It’s kind of the whole point of mystery movies that they’re hard to pin down—that’s exactly what mystery means, after all. There’s no point in a mystery movie that anyone can understand by just paying the bare minimum attention, but sometimes, some filmmakers drastically take that principle in the opposite direction. There are some mystery films so abstract, so bizarre, and so labyrinthine that it almost takes a genius to fully understand them.
This is largely hyperbole, of course, but it genuinely takes an above-average level of both attention and intelligence to fully grasp what these movies are going for and dissect their thematic concerns. From surrealist gems like I’m Thinking of Ending Things to movies that may be fully realistic but still boggle the mind, like Memento, these are movies that took the “mystery” part entirely seriously and ran with it.
10
‘Coherence’ (2013)
Taking place mostly in a single location, the sci-fi psychological thriller Coherence was James Ward Byrkit‘s directing debut, and the impact that it had on the world of low-budget genre filmmaking cannot be overstated. Inspired by the tone of The Twilight Zone and the low-budget mind-bendingness of Primer, this is nevertheless an entirely original film.
Much of Coherence‘s originality results in its being nearly impossible to fully understand on one’s first watch, demanding a rewatch or two. It’s bound to lose those not paying attention altogether, but people willing to try and get in its wavelength will be rewarded with one of the most intelligent, creative, and enjoyable sci-fi experiences of the 2010s.
9
‘The Wailing’ (2016)
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Horror can be mind-bending, too. For proof, one needn’t look much further than the South Korean folk horror masterpiece The Wailing, a police procedural like no other. As atmospheric as it is clever, the film has more than enough thrills and surprises in store for patient viewers, but its slow-burning rhythm and heady thematic work demand one’s full attention.
The Wailing has some really interesting commentary to make on topics like faith, modernity, contemporary South Korea’s identity crisis, and the legacy of Japanese colonialism, and it makes all of those points with distinct aplomb. Its length is imposing, and its many twists make it challenging to follow, but the reward is one of the most enveloping and memorable horror films released in recent years.
8
‘I’m Thinking of Ending Things’ (2020)
Charlie Kaufman had long been building himself up as the single greatest and most talented screenwriter currently working in Hollywood, so did it really surprise anyone when he inevitably made the jump to the director’s chair? The auteur’s latest work as a director is I’m Thinking of Ending Things, a film so bizarre and rich in meaning that Kaufman hasn’t directed another film in five years and yet fans are still trying to figure this one out.
Character-driven, darkly amusing, and as deeply atmospheric as one can always expect from any Kaufman project, I’m Thinking of Ending Things is undoubtedly one of the creepiest horror movies of the last decade. With a phenomenal cast, an intriguing outlook on the human condition, and as mind-bending an approach as any other Kaufman film, this divisive masterclass in surrealist tone-building is a must-see.
7
‘Jacob’s Ladder’ (1990)
One of the best yet most underrated horror movies of the ’90s, Jacob’s Ladder fully knows that its entire approach to its story is disorienting, and it’s proud of it. Boosted by a terrific lead performance by Tim Robbins, this psychological thriller has gone on to become one of the biggest Hollywood cult classics of its decade, an intentionally nerve-racking yet gripping extravaganza.
Nightmarish in its visuals, complex in its intensely psychological approach to its protagonist, and an utter maze to follow all the way until the credits, Jacob’s Ladder is one of the most thought-provoking cinematic explorations of the life-death dichotomy. It’s all about uncertainty and existential dread, and somehow, at no point does that become grating in the slightest.
6
‘Enemy’ (2013)
Before he had not just one, but several chances to prove himself as one of the best sci-fi filmmakers working in Hollywood today, Denis Villeneuve made what’s still perhaps the most divisive movie of his career. The surrealistic psychological thriller Enemy is a delightfully Lynchian gem that’s also one of the most challenging thrillers of the 21st century.
