Top 20 Psychological Puzzle Films
Best Psychological Puzzle Films of All Time
Movies with psychological puzzle narrative in any form (drama, crime, science fiction and fantasy, comedy, mystery, horror, thrillers e.t.c.)
Definition: Puzzle films focus on plot twists and storytelling that diverges from standard definitions of time and space, thus making the viewer’s goal to piece together the chronology and truth of the narrative like a puzzle. These films prompt the questioning of the qualities of their narration by exhibiting one or more of the following: unusual story structure, violations of causal logic, or flaunted, unresolved gaps in the causal chain of the story.
Psychological Puzzle Film defined as those that possess narratives in which the orientation of events in the plot to diegetic reality is not immediately clear, thus creating doubt in the viewer's mind as to how reliable, knowledgeable, self-conscious, and communicative the
narration is. An unreliable narration represents repression, marking the fantasy as either flashback or present-tense reality, only to reveal its unreliability at a strategic moment in the plot. Viewers may attribute these characteristics to a mentally unstable character who are trying to repress knowledge of a trauma and instead of depicting utter chaos or no discernible reality, the films depict two competing realities: the conscious and the unconscious.
Characteristics: mystery, non-tradition narration model, complicate/labyrinth storytelling, plot twists, non-linear timelines, back-and-forth timeline, fragment space/time, time loops, parallel narratives, a genuine flashback bridge the gap between true reality and imagined reality, alternate reality, maladjusted protagonist, multiple protagonists and multi-plot, scrambled-time schemes, experimental forms.
Essential / Must-see / Genre-defying: puzzle films:
Other Lists:
Top 40 Puzzle Movies
Top 100 Paranoid Films
Top 100 Psychological Thrillers
Top 100 Psychosexual Thrillers
Top 100 Psychological Horror Thrillers
Movies with psychological puzzle narrative in any form (drama, crime, science fiction and fantasy, comedy, mystery, horror, thrillers e.t.c.)
Definition: Puzzle films focus on plot twists and storytelling that diverges from standard definitions of time and space, thus making the viewer’s goal to piece together the chronology and truth of the narrative like a puzzle. These films prompt the questioning of the qualities of their narration by exhibiting one or more of the following: unusual story structure, violations of causal logic, or flaunted, unresolved gaps in the causal chain of the story.
Psychological Puzzle Film defined as those that possess narratives in which the orientation of events in the plot to diegetic reality is not immediately clear, thus creating doubt in the viewer's mind as to how reliable, knowledgeable, self-conscious, and communicative the
narration is. An unreliable narration represents repression, marking the fantasy as either flashback or present-tense reality, only to reveal its unreliability at a strategic moment in the plot. Viewers may attribute these characteristics to a mentally unstable character who are trying to repress knowledge of a trauma and instead of depicting utter chaos or no discernible reality, the films depict two competing realities: the conscious and the unconscious.
Characteristics: mystery, non-tradition narration model, complicate/labyrinth storytelling, plot twists, non-linear timelines, back-and-forth timeline, fragment space/time, time loops, parallel narratives, a genuine flashback bridge the gap between true reality and imagined reality, alternate reality, maladjusted protagonist, multiple protagonists and multi-plot, scrambled-time schemes, experimental forms.
