We all know the library is a great resource not only for fine literature, but do you know it’s also a great resource for films as well? In some cities, a library card might be all you need for your film entertainment needs. And now residents of Jersey City, New Jersey are able to stream films, music, television and more with nothing more than their library card and an app. With a partnership between the Jersey City Free Public Library and hoopla digital, patrons can stream films like The Assassin, Silver Linings Playbook, television shows like The Addams Family, and a number of e-books, comics and albums. While the library may not be able to compete with Netflix, Hulu or other paid streaming services, it definitely makes this overlooked resource worth checking out. For all the films and television new to streaming this week, check out the recommendations below:

Netflix

Cooked (Series, Season 1)

Food docs have become a staple of Netflix, with such offerings as Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown, Jiro Dreams of Sushi, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Somm, and the wonderful Netflix original series Chef’s Table all available. Their newest series, Cooked, produced by Alex Gibney and author Michael Pollan, is a four-part miniseries that looks specifically at how people around the world prepare food. Breaking up the episodes by “Fire,” “Air,” “Water” and “Earth,” the series spans the globe from Peru to Australia to Berkeley, California. No doubt, Cooked will provide insight into the growing philosophy around food while offering a lot of mouth-watering moments.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
Asthma (Jake Hoffman, 2015)
Atonement (Joe Wright, 2007)
Love (Series, Season 1)
The Returned (Series, Season 2)
XXY (Lucía Puenzo, 2007)

Fandor

Diabolique (Henri-Georges Clouzot, 1955)

This week’s “Criterion Picks” takes a look at the best films inspired by the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock. Highlighted among the Hitchcockian thrillers is Clouzot’s Diabolique, one of the most terrifying slow-burn films in all of French cinema. The film stars Clouzot’s wife Vera as a school teacher who teams up with her husband’s mistress to knock him off—but there may be a different plan at hand. Full of twists and mystery, Diabolique is often talked about as a direct inspiration for Hitchcock’s great horror film Psycho. Other films in collection include Purple Noon, The Vanishing, The Soft Skin, Sisters, and more. These great thrillers are only available on Fandor until February 28.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
Diamond Tongues (Pavan Moondi & Brian Robertson, 2015)
The Horse Boy (Michel Orion Scott, 2009)
Identity Crisis (Melvin Van Peebles, 1989)
Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song (Melvin Van Peebles, 1971)
Tabu (F.W. Murnau, 1931)

MUBI

Amélie (Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 2001)

The French film gateway for many millennials, Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s fantastic and whimsical love story is a unique experience. One of the greatest examples of film production and design, its meticulously staged frames are incredibly tactile, providing for a visual feast. It also boasts one of the most creative and fun opening title sequences ever, setting up the film’s visual wit immediately. Since its release, Jeunet has only made three feature films and none have left the cultural footprint of his breakout film—though Amélie most likely opened up his fantastic Delicatessen and The City of Lost Children to wider audiences wanting more of his signature style. Amélie can be streamed on MUBI until March 15.

Other titles new to MUBI this week:
The Crying Game (Neil Jordan, 1992)
The Falls (Peter Greenaway, 1980)
The Little Foxes (William Wyler, 1941)
Of Mice and Men (Lewis Milestone, 1939)
The Unity of All Things (Alexander Carver & Daniel Schmidt, 2013)

iTunes & Video On-Demand

Togetherness (Series, Season 1)

With the HBO series’ second season debuting this weekend, a binge session is in order. Created by the Duplass Brothers and their frequent collaborator Steve Zissis, Togetherness stars Duplass (Mark, in this case), Melanie Lynskey, Zissis and Amanda Peet as couples navigating their romantic and working lives. Zissis is particularly good as a schlubby, struggling actor, trying to get his life together with a potential big break within reach. Its slightly offbeat humor and sharp character and relationship exploration make for a richly emotional watch. And with an incredible cliff-hanger in the final moments of its season 1 finale, you’re going to keep watching through season 2. Togetherness is now available for rent or purchase on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, and other VOD services and to stream on HBO Now.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
Broad City (Series, Season 3)
Creed (Ryan Coogler, 2015)
Miss You Already (Catherine Hardwicke, 2015)
Room (Lenny Abrahamson, 2015)
Youth (Paolo Sorrentino, 2015)

There’s no translation needed for a scream. And when someone’s being attacked with a ridiculously large knife, their nationality doesn’t make the situation any less terrifying. Not to mention other countries seem to understand that real horror isn’t about the jump-scares or extreme gore (something we’re finally seeing a little less of in recent films like Goodnight Mommy, The Babadook, and It Follows). So we had no trouble curating this list of the best foreign horror films, except maybe in limiting ourselves to only ten. This Halloween, if you thought subtitles might distract from suspense, check out any of these titles and find yourself spookily proven wrong.

