20 movies you should go out of your way to avoid spoilers for

On the surface, Barbarian seems like your standard horror thriller. However, as you travel further into the film, it becomes obvious that it is anything but. The general premise revolves around Tara arriving at her Airbnb rental only to find it has been double-booked. All suspicion points towards Keith, the mysterious stranger staying with her. However, Barbarian takes a massive swing halfway through and completely flips the narrative on its head, meaning you should go into this one blind.

Parasite is regarded by many as one of the finest films of the 21st century thus far. Winner of multiple Academy Awards, including Best Picture, it is completely original and exceptionally crafted. The story follows the struggling Kim family, who work their way into the home of the wealthy Park family by employment. Bong Joon-ho’s masterpiece has many layers and features a brilliantly bold twist midway through that completely changes the tone and stakes of the narrative. 

David Fincher’s Gone Girl offers a compelling mystery that cleverly subverts and plays with genre conventions. Nick Dunne becomes the prime suspect of the surrounding media circus when his wife Amy goes missing on their wedding anniversary. The film’s set-up promises a story audiences are familiar with. However, it manages to avoid the traditional "missing person" narrative, with a mind-blowing twist at its halfway mark that alters the course of the entire film.

Undoubtedly one of the strangest movies to be released in 2023, you will never guess where Biosphere is headed. The film follows the last two men on planet Earth, who must adapt to save humanity. That is all you need to know, as anything else would spoil the film experience. Biosphere takes plenty of rewarding risks as the plot goes to increasingly weird places. Luckily, it is executed with thematic depth and pitch-perfect humor. 

From modern horror master James Wan, Malignant is an entirely different beast to his other hits like The Conjuring. The film is best enjoyed without much context, but the set-up revolves around a woman who has visions of strangers getting murdered, which are, in fact, reality. As fun as it is scary, Malignant revels in its bizarre and even slightly amusing twists. Wan isn’t afraid to get weird and goes all-out here, making Malignant a wild viewing experience. 

Set entirely on a computer screen, Searching is a modern and riveting thriller. When David's daughter goes missing, he searches for answers on her laptop. Through its sleek editing and digital format, Searching utilizes a unique and timely form of storytelling. As David explores websites, folders, social media apps, and more on the web, many revelations come to light. When you think you have the mystery figured out, another twist is revealed.

Despite being one of Christopher Nolan’s earliest films, Memento is still considered one of the director’s best. Guy Pearce plays a man with short-term memory loss who uses notes, tattoos, and photographs to hunt for his wife’s killer. Thanks to its completely unreliable narrator, Memento continues to unfold its secrets until the very last frame. For the best viewing experience, viewers should go in with as much knowledge as the film’s protagonist and learn the answers along with him.

You’d be forgiven for thinking Bone Tomahawk is simply another Western flick starring Kurt Russell. However, you’d be entirely wrong. Set in the Old West, the film follows Russell’s sheriff and his crew. They embark on a mission to rescue three people from a violent group of cave dwellers. The nature of these dwellers is best left unsaid so viewers can experience the shock for themselves. Bone Tomahawk features a surprising and effective clash of genres that audiences won't expect.

We all know that the first rule of Fight Club is: you do not talk about Fight Club. This is the mentality one should have prior to viewing David Fincher’s cult classic for the first time. Without talking about Fight Club too much (we’ll have to break the rule a little), the premise follows an office worker and soap salesman who form an underground fight club. Brad Pitt and Edward Norton’s performances make for an entertaining thrill ride that has quite the trick under its sleeve. 

The Others is one of the best examples of gothic horror in cinema and provides thrills with atmosphere instead of excessive jump scares. Nicole Kidman plays Grace, who has two photosensitive children and believes their new house is haunted. The Others has a twist near the end that you will not see coming and should try as hard as you can to avoid beforehand. The storytelling and layers in the film elevate it to more than your typical ghost story. 