Essential / Must-see / Genre-defying: puzzle films:
- Jacob's Ladder (1990)
- Open Your Eyes (1997)
- Fight Club (1999)
- The Sixth Sense (1999)
- Mulholland Drive (2001)
Other Lists:
Top 40 Puzzle Movies
Top 100 Paranoid Films
Top 100 Psychological Thrillers
Top 100 Psychosexual Thrillers
Top 100 Psychological Horror Thrillers
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- 23 titoli
- RegistaChristopher NolanStelleLeonardo DiCaprioJoseph Gordon-LevittElliot PageUn ladro che ruba i segreti aziendali attraverso l'uso della tecnologia di condivisione dei sogni ha il compito inverso di inserire un'idea nella mente di un direttore generale.Inception (2010)*
Science Fiction – Action – Adventure – Mystery – Thriller – Sci-Fi Thriller – International Fugitive / Professional Thief – Experimental Military Technology – Subconscious Mind Infiltrate – Constructed Dreams – Valuable Corporate Secrets Heist – Espionage Action Thriller – Corporate Espionage – New Mission: Subconscious Mind Implanting (Inception) – Deception – Manipulation – Dazzling Maze – Disbelief – Distrust – Fear – Paranoia – Escape Thriller – Mystery – Mysterious Wife's Death – Femme Fatale – Dead Wife's Obsession – Psychological Thriller – Emotional Stress – Love-Loss Trauma – Psychosis – Grief Trauma – Guilt Complex – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – Perception-Reality Dichotomy – Repressed Emotions – Defence Mechanism – Derealization Symptom – Fraudian Theory – Puzzle Film – Complex Storytelling – Non-Linear Timeline – Multi-Layered Plot – Self-Conscious Narration – Dream-Like Reality – Cause-and-Effect Chain – Others – Heist Movie – Symbolism – Existentialism – Surrealism – Intelligent Film – Blockbuster – Oscar (4) Winner – Cult Status – Classic Status – T o p – Best 10's – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★★★★ (10/10)-S
Puzzle: ambiguous narration / multiperspectivity / conscious/suppressed unconscious dichotomy / is this reality or another dream-level? - RegistaDavid FincherStelleMichael DouglasDeborah Kara UngerSean PennUn ricco banchiere viene coinvolto in un misterioso gioco e presto si rende conto che la sua vita è realmente in pericolo.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
Puzzle: ambiguous narration / twist-filled narration / what's real? / where the game ends and reality begins? - RegistaM. Night ShyamalanStelleBruce WillisHaley Joel OsmentToni ColletteUn bambino dotato del potere di comunicare con gli spiriti cerca aiuto da uno psicologo.The Sixth Sense (1999)*
Drama – Mystery – Thriller – Supernatural Mystery Drama – Philadelphia City – Child Psychologist – Troubled Young Boy Patient – Melancholy – Social Problems – Sees-Dead-People Case – Extra-Sensory Gift – Skepticism – Disbelief – Investigation – Obsession – Tragedy – Psychological Horror – Metaphysical Thriller – Anxiety Disorder – Mood Disorder – Adjustment Disorder – Claustrophobic Threat – Existential Dread – Supernatural Horror – Visual Hallucinations – Fear – Paranoia – Puzzle Film – Self-Conscious Narration – Dream-Like Reality – Others – Existentialism – Fatalism – Mind-Game Film – Misdirection Film – Plot Twist – Blockbuster – Classic Status – Cult Status – T o p – Best 90's – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★★★ (9/10)-S
Puzzle: misleading narration / unreliable narrator / mistaken perception / fear of the Real / past with the present confusion - RegistaAlan ParkerStelleMickey RourkeRobert De NiroLisa BonetUn investigatore privato viene assunto da un uomo di nome Louis Cyphre per rintracciare un cantante chiamato Johnny Favorite. Ma l'indagine prende una svolta inaspettata.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
Puzzle: misleading narration / unreliable narrator / mentally unstable protagonist / is this reality or lucid dream-state? - RegistaAlfred HitchcockStelleJames StewartKim NovakBarbara Bel GeddesUn detective di San Francisco che soffre di acrofobia conduce delle indagini sulle strane attività della moglie di un suo vecchio amico che diventa per lui una pericolosa ossessione.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
★★★★★★★★★ (9/10)-S
Puzzle: unreliable narration / mentally unstable protagonist / oneiric narrative mode / how did Scottie get down from the rooftop gutter? / is this a daydream-like scenario in the mind of a dying man? - RegistaMartin ScorseseStelleLeonardo DiCaprioEmily MortimerMark RuffaloNel 1954, un Marshal americano indaga sulla scomparsa di un assassino fuggito da un ospedale psichiatrico criminale.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)-M
