Best movies like Desire and Hell at Sunset Motel
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
Right after Disneyland opens in Anaheim, California, in 1955, a toy salesman in town for a convention brings his wife with him so they can both go to Disneyland. They stay at a rundown place called the Sunset Motel nearby. Soon the wife is having an affair with a man staying at the motel. The husband hires a psychotic criminal to spy on them, the wife and her lover plan to murder the husband, and the voyeuristic motel manager is spying on everybody.
IMDB Rating: 5.0
IMDB Votes: 410
Genere: Comedy, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 95 min
Plot tags: neo noir, independent film, clever, realistic, suspenseful, semi serious, surprise ending, black comedy, cult film
Best tv shows and movies like Desire and Hell at Sunset Motel (1991):
Similar in 77%
Shooting Elizabeth (1992)
Plot Summary:
Before a man (Jeff Goldblum) can kill his nagging wife (Mimi Rogers) as planned, she disappears and he's charged with murder.
IMDB Rating: 5.2
IMDB Votes: 643
Genere: Comedy, Thriller
Country: France, Belgium, USA
Duration: 91 min
Plot tags: black comedy, humorous, realistic, suspenseful, semi serious
Similar in 77%
The Scenesters (2009)
Plot Summary:
Someone is killing beautiful young Hipsters in East L.A. Charlie is a crime scene cleaner working for Aftershocks Inc. with a penchant for Sherlock Holmes type deduction. Wallace is an out-of-luck filmmaker working as a crime scene videographer. The detectives covering the murders are apathetic at best but with good names (Henry and Carlita, particularly Carlita). Good names, bad attitudes.
IMDB Rating: 5.5
IMDB Votes: 523
Genere: Comedy, Crime, Mystery
Country: USA
Duration: 101 min
Plot tags: humorous, suspenseful, cynical, semi serious, realistic, scary, offbeat, independent film, mockumentary
Similar in 75%
The Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag (1992)
Plot Summary:
Betty Lou is a librarian in a very small town. Her husband is a police detective who takes her for granted. Betty Lou is the ultimate mouse. After a gangland figure is mysteriously murdered in town, Betty Lou finds the murder weapon, but can't get anyone's attention to tell them (we're talking very mousey, here). Finally in a fit of frustration she fires the gun in a restroom and when taken to the police station insists she is the murderer. It has the desired effect, people do pay attention to her. With hints at social graces from the hookers in her cell block, she's on her way.
IMDB Rating: 5.0
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Comedy, Mystery
Country: USA
Duration: 89 min
Plot tags: humorous, realistic, semi serious, parody, funny, light, romantic, atmospheric, sexy, clever
Similar in 83%
A Slight Case of Murder (1999)
Plot Summary:
In the midst of a spat, film critic Terry Thorpe (William H. Macy) accidentally kills his lover. Though Thorpe covers his tracks, he raises the suspicions of a private investigator (James Cromwell), who then tries to blackmail him. Thorpe also falls under the watchful eye of Detective Fred Stapelli (Adam Arkin), a cop who is intent on becoming a screenwriter. Before long, Thorpe's girlfriend, Kit (Felicity Huffman), and Stapelli's wife, Patricia (Julia Campbell), are roped into the case.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Comedy, Crime, Mystery
Country: USA
Duration: 94 min
Plot tags: detective, crime thriller, neo noir, clever, humorous, realistic, suspenseful, cynical, semi serious, biting
Similar in 88%
The Big Empty (1997)
Plot Summary:
A woman hires P.I. Lloyd Meadows to investigate her husband, a respectable social worker. What seemed to be a simple case of adultery turns into an ugly mess fast.
IMDB Rating: 5.8
IMDB Votes: 141
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Mystery, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 96 min
Plot tags: neo noir, independent film, clever, serious, realistic, suspenseful, witty, cynical, gloomy, detective
Similar in 82%
The Man with Bogart's Face (1980)
Plot Summary:
In The Man With Bogart's Face, an affectionate send-up of the Bogart detective films of the 1940s, Robert Sacchi plays a man who idolizes Humphrey Bogart so much he has his features altered to look exactly like his idol. He then opens up a detective agency under the name Sam Marlowe (an amalgam of the names of Bogart's characters from The Maltese Falcon and The Big Sleep).
