The thriller genre is difficult to nail down because the genre itself is so broad. Where does the thriller genre end and horror begin? Are all action movies thrillers, but not all thrillers action movies? While the definition isn't exact, there are a few constants: red herrings, plot twists, cliffhangers, and, of course, suspense.

Best Thrillers of the Decade (a running list)

? Browse by year: 2010 – 2013 | 2014 – 2016 | 2017 – 2019 | 2020 – present

The Invitation (2016)

Best Thrillers of the Decade - The Invitation — Emayatzy Corinealdi, John Carroll Lynch, and Tammy Blanchard in Karyn Kusama's *The Invitation*. Courtesy of Drafthouse Films.

What it's about: Will (Logan Marshall-Green) is surprised when his ex-wife Eden (Tammy Blanchard) and her new husband (Michael Huisman) invite him and his girlfriend Kira (Emayatzy Corinealdi) to a dinner party with old friends. Clearly, more must be stirring — or is it?

Why it's great: The Invitation is the perfect example of a slow-burn thriller. Director Karyn Kusama, best known for directing Jennifer's Body, extremely patient. She waits and makes you question what kind of movie it is until it finally reveals itself in a punch in the gut moment.

With a terrific minimalist score and sleek cinematography, The Invitation slowly ratchets up the tension to an unbearable degree. Every beat feels like it's going to be the moment that something is going to happen. You're constantly preparing yourself for the jump and when it comes it's as satisfying as you'd imagine.

▶︎ Streaming on Netflix. Buy or rent on Amazon.

Green Room (2016)

Best Thrillers of the Decade - Green Room — Callum Turner, Alia Shawkat, and Anton Yelchin in *Green Room*. Courtesy of A24.

What it's about: In a tale as old as time, it's punks vs. nazis. A punk band touring around the country takes a questionable gig at a skinhead clubhouse. And though their set goes well after seeing something they shouldn't have they find themselves barricaded in the green room fighting for their lives.

Why it's great: Director Jeremy Saulnier, who has two entries on this list, has a singular way of building a scene until it snaps—sometimes literally—into action. And as violent as these payoffs are, he never dwells on the violence. Saulnier is careful to keep his movie focused on the character, what they contribute to the situation, and their reactions to it.

Thrillers so often have each character just become part of a formula. Instead, he clearly states each characters' strengths, weaknesses, and how they could contribute to getting themselves out of the club alive. Read my full review.

▶︎ Streaming on Showtime. Buy or rent on Amazon.

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10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)

Best Thrillers of the Decade - 10 Cloverfield Lane — Mary Elizabeth Winstead and John Goodman in *10 Cloverfield Lane*. Courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

What it's about: After getting into a car accident, Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) wakes up in an underground bunker. Howard (John Goodman), the owner of the bunker, claims he brought her there after a chemical attack destroyed the outside world. Michelle and her bunker-mate Nate (John Gallagher Jr.) begin to suspect Howard is lying to them.

Why it's great: Ten years after the original Cloverfield film, no one expected its sequel to look quite like 10 Cloverfield Lane. Exchanging the found footage format of the first film for classic Hitchcockian suspense, director Dan Trachtenberg not only subverter the lore of the original he completely flipped it on its head.

With brilliant sound design that puts you at ease and a set that constantly reveals new and clever details, the film is a perfectly constructed and irresistibly entertaining classic thriller where you're kept on the edge of your seat until the very end. When the final reveal is made, it becomes all the better.

▶︎ Streaming on Pluto TV for Free. Buy or rent on Amazon.

Don't Breathe (2016)

Best Thrillers of the Decade - Don't Breathe — Jane Levy in *Don't Breathe.* Courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing.

What it's about: A group of teens (Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette, Daniel Zovatto) break into a blind man's house thinking that it would be an easy score. However, they quickly find out that they're in way more than they bargained for and find themselves finding to escape the house.

Why it's great: Don't Breathe is an impressive exercise in Hitchcockian suspense where some smart cinematography and narrative efficiency make for an… ahem, breathless experience. Director Fede Alvarez masterfully paces the film to keep you hooked but at the same time derive maximum tension.

Throughout the film, Alvarez practices some incredible patience, which is something not seen in thrillers today. He holds shots and moments as long as he can to truly make you uncomfortable and there are some moments that are almost unbearable to keep watching. That's what makes this one of the best thrillers in recent memory.

▶︎ Buy or rent on Amazon.

The Gift (2015)

If I had to pick the movie I am most surprised I'm adding to this list, it's this one. While Joel Edgerton's directorial debut The Gift isn't technically perfect, he showed an understanding that style and substance can exist in the same film. He is extremely polished in his camera placement, editing, and was able to pull out two incredible performances from Rebecca Hall and Jason Bateman. But similarly to The Invitation, which is a little further down the page, the reason this movie is on this list is because he shows a lot of restraint. The natural tendency with thrillers is to ratchet up tension and then give a release, then repeat. However, The Gift is an incredible exercise in restraint. It tightens ups slowly without giving many answers, but when it does your entire perception of the story changes.

With some really naturalistic performances from the entire cast and a taut screenplay that avoids melodrama, Joel Edgerton creates a really smart film that knows exactly how much to give the audience. What makes this film great though is its theme of how much you really know a person and whether or not people can actually change from their past actions. Who is really the villain of your story? It's an unexpected track for the film to take, but the payoff is well worth the build. The Gift is available on Blu-Ray and Digital HD on Amazon ➤

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Nightcrawler (2014)

I held off writing this description to last because it's so difficult to put what makes Nightcrawler such a fantastic film into words. So, I'm going to use a comparison. Martin Scorsese's best film in my humble opinion is Taxi Driver. The thematic undertones of urban decline offer an incredible juxtaposition to Travis Bickle's vigilantism. This coupled with the psychological elements of this anti-hero make for a layered movie that is told from the perspective of a possible sociopath. But it's that questioning of the main character that makes it so intriguing. The exact same can be said for Nightcrawler even though I think we are more aware of Louis Bloom's sociopathy.

But the thematic undertones are still there. This time it's a critique of TV news and the way that we consume media. Rene Russo stands in as a representative of media as a whole complete with the starry-eyed look at horrible events. Her performance is another key of success for the film. But as I alluded to earlier, this is the performance of Jake Gyllenhaal's career. The charming sociopath is hard to pull off because you don't want them to seem too sane, but also not too off-putting. He strikes the balance with a dash of social awkwardness that makes him disappear into the role. Nightcrawler is available to buy or rent on Prime Video ▶

? Browse by year: 2010 – 2013 | 2014 – 2016 | 2017 – 2019 | 2020 – present

Pages: 1234

The Invitation (2016)

Green Room (2016)

10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)

Don't Breathe (2016)

The Gift (2015)

Nightcrawler (2014)

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