Puzzle: misleading narration / unreliable narrator / mentally unstable protagonist / is this reality or fantasy? - RegistaDavid LynchStelleNaomi WattsLaura HarringJustin TherouxDopo aver perso la memoria in un incidente sulla strada Mullholland Drive, una donna ed un'aspirante attrice cercano indizi e rispose a Los Angeles in un'intricata avventura che oscilla tra sogno e realtà.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)
Puzzle: ambiguous narration / unreliable narrator / conscious/suppressed unconscious dichotomy / reality or anxiety-driven nightmare question - RegistaAdrian LyneStelleTim RobbinsElizabeth PeñaDanny AielloIn lutto per la morte del figlio, un veterano tenta di scoprire il suo passato mentre soffre di un grave caso di dissociazione. Deve distinguere la realtà e la vita dai propri sogni, illusioni e percezioni della morte.Jacob's Ladder (1990)*
Drama – Mystery – Horror – Thriller – 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 – Shadowy Cabal – Suspicions – Doubt – Mistrust – Corruption – Confusion – Mania – Paranoia – Downward Spiral – Psychological Horror – 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 – Plot-Twist – Best 90's – Cult Status – Classic Status – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-S
Puzzle: misleading narration / mentally unstable protagonist / multiperspectivity / four competing possibilities of reality / the film chronicles the fantasies of a dying man? - RegistaTerry GilliamStelleBruce WillisMadeleine StoweBrad PittIn un futuro devastato da un'epidemia un uomo viene inviato indietro nel tempo affinchè scopra come ha avuto origine un virus che ha sterminato la maggior parte della popolazione del pianeta.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
Puzzle: unreliable narration / mentally unstable protagonist / time-paradox / are these figments of imagination of a mentally unstable man? - RegistaAlejandro AmenábarStelleNicole KidmanChristopher EcclestonFionnula FlanaganUna donna vive nella sua vecchia casa di famiglia avvolta nell'oscurità insieme ai due figli fotosensibili. Presto si convince che la casa sia infestata dai fantasmi.The Others (2001)
Drama – Horror – Mystery – Thriller – Period Mystery Drama – Post-WWII (1945) Era – Isolated Country House – Fragile Single Mother – Two Photosensitive Children – Mysterious Three New Servants – Odd Rules – Strange Occurrences – Suspicions – Hysteria – Paranoia – Downward Spiral – Tragedy – Psychological Horror – Repressed Emotions – Ever-Present Danger – Claustrophobic Threat – Supernatural Dread – Gothic Horror – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – Delusional Disorder – Psychotic Delusion – Oblivion State – Doppelgänger Effect – Puzzle Film – Self-Conscious Narration – Dream-Like Reality – Art-House Horror – Symbolism – Expressionism – Existentialism – Fatalism – Uncanny Experience – Others – Haunted-House Tale – Gothic Horror – Ghost Story – Plot Twist – Criterion Collection – European – Spain
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Puzzle: misleading narration / unreliable narrator / mistaken perception / fear of the Real / past with the present confusion - RegistaDenis VilleneuveStelleJake GyllenhaalMélanie LaurentSarah GadonUn uomo scopre di avere un sosia dopo averlo visto recitare in un film, e decide di tentare di contattarlo.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)-S
Puzzle: unreliable narration / mentally unstable protagonist /multiple possibilities / conscious/suppressed unconscious dichotomy / reality or fantasy question - RegistaDavid FincherStelleBrad PittEdward NortonMeat LoafUn impiegato che soffre di insonnia e un fabbricante di sapone menefreghista formano un club di combattimenti clandestino che si trasforma in qualcosa molto di più grande.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)-S
Puzzle: misleading narration / unreliable narrator / conscious/suppressed unconscious dichotomy / mentally unstable protagonist / internal focalization / alternate personalities / what is real and what is fantasy? - RegistaChristopher NolanStelleGuy PearceCarrie-Anne MossJoe PantolianoUn uomo che soffre di una particolare forma di amnesia tenta di individuare l'assassino di sua moglie per vendicarsi.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)
Puzzle: misleading narration / deceptive narrator / reality or unreliable memories question - RegistaDarren AronofskyStelleNatalie PortmanMila KunisVincent CasselUna dedita ballerina ottiene il ruolo principale nella produzione de "Il lago dei cigni" di Tchaikovsky, ma fa difficoltà a mantenere la propria integrità mentale.Black Swan (2010)
