Comments on: Seeking movies with interesting moments of specific, sudden turnarounds/"surprises"

Question: Seeking movies with interesting moments of specific, sudden turnarounds/"surprises"

lorimer — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 14:32:04 -0800

Which movies have the most interesting moments of specific, sudden dramatic turnarounds/"surprises"? (PLEASE, TITLES/RECOMMENDATIONS ONLY -- please keep this thread spoiler-free, thanks!) I'm interested in watching these movies with an eye toward what happens in design terms (sound design, camera movement, lighting, etc.) both during and just before the turnaround/revelation.

I'm talking less about movies like Mulholland Drive, Twelve Monkeys or Memento -- in which a large-scale "surprise" becomes clear gradually -- and more about individual moments of revelation where something like an event, a new fact, or a character's unexpected decision is suddenly made clear to the audience (and/or to the movie's characters).

I would also love any recommendations in non-English languages (assuming I could get a version w/ English subtitles).

PLEASE DON'T INCLUDE SPOILERS (PLEASE DON'T REFER TO WHAT HAPPENS). Thanks, I really appreciate it! Part of my observation process needs to be that I am intially surprised too at these moments wherever possible. I actually am choosing not to search for other mefi threads on movie surprises, because I want to avoid the spoilers that may be in them. Thanks for your understanding.

Finally, here are some I already know about:
- Cold Mountain
- The Constant Gardener
- The Crying Game
- [Cube trilogy]
- Dark City
- Do the Right Thing
- eXistenZ
- Fargo
- High Art
- The Illusionist
- Just Cause
- Kids
- L.A. Confidential
- [Matrix trilogy]
- The Others
- The Sixth Sense
- Strange Days
- The Talented Mr. Ripley
- The Usual Suspects
- V for Vendetta
- Vanilla Sky & Abre Los Ojos
- The X Files Movie
- Y Tu Mamá También

By: Sara Anne

Sara Anne — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 14:33:48 -0800

In Spanish: Nine Queens

By: Paragon

Paragon — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 14:38:16 -0800

Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo, absolutely.

By: Paragon

Paragon — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 14:40:54 -0800

Oh, and perhaps a bit too obvious, but Fight Club?

By: i_like_camels

i_like_camels — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 14:41:26 -0800

The Upside of Anger

By: RoseovSharon

RoseovSharon — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 14:48:40 -0800

The Village.

By: EndsOfInvention

EndsOfInvention — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 14:53:08 -0800

The Empire Strikes Back

By: solotoro

solotoro — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 14:53:09 -0800

Suicide Kings

By: mattbucher

mattbucher — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 14:54:42 -0800

Wizard of Oz

By: j-dawg

j-dawg — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 14:55:45 -0800

Funny Bones (final scene)

By: pinksoftsoap

pinksoftsoap — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:00:12 -0800

Blair Witch

By: russilwvong

russilwvong — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:00:15 -0800

From Hong Kong: Expect the Unexpected.

A couple of the suggestions so far are too well-known to surprise the original poster.

By: TG_Plackenfatz

TG_Plackenfatz — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:00:32 -0800

From Dusk 'Til Dawn. Kinda.

By: scody

scody — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:03:17 -0800

House of Games!

By: pinksoftsoap

pinksoftsoap — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:03:45 -0800

Psycho

i hate scary movies..

By: AmbroseChapel

AmbroseChapel — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:08:56 -0800

I think The Forgotten has the most sudden genre-switch of any movie I've seen recently.

Also, it'd be hard to find someone who didn't know, but Predator starts off looking like one kind of movie and turns into another. I bet it surprised a few people in its day.

By: flipper

flipper — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:09:55 -0800

Unbreakable (which along with the previously mentioned The Village was directed by M. Night Shyamalan of The Sixth Sense fame).