Director M. Night Shyamalan is known for his famous plot twists, and The Sixth Sense might have the best of them all. Bruce Willis plays a child psychologist who starts treating a young boy who can see dead people. Every frame and detail in this film is presented with purpose, which is superbly paid off in the film’s finale. Knowing the twist in The Sixth Sense would arguably ruin the experience of watching the film for the first time, so those who have not seen it should remain alert.

In The Usual Suspects, a con man is the sole survivor of a shoot-out following a heist. While interrogated by police, he reveals how he and four other criminals got involved with mastermind Keyser Soze, who drew them into the heist. The central plot seems simple at first but becomes a suspenseful and complicated tale thanks to plenty of deceit and turns at every corner. When the rug is finally pulled at the end, the reveal is glorious and better left unspoiled. 

David Fincher gave audiences another highly talked-about twist in his acclaimed crime thriller Se7en . Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman play two detectives hunting down a serial killer who murders according to the seven deadly sins. Gnarly and grisly, Se7en is not for the faint of heart and features a highly disturbing finale for viewers. The reveal of "what’s in the box" is truly haunting and emotionally shocking but is best kept secret until the final moment. 

Based on the novella by Stephen King, The Mist is a truly gloomy and unnerving ride. After a freak storm, bloodthirsty creatures wreak havoc in a small town where citizens are trapped inside a supermarket. It’s a film where not only are the monsters dangerous, but so are the humans, as they fight to survive. The origins of the mist and creatures are eventually revealed. The movie’s ending will have audiences shocked and significantly disturbed. 

The Menu is a deliciously dark satire that is both horrifying and sharply funny. It focuses on a couple who travel to a remote island to eat at an exclusive restaurant, where the head chef has some shocking surprises in store for his diners. The film’s advertising and trailers reveal that something eerie is going on in this kitchen, but the exact details of that are best kept secret from potential viewers. If you go in blind, you will be extremely satisfied with what’s on this menu.  

The initial premise and opening scenes of The Cabin in the Woods present the film as your standard horror affair, where a group of archetypal characters go to an isolated cabin and are met by something sinister. However, viewers will soon realize that this is not that kind of movie and is very much a self-aware commentary on modern horror. It takes many surprising and unexpected turns and is the complete opposite of what you think you are going into. 

Martin Scorsese’s Shutter Island is a complex and layered psychological thriller led by the always-excellent Leonardo DiCaprio. He and Mark Ruffalo play two U.S. marshals sent to a remote asylum to investigate the disappearance of a patient. The pair find much more to the asylum and island and uncover dark truths. The film is filled with purposeful details and storytelling devices, leading up to a plot twist that even rivals M. Night Shyamalan’s work.

Sorry to Bother You is an original and meta dark comedy that follows Cassius Green, an African-American telemarketer who uses a "white" accent to succeed at his job. As his career begins to excel, he falls into a world of greed. Not only is the film socially relevant and humorous, but it goes to a surreal place that fully embraces the absurd. It gets off-the-walls bonkers and increasingly more bizarre, making it one of the most unique satires of capitalism you will ever see. 

As one of the biggest movie events of the last couple of years, it is almost impossible to avoid spoilers for Spider-Man: No Way Home. Major reveals and surprises have always been a part of the MCU, but even more anticipation and secrecy surrounded No Way Home's release. With a spell gone wrong causing the eruption of the multiverse, many familiar faces make memorable cameos that are a nostalgic treat for fans. It is more than likely everyone already knows who they are, and if you don’t, that is impressive! 

Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho is one of the most iconic horror movies of all time and still manages to thrill audiences. In the film, Marion Crane is on the run when she checks into a motel managed by Norman Bates. From the shrill orchestral theme to the famous shower scene, the film is ingrained into pop culture and has left a lasting impact. Due to it being so old and successful, most moviegoers already know Psycho’s big twist. However, it does make for a fun time if you go in not knowing.