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 651
Genere: Comedy, Crime, Mystery
Country: USA
Duration: 106 min
Plot tags: neo noir, psychological, parody, clever, offbeat, humorous, realistic, suspenseful, witty, cynical
Similar in 78%
Lansdown (2001)
Plot Summary:
In this dark comedy, defense lawyer Jake Jorgenson's carefully constructed life begins to unravel when he kills his wife's lover.
IMDB Rating: 4.0
IMDB Votes: 134
Genere: Thriller, Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 80 min
Plot tags: humorous, cynical, semi serious, offbeat, realistic, witty, neo noir, independent film
Similar in 82%
Crimes of Passion (2005)
Plot Summary:
While in competition for a job promotion, the female competitor sues her male counterpart for sexual harassment. Blackmail and murder follow closely behind.
IMDB Rating: 5.4
IMDB Votes: 532
Genere: Thriller, Mystery
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: serious, suspenseful, realistic, exciting, touching, surprise ending
Similar in 77%
I Murder Seriously (2002)
Plot Summary:
A cop sets out to find a man who has been delivering too much of a good thing in this offbeat comedy. Police detective Martinez (Jesus Ochoa) has been handed a most unusual case -- a number of local prostitutes have been murdered, and it's up to Martinez to bring in the killer. What makes the case truly unusual, though, is the manner of death; it seems the hookers all died as a result of having orgasms so powerful they were literally fatal. Teaming up with cultural anthropologist Onofre (Daniel Giménez Cacho), Martinez hits the streets looking for clues, and eventually gets some unexpected help from Father Gorkisolo (Santiago Segura), a priest with a unusually deep knowledge of sexual matters. Asesino en Serio was the first feature film from director Antonio Urrutia; noted Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro served as executive producer.
IMDB Rating: 5.5
IMDB Votes: 535
Genere: Comedy, Mystery, Thriller
Country: Mexico, Spain
Duration: 84 min
Plot tags: sexy, serious, suspenseful, mind bending, offbeat, realistic, sexual, erotic, detective, black comedy
Similar in 80%
Tough Luck (2003)
Plot Summary:
A tense and intricate web of deceit and betrayal entangles Archie, a wandering grifter who is hired by a traveling carnival owner to murder his beautiful wife.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 88 min
Plot tags: tense, realistic, suspenseful, serious, erotic, neo noir, independent film
Similar in 87%
Watchful Eye (2002)
Plot Summary:
Malibu detective Shannon (Renee Rea) goes undercover in a group house to discover who murdered one of the women living there. Shannon gets caught up in the sex and parties, not knowing that her every action is being secretly broadcast on satellite TV. When she learns of the broadcast, she puts the clues together and figures out that the men living in the house have sex with all the women for all the world to see. And that's when her life becomes slated for cancellation.
IMDB Rating: 3.8
IMDB Votes: 255
Genere: Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 83 min
Plot tags: serious, suspenseful, suspense, erotic, detective, realistic, sexual, sexy
Similar in 82%
Layover (2001)
Plot Summary:
An airport affair of a business man turns into a nightmare when it turns out that the woman is married to a dangerous jewelry dealer.
IMDB Rating: 4.8
IMDB Votes: 489
Genere: Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 95 min
Plot tags: suspenseful, serious, surprise ending, suspense, tense, sexy, independent film
Similar in 89%
Purgatory Flats (2003)
Plot Summary:
Driving drunk, Thomas Reed causes a car crash, fatal for his wife, and gets jailed for 5 years. Yet he feels like punishing himself afterward by moving to Californian small town Purgatory Flats, where he works as a humble barman. Suddenly he witnesses a shooting and volunteers to help the wounded Owen Mecklin, whose brothers Dean and Randy drag him further into their own crime life. Owen's sexy wife Sunny seduces 'Doc'. Local detective Travis McGill gets their trail. But treason proves the gravest luring danger.