Drama – Horror – Mystery – Thriller – Psychological Mystery Drama – Vulnerable Young Ballerina – Narcissistic Overprotective Mother – Tchaikovsky's Ballet "Swan Lake" Role Casting – Competition – Good White-Swan "Odette" Persona – New Confident Ballet Dancer – Evil Black-Swan "Odile" Persona – Artistic Jealousy – Twisted Relationship – Perfectionism – Stress – Fear – Anxiety – Madness – Paranoia – Metamorphosis – Psychological Horror – Claustrophobic Dread – Mental Disorder – Bulimia – Attachment Theory – Psychoneurosis – Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) – Schizophrenia – Downward Spiral – Psychosexual Drama – Repressed Sexuality – Genophobia – Sadism – LGBT – Sexual Obsession – Self-Mutilation – Art-Horror – Surrealism – Bizarre – Doppelgänger – Others – Cult Status – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Puzzle: ambiguous narration / unreliable narrator / conscious/suppressed unconscious dichotomy / mentally unstable protagonist / internal focalization / alternate personalities / what is real and what is fantasy? - RegistaAlejandro AmenábarStelleEduardo NoriegaPenélope CruzChete LeraUn bellissimo uomo trova l'amore della sua vita, ma subisce un incidente e ha bisogno di farsi ricostruire il viso con un intervento chirurgico dopo che è stato gravemente sfigurato.Open Your Eyes (Abre Los Ojos) (1997)
Science Fiction – Drama – Mystery – Romance – Thriller – Romantic Drama – Wealthy Handsome Egocentric Young Playboy – Young Attractive Woman – Girl-of-his-Dreams – Love-at-First-Time – Vengeful ex-Girlfriend's – Jealous Possessive Rage – Intentionally Car-Crash – ex-Girlfriend Death – Playboy Survives – Face Completely Disfigured – Tragedy – Depression – Mystery Thriller – Psychiatric Prison – ex-Girlfriend's Murder Accusation – Psychiatrist’s Investigation – Face-Recovery Treatment – Amnesia – Hallucinations – New-Love-Interest / ex-Girlfriend Mysterious Duality – Insanity – Paranoia – Downward Spiral – Psychological Thriller – Obsessive Romance – Memory Trauma – Castration Complex – Defense Mechanism – Science Fiction – Cryogenics Company – After-Life Services – Lifelike Virtual-Reality Dreams – Puzzle Film – Complex Storytelling – Chinese-Box Narrative – Non-Linear Timeline – Dream-Like Reality – Alternate Reality – Flashbacks – Déjà-vu Experience – Ontological Enigma – Mind-Games – Art-House – Uncanny Experience – Bizarre – Psychedelic – Surrealism – Fatalism – Experimental Film – Other – Bifurcation Theory – Plot-Twist – Best 90's – Cult Status – Re-Watch Value – Foreign Language – European – Spain – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Puzzle: ambiguous - twist-filled narration / unreliable narrator / multiperspectivity / different levels of reality / what is reality and what lucid dream-state? - RegistaGiuseppe CapotondiStelleKsenia RappoportFilippo TimiAntonia TruppoUna cameriera e un ex-poliziotto si innamorano e decidono di trascorrere un weekend romantico in campagna, ma le cose prendono una svolta pericolosa.The Double Hour (La Doppia Ora) (2009)
Drama – Crime – Romance – Thriller – Romance – Turin Italy – Lonely Attractive Slovenian Hotel-Maid – Widowed Handsome Security-Guard – Speed-Dating Event – Attraction – Fateful Tentative Romance – Crime Heist Drama – Romantic Getaway – Remote Country-Villa – Robbers Ambush – Art-Treasures Robbery – Heist-gone-Awry – Man's Death – Woman's Serious-Injury – Tragedy – Psychological Mystery Thriller – Grief Trauma – Guilt Complex – Anxious Melancholy – Hallucinations – Ghost Presence – Setup Suspicions – Police Investigation – Dark Secrets – Suspense – Claustrophobic Tension – Unsettling Atmosphere – Supernatural Threat – Puzzle Film – Self-Conscious Narration – Dream-Like Reality – Neo-Noir – Detective Story – Noirish Romance – Femme Fatale – Seduction – Deception – Corruption – Betrayal – Opportunism – Fatalism – Others – Plot-Twist – Indie Film – Foreign Language – European – Italy
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Puzzle: ambiguous narration / unreliable narrator / conscious/suppressed unconscious dichotomy / there isn't any certainty - RegistaShane CarruthStelleAmy SeimetzFrank MosleyShane CarruthUn uomo e una donna sono attratti insieme, invischiati nel ciclo vitale di un organismo senza età. L'identità diventa un'illusione mentre lottano per assemblare i frammenti sciolti di vite distrutte.Upstream Color (2013)*
