Summary
- Great movies need unexpected twists; keeping viewers engaged till credits.
- Get Out utilizes twists to reveal horror of body swapping; adds depth.
- The Prestige showcases sacrifice and deception behind magician dissonance.
The world of TV and film has always continued to push for innovation and creativity when it comes to storytelling and introducing viewers to a world they have never seen before. Great pieces of media contain a specific set of elements that make them standout above the rest and one of the most important aspects in creating a compelling and memorable experience, is having a cohesive narrative that is not only unexpected and exceptional, but provides a few twists and turns along the way to keep viewers on their toes right until the credits roll.
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Movie twists have become somewhat of a staple in genres like horror and thriller, as there is no better way to add some extra fear and scares than by keeping things unpredictable. And there are countless examples of movies incorporating a big reveal towards the end that completely changes the outcome and perspective on the whole story and makes certain elements come together in a beautiful, cohesive pattern. Whether for fear, excitement, tears, or more, movie twists are always a delight and give the movie-goers something to look out for amidst the tension and action.
8 Get Out
More At Play Than It Seemed
Get Out
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- February 24, 2017
WHERE TO WATCH
- Runtime
- 104 minutes
A horror film that just keeps on giving, Get Out is the perfect example of a movie setup done right. It begins with Chris accompanying his girlfriend Rose to meet her family for the first time at their secluded estate, the perfect setup for disaster. What starts as awkward, overly friendly behavior from Rose’s family and their neighbors slowly turns into something much more sinister, but the actual outcome is kept hidden to make the viewers guess and wonder right until it happens.
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The twist comes when Chris discovers that Rose's family isn't just prejudiced, they are part of a secretive operation that transplants the consciousness of aging white people into African-American bodies, trapping the original minds deep within. The revelation is shocking not just for its horror, but for how it recontextualizes every interaction Chris experienced up to that point. What appeared to be microaggressions and discomfort were signs of a far more grotesque and deliberate exploitation, and the whole layered experience makes it stand out as one of the greatest horror movies in recent memory and an exceptional twist that no one saw coming.
7 Donnie Darko
The Dark Rabbit Himself
Donnie Darko
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- October 26, 2001
WHERE TO WATCH
- Runtime
- 114 minutes
Set in the late 1980s with more than a few Hollywood faces, Donnie Darko follows a troubled teenager who narrowly escapes death when a jet engine crashes into his bedroom. Guided by visions of a menacing figure in a rabbit costume named Frank, Donnie becomes entangled in a series of increasingly bizarre and violent events that appear disconnected at first but begin to become clearer over time. As these visions grow more intense, the line between reality and delusion blurs, leaving both him and the audience unsure of what is truly happening and creating a surreal experience that is both chilling and exciting.
The twist reveals that Donnie’s journey is part of a closed time loop where his actions are meant to prevent a catastrophic break in reality. His survival caused an alternate timeline filled with chaos, and by choosing to die in the original jet engine accident, Donnie restores balance and saves everyone else from suffering and effectively erases all the events of the movie. The reveal redefines the film’s earlier chaos as a cosmic sacrifice rather than senseless madness, forcing viewers to reflect on their own consequences and their place in the universe, and completely stunning anyone who watches it.
6 Memento
The Devil's In The Details
Memento
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- May 25, 2001
WHERE TO WATCH
- Runtime
- 113 minutes
- Studio(s)
- Newmarket Films
Memento tells a story of truth, identity, and loss through a less conventional medium that is incredibly compelling and emotional. Leonard Shelby, a man suffering from short-term memory loss who is on a quest to find his wife’s killer, is unable to form new memories and instead relies on Polaroid photos, notes, and tattoos to track clues and maintain a sense of continuity. The film is structured in two timelines, one moving forward and one in reverse, forcing viewers to experience Leonard’s confusion firsthand and having a comparable sense of doubt to the actual character.
The twist reveals that Leonard has been unknowingly manipulating himself. In his desperate need for purpose, he alters his own investigation to continue hunting, even after the real killer has been dealt with. Worse still, characters like Teddy exploit Leonard’s broken memory to serve their own agendas, and the realization that Leonard’s quest is self-sabotaging and that he chooses ignorance to maintain his illusion of meaning makes the movie one of the most devastating and mind-bending experiences in all of cinema.
5 Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind
Where It All Began
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
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- March 19, 2004
- Runtime
- 108 minutes
- Director
- Michel Gondry
Heartbreaking doesn't even begin to describe Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. A simple man with a simple life, Joel impulsively undergoes a procedure to erase all memories of his failed relationship with Clementine after discovering she has done the same. As his memories are systematically erased while he sleeps, he experiences their love story in reverse, from the bitter end to the beautiful beginning, examining themes of love, loss, memory, and the pain that inevitably accompanies deep emotional connections. It asks whether erasing painful memories is truly a solution or if it's better to carry the scars and grow from them.
The twist comes when it’s revealed that Joel and Clementine, despite having wiped each other from their minds, are naturally drawn back together once again, with the start of the movie actually occurring at the end. Even without shared memories, their bond is strong enough to reunite them, and when they eventually discover the truth about their past through recovered tapes, they choose to try again anyway, fully aware of the heartbreak they could face. This unexpected choice turns the narrative into a poignant reflection on acceptance and the courage to love despite knowing the risks.
4 The Prestige
More Than Just Magic
The Prestige
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- October 20, 2006
- Runtime
- 130 minutes
- Director
- Christopher Nolan
Set in late 19th-century London, The Prestige tells the story of two rival magicians, Robert Angier and Alfred Borden, whose obsession with outdoing one another leads them down increasingly dangerous paths filled with magic and betrayal. What starts as a competition of showmanship and talent spirals into sabotage and deep personal sacrifice, as both men blur the line between performance and reality in their quest for the ultimate illusion.
The twist reveals that both magicians have been harboring devastating secrets. Borden's greatest magic trick hinges on the existence of his identical twin, with both brothers living half a life to preserve the illusion. Meanwhile, Angier’s final act involves the use of a machine that creates a perfect duplicate of himself each time he performs, the clone being the one to meet its untimely death. These revelations expose the horrifying lengths both men went to for fame and revenge, and the sheer scale of sacrifice and deception gives the movie one of the most haunting and intricately plotted twist endings in modern cinema.
3 Shutter Island
Enter Deep Into The Mind
Shutter Island
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- February 19, 2010
- Runtime
- 138 minutes
- Director
- Martin Scorsese
Powerful, emotional, and at times horrifying, Shutter Island tells the story of Teddy Daniels, who travels with his partner to Ashecliffe Hospital, a mental institution on a remote island, to investigate the disappearance of a patient. As Teddy digs deeper, he uncovers unsettling signs of corruption, illegal experimentation, and possible mind control, whilst being constantly haunted by disturbing dreams and visions of his dead wife. His perception of reality starts to completely unravel, as his mind warps reality to protect itself from unbearable truths that are yet to be revealed to the viewer.
The twist reveals that Teddy Daniels is actually Andrew Laeddis, a patient at Ashecliffe all along. His entire investigation has been a role-play orchestrated by the hospital staff in a desperate attempt to break him free from his delusions. Everything he experienced was designed to guide him to confront the truth: that he killed his wife after she drowned their children during a psychotic break. The stunning reveal reframes the entire narrative, showing just how powerful denial can be, and cements Shutter Island as one of the most devastating psychological thrillers of the century.
2 Parasite
Eat The Rich
Parasite
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- May 30, 2019
WHERE TO WATCH
- Runtime
- 133 minutes
- Director
- Bong Joon Ho
Absurd and beautiful don't even scratch the surface of how to describe Parasite. Two families from different sides of the economic spectrum are brought together piece by piece, with a wonderful piece of asymmetrical information where only the viewer and the Kim family know the true nature of their existence. As more and more pieces come into place, the tension begins to rise but the actual reveal is something completely unexpected and way out of left field.
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It turns out that there is a hidden basement in the Park family home, which contains Geun-Sae, the husband of the previous maid who was thrown out thanks to the scheming of the Kims. His existence throws a giant wrench in the family's plan, and in an attempt to cover it up and prevent their ruse from falling apart, they lose more than just financial stability. The ending is a fast sequence of progressively insane events that is completely unpredictable and leaves the viewer dumbfounded and with a new sense of appreciation for the hidden details that litter the rest of the movie.
1 Unbreakable
Not All Heroes Wear Capes
Unbreakable
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- November 22, 2000
- Runtime
- 106 minutes
- Director
- M. Night Shyamalan
M. Night Shyamalan is practically the king of movie twists, and this film is one of his best to date. Unbreakable follows David Dunn, a security guard who miraculously survives a horrific train crash without a scratch. After the accident, he is approached by Elijah Price, a mysterious man with a rare bone disorder, who suggests that David's survival was no accident and that he may, in fact, possess superhuman abilities. As David grapples with the possibility that he is something beyond the ordinary, he starts to lean more into the world of the unnatural as he tackles his place in the wider world.
The twist reveals that Elijah, who has spent his life suffering from extreme physical fragility, orchestrated numerous deadly disasters, including the train crash, in a desperate search to find someone his opposite: a man who is unbreakable. Elijah embraces his identity as a villain to David's hero, completing the comic book-like dynamic he always believed existed in reality. The revelation not only flips Elijah's character from mentor to mastermind but also gives the film's quiet, grounded story an explosive and deeply emotional payoff that continues later on with Split and finally Glass, an unexpected trilogy of three equally mind-bending movies.
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