zodiac killer.
The Woman in the Window (2021)
The psychologist Anna Fox (played by Amy Adams) sees her neighbor being killed across the street one night while she’s gazing out the window of her New York City flat. Or does she? Due to her agoraphobia, alcoholism, and hallucinations, Anna is unable to leave her home and finds it difficult to interpret what she believes she witnessed.
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
In this cinematic adaptation of Thomas Harris’s beloved book, Jodie Foster plays Clarice, a young FBI cadet in need of assistance in tracking down a serial killer. The outcome is quite disturbing as she ultimately seeks the advice of Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), a cannibal murderer who is incarcerated and a former psychiatrist.
The Girl on the Train (2016)
As the train passes a picture-perfect pair, Rachel Watson (Emily Blunt) sees them every day on her commute. Following the woman’s disappearance, Rachel becomes the focus of a missing person inquiry that becomes increasingly complex with each shocking discovery.
Get Out (2017)
You’ll adore this psychological thriller film if you’re a city mouse who finds the too-quiet woods frightening. Rose (Allison Williams) and Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) visit her family in their country house for a weekend. Chris starts getting into more unsettling situations, even though they are supposedly there to help him get to know her parents better.
The Sixth Sense (1999)
An 8-year-old boy saying, “I see dead people,” is a surefire way to get chills. In this movie, a child psychologist (played by Bruce Willis) is attempting to assist Cole, a young youngster who says he can communicate with the dead. We’ll just say this: You won’t ever see it coming if you’re not already aware of the final twist.
Black Swan (2010)
Natalie Portman’s disciplined character Nina would stop at nothing to further her career as a dancer. She battles the wild kid Lily (Mila Kunis) for the lead role in a staging of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. As their competition veers towards the dark, Nina starts to lose her sense of reality while fighting for the role.
American Psycho (2000)
This psychological thriller film, which is set in 1980s New York City, revolves around Patrick (Christian Bale), an executive in investment banking who conceals his nighttime identity as a serial killer. His friends and coworkers begin to suspect him over time, but do they ever find out? To find out, you must watch.
Gone Girl (2014)
In the psychological thriller film “Gone Girl”, Nick (Ben Affleck), a former writer, and his wife Amy (Rosamund Pike) could appear to be the ideal pair. But Nick is the primary suspect after Amy disappears on their fifth wedding anniversary. The stunning reality of what transpired is revealed through a series of twists and turns, and it will undoubtedly startle you.
Us (2019)
Adelaide’s (Lupita Nyong’o) worst fears are realized when a group of assailants arrives at her family’s beachfront home. When Adelaide and her family discover that each assailant looks like one of them, the situation becomes even more terrifying. The plot will undoubtedly frighten you if the premise isn’t enough.
Misery (1990)
A former nurse named Annie (Kathy Bates) helps a novelist named Paul (James Caan) after he has a vehicle accident. To put it bluntly, however, she does not take it well when she learns that Paul is killing off her favorite character in his books. Prepare yourself for some terrifying sequences involving a sledgehammer and gut-wrenching turns.
The Shining (1980)
To allow his family to spend quality time together, Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) accepts a position as a winter caretaker for a remote historic resort. However, the picturesque landscape conceals a sinister past that begins to seep into Jack’s consciousness—and that’s only the beginning. After that, there are eerie twin girls, spectral visions, and one of the film’s most thrilling chase scenes.
Vertigo (1958)
This is a must-see psychological thriller film. The Alfred Hitchcock picture centers on James Stewart, a former San Francisco police investigator who is assigned to a case to stop his friend’s wife from taking her own life. Remember to take a deep breath since this is one of the most suspenseful films ever made.
Joker (2019)
In an increasingly grim Gotham City, comedian Arthur (played by Joaquin Phoenix) longs for some humor. However, his terrible past of neglect and abuse has had a negative impact. Arthur, who is mentally sick, gradually transforms into the Joker, a malevolent character.
Ma (2019)
A group of teens make friends with Octavia Spencer’s character Sue Ann, a recluse, who consents to let them host a party in her basement away from the prying eyes of their parents. She’s not the cool old lady they believe, though, as events begin to occur that cause the teenagers to doubt her hospitality, and a more sinister aspect of their bond shows through.
Shutter Island (2010)
Leonardo DiCaprio’s dashing character, Edward Daniels, starts looking into the disappearance of a lady who broke out of a mental health facility. However, he gradually realizes that his mental state may also be failing. In this mind-controlling film, leaving the island safely quickly turns into a war in and of itself.
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