Top 100 Paranoid Thriller
Best Paranoid Thrillers of All Time
Movies with Paranoid plot in any form (action, adventure, mystery, horror, science fiction, espionage/spy thrillers, conspiracy theories, political thrillers e.tc.).
Definition: Paranoid thrillers describes works of cinema that explore the subjective nature of reality and how it can be manipulated by forces in power. These forces can be external, such as a totalitarian government, or they can be internal, such as a character's mental illness. At its most basic, paranoid fiction refers specifically to works about speculations and possible conspiracies by people in power, told by an unreliable narrator.
Characteristics: shadowy conspiracy, a sense of distrust and paranoia, the feeling that important truths are being hidden, a recurrent belief that the government is covering up the truth, the certainty that there is something fundamentally rotten at the heart of many respected social institutions and the recurring surety that some golden past has been inevitably corrupted and that society is falling towards a moral collapse, or believe that a network of secret societies and cults was running the world, a loss of identity, etc.4`
Key Elements:
+ Political conspiracy (the government is covering up the truth, political control, media control, systematic spying, group’s misinformation, deception, misleading, distrust, ever-present danger, power-hungry corporations, uncover wrongdoing)
+ Political manipulation (manipulative political ends, disinformation, manipulating agencies, controlling-surveillance acts, influencing the state of mind of the person whose decision will get him what he wants, and by changing the situation so that he gets what he wants)
+ Paranoid thinking (conspiratorial beliefs, secret malevolent plot, secret agreements, social stress, insecurity about social/political systems, anxiety, suspiciousness, doubts, pervasive mistrust, trust-no-one, unknown threat, unseen malevolent force, ever-present threat, religious paranoia, paranoid delusions)
+ Psychologically troubled characters (complex/disjointed depiction of reality, irrational fears, ever-present dread, derealization symptoms, paranoid phobias, apocalyptic thinking)
+ Alternate realities (theories that technology secretly observes and controls our thoughts, or in which reality is simulated with virtual constructs or implanted memories, cyber-paranoia, illusion of control, magic realism, world is a lie or an illusion)
Essential / Must-see / Genre-defying: paranoid thriller movies:
Other Similar Lists:
Top 100 Political Thriller
Top 100 Conspiracy Thriller
Movies with Paranoid plot in any form (action, adventure, mystery, horror, science fiction, espionage/spy thrillers, conspiracy theories, political thrillers e.tc.).
Definition: Paranoid thrillers describes works of cinema that explore the subjective nature of reality and how it can be manipulated by forces in power. These forces can be external, such as a totalitarian government, or they can be internal, such as a character's mental illness. At its most basic, paranoid fiction refers specifically to works about speculations and possible conspiracies by people in power, told by an unreliable narrator.
Characteristics: shadowy conspiracy, a sense of distrust and paranoia, the feeling that important truths are being hidden, a recurrent belief that the government is covering up the truth, the certainty that there is something fundamentally rotten at the heart of many respected social institutions and the recurring surety that some golden past has been inevitably corrupted and that society is falling towards a moral collapse, or believe that a network of secret societies and cults was running the world, a loss of identity, etc.4`
Key Elements:
+ Political conspiracy (the government is covering up the truth, political control, media control, systematic spying, group’s misinformation, deception, misleading, distrust, ever-present danger, power-hungry corporations, uncover wrongdoing)
+ Political manipulation (manipulative political ends, disinformation, manipulating agencies, controlling-surveillance acts, influencing the state of mind of the person whose decision will get him what he wants, and by changing the situation so that he gets what he wants)
+ Paranoid thinking (conspiratorial beliefs, secret malevolent plot, secret agreements, social stress, insecurity about social/political systems, anxiety, suspiciousness, doubts, pervasive mistrust, trust-no-one, unknown threat, unseen malevolent force, ever-present threat, religious paranoia, paranoid delusions)
+ Psychologically troubled characters (complex/disjointed depiction of reality, irrational fears, ever-present dread, derealization symptoms, paranoid phobias, apocalyptic thinking)
+ Alternate realities (theories that technology secretly observes and controls our thoughts, or in which reality is simulated with virtual constructs or implanted memories, cyber-paranoia, illusion of control, magic realism, world is a lie or an illusion)
Essential / Must-see / Genre-defying: paranoid thriller movies:
- The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
- The Parallax View (1974)
- The Conversation (1974)
- All The President’s Men (1976)
Other Similar Lists:
Top 100 Political Thriller
Top 100 Conspiracy Thriller
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- DirectorDavid FincherStarsMichael DouglasDeborah Kara UngerSean PennAfter a wealthy San Francisco banker is given an opportunity to participate in a mysterious game, his life is turned upside down as he begins to question if it might really be a concealed conspiracy to destroy him.The Game (1997)*
Drama – Mystery – Thriller – Mystery Drama – Wealthy Egocentric Investment Banker – Obsessive Life-Control Freak – Childhood (Father's Suicide) Trauma – 48th Birthday – Younger Brother's Enigmatic Birthday Present – Mysterious Game – Life-Threatening – Anxiety Disorder – Uncertainty Stress – Panic Attack – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Invisible Manipulation – Manhunt – Frenetic Chase – Conspiracy Theory – Shadowy Organization – Well-Planned Conspiracy – Identity Theft – Paranoid Thriller – Jeopardy – Unknown Threat – Suspicions – Mistrust – Desperation – Obsession – Paranoia – Downward Spiral – Rabbit Hole Syndrome – Psychological Thriller – Nightmarish Fears – Psychological Struggle – Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – Adjustment Disorder – Puzzle Film – Complex Storytelling – Cause-and-Effect Chain – Others – Jigsaw Movie – Character Study – Corporate Culture Satire – Capitalism – Intelligent Film – Hitchcockian Aura – Plot Twist – Criterion Collection – Cult Status – Classic Status – T o p – Best 90's – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★★★★ (10/10)-S
Key-Element: conspiratorial thinking / distrust / illusion of control - DirectorDoug LimanStarsFranka PotenteMatt DamonChris CooperA man is picked up by a fishing boat, bullet-riddled and suffering from amnesia, before racing to elude assassins and attempting to regain his memory.The Bourne Identity (2002)*
Drama – Action – Mystery – Thriller – Mystery Drama – Unidentified American Man – Psychogenic Amnesia – Mysterious Identity – Extraordinary Talents – Combat Skills – Deadly Assassin – Identity Investigation – Espionage Action Thriller – Intelligence Agencies Operation – Covert Assassinations Program – Failed Mission – Track-Down Operation – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Frame-Up – Kill-Order – Hitman Target – Manhunt – Frenetic Action – Martial Arts – Frantic Chase – Suspense – Tension – Escape Thriller – Political Conspiracy Theory – Shadowy Conspiracy – Super-Secrets – Black Ops Program – Political Assassination – Political Intrigue – Paranoid Thriller – Unknown Threat – Unwitting Target of Enemies – Ever-Present Dander – Suspicions – Mistrust – Desperation – Confusion – Paranoia – Others – Identity Crisis – Existential Confusion – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – Professionalism – Robert Ludlum's 1980 Novel – T o p – Best 00's – Cult Status – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★★★★ (10/10)-S
Key-Element: political conspiracy / political manipulation / ever-present danger - DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsTom CruiseColin FarrellSamantha MortonJohn works with the PreCrime police which stop crimes before they take place, with the help of three 'PreCogs' who can foresee crimes. Events ensue when John finds himself framed for a future murder.Minority Report (2002)*
Science Fiction – Crime – Action – Adventure – Mystery – Thriller – Sci-Fi Thriller – Year 2054 – Specialized Police Department – Crime-prevention System – Pre-crime Program – Psychic Technology – Premeditated Murders Warns – Blame Game – Fake Premonition – Wrong-Man Scenario – Frame-up – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Manhunt – Frenetic Chase – Action Adventure Thriller – Man-on-a-Mission – Escape Thriller – Suspense – Tension – Panic Attack – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – Identity Crisis – Manipulation – Suspicions – Mistrust – Paranoia – Murder Mystery – Detective Story – Murder Mystery – Whodunit – Missing Person – Serial Child Killer – Neo-Noir – Deception – Obsession – Corruption – Double-Crosses – Moral Conflict – Fate – Others – Determinism – Futurism – Feverish – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – Love-Loss Trauma – Intelligent Film – Plot Twist – Philip K.Dick’s Novel – Cult Status – Classic Status – T o p – Best 00's – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★★★★ (10/10)-S
Key-Element: political conspiracy / political manipulation / ever-present danger - DirectorLana WachowskiLilly WachowskiStarsKeanu ReevesLaurence FishburneCarrie-Anne MossWhen a beautiful stranger leads computer hacker Neo to a forbidding underworld, he discovers the shocking truth--the life he knows is the elaborate deception of an evil cyber-intelligence.The Matrix (1999)*
Science Fiction – Action – Adventure – Thriller – Dystopian Thriller – Year 2199 – Dystopian Future – Globally Catastrophic Humans-Robots War – Enslave Humans – Mind-Control Program – Artificial Reality “The Matrix” – Simulation Theory – Virtual Reality – Hyper-Reality – Humans Rebellion – Action Adventure Thriller – Prophecy – Illustrious Computer-Hacker Young Man – Messianic Saviour “The One” – Computer's Generated-Reality-Rules Break – Man-Against-Machines – Hyperkinetic Action – Fight Sequences – Martial Arts Film – Human's Rescue Mission – Destiny – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Manhunt – Suspense – Tension – Frenetic Pursuit – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – Deception – Manipulation – Ever-Present Dander – Fear – Mistrust – Paranoia – Others – Anti-Utopia Fiction - Thought Provoking – Sophisticate – Metaphysical – Theological – Allegorical – Symbolism – Existentialism – Determinism – Intelligent Film – Landmark Film – Iconic Film – Blockbuster – Oscar (4) Winner – T o p – Best 90's – F a v e – Cult Status – Classic Status – Re-Watch Value – Australia – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★★★★ (10/10)-S
Key-Element: Alternate Reality Paranoia / world-is-a-lie / illusion of control - DirectorStanley KubrickStarsTom CruiseNicole KidmanTodd FieldA Manhattan doctor embarks on a bizarre, night-long odyssey after his wife's admission of unfulfilled longing.Eyes Wide Shut (1999)*
Drama – Mystery – Thriller – Erotic Drama – Married Couple – Sexual Fantasies Confession – Wife's Secret Unfulfilled Temptation – Husband's Narcissistic Injury – Traumatic Experience – Doubt – Jealousy – Commitment Crisis – Marital Alienation – High-Society Hedonism – Relationship Drama – Mystery – Enigmatic Dark Activity – Shadowy Religious Sect – Ritualistic Orgy – Moral Hypocrisy – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – Confusion – Corruption – Paranoia – Dream-Like Reality – Psychological Thriller – Existential Crisis – Nightmarish Fears – Derealization Symptom – Delusional Disorder – Paranoid Fears – Paranoid-Schizoid Position – Psychosexual Drama – Sexual Revenge Fantasy – Sexual Obsession – BDSM – Sexual Occultism – Voyeurism – Male Gaze Theory – Female Objectification – Scopophilia – Castration Anxiety – Gender-Behavior Study – Freudian Theory – Art-House – Artistic – Aesthetic – Eroticism – Existentialism – Symbolism – Surrealism – Psychedelic – Metaphorical – Thought-Provoking – Neo-Noir – Urban Setting – Low-Key Lighting – Ironic Fate – Cynicism – Nihilism – Fatalism – Pessimism – Others – Cult Status – Classic Status – T o p – Best 90's – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – European – U.K. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★★★★ (10/10)-S
Key-Element: paranoid-schizoid thinking / shadowy secret society / psycho-sexual Paranoia - DirectorPark Chan-wookStarsChoi Min-sikYoo Ji-taeKang Hye-jeongAfter being kidnapped and imprisoned for fifteen years, Oh Dae-Su is released, only to find that he must track down his captor in five days.Oldboy (Oldeuboi) (2003)*
Drama – Action – Mystery – Thriller – Mystery Drama – Ordinary Businessman – Kidnapping / 15-Years Imprisoned – Mysterious Enemy – Blame Game – Wifes' Murder – Frame-Up – Fake Escape – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Psychological Manipulation – Power Games – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy Web – Identity Crisis – Distrust – Corruption – Madness – Paranoia – Moral Collapse – Downward Spiral – Twisted Revenge Thriller – Vigilantism – Twisted Destroy-Life Plan – Sadomasochistic Torture – Hyper-Violence – Revenge Gives Sadistic Pleasure – Revenge Spiral – Psychological Horror – Discomfort Sense – Kafkaesque Nightmare – Existential Terror – Mental Disorder – Childhood Trauma – Guilt Complex – Psychosexual Drama – Incestuous Relationship – Symbolic Mutilation – Oedipus Complex – Art-Horror – Bizarre – Avant-Garde – Extravagante – Neo-Noir – Urban Setting – Low-Key Lighting – Ironic Fate – Amoralism – Cynicism – Nihilism – Fatalism – Others – Disturbing – E x t r e m e – WTF-Factor – Shock Valu – T o p – Best 00's – F a v e – Cult Status – Classic Status – Re-Watch Value – Foreign Language – Asian – South Korea – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★★★ (9/10)-M
Key-Element: unseen malevolent force / trust-no-one / ever-present danger - DirectorAlan ParkerStarsMickey RourkeRobert De NiroLisa BonetA private investigator is hired by a man who calls himself Louis Cyphre to track down a singer named Johnny Favorite. But the investigation takes an unexpected and somber turn.Angel Heart (1987)*
Drama – Horror – Mystery – Thriller – Mystery Drama – Detective Story – Immoral Private Investigator – Enigmatic Client – Missing Person Case – Investigation – Dangerous Procedural – Mysterious Murders – Devil-Worship Cult – Voodoo / Black Magic Ritual – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Forces – Dark Backdrop – Disjointed Reality – Identity Crisis – Deception – Corruption – Madness – Religious Paranoia – Downward Spiral – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Psychological Manipulation – Power-Plays – Psychological Horror – Simmering Danger – Nightmarish Fears – Metaphysical Threat – Claustrophobic Dread – Existential Terror – Occult Horror – Mental Disorder – Paranoid Personality Disorder (PPD) – Memory Trauma – Identity Chaos – Incestuous Relationship – Neo-Noir – Urban Setting – Low-Key Lighting – Ironic Fate – Cynicism – Nihilism – Fatalism – Others – Surrealism – Cynicism – Mysticism – Satanism – Doppelgänger – Faustian Tale – Plot Twist – Cult Status – T o p – Best 80's – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★★★ (9/10)-S
