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For some reason, there are many of us out there who actually enjoy sitting in front of our screen utterly perplexed and anxious.
I’d like to believe that it is because a good mystery film is a fantastic way to forget our real-life daily struggles.
That, and they also provide an opportunity to redefine fear and uncertainty as we figure out what these complex emotions mean for ourselves along the way.
Yeah, that got deep quickly.
Anyway, as Mashable notes, whether it’s a whodunnit-based crime story or a mind-bending psychological thriller, everyone loves a good mystery film.
We’ll kick off with these five mystery films, all available on Netflix.
Buster’s Mal Heart
This apocalyptic art piece revolves around multiple timelines and stars Mr. Robot‘s Rami Malek:
Directed by Sarah Adina Smith, Buster’s Mal Heart is one you might have scrolled right by on Netflix. But Rami Malek’s characteristically intense performance in this slow-burn mystery should walk you right back.
The film centres around a man known to local authorities as Buster, who’s being tracked for breaking into and living in people’s holiday homes in mountainous Montana.
But where we first meet Buster is by no means where the story begins, in fact, it’ll take several parallel narratives to try and uncover the terrible truth of it.
Fear Street
If you loved the Goosebumps books growing up, this one is for you.
Thankfully, the core of this kitschy homage to classic horror films of the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s is actually quite compelling, too:
The Fear Street trilogy, inspired by R.L. Stine’s more grown-up novel series, centres around a cyclical curse that sees a string of murders plaguing the residents of Shadyside.
Directed by Leigh Janiak, the three films (Part 1: 1994, Part 2: 1978, and Part 3: 1666) are set in different time periods, each linked by these happenings.
A group of teenagers will have to delve into the past in order to figure it all out before the curse catches up with them. As far as horror mysteries go, Fear Street is the best thing since sliced bread (sorry).
What Did Jack Do?
It feels obligatory to throw an absurd and baffling David Lynch mystery in the mix.
In this 17-minute film, Lynch asks a suited monkey in a train carriage if he’s ever been a card-carrying member of the Communist Party:
Co-presented by Lynch’s company Absurda and Parisian contemporary art museum Fondation Cartier, the film was written, directed, and edited by Lynch himself. Along with a small crew, he also did the sound editing, set design, and assisted with set construction.
We won’t spoil what happens, but look out for a cameo from actor Emily Stofle (Twin Peaks star and David Lynch’s wife), and make sure you stick around for the catchy musical number towards the end. Yes, you read that right.
You might just have to go with the flow for this one.
I Am Mother
Of course, a little sci-fi is always fun.
Make it about a creepy, untrustworthy mother robot, and we have a real heartstring jerker on our hands:
Starring Hilary Swank, Clara Rugaard, and Rose Byrne, the suspense in this one comes hand-in-hand with the blank, impenetrable gaze of Mother (the robotic carer in question), before cranking into overdrive when a stranger’s arrival casts suspicion on the metal guardian’s real role.
The Call
As if we could leave a dark Korean mystery off the list.
The Call (not the 2013 Halle Berry film or the revenge-based horror film of the same name) is based on Matthew Parkhill’s 2011 supernatural horror film The Caller, and directed by Lee Chung-hyun:
When Kim Seo-yeon (Park Shin-hye) visits her family home, she loses her phone, then starts getting weird, disturbing calls and finds a connection to a woman called Young-sook (Jeon Jong-seo).
Where this film twists and turns from here, you’ll never predict, so paying light attention is not an option. Strong performances, unnerving use of sound, stunning cinematography, and a well-woven structure make this one surreal and disturbing journey.
For more mystery options, you can head here.
Go forth and be chilled.
[source:mashable]
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