IMDB Rating: 5.4
IMDB Votes: 431
Genere: Romance, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 102 min
Plot tags: rough, serious, suspenseful, tense, realistic
Similar in 85%
Seven Murders Forgiven (2011)
Plot Summary:
7 Khoon Maaf movie is a romantic misadventures story of an Anglo-Indian woman Susanna Anna-Marie Johannes, a beautiful lass who over the course of thirty-five odd years, gets married seven times due to the untimely and mysterious deaths of half a dozen of her hapless husbands. The strange circumstances of their deaths, makes Susanna a prime accused. Did the husbands deserve to die? Were the murders out of necessity or pure blood-lust? Does Susanna ever find her one true love?.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: India
Duration: 137 min
Plot tags: suspenseful, serious, mind bending, realistic, neo noir, dark, offbeat, extraordinary
Similar in 90%
The Late Show (1977)
Plot Summary:
Over-the-hill gumshoe in Los Angeles seeks to avenge the killing of an old pal, another detective who had gotten himself involved in a case concerning a murdered broad, stolen stamps, a nickel-plated handgun, a cheating dolly, and a kidnapped pussycat.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Comedy, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 93 min
Plot tags: neo noir, detective, clever, offbeat, funny, entertaining, slasher, sentimental, touching, humorous
Similar in 90%
100 Mile Rule (2002)
Plot Summary:
No overview found.
IMDB Rating: 5.6
IMDB Votes: 775
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 98 min
Plot tags: realistic, cynical, semi serious, humorous, clever
Similar in 87%
Love at Large (1990)
Plot Summary:
Vampish miss Dolan hires hardboiled P.I. Harry Dobbs to tail her shady boyfriend. Harry realizes that the man leads a double life but then his client disappears. Harry teams up with his own tail, P.I. Stella Wynkowski, to clear things up.
IMDB Rating: 5.7
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Mystery, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 97 min
Plot tags: independent film, humorous, realistic, witty, semi serious, neo noir, hardboiled detective
Similar in 75%
The Michelle Apartments (1995)
Plot Summary:
A black comedy that sees a man on a business trip gets mixed up in the lives of the inhabitants of a low-rent apartment building, including a femme fatale with murder on her mind.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 76
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Mystery
Country: Canada
Duration: 91 min
Plot tags: dark comedy, independent film, offbeat, humorous, realistic, suspenseful, semi serious, sexual, black comedy, sexy
Similar in 78%
Head Above Water (1996)
Plot Summary:
Judge George (Harvey Keitel) brings his young wife, Nathalie (Cameron Diaz), to a remote island for a vacation. But while George accompanies their only neighbor -- Nathalie's childhood friend Lance (Craig Sheffer) -- on a fishing trip, Nathalie spends time with her ex, Kent (Billy Zane). When Kent ends up dead the next morning, Nathalie tries to hide the evidence before her husband gets home. After the body is found, the events of the previous night unravel, with unexpected revelations.
IMDB Rating: 6.0
IMDB Votes: 8000
Genere: Comedy, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 92 min
Plot tags: humorous, suspenseful, dark comedy, funny, light, suspense, melancholic, absurd, talky, realistic
Similar in 76%
Novocaine (2001)
Plot Summary:
A dentist finds himself a murder suspect after a sexy patient seduces him into prescribing her drugs.
IMDB Rating: 5.8
IMDB Votes: 12000
Genere: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 95 min
Plot tags: black comedy, dark comedy, suspenseful, tricky, humorous, captivating, clever, suspense, cult classic, offbeat
Similar in 86%
Across the Hall (2009)
Plot Summary:
Convinced that his fiancee is cheating on him, a man follows her to a hotel and calls his best friend to help him avoid a calamity.
IMDB Rating: 5.9
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 93 min
Plot tags: neo noir, scary, realistic, suspenseful, tense, serious, dark
Similar in 88%
Fatal Instinct (1993)
Plot Summary:
A spoof of the late 80s and early 90s suspense thrillers and murder mysteries, including Basic Instinct, Sleeping With The Enemy, Cape Fear and others. A cop/attorney (yes he's both) is seduced by a woman while his wife is having an affair with a mechanic. Lots of other sublots and visual gags in the style of Naked Gun.