10 Must Watch Foreign Horror Films For Halloween

#10. Nosferatu (1922 – Germany)

F.W. Murnau’s silent classic Nosferatu floods the mind with inky, dreamlike visions that never release their grip. The film haunts me to this day because the monster at its center isn’t treated as a movie monster at all, but a demon that lurks and stalks us from the shadows of our world. He’s embodied by German actor Max Schreck, whose performance is freaky as hell, not operatic and sexy (don’t call him Dracula). Our hero, Hutter (Alexander Granach), uncovers pieces of vampire lore via mysterious letters and occult symbols and barely evades the gangly Nosferatu himself as a wave of doom and dread rolls over us. The film’s most famous scene, involving a shocking coffin reveal, is as chilling as ever. Murnau’s film is now nearly 100 years old but is scary in a way that modern films can’t reproduce—with the absence of sound, Nosferatu‘s onscreen horrors appear all the more nightmarish, leaving a sonic vacuum in the air meant to be filled with our blood-curdling screams. [Bernard]

#9. Ringu (1998 – Japan)

Based on a novel by Kôji Suzuki (Japan’s answer to Stephen King), Ringu, from director Hideo Nakata, is a chilling film made effective by its own simplicity, both in construct and in execution. The premise, in the form of an urban legend propagated by teens, is simple: watch a certain VHS tape, die seven days later. That’s it. This simplicity of fate is what makes the tale so effective. Unlike most “something is coming for you” horror films (think everything from classics like Halloween to indie sensations like It Follows), there is no boogeyman to run away from, no executioner to plead to for mercy, no chance of dodging demise—nobody can hide from time. When the reporter (Nanako Matsushima) investigating the legend watches the tape herself, the story shifts from “What will happen next?” to “Something will happen soon,” adding to the film’s already great tension. Then, the story doubles-down in the form of the reporter’s young son happening across the tape, thus starting his own clock, that tension exponentially increases. This is what makes the film work so well. Ringu is more terror than horror, like an old-time ghost story that relies very little on visual scares, instead captivating viewers with great suspense, overwhelming atmosphere, and unsettling anticipation. [Michael]

#8. [REC] (2007 – Spain)

Before Paranormal Activity kicked off a found footage trend that we’re still going through, directors Jaume Balaguero and Paco Plaza cooked up this fun and chaotic zombie film (or is it?). Plucky reporter Angela Vidal (Manuela Velasco) is following a group of firemen working the night shift for a TV show when there’s a call about a situation at an apartment building. Angela and her cameraman follow the firemen inside, only to discover that some sort of virus is spreading through the building, turning people into crazed cannibals (similar the rage virus from 28 Days Later). By the time they realize something’s wrong the government shows up to quarantine everyone inside the building, and from there it’s a battle for survival as each tenant either gets devoured or succumbs to the disease. Balaguero and Plaza waste no time getting to the good stuff; exposition is minimal, and within 15 minutes the blood starts flowing. The cramped setting of the building, combined with the fact that the protagonists are actually trapped (and it’s worth mentioning that [REC] gets bonus points for providing a legitimate reason why the camera needs to keep rolling), makes [REC] a nail biter, and the film is brilliantly structured in the way it escalates the tension at an exponential rate. And the finale, a shocking sequence that plays out in night vision, wouldn’t feel out of place in a list of the scariest scenes of all-time. [C.J.]

