Scrolling through all the options on Netflix may end up taking up your whole night — so
we're here to help you narrow it down.
If you're looking to park it on the couch and dive into a heart-pounding thriller, here
are some hidden gems worth checking out.
Cheap Thrills
A bloody, pervy thrill-ride, Cheap Thrills follows a writer-slash-auto mechanic named
Craig, who's fired from his job on the same day he gets an eviction notice.
Depressed, Craig winds up in a bar where he catches the attention of a sociopathic couple
with too much time and money on their hands.
"Whichever of you fellas that does this shot first gets 50 bucks Boom!"
The couple offers cash to Craig and his friend if they carry out a series of escalating dares,
each a little worse than the one before.
The tension ratchets up with each challenge, until its horrific final shot, an image that'll
leave you wondering what you would do for the right amount of money.
The Two Faces of January
Set in 1960s Greece, The Two Faces of January follows a wealthy American couple, played
by Viggo Mortensen and Kirsten Dunst.
They run across a shady yet charming grifter, played by Oscar Isaac, who makes his living
swindling tourists.
Soon enough, the trio is covering up a crime and running from the cops.
If you're in the mood for something simmering and suspenseful — complete with an exotic
locale and plenty of pretty faces hiding all sorts of dirty secrets — then check out
this Hitchcockian film.
The Stanford Prison Experiment
Inspired by the most infamous study in the history of psychology, The Stanford Prison
Experiment will leave you battered, bruised, and gasping for breath.
The film follows a group of college students selected to take part in the scariest role-playing
exercise of all time.
Half are assigned the part of prisoners, and the others are given guard duty.
"From this point forward, you should never refer to this as study or experiment again."
It's a grueling experience, made all the more intense by its talented young stars.
If it weren't based on a true story, this would feel like a horror movie.
Instead, it's a gritty reflection of the abuse of power in our world — which is far more
terrifying.
The Trust
In the underrated thriller The Trust, Nicolas Cage and Elijah Wood play cops who are sick
of their lives and hoping to turn things around by cracking a massive safe owned by criminals,
hidden inside a grocery store.
The duo quickly assembles a plan to pull off the heist, but while the first half of the
film goes by fast, the second half slows down as they put their plan into action... and
it's here that The Trust truly shines.
Throw in a killer ending, and you've got a bizarre little thriller that totally deserves
your attention.
I Don't Feel At Home in This World Anymore
Critically speaking, I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore was a smash hit, winning
the Grand Jury Award at the Sundance Film Festival.
Still, this wildly entertaining film hasn't gotten enough mainstream love, and it definitely
deserves a bigger fanbase.
The story follows an increasingly frustrated nurse named Ruth, played by Melanie Lynskey.
"You've been s------ in my yard."
"I have not."
"Your dog."
Every day, Ruth notices that people are just awful.
Unwilling to take it anymore, Ruth joins up with her antisocial neighbor, played by Elijah
Wood, to bring the crooks to justice.
Wood is hilarious as a wannabe tough guy, and Lynskey might be the most relatable protagonist
in cinematic history.
All this frustrated nurse wants is for people to stop being jerks, and if you don't shape
up, she's going to track you down and teach you some manners.
Wheelman
Shot almost exclusively inside a nondescript BMW, Wheelman is a claustrophobic thriller,
a movie that makes you feel just as trapped and helpless as its hero, played by Frank
Grillo.
The film follows a nameless getaway driver who's sucked into a game of cat-and-mouse.
He begins juggling phone calls as he works his way up and down city streets, trying to
discover who's pulling the strings, all while keeping his teenage daughter out of harm's
way.
The tension slowly ratchets up for Grillo, who attempts to puzzle his way out of a job
gone wrong.
Grillo is at the top of his game here, and if this were a just and fair world, his performance
in Wheelman would turn this guy into an A-list star.
Mother
Equal parts social satire, slapstick comedy, and dark mystery, Mother follows an unnamed
herbalist who's determined to prove her mentally handicapped son is innocent after he's arrested
for a brutal crime.
That's easier said than done, as nobody believes her story.
But as she digs deeper into the case, she's eventually forced to make a decision that
proves there's nothing more powerful than a mother's love.
Snowpiercer director Bong Joon-ho is such a skilled filmmaker that you'll be sitting
on the edge of your seat.
And no matter how many suspense flicks you've seen before, you won't be able to guess where
this film is headed.
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