Top 25 Favorite Twists

While the ending makes the film, the rest is still totally engrossing.

A understatedly brilliant courtroom drama that is constantly filled with intrigue, a boiling, building intensity, and its pay-off is tremendous! Laughton, Dietrich and Power are all stellar here and Wilder's adaptation of Christie's play is perfect. His direction is on the subtle side, but a courtroom drama doesn't need flashy direction. Billy Wilder could write and direct anything, no genre held him down. Watching it a second time would give me a truer appreciation of the film being able to see everything in context of the twist(s).

Has to rank up there in the best twists with Psycho and Empire Strikes Back

A superior, darker sequel that is wholly successful in its every aspect. Lucas/Kershner's masterpiece stands as the best among the original three and the best overall.

Let me start off by being cliche and saying this film is brilliant. Now.. this is one of Hitchcock's most well known probably because of its "big" twist. This twist is carried out so perfectly and thus, the themes it deals with were probably quite controversial being in the public arena at that point in time. Technically this and Rear Window stand out for Hitchcock, the shower scene alone, with 70+ shots, is mind-boggling. The acting may lack a little, really from the supporting characters, but everything else MORE than makes up for it!

The last scene where Bates is just staring at you his mother's voice says "Why, I wouldn't even hurt a fly" gives me a goosebumps. This has to be one of the most chilling moments in film history.

Everything about this noir thriller is fantastic. The twist just about killed me.

A smart film with a great ending. Fincher is one of the better directors of his generation.

I've always seen sci-fi film as stories to hint at the deeper meanings of life: Metropolis, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Day the Earth Stood Still, etc. We get the same theme here as well, but it is the combination of the Fedora Noir, that strikes this as something clever and original. This is the kind of film that immediately impresses you with its flair, but matures like wine with repeated viewings; that being, it is visionary. These kind of films never get old.

Watching the film this time, it was incredible to see how the pieces fit so well together: the art direction, the cinematography, the acting, the direction, the music, the brilliant non-linear script. The film is amazing on all accounts and that the magic here is essentially a metaphor for film itself makes the payoff even better as the twists are revealed at the end. The film's human themes are strong too, transcending the subject of magic and becoming something ubiquitous and somewhat scary.

Lynch is absolutely brilliant. His films are like reading a classic, you may struggle through it, but once you have it all figured out (maybe with a little help), the satisfaction is beyond measure.

How can a man come up with a script like this??. If this was the way the script worked in his head in the beginning...whoa! His direction, as well, is always a stand out, using some beautiful cuts, as well as interesting editing, sounds/effects, and a haunting score.

Naomi Watts blew me away. I'd never been particularly impressed with her (although getting the audience to believe you're in love w/ a giant ape is no small feat...), but the way she captured two disctinct personalities shows how much talent she has (and this was her first major role!)

It's brilliant in its conception, the twist/schocker is awesome, and Kidman is absolutely top-notch here, but unless you're a true movie connoisseur, you're probably gonna be turned off by the existential stage feel.

The best of Shamylan, especially once he got to rolling around with water nymphs. The ending blows you away because you really knew it all along.

An incredible film noir. It carries an almost light tone to it, which the zither musical score adds to. There are pitch-perfect performances from everyone (Cotten, Valli, Welles) involved and the story is perfectly executed (not once does it feel slow or ); the screenplay is just fantastic! On top of that, brilliant, haunting and beautiful cinematography in the setting of war-torn Vienna and Reed's perfect direction sets the tone for the film. A fantastic caper mystery that leaves you with just the right amount of questions, but feeling completely satisfied in the journey.

I gave it an extra half-star because, without Edward Norton, the film would a middle-of-the-road, courtroom drama that could've been a storyline for The Practice. (It's better in it's written form.) Neither Richard Gere, nor Laura Linney (the two headliners), made me sit up and listen, but Norton did. His role is so eerily convincing that when you get to the finale, it's like someone has stuck a chord out for you to trip on. Again, nicely, McDoramand makes subtlety into an art form.

Give the thriller genre a whole new definition.

When watching films, I like to think I'm above sentimentality or emotion. When the film's ending came though, I was affected in a way I don't think any other film will be able to do.

One of the better modern science fiction films. A great ending. This is the kind of film that gets better with repeated viewings.

One of the best films last year. Scorsese, my favorite director, directs one of his better casts.

There is not a thing wrong with this film. The twist just solidifies what is already a wickedly beautiful film. The camera work is wonderful to watch; it's nice to see some inspired direction for a change.

Noir (and certainly neo-noir) at one of its finest moments. Every time Jack and Faye appear on screen, their characters take hold of the viewer. The way with which the story builds on itself is beautiful. The script is absolutely perfect. A sick twist and quite a depressing ending, but hey, "...it's Chinatown."

Great ending to a mediocre horror film (they're all that way aren't they?)

Just about the time you begin to think that this film is not fulfilling its promise, it gives you one heck of a twist.

I remember this having a great twist, and overall being a pretty good movie.

Having recently watched Forrest Gump again, and now having watched this, I am truly saddened this film did not win Best Picture. The film is powerful with its subtlety. It whisks you away in a manner you wouldn't think possible with the story, but King's wonderful idea and Darabont's masterpiece of screenplay play out beautifully. The cast is expert. I am always amazed at Morgan Freeman's incredible ability to play a character with such normalcy. Robbins is impressive (someone I feel who is usually hit and miss) and a wonderful cast of supporting members who fill out the film. Darabont shows he has a masterful hand with the camera. Maybe I have respect for it more than I love it, but it truly is a work of art and I have a hard time denying the fact it got jipped back on Oscar night 1995.

Stylish and quite good, but the impact seems to deaden a little with repeated viewings.