Key-Element: paranoid-schizoid thinking / religious paranoia / paranoid delusions - DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsGene HackmanJohn CazaleAllen GarfieldA paranoid, secretive surveillance expert has a crisis of conscience when he suspects that the couple he is spying on will be murdered.The Conversation (1974)*
Drama – Crime – Mystery – Thriller – Espionage Crime Mystery Thriller – Freelance Surveillance Expert Lonely Man – Privacy Obsessive – Guilt Complex – Couple Surveillance New Case – Forbidden Extramarital Affair – Enigmatic Conversation – Conspiracy Theory – Shadowy Conspiracy – Potential Murder – Paranoid Thriller – Moral Dilemmas – Psychological Stress – Suspicions – Insecurity – Betrayal – Distrust – Fear – Paranoia – Downward Spiral – Political Thriller – Mass Surveillance Politics – Psychological Drama – Moral Maze – Self-Deception – Repressed Emotions – Mental Disorder – Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) – Paranoid Personality Disorder (PPD) – Childhood Trauma – Neo-Noir – Urban Setting – Low-Key Lighting – Ironic Fate – Cynicism – Pessimism – Nihilism – Others – Character Study – Influential Film – Classic Status – Cult Status – T o p – Best 70s – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★★★ (9/10)-M
Key-Element: paranoid thinking / controlling-surveillance paranoia / trust-no-one - DirectorPaul GreengrassStarsMatt DamonFranka PotenteJoan AllenWhen Jason Bourne is framed for a CIA operation gone awry, he is forced to resume his former life as a trained assassin to survive.The Bourne Supremacy (2004)*
Drama – Action – Thriller – Espionage Action Thriller – Man-on-a-Run – Former CIA assassin – Haunting Past – Psychogenic Amnesia Suffering – Extraordinary Talents – Martial Arts – Intelligence Agencies Operation – Uncover-Mole Operation – Sabotage – Operation Gone-Wrong – Blame Game – Murder Accusation – Wrong-Man Scenario – Frame-up – Track-Down Operation – Suspense – Tension – Frenetic Action – Political Thriller – Black Ops Program – Political Assassination – Political Intrigue – Paranoid Thriller – Conspiracy Theory – Jeopardy – Unknown Threat – Suspicions – Mistrust – Desperation – Confusion – Paranoia – Intrigue – Conspiracy Theory – Shadowy Conspiracy – Sold-Secrets – Cover-Ups – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Manhunt – Pursuit – Frantic Chase – Escape Thriller – Revenge Thriller – Girlfriend Assassination – Love-Loss Trauma – Strike-Back Justice – Others – Identity Crisis – Existential Confusion – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – Professionalism – Heroism – Robert Ludlum's Novel – Sequel – T o p – Best 00's – Cult Status – F a v e– Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★★★ (9/10)-S
Key-Element: political conspiracy / political manipulation / ever-present danger - DirectorPaul GreengrassStarsMatt DamonEdgar RamírezJoan AllenJason Bourne dodges a ruthless C.I.A. official and his Agents from a new assassination program while searching for the origins of his life as a trained killer.The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)*
Action – Adventure – Mystery – Thriller – Mystery Thriller – Man-on-a-Mission – Former CIA assassin – Haunting Past – Psychogenic Amnesia Suffering – Extraordinary Talents – Identity Investigation – Determination – Intelligence Agencies Operation – Mass Surveillance Politics – Dangerous-Truths Cover – Political Assassination – Political Intrigue – Espionage Action Thriller – Secret Black-Ops Operation – Track-Down Operation – Covert Assassinations Program – Suspense – Tension – Frenetic Action – Martial Arts – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Manhunt – Pursuit – Frantic Chase – Escape Thriller – Conspiracy Theory – Shadowy Conspiracy – Sold-Secrets – Cover-Ups – Paranoid Thriller – Conspiracy – Jeopardy – Unknown Threat – Suspicions – Mistrust – Desperation – Confusion – Paranoia – Others – Identity Crisis – Existential Confusion – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – Professionalism – Heroism – Robert Ludlum's Novel – Sequel – T o p – Best 00's – Cult Status – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★★★ (9/10)-S
Key-Element: political conspiracy / political manipulation / ever-present danger - DirectorJohn CarpenterStarsKurt RussellWilford BrimleyKeith DavidA research team in Antarctica is hunted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of its victims.The Thing (1982)*
Science Fiction – Horror – Mystery – Thriller – Sci-Fi Mystery Thriller – Remote Antarctic Research Station – Group of American Researchers – Norwegian Helicopter – Sled-Dog Pursuit – Mysterious Behaviour – Madness – Investigation – Suspense – Tension – Survival Horror – Alien Invasion – Parasitic Extraterrestrial Life-Form – Replicates Victims – Infiltration – Fear – Desperation – Confusion – Uncertainty Stress – Anxiety Disorder – Panic Attack – Violence – Gore – Body Horror – Man Against Monster – Trapped Survival – Escape Thriller – Psychological Horror – Simmering Danger – Nightmarish Fears – Metaphysical Threat – Claustrophobic Dread – Existential Terror – Paranoid Thriller – Claustrophobia – Psychological Stress – Betrayal – Suspicions – Ever-Present Danger – Insecurity – Distrust – Paranoia – Chaos – Others – Cosmic Horror – Lovecraftian Feel – Grotesque – Nihilism – John W.Campbell Jr. Novel – Classic Status – Cult Status – Best 80's – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A. – 1001 Must See Movies
★★★★★★★★ (8/10)-M
Key-Element: trust-no-one / ever-present threat - DirectorTony ScottStarsWill SmithGene HackmanJon VoightA lawyer becomes targeted by a corrupt politician and his N.S.A. goons when he accidentally receives key evidence to a politically motivated crime.Enemy of The State (1998)*
Drama – Action – Thriller – Political Drama – Anti-Terrorism Legislation – Mass Surveillance Politics – Civil Rights – Congressman Assassination – Unsuspecting D.C.Lawyer – Filmed Evidence – Espionage Action Thriller – Intelligence Agencies Operation – Underground Former Agent – Investigation – Suspense – Claustrophobic Tension – Blame Game – Frame-Up – Destroy-Life Plan – Clear-His-Name Plan – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Manhunt – Pursuit – Track-Down – Frantic Chase – Escape Thriller – Anxiety – Conspiracy Theory – Shadowy Conspiracy – Politically Motivated Murder – Cover-Up – Corrupt Politician – Paranoid Thriller – Manipulation – Cause-Effect Chain – Complex Reality – Ever-Present Danger – Psychological Stress – Suspicions – Insecurity – Distrust – Fear – Paranoia – Neo-Noir – Urban Setting – Corruption – Cynicism – Nihilism – Others – Cult Status – Best 90's – Re-Watch Value – F a v e – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★★ (8/10)-S
Key-Element: political conspiracy / controlling-surveillance paranoia / trust-no-one - DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsLeonardo DiCaprioEmily MortimerMark RuffaloTeddy Daniels and Chuck Aule, two US marshals, are sent to an asylum on a remote island in order to investigate the disappearance of a patient, where Teddy uncovers a shocking truth about the place.Shutter Island (2010)*
Drama – Mystery – Thriller – Mystery Drama – Cold-War (1954) Era – US Marshal – Man-on-a-Mission – Remote Island – Mental Asylum – Patient Mysterious Disappearance – Criminal Investigation – Enigmatic Doctors – Conspiracy Theory – Mysterious Treatment – Shadowy Conspiracy – Dark Secrets – Suspicions – Paranoid Thriller – Isolation – Claustrophobia – Jeopardy – Unknown Threat – Ever-Present Dander – Fear – Mistrust – Deception – Desperation – Madness – Paranoia – Downward Spiral – Escape Thriller – Psychological Thriller – Hallucinations – Love-Loss Trauma – Mental Disorder – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – Delusional Disorder – Paranoid Personality Disorder (PPD) – Guilt Complex – Puzzle Film – Complex Storytelling – Self-Conscious Narration – Dream-Like Reality – Surrealism – Neo-Noir – Detective Story – Low-Key Lighting – Ironic Fate – Others – Mind-Game Film – Misdirection Film – Plot Twist – Dennis Lehane's 2003 Novel – Cult Status – Best 10's – Re-Watch Value – F a v e – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★★ (8/10)-W
Key-Element: conspiratorial thinking / paranoid delusions / trust-no-one - DirectorRoger MichellStarsBen AffleckSamuel L. JacksonKim StauntonA young lawyer and a businessman share a small automobile accident, and their mutual road rage escalates into a feud.Changing Lanes (2002)*
Drama – Thriller – Drama Thriller – Two Complete Strangers – Successful Young Lawyer – Middle-Aged Insurance Salesman – Traffic Accident – Chain Reaction – Vengeful Destroying Each-Other Situation – Revenge Thriller – Anger – Rage – Vigilantism – Sadism – Payback Actions – Revenge Spiral – Revenge Gives Sadistic Pleasure – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Track-Down – Manhunt – Obsession – Suspense – Tension – Blame Game – Frame-Up – Twisted Destroy-Life Plan – Psychological Thriller – Alpha Male Syndrome – Moral Dilemma – Anxiety Disorder – Adjustment Disorder – Psychological Stress – Psychological Struggles – Downward Spiral – Paranoid Thriller – Corruption – Manipulation – Cause-Effect Chain – Suspicions – Insecurity – Distrust – Fear – Paranoid Masculinity – Paranoia – Others – Character-Driven Drama – Social Commentary – Satirical Fiction – Cynicism – Nihilism – F a v e – Best 00's – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★★ (8/10)-M
Key-Element: paranoid masculinity - DirectorLeigh WhannellStarsElisabeth MossOliver Jackson-CohenHarriet DyerWhen Cecilia's abusive ex takes his own life and leaves her his fortune, she suspects his death was a hoax. As a series of coincidences turn lethal, Cecilia works to prove that she is being hunted by someone nobody can see.The Invisible Man (2020)*
Science Fiction – Horror – Mystery – Thriller – Sci-Fi Horror Mystery Thriller – Terrorized Woman – Arrogant Husband – Wealthy Optics-Engineer Scientist – Abusive-Controling Relationship – Superiority Complex – Escape/Hide-Out Plan – Husband's Suicide – Series-of-Events – Mysterious Unseen Malevolent-Force Presence – Uncertainty Stress – Anxiety Disorder – Mentally-Unstable State – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Methodically Stalking – Psychological Manipulation – Desperation – Sadistic Obsessive Game – Twisted Revenge Thriller – Home Invasion – Gaslighting – Murder Frame-Up – Suspense – Tension – Psychological Horror – Voyeurism – Male Gaze – Metaphysical Threat – Psychological Dread – Emotional Violence – Identity Crisis – Psychosexual Horror – Sexual Obsession – Scoptophilia – Toxic Masculinity – Master-Slave Dynamic – Paranoid Thriller – Unseen Enemy – Suspicions – Doubts – Distrust – Paranoid Fear – Ever-Present Danger – Paranoia – Others – Twisted Thriller – Domestic Abuse Allegory – Plot-Twist – Hitchcockian Aura – H.G.Wells' 1933 Novel – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – Australia
★★★★★★★★ (8/10)-S
Key-Element: paranoid self-surveillance / manipulation / unseen malevolent force / ever-present danger - DirectorKiyoshi KurosawaStarsMasato HagiwaraKoji YakushoTsuyoshi UjikiA frustrated detective deals with the case of several gruesome murders committed by people who have no recollection of what they've done.Cure (Kyua) (1997)*
Crime – Mystery – Horror – Thriller – Crime Mystery Thriller – Emotionally Repressed Police Detective – Bizarre Unmotivated Murders Case – Serial-Killer – Murder Mystery – Investigation – Enigmatic Amnesiac Man Prime-Suspect – Cryptic Hypnotic Powers – Apathy – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Manhunt – Psychological Manipulation – Magnetism – Paroxysm – Vigilantism – Vengeance – Psychological Horror – Mental Disorder – Psychopath – Psychological Maze – Nightmarish Fears – Existential Threat – Supernatural Horror – Occult Horror – Paranoid Thriller – Uncharted Realms – Unseen Malevolent Force – Ever-Present Threat – Suspicions – Simmering Tension – Mistrust – Paranoia – Art-Horror – Metaphorical – Bizarre – Uncanny Experience – Others – J-Horror – Disturbing – Shock Value – Criterion Collection – Cult Status – Classic Status – Re-Watch Value – F a v e – Best 90's – RE-Watch Value – Foreign Language – Asian – Japan
★★★★★★★★ (8/10)-S
Key-Element: unseen malevolent force / manipulation / ever-present threat - DirectorMorten TyldumStarsAksel HennieSynnøve Macody LundNikolaj Coster-WaldauAn accomplished headhunter risks everything to obtain a valuable painting owned by a former mercenary.Headhunters (Hodejegerne) (2011)*
Crime – Action – Thriller – Crime Action Thriller – Successful Corporate Recruiter (Headhunter) – Double Life: Art Thief – Lavish Lifestyle – Arrogance – Insecurity – Infidelity – Valuable Painting Robbery Plan – Plan-gone-Awry – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Skilful ex-Mercenary Painting Owner – Tracking-People Specialist – Deadly Manhunt – Suspense – Tension – Desperation – Confusion – Violence – Panic Attack – Survival Horror – Claustrophobic Dread – Unfathomable Terror – Extreme Escape Horror – Conspiracy Theory – Corporate Conspiracy – Corporate Spying – Frame-Up – Manipulation – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – Jeopardy – Ever-Present Danger – Insecurity – Mistrust – Paranoia – Intrigue – Others – Heist Thriller – Alpha Male Syndrome – Black Humour – WTF-Factor – Plot Twist – Jo Nesbø's 2008 Novel – Indie Film – Best 10's – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – Foreign Language – European – Norway
★★★★★★★★ (8/10)-S
Key-Element: corporate conspiracy / ever-present danger - 19641h 35mPG8.4 (519K)97MetascoreDirectorStanley KubrickStarsPeter SellersGeorge C. ScottSterling HaydenAn unhinged American general orders a bombing attack on the Soviet Union, triggering a path to nuclear holocaust that a war room full of politicians and generals frantically tries to stop.Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love The Bomb (1964)
Drama – War – Comedy – War Comedy – Cold War (1947-1991) Era – US Air-Force Base – Thermonuclear-Armed B-52 Bombers – Paranoiac Air-Force General – Nuclear Attack Order – Target: Soviet Union – Alert – Nuclear Holocaust Deadly-Scenario – Series-of-Events – Comedy-of-Errors – Political Satire – Pentagon's War Room – Plane-Recall Order – Political Crisis – Deadly Political Paradoxes – Suspense – Nightmarish Tension – Decisions – Desperation – Confusion – Russians Hostility – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Communist Conspiracy – Jeopardy – Suspicions – Mistrust – Cold-War Paranoia – Intrigue – Machiavellian Nightmare – Black Comedy – Black Humour – Sarcasm – Irony – Social Gaffe – Political Farce – Others – Militarism – Nihilism – Obsession – Eschatology – Peter George's 1958 Novel – Criterion Collection – Classic Status – Cult Status – Re-Watch Value – Best 60's – European – U.K. – 1001 Must See Movies
★★★★★★★★ (8/10)
Key-Element: Cold-War paranoia / nuclear paranoia - DirectorAlfred HitchcockStarsJames StewartKim NovakBarbara Bel GeddesA former San Francisco police detective juggles wrestling with his personal demons and becoming obsessed with the hauntingly beautiful woman he has been hired to trail, who may be deeply disturbed.Vertigo (1958)*
Golden Age – Drama – Romance – Mystery – Thriller – Film-Noir – Mystery Drama – Neurotic ex-Police Detective – Privet Investigation – Keep-an-Eye Case – Enigmatic Mystical Beautiful Wife – Uncanny Attraction – Passionate Obsession – Possession – Tragedy – Murder Conspiracy Theory – Manipulation – Misdirection – Seductive Woman – Emotional Lure – Murder Subplot – Psychological Thriller – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – Acrophobia – Vertigo Effect – Claustrophobic Fear – Unconscious Conflict – Love-Loss Trauma – Desperation – Depression – Guilt Complex – Emotional Breakdown – Psychosexual Drama – Platonic Obsessive Love – Male Gaze Theory – Male Desire – Voyeurism – Fetishism – Female Objectification – Scopophilia – Castration Anxiety – Phallic Symbols – Freudian Theory – Eroticism – Mysticism – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – Self-Deception – Disbelief – Paranoia – Neo-Noir – Urban Setting – Low-Key Lighting – Femme Fatale – Seduction-Deception – Detective Story – Pessimism – Others – Characterization – Doppelgänger – Low-Key Thriller – Plot Twist – Boileau-Narcejac's 1954 Novel – Cult Status – Classic Status – Best 50's – T o p – Re-Watch Value – F a v e – U.S.A. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★★ (8/10)-S