By: knave

knave — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:12:22 -0800

A Beautiful Mind

By: JekPorkins

JekPorkins — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:12:44 -0800

Spartan
The Spanish Prisoner

By: rabbitsnake

rabbitsnake — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:14:05 -0800

Primer

By: mykescipark

mykescipark — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:14:33 -0800

Caché. In some of the most horrible ways possible. Ugh...

By: asavage

asavage — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:15:39 -0800

Opening scene of Pulp fiction. I'm sorry, did I break your conversation?

Seven.

The Thirteenth Floor.

I second the LA confidential. Amazing moment there.

Also Funnybones. Amazing unkown film.

I have to admit, films with HUGE reveals, like fight club, tend to annoy me. I find them much more enjoyable the second time around when I don't feel like I'm being jerked around.
Also, when you can see an actor working on 2 fronts at the same time, it's much more impressive if you know. Haley Joel Osmet's performance in Sixth sense is much more impressive if you're in on it.

Don't forget the ending of Angel Heart (which I whispered to my date 15 minutes in)

By: blink_left

blink_left — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:16:20 -0800

Memento

By: lemuria

lemuria — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:16:51 -0800

Les Diaboliques (the French one, not the remake with Sharon Stone)

By: rabbitsnake

rabbitsnake — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:17:12 -0800

one more, Chinatown.

By: lorimer

lorimer — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:17:41 -0800

OP here: no need to worry if your suggestion is too "well-known" (but if you want to say your suggestion is especialy recommended, like Paragon did, that's cool too)... Thanks!

Another way this thread is different from usual rules is that me-too or "seconding" responses are REALLY valuable, to let me know which might be the most interesting of the recommendations.

By: Ambrosia Voyeur

Ambrosia Voyeur — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:17:56 -0800

The Game
Bound

By: rabbitsnake

rabbitsnake — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:18:05 -0800

oh yeah, another, Kings and Queen.

By: blink_left

blink_left — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:19:20 -0800

Brazil

By: Ambrosia Voyeur

Ambrosia Voyeur — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:20:21 -0800

You know, this is the thing I like about LOST.

By: hwestiii

hwestiii — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:21:15 -0800

No Way Out

By: Ambrosia Voyeur

Ambrosia Voyeur — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:22:59 -0800

(and the thing I hated about The Prestige.)

By: The Deej

The Deej — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:24:25 -0800

The Notebook
The Score
Match Point (maybe)
Run Lola Run (a bit of a stretch, but maybe)
Hero
Minority Report
A Simple Plan (not "a" big turn, but a few)

By: The Deej

The Deej — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:26:36 -0800

Seconding "Cache"

By: teleskiving

teleskiving — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:28:25 -0800

Ocean's Eleven (at least the Clooney one, haven't seen the other)

Alien

By: The Deej

The Deej — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:28:58 -0800

The Prestige

By: dirtdirt

dirtdirt — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:33:08 -0800

Wait Until Dark

By: The Deej

The Deej — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:33:12 -0800

Deep Blue Sea (has a scene which was the first time I heard the whole audience gasp in unison, then laugh at how we had been set up.)

By: JekPorkins

JekPorkins — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:33:50 -0800

Heist

(yes, mine are all David Mamet movies so far)

By: one_bean

one_bean — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:36:42 -0800

Sleepaway Camp.

By: gauchodaspampas

gauchodaspampas — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:45:39 -0800

Blink_left forgot to specify the directors cut of Brazil. The DVD edition commonly available in the US comes with both the director's cut as well as the studio version. Also, I think the UK theatrical release is the directors cut, whereas they changed it for the US, or something crazy like that. Anyway, if you're in the US make sure you watch the Director's Cut.

Casino Royale (the new one)
The Shawshank Redemption

By: good in a vacuum

good in a vacuum — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:45:44 -0800

Seconding The Forgotten. Genre-switch indeed.

By: adamrice

adamrice — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:53:59 -0800

Rebecca (Hitchcock)
Total Recall

By: asavage

asavage — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:54:25 -0800

Heist has a never ending stream of surprises. LOOVE that movie.

