525 Best Thrilling Movies to Watch (Page 27)

When it comes to memorable viewing experiences, it’s usually all about the scenes that pull you to the edge of your seat. Whether you’re into suspenseful mysteries or emotional dramas, here are the most thrilling movies and shows to stream.

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391. Skywalkers: A Love Story, 2024

	
Far from a typical documentary, Skywalkers is as relentless and fast-paced as the climbers it follows. As Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus illegally scale towers and skyscrapers with little more than the clothes on their back, Director Jeff Zimbalist throws viewers into the next thrilling scenario whether they’re ready to or not. It’s amazing how much of the breathless editing replicates the energy between Nikolau and Beerkus, regardless of whether they’re in action rooftopping or deep in an argument about trust and relationships. The film has a deep emotional core that makes it resonate more than it should; people might come in for the extremity of their sport, but they’ll leave learning something worthwhile about love.Genre: Documentary, Romance, Thriller
Actor: Angela Nikolau, Ivan Beerkus
Director: Jeff Zimbalist
Rating: R

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392. Sixty Minutes, 2024

While not having world-ending stakes or large-scale operations, Sixty Minutes just works as an action movie. Sure, the plot is familiar and a little far fetched, but the film maximizes the potential of its premise, with excellently choreographed fight sequences working in tandem with the cinematography to reflect the MMA fighter leading the movie. Each moment isn’t wasted, with the action escalating each time Octa finds out about the hidden information kept from him about the match he’s planned to skip, and the film easily keeps track of his journey through neon-lit stopwatch faces and maps. And when we (and Octa) feel tired from all the fighting, the film ends right on time after sixty (and twenty nine) minutes.

Genre: Action, Drama

Actor: Ágnes Krasznahorkai, Alain Blazevic, Aristo Luis, Balázs Megyeri, Bettina Hoppe, Bruno Salgueiro, Dennis Mojen, Emilio Sakraya, Eniko Fulop, Florian Schmidtke, Georg Blumreiter, Harry Szovik, Jackson Serafim, Janna Striebeck, José Barros, Laurent Winkler, Livia Matthes, Ludger Bökelmann, Marie Mouroum, Mehmet Ateşçi, Morik Heydo, Nyamandi Adrian, Paul Wollin, Philipp Droste, Steffen Jung, Tatjana Šojić, Tayssir Khalfallah, Vassilis Koukalani, Wanja Valentin Kube

Director: Oliver Kienle

Rating: R

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393. Shaun of the Dead, 2004

One of those movies that even if you know all the jokes by heart, you'll still laugh at them whenever you see the movie. The chemistry between Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright is exceptional, and the jokes are spot-on. The movie starts with Shaun character trying to turn his life around by winning back his ex and reconnect with his mother. Only problem? Oh yeah, everyone is coming back from the dead.

Genre: Comedy, Horror

Actor: Antonia Campbell-Hughes, Bill Nighy, Carol Barnes, Chris Martin, David Walliams, Dylan Moran, Edgar Wright, Finola Geraghty, Garth Jennings, Jeremy Thompson, Jessica Hynes, Joe Cornish, Jon Buckland, Jonny Buckland, Julia Davis, Julia Deakin, Kate Ashfield, Keir Mills, Keith Chegwin, Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Lauren Laverne, Lucy Akhurst, Lucy Davis, Mark Donovan, Mark Gatiss, Martin Freeman, Matt Lucas, Michael Smiley, Nick Ewans, Nick Frost, Nicola Cunningham, Patricia Franklin, Paul Kaye, Paul Putner, Penelope Wilton, Peter Baynham, Peter Serafinowicz, Phyllis MacMahon, Rafe Spall, Reece Shearsmith, Rob Brydon, Robert Popper, Simon Pegg, Sonnell Dadral, Steve Emerson, Tamsin Greig, Tim Baggaley, Trisha Goddard, Vernon Kay

Director: Edgar Wright

Rating: R

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394. School Spirits, 2023

A murder mystery on one hand and a supernatural dramedy on the other, School Spirits is an engaging teen series that recalls plenty of past movies and shows before it. Like Ghost and The Lovely Bones, the protagonist is a murder victim attempting to solve the mystery of her death, and like the BBC/CBS show Ghosts, it gathers an eclectic group of spirts from different eras and plays off their obvious differences.

It’s spirited and spunky, and though it sometimes edges on soapy territory, it’s mostly saved by the confident performances of its young actors. Watch this if you’re looking for to binge a good whodunnit or an unconventional high school drama (or both)—it’s both those things, and little more.