Key-Element: self-deception / manipulation / paranoid anxieties / psycho-sexual paranoia - DirectorRoman PolanskiStarsJack NicholsonFaye DunawayJohn HustonA private detective hired to expose an adulterer in 1930s Los Angeles finds himself caught up in a web of deceit, corruption, and murder.Chinatown (1974)*
Drama – Crime – Mystery – Thriller – Crime Mystery Drama – Los Angeles 1937 Year – Small Desert Town – Private Investigator – Enigmatic Woman Client – Husband's Activities Investigation – Infidelity Case – Husband: LA Water-Power Department Chief-Engineer – Husbands' Murder – Murder Mystery – Whodunnit – Mysterious Mistress – Real-Wife-Widow's Hidden Agenda – Suspense – Claustrophobic Tension – Tragedy – Conspiracy Theory – Corruption Network – Water-Rights Scandal – Agriculture Economy – Land-Development Policy – Political Conflict – Intrigue – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – Manipulation – Misdirection – Suspicions – Doubts – Mistrust – Ever-Present Danger – Paranoia – Downward Spiral – Neo-Noir – Detective Story – Dark Atmosphere – Hard-Boiled Characters – Femme Fatale – Noirish Romance – Real-Life Corruption – Deception – Greed – Cynicism – Irony – Fate – Others – Family-Relationship Drama – Incestuous Relationship – Labyrinthine Plot – Plot Twist – Memorable Anti-Hero – Iconic Film – Oscar (1) Winner – Cult Status – Classic Status – Best 70's – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★★ (8/10)-S
Key-Element: shadowy conspiracy / ever-present danger / insecurity / distrust - DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsRobert De NiroJodie FosterCybill ShepherdA mentally unstable veteran works as a nighttime taxi driver in New York City, where the perceived decadence and sleaze fuels his urge for violent action.Taxi Driver (1976)*
Drama – Crime – Thriller – Crime Drama – New-York City – ex-Vietnam-War Veteran Taxi Driver – Chronic-Insomnia Disorder – Urban Loneness – Unstable Mental-State – Urban-Decay Frustration – City's Underworld-Corruption Frustration – Violent Thoughts – Desperation – Alienation – Saving-The-World Obsession – Vigilant Acts – Catharsis – Psychological Thriller – Mental Disorder – Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – Schizophrenia – Psychosis – Moral Collapse – Psychosexual Drama – Sexual Repression – Voyeurism – Madonna-Whore Complex – Castration Anxiety – Freudian Theory – Paranoid Thriller – Self-Deception – Derealization Symptoms – Paranoid Phobias – Ever-Present Threat – Delusional Disorder – Schizoid Chaos – Distrust – Madness – Paranoia – Downward Spiral – Neo-Noir – Urban Setting – Low-Key Lighting – Femme Fatale – Anti-Hero – Cynicism – Nihilism – Fatalism – Others – Character Study – Existentialism – Symbolism – No-Exit Finale – Iconic Film – Cult Status – Classic Status – T o p – Best 70's – U.S.A. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★★ (8/10)-S
Key-Element: paranoid-schizoid mental-state / derealization symptoms / ever-present threat - DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsDennis WeaverJacqueline ScottEddie FirestoneA business commuter is pursued and terrorized by the malevolent driver of a massive tractor-trailer.Duel (1971)
Action – Thriller – Paranoid Revenge Action Thriller – Middle-Aged Salesman – Business Trip – Desert Road – Old Tanker-Track – Malevolent Unseen Truck-Driver – Unmotivated Chase – Dread – Suspense – Tension – Terror – Paranoia – Downward Spiral – Revenge Gives Sadistic Pleasure – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Manhunt – Deadly Pursuit – Power Games – Chicken Game – Manipulation – Twisted Survival Thriller – Fear – Desperation – Uncertainty Stress – Anxiety – Panic Attack – Escape Thriller – Psychological Thriller – Simmering Danger – Nightmarish Dread – Psychological Stress – Toxic Masculinity – Alpha Male Syndrome – Castration Anxiety – Emasculation – Psychopath Antagonist – Complex Trauma – Psychosis – Others – TV-Movie – Road Movie – Symbolism – Minimalism – Extravagant – Allegorical – Richard Matheson's 1971 Short-Story – Classic Status – Cult Status – Best 70's – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★★ (8/10)-M
Key-Element: paranoid masculinity / unseen enemy - DirectorAlfred HitchcockStarsCary GrantEva Marie SaintJames MasonA New York City advertising executive goes on the run after being mistaken for a government agent by a group of foreign spies, and falls for a woman whose loyalties he begins to doubt.North By Northwest (1959)
Golden Age – Action – Adventure – Mystery – Thriller – Espionage Mystery – New York City Advertising Executive – Kidnapping – Sinister Foreign-Agents Organisation – Mysterious Microfilm Search – Undercover Government-Agent Mistaken-Identity – Interrogation – Fake Accident – Blame Game – Frame-Up – Murder Accusation – Wrong-Man Scenario – Wrong Place / Wrong Time – Clear-His-Name Plan – Epic Action-Adventure – Manhunt – Action Sequences – Suspense – Tension – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Cross-Country Pursuit – Escape Thriller – Conspiracy Theory – Shadowy Conspiracy – International Intrigue – Double-Cross – Cover-Up – Trap – Femme Fatale – Seduction/Deception – Paranoid Thriller – Identity Crisis – Manipulation – Suspicions – Disbelief – Mistrust – Paranoia – Others – Romantic Byplay – Sardonic Humour – Sarcasm – Opportunism – Oedipus Complex – Iconic Film – Influential Film – Classic Status – Cult Status – Best 50's – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★★ (8/10)
Key-Element: political conspiracy / manipulating agencies / distrust - DirectorSydney PollackStarsRobert RedfordFaye DunawayCliff RobertsonA bookish CIA researcher in Manhattan finds all his co-workers dead, and must outwit those responsible until he figures out who he can really trust.Three Days of The Condor (1975)*
Crime – Mystery – Thriller – Political Crime Mystery Thriller – New York City – Clandestine CIA Office Massacre – All-Stuff Murdered – Mysterious Political Assassination – CIA Bookish Analyst Sole-Survivor – Code-Name "Condor" – Assassination Attempt – Unpredictable Behaviour – Uncertainty Stress – Man-on-the-Run – Escape Thriller – Espionage Thriller – Intelligence Agencies Operation – Track Down Operation – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Hitman Target – Manhunt – Frame-Up – Betrayal – Psychological Chess Game – Survival Thriller – Conspiracy Theory – Political Conspiracy – Dark Secrets – Cover-Ups – Misdirection – CIA Power Games – Paranoid Thriller – Political Paranoia – Jeopardy – Unknown Threat – Ever-Present Threat – Suspicions – Distrust – Desperation – Confusion – Intrigue – Others – Foreign Affairs Politics – James Grady's 1974 Novel – Cult Status – Classic Status – F a v e – Best70's - Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-S
Key-Element: political conspiracy / trust-no-one - DirectorAlan J. PakulaStarsDustin HoffmanRobert RedfordJack Warden"The Washington Post" reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein uncover the details of the Watergate scandal that leads to President Richard Nixon's resignation.All The President’s Men (1976)
Drama – Mystery – History – Thriller – Biographical Political Drama – US 1972 Elections – Washington DC – Watergate Apartment Complex – Democratic Party National Headquarters – Five-Men Break-in – Police Arrest – Two Young Washington Post Reporter Investigation – Investigation Procedural – Investigative-Reporting Methods – Suspense – Tension – Conspiracy Theory – Political Scandal – Government's Highest-Levels Conspiracy – Hidden Political Agenda – Manipulation – Deception – Double Cross – Power-Plays – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – Unseen Enemies – Psychological Stress – Suspicions – Doubts – Corruption – Power Abuse – Paranoia – Others – True-Life Drama – Docudrama – Journalism – Professionalism – Carl Bernstein's 1974 Novel – Oscar (4) Winner – Classic Status – Cult Status – Best 70's – U.S.A. – 1001 Must See Movies
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Key-Element: political conspiracy / political manipulation - DirectorMichael HanekeStarsDaniel AuteuilJuliette BinocheMaurice BénichouA married couple is terrorized by a series of surveillance videotapes left on their front porch.Hidden (Cache) (2005)
Drama – Mystery – Thriller – Mystery Drama – Upper-Middle-Class French Couple – Mysterious Home-Surveillance Videos – Terrorised Case – Frustration – Anger – Anxiety – Uncertainty Stress – Muted Hysteria – Fear – Whodunit – Private Investigation – Childhood Dark Secret – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Psychological Manipulation – Revenge Thriller – Stalking – Psychological Drama – Childhood Trauma – Unsettling Atmosphere – Discomfort Sense – Simmering Danger – Past Repressions – Unspoken Fears – Emotional Stress – Psychological Struggle – Guilt Complex – Collective Unconscious – Paranoid Thriller – Unseen Enemy – Paranoid Fear – Distrust – Suspicions – Paranoia – Art-House – Voyeurism – Racism – Uncanny Experience – Others – Indie Film – Re-Watch Value – F a v e – Best 00's – Foreign Language – European – France – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Key-Element: paranoid self-surveillance / paranoid fears / unseen malevolent force / ever-present threat - DirectorOliver StoneStarsKevin CostnerGary OldmanJack LemmonNew Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison discovers there's more to the Kennedy assassination than the official story.JFK (1991)
Drama – History – Thriller – Historical Political Thriller – New Orleans District Attorney – US President John F. Kennedy 1963 Assassination Investigation – Year 1966 Reopen-Case – New Evidence – Multiple Inaccuracies – Suspicious Circumstances – Skepticism – Doubts – Key Witnesses Interrogations – Detective Procedurals – Suspense – Tension – Determination – Simmering Danger – Coup d'état Theory – Conspiracy Theory – Shadowy Organizations – Dark Motives – Military-Industrial Complex – Political Assassination – Intelligence Agencies Operation – Cover-Up – Secret Government Machinations – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – Unseen Enemies – Psychological Stress – Paranoid Fear – Distrust – Suspicions – Corruption – Power Abuse – Paranoia – Sabotage – Others – Docudrama – Courtroom Drama – Flashbacks – Oscar (2) Winner – Best 90's – Classic Status – U.S.A. – 1001 Must See Movies
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Key-Element:political conspiracy / manipulating agencies / insecurity / distrust - DirectorAlan J. PakulaStarsJane FondaDonald SutherlandCharles CioffiA small-town detective searching for a missing man has only one lead: a connection with a New York prostitute.Klute (1971)*
Crime – Mystery – Romance – Thriller – Crime Mystery Thriller – Stoic Small Town Detective – Chemical Company's CΕΟ DisappearanceCase – Private Investigation – Whodunit – Crime Underworld – Cynical High-Priced New York Prostitute Prime-Suspect – Mysterious Murders – Erotic Thriller – Awkward Symbiosis – Magnetism – Romanticism – Twisted Love Affair – Conspiracy Theory – Disorientation – Hidden Agendas – Psychological Thriller – Simmering Danger – Claustrophobic Threat – Personal Struggles – Self-Destruction – Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Forces – Corruption – Mistrust – Paranoia – Psychosexual Drama – Sadomasochism – Domination – Dependency – Insecurity – Neo-Noir – Urban Setting – Dark Atmosphere – Low-Key Lighting – Detective Story – Laconic Anti-Hero – Femme Fatale – Deception – Obsession – Corruption – Cynicism – Stoicism – Irony – Fate – Others – Classic Status – Cult Status – F a v e – Best 70's – U.S.A. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-M
Key-Element: shadowy conspiracy / ever-present danger / insecurity / distrust - DirectorChristopher NolanStarsGuy PearceCarrie-Anne MossJoe PantolianoA man with short-term memory loss attempts to track down his wife's murderer.Memento (2000)
Mystery – Thriller – Mystery Thriller – Former Insurance Investigator – Brain Injury – Anterograde Amnesia – Short-Term Memory Loss – Polaroid Photographs / Tattoos-Memos Information System – Flashbacks – Wife's Violent Murder – Revenge Thriller – Killer Pursuit – Vigilantism – Paranoid Thriller – Self-Deception – Manipulation – Anxiety – Panic Attack – Methodical Madness – Paranoia – Psychological Thriller – Mental Disorder – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – Psychoneurosis – Guilt Complex – Experiencing Devastating Trauma – Puzzle Film – Complex Storytelling – Self-Conscious Narration – Dream-Like Reality – Fragment Plot – Reverse-Chronological Structure – Art-House – Bizarre – Alternative – Intelligent Film – Neo-Noir – Dark Atmosphere – Detective Story – Anti-Hero – Femme Fatale – Others – Indie Film – Cult Status – Classic Status – Best 00's – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Key-Element: paranoid-schizoid thinking / self-deception / trust-no-one / ever-present danger - DirectorDavid FincherStarsBrad PittEdward NortonMeat LoafAn insomniac office worker and a devil-may-care soap maker form an underground fight club that evolves into much more.Fight Club (1999)
Drama – Psychological Drama – White-Collar Man (The Narrator) – Insomnia – Manic-Depression – Alter-Ego Fantasy – Identity Crisis – Mental Disorder – Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) – Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) – Schizophrenia – Downward Spiral – Psychosexual Drama – Psychosexual Frustration – Sexual Obsession – Sadomasochism – Gender Dominance – Alpha Male Syndrome – Oedipus Complex – Freudian Theory – Paranoid Thriller – Self-Deception – Derealization Symptoms – Paranoid Phobias – Delusional Disorder – Schizoid Chaos – Paranoia – Black Comedy – Satirical Fiction – Social Satire – Anti-Capitalism – Irony – Puzzle Film – Bizarre – Complicate Storyline – Non-Linear Timeline – Others – Allegorical – Surrealism – Existentialism – Chuck Palahniuk's 1996 Novel – Iconic Film – Alternative – Best 90's – Cult Status – Classic Status – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A. – 1001 Must See Movies
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Key-Element: paranoid-schizoid thinking / self-deception / paranoid delusions / derealization symptoms - DirectorMark PellingtonStarsJeff BridgesTim RobbinsJoan CusackA man begins to suspect his neighbors are not what they appear to be and their secrets could be deadly.Arlington Road (1999)*
Drama – Crime – Mystery – Thriller – Crime Mystery Thriller – US Oklahoma City – Recently Widowed History-Professor – Domestic Terrorism Specialist – New Neighbours – Mysterious Behaviour – Dark Secrets – Investigation – Obsession – Intrigue – Political Conspiracy Thriller – Shadowy Organization – Terrorist Network – Anti-Government Mission – Terrorism – Paranoid Thriller – Suspicions – Doubts – Mistrust – Fear – Anxiety – Hysteria – Paranoia – Uncertainty Stress – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Manipulation – Deception – Psychological Manoeuvres – Psychological Drama – Unsettling Atmosphere – Simmering Danger – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – Ironic Fate – Neo-Noir – Urban Setting – Low-Key Lighting – Detective Story – Anti-Hero – Cynicism – Nihilism – Others – Twisted Thriller – War-on-Terror – Good-vs-Evil Pattern – Nostalgia – Hitchcockian Aura – Plot-Twist – Re-Watchable – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-S