IMDB Rating: 5.7
IMDB Votes: 8000
Genere: Comedy, Crime, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 91 min
Plot tags: spoof, parody, humorous, detective, double entendre, sexy, suspense, intense, witty, realistic
Similar in 75%
A Cold Day in August (2003)
Plot Summary:
One day in the life of a hit man, Ronnie, who spends it trying to save the life of fellow hit man, August, who he had brought into the business three years ago. August has become a real problem for some of the bosses around town, and Ronnie will soon find out just what his Frankenstein's monster will cost him.
IMDB Rating: 4.6
IMDB Votes: 644
Genere: Action, Comedy, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: semi serious, humorous, realistic, exciting, tense, suspenseful, disturbing
Similar in 81%
Goodbye Lover (1998)
Plot Summary:
Police investigate when a man having an affair with his brother's wife disappears suddenly.
IMDB Rating: 5.6
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Comedy, Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 102 min
Plot tags: sexy, neo noir, suspenseful, witty, stylized, detective, erotic, tense, suspense, realistic
Similar in 77%
Hexed (1993)
Plot Summary:
Lowly hotel clerk Matthew Welch stumbles unto a chance to go on a date with supermodel Hexina by pretending he is someone else. But something goes wrong on the date, she tries to kill him! Soon she kills a couple more people, and unfortunately all the evidence points to Matthew. Gloria, who has been wishing Matthew would ask her on a date, thinks he is innocent and is willing to help, but hardnosed Detective Ferguson is hot on the clues, and closing in on Matthew.
IMDB Rating: 5.5
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Comedy, Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: parody, humorous, realistic, detective, not serious, tense, suspense, disturbing, sex comedy, christian film
Similar in 86%
Deepwater (2005)
Plot Summary:
A drifter comes to the town of Deepwater and is seduced into a twisted game of deceit and murder.
IMDB Rating: 5.3
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA, Canada
Duration: 93 min
Plot tags: serious, suspenseful, realistic, mindfuck, tense, rough, neo noir, independent film, surprise ending
Similar in 84%
Nightwaves (2003)
Plot Summary:
Recently widowed Shelby Naylor (Sherilyn Fenn) listening to her husbands police scanner overhears a husband and wife arguing on the phone. The wife ends up dead and Widow Naylor points the finger endangering herself.
IMDB Rating: 5.0
IMDB Votes: 285
Genere: Crime, Mystery, Thriller, Drama
Country: Canada
Duration: 99 min
Plot tags: psychological, tense, serious, suspenseful, twist ending, realistic
Similar in 83%
Compromising Positions (1985)
Plot Summary:
An ex-newspaper woman who is now a suburban housewife can't resist getting involved in an investigation of the murder of a philandering dentist who had been having affairs with several of her neighbors.
IMDB Rating: 5.9
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 99 min
Plot tags: dark comedy, clever, humorous, realistic, suspenseful, witty, talky, cynical, semi serious, detective
Similar in 85%
Three Way (2004)
Plot Summary:
Lew is a small time loser with a troubled past and a very big secret. Overhearing a couple plan a kidnapping, Lew is tempted to come up with a scheme of his own. He decides to get to the victim first and then blackmail the real criminals. His plan soon spins out of control.
IMDB Rating: 4.6
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 88 min
Plot tags: realistic, suspenseful, tense, serious, neo noir, surprise ending
Similar in 84%
The Monkey's Mask (2000)
Plot Summary:
The Monkey's Mask is a 2000 thriller film directed by Samantha Lang. It stars Susie Porter and Kelly McGillis. Porter plays a lesbian private detective who falls in love with a suspect (McGillis) in the disappearance of a young woman. The film is based on the verse novel of the same name by Australian poet Dorothy Porter.
IMDB Rating: 5.1
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Country: Australia, Canada, France, Italy, Japan
Duration: 93 min
Plot tags: sexy, realistic, suspenseful, sexual, noir, neo noir, clever, serious, contemplative, talky