By: adamrice

adamrice — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:55:51 -0800

Oh yeah, the new Scorcese movie The Departed.

By: macadamiaranch

macadamiaranch — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:57:33 -0800

Resevoir Dogs

By: gauchodaspampas

gauchodaspampas — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:59:28 -0800

Finally found the title of a mexican movie I was thinking of:
Maria de mi Corazon

Good luck finding it, but it's a good one. I go to school at the University of Minnesota, and we have it here (not in our libraries AFAIK, but at the "language center" which is like a resource center for foreign languages). Anyway, point being, check any local universities. They might have it.

By: FelliniBlank

FelliniBlank — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 16:08:23 -0800

Frailty
The Third Man
Oldboy

By: The Deej

The Deej — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 16:18:21 -0800

The Rapture
Adaptation

By: The Deej

The Deej — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 16:20:15 -0800

2001: A Space Odyssey

By: slea

slea — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 16:21:29 -0800

Lucky Number Slevin

By: Demogorgon

Demogorgon — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 16:29:02 -0800

Spoorloos (The Vanishing)

Also seconding the original Les Diaboliques

By: Sticherbeast

Sticherbeast — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 16:29:26 -0800

Serenity
French Connection II (more of an abrupt moment than a twist, but still)

By: mamaquita

mamaquita — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 16:35:17 -0800

Someone has already mentioned Oldboy, but Chan Wook Park's entire trilogy:

Oldboy
Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance
Sympathy for Lady Vengeance

By: belladonna

belladonna — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 16:39:24 -0800

Emma

By: chairface

chairface — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 16:50:28 -0800

Bladerunner (may be version dependent)
Citizen Kane
The Crying Game

Or do these not meet the criteria somehow?

By: PercussivePaul

PercussivePaul — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 16:57:54 -0800

Matchstick men

By: eunoia

eunoia — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 17:04:52 -0800

Magnolia (I don't know if this counts, but the part near the end certainly surprised me)

By: gnomeloaf

gnomeloaf — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 17:06:55 -0800

Scream (I suppose all of the Scream movies qualify, but the first one is really the best example...)
Jacob's Ladder

There's a lot I could second, but if I had to pick just one it'd be The Rapture.

By: M.C. Lo-Carb!

M.C. Lo-Carb! — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 17:07:59 -0800

The Shape of THings

By: littlegreenlights

littlegreenlights — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 17:16:29 -0800

Six Ways to Sunday.

By: iconomy

iconomy — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 17:20:05 -0800

Blood Simple - fantastic.

By: nímwunnan

nímwunnan — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 17:28:12 -0800

He Loves Me He Loves Me Not -- with Audrey Tatou. The first half is so trite I almost walked out... but then you learn that something else has been going on.

By: ardgedee

ardgedee — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 17:30:04 -0800

Soylent Green
Save the Green Planet!
Manos: The Hands of Fate

By: edgeways

edgeways — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 17:33:40 -0800

I enjoyed Una Pura formalità.

American Beauty

By: Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese

Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 17:42:33 -0800

Bitter Moon

By: tomboko

tomboko — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 17:48:12 -0800

Miracle Mile (1988). It was shown to me by a spoiler-hating friend who told me nothing whatsoever about the movie before showing it, and wouldn't let me read the (spoiler-ridden) blurb on the box. Watch it that way if possible.

I was going to link to IMDb's page for the movie, but there are spoilers there too!

By: BoscosMom

BoscosMom — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 17:49:16 -0800

Dead Again. Emma Thompson & Kenneth Brannagh

By: DoctorFedora

DoctorFedora — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 17:52:24 -0800

Someone mentioned The Departed, and I felt it would be appropriate to point out that it's a remake of Infernal Affairs, which has at least as many sudden surprises.

By: EatTheWeak

EatTheWeak — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 17:56:46 -0800

While this isn't a movie, but an Xbox/PC game - Knights of the Old Republic has a devastating plot twist, and is presented in quite a cinematic style.