Key-Element: conspiratorial thinking / suspiciousness - DirectorDavid LynchStarsNaomi WattsLaura HarringJustin TherouxAfter a car wreck on Mulholland Drive renders a woman amnesiac, she and a Hollywood-hopeful search for clues and answers across Los Angeles in a twisting venture beyond dreams and reality.Mulholland Drive (2001)
Drama – Romance – Mystery – Thriller – Erotic Mystery Drama – Hollywood Blonde Actress – Seductive Amnesiac Dark-Haired Woman – Lost Identity Mystery – Private Investigation – Erotic Bond – Psychological Thriller – Subconscious Mind Projections - Unconscious Defence Mechanism – Unconscious Repression – Fixation – Mental Disorder – Psychosis – Dissociation – Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) – Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) – Guilt Complex – Freudian / Lacanian Theory – Psychosexual Drama – Femme Fatale – Sexual Repression – LGBT – Lesbianism – Sexual Obsession – Sexual Frustration – Puzzle Film – Complex Storytelling – Dreamlike Reality – Fragment Plot – Reversed Fantasy – Paranoid Thriller – Derealization Symptoms – Paranoid Delusions – Schizoid Chaos – Paranoia – Art-House – Bizarre – Surrealism – Eccentric – Uncanny Experience – Neo-Noir – Urban Setting – Dark Atmosphere – Low-Key Lighting – Detective Story – Femme Fatale – Deception – Obsession – Others – Indie Film – Best 00s – Cult Status – Classic Status – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Key-Element: paranoid-schizoid thinking / paranoid delusions / derealization symptoms - DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsTom HanksMark RylanceAlan AldaDuring the Cold War, an American lawyer is recruited to defend an arrested Soviet spy in court, and then help the CIA facilitate an exchange of the spy for the Soviet captured American U2 spy plane pilot, Francis Gary Powers.Bridge of Spies (2015)*
Drama – History – Biography – Thriller – Historical Drama – Cold War (1947-1991) Era – CIA's Top-Secret U2 Spy-Plane Program – American U2 Pilot / USSR-Prisoner – Soviet KGB-Spy / USA-Prisoner – Interrogations – Threats – Crisis – Intrigue – Espionage Thriller – Intelligence Agencies Operation – New York Insurance Lawyer Recruit – Negotiation Mission – Prisoner-Exchange Plan – Man-on-a-Mission – Negotiations – Courage – Determination – Duty – Integrity – Suspense – Tension – Paranoid Thriller – Power Games – Hypocrisy – Secrets – Cover-Ups – Mistrust – Paranoia – Political Drama – Cold-War Diplomacy – Foreign Affairs Politics – Civil Liberties – Constitutional Rights – Others – True-Life Drama – Legal Thriller – Courtroom Drama – Biographical Drama – Stoicism – Idealism – Realism – Patriotism – Heroism – Moral Dilemmas – Oscar (1) Winner – Best 10's – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-S
Key-Element: cold-war paranoia / political paranoia - DirectorTerry GilliamStarsBruce WillisMadeleine StoweBrad PittIn a future world devastated by disease, a convict is sent back in time to gather information about the man-made virus that wiped out most of the human population on the planet.Twelve Monkeys (1995)
Science Fiction – Mystery – Thriller – Apocalyptic Mystery Thriller – Dystopian Future Year 2035 – Subterranean Societies – Underground Shelters – Mysterious Man-Made Virus Inflection Year 1996 – Deadly Plague Apocalypse – Humans Extinction – Societal-Norms Collapse – Haunted Convict – Plan: Send-Back-in-Time (Pre-Virus Era) – Virus-Sample Search Mission – Man-on-a-Mission – Investigation – Kind Female Psychiatrist – Lunatic Animal-Rights Activist – Madness – Insanity – Obsession – Mania – Hallucinations – Suspense – Tension – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – Unknown Threat – Suspicions – Mistrust – Manipulation – Desperation – Disorientation – Psychological Thriller – Neurosis – Existential Crisis – Delusional Disorder – Derealization Symptoms – Paranoid-Schizoid Position – Cassandra Complex – Nightmarish Fears – Confusion – Paranoia – Downward Spiral – Puzzle Film – Non-Linear Timeline – Dream-Like Reality – Alternate Reality – Déjà-Vu Experience – Time-Travel Paradox – Time-Loop – Anachronistic Phenomena – Others – Disaster Movie – Virus Thriller – Surrealism – Pessimism – Nihilism – Romance Sub-Plot – Stockholm Syndrome – Plot Twist – Chris Marker's 1962 Short-Film Remake – Cult Status – Classic Status – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-M
Key-Element: alternate reality paranoia / paranoid delusions - DirectorAdrian LyneStarsTim RobbinsElizabeth PeñaDanny AielloMourning his dead child, a haunted Vietnam War veteran attempts to uncover his past while suffering from a severe case of dissociation. To do so, he must decipher reality and life from his own dreams, delusions, and perceptions of death.Jacob's Ladder (1990)*
Drama – War – Mystery – Horror – Thriller – Psychological Mystery Drama – Post-Vietnam War (1955-1975) Era – Haunted Veteran Man – Shocking War Experiences – Love-Lose (Child) Trauma – Depression – Hallucinations – Amnesia – Anxiety Disorder – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – Memory Trauma – Enigmatic Strange-Creatures Stalking – Conspiracy Theory – Government Shadowy Conspiracy – Secret Army Experiment – Paranoid Thriller – Suspicions – Doubt – Mistrust – Corruption – Confusion – Mania – Paranoia – Downward Spiral – Psychological Horror Thriller – Personal Struggles – Inner-Inferno – Emotional Chaos – Nightmarish Fears – Existential Dread – Metaphysical Terror – Mental Disorder – Delusional Disorder – Paranoid Personality Disorder (PPD) – Puzzle Film – Non-Linear Timeline – Dream-Like Reality – Art-Horror – Surrealism – Hypnotism – Fatalism – Psychedelic – Other – No-Exit Finale – Cult Status – Classic Status – Re-Watch Value – Best 90's – U.S.A. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-S
Key-Element: conspiratorial thinking / paranoid delusions / trust-no-one / ever-present threat - DirectorRobert EggersStarsAnya Taylor-JoyRalph InesonKate DickieA family in 1630s New England is torn apart by the forces of witchcraft, black magic and possession.The VVitch (A New-England Folktale) (2015)*
Drama – Horror – Mystery – Thriller – Mystery Drama – Puritan (1630) Era – American Colonial 7-Member Puritan Family – Isolated Near-Forest Farm – Beautiful Teenage Daughter – Mysterious Unbaptised-Child Disappearance – Witchcraft Forces – Family's Anxieties – Faith Crisis – Uncertainty Stress – Paranoid Thriller – Suspicions – Tension – Mistrust – Blame Game – Blind Zealotry – Hysteria – Religious Paranoia – Madness – Downward Spiral – Psychological Horror – Claustrophobic Threat – Occult Horror – Metaphysical Horror – Supernatural Dread – Shame Complex – Guilt Complex – Paranoid Personality Disorder (PPD) – Psychosexual Metaphor Drama – Patriarchal Stresses – Male Domination – Incestuous Feelings – Oppressed Sexuality – Electra Complex – Penis Envy – Freudian Theory – Art-Horror – Symbolism – Allegorical – Bizarre – Uncanny Experience – Others – Period Drama – Slow Burn – Indie Film – Alternative – A24 Production – Best 10's – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – Cult Status – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-M
Key-Element: religious paranoia / unseen malevolent force / paranoid fears - DirectorBrian De PalmaStarsJohn TravoltaNancy AllenJohn LithgowA movie sound recordist accidentally records the evidence that proves that a car accident was actually murder and consequently finds himself in danger.Blow Out (1981)
Crime – Mystery – Thriller – Crime Mystery Thriller – Sound-Effects B-Movie Technician – Low-Budget Slasher-Film Moviemaking – Night-Sounds Recording – Fatal Car-Accident Witness – Car Driver (State Governor / Potential Presidential Candidate) Death – co-Driver (Young Woman / Governor's Escort) Rescue – Enigmatic Sound (Gunshot) Accidentally Recorded – Potential Murder-Plot – Investigation – Suspicions – Serial-Killer Target – Chase Sequence – Simmering Danger – Suspense – Tension – Conspiracy Theory – Political Conspiracy – Political Assassination – Cover-Up – Manipulation – Corruption – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – Deception – Misdirection – Mistrust – Paranoia – Intrigue – Neo-Noir – Low-Key Lighting – Detective Story – Hard-Boiled Characters – Femme Fatale – Obsession – Irony – Cynicism – Nihilism – Others – Voyeurism – Activism – Idealism – Scepticism – Eccentricity – Hitchcockian Aura – Criterion Collection – Classic Status – Cult Status – Indie Film – Best 80's – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Key-Element: political conspiracy / insecurity / distrust - DirectorJohn SchlesingerStarsDustin HoffmanLaurence OlivierRoy ScheiderAfter the shocking murder of his older brother, a New York history student finds himself inexplicably hounded by shadowy government agents on the trail of a Nazi war criminal who is trying to retrieve smuggled diamonds.Marathon Man (1976)
Drama – Crime – Thriller – Espionage Crime Drama – Secret Government Agency Operation – ex-Nazi War-Criminal Tracking – Valuable WWII-Era Diamond Collection – Secret-Agent Brutal Murder – Columbia Graduate Student Brother – Police Interrogation – Vital Information – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Track-Down Operation – Manhunt – Chase – Torture – Sadism – Suspense – Tension – Uncertainty Stress – Conspiracy Theory – Shadowy Organization – Double-Cross – Cover-Up – Political Thriller – Political Corruption – Neo-Nazi Politics – Nazi War-Crimes – McCarthyism – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – Deception – Misdirection – Manipulation – Mistrust – Paranoia – Intrigue – Others – Antisemitism – Fascism – Memorable Villain – William Goldman's 1974 Novel – Classic Status – Cult Status – Best 70's – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Key-Element: political conspiracy / insecurity / ever-present danger - DirectorTony GilroyStarsJeremy RennerRachel WeiszEdward NortonAn expansion of the universe from Robert Ludlum's novels, centered on a new hero whose stakes have been triggered by the events of the previous three films.The Bourne Legacy (2012)*
Drama – Action – Adventure – Thriller – Espionage Thriller – Secret Intelligence Agencies Operation – Operation "Outcome" – Covert Assassinations Program – Genetically Enhanced Agents – Shut-Down Operation – Outcome's Six Agents Termination Order – Action Adventure – Highly-Trained Outcome Agent Escape – Action Sequences – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Track Down Operation – Manhunt – Frantic Chase – Frenetic Action – Martial Arts – Suspense – Tension – Jeopardy – Courage – Determination – Escape Thriller – Conspiracy Theory – Government Shadowy Conspiracy – Unknown Threat – Super-Secrets – Distrust – Others – Black-Ops Program – Professionalism – Robert Ludlum's Novel – Cult Status – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-S
Key-Element: political conspiracy / trust-no-one / ever-present danger - DirectorRobert EggersStarsRobert PattinsonWillem DafoeValeriia KaramanTwo lighthouse keepers try to maintain their sanity while living on a remote and mysterious New England island in the 1890s.The Lighthouse (2019)*
Drama – Horror – Mystery – Fantasy – Thriller – Mystery Drama – Late 19th-Century Era – Storm-Wracked Coastal Isolated Lighthouse – Older and Young Lighthouse Keepers – Loneliness – Melancholy – Depression – Uneasy Tension – Sadism – Mysterious Lighthouse Light – Psychological Horror Fantasy – Gothic Horror – Occult Horror – Claustrophobic Threat – Existential Dread – Nightmarish Fear – Mental Disorder – Delusional Disorder – Inner Demons – Paranoid Thriller – Mysterious Forces – Desperation – Hallucinations – Suspicions – Distrust – Corruption – Obsession – Guild Complex – Hysteria – Madness – Paranoia – Downward Spiral – Psychosexual Drama – Homoerotic Tension – Toxic Masculinity – Domination – Sexual Oppression – Sexual Frustration – Alpha Male Syndrome – Identity Struggling – Phallic Symbols – Art-Horror – Surrealism – Symbolism – Enigmatic – Metaphorical – Uncanny Experience – Lovecraftian Aura – Others – Period Drama – Farcical Drama – Minimalistic Setup – Slow-Burn – No-Exit Finale – Alternative – Indie Film – A24 Production – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-S
Key-Element: paranoid masculinity / paranoid-schizoid thinking / paranoid delusions - DirectorAnthony RussoJoe RussoStarsChris EvansSamuel L. JacksonScarlett JohanssonAs Steve Rogers struggles to embrace his role in the modern world, he teams up with a fellow Avenger and S.H.I.E.L.D agent, Black Widow, to battle a new threat from history: an assassin known as the Winter Soldier.Captain America: Winter Solder (2014)*
Science Fiction – Action – Adventure – Thriller – Superhero Action Thriller – Intelligence Agency S .H.I.E.L.D. – Top-Secret Ambiguous Defence Project "Insight" – Agency's Director Doubts – Assassination Attack – Mysterious Masked ex-KGB Agent Assassin – Superhero Captain America Investigation – Alarm – Uncertainty Stress – Jeopardy – Action Sequences – Chase Scenes – Hyperkinetic Action – Suspense – Tension – Conspiracy Theory – Covert Terrorist Organization – Global Chaos Plan – Military-Industrial Complex – Secret Agendas – Mole – Betrayals – Double-Cross – Political Thriller – Surveillance-State Premise – Mass Surveillance Politics – Geopolitics – Civil Rights – Politician Assassination – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – Manipulation – Suspicions – Insecurity – Distrust – Fear – Paranoia – Others – Marvel Comics – Memorable Hero – Blockbuster – Cult Status – Best 10's – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-S
Key-Element: shadowy conspiracy / trust-no-one - DirectorChristopher NolanStarsJohn David WashingtonRobert PattinsonElizabeth DebickiArmed with only the word "Tenet," and fighting for the survival of the entire world, CIA operative, The Protagonist, journeys through a twilight world of international espionage on a global mission that unfolds beyond real time.Tenet (2020)*
Science Fiction – Action – Thriller – Sci-Fi Action Thriller – Mysterious Organization "TENET" – Former CIA Agent – Top-Secret Assignment – Mission: Prevent World-War-III – Potential Global Destruction – Men-on-a-Mission – Race Against Time – Palindromic Time Travel – Time-Bending Mission – Time's Arrow Manipulation – Villainous Russian Oligarch Arms-Dealer – Alarm – Jeopardy – Threats – Blackmail – Espionage Action Thriller – Intelligence Agencies Operation – Track Down Operation – Suspense – Tension – Frenetic Action – Martial Arts – Heroism – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – Manipulation – Confusion – Chaos – Paranoia – Puzzle Film – Self-Conscious Narration – Dream-Like Reality – Reverse Chronology – Non-Linear Timeline – Labyrinthine Structure – Fragment Time – Others – Complex Scenario – Time Paradox – Cause-Effect Sequence – Elliptical Film – Experimental Film – Intelligent Film – Uncanny Effect – Oscar (1) Winner – Cult Status – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-S
Key-Element: shadowy conspiracy / ever-present danger - DirectorPaul VerhoevenStarsArnold SchwarzeneggerSharon StoneMichael IronsideWhen a man goes in to have virtual vacation memories of the planet Mars implanted in his mind, an unexpected and harrowing series of events forces him to go to the planet for real - or is he?Total Recall (1990)*
