by KRL staff
The staff here at KRL decided it would be fun to share with our readers their favorite mystery, suspense or horror film! Feel free to comment and share yours with us too!
Our winners for top picks are The Silence of the Lambs & The Sixth Sense!
Christopher Lewis, Ministry Musings
“I’m having an old friend for dinner.” Those were the words of Hannibal Lecter, played by Anthony Hopkins, at the end of my favorite suspense movie of all time, The Silence of the Lambs. The movie features a chillingly unbeatable acting performance by Hopkins and an unforgettable story that leaves the viewer hungry for more every time.
Sheryl Wall, Pet Tips
Artificial Intelligence is one of my favorite suspense movies. I like how they take a classic like Pinocchio and add a Sci-Fi twist to it. It’s unique, well written, and one of those movies you can watch over and over again.
Scott Hancock, Regional Reviewers
SE7EN is hands down the scariest movie I have ever seen. I was even creeped out driving home alone in the dark. I think it resonates because it taps into our most basic fears as humans. A serial killer seeks out his victims by their commitment of one of the seven deadly sins.
Brian Wall, Weekend Wanderer
The first movie to come to mind is Air Force One with Harrison Ford. It’s a gripping movie that pulls you into the full danger and ugly reality of a hostage takeover of the president’s private jet. There is strong character development and inspiring displays of heroic integrity that make you cheer and mourn simultaneously. In my opinion, Air Force One should be found in even the humblest of movie collections.
Tara Wilson, Pet Tips/Regional Reviewers/Food Fun
My favorite mystery/suspense movie is No Country for Old Men. I liked it because it keeps you on the edge of your seat and is very unpredictable. The acting is very good as well!
Christine Autrand Mitchell, Area Arts & Entertainment
They change all the time, but District 9 for now. Although it’s a Sci-Fi movie, it’s so innovative as a “mockumentary” that one really needs to find out what will happen, why, etc. It has government conspiracy, black market, prejudice, hope, love, and an amazing cast and crew!
Antonio Sandoval, Teen Talk/Regional Reviewers
Disturbia is the best thriller since Red Eye. This suspense flick literally had my eye balls stuck to the screen and worried for the characters.
James Garcia Jr., Regional Reviewers/Downtown Doings/Food Fun/Area Arts & Entertainment
One of my favorite suspenseful films would have to be The Silence of the Lambs. It has everything, and is what I call a thinking person’s horror film. Some offer only visual scares while this Best Picture of 1991 offers mental scares as well, and its dark subject matter keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Diana Bulls, Hometown History/Regional Reviewers/Food Fun/Downtown Doings
Nobody does suspense like the Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, and nothing can beat Rear Window for sheer, heart-pounding terror. The 1954 classic stars James Stewart as Jeff, and Grace Kelly as Lisa. Jeff is a famous photographer, confined to a wheelchair with a broken leg in a heavy cast. Everything takes place in his apartment, where the rear window looks over a courtyard at other apartment windows and balconies, and the alley. Bored with his long confinement, Jeff becomes obsessed with watching his neighbors, first through binoculars and then a telephoto lens. As we, the audience, watch with him, we see what he sees and we draw the same conclusions, and before long, we are all convinced that someone has committed a murder!
Jim Bulls, Hometown History
In the day when TV was only black and white, Nightmare came on at the stroke of midnight every Saturday, with host Sebastian. Sebastian would don a black satin cape and sip on a concoction of blood from his skull-shaped mug while introducing the movie for the night. It could be vampires, zombies, mummies, and sometimes science fiction. Which brings us to Grandma. Granny lived in a dilapidated cottage, way out in the woods. On one foggy night, she had some uninvited guests: tiny alien spacemen who landed their spaceship under her house and gained entry through a knothole in the floor. The old lady was a formidable foe, as the laser guns felt like bee stings and her big straw broom was a deadly weapon. Finally deciding this place was too hostile for habitation, the miniature aliens retreated to their ship. As they take off and hover beside the old lady’s shack, you see written on the side of the spaceship: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
Kristalyn Patzkowski, Teen Talk
I prefer to watch dramas, not suspense movies. However, a few years ago I heard that a Nancy Drew movie was in the making. With Emma Roberts cast as the title role, this movie became one of my top 10 movies. It appealed to me in that it was a modern movie that kept classical elements of the popular book series. It was a perfect mix of mystery and romance—just my kind of movie!