By: Pollomacho

Pollomacho — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 18:35:04 -0800

Planet of the Apes
Oceans series (or the originals if you prefer)
Inside Man

By: The Deej

The Deej — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 18:50:20 -0800

Manos, the Hands of Fate

LOL!!!!!!! What did the O.P. do to you to cause such a need for revenge?

But, yeah, sure, why not! :)

By: peep

peep — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 18:52:01 -0800

I don't think it's a great movie, but I suppose Primal Fear qualifies.

By: A dead Quaker

A dead Quaker — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 18:58:04 -0800

Andrei Rublev
Spanking the Monkey

Seconding:

Planet of the Apes
Bitter Moon
Deep Blue Sea
Citizen Kane

By: iconomy

iconomy — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 19:06:15 -0800

Star Wars

By: lorimer

lorimer — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 19:27:39 -0800

No worries, I've loved Manos (via MST3K) for years...

Speaking of this: with the help of all these responses, I'm realizing what I most want to find is not movies that are globally shock-oriented or filled with lots of surprises, but rather movies with just one or two isolated moments of major turnaround. (For example, most of us know The Sixth Sense as a good example of this.)

I'll probably also post again asking my more specific question now that I've figured it out. In the meantime, thanks for any further ideas!

By: knave

knave — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 19:28:22 -0800

Logan's Run

By: kirkaracha

kirkaracha — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 19:55:32 -0800

Flashpoint, starring Kris Kristofferson and Trick-or-Treat Williams. Do no look at the box.

I don't think it's a great movie, but I suppose Primal Fear qualifies.
It's not a great movie, but it features a great performance by Ed Norton in his movie debut.

By: donovan

donovan — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 19:55:36 -0800

Festen aka "The Celebration" in the US version. In this Danish film "At Helge's 60th birthday party, some unpleasant family truths are revealed" . . . are they ever. Superb film, jaw dropping surprise, and the first of the Dogma films. More at Wikipedia, but watch out there's spoilers there.

By: pombe

pombe — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 19:56:42 -0800

Seconding Brazil

By: The Deej

The Deej — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 19:58:53 -0800

Flashdance!!!!!

(and I LOVE the MST3K version of Manos)

By: pinespree

pinespree — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 20:00:11 -0800

The Manchurian Candidate (I'm assuming the plot is the same in the remake, but I'm referring to the Frankenheimer)

And while I'm thinking of Frankenheimer, Ronin too.

And I would point something out about the similarity in the way they're presented, but that might be a bit of a tiny little spoiler. (I'm so intent on not spoiling for people that I refuse to even discuss the fact that a certain movie has a surprise ending -- the best one I've seen -- and won't do so here. (it has been mentioned in this thread, of course))

By: peep

peep — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 20:13:59 -0800

lorimer writes "I'm realizing what I most want to find is not movies that are globally shock-oriented or filled with lots of surprises, but rather movies with just one or two isolated moments of major turnaround"

lorimer, if you have not seen Jacob's Ladder, as gnomeloaf recommended, it is a fantastic example. As are several examples here, but that one jumped out at me.

By: adamrice

adamrice — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 20:17:22 -0800

oh yeah, another one: Cookie's Fortune.

By: eve harrington

eve harrington — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 20:23:03 -0800

That Obscure Object of Desire
Lost Highway
The American Friend

By: one_bean

one_bean — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 20:24:19 -0800

I don't know why nobody has seconded Sleepaway Camp. It's exactly what you're looking for. The only reason it is available on DVD is its twist -- most people think it's a terrible movie otherwise. You will know the surprise when you see it.

By: lemoncello

lemoncello — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 20:48:42 -0800

The Thomas Crown Affair remake might fit the bill.

A second on Knights of the Old Republic. Love that game.

By: diddlegnome

diddlegnome — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 20:56:16 -0800

Flightplan.