Science Fiction – Action – Adventure – Thriller – Dystopian Adventure – Year 2084 – Earth's Tyrannical Totalitarian Government – Colonized Mars – Earthbound Bored Construction-Worker – Idyllic Life – Enigmatic Suppressed Mars-Memories – Memory-Vocation Service Agency – Realistic False-Memories Implant – Fantastical Mars-Adventure – Implant-goes-Wrong – Espionage Action Thriller – Secret Agent Profile – Men-on-a-Mission – Secret Agencies Operation – Mars Rebellion – Political Instability – Violence – Gore – Confusion – Chaos – Heroism – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Manhunt – Frenetic Chase – Suspense – Tension – Paranoid Thriller – Brainwash – Identity Fusion – Manipulation – Obsession – Suspicions – Mistrust – Paranoia – Intrigue – Conspiracy Theory – Shadowy Conspiracy – Frame-Up – Others – Grotesque – Extravaganza – Surrealism – Plot-Twist – Blockbuster – Philip K.Dick Short-Story – Cult Status – Classic Status – Best 90's – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-M
Key-Element: shadowy conspiracy / paranoid delusions / distrust - DirectorNa Hong-jinStarsJun KunimuraHwang Jung-minKwak Do-wonSoon after a stranger arrives in a little village, a mysterious sickness starts spreading. A policeman, drawn into the incident, is forced to solve the mystery in order to save his daughter.The Wailing (Gok-Seong) (2016)
Mystery – Horror – Thriller – Horror Mystery Thriller – Isolated Small Mountain-Village – Mysterious Infections – Family Murders – Befuddled Local Policeman – Murder Mystery – Investigation – Whodunnit – Enigmatic Japanese-Man Prime-Suspect – Demonic Possession – Exorcism-Acts – Uncertainty Stress – Mass Hysteria – Psychological Horror – Unsettling Atmosphere – Simmering Danger – Primitive Fear – Claustrophobic Dread – Supernatural Horror – Occult Horror – Gore – Paranoid Thriller – Unseen Malevolent Force – Suspicions – Doubt – Mistrust – Confusion – Religious Paranoia – Paranoid Fears – Others – Xenophobia – Surrealism – Symbolism – Diabolism – Exorcism – Bizarre – Black Humour – Plot-Twist – Re-Watch Value – Foreign Language – Asian – South Korea
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Key-Element: unseen malevolent force / suspiciousness / Religious Paranoia - DirectorJohn FrankenheimerStarsRock HudsonFrank CampanellaJohn RandolphAn unhappy middle-aged banker agrees to a procedure that will fake his death and give him a completely new look and identity - one that comes with its own price.Seconds (1966)
Science Fiction – Drama – Thriller – Science Fiction Drama – Middle-Aged New York Banker – Midlife Crisis – Unhappy Life – Boring Routine – Start-New-Life Decision – Mysterious Agency – Rebirth Contract – Fake Death – Plastic Surgeries Sequences – Physical Transformation – New Identity – California's Beachside Community Second-Life – New Youthful Existence – Disenchantment – Another Chance – Irony – Destiny – Conspiracy Theory – Blackmail – Manipulation – Sinister Motives – Dark Tactics – Frame-Up – Corporate Greed – Psychological Horror Thriller – Discomfort Sense – Depression – Psychological Struggle – Nightmarish Fears – Existential Dread – Claustrophobic Horror – Paranoid Schizophrenia – Paranoid Thriller – Paranoid Obsession – Well-Planned Conspiracy – Identity Theft – Identity Crisis – Disorientation – Paranoia – Intrigue – Art-House – Zeitgeist Sociology – Philosophical – Psychedelic – Expressionism – Surrealism – Uncanny Feel – Weird – Artistic Cinematography – Others – Sociopolitical Study – Capitalism – Materialism – Consumerism – Escapism – Fatalism – Hedonism – Cynicism – Pessimism – Existentialism – Free-Will Theory – Twilight Zone-Like – Faustian Tale – Mephistophelian Deals – David Ely's 1963 Novel – Plot-Twist – Alternative – Criterion Collection – Cult Status – Classic Status – Best 70's – U.S.A. – 1001 Must See Movies
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Key-Element: manipulative conspiracy / secret malevolent plot / doubts / insecurity - DirectorDavid FincherStarsJake GyllenhaalRobert Downey Jr.Mark RuffaloBetween 1968 and 1983, a San Francisco cartoonist becomes an amateur detective obsessed with tracking down the Zodiac Killer, an unidentified individual who terrorizes Northern California with a killing spree.Zodiac (2007)
Drama – Crime – Mystery – History – Thriller – Crime Mystery Drama – San Francisco City – Late 1960s Era – Elusive Serial Killer – Code-Name "Zodiac" – Encrypted Letters to-Press – Killing-Spree – Terrorize – Police Investigation – Murder Mystery – Whodunit – Police Procedural – Dead-Ends – Cat-Mouse Theory – San Francisco Chronicle Crime Reporters – Investigative Journalism – Zodiac’s Case – Labyrinth-of-Facts – Evidence Puzzle – Methodical Progress – Obsession – Risk – Manhunt – Track-Down Operation – Suspense – Tension – Psychological Thriller – Unsettling Atmosphere – Simmering Danger – Psychological Stress – Compulsion – Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD) – Forensic Psychology – Paranoid Thriller – Suspiciousness – Confusion – Insecurity – Ever-Present Threat – Web-of-Paranoia – Intrigue – Neo-Noir – Low-Key Lighting – Detective Story – Egoism – Sarcasm – Cynicism – Nihilism – Irony – Others – True-Life Dram – Docudrama – journalism – Low-Key Thriller – Re-Watchable – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Key-Element: paranoid obsessions / suspiciousness / ever-present threat - DirectorRoman PolanskiStarsMia FarrowJohn CassavetesRuth GordonA young couple trying for a baby moves into an aging, ornate apartment building on Central Park West, where they find themselves surrounded by peculiar neighbors.Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
Drama – Horror – Mystery – Thriller – Psychological Mystery Drama – Frail Young Pregnant Wife – Family Relocation – Apartment-Building Dark Secrets – Neighbours Strange Behaviour – Witchcraft – Enigmatic Murder – Conspiracy Theory – Shadowy Conspiracy – Manipulation – Satanic Cult – Paranoid Thriller – Suspicions – Doubts – Mistrust – Confusion – Religious Paranoia – Downward Spiral – Psychological Horror – Personal Struggles – Nightmarish Fears – Claustrophobic Threat – Existential Dread – Supernatural Terror – Occult Horror – Urban-Gothic Horror – Mental Disorder – Cyclothymia – Depression – Psychosis – Psychological Projection – Defence Mechanism – Freudian Theory – Art-Horror – Mysticism – Surrealism – Fatalism – Others – Cult Status – Classic Status – Best 60's – U.S.A. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Key-Element: conspiratorial thinking / Religious Paranoia / paranoid fears - DirectorDan TrachtenbergStarsJohn GoodmanMary Elizabeth WinsteadJohn Gallagher Jr.A young woman is held in an underground bunker by a man who insists that a hostile event has left the surface of the Earth uninhabitable.10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)
Science Fiction – Drama – Mystery – Horror – Thriller – Mystery Drama – Mysterious City Blackouts – Attractive Young Woman On-The-Road – Car Accident – Isolated Underground Bunker Awakens – Enigmatic Bunker-Owner – Control-Freak Persona – God Complex – Global Catastrophe Explanation – Apocalypse Event – Captor-or-Savior Dilemma – Denial – Kidnapping Situation Beliefs – Intrigue – Paranoid Thriller – Uncertainty Stress – Suspicions – Doubt – Mistrust – Fear – Paranoia – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Manipulation – Escape-Puzzle Game – Suspense – Tension – Psychological Horror – Trapped Survival – Domestic Abuse – Violence – Psychological Struggle – Claustrophobic Dread – Nightmarish Terror – Sci-Fi Apocalypse Fiction – Alien Invasion – Extraterrestrial Monster Attack – Others – Character-Driven Drama – Eschatology – Cynicism – Fatalism – Situational Irony – Gender Dynamics – Twilight-Zone Style – Minimalistic Setup – Plot Twist – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Key-Element: suspiciousness / trust-no-one - DirectorJames BridgesStarsJane FondaJack LemmonMichael DouglasA reporter finds what appears to be a cover-up of safety hazards at a nuclear power plant.The China Syndrome (1979)*
Drama – Thriller – Drama – Southern-California Nuclear-Power Plant – Female TV-Reporter Covering-Story – Almost Catastrophic Accident Witness – Dangerous Loss-of-Control Incident – Alarm – Public-Safety Doubts – Imminent Apocalyptic Event – Plant’s Supervisor Whistle-Blower – Investigation – Desperation – Anxiety – Moral Dilemmas – Dramatic Turn – Tragedy – Conspiracy Theory – Shadowy Organisations – Assassination Attempt – Cover-Up – Political Thriller – Nuclear Crisis – Big Corporations Politics – Public Control – Media Control – Antinuclear Campaigning – Political Activism – Intrigue – Paranoid Thriller – Manipulation – Suspicions – Threats – Corruption – Power Games – Paranoia – Others – Disaster Film – Journalism – Thought-Provoking – Classic Status – Cult Status – Best 70's – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-M
Key-Element: manipulative conspiracy / insecurity / distrust / nuclear paranoia - DirectorDejan ZecevicStarsAleksandar StojkovicVuk KosticTihomir StanicSerbian soldiers discover a man locked in a basement at the end of the war. After he is freed, people start disappearing.The Enemy (Neprijatelj) (2011)
Drama – War – Mystery – Thriller – War Mystery Drama – Post-Yugoslavian Civil War (1991-2001) Era – Border's Isolated Rural Area – Serbian Army Engineering-Unit – Removing Mines Mission – Enigmatic Prisoner – Strange Phenomena – Disconcerting Effect – Uncertainty Stress – Anxiety – Demonic Figure – Paranoid Thriller – Psychological Manipulation – Oppression – Tension – Confusion – Suspicions – Alienation – Intolerance – Hostility – Distrust – Madness – Chaos – Paranoia – Downward Spiral – Psychological Horror – Claustrophobic Threat – Supernatural Dread – Metaphysical Horror – Art-Horror – Allegorical – Others – Horror-of-Wars – Bizarre – Thought-Provoking – Slow-Burn – Re-Watch Value – Foreign Language – European – Serbia
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Key-Elements: Religious Paranoia / trust-no-one / paranoid fears / unseen malevolent manipulative force - DirectorSteven SoderberghStarsMatt DamonKate WinsletJude LawHealthcare professionals, government officials and everyday people find themselves in the midst of a pandemic as the CDC works to find a cure.Contagion (2011)*
Drama – Thriller – Drama – Minneapolis City Suburban – Four-Member Family – Wife's Hong Kong Business-Trip Return – Unknown Illness – Wife and Son Death – Desperation – Medical Thriller – U.S. Disease Control Center – Epidemiologists Alarm – New Infectious Disease Investigation – Track-Down Operation – Worst-Case Scenario – Airborne Highly-Contagious Virus – Worldwide Pandemic – Public-Health Threat – Urgency – Isolation – Quarantine – Social Distancing – Fear – Panic Attack – Mass Hysteria – Society Collapse – Claustrophobic Terror – Existential Dread – Vaccine Development – Political Drama – Global Threat – Government Intervention – Disease Politics – Paranoid Thriller – Conspiracy Theories – Corruption – Deception – Misinformation – Government's Cover-Up Theories – Shadowy Forces – Fake-News – Mistrust – Paranoia – Puzzle Film – Hyperlink Cinema – Multiple Characters – Multi-linear Narrative Structures – Non-Linear Timeline – Labyrinthine Structure – Fragment Time – Others – Disaster Movie – Macabre – Realism – Ethical Problems – Cult Status – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-S
Key-Element: manipulative conspiracy / pandemic paranoia - DirectorDenis VilleneuveStarsJake GyllenhaalMélanie LaurentSarah GadonA man seeks out his exact look-alike after spotting him in a movie.Enemy (2013)
Mystery – Thriller – Psychological Mystery Thriller – Depressed History Professor – Mysterious Bit-Part Actor – Identical Double – Opposed Personalities – Obsession – Subconscious Mind Struggles – Identity Crisis – Mental Disorder – Dissociative Personality Disorder (DID) – Psychosexual Drama – Sexual Anxieties – Sexual Frustration – Gender Dominance – Sadistic / Masochistic Split Personality – Madonna–Whore Complex – Scopophilia – Castration Anxiety – Paranoid Thriller – Magical Realism – Derealization Symptoms – Paranoid Phobias – Delusional Disorder – Schizoid Chaos – Puzzle Film – Self-Conscious Narration – Subconscious Perspective Narrative – Dream-Like Reality – Confusing Narrative – Multiple Possibilities – Flashbacks – Non-Linear Timeline – Art-Horror – Existential Dread – Identities Fuse – Unspeakable Horrors – Others – Surrealism – Existentialism – Symbolism – Bizarre – Allegorical – Metaphysical – Doppelgänger – Indie Film – A24 Production – Alternative – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – Canada
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-M
Key-Element: paranoid-schizoid mental-state / derealization symptoms / paranoid phobias - DirectorBrandon CronenbergStarsAndrea RiseboroughChristopher AbbottJennifer Jason LeighAn agent works for a secretive organization that uses brain-implant technology to inhabit other people's bodies - ultimately driving them to commit assassinations for high-paying clients.Possessor (2020)*
Science Fiction – Horror – Thriller – Dystopian Horror Thriller – Toronto Canada mid-21st Century Era – Top-Secret Sinister Corporation – Brain-Implant Technology – Assassination Contracts – High-Profile Targets – Victim's Mind-Invasion – Subconscious-Mind Control – Identity Possessor – Professional Cyber-Assassin Woman – Contract-goes-Awry – Out-of-Control – Hyper-Violence – Gore – Espionage Thriller – Top-Secret Black-Ops Operation – Cyber-Surveillance – Covert Assassinations Program – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Organisation – Manipulation – Doubt – Confusion – Alienation – Derealization Symptoms – Schizoid Chaos – Insanity – Cyber-Paranoia – Downward Spiral – Corporate Paranoia – Psychological Horror – Identity Crisis – Emotional Thread – Psychological Oppression – Psychological Warfare – Existential Terror – Body Horror – Art-Horror – Allegorical – Metaphorical – Others – Sociopolitical Subtext – Nihilism – Disturbing – Shock Value – E x t r e m e – Plot-Twist – F a v e - Re-Watch Value – Canada
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-M
Key-Elements: alternate reality paranoia / derealization symptoms / cyber-paranoia - DirectorTony GilroyStarsGeorge ClooneyTilda SwintonTom WilkinsonA law firm brings in its "fixer" to remedy the situation after a lawyer has a breakdown while representing a chemical company that he knows is guilty in a multibillion-dollar class action suit.Michael Clayton (2007)*
Drama – Mystery – Thriller – Legal Drama – Powerful New York City Law-Firm – Agro-Chemical Corporation Case – Valuable Partner's Nervous Breakdown – Financial Consequences – High-Priced Law Firm's Fixer / Crisis-Handler – Investigation – Dilemma – Guilt – Anger – Anxiety – Conspiracy Theory – Profit-Hungry Corporation – Agrochemical Industry Scandal – Toxic Agrochemicals Effects – Conspiracy Whistleblower – Cover-Up – Greed – Cynicism – Suspense – Tension – Deception – Corruption – Moral Dilemmas – Intrigue – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – Manipulation – Mistrust – Paranoia – Others – Political Drama – Corporate Thriller – Ecological Policy – Social Commentary – Low-Key Thriller – Oscar (1) Winner – F a v e – Best 00's – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★★ (7/10)-M
Key-Element: manipulative conspiracy / distrust / corporate paranoia - DirectorMichael MannStarsRussell CroweAl PacinoChristopher PlummerA research chemist comes under personal and professional attack when he decides to appear in a 60 Minutes exposé on Big Tobacco.The Insider (1999)^
