Best Thrillers of the Decade (a running list)

Parasite (2019)

What it's about: A poor family cons their way into working for a rich family through any means necessary. However, a shocking discovery threatens to destroy their carefully laid plans.

Why it's great: Just calling Parasite a thriller is like calling 2001: A Space Odyssey just a space film. The true brilliance of Bong Joon-ho's Oscar-winning film is how it mixes several genres and styles. There are elements of black comedy, drama, satire, and even horror that come together to create its madcap tone.

However, Bong never lets the film out of his steady grasp. Every single scene, shot, line of dialogue, and camera movement has intention. And even better, he doesn't just have scenes build tension, the entire film slowly ratchets the tension before it comes apart in a thrilling but profound final scene. Not only is it one of the best thrillers of the decade, it's one of the best films of all time.

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Uncut Gems (2019)

What it's about: Howard Ratner (Adam Sandler) is a diamond dealer in New York who is always looking for the best way to make big money—that usually means making high-risk bets that don't always pay off. Over the course of a few days, he must find a way to pay off his debts before it's too late.

Why it's great: Uncut Gems is really just a series of unfortunate decisions that cascade into an uncontrollable ball of chaos and discomfort. Instead of slowly ratcheting up the tension, the Safdies turn it up to the highest level and keep it there for the entire film. As uncomfortable as it is, it's what makes the movie great. Sandler plays Howard as a man you can almost root for. You admire his sheer will and motivation—yet he always manages to disappoint you with the wrong decision.

There's an unstoppable anxiety-inducing momentum that feels like a train wreck happening onscreen, but one you can't look away from. But as much as it seems like the movie is going off the rails it's clear that the Safdies are always in control. The frenetic editing, cosmic score by Daniel Lopatin, and a truly remarkable performance by Sandler are designed to make you feel uneasy—it's challenging to get through. And it's a challenge I will happily take on over and over again. Read my full review.

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Searching (2018)

What it's about: Taking place completely on a laptop screen, Searching follows a single father (John Cho) as he helplessly searches for his missing daughter. As the police case goes cold, he dives into his daughter's laptop hoping to find a clue to her disappearance.

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You Were Never Really Here (2017)

What it's about: Joe (Joaquin Phoenix), an army veteran, is a hired gun who tracks down kidnapped children. His handler John McCleary (John Doman) delivers him a new job to track down the kidnapped daughter (Ekaterina Samsonov) of a New York State Senator. However, the job quickly spirals out of control.

Why it's great: A third of the way through the breezy 90-minute running time, Joe lays down next to a hitman he has just shot. As “I've Never Been To Me” plays in the background, the two men lay side by side. The hitman extends his hand to Joe and they lay on the floor singing along.

It's an odd moment of humanity in a movie filled with inhuman behavior and something you'd never see in another crime thriller. Ramsay isn't interested in the violence aspect of the story, though there is plenty of it. Instead, she focuses on the characters and specifically Joe's internalized struggle with his past. It's essentially an arthouse version of Taken and it's all the better for it.