A Guest Post by Neha Chaudhary
Mystery, intrigue, suspense…these words always give me goose bumps. There is something addictive about psychological thrillers that I cannot put my finger on but they surely make the time fly by.
I prefer psychological films over horror because horror movies are more about the supernatural which may or may not be proven by psychological flicks capture the demons that live inside a human’s mind. They portray what a human being is capable of doing under certain circumstances and I guess that is what always captures my attention.
Here are a few psychological movies that you absolutely must watch at least once in your life and take yourself and your mind on a mind boggling journey:
1. Memento This is the original film that inspired “Ghajini” just a lot more intriguing and mysterious. Christopher Nolan spins an intangible yarn with this one as the movie revolves around Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce) who suffers from short term memory loss. He has a systematic method to try keep pace of his surroundings and the people he meets by capturing Polaroid photographs and getting himself tattooed.
What really makes this movie interesting is that it plays in two sequences of black and white with one playing forward and one running in reverse chronological order till they both merge to reveal the mystery in the end. Or does it really? You have to watch it to know!
2. Shutter Island This movie is one of high points of Leonardo Di Caprio’s career, directed by Martin Scorsese, this is voted as one of the best psychological thrillers of recent times. It is the tale of a US Marshals “Teddy” Daniels and his partner Chuck Aule portrayed by Mark Ruffalo who visit the mysterious Ashcliffe Hospital on a secluded island to investigate the mystery of a missing patient Rachel Solando.
Ted Daniels is convinced that something unethical and fishy is going on at the island and that they are conducting experiments on the human mind hiding behind the garb of a hospital for the insane. What he uncovers in the end is something you cannot even guess and this movie will leave you questioning everything you just saw! Now that is powerful.
3. The Silence Of The Lambs This movie is a classic and if you haven’t seen it yet, you shouldn't waste further time. Indian movies like Sangharsh and Murder 2 have been loosely based on this tale of gore and human degradation that will leave you dripping in sweat by the end of it.
The movie stars Jodie Foster portraying the role of Clarice Starling, a trainee at the FBI Academy and Anthony Hopkins, bringing to life the twisted character of Hannibal Lecter, a world renowned psychiatrist but who in fact is a fiend in disguise. Together they embark on a journey to apprehend a killer “Buffalo Bill” who kidnaps girls and skins them. The movie is gripping and as each second progresses, you will find yourself lost further into the mystery that takes a turn at every step.
4. Beyond A Reasonable Doubt This movie is packed with drama and intrigue from the word go. It revolves around the lives of TV Reporter CJ Nicholas (Jesse Metcalf) who has been closely studying the District Attorney (Michael Douglas) and is convinced that all the murder trials he has won has been on the basis of circumstantial evidence and is convinced of catching him red handed.
Thus a dangerous cat and mouse chase begins where CJ pretends to be a murder suspect to blow the lid on Hunter and frame Hunter for planting evidence only to realize his own game has turned the tables on him and he now is in fact the actual suspect and faces very real charges if he cannot prove his innocence. Will Nicholas be able to get himself out of this trap? Well the ending will surely blow you away as it’s something you would never have expected!
5. The Red Dragon This movie is a prequel to the Silence of the Lambs but was released in 2002. It stars Anthony Hopkins reprising his role as Hannibal Lecter and also has Edward Norton portraying Will Graham- a retired FBI agent.
Will Graham has been requested by the FBI to help solve the case of “The Tooth Fairy” and he has to approach Dr. Lecter to help with his psychological profiling. The two embark on the journey that is so gripping you will want to kill anyone who interrupts you. Red Dragon also features Ralph Fiennes aka Lord Voldemort in a central character that is also reason enough to watch it!
There are many other great Psychological Thrillers that I love, but I am sticking to just 5 right now. These movies are a must watch at least once! If you’re a big time movie buff, you must avail these DT Cinemas Offers to get yourself the best deal on the internet that lets you earn not just discounts but also cash back.
Disclaimer: The views expressed here solely belongs to the author