Drama – Thriller – Political Drama – American CBS Television-Network – "60 MINUTES" TV News-Magazine – Seasoned TV Producer – Former Big Tobacco-Company Executive – Corporate Whistleblower – Tobacco-Industry Secrets Expose – Nicotine Addiction – Public-Health Politics – Investigation – Psychological Stress – Marital Stress – Legal (Lawsuits) Actions – Death Threats – Anxiety – Anger – Courage – Suspense – Claustrophobic Tension – Moral Dilemmas – Conspiracy Theory – Shadowy Conspiracy – Media Control – Unsettling Truths – "Big Seven" Tobacco Scandal – Paranoid Thriller – Manipulation – Blackmail – Threat – Corruption – Power Abuse – Paranoia – Others – True-Life Drama – Docudrama – Corporate Thriller – Journalism – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Key-Element: corporate paranoia / ever-present threat - DirectorRoman PolanskiStarsCatherine DeneuveIan HendryJohn FraserA sex-repulsed woman who disapproves of her sister's boyfriend sinks into depression and has horrific visions of rape and violence.Repulsion (1965)
Drama – Horror – Thriller – Horror Drama – Disturbed Shy Young Beautiful Woman – Attraction / Repulsion State – Loneliness – Isolation – Disorganisation – Distress – Vivid Hallucinations – Visual Nightmares – Anxiety Domination – Psychological Horror Thriller – Mental Disorder – Psychoneurosis – Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD) – Claustrophobic Threat – Societal Fears – Schizophrenia – Psychosexual Drama – Sexual Anxiety – Sexual Contact Terror – Frustration – Sexual Oppression – Sexual Abuse – Childhood Trauma – Genophobia – Anhedonia – Compulsory Heterosexuality – Disgust-Horror – Male Gaze – Lacanian Theory – Paranoid Thriller – Derealization Symptoms – Paranoid Phobias – Delusional Disorder – Schizoid Chaos – Madness – Paranoia – Downward Spiral – Art-Horror – Bizarre – Minimalism – Surrealism – Others – Unsettling Atmosphere – Disturbing – Iconic Film – Influential Film – Cult Status – Classic Status – Best 60's – Re-Watch Value – European – U.K. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Key-Element: paranoid-schizoid mental-state / derealization symptoms / paranoid phobias - DirectorJoel SchumacherStarsMichael DouglasRobert DuvallBarbara HersheyAn ordinary man frustrated with the various flaws he sees in society begins to psychotically and violently lash out against them.Falling Down (1993)
Drama – Crime – Thriller – Drama – Los Angeles City – Hot Day – Disturbed Middle-Aged Former Defense Engineer – Divorced / Unemployed Problems – Daughter's Birthday – Traffic-Stuck – Urban Stress – Anxiety – Frustration – Distress – Anger – Rage – Nervous Breakdown – Revenge Crime Thriller – Vigilantism Crime Acts – Police Detective Pursuit – Violence – Confusion – Chaos – Psychological Thriller – Mental Disorder – Societal Oppression – Psychological Struggle – Identity Crisis – Social Alienation – Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) – Paranoid Thriller – Paranoid Masculinity – Paranoid Obsession – White-Male Paranoia – Delusional Disorder – Schizoid Chaos – Madness – Paranoia – Downward Spiral – Others – Social Commentary – Hate – Apathy – Racism – Symbolism – Nihilism – Satirical Fiction – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Key-Element: paranoid-schizoid mental-state / derealization symptoms / paranoid masculinity / white-male paranoia - DirectorJohn McTiernanStarsSean ConneryAlec BaldwinScott GlennIn November 1984, the Soviet Union's best submarine captain violates orders and heads for the U.S. in a new undetectable sub. The American CIA and military must quickly determine: Is he trying to defect or to start a war?The Hunt For Red October (1990)*
Action – Adventure – Thriller – Espionage Action Adventure Thriller – Late Cold-War (1984) Era – Soviet Navy's Newest Nuclear Submarine – Innovative Stealth-Technology – Code-Name "Red October" – Veteran Soviet Captain – Hidden Agenda – Abandon Orders – US East-Coast Root – Alarm – Threat – Uncertainty Stress – Confusion – Diplomatic Actions – Global Crisis – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – US Intelligence Agencies Operation – Track-Down Operation – Destroy Order – Intelligent ex-Marine CIA Analyst – Defect-Motives Intuit – Renegade Captain – Underwater Hunt – Escalating Suspense – Claustrophobic Tension – Escape Thriller – Paranoid Thriller – Nuclear Attack Fears – Political Manoeuvres – Battle-of-Wits – Deception – Mistrust – Paranoia – Intrigue – Others – Militaristic Film – Political Thriller – Foreign Affairs Politics – Labyrinth Plot – Oscar (1) Winner – Tom Clancy's 1984 Novel – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-S
Key-Element: cold-war paranoia / distrust / nuclear paranoia - DirectorSteven SoderberghStarsRooney MaraChanning TatumJude LawA young woman's world unravels when a drug prescribed by her psychiatrist has unexpected side effects.Side Effects (2013)
Drama – Crime – Mystery – Thriller – Crime Mystery Thriller – Young Depressed Woman – Emotional Episodes – Suicide Attempts – Psychiatric Treatment – Morally Ambiguous British Psychiatrist Therapist – New-Experimental Drug Prescription – Fatal Side Effects – Downward Spiral – Ex-Convict Husband Murder – Blame Game – Frame-Up – Psychiatrist Reputation Collapse – Suspicions – Private Investigation – Psychological Thriller – Bipolar Disorder – Schizophrenia – Impulsive Suicide Attempts – Bisexuality – Gender Power-Games – Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) – Conspiracy Theory – Pharmacological Scandal – Greed – Corruption – Fake Symptoms – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – Deception – Manipulation – Mistrust – Paranoia – Neo-Noir – Femme Fatale – Deception – Cynicism – Moral Ambiguity – Fate – Others – Medical Thriller – LGBT – Hitchcockian Aura – Plot Twist – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Key-Element: manipulative conspiracy / paranoid-schizoid mental-state - DirectorDavid LynchStarsSheryl LeeRay WiseMädchen AmickLaura Palmer's harrowing final days are chronicled one year after the murder of Teresa Banks, a resident of Twin Peaks' neighboring town.Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992)
Drama – Crime – Horror – Mystery – Thriller – Crime Mystery Drama – Fictional Small-Town – Troubled Homecoming Queen Mysterious Death – Enigmatic Double Life – Hedonistic Young Girl – Sexual Abuse – Incest – FBI Agent Investigation – Murder Mystery – Whodunit – Shadowy Forces – Previous FBI Agent's Mysterious Disappearance – Malevolent Spirit Possessing – Psychological Horror – Eerie Atmosphere – Discomfort Sense – Supernatural Dread – Existential Terror – Paranoid Thriller – Unseen Malevolent Force – Suspicions – Doubts – Mistrust – Confusion – Paranoid Fears – Puzzle Film – Inter-Dimensional Travel – Non-Linear Timeline – Dream-Like Reality – Art-Horror – Surrealism – Fatalism – Doppelgänger – Grotesque – Avant-Garde – Others – TV-Series Prequel – Offbeat Humour – Bizarre – Disturbing – Experimental Film – Alternative Film – Indie Film – Criterion Collection – Cult Status – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)
Key-Elements: unseen malevolent force / paranoid fears / distrust - DirectorJames Ward ByrkitStarsEmily BaldoniMaury SterlingNicholas BrendonStrange things begin to happen when a group of friends gather for a dinner party on an evening when a comet is passing overhead.Coherence (2013)
Science Fiction – Mystery – Thriller – Sci-Fi Mystery Thriller – Eight Friends Reunion – Suburban House Dinner Party – Marital Tensions – Rare Astronomical Event – Passing Comet Effect – Mysterious Blackout – Strange Phenomena – Multiple Realities – Paradox – Doppelgänger – Identity Chaos – Uncertainty Stress – Panic Attack – Paranoid Thriller – Suspicions – Doubt – Mistrust – Confusion – Hysteria – Paranoia – Psychological Horror – Cosmic Threat – Claustrophobic Terror – Existential Dread – Identity Neurosis – Art-House – Existentialism – Surrealism – Allegorical – Others – Human Behaviour Study – Schrödinger’s Cat Theory – Thought-Provoking – Bizarre – Mindfuck – Minimalistic Setup – Intelligent Film – Experimental Film – Alternative – Indie Film – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)
Key-Element: alternate reality paranoia / paranoid fears / distrust - DirectorPhil Alden RobinsonStarsBen AffleckMorgan FreemanIan MongrainCIA analyst Jack Ryan must stop the plans of a Neo-Nazi faction that threatens to induce a catastrophic conflict between the United States and Russia's President by detonating a nuclear weapon at a football game in Baltimore, Maryland.The Sum of All Fears (2002)^^
Drama – Action – Thriller – Drama – Lunatic Austrian Neo-Nazi Terrorist – US-Russia Nuclear-War Plan – Black-Market Nuclear Weapon – Nuclear Attack to-Baltimore – Destruction – Confusion – Chaos – Espionage Action Thriller – Impending Nuclear War – Race-Against Time – Intelligence Agencies Operation – Young CIA's Brainy-Analyst – Investigation – Track-Down Secret Operation – Doubts – Arguments – Avert Catastrophe Plan – Action Sequences – Suspense – Tension – Determination – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – Political Crisis – Corruption – Manipulation – Misunderstandings – Threats – Suspicions – Mistrust – Paranoia – Nuclear Terror – Others – Disaster Movie – War-on-Terror – Professionalism – Heroism – Fanaticism – Nazism – Memorable Hero – Tom Clancy's 1991 Novel – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)
Key-Element: shadowy conspiracy / insecurity / distrust / nuclear paranoia - DirectorJohn FrankenheimerStarsBurt LancasterKirk DouglasFredric MarchUnited States military leaders plot to overthrow the President because he supports a nuclear disarmament treaty and they fear a Soviet sneak attack.Seven Days In May (1964)
Drama – Thriller – Political Drama – Cold War (1947-1991) Era – Unpopular US President – Negotiations w/Soviets – Nuclear Disarmament Treaty – Political-Military Dissatisfaction Wave – Political Crisis – Conspiracy Theory – Military-Political Cabal – Coup d'etat Secret-Plan – Seven-Days Takeover Target-Date – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – Political Intrigue – Suspicion – Anxiety – Psychological Stress – Suspense – Tension – Fear – Cold-War Paranoia – Others – Militaristic Film – Extremism – Patriotism – Idealism – Fletcher Knebel's 1962 Novel – Classic Status – Cult Status – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)
Key-Element: Political conspiracy / cold-war paranoia / nuclear paranoia - DirectorSidney LumetStarsHenry FondaWalter MatthauFritz WeaverA technical malfunction sends American planes to Moscow to deliver a nuclear attack. Can all-out war be averted?Fail-Safe (1964)*
Drama – War – Thriller – War Drama – Cold War (1947-1991) Era - US Defence Department – Computer Error – Military-Defence System Malfunction – US Bomber-Jets – Coded Message Receive – Nuclear-Attack to-Moscow – Alarm – Political Thriller – Nuclear Crisis – Accidental Thermo-Nuclear War Scenario – US President – Recall Attempts – Agony – Suspense – Claustrophobic Tension – Irreversible Mission – Dilemmas – Tragedy – Paranoid Thriller – Alternate Reality – Mistrust – Cold-War Paranoia – Real-World Horrors – Others – Militaristic Film – Docudrama – Expressionistic – Minimalistic – Didacticism – Pessimism – Nihilism – Eschatology – Eugene Burdick's 1962 Novel – Criterion Collection – Classic Status – Best 60's – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)-W
Key-Element: cold-war paranoia / distrust / nuclear paranoia - DirectorRobert AldrichStarsRalph MeekerAlbert DekkerPaul StewartA doomed female hitchhiker pulls Mike Hammer into a deadly whirlpool of intrigue, revolving around a mysterious "great whatsit".Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
Golden Age – Crime – Mystery – Thriller – Crime Mystery Thriller – Los Angeles City – Tough Private-Eye – Fascistic Tendencies – Female Sanatorium-Escapee Mysterious Murder – Murder Investigation – Suspense – Tension – Conspiracy Theory – Top-Secret Government Experiment – Mysterious Box Search – Mafia Interest – Communist Interest – Paranoid Thriller – Nuclear Paranoia – Cold-War Paranoia – Distrust – Insecurity – Film-Noir – Low-Key Lighting – Detective Story – Hard-Boiled Characters – Psycho-Sexual Angst – Femme Fatale – Deception – Obsession – Cruelty – Cynicism – Nihilism – Irony – Others – Sadism – Narcissism – Symbolism – Mickey Spillane's 1952 Novel – Influential Film – Indie Film – Best 50's – Re-Watchable – U.S.A. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★ (6/10)
Key-Element: shadowy conspiracy / distrust / nuclear paranoia - DirectorAlan J. PakulaStarsWarren BeattyPaula PrentissWilliam DanielsAn ambitious reporter gets in way-over-his-head trouble while investigating a senator's assassination which leads to a vast conspiracy involving a multinational corporation behind every event in the world's headlines.The Parallax View (1974)*
Crime – Mystery – Thriller – Crime Mystery Thriller – Seattle City – US Presidential Candidate Assassination – Eye-Witnesses Accidental-Death – Mysterious Circumstances – Investigative Newspaper Reporter – String-of-Deaths Investigation – Anxiety – Uncertainty Stress – Suspense – Tension – Conspiracy Theory – Shadowily Organisations – Enigmatic Training Institute – Secret Cabal – Evil Machinations – Political Thriller – Political Assassinations – Political Control – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – Manipulation – Mistrust – Suspicions – Political Corruption – Ever-Present Danger – Paranoia – Others – Journalism – Cynicism – Nihilism – No-Exit Finale – Loren Singer's 1970 Novel – Criterion Collection – Cult Status – Classic Status – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)-S
Key-Element: shadowy conspiracy / trust-no-one / ever-present danger - DirectorJohn FrankenheimerStarsFrank SinatraLaurence HarveyJanet LeighAn American POW in the Korean War is brainwashed as an unwitting assassin for an international Communist conspiracy.The Manchurian Candidate (1962)*
Drama – War – Mystery – Thriller – Espionage War Drama – Cold War (1947-1991) Era – Post-Korea War (1950-1953) Era – US Army Platoon – Communists War-Prisoners – Brainwash Technique – Secret Mind-Control Program – Sleeper-Assassins State – False-Memory Implanted – Communist USA-Takeover Plan – Political Thriller – Powerful American East-Coast Political Family – Brainwashed Platoon-Captain – Communist Marionette – Presidential Candidate Assassination-Plan – Platoon-Major – Strange Nightmares – Fragmented Memories – Suspicions – Malevolent-Plan Uncover – Sleepwalking Actions – Suspense – Tension – Conspiracy Theory – International Communist Conspiracy – Hidden Agendas – Political Crisis – Intrigue – Paranoid Thriller – Alternate Reality – Shadowy Conspiracy – Manipulation – Mistrust – Cold-War Paranoia – Psychological Thriller – Psychological Torture – Existential Instability – Delusional Disorder – Oedipus Complex – Neo-Noir – Urban Setting – Low-Key Lighting – Expressionim – Corruption – Irony – Cynicism – Nihilism – Others – Political Satire – Surrealism – Symbolism – Richard Condon's 1959 Novel – Criterion Collection – Classic Status – Cult Status – Best 60's – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★ (6/10)-W
Key-Element: cold-war paranoia / shadowy conspiracy - DirectorOtto PremingerStarsKeir DulleaCarol LynleyLaurence OlivierA woman reports that her young daughter is missing, but there seems to be no evidence that she ever existed.Bunny Lake Is Missing (1965)*
Drama – Mystery – Thriller – Mystery Thriller – American Single-Mother – Devoted Journalist Brother – London Relocation – 4-Year-Old Daughter Mysterious Disappearance – Wary Police Inspector – Missing Person Case – Investigation – Uncertainly Stress – Sinister Secrets – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – Mislaid – Daughter Possibly Non-Existent Evidence – Irrationality – Suspicions – Doubt – Distrust – Hysteria – Madness – Paranoia – Psychological Thriller – Unsettling Atmosphere – Nightmarish Feel – Inexplicable Terror – Existential Dread – Mental Chaos – Paranoid Personality Disorder – Emotional Detachment – Psychosexual Drama – Paraphilia – Incestuous Relationship – Codependency Symptoms – Others – Expressionism – Mise-en-Scène – European – U.K.