#7. Kwaidan (1964 – Japan)

There’s something to be said about the power of folktales. Unlike the bulk of modern horror that draws on certain influences, but ultimately strives for a wholly new mythology, the act of bringing ancient stories to the big screen carries the potential for a far more affecting experience. It’s about sharing lessons, fears and cautionary narratives that have endured for hundreds of years and if done right, the result can be deeply resonant. Kwaidan is just such a film. Masaki Kobayashi’s three-hour anthology tells four tales from Japanese folklore united by the common thread of ghostly encounters. A poor young swordsman makes an ill-fated bid for higher social status, a woodcutter holds a promise of dubious consequences to a wintry spirit, the ghosts of a royal family request the talents of a blind musician and a writer sees a grinning face in a cup of tea. All four stories unravel at an appropriately deliberate pace set against a background of vibrant artificial scenery and highly expressive sets. Rather than being a horror film fueled by big scares, Kwaidan impresses with its subtly chilling atmosphere and its evocative rendering of a delusive, spiritually rich world. [Byron]

#6. Eyes Without A Face (1960 – France)

If ever there was any doubt that Georges Franju’s 1960 bastion of plastic surgery was a legitimate horror film, just think of the title it premiered with in the States in 1962: The Horror Chamber of Dr. Faustus. Of course, it’s only today’s audience who’d look at a horror cult classic like Eyes Without A Face and question its legitimacy for scares. Never forget how desensitized we’ve become over the years, but even if the film doesn’t scare us today as it surely did audiences back in the ’60s, the creeps it exudes still raise hairs on the back of the neck. Pierre Brasseur plays the mad doctor who attempts to re-create the physical beauty of his once-beautiful daughter, Charlotte (Edith Scob, mostly covered in the iconic white mask but piercing with emotions through eyes you’ll drop into and a voice that’ll break the fall). A sickly atmosphere that festers in the imagination. The triptych of psychological, emotional, and physical terror. Overarching gothic overtones. Alida Valli’s cold-blooded assistant (the Igor to Brasseur’s Dr. Frankenstein), all exterior beauty and interior grotesquerie. All these elements conspire with Franju’s taut direction and Eugen Schüfftan’s vivid cinematography to make for, arguably, the most poetic (but no less haunting) of all horror films. In my opinion, the heterograft scene stands as one of the genre’s defining moments. [Nik]

#5. I Saw The Devil (2010 – South Korea)

One of the greatest serial killer films ever made, Kim Jee-woon’s I Saw the Devil is a bonafide masterpiece. Mirroring what would happen if James Bond set his sights on Hannibal Lector, the film is a fast-paced epic that is filled with emotion and satisfying payoffs. Excellent performances from Choi Min-sik and Lee Byung-hun keep tensions high from start to finish, and some absolutely barbaric sequences of action and suspense raise the stakes in an honest and believable fashion. It’s the revenge element, though, is what truly propels I Saw the Devil to the next level. Soo-hyun (Byung-hun) is so personally invested in avenging the death of his murdered fiancée, who was killed by Kyung-chul (Min-sik), that the vengeance becomes his only motivation in life. Jee-woon and screenwriter Park Hoon-jung study the psyches of both the hero and the villain with equal interest, which makes I Saw the Devil one of the most character-driven tales of revenge ever made. [Blair]

#4. The Devil’s Backbone (2001 – Spain)

Like a little history and a whole lot of atmosphere to go with your horror? There’s no greater director more masterful at combining all of the above than Guillermo del Toro. Set during the Spanish Civil War of the 1930s, The Devil’s Backbone follows a group of orphaned boys at a home in the country. One new boy, Carlos, starts to see the ghost of a boy in the orphanages dark stone passageways and does his best to uncover what the dead boy’s story is. Like many of del Toro’s best films (Pan’s Labyrinth being another great example), the supernatural elements of this world are almost never as scary as the ill intentions of the living. Carlos and his companions must face the war-torn reality of their world while finding a way to reconcile the last wishes of the dead. Del Toro’s signature attention to eery detail—not to mention his penchant for lingering on his creepy creations allowing each horrifying detail to sink in—and his ability to craft unrelentingly evil characters are what make The Devil’s Backbone a mood-filled and satisfying ghost story. [Ananda]

#3. Diabolique (1955- France)

Diabolique is a classic of the horror genre which deserves its place alongside the likes of Psycho and The Exorcist. Gorgeously shot and incredibly tense throughout, Henri-Georges Clouzot crafts a horror film that is sure to sit with you for days. Following the story of a murder gone wrong, Christina (Vera Clouzot) and her husband’s mistress (Simone Signoret) conspire together to kill an abusive husband (Paul Meurisse), but once they do nothing is as it seems. Saying anything more about the story would spoil some of the most thrilling sequences ever put to film. It’s been said that Alfred Hitchcock lost out on the film rights to Diabolique by just a few hours, still it’s hard to imagine anyone, even the Master of Suspense himself, outdoing Clouzot here. [Ryan]

