Jordan Peele's Nope has recently ed a major box office milestone, making it one of the biggest movies of the summer so far - and many movie fans are praising the film's uniquely puzzling narrative above all else. The film plays out as a kind of mystery, which the audience is invited to solve alongside the characters as shocking discoveries are made.
The success of Nope has prompted movie fans on Reddit to discuss some of their other favorite films that play out like puzzles, with different parts being revealed throughout the story to create a complete picture at the end. These are one of the most entertaining kinds of movies to watch, as the audience can involve themselves and try and predict how things will pan out.
Primer (2004)
It's not going to be a surprise to anybody that a lot of puzzling films are in the sci-fi genre, because this is where the most creative and inventive stories are often told. Primer is no different, following a group of engineers as they accidentally invent a time machine and soon learn that the consequences are much more dangerous than anyone would expect.
Reddit tastiteff suggested the film, writing that "it's up to you to wrap your heads about how many time loops deep the characters are at any moment", which makes it extremely complicated to follow at points. But with some concentration, audiences should be able to put the pieces into place.
The Prestige (2006)
Chrisopher Nolan's films are well-known for being complex and mind-bending, and The Prestige is potentially his best example of this. Although the majority of the story plays out in a simple (but still thrilling) way, the film's final act introduced a daring twist that questions everything the film had originally established.
Reddit The Prestige one of Nolan's best films to date.
The Usual Suspects (1995)
Although it's most famous for its notorious third-act twist, The Usual Suspects is actually a great film overall with plenty of memorable scenes and a well-written story that keeps the audience guessing at every turn. Most of the information isn't revealed until the film's characters discover it, which makes the film an exciting watch.
It's not until that dramatic reveal at the end of the film that everything finally falls into place, thus making the entire mystery look glaringly obvious. Reddit kazzlimaxx calls The Usual Suspects "one of those movies that I wish never got spoiled", because that twist is a hugely unpredictable one.
The Game (1997)
David Fincher's The Game is a prime example of a 'puzzle movie'. The film is told from the perspective of a wealthy banker named Nicholas, who's forced to figure out the purpose of a complex birthday game that's been set up for him by his eccentric brother. The game takes him all over the city, teaching him lessons along the way.
The audience is just as clueless as Nicholas throughout The Game, since Fincher tells this story exclusively from his perspective and doesn't offer any information that isn't crucial to the story. It's a genius way of telling this tale, leaving Redditor empulsekc to describe the film as "required viewing for this genre."
Rear Window (1954)
A lot of Hitchcock's early thrillers could be described as 'puzzles', but Rear Window is undoubtedly the one that best fits this description. It's an incredibly creative film, following a bed-bound photographer named Jeff who witnesses some dangerous crimes through the windows of his neighbors.
What could have easily been a simple murder mystery is turned into something completely innovative through Hitchcock's single-location narrative, making Rear Window one of the best murder mysteries ever filmed. Reddit starsinthineeyes writes: "A good bit of Hitchcock does [puzzles] very well."
Prisoners (2013)
Denis Villeneuve is gradually becoming one of the most popular directors working today, and it's his neo-noir crime thriller Prisoners that many fans cite as his best movie yet. The film stars Hugh Jackman as the father of a missing girl who takes the investigation into his own hands when the police make no discoveries.
The film is told mostly from Jackman's perspective, so it's up to the audience to figure out what happened to his missing daughter as the film progresses. It drops plenty of hints that seem obvious on a rewatch, but will easily slip past audiences on a first viewing. Reddit jedi_cat1987 suggests "Prisoners" as one of the best 'puzzle movies' ever.
Mulholland Drive (2001)
If there's one director that can truly pull off a confusing tale like no other, it's David Lynch. Almost all of his movies are just begging to be solved, offering just the right amount of information to keep the audience engaged without ever making the meaning of his stories abundantly obvious.
Reddit Mulholland Drive one of Lynch's best films ever.
Annihilation (2018)
Alex Garland is slowly becoming one of the most popular voices in sci-fi storytelling right now, but it's his 2018 feature Annihilation that most audiences consider to be his most puzzling movie yet. Though it's never really difficult to understand, the film withholds information from the audience in a way that keeps the truth a mystery until the end.
Reddit temporarychair references Annihilation as a great mystery movie, with one piece of advice following their recommendation: "Good luck". Garland's creativity really shines through in Annihilation, and although it might not be as philosophical as some of his other projects, it may just be his most engaging.
Shutter Island (2010)
Leonardo DiCaprio offers one of his best performances ever in Shutter Island, but it's Scorsese's inspired writing and direction that truly pushes the film to new heights. From the very beginning, Scorsese is purposefully misleading the audience and keeping the truth of the story secret. It's all there, but it's difficult to find beneath the film's many red herrings.
It's for this reason that Redditor bort_licenseplate27 cites Shutter Island as one of the best puzzle movies, claiming that "The whole time I'm trying to figure out what's going on, and even after it ends I'm not 100%". Although Scorsese does clear everything up by the film's conclusion, you'd need a very keen eye to see the real truth behind the masquerade.
Memento (2000)
Another entry from Christopher Nolan, Memento is widely considered to be one of the best neo-noir thrillers ever made. Its major selling point is the reverse storytelling - every scene takes place before the last, which can sometimes be confusing but allows for a whole new kind of mystery filmmaking.
This unconventional, non-linear narrative makes certain twists and turns possible that simply couldn't be done in a normal film - which is why Reddit desbris cites Memento as a great puzzle movie, believing that it "showcases interesting ideas with interesting characters."