★★★★★★ (6/10)-W
Key-Element: paranoid thinking / paranoid delusions / suspiciousness - DirectorJordan PeeleStarsDaniel KaluuyaAllison WilliamsBradley WhitfordA young African-American visits his white girlfriend's parents for the weekend, where his simmering uneasiness about their reception of him eventually reaches a boiling point.Get Out (2017)*
Mystery – Horror – Thriller – Mystery Thriller – Young African-American Man – Young White Girlfriend – Interracial Relationship – Girlfriend's White-Family Visit – Meet-the-Parents Weekend – Isolated Mansion – Awkward Behavior – Enigmatic Black-Servants – Skepticism – Uncertainty Stress – Anxiety Disorder – Conspiracy Theory – White Liberal Elite – Negrophilia – Racial Tension – Family Dark Secret – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – Suspicions – Doubt – Corruption – Madness – Racial Paranoia – Survival Horror – Trapped Survival – Hypnosis – Manipulation – Mind Control – Paralyzing Terror – Escape Thriller – Psychological Horror – Discomfort Sense – Nightmarish Fears – Horror Comedy – Black Comedy – Racial Satire – Others – Social Commentary – Black-White Relations – Radicalism – Symbolism – Oscar (1) Winner – Indie Film – Blockbuster – Cult Status – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★ (6/10)-M
Key-Element: shadowy conspiracy / racial paranoia - DirectorJonathan DemmeStarsDenzel WashingtonLiev SchreiberMeryl StreepIn the midst of the Gulf War, soldiers are kidnapped and brainwashed for sinister purposes.The Manchurian Candidate (2004)
Drama – War – Mystery – Thriller – Espionage War Drama – Post Gulf-War (1991-2001) Era – US Army Platoon – War-Prisoners – Brainwash Technique – Secret Instant-Mind-Control Program – Sleeper-Assassins State – False-Memory Implanted – US Governance Takeover-Plan – Political Thriller – Powerful American Political Family – Brainwashed Platoon-Captain – Communist Marionette – Presidential Candidate Assassination-Plan – Platoon-Major – Strange Nightmares – Fragmented Memories – Suspicions – Malevolent-Plan Uncover – Sleepwalking Actions – Suspense – Tension – Conspiracy Theory – International Corporate Conspiracy – Hidden Agendas – Political Crisis – Intrigue – Paranoid Thriller – Alternate Reality – Shadowy Conspiracy – Manipulation – Mistrust – Cold-War Paranoia – Psychological Thriller – Psychological Torture – Existential Instability – Delusional Disorder – Oedipus Complex – Neo-Noir – Urban Setting – Low-Key Lighting – Corruption – Irony – Cynicism – Nihilism – Others – Good-vs-Evil Pattern – Symbolism – Richard Condon's 1959 Novel – Remake – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)-M
Key-Element: political conspiracy / political manipulation - DirectorTrey Edward ShultsStarsJoel EdgertonChristopher AbbottCarmen EjogoSecure within a desolate home as an unnatural threat terrorizes the world, a man has established a tenuous domestic order with his wife and son. Then a desperate young family arrives seeking refuge.It Comes At Night (2017)*
Science Fiction – Drama – Horror – Mystery – Thriller – Post-Apocalyptic Mystery Drama – Three-Member Family – Isolated Forest Cabin – Mysterious Deadly-Plague – Highly-Contagious – Human Population Annihilation – Quarantine Measures – Jeopardy – Another Family Encounter – Tension – Dilemma – Uncertainty Stress – Anxiety – Survival Horror – Hostile Unpredictable Environment – Elusive Danger – Lone Survivors – Paranoid Thriller – Ever-Present Danger – Desperation – Suspicions – Fear – Distrust – Hysteria – Paranoia – Psychological Horror – Discomfort Sense – Claustrophobic Dread – Existential Threat – Nightmarish Terror – Cosmic Horror – Art-Horror – Surrealism – Nihilism – Minimalistic Setup – Others – Eschatology – Slow-Burn – Indie Film – A24 Production – Re-Watchable – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)-M
Key-Element: insecurity / distrust / ever-present danger - DirectorDavid Robert MitchellStarsMaika MonroeKeir GilchristOlivia LuccardiA young woman is followed by an unknown supernatural force after a sexual encounter.It Follows (2014)*
Horror – Mystery – Thriller – Supernatural Horror Mystery Thriller – 19-Year-Old College Student – Mysterious Demonic Entity – Sexually-Transmitted Curse – Supernatural Stalker – Escape Thriller – Investigation – Desperation – Psychological Horror – Vague Fear – Supernatural Horror – Primordial Dread – Existential Terror – Simmering Tension – Uncertainty Stress – Anxiety Disorder – Panic Attack – Paranoid Thriller – Ever-Present Danger – Suspicions – Fear – Hysteria – Distrust – Paranoia – Others – Uncanny Experience – Allegorical – Adolescent Anxieties – Coming-of-Age Tale – Teen Movie – Indie Film – Cult Status – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)-S
Key-Element: unseen malevolent force / trust-no-one / ever-present danger - DirectorRichard KellyStarsJake GyllenhaalJena MaloneMary McDonnellAfter narrowly escaping a bizarre accident, a troubled teenager is plagued by visions of a man in a large rabbit suit who manipulates him to commit a series of crimes.Donnie Darko (2001)*
Science Fiction – Drama – Mystery – Fantasy – Thriller – Apocalypse Mystery Drama – Troubled Teenager – Sleepwalking Episodes – Mysterious Rabbit-Wizard Nocturnal Visitor – Manipulation – Hallucinations – Life-Threatening – Apocalyptic Future Transmissions – Mind-Bending Journey – Time Travel – Paradox – Parallel Universe – Angst – Fear – Hysteria – Paranoia – Psychological Thriller – Metaphysical Fears – Adolescent Terror – Existential Dread – Paranoid Schizophrenia – Paranoid Personality Disorder (PPD) – Paranoid Thriller – Magical Realism – Derealization Symptoms – Paranoid Phobias – Delusional Disorder – Schizoid Chaos – Puzzle Film – Complex Storytelling – Self-Conscious Narration – Dream-Like Reality – Mind-Puzzle – Others – Bizarre – Enigmatic – Surrealism – Allegorical – Social Satire – Cult Status – Indie Film – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)-W
Key-Element: paranoid-schizoid mental-state / derealization symptoms / paranoid delusions - DirectorAlex ProyasStarsRufus SewellKiefer SutherlandJennifer ConnellyA man struggles with memories of his past, which include a wife he cannot remember and a nightmarish world no one else ever seems to wake up from.Dark City (1998)*
Science Fiction – Mystery – Fantasy – Thriller – Dystopian Fantasy – Alien Invasion – Malevolent Extraterrestrial Life – Dystopian Artificial City – Alternate Reality – Human Study Experiment – Mind-Control Program – Memory Control – Enslave Humans – Human's Civilization Threat – Mystery – Mysterious Amnesiac Man – Mind-Control Immunity – Supernatural Ability – Nightmarish Visions – Brutal Bizarre Murders – Spiral Killer – Police Investigation – Detective Story – Blame Game – Murder Prime-Suspect – Frame-Up – Clear-His-Name Plan – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Enigmatic Strangers Pursuit – Manhunt – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – Manipulation – Mind-Control – Dream-Like Reality – Identity Crisis – Paranoia – Neo-Noir – Urban Setting – Low-Key Lighting – Femme Fatale – Melancholy – Moral Conflict – Cynicism – Nihilism – Amoralism – Fate – Others – Cyberpunk – Good-vs-Evil Pattern – Allegorical – Symbolism – Existentialism – Expressionism – Kafkaesque – Cult Status – Re-Watch Value – Australia
★★★★★★ (6/10)-W
Key-Element: alternate-reality Paranoia / trust-no-one - DirectorGuillem MoralesStarsAndoni GraciaMónica LópezFrancesc GarridoIn the dark corridors of Félix's house, an intruder is hiding. Is he real, or is he a manifestation inside the obscure maze of his mind?The Uninvited Guest (El Habitante Incierto) (2004)
Drama – Mystery – Horror – Thriller – Mystery Drama – Recently Separated Architect Man – Loneliness – Large Modern House – Enigmatic Stalker – Home Invasion – Invisible-Intruder Obsession – Elusive Danger – Uncertainty Stress – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Hide-and-Seek Game – Manipulation – Sadistic Psychological Games – Paranoid Thriller – Magical Realism – Derealization Symptoms – Paranoid Phobias – Delusional Disorder – Schizoid Chaos – Suspicions – Doubt – Madness – Paranoia – Ironic Fate – Psychological Horror – Psychological Torture – Claustrophobic Threat – Nightmarish Terror – Sexual Repression – Art-House – Social Satire – Allegorical – Voyeurism – Others – Bizarre – Alternative – Hitchcockian Aura – Foreign Language – European – Spain
★★★★★★ (6/10)
Key-Element: paranoid-schizoid mental-state / derealization symptoms / paranoid delusions - DirectorRodrigo SorogoyenStarsAntonio de la TorreMónica LópezJosep Maria PouA Spanish politician whose high-class lifestyle is based on nefarious and illegal business threatens to break his entire party after a newspaper exposes him to the public eye.The Candidate (The Realm) (El Reino) (2018)*
Drama – Mystery – Thriller – Political Drama – Veteran Spanish Regional Politician – Next Regional President – Corruption Scandal Accusation – Money Laundering – Land Rezoning – Political Scandal – Anxiety – Desperation – Downward Spiral – Blame Game – National-Party Takedown Decision – Politician Colleagues Betrayal – Mystery Thriller – Well-Oiled Corruption Machine – Fight-Back Plan – Evidence Search – Race-against-Time – Suspense – Tension – Conspiracy Theory – Political Power-Plays – Backstage Politics – Political Machinations – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – Suspicions – Mistrust – Paranoia – Political Intrigue – Others – Social Commentary – Cynicism – Opportunism – Hypocrisy – Re-Watch Value – Foreign Language – European – Spain
★★★★★★ (6/10)-M - DirectorD.J. CarusoStarsShia LaBeoufDavid MorseCarrie-Anne MossWhen a teenager is placed under house arrest, he succumbs to despair and starts spying on his neighbors, hoping to spice up his life. This, however, leads him to witness a serial killer on the loose.Disturbia (2007)
Crime – Mystery – Thriller – Crime Mystery Thriller – Troubled Teenager – Erratic Behavior – Justice Measures – Three Months House-Arrest Court-Ordered – Isolation – Bored – Neighbors Spying – Next-Door Loner Middle-Age Man – Suspicious Behavior – Serial-Killer Suspicions – Alarm – Investigation – Suspense – Tension – Psychological Thriller – Love-Loss (Father's Death) Trauma – Grief Trauma – Claustrophobic Threat – Simmering Danger – Paranoid Thriller – Suburban Paranoia – Suspicions – Unconvincing – Distrust – Paranoid Obsessions – Paranoia – Neo-Noir – Urban Setting – Low-Key Lighting – Femme Fatale – Melancholy – Others – Romance Sub-Plot – Voyeurism – Eroticism – Hitchcockian Aura – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)
Key-Element: paranoid obsessions / suspiciousness - DirectorPaul GreengrassStarsMatt DamonTommy Lee JonesAlicia VikanderThe CIA's most dangerous former operative is drawn out of hiding to uncover more explosive truths about his past.Jason Bourne (2016)*
Action – Adventure – Thriller – Espionage Action Thriller – Former CIA Assassin – Haunting Past – Psychogenic Amnesia Suffering – Extraordinary Talents – Martial Arts – Father's CIA-Past Investigation – Dangerous-Truths – Cover-Ups – Secret Black-Ops Operation Uncover – Determination – Intrigue – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Intelligence Agencies Operation – CIA's Cyber-Security Track-Down Operation – Manhunt – Take-Him-Down Order – Pursuit – Suspense – Tension – Frenetic Action – Escape Thriller – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – Jeopardy – Unknown Threat – Suspicions – Mistrust – Confusion – Paranoia – Others – Identity Crisis – Existential Confusion – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – Professionalism – Memorable Hero – Robert Ludlum's Novel – Sequel – Cult Status – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)-M
Key-Element: political conspiracy / political manipulation / ever-present danger - DirectorLen WisemanStarsColin FarrellBokeem WoodbineBryan CranstonA factory worker, Douglas Quaid, begins to suspect that he is a spy after visiting Rekall - a company that provides its clients with implanted fake memories of a life they would like to have led - goes wrong and he finds himself on the run.Total Recall (2012)
Science Fiction – Action – Adventure – Thriller – Dystopian Adventure – Year 2084 – Earth's Tyrannical Totalitarian Government – Colonized Mars – Earthbound Bored Construction-Worker – Idyllic Life – Enigmatic Suppressed Mars-Memories – Memory-Vocation Service Agency – Realistic False-Memories Implant – Fantastical Mars-Adventure – Implant-goes-Wrong – Espionage Action Thriller – Secret Agent Profile – Men-On-a-Mission – Secret Agencies Operation – Mars Rebellion – Political Instability – Action Sequence – Violence – Gore – Confusion – Chaos – Heroism – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Manhunt – Frenetic Chase – Suspense – Tension – Paranoid Thriller – Brainwash – Identity Fusion – Manipulation – Obsession – Suspicions – Mistrust – Paranoia – Intrigue – Conspiracy Theory – Shadowy Conspiracy – Manipulation – Frame-Up – Double Cross – Others – Remake – Surrealism – Plot-Twist – Blockbuster – Philip K.Dick Short-Story – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)
Key-Element: shadowy conspiracy / paranoid delusions / distrust - DirectorSteven SoderberghStarsClaire FoyJoshua LeonardJay PharoahA young woman is involuntarily committed to a mental institution, where she is confronted by her greatest fear - but is it real or a product of her delusion?Unsane (2018)*
Drama – Horror – Mystery – Thriller – Mystery Drama – Traumatized Unstable Woman – Stalking Trauma – Private Mental-Hospital Treatment – Mysterious Institution – Imprison Patients – Frustration – Doubts – Dilemmas – Anxiety – Panic Attack – Delirium – Hysteria – Escape Thriller – Psychological Horror Thriller – Trapped Situation – Stalker Infiltration – Obsessed Stalking – One-Sided Connection – Depression – Anger – Violence – Gore – Unsettling Atmosphere – Claustrophobic Dread – Mental Disorder – Delusional Disorder – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – Conspiracy Theory – Shadowy Conspiracy – Insurance Scam – Intrigue – Psychosexual Thriller – Toxic Masculinity – Male Possessiveness – Sexual Obsession – Sexual Abuse – Sexual Paranoia – Paranoid Thriller – False Imprisonment – Manipulation – Deception – Distrust – Paranoia – Ever-Present Threat – Others – Stalking Thriller – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)-S
Key-Element: paranoid-schizoid mental-state / derealization symptoms / paranoid phobias - DirectorBrad AndersonStarsChristian BaleJennifer Jason LeighAitana Sánchez-GijónAn industrial worker who hasn't slept in a year begins to doubt his own sanity.The Machinist
