Art is indispensable for human existence. Although many people have only realized this in quarantine, it holds ways of both expression and understanding. If there was no entertainment, especially at this time, most people would have gone (more) crazy and bored. And, after all, who doesn’t like watching a good movie? Cinema arouses unique feelings on watchers – especially those productions with plot twists.
Here are six suggestions about films that will blow your mind and will leave you spending time reflecting, trying to understand what you just watched.
- Contratiempo (2016)
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The first of the list is “Contratiempo”, a Spanish production about a mysterious crime the characters are trying to unravel. Through many narratives and digressions, the film tries to explain what really happened that day. The problem is: nothing is what it seems to be. You will see how the same story can be told and manipulated into so many different ways.
As I watched it, I drew several conclusions. Any guess? I got almost everything wrong, with a few exceptions. So, a tip: if you think you’re catching onto them, remember, you’re not. The film will surprise you in such an impactful way that it will be difficult to take your eyes off the screen.
- Us (2019)
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Another movie that dropped my jaw! I don’t even need to talk about how brilliant Jordan Peele is in his productions. In another excellent work, the film tells the story of a family that, when traveling for a vacation, is surprised by a group of people who come to torment and threaten them. As if that wasn’t scary enough, the intruders are physically identical to the family.
The film is extremely intriguing and the narrative is very well constructed through a climate of tension. At the same time, there are some humorous scenes, as well as a great social criticism behind it.
At the end, it’s still difficult to be sure about what happened, because some things are not explained precisely to leave a wide margin of interpretation and reflection. In my opinion, it’s really worth a watch.
- Se7en (1995)
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This one is a classical suggestion, but it’s never too much to point out a good movie, is it?
This story is about an investigation of murders that was inspired by the seven deadly sins: gluttony, greed, sloth, envy, wrath, pride and lust. The pair of detectives David Mills (Brad Pitt) and William Somerset (Morgan Freeman) have to deal with crimes, full of cruelty and mystery, as they search for the killer as quickly as they can to prevent other victims from losing their lives.
This search for the culprit is harrowing, and when you find out who is behind the inhumane acts, it’s impossible not to be shocked – especially due to the way they discover it. In addition to this twist, there is still another one awaiting, this time to finish the plot. Completely amazing and breathtaking.
- Fractured (2019)
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When I watched this movie, I didn’t know it had a plot twist, so I thought I was absolutely sure about what was going on. I was clearly wrong.
The flick is about an accident that happens to a family on a car trip. The couple’s daughter breaks her arm, and is thus taken to the hospital. When they arrive there, everything seems off: the employees start to act as if the family has never been in the hospital, which suggests that they are hiding something.
The film shows that we don’t know the power of the human mind and how it can play tricks on us and create nonexistent realities. But we also must ask ourselves: how far does it go, and why? “Fractured” holds your attention from beginning to end (and inevitably messes with your psychological!).
Despite having suffered many negative reviews, I decided to give it a chance and I was surprised. I personally liked it a lot.
- Durante la Tormenta (2018)
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Another Spanish film to make up the list. I particularly love time travel movies and the way they usually mess up our heads. This one relates the theme of science fiction with a psychological thriller and drama.
With many revelations, the film tells the story of how the character Vera Roy (Adriana Ugarte) interferes in a different timeline – 25 years before – and ends up distorting her own reality. There are three different periods in the timeline and it’s based on the butterfly effect, which shows that a simple attitude can drastically change the course of things.
I found the plot really interesting and it’s easy to get involved with the narrative. Absolutely amazing and emotional.
- Split (2016)
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I confess I am too suspicious to write about this last movie. It is one of my favorites both for the incredible story that makes up the trilogy (embodied by Unbreakable, Split and Glass) and for the impeccable performance that James McAvoy always presents.
The film tells the story of a man named Kevin who suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) and has 23 distinct personalities. One day he kidnaps three girls and they have to deal with all his personalities while they are trying to scape. Meanwhile, Kevin is fighting a battle inside his own body because there are other personalities trying to take control.
Throughout the film we can see it, but especially in the plot twist scene, how incredible is his acting because we can guess which character James McAvoy is representing only for his gestures and facial expressions. It’s really impressive.
However, the movie has sparked up controversy in the past for its poor potrayal on the illness, misrepresenting it. Nonetheless, it still holds an unexpected merit in bringing awareness to the existence of DID, alongside its great mystery and acting.
Of course, these are some few examples of the bigger scope of flick shockers. There are many other movies with incredible twists out there, and perhaps that’s the plot twist to this article: being never-ending when it comes to surprising endings in the big screens. Still, I hope you enjoyed this six recommendations!
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The article above was edited by Isabella Gemignani.
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