Karen Lewis, Regional Reviewers/Weekend Wanderer
My favorite suspense movie is The Sixth Sense. The movie features 8-year-old Cole Sear who is frightened by visits from dead people who have unresolved issues. The only person Cole confides in about his confusion and dark secret is child psychologist Dr Malcolm Crow, played by Bruce Willis. What I loved about this movie was the superb storyline, which turned out to be a captivating and moving drama with an unexpected twist.
Chris Lang, Area Arts & Entertainment
My all-time favorite film has to be Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo. The film still holds up today as a great mystery, and for its time, it was a very psychological thriller where you were never sure if what you were seeing was actually real. A true classic from the master of suspense!
Claire Lang, Food Fun/Regional Reviewers
The Sixth Sense was the first movie to really affect me. It wasn’t just the suspenseful nature of the film, but how human every character was. You cannot simply shake them off when you leave the theater. They all follow you home. I slept with the hall light on for a good two weeks after seeing that movie. It took a while to lose the impression of never being alone.
Aimee Lewis, Teen Talk
Law Abiding Citizen is my favorite because it is a psychological movie and it is interesting to see how people who aren’t exactly “normal”, think about life.
Billiann Robertson, Teen Talk
Mine is When a Stranger Calls. I’ve seen it so many times I can practically quote it! The first time I watched it, I was really scared. Now, I catch little things that make me laugh and it’s funny now that it doesn’t make me want to wet my pants! But I’m still on the edge of my seat the entire time, even though I have seen it so many times. It ties in some humor too which I like a lot, it gives it variety.
Jessica Ham, Teen Talk
Sleepy Hallow. A pale, hot Johnny Depp, Tim Burton, and random Harry Potter people. What could be better?
Lauryn Crum, Teen Talk
Midnight Meat Train. A photographer stalks a person who kills people on the subway. It’s my favorite because I love New York, and the city in general. I’m also a fan of the subway, and I am interested in photography and stalking. Also the “who dun it” plot.
Kaiti Ray, Teen Talk
Hide is my favorite horror suspense film because even though it’s not a very popular movie, and only has a handful of actors, it’s one of the very few movies that’s ever actually scared me. It was also very well thought out and put together and has an insane ending.
Larry Ham, Everything Education/Sports Spotlight
I’m not a huge fan of mystery and suspense movies, but I’d have to rate 1978’s Coma as my favorite. A great story by Michael Crichton, excellent acting by Michael Douglas, Genevieve Bujold, Rip Torn and others. And some great plot twists that make you think just about every person at the hospital is the bad guy. I’ve seen it many times, but it’s still a fun movie to watch.
Lorie Lewis Ham, Editor-in-Chief/Publisher
Being a mystery fan since my mid teens it’s hard to pick a favorite, but one of my loves is The Thin Man movies from the 1930’s. The Thin Man started out as a book by Dashiell Hammett. Nick and Nora Charles are a fun, society couple who, along with their dog Asta, solve mysteries. Nick is a former private detective. They are old-fashioned mystery fun, along with a splash of clever humor and a marriage to envy. Sometimes though I wonder if Asta isn’t the real detective.
Please share with us your favorite!
What a great list of films! I also love how so many great minds often think alike. Lol! I love that we listed some older favorites, like Alfred Hitchcock. I just recently watched Virtigo and North by Northwest. I like that some were not afraid to list some darker as well as some not so dark films. I am inspired now to come back through the list and pick out some things that I have not seen in a long while, as well as some that I have never seen. Thanks to all.
-James