When crime fiction appeared in the 19th century, nobody could predict its popularity. Now millions enjoy the works of Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle. Over the years, they’ve been adapted into series and movies. These include Agatha Christie’s Poirot and Sherlock Holmes movies.
A good murder mystery film shouldn’t necessarily be based on a popular work. Many pictures from the classical era of Hollywood to modern films have their fair share of fans. There are several best murder mystery movies that everybody should watch at least once.
1. Happy Death Day (2017)
In the early 2010s, there were two movies that creatively used the Groundhog Day formula. They had the main characters stuck in the same day over and over. One of them was the futuristic Edge Of Tomorrow, and the other was Happy Death Day. Christopher Landon’s black comedy offered a great mix of slasher tropes and a murder mystery.
The story follows a young university student Theresa “Tree” Gelbman. Her biggest nightmare wasn’t not finding essay writing help when she needed it. Instead, Theresa was stuck in a time loop on her birthday, with a mysterious killer ending her life each time. Unlike other installments, Happy Death Day doesn’t give the protagonist an infinite number of tries.
Each “death” brings her closer to her final demise. That’s when the movie turns into a race against time to find the culprit and end the cycle of murder. The film was a hit when it came out, with both audiences and critics praising its approach to the time loop formula. If you’re a fan of slashers and a good detective story, Happy Death Day is the right film for you.
2. Knives Out (2019)
While this movie is pretty recent, it has already cemented itself among murder mystery fans. Rian Johnson’s 5th directorial entry pays homage to the classic detective films and works of Agatha Christie. It builds on their foundation while putting a unique twist on them. The Knives Out film has all the check marks of a modern hit:
- A stellar cast of actors, including Ana de Armas, Chris Evans, and Daniel Craig
- A family whose at each other throats to get a wealthy inheritance
- A big mansion where a murder was committed by one of them
- Well-fashioned sets, costumes, and stellar acting
- A sense of intrigue and mystery
- A great soundtrack by Nathan Johnson
Knives Out was a huge hit when it came out in 2019. Critics and audiences praised these aspects of the movie. Time magazine and the American Film Institute put the film at the top of the best motion pictures of that year. If you enjoy Knives Out, be sure to check out its sequel, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. It arrives on Netflix this December.
3. Memento (2000)
Nowadays, Christopher Nolan is known primarily as the director of Interstellar and the Dark Knight trilogy. They offered great visuals and a new take on the story of Batman. But Nolan’s die-hard fans still talk about his feature film Memento released in 2000. The movie uses a non-linear approach to tell the story of a man called Leonard, played by Guy Pearce.
The story follows his quest to find one of the attackers who killed his wife. The problem is that Leonard can’t make any new memories after the accident. He has to rely on photographs and tattoos all over his body to learn about things that happened before.
The movie has been nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay and Best Film Editing. Its editing style is highly reminiscent of such films as Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, and Citizen Kane. Unlike these films, Memento is a modern take on traditional film noir. Its twist ending still surprises people 22 years later.
4. Rear Window (1954)
When it comes to creating suspense and mystery, there’s no one better than Alfred Hitchcock. His 1954 classic is a perfect example of a well-done murder mystery movie. Rear Window stars James Stewart as a photographer L. B. “Jeff” Jefferies. He broke his leg and had to spend all his time stuck in a Manhattan apartment.
Jeff’s only source of entertainment is the titular rear window. Stewart’s hero spies on his neighbors through a camera. One day he witnesses a murder, but no clues can be found of the crime. Jeff makes it his business to find the evidence and bring the killer to justice. The problem is that nobody believes him, and the killer can get away.
Despite the fact that the movie came out almost 70 years ago, it still holds up. The acting talents of Steward and Grace Kelly provide enough emotional range and suspense to hold the story together. It’s perfect for viewing with a cup of hot tea on a Friday afternoon.
5. The Usual Suspects (1995)
This film, written by Christopher McQuarrie, gave the world some of the most surprising twist endings of all time. The Usual Suspects follows the story of a group of professional criminals. They are played by Kevin Spacey, Stephen Baldwin, Gabriel Byrne, Benicio del Toro, and Kevin Pollak. They’re ordered to carry out a dangerous job that will make them rich men. That’s if they survive the mission.
The Usual Suspects opens up, showing the aftermath of the job. The following sequences show events that lead to the ending. The movie is a slow burner that slowly emerges viewers into its world. They get to see some of the lives the main characters had before the fateful meeting with their mysterious employer.
To this day, The Usual Suspects remains one of the most famous movies written by McQuarrie. The movie was so great that the Writers Guild of America named its screenplay the 35th greatest of all time. Its plot still has people talking about the film and coming up with new theories about it.
Final Thoughts
While there are many great movies in this category, these entries stand above the rest. They’ll give all the excitement, intrigue, and mystery anyone can need. Catch these movies the next time you turn on Netflix or another streaming service of your choice.