Science Fiction – Drama – Romance – Mystery – Thriller – Sci-Fi Mystery Drama – Mysterious Biological Experiment – Complex Parasite Infection – Indefinable Psychic-Link – Mind Control – Hypnosis – Manipulation – Parasite Extraction – Transfer-to-Pigs – Humans-Pigs Metaphysical Bond – Symbiosis – Romance – Young Couple – Inexplicable Attraction – Complex Bond – Common-Trauma Connection – Haunting Memories – Uncertainty Stress – Psychological Thriller – Depression – Hysteria – Identity Crisis – Existential Dread – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – Paranoid Schizophrenia – Subconscious Trauma – Puzzle Film – Self-Conscious Narration – Dream-Like Reality – Flashbacks – Non-Linear Timeline – Labyrinthine Structure – Fragment Time – Art-House – Bizarre – Metaphorical – Sophisticated – Surrealism – Existentialism – Uncanny Experience – Others – Complex Scenario – Elliptical Film – Experimental Film – Intelligent Film – Indie Film – Alternative – Best 10's – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-M
Puzzle: ambiguous narration / multiperspectivity / time-place confusion / the traumatic event momentarily blocks the flow of present into future / so what does it all mean? - RegistaChristopher NolanStelleChristian BaleHugh JackmanScarlett JohanssonDopo un tragico incidente, due prestigiatori si imbarcano in una battaglia per creare l'illusione finale sacrificando tutto ciò che hanno per superare l'un l'altro.The Prestige (2006)
Drama – Mystery – Fantasy – Thriller – Period Drama – Victorian London (19835-1900) Era – Aspiring Stage-Magician – Ambitions – Act-goes-Fatal-Wrong – Wife's Accidental-Death – Tragedy – Grif Trauma – Blame Game – Rival Stage-Magician Death-Blame – Deadly Enemies – Professional Envy – Revenge Thriller – Hate – Anger – Destroy-his-Life Plan – Ruthless Rivalry – Spying – Sabotage Acts – Revenge Spiral – Revenge-gives-Sadistic-Pleasure – Suspense – Tension – Psychosis – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Mind Games – Battle-of-Wills – Paranoia – Intrigue – Mystery Fantasy – Mysterious Legendary-Trick "The Transported Man" – Manipulation – Misdirection – Illusion – Deception – Doppelgänger – Psychological Thriller – Obsession – Traumatic Memory – Traumatic Repetition Compulsion – Fort-Da Game – Lacanian Theory – Puzzle Film – Complex Storytelling – Nonlinear Narrative – Fractured Chronology – Flash-Backs – Flash-Forwards – Others – Atmospheric – Plot Twist – Christopher Priest's 1995 Novel – Cult Status – Best 00's – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Puzzle: misleading narration / unreliable narrator / multiperspectivity / past, present and future confusion / the traumatic event momentarily blocks the flow of present into future - RegistaRichard KellyStelleJake GyllenhaalJena MaloneMary McDonnellUn adolescente tormentato è tormentato dalle visioni di un uomo con una grande tuta da coniglio che lo manipola per commettere una serie di crimini, dopo che è riuscito a soppravivere a un incidente bizzarro.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)
Puzzle: ambiguous narration / unreliable narrator / mentally unstable protagonist / multiperspectivity / time-paradox / two separate timelines / reality or visions question - RegistaChristopher SmithStelleMelissa GeorgeJoshua McIvorJack TaylorUn gruppo di amici a bordo di uno yacht rimane vittima di un incidente e trova rifugio su una nave da crociera abbandonata, dove cominciano ad accadere strani fenomeni.Triangle (2009)
Science Fiction – Drama – Mystery – Horror – Fantasy – Thriller – Sci-Fi Mystery Thriller – Single Autism-Boy Mother – Ocean Boating Trip With Friends – Mysterious Electric Storm – Deserted Ship board – Unknown Burlap-Masked Killer – Doppelgänger – Time Travel – Time Loop – Paradox – Fantasy – Déjà Vu Sense – Survival Horror – Trapped Survival – Time Loop Trapped – Manhunt – Stalking – Slasher Film – Psychological Horror – Claustrophobic Threat – Existential Terror – Identity Chaos – Identity Neurosis – Anxiety Disorder – Panic Attack – Guilt Complex – Paranoia – Others – Bizarre – Mindfuck – WTF Factor – Plot Twist – Alternative – Indie Film – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10) - RegistaBrad AndersonStelleChristian BaleJennifer Jason LeighAitana Sánchez-GijónUn operaio industriale che non dorme da un anno comincia a dubitare della propria sanità mentale.The Machinist (2004)
★★★★★★ (6/10)
Puzzle: misleading narration / unreliable narrator / mentally unstable protagonist / internal focalization / unreliable internal narrative form - RegistaDavid CronenbergStelleJames WoodsDebbie HarrySonja SmitsQuando il programmatore di una squallida TV via cavo ottiene una trasmissione di un genere del tutto diverso per la sua emittente, la sua vita e il futuro dei mezzi di comunicazione cominciano a sfuggirgli di mano in una nuova, terrificante realtà.Videodrome (1983)
★★★★ (4/10) - RegistaCameron CroweStelleTom CruisePenélope CruzCameron DiazUn ricco e vanitoso editore di New York scopre che la sua vita è cambiata drasticamente dopo essere stato coinvolto in un incidente automobilistico causato da una ex-amante.Vanilla Sky (2001)
★★★★ (4/10)