Genre: Drama

Actor: Kiara Pichardo, Milo Manheim, Peyton List, Sarah Yarkin, Spencer MacPherson

Rating: TV-MA

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395. River Wild, 2023

	
While it starts off slow and rocky, River Wild sails smoothly as soon as it hits the waters. The rafting on the rapids, the wild chases, the suspenseful silences—all are effectively shot and believably terrifying, even if they border on predictability at times. Real-life couple Meester and Brody are vulnerable and intense, adding some depth to an otherwise basic story. Killam is compelling too, especially during the action sequences, but I might have seen him in one-too-many comedy sketches to trust his sincerity here. It’s not the best outdoor thriller by a long shot, especially if you compare it to the superior 1994 original film starring Meryl Streep and Kevin Bacon, but it is entertaining in its own right.Genre: Adventure, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Actor: Adam Brody, Courtney Chen, Eve Connolly, Leighton Meester, Matt Devere, Nicholas Wittman, Olivia Swann, Taran Killam
Director: Ben Ketai

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396. Reptile, 2023

You could take away a lot of parts in Reptile, and it would still make sense. It’s the kind of film that leans on sound and style to justify overlong takes and teeth-grittingly predictable scenes. But all is forgiven when del Toro, who also co-writes and co-produces the film, appears on screen. He has a simmering, captivating presence that demands you keep your eyes on him even when little, if anything at all, happens. Silverstone, Eric Bogosian, and Ato Essandoh are likewise enthralling, but Justin Timberlake unfortunately does not hold the same staying power. The film is at its weakest when it tries to convince us that he plays a complex, layered man when, in fact, Timberlake relays nothing but surface-level thrills. But Reptile is at its strongest when it gives us del Toro in all his forceful glory.

Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller

Actor: Africa Miranda, Alex Parkinson, Alicia Silverstone, Allison Smith, Amy Parrish, Ato Essandoh, Benicio Del Toro, Catherine Dyer, Dani Deetté, Deena Beasley, Domenick Lombardozzi, Elena Varela, Eric Bogosian, Frances Fisher, Gilbert Glenn Brown, Gregory Albrecht, James Devoti, Jesse C. Boyd, Jon Levine, Jp Lambert, Justin Timberlake, Karl Glusman, Kurt Yue, Lee Perkins, Mark Pettit, Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz, Matilda Lutz, Matt Medrano, Matthew Cornwell, Michael Beasley, Michael Pitt, Michael Rene Walton, Mike Pniewski, Monique Yvette Grant, Owen Teague, Sky Ferreira, Thad Luckinbill, Tiffany Fallon, Victor Rasuk

Director: Grant Singer

Rating: R

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397. Red Rose, 2022

With the rise of short video content apps like TikTok and YouTube shorts, there are, unfortunately, plenty of kids that do stupid things, egged on by the internet. Red Rose plays with this idea in a mysterious, possibly possessed, mobile application. The show feels slightly reminiscent of Black Mirror’s Shut Up and Dance episode, albeit in a more supernatural, creepy way, and there’s a thread here on how teens’ grief and other negative emotions are manipulated for increased internet usage. While the certain episodes feel like it dragged, the series is still a fairly solid watch if you’re wanting a spooky time.

Genre: Drama, Horror, Science Fiction

Actor: Ali Khan, Amelia Clarkson, Ashna Rabheru, Ellis Howard, Lisa Siwe, Michael Clarkson, Natalie Blair, Paul Clarkson

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398. Onimusha, 2023

Honestly, if we’re going to choose between the two Netflix samurai releases dropped on Japan’s Culture Day… It’s going to be Blue Eye Samurai. However, Onimusha is a fairly decent Japanese anime, even if it is overshadowed by the Asian-American revenge saga. The show takes the strengths of the original game – samurai fighting oni-controlled zombies – while shifting the show’s timeline to a calmer era that allows it to develop a cohesive plot, unlike old video game adaptations. While the 2D-3D blend falters in exposition scenes, the show’s spectacular horrors, great action scenes, and a cheeky Toshiro Mifune-inspired Miyamoto Musashi makes Onimusha a fun watch.

Genre: Action & Adventure, Animation, Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Actor: Akio Otsuka, Daiki Yamashita, Hochu Otsuka, Katsuyuki Konishi, Subaru Kimura

Rating: TV-MA

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399. No One Will Save You, 2023

Part sci-fi and part psychological horror, No One Will Save You is an impressive outing that serves as a vehicle for Dever’s one-woman show. She is a powerhouse, a nonstop show of talent that doesn’t seem to run out of fuel. The scenes are grueling and excruciating, they involve a lot of physical, mental, and emotional turmoil, but somehow, Dever rises to the challenge with unbelievable ease. Sure, sci-fi lovers will find much to discuss in these unearthly creatures, and cinephiles will appreciate how the film relies almost solely on sound design and a single line of dialogue. But it’s Dever who does the heavy lifting here, and it’s especially apparent when the film tries, weakly, to delve into Brynn’s psyche and the town’s sociological workings. It’s not as impressive in those regards, but Dever is strong enough an actress to make you forgive the movie’s frailer parts.

