A Glean movie guide
Mind-Bending Psychological Thrillers
Trust no one—not even yourself.
Masterful stories where nothing is as it seems and the final reveal changes everything.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
Memento
A non-linear puzzle that forces you to experience the protagonist's memory loss firsthand.
Leonard Shelby is tracking down the man who raped and murdered his wife. The difficulty of locating his wife's killer, however, is compounded by the fact that he suffers from a rare, untreatable form of short-term memory loss. Although he can recall details of life before his accident, Leonard cannot remember what happened fifteen minutes ago, where he's going, or why.
- 02
The Sixth Sense
A haunting mystery that redefined the modern plot twist with its chilling final revelation.
Following an unexpected tragedy, child psychologist Malcolm Crowe meets a nine year old boy named Cole Sear, who is hiding a dark secret.
- 03
Fight Club
A visceral exploration of identity and consumerism that culminates in a massive psychological shift.
A ticking-time-bomb insomniac and a slippery soap salesman channel primal male aggression into a shocking new form of therapy. Their concept catches on, with underground "fight clubs" forming in every town, until an eccentric gets in the way and ignites an out-of-control spiral toward oblivion.
- 04
Seven
A grim, atmospheric hunt for a serial killer that leads to one of cinema's most devastating endings.
- 05
The Usual Suspects
A brilliant exercise in deception that proves the most dangerous person is the one you overlook.
Held in an L.A. interrogation room, Verbal Kint attempts to convince the feds that a mythic crime lord, Keyser Soze, not only exists, but was also responsible for drawing him and his four partners into a multi-million dollar heist that ended with an explosion in San Pedro harbor – leaving few survivors. Verbal lures his interrogators with an incredible story of the crime lord's almost supernatural prowess.
- 06
Shutter Island
A claustrophobic journey into a psychiatric facility where the line between reality and delusion blurs.
World War II soldier-turned-U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels investigates the disappearance of a patient from a hospital for the criminally insane, but his efforts are compromised by troubling visions and a mysterious doctor.
- 07
Gone Girl
A sharp, cynical look at a crumbling marriage that subverts expectations with a mid-point genre flip.
With his wife's disappearance having become the focus of an intense media circus, a man sees the spotlight turned on him when it's suspected that he may not be innocent.
- 08
Oldboy
A brutal and deeply personal tale of revenge that ends with a truly unforgettable narrative gut-punch.
With no clue how he came to be imprisoned, drugged and tortured for 15 years, a desperate man seeks revenge on his captors.
- 09
The Prestige
A complex tale of obsession and rivalry where every detail is a clue to the ultimate illusion.
A mysterious story of two magicians whose intense rivalry leads them on a life-long battle for supremacy -- full of obsession, deceit and jealousy with dangerous and deadly consequences.
- 10
Incendies
A powerful family mystery that uncovers a shocking truth hidden within a war-torn past.
A mother's last wishes send twins Jeanne and Simon on a journey to Middle East in search of their tangled roots. Adapted from Wajdi Mouawad's acclaimed play, Incendies tells the powerful and moving tale of two young adults' voyage to the core of deep-rooted hatred, never-ending wars and enduring love.
- 11
The Handmaiden
A lush, erotic thriller that uses shifting perspectives to reveal layers of elaborate manipulation.
1930s Korea, in the period of Japanese occupation, a new girl, Sookee, is hired as a handmaiden to a Japanese heiress, Hideko, who lives a secluded life on a large countryside estate with her domineering Uncle Kouzuki. But the maid has a secret. She is a pickpocket recruited by a swindler posing as a Japanese Count to help him seduce the Lady to steal her fortune.
- 12
Black Swan
A high-stakes descent into madness as a perfectionist dancer loses her grip on what is real.
A committed dancer struggles to maintain her sanity after winning the lead role in a production of Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake".