Arguably, the best movies are the kind that reel you in with nail-biting suspense, only to leave you stunned with a shocking revelation in the third act. We're talking about movies with major plot twists, the kind of films that will leave you thinking, "WTF just happened?" long after the credits roll.
If you like to be thrown in a loop at the end (or in the middle) of a really good film, look no further than this list of the best plot twist movies. Ahead, in no particular order, you'll find the best 26 thrillers, dramas, and mystery movies that you'll be thinking about for days after watching. Expect to see classics like Citizen Kane and Psycho on this list, alongside modern greats like Jordan Peele's Get Out and Us. And don't worry—we've only provided the barest plot details so as to not spoil the twist, because what would be the fun in that? Just be prepared to have your mind blown.
'Parasite'
(Image credit: Neon)
Starring:Cho Yeo-jeong, Park So-dam, Choi Woo-shik, Jeong Ji-so, Kang-Ho Song
Parasiteswept the Oscars the year it came out, eventhough many Americans hadn't seen it yet. But now that it's on Hulu, no excuses! We won't be saving the surprise for long...
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'Gone Girl'
(Image credit: Courtesy)
Starring:Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris, Tyler Perry, Emily Ratajkowski
TheGone Girltwist is probably the most talked-about plot twist in modern film history. And, boy, is it well-earned.
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'The Village'
(Image credit: Courtesy)
Starring:Bryce Dallas Howard, Joaquin Phoenix, Adrien Brody, Jesse Eisenberg, Sigourney Weaver, William Hurt
All is not what it seems in one small village in the middle of nowhere. There ain't no twist like an M. Night Shyamalan twist.
'Shutter Island'
(Image credit: Courtesy)
Starring:Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Kingsley, Mark Ruffalo, Michelle Williams, Max von Sydow
Let's be honest, Leo's got range. If you're not sure you can make it through a horror movie to get to the massive twist at the end, do it for him.
'Get Out'
(Image credit: Courtesy)
Starring:Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Lakeith Stanfield, Bradley Whitford, Catherine Keener
An instant horror classic, director JordanPeele delivered an incisive social commentary that kept us guessing the entire film.
'Ex Machina'
(Image credit: Courtesy)
Starring:Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson, Alicia Vikander, Sonoya Mizuno, Corey Johnson
Honestly, this cast is killer. Forget the twist (even though it's a good one), we just love to see Oscar Isaac busting out some moves on the dance floor.
'The Sixth Sense'
(Image credit: Courtesy)
Starring:Haley Joel Osment, Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Donnie Wahlberg, Olivia Williams
"I see dead people." If you think that iconic line is creepy, wait until you get to the twist (and if nobody's ruined it for you yet—run, don't walk).
'Citizen Kane'
(Image credit: Courtesy)
Starring:Orson Welles, Ruth Warrick, Joseph Cotten, Agnes Moorhead, Everett Sloane
No spoilers, but "Rosebud" is definitely the OG movie plot twist.
'Gone, Baby, Gone'
(Image credit: Courtesy)
Starring:Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris, Casey Affleck, Michelle Monaghan, Amy Ryan
Ben Affleck's Boston-based directorial debut throws us for a loop when two P.I.s dig into a kidnapping case.
'Memento'
(Image credit: Courtesy)
Starring:Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, Mark Boone Junior, Stephen Tobolowsky
It's not hard to suspect a plot twist when a movie's main character has short-term memory loss. It's even more likely when Christopher Nolan is directing the film.
'Arrival'
(Image credit: Courtesy)
Starring:Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker, Michael Stuhlbarg, Tzi Ma
Aliens cause a mega time warp during first contact in this award-winning sci-fi film.
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'Fight Club'
(Image credit: Courtesy)
Starring:Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, Helena Bonham Carter, Meat Loaf, Jared Leto
The first rule of Fight Club is....don't talk about the plot twist at the end ofFight Club.
'Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back'
(Image credit: Courtesy)
Starring:Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams
So maybe it's not a huge surprise now, but "I am your father" was a HUGE twist back when this Star Wars film premiered in 1980.
'Atonement'
(Image credit: Courtesy)
Starring:Keira Knightley, James McAvoy, Saoirse Ronan, Romola Garai, Benedict Cumberbatch
We didn't thinkAtonementcould break our heart any more, but the plot twist ending found a way. At least we have baby Saoirse Ronan to make things better.
'Us'
(Image credit: Courtesy)
Starring:Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, Shahidi Wright Joseph, Evan Alex, Elisabeth Moss, Tim Heidecker
Peele's second thriller cemented his place as king of the final, shocking reveal.
'Coco'
(Image credit: Courtesy)
Starring:Anthony Gonzalez, Gael García Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Alanna Ubach, Rene Victor, Jaime Camil
This sweet Pixar film about the Mexican holiday Día de los Muertos has an end reveal that left audiences of all ages sobbing and a twist I didn't see coming.
'Planet of the Apes'
(Image credit: Courtesy)
Starring:Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, James Whitmore, Linda Harrison
The twist at the end of this sci-fi classic has been referenced hundreds of times (including remakes) but the 1968 original film is still a fun ride.
'Knives Out'
(Image credit: Courtesy)
Starring:Ana de Ármas, Christopher Plummer, Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Toni Collette, LaKeith Stanfield
There are so many twists in Rian Johnson's family murder caper that everyone who thought they figured it out was fooled.
'The Prestige'
(Image credit: Courtesy)
Starring:Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Scarlett Johansson, Rebecca Hall, Michael Caine, Piper Perabo
In this tale of two dueling magicians, all their secrets are revealed.
'Psycho'
(Image credit: Courtesy)
Starring:Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, John Gavin, John McIntire
Alfred Hitchcock's film may be famous for its shower scene, but the final twist is even bigger.
'Se7en'
(Image credit: Courtesy)
Starring: Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Spacey, Gwyneth Paltrow
This crime thriller sees Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman as detectives investigating murders inspired by the seven deadly sins. You'll be shocked to find out what's in the box and even more shocked to find out that's not even the real twist.
'American Psycho'
(Image credit: Lionsgate)
Starring: Christian Bale, Jared Leto, Justin Theroux, William Defoe, Reese Witherspoon, Chloë Sevigny
A wealthy businessman leads a double life as a serial killer in NYC... At least that's what he believes.
'Saw'
(Image credit: Courtesy)
Starring: Cary Elwes, Leigh Whannell, Danny Glover, Ken Leung
The first installment in the gruesome horror series features a plot twist that is staring you right in the face for the entire duration of the film.
'Prisoners'
(Image credit: Courtesy)
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis, Paul Dano, Terrence Howard
When two young girls go missing, a father takes matters into his own hands to find the kidnapper.
'Sorry to Bother You'
(Image credit: Courtesy)
Starring: LaKeith Stanfield, Tessa Thompson, Jermaine Fowler, Omari Hardwick, Terry Crews
A telemarketer finds a magical key to success in his career, but as he progresses with higher salaries, he falls under the spell of corporate greed.
'The Others'
(Image credit: Courtesy)
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Christopher Eccleston, Fionnula Flanagan
A series of spooky events leads a mother to believe her house is haunted, but it turns out things are a lot darker than they seem.
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