#2. Audition (1999 – Japan)

Prolific Japanese filmmaker, Takashi Miike, who is known for his transgressive social commentaries and cartoonish violence, released in 1999 what might be the most graphic and frightening film about romantic relationships ever committed to celluloid. The plot of Audition focuses on a widow by the name of Shigeharu Aoyama who, with the help of a fellow film producer, arranges a faux-audition for a non-existent movie in order to find himself a prospective bride. Unfortunately, his gaze falls upon the wrong woman. Asami Yamazaki, the seemingly harmless apple of his eye, is (to say the least) not at all who she appears to be. With Audition, Miike shows more directorial restraint than usual, which might be the film’s most commendable attribute. The majority of the runtime is spent exploring the growing intimacy between Shigeharu and Asami, interspersed with abrupt and very brief sequences hinting at something sinister developing within Asami’s psyche. It isn’t until the latter half of the third act that the film shifts gears completely and erupts into a state of unexpectedly extreme mayhem. But in order to find out the specifics of what transpires, you’ll have to experience the film for yourself—just don’t say you weren’t warned. [Eli]

#1. Let The Right One In (2008 – Sweden)

In the same year that obnoxiously popular teen vampire series kicked off (we won’t even mention its name), came a small film out of Sweden that turned the overplayed genre on its head. Beautifully shot, with a tender story and one hell of a mean streak, Tomas Alfredson’s Let the Right One In is a special film. By creating its monster in the form of a little girl, the film is able to cleverly play with many of the most traditional vampire myths—especially the role of the human servant, which is the most tragic theme of the film. Alfredson is an incredibly patient filmmaker (something that works extraordinarily well in moody horror films), knowing just how much information, thematic and visual, to show the audience. His craft shows particularly well in the breathtaking final scene, one of the best staged horror sequences of all-time. While that mainstream vampire series was capturing young audiences with sparkly skin and sexual repression, Let the Right One In showed that vampires could still be cool while actually having a complex and resonant dramatic story. And it’s actually scary. Let the Right One In also has the distinction of inspiring an above-average American remake (which can’t be said for too many other films on this list), Let Me In from Cloverfield’s Matt Reeves. [Aaron]

They say you can’t judge a book by its cover. But what about movies? We’re huge fans of well-designed movie covers here at Way Too Indie, and while we wouldn’t say the design impacts our overall judgment of the film, we admit a good design may influence us to watch it in the first place. So we created a list of the 75 Greatest Movie Cover Designs of all-time, comprised of new and old titles, special edition releases, and from boutique distributors like the Criterion Collection (clearly our favorite, earning 34 spots on this list).

12 Angry Men (Criterion Collection)

Brilliant design with 12 hand-drawn portraits of the jury featured in this essential courtroom drama, each with red backgrounds except for the one in the middle, which represents Henry Fonda as the man who stands out from the group with his own opinion. [DJ]

127 Hours

It may not be immediately obvious, but the sides of the canyon form an hourglass timer and the setting sun looks like sand. Very fitting with the tagline of the film, “Every second counts.” [DJ]

A Clockwork Orange

Simply an iconic poster with minimal design that somehow makes the ’70s block font used on the title tolerable. [DJ]

A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night

A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night is an eerie, experimental film, so it’s only fitting that its home video release includes eerie, experimental cover art. [BH]

Adaptation

A funny little image that hints at the madness of Charlie Kaufman and Spike Jonze’s hilarious and painful world. [RS]

Almost Famous (Special Edition)

Cameron Crowe’s magnum opus gets a fantastically ornate and fun cover for its Bootleg Cut. Have a magnifying glass handy. [NG]

Anatomy of a Murder (Criterion Collection)

The first of several Saul Bass designs on this list. This striking design is such a classic that Spike Lee essentially stole the design for his 1995 film Clockers. [DJ]

Artificial Intelligence

Using the kid from the film as the ‘i’ in Intelligence and then inversing him to form the ‘a’ in Artificial is a simple, yet clever design. [DJ]

As Above, So Below

The design fits the title of the film so perfectly. [DJ]

