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The Watcher
The Watcher
Ross Armstrong | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry
9
8.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
"One of the best thrillers I've read in a while"
No doubt there are clear remnants of Girl on a Train and Rear Window in this psychological thriller, and having heard a fair few, sometimes it seems obvious who the culprit is.

However - the twists and turns to get to the climax are absolutely gut wrenching, the first personal dialogue writing in a journal is engaging and the contemporary plot is interesting - so it's well worth the read. Catherine Steadman is a great performer - and it reminded me of listening to Paula Hawkin's character - there are clear similarities. Overall, definitely worth any hype.
  
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Lauren (1 KP) rated Disclaimer in Books

Jan 24, 2018  
Disclaimer
Disclaimer
Renee Knight | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry
7
7.1 (7 Ratings)
Book Rating
The ending was a complete surprise, as well as the premise being a really good idea. (0 more)
Execution of the premise wasn't as amazing as expected. First few chapters a bit slow and wobbly, but the second half makes up for it. (0 more)
A good debut from Renee Knight
At surface level, this is a really good psychological suspense/thriller book. However, you will find flaws if you look deeper. I couldn't really relate to any characters, I didn't particularly like or become attached to any of them, but the multi-layered family conflict was good and realistic.
  
Then She Was Gone
Then She Was Gone
Lisa Jewell | 2017 | Thriller
7
8.1 (21 Ratings)
Book Rating
A little far-fetched but still exciting
While this thriller seems highly unlikely, it is pretty exciting with twist after twist. More than a decade after the disappearance and death of Ellie Mack, mother Laurel begins a new relationship with a family with a sinister connection.

Some aspects seem hugely unrealistic, i.e. relying on face value to make judgements, and the interconnections appear a little tenuous but this book should be enjoyed as an exhilarating read, rather than a psychological drama. There is very little character development, and sparse information regarding the wider characters such as Hannah and Paul. However, it's interesting nonetheless.
  
Delirium (2018)
Delirium (2018)
2018 | Horror
The story and acting. (0 more)
The slow pace at times. (0 more)
Well Done
This psychological thriller on Netflix turned out to be pretty interesting. Topher Grace did a good job playing his role as the main protagonist. No flashy effects or true scares but the story played out well and ended up being pretty twisted. Kept you wondering what was in his head and what wasn't throughout most of the movie. I'd definitely recommend this one. The cinematography was well done and all the actors played their parts well. It's kind of slow moving at times, but really worth a watch!
  
Arabian Nights (1974)
Arabian Nights (1974)
1974 | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
(0 Ratings)
Movie Favorite

"All of Pasolini’s films are very surprising and impressive because they come from somebody with a deep culture who, through cinema, managed to remove himself from that culture. It’s as if he took culture off and, naked, went and walked off into the world. In this film he really succeeded in adhering to the deepest meaning of the text, of the epic narration and storytelling, without adding any element of pathos, psychological feelings, or sentimentalism—which would have been a very easy pitfall. He just tells the story the way it is without adding to it."

Source
  
1408 (2007)
1408 (2007)
2007 | Horror, Mystery
The Room
1408- is a excellent psychological horror movie that is very underrated. It has suspense, thrills, chills, horror, terror, and more.

The plot: Mike Enslin (John Cusack) is a successful author who enjoys worldwide acclaim debunking supernatural phenomena -- before he checks into the Dolphin Hotel, that is. Ignoring the warnings of the hotel manager (Samuel L. Jackson), he learns the meaning of real terror when he spends the night in a reputedly haunted room.

Like i said before it is a excellent movie. It will twist and turn your mind.

I would highly reccordmend this movie.
  
D-Tox (Eye See You) (2002)
D-Tox (Eye See You) (2002)
2002 | Action, Mystery, Thriller
6
6.0 (7 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Rambo Sees Rocky
D-Tox aka Eye See You- is a underrrated moive starring a 80's action star and a good supporting cast.

