12 Best Mystery Movies to Watch

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1. Delete, 2023

Centered around a phone with the power to make people disappear, Delete utilizes an intriguing supernatural element to create a steady mystery that thrives on moral dilemmas. With shifting perspectives and a non-linear narrative, it excels at building context and character motivation. What starts as an exposed affair becomes an exploration of the depths of human desires. The series has a strong start, setting a pace that hooks with melodrama and keeps eyes glued with its twists. Whether it's distrust in relationships or dependency on technology, there isn't a dull moment as the phones pass from hand to hand, and the stakes are risen by questionable intentions.

Genre: Drama, Mystery

Actor: Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying, Nat Kitcharit, Natara Nopparatayapon, Nopachai Jayanama, Sarika Sathsilpsupa, Sompob Benjathikul, Thasorn Klinnium, Yasaka Chaisorn

Director: Parkpoom Wongpoom

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2. Search, 2023

After a healing workshop leads her best friend to sell her belongings and move to a remote island, Nisan becomes suspicious a cult is indoctrinating outcasts. But when she's diagnosed with cancer and dark memories haunt her dreams, she seeks the island to find hope and happiness. Nisan's suspicions struggle against her desire to face her past. On the pseudo-utopia island, the idea of safe havens and communities is put to the test forcing Nisan to reckon how isolating living in fear and pain is. With a steady pace, Search stretches the concept of a cult, keeping a refreshingly open mind to all the ways a community with freedom, equality, and care remains unfathomable.

Genre: Drama

Actor: Aslı Enver, Begüm Akkaya, Defne Kayalar, Erol Babaoğlu, Mehmet Günsür, Oral Özer, Yigit Akkaya

Director: Emin Alper

Rating: TV-MA

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3. Lies Hidden in My Garden, 2023

A mysterious rotting smell and hard thuds heard from above start the series off on an eerie note. Moon Joo-ran (Kim Tae-hee) is a seemingly perfect housewife, but under the guise of her well-kept home are a secretive husband and a son who possibly resents her (currently unknown) condition. Meanwhile, Chu Sang-eun (Lim Ji-yeon) is trapped in an abusive marriage and dreams of escape. As Joo-ran becomes paranoid about the smell in her backyard and Sang-eun gathers evidence to leave her husband, the two women find a harrowing revelation. Leads Kim and Lim immediately offer memorable, haunting performances, while the setup described above is a captivating start to a psychological thriller that promises a web of secrets and lies.

Genre: Crime, Mystery

Actor: Baek Hyun-joo, Cha Mi-kyeong, Cha Sung-je, Choi Jae-rim, Im Ji-yeon, Kim Sung-oh, Kim Tae-hee, Lim Ji-yeon

Director: Jung Jee-hyun

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4. Enigma,

True to its name, Enigma opens with a student sharpening a pencil menacingly before ferociously stabbing a teacher. Encased by stunning visuals, the story gets severely darker when another student troubled by an unseen entity drowns in a swimming pool. Farinda, a daydreamer who's undeniably intelligent, notices that the incidents coincide with the presence of the new clumsy biology teacher, Mr Ajin. Superb transitions and editing and a solid dose of gore strengthen the underlying criticism of rigid schools that stifle their students from experiencing more than just good grades. It'll be hard not to watch the [dark] magic continue to unfold.

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5. The Case of Hana & Alice, 2015

The Murder Case of Hana & Alice is a charming and whimsical anime film that tells the story of two teenage girls who team up to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a classmate. The film is beautifully animated in a rotoscoped style giving it a unique and dreamlike quality. Hana and Alice, who is new to the town, decide to team up to solve the case.

Part mystery, part coming-of-age story, and part slice-of-life make for a refreshing and unpredictable viewing experience as the film commits itself to each. The cast makes the story funny and heartwarming with their well-timed quips and well-written dialogue. This is a truly unique and enjoyable animated film about a beautiful friendship budding most unexpectedly.

Genre: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Mystery

Actor: Anne Suzuki, Haru Kuroki, Kaku Tomohiro, Midoriko Kimura, Ranran Suzuki, Ryo Katsuji, Sei Hiraizumi, Shoko Aida, Tae Kimura, Tomohiro Kaku, Yu Aoi

Director: Shunji Iwai

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6. Home School,

At Home School, the parents take the entrance exam before signing away their children's freedom to the staff of this prestigious boarding school. But the promise of an elite education becomes a nightmare when the students have to endure the school's unorthodox curriculum. Unlike her schoolmates, Maki enrolls through a scholarship, purposely applying to find her missing brother.

Joining the growing number of dark school dramas examining harsh societal norms in Thailand, Home School delivers mystery and suspense through the isolated, remote grounds of the school. In the first four episodes alone, the Headmaster's abstract rules, devious staff, and sinister punishments set up a promising series

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7. Sleeping Dog, 2023

Mike Atlas is a former police detective now living on the streets as he reopens a supposedly solved murder case with a rookie prosecutor living in her mother's shadow. As they dig deeper, they uncover a sinister conspiracy that reaches deep into the core of the police and justice system. The series is well-acted, with Max Riemelt giving an outstanding performance of a troubled detective suffering from trauma, guilt, and regret. Now homeless, with gaps in his memories, Atlas uses his dormant detective skills to discover the truth from eight months ago and protect his now-estranged family. There's never a dull moment as mysteries unfold from multiple angles and pieces fall into place as theories fall apart. Sleeping Dog is an addictive guessing game until the end.

Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery

Actor: Antonio Wannek, Bernd Hölscher, Carlo Ljubek, Luise von Finckh, Martin Wuttke, Max Riemelt, Melika Foroutan, Mélodie Wakivuamina, Peri Baumeister

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8. The Murderer (2023)

Saturated colors, numerous plot twists, and a quirky hot-headed detective bring this whodunit murder mystery/dark comedy to life. On the eve of a big storm, Sai and her British husband Earl visit Sai's family's farmhouse, and the night ends in a gruesome mass murder. The horrific setup is quickly undercut by Detective Nawat who, convinced that Earl is the culprit, spouts ridiculous theories and changes the backstory of his intimidating scar. The melodrama lands well, as does the absurdity of the mystery, and the commentary on Thai-Foreign perceptions is successfully delivered, all of which helps the film fill out its unexpected two-hour runtime.

Genre: Comedy, Crime, Mystery, Thriller

Actor: Eisaya Hosuwan, James Laver, Petchtai Wongkamlao, Sawanee Utoomma, Sompong Choptham

Director: Wisit Sasanatieng

Rating: R

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9. Fireworks, 2023

Even with its morale apparent early in the film, Fireworks marries its mental health/loneliness discussion with a "locked room"-type mystery and the cosmic loop of a group suicide attempt gone wrong. It does take care not to glamourize suicide (or needlessly persevering through struggles), but it teeters between virtue signaling and the sincere reminder to reach out to others for help. With anxiety, hopelessness, grief, and redemption at its core, the film still tugs on the heart even though it pulls away from ruminating on the more intense emotions and thoughts that aren't easily dismissed in a single (even if endless) encounter.

Genre: Drama, Science Fiction, Thriller

Actor: Donny Damara, guzzu, Hanggini Purinda Retto, Imelda Therinne, Marsha Timothy, Vino G. Bastian

Director: Herwin Novianto

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10. Burn the House Down, 2023

Not fully a mystery and not entirely a thriller, yet on the cusp of both, the initial setup of Burn the House Down promises a definite answer and dismantles it in every episode. Sure that her mother was framed, Anzu infiltrates Makiko's new lavish life to prove that the fire set to her home thirteen years ago was no accident. She knows the culprit but lacks evidence, but when she's reacquainted with Makiko's eldest son, his reclusive demeanour takes a sinister turn. The premise is straightforward, yet it's hard to look away from Anzu skulking around as she finds remnants of her mother's old life and sweet-talking the family that destroyed hers. Trying to piece together that fateful night isn't simple but feels worth the unexpected detours three episodes in.

Genre: Drama, Mystery

Actor: Asuka Kudo, Kie Kitano, Kyoka Suzuki, Mei Nagano, Michiko Kichise, Mitsuhiro Oikawa, Taishi Nakagawa, Tamaki Shiratori, Yuri Tsunematsu

Rating: TV-14

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11. Neeyat, 2023

It seems unfair to call Neeyat India’s (and Amazon Prime’s) answer to the Knives Out series of films, but it often feels that way. It’s a murder mystery that sides with the poor and satirizes the rich, and it mostly takes place in a grand manor that forces its colorful cast of characters to interact until, inevitably, their hidden motives surface. Of course, Neeyat isn’t an exact replica; it has its own inflections and charms, and figuring out how India’s ultra-rich live, specifically, is its own kind of fun. In fact, this is when the film shines the most, when it allows its talented cast to parade the silliness of their characters. Like Knives Out, it makes for a great ensemble movie. But as a murder mystery, Neeyat is not as successful in weaving multiple mysteries and pulling off twists. It’s bogged down by unnecessary melodrama, flashbacks, and exposition, eventually falling off the rails of logic. It’s still enjoyable, for sure, but maybe more as a campy comedy than as a genuinely thrilling mystery.

Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller

Actor: Amrita Puri, Dipannita Sharma, Neeraj Kabi, Niki Aneja Walia, Prajakta Koli, Rahul Bose, Ram Kapoor, Shahana Goswami, Shashank Arora, Shefali Shah, Vidya Balan

Director: Anu Menon

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12. See How They Run, 2022

Whodunnits are the cornerstone of murder mysteries, and their occasional resurgence is usually a reprieve from films with more complicated structures and twists. See How They Run gives the Agatha Christie mystery spoof a go, dissecting the cozy mystery conventions anew. With quirky British humor, solid acting, and good period-piece visuals, the familiarity and predictability culminate into an easy, well-paced watch. With no desire to reinvent the genre, the film seems to implore its audience to indulge in self-indulgence. Enjoy watching a piece of cinema for the sake of it.

Genre: Comedy, Crime, Mystery, Thriller

Actor: Adrien Brody, Angus Wright, Ania Marson, Charlie Cooper, David Oyelowo, Gregory Cox, Harris Dickinson, Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, Lucian Msamati, Maggie McCarthy, Paul Chahidi, Pearl Chanda, Philip Desmeules, Pippa Bennett-Warner, Reece Shearsmith, Ruth Wilson, Sam Rockwell, Saoirse Ronan, Shirley Henderson, Sian Clifford, Tim Key, Tolu Ogunmefun

Director: Tom George

Rating: PG-13

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