Being John Malkovich (Criterion Collection)

There’s more brilliance than meets the eye in this simple Criterion cover of Being John Malkovich, perfectly suiting the eccentric nuances of the film. [NG]

Bicycle Thieves (Arrow)

The shadow from the two main characters form a bicycle. Great use of…foreshadowing.[DJ]

Blade Runner (Steelbook)

The rainy spotlight shines on the origami in this gorgeous Blade Runner Blu-Ray steelbook, evoking the pulpy, mysterious mood of the classic sci-fi noir. [NG]

Blind Woman’s Curse (Arrow)

The original Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Through beautiful design, Teruo Ishii’s exploitation classic practically jumps off the cover. [NG]

Blue Is the Warmest Color

Simple but gorgeous artwork which plays off the color from the film’s title. [DJ]

Boogie Nights

Simply a beautiful retro design on the special edition release of this masterpiece. [RS]

Boyhood

The contrast from the grass provides excellent contrast for the title. Plus, it wonderfully represents the dreamlike ideology of boyhood. [DJ]

Buried (Steelbook)

This cover explains the entire premise of the film; a man buried under ground and trapped inside a box. [DJ]

The Cabin in the Woods

The cabin pictured in the design looks almost like an Rubik’s cube, hinting at the puzzling plot found in the film. [DJ]

The Complete Jacques Tati (Criterion Collection)

Might be the best on the list because it doesn’t just come with one spectacular looking design cover, it’s a collection of several beautiful illustrated covers in one package. [DJ]

The Conjuring

At first glance it looks like an ordinary horror film cover, until you notice the shadow near the bottom. [DJ]

The Dark Knight Rises (Steelbook)

The broken mask and heavy rain combine for one dramatic looking design. [DJ]

The Devil’s Backbone (Criterion Collection)

There’s very little ambiguity in Criterion’s cover design for The Devil’s Backbone. A wartime horror film dealing with the paranormal receives artwork that seamlessly bridges the gap between those two subjects. It’s impressive, to say the least. [BH]

Day For Night (Criterion Collection)

Francois Truffaut’s masterpiece is a love letter to the beautifully chaotic nature of making a movie, and Criterion’s cover art for the film perfectly encapsulates the vibe of Day for Night. [BH]

Days of Heaven (Criterion Collection)

I love how sharply in focus and imposing the house is in relation to Gere’s fuzzy appearance in the foreground. [BB]

Dogtooth

A man staring at grass infront of a fence accurately sums up the absurd censorship portrayed in the film. And after you’ve seen the film the airplane makes a lot of sense too. [DJ]

Diabolique (Criterion Collection)

A dazzling illustration of a key scene in this French thriller. The rippling water effect on the typeface is a brilliant touch. [DJ]

Dressed To Kill (Criterion Collection)

A wonderful composition equal parts suggestive and creepy, totally befitting De Palma as a master of erotic thrillers. [RS]

Drive (Steelbook)

This Steelbook cover has rad ’80s flair thanks to hot pink lettering and the neon sign looking design. [DJ]

Enemy

The Toronto skyline transposed over Jake Gyllenhaal’s head signifies the brain-teasing doppelganger story found in the film. [DJ]

Enter the Void

Bright neon colors. Overstimulated visuals. Odd angles. The cover design perfectly matches the film. [DJ]

Escape From Tomorrow

The easy to recognize drawing of a certain iconic Disney character covered in blood captures the frightening twist this film has of the “happiest place on earth”. [DJ]

Eyes Without A Face (Criterion Collection)

Those eyes!! Edith Scob’s piercing gaze is captured in haunting fashion by Criterion’s designers here, made all the more striking by its ingenious choice of white as facelessness. [NG]

Foreign Correspondent (Criterion Collection)

The vibrant Criterion cover, with its 3D-like rain and sea of murky umbrellas, elevates one of Alfred Hitchcock’s lesser-known films to must-own status. Watch the behind the curtains video for this particular design. [NG]

The Game (Criterion Collection)

A brilliant design for a film about a man brought to the edge by both temptation and the illusory structure of society finally forgets his weight and allows gravity to pull him downward. [EH]

Hard Candy

The bright red hoodie draws your focus in like a target, and the trap fits well with the cat and mouse theme in the film. [DJ]

