Home

 › 

Movies

 › 

Mind-Bending Puzzle Movies With Shocking Plot Twists

Mind-Bending Puzzle Movies With Shocking Plot Twists

Published: by

Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

50. Upstream Color (2013)

Source: Courtesy of erbp

49. Lost Highway (1997)

Source: Courtesy of October Films

48. Shutter Island (2010)

Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

47. Videodrome (1983)

Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures

46. Jacob's Ladder (1990)

Source: Courtesy of TriStar Pictures

45. Angel Heart (1987)

Source: Courtesy of TriStar Pictures

44. Stranger than Fiction (2006)

Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

43. Predestination (2014)

Source: Courtesy of Stage 6 Films

42. Total Recall (1990)

Source: Courtesy of TriStar Pictures

41. The Others (2001)

Source: Courtesy of Dimension Films

40. The Machinist (2004)

Source: Courtesy of Paramount Classics

39. The Game (1997)

Source: Courtesy of Polygram Filmed Entertainment

38. The Hours (2002)

Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

37. Coherence (2013)

Source: Courtesy of Oscilloscope

36. Atonement (2007)

Source: Courtesy of Focus Features

35. 21 Grams (2003)

Source: Courtesy of Focus Features

34. 2046 (2005)

Source: Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

33. Eraserhead (1977)

Source: Courtesy of Libra Films

32. Take Shelter (2011)

Source: Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

31. Donnie Darko (2001)

Source: Courtesy of Arrow Films

30. House of Games (1987)

Source: Courtesy of Orion Pictures

29. Looper (2012)

Source: Courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing

28. Source Code (2011)

Source: Courtesy of Summit Distribution

27. Mulholland Dr. (2001)

Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures

26. Life of Pi (2012)

Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

25. Black Swan (2010)

Source: Courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures

24. Perfect Blue (1997)

Source: Courtesy of GKIDS

23. You Only Live Once (1937)

Source: Courtesy of United Artists

22. Intolerance (1916)

Source: Courtesy of Triangle Distributing

21. Magnolia (1999)

Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema

20. The Prestige (2006)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

19. Arrival (2016)

Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

18. Moon (2009)

Source: Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

17. 12 Monkeys (1995)

Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures

16. The Sixth Sense (1999)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

15. Being John Malkovich (1999)

Source: Courtesy of USA Films

14. Short Cuts (1993)

Source: Courtesy of Fine Line Features

13. Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.

12. The Shining (1980)

Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.

11. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

10. Fight Club (1999)

Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

9. In the Mood for Love (2001)

Source: Courtesy of USA Films

8. Sleuth (1972)

Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

7. Inception (2010)

Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.

6. Amores Perros (2001)

Source: Courtesy of Lionsgate Films

5. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

Source: Courtesy of Focus Features

4. The Usual Suspects (1995)

Source: Courtesy of Gramercy Pictures (I)

3. Vertigo (1958)

Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

2. Memento (2000)

Source: Courtesy of Newmarket Films

1. Pulp Fiction (1994)

Source: Courtesy of Miramax

50. Upstream Color (2013)
49. Lost Highway (1997)
48. Shutter Island (2010)
47. Videodrome (1983)
46. Jacob's Ladder (1990)
45. Angel Heart (1987)
44. Stranger than Fiction (2006)
43. Predestination (2014)
42. Total Recall (1990)
41. The Others (2001)
40. The Machinist (2004)
39. The Game (1997)
38. The Hours (2002)
37. Coherence (2013)
36. Atonement (2007)
35. 21 Grams (2003)
34. 2046 (2005)
33. Eraserhead (1977)
32. Take Shelter (2011)
31. Donnie Darko (2001)
30. House of Games (1987)
29. Looper (2012)
28. Source Code (2011)
27. Mulholland Dr. (2001)
26. Life of Pi (2012)
25. Black Swan (2010)
24. Perfect Blue (1997)
23. You Only Live Once (1937)
22. Intolerance (1916)
21. Magnolia (1999)
20. The Prestige (2006)
19. Arrival (2016)
18. Moon (2009)
17. 12 Monkeys (1995)
16. The Sixth Sense (1999)
15. Being John Malkovich (1999)
14. Short Cuts (1993)
13. Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
12. The Shining (1980)
11. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
10. Fight Club (1999)
9. In the Mood for Love (2001)
8. Sleuth (1972)
7. Inception (2010)
6. Amores Perros (2001)
5. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
4. The Usual Suspects (1995)
3. Vertigo (1958)
2. Memento (2000)
1. Pulp Fiction (1994)

Who doesn't love a little mystery? Puzzle and mystery movies are a great way to pass the time. Watching them can be frustrating as you try to figure out the next scene. It's hard to determine what makes a movie fit the theme of puzzles. For the sake of this article, puzzle movies refer to films with mystery. These can be movies about solving a case, a game, an idea, or more. Mysteries are thrilling. They can leave us guessing and squinting at the screen for more.

Puzzle movies often have brilliant twists that leave viewers dropping their jaws. Some of the best puzzle movies with twists include "Life of Pi," "Atonement," and "The Sixth Sense." Some puzzle movies aren't all that surprising but move in every direction, like "Pulp Fiction." In these movies, the scenes of the film are out of order. (If you like movies with unexpected twists, read our article on 15 movies with the most unexpected and heartbreaking endings.)

An honorary mention not in our article is "Clue." This hilarious and wacky puzzle movie was released in 1985 and is based on the board game of the same name. As you can imagine, the movie is about a puzzle or game the characters have to solve. We as the audience also try to solve it. Caution – spoiler ahead! At the end of "Clue," the audience is presented with multiple possible endings before the true ending is revealed.

Methodology

To determine the best puzzle movies, 24/7 Tempo developed an index using average ratings on IMDb, an online movie database owned by Amazon, and a combination of audience scores and Tomatometer scores on Rotten Tomatoes, an online movie and TV review aggregator, as of May 2024, weighting all ratings equally. Documentaries were not considered. Director information is from IMDb.

To top