Match Point (maybe)

Oh, definitely Match Point. Others I'll second: Dead Again, A Beautiful Mind, The Spanish Prisoner, No Way Out (although the twist is a bit cheesy), Matchstick Men.

And if you want an unsecond, The Forgotten has a huge twist, but the ads kinda telegraph it, and it's also the dumbest, least logical movie I've seen in a long time.

By: dhammond

dhammond — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 21:13:08 -0800

Ten Days Wonder (La Décade prodigieuse) by Claude Chabrol. Starring Anthony Perkins and Orson Welles, it's also a great movie.

By: illek

illek — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 21:29:58 -0800

Primal Fear
The Game
Saw (the original)
Dead Again
Final Analysis

By: lorimer

lorimer — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 21:35:59 -0800

I'm so excted by this flood of suggestions! Here are some movies you've mentioned that I forgot to include in my list above of what I've already seen:

- Adaptation
- Alien
- A Beautiful Mind
- The Blair Witch Project
- Blood Simple
- Bound
- Fight Club
- The Forgotten (lame, I agree!)
- The Manchurian Candidate (the remake)
- Minority Report
- Ocean's Eleven (the remake)
- Serenity
- Seven
- Solaris (the remake)
- The Thomas Crown Affair (the remake)
- Unbreakable

Noticing that all I've seen are remakes, I definitely should see the relevant originals for comparison!

By: lorimer

lorimer — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 21:56:16 -0800

SO FAR: here are all the movies that have been seconded and/or strongly recommended, and that I haven't seen. Anybody have comments on these "top contenders"? (I will see as many as possible)

" Bitter Moon
" Brazil (director's cut)
" Cache
" Citizen Kane
" Dead Again
" Deep Blue Sea
" The Departed (remake of Infernal Affairs)
" Les Diaboliques (original)
" Festen / The Celebration
" Funnybones
" Heist
" Jacob's Ladder
" Match Point
" Matchstick Men
" Miracle Mile (1998)
" No Way Out ["although the twist is a bit cheesy"]
" Oldboy
" Planet of the Apes
" The Rapture
" Sleepaway Camp
" The Spanish Prisoner

By: euphorb

euphorb — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 22:01:01 -0800

I'll mention Dead Again, again.
There are a few Hitchock movies that qualify, Rebecca (already mentioned), Spellbound, Psycho.

By: number9dream

number9dream — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 22:07:41 -0800

Million Dollar Baby

By: kirkaracha

kirkaracha — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 22:32:08 -0800

Kick it old school with one of the classic examples: Laura.

Or Sharky's Machine (which is partially an homage to Laura.

i haven't seen it, but No Way Out is a remake of The Big Clock.

By: cps

cps — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 22:50:30 -0800

Slumming it a bit, but great moment: Charlie's Angels (the first movie)

By: war wrath of wraith

war wrath of wraith — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 00:03:50 -0800

From your newly revised list, and going by your criteria only, I enthusiastically second the following:

-Matchstick Men
-Oldboy
-The Spanish Prisoner
-Planet of the Apes
-Les Diaboliques

I have reservations about the following:

-Festen (pulls you in somewhat gradually)
-Jacob's Ladder (too confusing)*
-Match Point (kind of leads up to it)
-Brazil (the whole thing's rather unpredictable and quirky)
-No Way Out (as pointed out, lame and unnecessary)
-Citizen Cane (nothing is changed by the reveal)

The rest, I've either seen but don't recall enough of, or haven't seen.

*not the film itself, though it is confusing, but the reveal(s)

By: every_one_needs_a_hug_sometimes

every_one_needs_a_hug_sometimes — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 00:08:31 -0800

I'm seconding Matchstick Men. Definitely one of the finest films I've ever seen.

