A Glean movie guide
Mind-Bending Thrillers with Killer Twists
Don't trust what you see.
Masterfully crafted psychological mysteries that will leave you questioning everything.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
Memento
A non-linear puzzle that forces you to experience the protagonist's fragmented reality 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
The Usual Suspects
A brilliant crime thriller built entirely around the identity of a legendary criminal mastermind.
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.
- 04
Fight Club
A visceral exploration of identity and rebellion 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.
- 05
Shutter Island
A moody, atmospheric descent into madness set within a remote hospital for the criminally insane.
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.
- 06
Gone Girl
A sharp, cynical look at a crumbling marriage where the truth is constantly shifting.
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.
- 07
The Handmaiden
A lush, multi-layered masterpiece where every perspective shift reveals a new deception.
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.
- 08
Oldboy
A brutal and unforgettable tale of revenge featuring one of cinema's most shocking narrative turns.
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 meticulous period piece where the rivalry between two magicians mirrors the structure of a grand 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
The Machinist
A grim, immersive study of guilt and insomnia that slowly uncovers a buried trauma.
Trevor, an insomniac lathe operator, experiences unusual occurrences at work and home. A strange man follows him everywhere, but no one else seems to notice him.
- 11
The Invisible Guest
A sleek Spanish thriller that keeps you guessing through a series of clever, nested revelations.
Barcelona, Spain. Adrián Doria, a young and successful businessman accused of murder, meets one night with Virginia Goodman, an expert interrogation lawyer, in order to devise a defense strategy.
- 12
Coherence
A tense, low-budget sci-fi thriller that uses a simple dinner party to explore terrifying alternate realities.
Four couples gather for dinner the night a mysterious and powerful comet passes overhead.