High and Low (Criterion Collection)

Perfect use of the epicenter motif that couldn’t be paired with a better image from the film. [BB]

House (Criterion Collection)

Those eyes just don’t leave you. It’s a fiery and startling image that you can’t help but pause to take a second look at while browsing through the DVD racks. [BB]

The Human Condition (Criterion Collection)

A simple design but not one without the kind of quiet power that characterizes Kobayashi’s work. [BB]

Jaws

I was tempted to write nothing here, quite possibly the most iconic cover in all of film it pretty much speaks for itself. [RS]

Jurassic Park

The iconic logo (which is used all over in the film) helped make this design an instant classic. [DJ]

The Lobster

Technically, this is a poster design for a film that hasn’t been properly released yet, but we’re including it anyways. Fantastic use of negative space. [DJ]

Lord Of War

Nicolas Cage’s face made out of bullets is exactly what the world needs. [DJ]

Make Way For Tomorrow (Criterion Collection)

Wonderfully represents two companions forced apart by circumstances out of their control, drifting gradually but surely down separate, melancholic paths. [EH]

Medium Cool (Criterion Collection)

A tremendously striking image from the juxtaposition of its colors to the image-within-an-image design. [BB]

Melancholia (Plain Archive)

Great contrast between the sepia tone still from the film and the turquoise script lettering of the title. [DJ]

Memento (Special Edition)

Nothing fancy here. Just pure, unfiltered, genius. Presenting Memento in the form Leonard’s case file will put an insta-smile on every fan, while enticing anyone who hasn’t seen the film to peek inside and get their minds blown. [NG]

Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (Criterion Collection)

A fittingly flamboyant explosion of color and a gorgeous application of the mirroring effect. [BB]

Moonrise Kingdom (Criterion Collection)

The latest Wes Anderson on Criterion is one of his very best films, aptly honored by one of Criterion’s most epic and intricate designs. [NG]

Network (Arrow)

A wonderful rendering of a rouge news anchor ‘telling it how it is’ on air, with the finger-pointing arm coming out of the TV set. [DJ]

Nymphomaniac (Vol. 1 and 2)

The whole marketing campagin behind the film was very on point, and so is this cover design featuring nine characters mid-orgasm. [DJ]

On The Waterfront (Criterion Collection)

This screen print looking design is splendid, especially with the inclusion of the birds, which are a major theme in the film. [DJ]

Onibaba (Eureka)

This formidable Masters Of Cinema cover, alluding to the dementia in Shindo’s classic ghost tale, does Criterion one better! [NG]

Quadrophenia (Criterion Collection)

The choice to color and arrange The Who lyrics in a way that replicates the band’s logo and circles the film’s main character is simply awesome. [BB]

The Raid (UK Steelbook)

One of the best-looking steelbook designs around, the picture on this cover of The Raid paints a thousand words of glorious violence. [NG]

Repo Man (Criterion Collection)

It makes perfect sense for a decidedly West Coast punk rock film to receive a punk rock artwork over a map of Los Angeles. It’s a bit surprising that Criterion is the distributor to make that happen, but they have done a fantastic job. [BH]

Repulsion (Criterion Collection)

This Criterion cover recalls the broken nerves and intense paranoia of Roman Polanski’s classic apartment horror in loud and disorienting whiteness. [NG]

Scanners (Criterion Collection)

Criterion’s cover design for one of Cronenberg’s most beloved films features a different kind of head explosion, but it’s extremely clever nonetheless. [BH]

Seconds (Criterion Collection)

A strange and interesting design that draws me in every time I come across it. [RS]

The Secret of the Grain (Criterion Collection)

Hands held high in the air but eyes facing the Earth and a disparity of light and darkness on either side: will the story end in glory or tragedy? [EH]

The Shining

Saul Bass designed equally amazing the yellow theatrical release poster, but the actual cover used for the home release of the film is great too. Very Kubrickian. [DJ]

Submarine

Using a white background allows the colorful text and images to really stand out. Great example of a clean design. [DJ]

The Sweet Smell of Success (Criterion Collection)

It’s rare for DVD art to double as something that could easily be hung on the wall and admired. This is one of those rarities. [BB]

Talk To Her

Like the film itself, shows a wonderful use of color and Pedro Almodovar’s great imagery. [RS]