By: jontyjago

jontyjago — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 00:37:28 -0800

2nd or 3rd Match Point

By: plokent

plokent — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 01:30:18 -0800

11:14 (2003)
13 Conversations About One Thing (2001)
Abril Despedacado/Behind the Sun (2001)
After Hours (1985)
American Beauty (1999)
American Perfekt (1997)
Angel Heart (1987)
The Beast of War/The Beast (1988)
Central do Brasil/Central Station (1998)
Charade (1963)
Clay Pigeons (1998)
Coup de torchon (1981)
Dead Man's Shoes (2004)
Dont Look Now (1973)
Dragonslayer (1981)
Edmond (2005)
Dust (2001)
La fille de dartagnan/Revenge of the Musketeers (1994)
Following (1998)
Freeze Frame (2004)
Gattaca (1997)
Happy Accidents (2000)
Haute Tension/High Tension (2003)
House of Games (1987)
Johnny Handsome (1989)
Kakushi-toride no san-akunin/Hidden Fortress (1958)
Insomnia (1997)
Into the Night (1985)
Lady in the Water (2006)
The Ladykillers (1955)
Le Locataire/The Tenant (1976)
Milwaukee, Minnesota (2003)
No Mans Land (2001)
Paycheck (2003)
Poolhall Junkies (2002)
Ravenous (1999)
Repo Man (1984)
The Salton Sea (2002)
Seul contre tous/I Stand Alone (1998)
Signs (2002)
Smillas Sense of Snow (1997)
Swimming Pool (2003)
Things Change (1987)
Tully (2000)
Unbreakable (2000)
The Village (2004)

By: Clay201

Clay201 — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 01:31:01 -0800

Malice. I just can't recommend this movie highly enough.

By: Clay201

Clay201 — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 01:34:45 -0800

Oh, and let's not forget Cronenberg's M Butterfly.

By: edtut

edtut — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 01:52:02 -0800

really great question.

try a japanese film called "the audition"

you will get extra mileage out of the different cultural approach to presentation

By: gmarceau

gmarceau — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 02:11:09 -0800

"The Audition", great movie indeed, and what punch.

Let's add "Dead or Alive", also by Takashi Miike.

By: trinarian

trinarian — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 02:34:15 -0800

forget The Departed and just see the original. One of the best movies I've seen it awhile. After wathcing The Office, I don't I trust an American not to mess up a great script... and the original director hasn't been too positive about it.

By: divabat

divabat — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 03:33:54 -0800

How about the Harry Potter movies? "Prisoner of Azkaban" has more of what you're looking for, but the other 3 are good too.

By: spaceman_spiff

spaceman_spiff — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 06:12:20 -0800

The Usual Suspects

By: CunningLinguist

CunningLinguist — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 06:20:53 -0800

You definitely want to check out Something Wild, which has a major switcheroo in tone and style and even color palette part way through. It's one of the most interesting movies that way - almost two separate flicks melded together. And it works.

By: SpacemanRed

SpacemanRed — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 06:28:22 -0800

Gotta bump "The Usual Suspects" onto the seconded list...

By: bbrown

bbrown — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 06:37:13 -0800

Wild Things

By: electroboy

electroboy — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 06:46:15 -0800

I may be alone, but I thought Heist was awful. I generally like movies with a surprise ending or a twist, but there were so many in Heist it just got tiresome. But then again, I'm not a fan of Mamet in general. The language he uses is so unnatural and stilted, it makes his movies uncomfortable to watch.

By: slimepuppy

slimepuppy — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 07:19:48 -0800

The Way of the Gun Written and directed by the writer of The Usual Suspects. Fantastic film.

By: slimepuppy

slimepuppy — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 07:22:14 -0800

Also, avoid The Departed. Watch the much better original Infernal Affairs I & II (the third one is not that great). If you watch the Departed, the best bits will be ruined for you and the impact the twists have is much more effective in the originals.

By: The Deej

The Deej — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 07:22:56 -0800

I will second my own A Simple Plan. As I thought about it more, the character changes are sudden and absolutely chilling. I plan on watching it again today.

By: Monkey0nCrack

Monkey0nCrack — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 08:11:46 -0800

Spoorloos (both versions, but american version not as good.)
Ôdishon
The Prestige

Anything M. Night Shyamalan.

