The third “Knives Out” movie, “Wake Up Dead Man,” brings back eccentric yet brilliant Southern detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) for another deadly mystery. Tasked with solving the murder of a divisive yet charismatic Catholic monsignor, Blanc must draw on all his wit and charm to unravel a complex web of deceit and secrets to kill for.
The first “Knives Out” was a novel and refreshing take on the whodunnit genre, with Blanc hunting those involved in the death of a successful crime novelist. Its follow-up, “Glass Onion," while not quite as genre-defining as its predecessor, still hooked audiences with its twisting narrative, ensemble cast and layers of satire.
‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang’ (2005)
When small-time crook Harry Lockhart (Robert Downey Jr.) accidentally stumbles onto a film audition, he finds himself entangled in a post-modern murder investigation with private detective Perry van Shrike (Val Kilmer) and high school crush Harmony Lane (Michelle Monaghan). And with bodies dropping around him like flies, he needs to solve this mystery before he becomes another victim.
Full of twists and turns and a dark metanarrative thriller that warrants repeat viewing, “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” is a wicked black comedy with lashings of razor-sharp dialogue and chaotic action. And while its leads share excellent chemistry, this was arguably the vehicle that resurrected RDJ’s career before he donned a certain metal suit.
Rent/buy on Apple TV or Prime Video
‘Clue’ (1985)
![Clue (1985) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HD 1080p] - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/KEXdWfsKZ1k/maxresdefault.jpg)
Long before adaptations and reboots were a red flag for cynical cash-ins, “Clue” was the first movie derived from a board game of the same name. The premise brought six strangers together for a mansion dinner party, hosted by butler Wasworth (Tim Curry) and the soon-to-be-deceased Mr. A. Boddy (get it?). However, anarchy ensues, with more cadavers turning up, and the guests soon find themselves the prime suspects.
Despite some mixed reviews, “Clue” garnered cult status thanks to its unabashed humor, frenetic pacing, and ensemble cast, including the inimitable Curry, who practically carries the movie as the smooth yet sinister butler. It’s also among the first films to feature multiple endings, mirroring the randomized nature of the board game it was based on.
Watch on Philo
‘L.A. Confidential’ (1997)
Widely regarded as one of the best films of the 90s, “L.A. Confidential’s” 1950s setting is the backdrop of a tale when organized crime and celebrity sleaze were both on the rise. Following a coffee shop massacre, three L.A. cops with very different yet questionable methods are forced to work together to unravel massive corruption and scandal in their own ranks.
“L.A. Confidential” is an instant classic steeped in noir, with moral ambiguity at every turn and atmosphere almost leaking out of the celluloid. While each of the jaded characters has their own complex motivations, they form an ensemble cast in a tightly wound and expertly written thriller that draws in audiences and keeps them guessing right until the end.
Rent/buy on Apple TV or Prime Video
‘Minority Report’ (2002)
It’s not every day you’re wanted for a murder you haven’t yet committed, but that’s the central premise and pickle faced by copper John Anderton (Tom Cruise), chief of Pre-Crime. This revolutionary police division predicts murders before they happen, and now the system accuses him. On the run from his own people, Anderton has to determine whether he’s actually a future killer or if a far more sinister plot is at play.
Director Steven Spielberg delivers a fantastical yet Orwellian vision of the future that turned out to be remarkably on the money over 20 years later. “Minority Report” still holds up today as a taut sci-fi thriller with breathtaking action and wondrous set design that explores the arguments of free will and determinism.
Watch on Starz
‘Zodiac’ (2007)
A rare murder mystery in which the killer is never caught, “Zodiac” is a dramatization of the real Zodiac killings that took place during the 60s and 70s in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Doing away with car chases and gunfights that permeate many murder mysteries, the movie focuses on the detective work in identifying the notorious killer, and how the search consumed so many who became obsessed and haunted as they failed to find them.
Perpetually unsettling and sometimes unbearably tense, “Zodiac” is perhaps thriller auteur David Fincher’s finest work. Its central performances, particularly those of Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr., and Mark Ruffalo, are captivating as men who pay a heavy psychological toll from their continued search for answers bearing little fruit.
Watch on Netflix
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