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Whether it’s age or just the passing of time I tend to be forgetful lately. Over the past 50 years, my mind has removed a lot of its unnecessary file shortcuts and that includes useless information like the twists to tepid movies. To be fair I’ve seen a lot of movies over the past five decades and the ones that moved me have permanent system files. I’ll never forget them. I can quote them from beginning to end. I can identify them by the theme song. Movies like Jaws, The Exorcist, Grease, Gone With the Wind, The Wizard of Oz, and so on.
To that point, there is another file and it contains movie titles that affected me somehow, but I can’t remember the end. This is especially frustrating when said movie ends on a plot twist. But it’s not all bad — there is an upside; it gives me a chance to experience the film all over again, getting that wallop for a second time.
So that’s what I did. I spent time (and money) this past week revisiting horror movies with twist endings I forgot. I’m glad I did. Although some of these aren’t going to win any Critic’s Choice Awards, they are still fun and worth a watch. I won’t spoil anything in case you want to check them out for the first (or like me, a second) time.
The Return (2006)
Sarah Michelle Geller plays a woman who revisits her childhood home, but she seems to be fighting traumatic memories triggered by seeing familiar places and objects. Director Asif Kapadia keeps this mystery intriguing up until the reveal. I was surprised I forgot the twist here because it’s such a well-made film and should’ve gotten more praise than it did.
I Know Who Killed Me (2007)
Lindsay Lohan tried desperately to expand her range by getting away from the Disney milquetoast persona. She went from teen idol to tough sex worker in this better-than-average mystery. Directed by Chris Sivertson it follows high school senior Aubrey Fleming (Lohan) who goes missing presumably at the hands of a demented serial killer. She reappears one day but claims not to be the woman they’re looking for. So, who is she? I not only forgot the twist but also forgot how enjoyably pulpy this psychological B-movie is. The score is magnificent and so is the cinematography. It’s all blended into a wholly unbelievable and ridiculously overreaching plot. But, to me, I wanted to get to the end, not because it was grueling, but because I genuinely wanted to see who, in fact, “killed her.”
The Skeleton Key (2005)
The Big Easy isn’t so easy on Kate Hudson’s Caroline Ellis who moves to a Louisiana plantation to care for its ailing owner. By the end of this paranoia-inducing horror film, the mystery has unraveled as much as Ellis’ sanity. Honestly, I remembered the ending halfway through but I forgot the path of how it gets there.
Goodnight Mommy (2022)
There are two versions of this movie. One, the Austrian original, and the other, an American remake. Both are pretty much the same and have similar endings. I rewatched the latter and forgot where this plot was taking me. I got to the twist and found it to be just a different version of others I’ve seen before. But it was still unexpected, and I appreciated the effort.
Dream House (2011)
Daniel Craig plays Will Atenton a book editor who up and quits his job to concentrate on writing a novel at home. His wife is doing renovations while their two young daughters run around entertaining themselves. But strange things start happening around the house and Will looks to find answers. The film has two twists. It surprised me that I didn’t remember them because it’s such a good movie with great performances. If you like the haunted house genre it should be added to your list.
The Butterfly Effect (2004)
This movie is so incredibly dark, sometimes it’s hard to watch. Four teenagers’ lives are horribly affected by a pedophile neighbor. Ashton Kutcher plays Evan Treborn who as an adult, discovers a way to time travel. He uses this to try and undo the horrible events that affected his youth and the trauma it caused to his friends. But for everything he changes an even uglier reality is born. It’s literally a film made entirely of dreadful plot twists so by the time you reach the final one it hardly seems shocking. Of course, I couldn’t remember how it ended, but when I got there I breathed a sigh of relief out of sheer exhaustion.
There you have it. Six movies that have twist endings you might not have remembered. Maybe not as mind-blowing as a Shyamalan flick or a Twilight Zone episode, but they aren’t bad, and if you have nothing else to watch could make for entertaining filler.