Anything David Cronenberg, especially Dead Ringers and A History of Violence.

Anything David Lynch, especially Lost Highway

Wild Palms is good one too.

By: Monkey0nCrack

Monkey0nCrack — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 08:12:55 -0800

And Lucky Number Slevin.

By: reborndata

reborndata — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 08:31:27 -0800

Suprised nobody's mentioned:

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Mission Impossible

By: russilwvong

russilwvong — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 11:29:45 -0800

Seconding slimepuppy's comment about seeing Infernal Affairs instead of The Departed. The Departed is a fine movie, but the really shocking moment in Infernal Affairs is played differently (with less impact) in The Departed, for some reason.

By: Sprout the Vulgarian

Sprout the Vulgarian — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 12:27:55 -0800

Seconding:

Malice
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Usual Suspects
Dead Again
The Spanish Prisoner
No Way Out

Suggestion:
The Last Temptation of Christ -? Discuss.

By: pantsrobot

pantsrobot — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 13:31:00 -0800

Old Boy (Korean)

By: thisisnotkatrina

thisisnotkatrina — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 13:46:49 -0800

the forgotten made my heart stop beating, kind of stupid otherwise though.

By: hipaa_chik

hipaa_chik — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 13:56:52 -0800

Has Gaslight already been mentioned and I just missed it?

By: Tbola

Tbola — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 17:26:01 -0800

I must strongly concur on OLDBOY.
It's great (albeit violent) entertainment from the word go.
It's one of those ones you chew on for days.

While on the Korean angle, if you can find "A Tale Of Two Sisters", that's a moody scare that's certainly worth a viewing as well.

I also agree with Sprout that "The Last Temptation of Christ" has a nice, strong rush of a moment that should certainly qualify. (Plus it's in the Criterion Collection now, always good for a movie-lover to work through at least a part of that list.)

By: krippledkonscious

krippledkonscious — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 19:24:07 -0800

Two movies I haven't seen in this thread yet, but stick out in my mind and which I'd recommend because of the fairly good twist at the end:

Fallen
The Skeleton Key

Not very acclaimed movies, them being in the "spooky" genre, but I thought they were actually better than expected. Way to go, HBO on Demand.

By: phooky

phooky — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 19:26:48 -0800

Seconding "A Tale of Two Sisters", with bells on.

By: diddlegnome

diddlegnome — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 19:46:20 -0800

Ooh, yeah, "Fallen." Good one. But KK, you've got some HTML issues in your second link. Perhaps you meant "The Skeleton Key," which I haven't seen.

By: wolftrouble

wolftrouble — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 20:39:54 -0800

Seconding Miracle Mile. I think this is one of the most under-appreciated films ever made. Especially given the writer/director, Steve De Jarnatt, had only ever written one film before, another twist film, actually, come to think of it: Strange Brew.

The soundtrack alone (by Tangerine Dream) is worth the watch.

By: krippledkonscious

krippledkonscious — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 21:25:49 -0800

A pox on imdb's newfound fondness for adding cruft to the end of their URLs, and mahalo for the correction, diddlegnome. That's the "Key" I was talking about.

By: eritain

eritain — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 02:13:30 -0800

To Live, by Zhang Yimou. This falls under 'sudden revelations to characters' more often than 'sudden revelations to audience', but there are some of both.

By: boo_radley

boo_radley — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 09:33:14 -0800

Jacob's Ladder still freaks me out, even after seeing it repeatedly.
Also what people said about oldboy and audition.

By: shimmerglimpse

shimmerglimpse — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 10:23:32 -0800

Jacob's Ladder, indeed!

By: junkbox

junkbox — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 12:54:15 -0800

Adding more support for Dead Again, The Usual Suspects, Charade and Matchstick Men.

By: lapolla

lapolla — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 15:16:42 -0800

i second auditon and chinatown.
highly recommend evil dead 2 -the ending is mind blowing good fun.

