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16 Movies with the Best Twists or Surprise Endings (Without Spoilers!)
15 days ago
Ever watch a movie and you know exactly what’s going to happen next and how it’s going to end? And then there’s a bait and switch and you’re totally surprised? That’s what we love about movies with the best twists or surprising endings — we think we have it all figured out and then, wham, the ending is completely unexpected.
The allure of these movies is that they are done so creatively, so covertly, so intelligently, that we are wowed by just how good the deception was (and we are smart people!). From psychological thrillers to crime dramas, we look at 16 movies with the best twists/surprise endings (without spoilers).
16. The Sixth Sense (1999): Best surprising endings
A young boy, Cole, sees dead people and seeks help from a child psychologist, Dr. Malcolm Crowe. What happens next will throw you for a loop. This psychological thriller is a great watch, again and again. The Sixth Sense stars Bruce Willis , Haley Joel Osment and Toni Collette .
An insomniac office worker forms an underground fight club with a soap salesman, which spirals out of control. Starring Brad Pitt, Edward Norton , and Helena Bonham Carter . We didn’t see the plot twist coming. Plus, we think this is one of Brad Pitt’s best films.
14. The Usual Suspects (1995): Best surprising endings
This movie was a blockbuster hit when it came out and it continues to have a cult following.
The story is about a sole survivor that tells the twisted events leading up to a horrific gun battle on a boat, tracing everything back to a mysterious criminal mastermind, Keyser Söze.
Another of our favorite Brad Pitt plot twist movies. Se7en is about two detectives who hunt a serial killer who uses the seven deadly sins as motives. In addition to Pitt, the film also stars
Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale are fantastic in The Prestige . The movie about two rival magicians engaged in a bitter competition to create the ultimate stage illusion. The twist involves the lengths people go for their craft. The movie also stars Scarlett Johansson and Piper Perabo .
A U.S. Marshal investigates the disappearance of a patient from a hospital for the criminally insane, only to discover his own shocking reality. This all-star cast includes Leonardo DiCaprio , Mark Ruffalo and Ben Kingsley. It’s directed by the talented Martin Scorsese (no wonder we didn’t see the twists coming).
The Others is about a woman who lives in a darkened old house with her two photosensitive children and becomes convinced that her home is haunted. Nicole Kidman is perfect in the lead role. The movie also stars Fionnula Flanagan and Christopher Eccleston . This is a classic ghost story turned on its head.
Plot: A wealthy banker is given an elaborate birthday gift involving a live-action game that consumes his life. Starring Michael Douglas, Sean Penn , Deborah Kara Unger . This is another great plot twist movie from director David Fincher. The twists and surprise ending will leave you reeling (and ready to watch it again). Stream ing on Apple TV.
An altar boy is accused of murdering a priest, and a hotshot lawyer takes his case, only to uncover shocking truths. Starring Richard Gere , Edward Norton and Laura Linney — all at their acting best. Primal Fear was directed by Gregory Hoblit and was both a commercial and critical success.
A man with short-term memory loss uses notes and tattoos to hunt for his wife's killer. Memento stars Guy Pearce , Carrie-Anne Moss and Joe Pantoliano and is directed by Christopher Nolan. The movie looks at the stories we tell ourselves in order to survive.
A secluded village's residents live in fear of the creatures in the surrounding woods, only to uncover a shocking truth about their world. The Village stars Bryce Dallas Howard , Joaquin Phoenix and Adrien Brody . This thought-provoking film is about the power of belief and the boundaries we create.
A man is kidnapped and imprisoned for 15 years, then released and given 5 days to find his captor. Oldboy is both disturbing and unforgettable. It stars Choi Min-sik , Yoo Ji-tae, Kang Hye-jung and it’s directed by Park Chan-wook.
Another of David Fincher’s masterpieces (he’s the king of plot twists). Gone Girl is about a man who becomes the prime suspect in the disappearance of his wife, only for dark secrets to unravel. Starring Ben Affleck , Rosamund Pike and Neil Patrick Harris . The film is a twisted look at marriage and manipulation.
An undercover cop and a mole in the police attempt to identify each other while infiltrating an Irish gang in South Boston. The Departed is a rollercoaster of loyalty and deception. The series of unexpected betrayals and the final twist will leave you stunned. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon and Jack Nicholson , the movie was directed by Martin Scorsese.
Directed by mastermind Alfred Hitchcock, this movie is about a Phoenix secretary who embezzles $40,000 from her employer's client, then goes on the run and checks into a remote motel run by a young man under the domination of his mother. Psycho is a thriller, mystery and horror all in one. Plus, it has one of the most famous shower scenes in movie history.
As the Rebel Alliance runs from Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker trains to become a Jedi Knight. But it’s Darth Vader’s line at the end (one of the most quoted lines in movie history), that shocks everyone (we won’t give it away, but safe to say you will definitely be surprised).
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