Recovering from the psychological effects of witnessing a brutal crime, FBI Agent Jake Malloy (Sylvester Stallone) checks into a rehabilitation clinic for law enforcement officers in the remote wilderness of Wyoming during the dead of winter. He soon finds himself helping other patients as a serial killer begins killing them one by one.

Its one of Stallone's last theatrical movie before he retired for a bit.

I would reecordmend this movie, it is very underrated.
  
Last Night in Soho (2021)
Last Night in Soho (2021)
2021 | Drama, Horror, Thriller
The 60's timeframe makes for an awesome aesthetic (2 more)
Great acting
Thought I figured it out halfway through. Then came the twists
Dark and mature subject matter may be a bit triggering for some viewers (0 more)
Very slick and stylish psychological thriller!
Any time Edgar Wright is at the helm, you know you're in for a treat, and this film is no exception! Slick and stylish visuals, an intriguing story, and excellent acting from the leads. If you're a horror fan, you'll love it! If you're an Edgar Wright fan, you'll love it. Honestly, check it out either way. You'll be glad you did!
  
Velvet Buzzsaw (2019)
Velvet Buzzsaw (2019)
2019 | Drama, Horror, Mystery
Performances and tone (0 more)
Predictable (0 more)
A mixed bag of a film, both engaging and tiresome
Dan Gilroys teams up again with jake Gyllenhaal but this time with far less success than 2014's nightcrawler. Velvet Buzzsaw follows a small group of the LA art world as the mysterious paintings of dease are released into the world. As seen in the trailer the paintings are able to move and even come out and grab you and here is where my issues with the film start.

In my opinion in horror it's best to have some kind of rules so you know what to be scared of. Even the slightest hint of ghosts or the supernatural will do at separating horror from something more psychological. Here it's unclear as to why these paintings have these properties as everything feels like the real world and for the first act the film it balances on this in between of something psychological and actual physically alive paintings. And for the most part these horror sections are terribly predictable as soon as we see a main character alone with one of the paintings it's pretty clear as to what's gonna happen.

Where the movie excels is in between these horror parts when we get more of Morf(played by gyllenhaal in scintillating form) trying to figure out what's going on while experiencing haunting visual and auditory hallucinations. This descent into paranoia and almost madness is far more engaging than the cheap thrills the film seems more eager to give us. More of these characters being entranced yet horrified by these pictures and subtle things going wrong would have made for a far creepier experience.

Overall what could have been a really interesting psychological thriller ended up being a slightly above par horror movie with good performances all round and a interesting premise and while the horror elements were my least favourite part they were very creative and any horror fan would be sure to get a kick out of it
  
The Perfect Betrayal
The Perfect Betrayal
Lauren North | 2019 | Fiction & Poetry, Mystery, Thriller
10
10.0 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
A Perfect Thriller!
This book has all of the qualities of the perfect psychological thriller. Deftly layered with emotion and suspense it starts off fairly slowly but the tension builds into a dramatic sequence of events.

The story is told predominantly from the point of view of the main character, Tess, along with snippets from her grief counsellor and brother-in-law. Tess’ conversations that she had with her late husband were heart-breaking. It was an incredibly emotionally charged book, well written and beautifully plotted and so cleverly constructed to help conceal major reveals in the natural progression of the story.

“The Perfect Betrayal” is my favourite type of psychological thriller - where the voices and thoughts of the characters and the reader’s own imagination complement the story. From the beginning, it is an absorbing and riveting novel as well as being massively addictive. The main protagonist, Tess, did not know who to trust and nor did I.

Highly recommended, this is a sad and harrowing story of grief, love and loss, with a fulfilling but shocking finish. Lauren North’s writing is just exquisite and I will be looking out for her next offering.

[Thank you to #NetGalley, Random House UK/ Transworld Publishers, and Lauren North for my free ARC of #ThePerfectBetrayal in exchange for an honest review.]