Enemy isn’t just weird for the sake of being weird. It’s an aesthetically stunning, thematically nuanced, and genuinely scary—often even sinister—film, and its being hard to figure out is an essential part of all of those elements. Enemy is definitely one of Villeneuve’s most style-over-substance offerings, but the style is out of this world and suitably elusive, and the substance really isn’t bad at all.
5
‘Lost Highway’ (1997)
When it comes to talking about weird movies, the conversation could never possibly be complete without talking about David Lynch. One of the auteur’s most underappreciated works is Lost Highway, a film that Lynch himself described as more of a psychogenic fugue than a traditional narrative. That’s all anyone should need to hear to know that this is one wild, hard-to-figure-out ride.
A fascinating story full of fascinating characters and commentary on themes of masculinity and paranoia that never become outdated.
Lost Highway demands attention and rewards it with a lavish noir aesthetic, a fascinating story full of fascinating characters, and commentary on themes of masculinity and paranoia that never become outdated. It’s haunting, violent, and truly otherworldly in its feeling, yet unflinching in its depiction of themes so elusive that they might even seem ethereal, an explanation-defying dream that often feels more like a nightmare.
4
‘Upstream Color’ (2013)
Following up his hyper-successful debut, Primer, was always going to be a titanic task. But somehow, Shane Carruth made in Upstream Color something every bit as special. Technically brilliant and as intelligently abstract as any fan of Primer could hope for, it’s both one of the most experimental and most underrated science fiction films of the 2010s.
There are movies that benefit from having too many questions, yet not enough answers, and Upstream Color is definitely among them. It’s an overwhelming, almost transcendental kind of sci-fi experience, the kind that leaves you wondering and maybe even feeling a bit conflicted, trying to make sense of it. Its surreal qualities and classification-defying atmosphere make it so that, once they watch it, viewers feel like they must revisit it soon after.
3
‘Memento’ (2000)
Christopher Nolan needs no introduction nowadays, but back when he was making his sophomore directing effort as an up-and-coming indie filmmaker, perhaps he did. In any case, after making a masterpiece as unforgettable and groundbreaking as Memento, he made sure that every fan of Hollywood cinema would know his name going forward.
Memento, a revenge story told in reverse chronological order, is more than just one of the best mystery thrillers of all time; it’s an existentialist gem, a thoroughly gripping crime drama, and one of the best-structured movies of all time. It’s the kind of film that ensures it will forever be remembered as a paragon of its genre going forward. It could’ve easily come across as a gimmicky vanity effort, but Nolan keeps it grounded in something real.
2
‘Solaris’ (1972)
Soviet auteur Andrei Tarkovsky is another director whose work thrives in surrealism. His movies are among the slowest-paced in arthouse cinema, but people looking for a good introduction to one of the most gifted filmmakers in history should check out Solaris. Tarkovsky’s first sci-fi film is also arguably one of his most accessible movies, but no less exceptional as a result.
One of the best sci-fi movies of all time, Solaris displays everything that made Tarkovsky a master of his craft in the most fascinating way. Its examination of the nature of human connections is enrapturing, and its cinematography is some of the most hauntingly gorgeous in film history. Tarkovsky’s direction makes it so that, despite the movie being difficult to understand on one’s first try, you can’t help but try. And believe us, “difficult” is an understatement.
1
‘Mulholland Drive’ (2001)
In a way, all of David Lynch’s movies are mystery movies. Even when they don’t technically belong to the genre, there’s something engrossing about them that’s impossible to fully figure out, some intriguing quality that feels like a secret begging not to be found. In Mulholland Drive, however, that secret mystery is violently unearthed, revealing one of the most genius movies of the 21st century under the hood.
It’s one of the best movie masterpieces of the 21st century, a drama that gets increasingly weirder and more difficult to understand—yet also keeps becoming more and more fascinating as it goes on. The performances are amazing, the music and visuals are a treat, and Lynch’s commentary on dreams, duality, and identity is some of the strongest thematic work of his career. Mulholland Drive is definitely not friendly to those unwilling to put in some intellectual work, but those who meet that quality will be rewarded with one of the most stunning films they’ll ever see.