Best movies like Twelve Monkeys
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
In the year 2035, convict James Cole reluctantly volunteers to be sent back in time to discover the origin of a deadly virus that wiped out nearly all of the earth's population and forced the survivors into underground communities. But when Cole is mistakenly sent to 1990 instead of 1996, he's arrested and locked up in a mental hospital. There he meets psychiatrist Dr. Kathryn Railly, and patient Jeffrey Goines, the son of a famous virus expert, who may hold the key to the mysterious rogue group, the Army of the 12 Monkeys, thought to be responsible for unleashing the killer disease.
IMDB Rating: 8.0
IMDB Votes: 639000
Genere: Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 129 min
Plot tags: psychological, surreal, twist ending, atmospheric, cerebral, non-linear, mind bending, apocalyptic, confusing, twisted
Best tv shows and movies like Twelve Monkeys (1995):
Similar in 82%
400 Days (2015)
Plot Summary:
4 would be astronauts spend 400 days in a land locked space simulator to test the psychological effects of deep space travel but, when something goes terribly wrong and they are forced to leave the simulation, they discover that everything on earth has changed. Is this real or is the simulation on a higher level than they could have ever imagined?.
IMDB Rating: 4.4
IMDB Votes: 11000
Genere: Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 91 min
Plot tags: psychological, twist ending, suspense, suspenseful, harsh, enigmatic, captivating, realistic, smart, cerebral
Similar in 90%
Sphere (1998)
Plot Summary:
The OSSA discovers a spacecraft thought to be at least 300 years old at the bottom of the ocean. Immediately following the discovery, they decide to send a team down to the depths of the ocean to study the space craft.They are the best of best, smart and logical, and the perfect choice to learn more about the spacecraft.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 111000
Genere: Action, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 134 min
Plot tags: scary, psychological, mind bending, tense, suspenseful, breathtaking, exciting, atmospheric, clever, confusing
Similar in 88%
Pandorum (2009)
Plot Summary:
Two crew members wake up on an abandoned spacecraft with no idea who they are, how long they've been asleep, or what their mission is. The two soon discover they're actually not alone – and the reality of their situation is more horrifying than they could have imagined.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 158000
Genere: Action, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: Germany, UK, Canada, USA
Duration: 108 min
Plot tags: futuristic, scary, suspense, atmospheric, suspenseful, tense, psychological, twist ending, clever, dark
Similar in 90%
Videodrome (1983)
Plot Summary:
A sleazy cable-TV programmer begins to see his life and the future of media spin out of control in a very unusual fashion when he acquires a new kind of programming for his station.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 101000
Genere: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: Canada
Duration: 87 min
Plot tags: surreal, psychedelic, psychological, disturbing, mind bending, cerebral, dark, mindfuck, cyber, art house
Similar in 77%
Predestination (2014)
Plot Summary:
Predestination chronicles the life of a Temporal Agent sent on an intricate series of time-travel journeys designed to prevent future killers from committing their crimes. Now, on his final assignment, the Agent must stop the one criminal that has eluded him throughout time and prevent a devastating attack in which thousands of lives will be lost.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 298000
Genere: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: Australia, USA
Duration: 97 min
Plot tags: surprise ending, clever, confusing, twist ending, philosophical, mind bending, thought provoking, stylized, mind blowing, cerebral
Similar in 82%
The Jacket (2005)
Plot Summary:
A military veteran goes on a journey into the future, where he can foresee his death and is left with questions that could save his life and those he loves.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 118000
Genere: Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: Germany, USA
Duration: 103 min
Plot tags: psychological, surreal, enigmatic, mind bending, tricky, cerebral, suspense, mindfuck, twist ending, confusing
Similar in 84%
A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Plot Summary:
Demonic gang-leader Alex goes on the spree of rape, mugging and murder with his pack of "droogs". But he's a boy who also likes Beethoven's Ninth and a bit of "the old in-out, in-out". He later finds himself at the mercy of the state and its brainwashing experiment designed to take violence off the streets.
IMDB Rating: 8.3
IMDB Votes: 867000
Genere: Crime, Sci-Fi
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 136 min
Plot tags: disturbing, controversial, psychedelic, cult classic, atmospheric, philosophical, cerebral, visually stunning, twisted, depressing
Similar in 80%
Unbreakable (2000)
Plot Summary:
An ordinary man makes an extraordinary discovery when a train accident leaves his fellow passengers dead – and him unscathed. The answer to this mystery could lie with the mysterious Elijah Price, a man who suffers from a disease that renders his bones as fragile as glass.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 435000
Genere: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 106 min
Plot tags: twist ending, surprise ending, psychological, suspense, twisted, atmospheric, gloomy, suspenseful, mindfuck, bleak
Similar in 79%
Cloud Atlas (2012)
Plot Summary:
A set of six nested stories spanning time between the 19th century and a distant post-apocalyptic future. Cloud Atlas explores how the actions and consequences of individual lives impact one another throughout the past, the present and the future. Action, mystery and romance weave through the story as one soul is shaped from a killer into a hero and a single act of kindness ripples across centuries to inspire a revolution in the distant future. Based on the award winning novel by David Mitchell. Directed by Tom Tykwer and the Wachowskis.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 371000
Genere: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA, Germany, Hong Kong, Singapore, China, UK, Spain
Duration: 172 min
Plot tags: thought provoking, psychological, futuristic, mind bending, surreal, spiritual, enigmatic, non-linear, atmospheric, reflective
Similar in 82%
Project Almanac (2015)
Plot Summary:
A group of teens discover secret plans of a time machine, and construct one. However, things start to get out of control.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 83000
Genere: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 106 min
Plot tags: exciting, suspense, futuristic, absurd, clever, tricky, serious, suspenseful, mind bending, cerebral
Similar in 81%
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Plot Summary:
Humanity finds a mysterious object buried beneath the lunar surface and sets off to find its origins with the help of HAL 9000, the world's most advanced super computer.
IMDB Rating: 8.3
IMDB Votes: 706000
Genere: Adventure, Sci-Fi
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 149 min
Plot tags: futuristic, philosophical, mind bending, psychedelic, cerebral, thought provoking, atmospheric, intellectual, visual, visually stunning
Similar in 77%
Primer (2004)
Plot Summary:
Friends and fledgling entrepreneurs invent a device in their garage which reduces the apparent mass of any object placed inside it, but they discover that it has some highly unexpected capabilities - ones that could enable them to do and to have seemingly anything they want. Taking advantage of this unique opportunity is the first challenge they face. Dealing with the consequences is the next.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 113000
Genere: Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 77 min
Plot tags: psychological, philosophical, surreal, independent film, mind bending, confusing, thought provoking, enigmatic, clever, mindfuck
Similar in 87%
Cypher (2002)
Plot Summary:
An unsuspecting, disenchanted man finds himself working as a spy in the dangerous, high-stakes world of corporate espionage. Quickly getting way over-his-head, he teams up with a mysterious femme fatale.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 32000
Genere: Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 95 min
Plot tags: psychological, suspenseful, tense, stylized, enigmatic, sexy, thought provoking, suspense, futuristic, intense
Similar in 88%
Source Code (2011)
Plot Summary:
Decorated soldier Captain Colter Stevens wakes up in the body of an unknown man, discovering he's involved in a mission to find the bomber of a Chicago commuter train. He learns he's part of a top-secret experimental program that enables him to experience the final 8 minutes of another person's life. Colter re-lives the train incident over and over again, gathering more clues each time. But can he discover who is responsible for the attack before the next one happens?.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 542000
Genere: Action, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA, Canada, France, Germany
Duration: 93 min
Plot tags: suspense, surprise ending, clever, mind bending, thought provoking, suspenseful, captivating, cerebral, tricky, mindfuck
Similar in 83%
Coherence (2013)
Plot Summary:
On the night a comet is passing near Earth, eight friends at a dinner party experience a troubling chain of reality bending events. When the power goes out, they discover that the only house on the street left with power also holds many secrets.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 142000
Genere: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 89 min
Plot tags: mind bending, psychological, mind blowing, suspenseful, tense, confusing, mindfuck, suspense, serious, intellectual
Similar in 84%
Dark City (1998)
Plot Summary:
A man struggles with memories of his past, including a wife he cannot remember, in a nightmarish world with no sun and run by beings with telekinetic powers who seek the souls of humans.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 210000
Genere: Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: Australia, USA
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: neo noir, psychological, mind bending, atmospheric, suspense, gothic, tech noir, dark fantasy, futuristic, philosophical
Similar in 89%
Triangle (2009)
Plot Summary:
The story revolves around the passengers of a yachting trip in the Atlantic Ocean who, when struck by mysterious weather conditions, jump to another ship only to experience greater havoc on the open seas.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 127000
Genere: Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: UK, Australia
Duration: 99 min
Plot tags: twist ending, psychological, surprise ending, scary, suspenseful, suspense, mindfuck, confusing, cerebral, atmospheric
Similar in 80%
The Butterfly Effect (2004)
Plot Summary:
A young man struggles to access sublimated childhood memories. He finds a technique that allows him to travel back into the past, to occupy his childhood body and change history. However, he soon finds that every change he makes has unexpected consequences.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 514000
Genere: Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA, Canada
Duration: 113 min
Plot tags: psychological, mind bending, philosophical, suspense, non-linear, dramatic, reflective, intellectual, intense, surprise ending
Similar in 89%
Donnie Darko (2001)
Plot Summary:
After narrowly escaping a bizarre accident, a troubled teenager is plagued by visions of a large bunny rabbit that manipulates him to commit a series of crimes.
IMDB Rating: 8.0
IMDB Votes: 837000
Genere: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 113 min
Plot tags: psychological, surreal, atmospheric, mind bending, philosophical, cult classic, clever, psychological thriller, cerebral, independent film
Similar in 78%
Vanilla Sky (2001)
Plot Summary:
David Aames has it all: wealth, good looks and gorgeous women on his arm. But just as he begins falling for the warmhearted Sofia, his face is horribly disfigured in a car accident. That's just the beginning of his troubles as the lines between illusion and reality, between life and death, are blurred.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 282000
Genere: Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA, Spain
Duration: 136 min
Plot tags: psychological, surreal, philosophical, enigmatic, twist ending, mind bending, non-linear, confusing, psychological thriller, artsy
Similar in 80%
Memento (2000)
Plot Summary:
Suffering short-term memory loss after a head injury, Leonard Shelby embarks on a grim quest to find the lowlife who murdered his wife in this gritty, complex thriller that packs more knots than a hangman's noose. To carry out his plan, Shelby snaps Polaroids of people and places, jotting down contextual notes on the backs of photos to aid in his search and jog his memory. He even tattoos his own body in a desperate bid to remember.
IMDB Rating: 8.4
IMDB Votes: 13000000
Genere: Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 113 min
Plot tags: psychological, surprise ending, twist ending, suspense, neo noir, psychological thriller, non-linear, confusing, tense, philosophical
Similar in 78%
The Sixth Sense (1999)
Plot Summary:
A psychological thriller about an eight year old boy named Cole Sear who believes he can see into the world of the dead. A child psychologist named Malcolm Crowe comes to Cole to help him deal with his problem, learning that he really can see ghosts of dead people.
IMDB Rating: 8.2
IMDB Votes: 10000000
Genere: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 107 min
Plot tags: psychological, surprise ending, twist ending, suspense, suspenseful, atmospheric, psychological thriller, mind bending, touching, tense
Similar in 83%
12 Monkeys (2015)
Plot Summary:
The provocative story of Cole, a time traveler from a decimated future in a high-stakes race against the clock. Utilizing a dangerous and untested method of time travel, he journeys from 2043 to the present day on a mission to locate and eradicate the source of a deadly plague that will all but annihilate the human race.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 48000
Genere: Adventure, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 42 min
Plot tags: futuristic, mind bending, atmospheric, serious, suspenseful, mindfuck, intense, suspense, exciting, spiritual
Similar in 90%
Brazil (1985)
Plot Summary:
Low-level bureaucrat Sam Lowry escapes the monotony of his day-to-day life through a recurring daydream of himself as a virtuous hero saving a beautiful damsel. Investigating a case that led to the wrongful arrest and eventual death of an innocent man instead of wanted terrorist Harry Tuttle, he meets the woman from his daydream, and in trying to help her gets caught in a web of mistaken identities, mindless bureaucracy and lies.
IMDB Rating: 7.9
IMDB Votes: 209000
Genere: Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 132 min
Plot tags: surreal, futuristic, psychological, dark comedy, cerebral, atmospheric, disturbing, thought provoking, mindfuck, black comedy
Similar in 80%
Moon (2009)
Plot Summary:
With only three weeks left in his three year contract, Sam Bell is getting anxious to finally return to Earth. He is the only occupant of a Moon-based manufacturing facility along with his computer and assistant, GERTY. When he has an accident however, he wakens to find that he is not alone.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 372000
Genere: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 97 min
Plot tags: psychological, suspense, philosophical, futuristic, bleak, cerebral, mind bending, minimal cast, mindfuck, intense
Similar in 84%
Children of Men (2006)
Plot Summary:
In 2027, in a chaotic world in which humans can no longer procreate, a former activist agrees to help transport a miraculously pregnant woman to a sanctuary at sea, where her child's birth may help scientists save the future of humankind.
IMDB Rating: 7.9
IMDB Votes: 522000
Genere: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA, UK, Japan
Duration: 109 min
Plot tags: atmospheric, neo noir, depressing, bleak, apocalyptic, captivating, political, intense, road movie, emotional
Similar in 82%
eXistenZ (1999)
Plot Summary:
A game designer on the run from assassins must play her latest virtual reality creation with a marketing trainee to determine if the game has been damaged.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 106000
Genere: Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: Canada, UK, France, USA
Duration: 97 min
Plot tags: surreal, psychological, mind bending, psychedelic, twist ending, cerebral, disturbing, tense, philosophical, atmospheric
Similar in 82%
Minority Report (2002)
Plot Summary:
John Anderton is a top 'Precrime' cop in the late-21st century, when technology can predict crimes before they're committed. But Anderton becomes the quarry when another investigator targets him for a murder charge.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 576000
Genere: Action, Crime, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 145 min
Plot tags: futuristic, suspense, neo noir, cerebral, exciting, tense, mind bending, tech noir, clever, suspenseful
Similar in 83%
The Thirteenth Floor (1999)
Plot Summary:
Computer scientist Hannon Fuller has discovered something extremely important. He's about to tell the discovery to his colleague, Douglas Hall, but knowing someone is after him, the old man leaves a letter in his computer generated parallel world that's just like the 30's with seemingly real people with real emotions.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 76000
Genere: Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA, Germany
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: mind bending, intellectual, twist ending, neo noir, atmospheric, psychedelic, philosophical, confusing, mind blowing, clever
Similar in 77%
Shutter Island (2010)
Plot Summary:
World War II soldier-turned-U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels investigates the disappearance of a patient from a hospital for the criminally insane, but his efforts are compromised by his troubling visions and also by a mysterious doctor.
IMDB Rating: 8.2
IMDB Votes: 14000000
Genere: Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 138 min
Plot tags: psychological, surprise ending, twist ending, suspense, confusing, dark, atmospheric, suspenseful, cerebral, neo noir