By: icanbreathe

icanbreathe — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 21:52:34 -0800

Life is Beautiful.

By: pmurray63

pmurray63 — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 00:23:26 -0800

Nthing the endorsements for:
" Citizen Kane (although I don't really think of it as a surprise, and I agree that it doesn't change things)
" Dead Again
" Les Diaboliques (original)
" Match Point
" Matchstick Men
" No Way Out [actually, I disagree that "the twist is a bit cheesy"]
" Planet of the Apes
" The Spanish Prisoner

And
" House of Games
" Psycho
" Run Lola Run
" Vertigo
" The Usual Suspects
" Gaslight
" Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
" LA Confidential
" Laura

I haven't seen mentioned:
" Deathtrap (although it's similar to another, better foreign movie also mentioned in this discussion ... but it got the biggest audience response I've ever seen when I saw it in original release)

This is an excellent thread topic, BTW.

By: lupus_yonderboy

lupus_yonderboy — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 09:39:53 -0800

Don't forget "The Spy Who Came In From The Cold" or "Stagefright".

By: paulsc

paulsc — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 11:45:14 -0800

1987 Oscar winner for Best Foriegn Film, Babette's Feast. Full of surprises and reversals.

By: asok

asok — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 18:50:48 -0800

Sole Survivor (Spoiler) (1970) - CBS' first made-for-TV movie(!).

By: uni verse

uni verse — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 11:14:12 -0800

Brazil: unwatchable...example of great idea (heavy handed govt vs domestic terrorism, 21 years ago!) but truly horrible execution of it. The only reason to keep watching: it was Michael Palin at his best, and yes the catch at the end, albeit predictable by todays standards.
On million dollar baby: I don't see how the end was surprising in any way.

By: lorimer

lorimer — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 10:38:54 -0800

Thanks to everybody for the excellent suggestions and debate! A lot of people are menntioning movies I said I already know in my original post (but maybe this thread is long enough it's hard to keep track!).

I'll really enjoy making my way through these suggestions, and I will update this thread with my reaction. Also, later I will post another question that DOES have spoilers, because I think I am not the only one who likes discussing these moments.

By: lorimer

lorimer — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 11:03:17 -0800

Also, here's an updated list of all the movies that seem to have been most enticingly and/or frequently recommended here, and that I haven't already seen (unlike Usual Suspects & LA Confidential, mentioned above -- also I forgot to mention I've seen Million Dollar Baby [ugh], Run Lola Run and all things Lynch & Cronenberg).

I will also see others in the thread, but will try to make the following my first priorities.

" The Audition
" Babatte's Feast
" Dead Again
" Les Diaboliques (original)
" Festen / The Celebration
" Infernal Affairs (and Infernal Affairs II)
" Jacob's Ladder
" Malice
" Match Point
" Matchstick Men
" Miracle Mile (1998)
" No Way Out
" Oldboy
" Planet of the Apes (I know the twist from the countless pop-culture satires of it, but I'm really curious to see how it's presented)
" The Prestige
" The Rapture
" A Simple Plan
" Something Wild
" The Spanish Prisoner
" A Tale of Two Sisters
" The Way of the Gun

By: rorycberger

rorycberger — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 14:16:25 -0800

I'd add a strong second for both From Dusk Till Dawn and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels if for no other reason than that they are both very different (stylistically, thematically and whathaveyou) from most of the films on your list. Moreover, the turn in from Dusk Till Dawn is one of the most bizarre, sudden and dramatic that I can think of - it's almost like it turns into an entirely different movie. Also notable for happening early in the movie rather than at the end.

By: allkindsoftime

allkindsoftime — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 08:44:44 -0800

I'm almost giddy about the fact that no one has said

The Zero Effect

yet. This is one of my favorite movies EVER, a total sleeper, and hardly anyone's aware of it. Its friggin brilliant, hilarious, artistic, and has a great twist. If you don't add it to your list, you're seriously missing out.