★★★★★★ (6/10) - DirectorCraig ZobelStarsAnn DowdDreama WalkerPat HealyA normal Friday service at a fast food restaurant becomes interrupted by a police officer who claims an employee stole from a customer, but something more sinister is going on.Compliance (2012)
Drama – Thriller – Drama – Fast Food Restaurant – Middle-Aged Manager Woman – Police Officer Phone-Caller – Customer's Money Stolen Case – Young Woman Employee Prime Suspect – Telephone Instructions – Interrogation – Sexual Humiliation – Anxiety Disorder – Phone Call Scam – Paranoid Thriller – Deception – Manipulation – Humiliation – Suspicions – Doubt – Confusion – Alienation – Madness – Paranoid Aggression – Paranoia – Psychological Horror – Unsettling Atmosphere – Discomfort Sense – Extreme Emotional Stress – Psychological Oppression – Claustrophobic Dread – Paranoid Terror – Impotent Horror – Others – True-Life Drama – Twisted Thriller – Social Commentary – Sadism – Cynicism – Nihilism – Disturbing – Shock Value – E x t r e m e – Minimalistic Setup – Milgram Experiment – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)
Key-Elements: manipulative malevolent enemy / paranoid thinking / paranoid aggression - DirectorJeff RenfroeMarteinn ThorssonStarsRichard ReesJeremy SistoUdo KierAfter receiving mysterious empty packages inside his apartment, a young computer-programmer begins a personal investigation into their origins.One Point O (2004)
Science Fiction – Mystery – Horror – Thriller – Dystopian Mystery Thriller – Young Lonely Computer Programmer – Deadline-Project Stress – Enigmatic Empty Packages – Investigation – Eccentric Neighbours – Mysterious Deaths – Paranoid Thriller – Mysterious Forces – Desperation – Hallucinations – Suspicions – Distrust – Corruption – Obsession – Paranoia – Conspiracy Theory – Secret Corporate Experiment – Advertising – Nanotechnology – Psychological Horror – Claustrophobic Threat – Existential Dread – Mental Disorder – Delusional Disorder – Psychoneurosis – Art-Horror – Grotesque – Surrealism – Symbolism – Bizarre – Mindfuck – Uncanny Experience – Kafkaesque Nightmare – Others – Cyberpunk – Intelligent Plot – Indie Film – Alternative – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)
Key-Elements: unseen malevolent force / trust-no-one / paranoid obsessions / cyber-paranoia - DirectorJeff NicholsStarsMichael ShannonJessica ChastainShea WhighamPlagued by a series of apocalyptic visions, a young husband and father questions whether to shelter his family from a coming storm, or from himself.Take Shelter (2005)*
Drama – Thriller – Drama – Middle-Class Family – Construction Worker Husband – Apocalyptic Dreams – Impending Environmental Disaster – Coming Storm Hallucinations – Storm Shelter Construction – Family's Mental Illness Stigma – Anxiety Disorder – Danger – Fear – Insanity – Paranoia – Psychological Horror – Mental Breakdown – Nightmarish Fears – Existential Dread – Compulsive Obsession – Psychosis – Mental Disorder – Delusional Disorder – Paranoid Schizophrenia – Adjustment Disorder – Male Oppression – Masculinity Crisis – Uncertainty Future Stress – Paranoid Thriller – Derealization Symptoms – Paranoid Phobias – Delusional Disorder – Schizoid Chaos – Suspicions – Doubt – Madness – Paranoia – Ironic Fate – Art-House Horror – Symbolism – Allegorical – Metaphorical – Uncanny Experience – Others – Family Drama – Indie Film – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)-M
Key-Element: apocalyptic visions / paranoid-schizoid mental-state / derealization symptoms / paranoid fears - DirectorAri AsterStarsFlorence PughJack ReynorVilhelm BlomgrenA couple travels to Northern Europe to visit a rural hometown's fabled Swedish mid-summer festival. What begins as an idyllic retreat quickly devolves into an increasingly violent and bizarre competition at the hands of a pagan cult.Midsommar (2019)
Drama – Horror – Mystery – Thriller – Mystery Drama – Depressed Young Female Psychology-Student – Family Tragedy – Emotionally Distant Boyfriend – Relationship Drama – Graduate Students’ Summer Trip – Remote Rural Swedish Community – Scandinavian Neopagan Cult-Festival – Mysterious Paga- Rituals – Mischief – Frustration – Paranoid Thriller – Suspicions – Doubts – Distrust – Confusion – Ever-Present Threat – Pagan-Cult Paranoia – Downward Spiral – Destiny – Psychological Horror – Unsettling Atmosphere – Discomfort Sense – Simmering Danger – Emotional Stress – Claustrophobic Threat – Psychedelic Horror – Occult Horror – Art-Horror – Symbolism – Existentialism – Grotesque – Bizarre – Uncanny Experience – Others – Folk Horror – Paganism – WTF Factor – Cult Status – Indie Film – A24 Production – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)
Key-Elements: shadowy conspiracy / ever-present threat / pagan-cult paranoia - DirectorSteven SoderberghStarsZoë KravitzByron BowersRita WilsonAn agoraphobic Seattle tech worker uncovers evidence of a crime.Kimi (2022)
Crime – Thriller – Crime Thriller – Seattle US Loft Apartment – Lonely Agoraphobic Tech-Employee Woman – Multiple Phobias – Work-from-Home – Project: Smart-Speaker Device Code-Name "KIMI" – Human-Life Virtual-Assistant – Recording-Evidence-of Violent Crime Uncover – Murder Investigation – Obsession – Danger – Killer's Next-Victim – Home Invasion – Suspense – Tension – Anxiety– Escape Thriller – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – Cyber-Paranoia – Surveillance-Paranoia – Corporate-Paranoia – Suspicions – Distrust – Others – Tech-Thriller – Voyeurism – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10) - DirectorRobert SchwentkeStarsJodie FosterPeter SarsgaardSean BeanA bereaved woman and her daughter are flying home from Berlin to America. At 30,000 feet, the child vanishes, and nobody will admit she was ever on the plane.Flightplan (2005)*
Drama – Mystery – Thriller – Drama – Berlin Germany – Berlin-Based American Woman – Aircraft Engineer – 6-Year-Old Daughter – Husband's Suicide – Love-Loss Trauma – Grief Trauma – Husband's Body Transfer to-USA – Psychological Mystery Thriller – Germany-to-New York Flight – Daughter's Mysterious Disappearance – Frantic Search – Escalating Anxiety – Mounting Fear – Panic Attack – Kidnapping Hypothesis – Delusional-Disorder Accusations – Self-Doubts – Suspense – Claustrophobic Tension – Simmering Dread – Frustration – Suspicions – Paranoia – Conspiracy Theory – Shadowy Airplane-Hijack Plan – Misdirection – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – Suspicions – Obsession – Trust-no-One – Insanity – Paranoia – Others – Uncanny Experience – Hitchcockian Aura – Plot-Twist – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)-S - DirectorKelly ReichardtStarsMichelle WilliamsBruce GreenwoodPaul DanoSettlers traveling through the Oregon desert in 1845 find themselves stranded in harsh conditions.Meek's Cutoff (2010)*
Western – Drama – Adventure – Thriller – Western Adventure Drama – Old American West – Oregon Trail (1811-1840) Era – East-West Wagon Route – Small Group of Emigrants – Arrogant Mountain-Man Guide – Alternate Shortcut Route – Desert Lost – Unknown Territory – Isolation – Suspicions – Doubts – Enigmatic Native-American Capture – Silent Indian-Warrior – Water Search Plan – Survival Thriller – Trapped Survival – Exhaustion – Suspense – Tension – Uncertainty Stress – Psychological Struggle – Escape Thriller – Wilderness Survival – Fate – Paranoid Thriller – Unseen Malevolent Force – Conflicts – Paranoid Fear – Desperation – Mistrust – Hysteria – Paranoia – Art-House – Minimalistic Setup – Naturalistic – Others – Revisionist Western – True Story – Character-Driven Drama – Realism – Feminism – Moral Dilemmas – Indie Film – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)-W
Key-Elements: unseen malevolent force / paranoid fears / distrust - DirectorShin'ya TsukamotoStarsShin'ya TsukamotoYûko NakamuraCoccoWhen a single mother suffers a nervous breakdown, she is suspected of child abuse and her child is taken away. Her mental suffering escalates as she succumbs to her darkest fantasies.Kotoko (2011)*
Drama – Horror – Psychological Drama – Mental Distress Single-Mother – Double-Visions (Diplopia) Episodes – Terrifying Hallucinations – Motherhood Anxieties – Japanese Social Services Taken-her-Son Away – Desperation – Alienation – Fear – Misery – Nervous Breakdown – Psychological Horror – Violent Thoughts – Self-Harm – Mania – Nightmarish Terror – Body Horror – Existential Horror – Psychosexual Horror – Paranoia – Psychological Chaos – Downward Spiral – Paranoid Thriller – Self-Deception – Derealization Symptoms – Paranoid Phobias – Ever-Present Threat – Delusional Disorder – Schizoid Chaos – Distrust – Art-Horror – Unsettling Atmosphere – Surrealism – Avant-Garde – Grotesque – Experimental Film – Others – J-Horror Wave – Bizarre – Disturbing – Shock Value – E x t r e m e – Indie – Foreign Language – Asian – Japan
★★★★★★ (6/10)-S
Key-Element: paranoid-schizoid mental-state / derealization symptoms / ever-present threat - DirectorRobin HardyStarsEdward WoodwardChristopher LeeDiane CilentoA puritan police sergeant arrives in a Scottish island village in search of a missing girl, who the pagan locals claim never existed.The Wicker Man (1973)
Horror – Mystery – Music – Thriller – Horror Mystery Drama – Scottish Isolated Island – Young Girl Mysterious Disappearance – Conservative Christian Police Officer – Investigation – Weird Unhelpful Community – Unusual Sexual Behaviour – Sinister Pagan-Rituals – Human Sacrifice – Frustration – Conspiracy Theory – Shadowy Conspiracy – Manipulation – Celtic Pagan Cult – Psychological Horror – Unsettling Atmosphere – Discomfort Sense – Simmering Danger – Emotional Stress – Sexual Repression – Christian Anxiety – Paranoid Thriller – Suspicions – Doubts – Distrust – Confusion – Ever-Present Threat – Pagan-Cult Paranoia – Downward Spiral – Destiny – Art-Horror – Zealotry – Psychedelic – Eroticism – Symbolism – Barbarism – Existentialism – Fatalism – Grotesque – Bizarre – Uncanny Experience – Others – Folk Horror – PaganCult Satire – Celtic Paganism – WTF Factor – No-Exit Finale – David Pinner's 1967 Novel – Cult Status – Classic Status – Indie Film – Best 70's – Re-Watchable – European – U.K.
★★★★★ (5/10)
Key-Elements: manipulative conspiracy / ever-present threat / pagan-cult paranoia - DirectorEskil VogtStarsEllen Dorrit PetersenHenrik RafaelsenVera VitaliForsaken in a new Oslo apartment, a frail blind woman battles to come to terms with her condition, as she slowly retracts into an elaborate fantasy bubble. Are her stories fanning her suspicions, or is this what total blindness looks like?Blind (2014)
Drama – Psychological Drama – Frail Authoress Blind Wife – Self-Isolation – Loneliness – Insecurity – Doubt – Infidelity Fears – Repressed Sexuality – Inner Demons – Creative Imagination – Reality Escapism – Elaborate Fantasy Bubble – Anxiety Disorder – Paranoia – Downward Spiral – Psychosexual Drama – Sexual Obsession – Sexual Repression – Voyeurism – Fetichism – Compulsive Sexual Behavior – Subconscious Desire – Paranoid Thriller – Ever-Present Danger – Derealization Symptoms – Paranoid Phobias – Delusional Disorder – Schizoid Chaos – Suspicions – Doubts – Madness – Black Comedy – Internet-Porno Addition Satire – Art-House – Surrealism – Existentialism – Bizarre – Others – Alternative – Experimental Film – Foreign Language – European – Norway
★★★★★ (5/10)
Key-Element: paranoid-schizoid mental-state / derealization symptoms / paranoid delusions - DirectorRob BowmanStarsDavid DuchovnyGillian AndersonJohn NevilleMulder and Scully must fight the government in a conspiracy and find the truth about an alien colonization of Earth.The X-Files (1998)
★★★★★ (5/10) - DirectorJoel EdgertonStarsJason BatemanRebecca HallJoel EdgertonA married couple, Simon and Robyn, run into Gordo, an old classmate. Things take a turn when Gordo begins to drop in unannounced at their house and inundates them with mysterious gifts.The Gift (2015)
★★★★★ (5/10) - DirectorJohn BadhamStarsMatthew BroderickAlly SheedyJohn WoodA young man finds a back door into a military central computer in which reality is confused with game-playing, possibly starting World War III.Wargames (1983)
★★★★★ (5/10) - DirectorJuliano DornellesKleber Mendonça FilhoStarsBárbara ColenThomas AquinoSilvero PereiraAfter the death of her grandmother, Teresa comes home to her matriarchal village in a near-future Brazil to find a succession of sinister events that mobilizes all of its residents.Bacurau (2019)
★★★★★ (5/10) - DirectorDaniel GoldhaberStarsMadeline BrewerPatch DarraghMelora WaltersAlice, an ambitious camgirl, wakes up one day to discover she's been replaced on her show with an exact replica of herself.Cam (2018)
★★★★★ (5/10) - DirectorD.J. CarusoStarsShia LaBeoufMichelle MonaghanRosario DawsonJerry and Rachel are two strangers thrown together by a mysterious phone call from a woman they have never met. Threatening their lives and family, she pushes Jerry and Rachel into a series of increasingly dangerous situations, using the technology of everyday life to track and control their every move.Eagle Eye (2008)
★★★★★ (5/10) - DirectorRobert WiseStarsJames OlsonArthur HillDavid WayneTop scientists work feverishly in a secret, state-of-the-art laboratory to discover what killed the citizens of a small town and how the deadly contagion can be stopped.The Andromeda Strain (1971)
★★★★ (4/10) - DirectorFrank DarabontStarsThomas JaneMarcia Gay HardenLaurie HoldenA freak storm unleashes a species of bloodthirsty creatures on a small town, where a small band of citizens hole up in a supermarket and fight for their lives.The Mist (2007)
★★★★ (4/10) - DirectorWilliam FriedkinStarsAshley JuddMichael ShannonHarry Connick Jr.An unhinged war veteran holes up with a lonely woman in a spooky Oklahoma motel room. The line between reality and delusion is blurred as they discover a bug infestation.Honourable Mention:
Bug (2006)
Drama – Horror – Thriller – Horror Drama – Single Motel Room – Troubled Young Waitress – Maniac ex-Soldier Drifter – Strange Romance – Paranoid Fantasy – Bugs Obsession – Government Conspiracy – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – Suspicions – Obsession – Trust-no-One – Insanity – Paranoia – Downward Spiral – Psychological Horror – Discomfort Sense – Claustrophobic Nightmare – Existential Dread – Paranoid Personality Disorder (PPD) – Delusional Disorder – Psychosis – Others – Bizarre – Stage-To-Screen – Indie Film – U.S.A.
★★★★ (4/10)
Key-Element: conspiratorial thinking / paranoid-schizoid mental-state / derealization symptoms / paranoid obsessions