Genre: Horror, Science Fiction, Thriller

Actor: Bridget Malbrough, Dane Rhodes, Dari Lynn Griffin, Elizabeth Kaluev, Emani White, Evangeline Rose, Geraldine Singer, Kaitlyn Dever, Lauren L. Murray, Zack Duhame

Director: Brian Duffield

Rating: PG-13

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400. Ninja Kamui, 2024

	
A man living in the countryside, going through a fairly mundane but happy life, until his violent past comes back to take it away… It’s a familiar story, one that studios keep returning to time and time again. Newcomer studio E&H Production has taken this story for Ninja Kamui, but with Jujutsu Kaisen’s director Sunghoo Park at the helm, the trope isn’t used for a safe bet– instead, it’s a great choice to showcase what the studio can offer. The action sequences feature his signature flair, with stunning detail, excellent choreography and point-of-view shots that place the viewer in the fight themselves. That being said, it’s also Park’s first time on an original work that isn’t an adaptation, or inspired by an already existing franchise. The show still needs to build up its world and the emotional stakes around Joe Higan, but so far, Ninja Kamui is a pretty decent introduction to Park’s new studio.Genre: Action & Adventure, Animation
Actor: Atsushi Ono, Kenjiro Tsuda, Yuuki Wakai
Rating: TV-MA

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401. 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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402. My Home Hero, 2023

The love parents have for their child is powerful, but most parents normally don’t resort to murder for them. Of course, most families don’t actually need to, but like Tetsuo Tosu, they might if their daughter’s yakuza boyfriend plans to murder her first. My Home Hero depicts this scenario, slowly going into the potential sequence of events that could happen, realistically portrayed by Kuranosuke Sasaki, Tae Kimura, and Asuka Saito as the loving family. The family might be a bit cookie-cutter – we’ve seen similar characters in other series before – but they’re relatable enough to make My Home Hero a fairly decent, though generic, crime drama.

Genre: Crime, Mystery

Actor: Asuka Saito, Kuranosuke Sasaki, Kyohei Takahashi, Tae Kimura, Yasushi Fuchikami

Director: Daisuke Yamamoto, Takahiro Aoyama, Takashi Tanazawa

Rating: TV-14

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403. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, 2023

	
There are two timelines in Monarch, one set in a post-war world where trio Bill (Anders Holm), Shaw (Wyatt Russell), and Keiko (Mari Yamamoto) look for monsters, and another set in 2015, where trio Cate, Kentaro (Ren Watabe), and May (Kiersey Clemons) look for Cate and Kentaro’s missing father. Both timelines are action-packed and mystery-filled, eventually intertwining in a surprising but thrilling way. But for all that’s happening, Monarch is weirdly missing the monsters. Godzilla, along with other creatures old and new, rarely appear, though when they do, they make sure to put on a spectacle you can’t look away from. The show could use a lot more of these monsters, though there’s much to like in the human cast too—especially in Shaw, whose present self is played by Russell’s father, the iconic Kurt Russell. The decision to cast them in this role is more than inspired, it’s downright entertaining. Not only do they look alike, but they have the same mannerisms and charismatic flairs, though both actors make sure to inflect the character with their own specific charms. Seeing their interpretation of Shaw is reason enough to watch this series, but everything else is pretty epic too.Genre: Action & Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Actor: Anders Holm, Anna Sawai, Elisa Lasowski, Joe Tippett, Kiersey Clemons, Kurt Russell, Mari Yamamoto, Ren Watabe, Wyatt Russell
Rating: TV-14

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404. Metallic Rouge, 2024

With most of early January 2024’s slate focused on fantasy, Metallic Rouge is a fairly decent cyberpunk refresher. With fantastic, mostly 2D animation, studio Bones’ 25th Anniversary project has spectacular mecha match-ups between government android Rouge Redstar versus various members of the excellently designed Immortal Nine, as well as humorous, expository banter from Rouge’s human partner Naomi Orthmann. But it’s the mystery that drives interest in the show, as Nean androids and humans share a world, but not the same status, and the origins of the artificial intelligence bots seem to link with a previous alien invasion that pushed humanity into further space exploration. It’s an interesting premise, and the structure is definitely unusual, but with Bones’ track record, we’re expecting that it’ll all come together by the end of Metallic Rouge.

Genre: Action & Adventure, Animation, Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Actor: Atsushi Miyauchi, Chiaki Kobayashi, Hiroyuki Yoshino, Kazuyuki Okitsu, Kenjiro Tsuda, Shunsuke Takeuchi, Tomoyo Kurosawa, Yu Shimamura, Yui Ogura, Yume Miyamoto

Director: Yutaka Izubuchi

Rating: TV-14

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405. McMafia, 2018

James Norton plays a Russian-British banker who has stayed away from his family’s links to organized crime. When his fund is threatened, he accepts a shady investor recommended by his uncle, which introduces him to the world of international crime as a money launderer.

It’s very well-made, and successfully juggles many stories at once. However, its weakness might ironically be that the main storyline, as well as Norton’s character, are less interesting than a lot of the other stories that are going on.

The series is written by Hossein Amini, who also wrote the script for Drive.

Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller

Actor: Aleksandr Dyachenko, Aleksey Serebryakov, Anna Levanova, Atul Kale, Caio Blat, David Dencik, David Strathairn, Faye Marsay, James Norton, Juliet Rylance, Kemi-Bo Jacobs, Kirill Pirogov, Maria Mashkova, Mariya Shukshina, Merab Ninidze, Oshri Cohen, Sofia Lebedeva, Yuval Scharf

Director: James H. Watkins, James Watkins

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