The Thing

Never fails to capture my attention. I always end up watching the film if I stare at this cover too long, usually only takes a minute or so. [RS]

Three Colors Trilogy (Criterion Collection)

Criterion borrows one the most emblematic shots from Kieslowski’s indelible Trilogy for this spectacular mixture of red, white, and blue. [NG]

Trance

A chatoic arrangement of shapes, colors, and an image of a man screaming. As the title suggests, it puts you in a trance. [DJ]

The Tree of Life

Gorgeous snapshots of life are found throughout the film, so it’s fitting that the cover contains a bunch as well. [DJ]

Under the Skin

Scarlett Johansson’s colorful face blended in with outer space personifies her character in the film perfectly. [DJ]

The Vanishing (Criterion Collection)

Possibly the most brilliant cover I’ve ever seen, the simplistic design brilliantly reflects the painful frustration of the protagonist as the more you step away the clearer the image becomes. [RS]

Vertigo

The figures appear to be falling into the vortex of the geometrical downward spiral which symbolizes the meaning of the film’s title. And the imperfect hand lettering of Saul Bass. [DJ]

Videodrome (Criterion Collection)

Setting aside the disturbing central image, the color bars in the Criterion bar and the subtle horizontal lines running throughout make this an inspired design. [BB]

We Are Still Here

With We Are Still Here, writer-director Ted Geoghegan pays tribute to old-school Italian horror. Its brilliant cover design pays tribute to traditional haunted house films. It’s a damn-near-perfect artistic interpretation. [BH]

Wings of Desire (Criterion Collection)

An angel looks down at the world, a well-meaning voyeur, and his gaze shows a fusion of both inquisitiveness and sorrow. [EH]

World on a Wire (Criterion Collection)

An individual trapped in the center of a sideways cultural venn diagram, unsure of whether the environment surrounding him is the reality he’s used to, or merely a simulation brought forth by the incomprehensible Simulacron. [EH]

Y tu Mama Tambien (Criterion Collection)

A brilliant composition of blended images meant to look like an old photograph; slighly out of focus, large sun burst, and faded colors. A perfect summer road trip vibe. [DJ]

You’re Next

Even the pull quotes are aesthetically pleasing on the You’re Next home video cover, which is as aggressive and in-your-face as the home invasion masterpiece. [BH]

Zodiac (Director’s cut)

I’m a sucker for covers that double as pseudo-props from the movie like this Zodiac letter addressed to the San Francisco Chronicle. [RS]

Zazie dans le métro (Criterion Collection)

A clean, flat design which visually expresses the zany and cartoonish main character. [DJ]

Since April starts with people getting fooled, Way Too Indie has decided to end the month by asking its writers when they’ve been fooled by a film. Plot twists have been popular in films for ages, and for good reason. Audiences love when a film manages to successfully pull one over on them, and when done well enough, the film can cement its place in cinematic history. After listing our favorites, we combined our picks and came up with a list of 15 movies that left us with our mouths wide open. Before you read on to see our list, please take note: We have tried to avoid spoilers in our descriptions, but some people might be more sensitive than others when it comes to what constitutes a spoiler. Read carefully, or better yet, just go see these great films already!

WARNING: Mild spoilers ahead

15 Films That Fooled Us

#15 – Dear Zachary

When Andrew Bagby was murdered by his pregnant girlfriend, director Kurt Kuenne set out on a personal project for his now deceased friend. Kuenne interviewed everyone who knew Bagby so that one day his child could learn about his father. Kuenne had no idea what would actually happen once he started filming, and Dear Zachary captures every single anguished moment of it. There’s a genuine, emotionally raw quality to Dear Zachary that viewers can immediately relate to, which makes the devastating ending hit like a wrecking ball to the gut. It’s one of the few films guaranteed to turn its viewers into a sobbing mess by the end, and the raw power of its story is why it still has a lasting impact with people today. [CJ]

#14 – Se7en

“What’s in the box?!” are four words that changed the way people thought of serial killers (and boxes) forever. In 1995 the world was introduced to David Fincher, before Fight Club and Zodiac solidified his status as one of the most revered directors in Hollywood, and after Alien 3 could leave too bad of a taste in our mouths. If you call yourself a Fincher fan, you’re all too familiar with the story of detectives Mills (Brad Pitt) and Somerset (Morgan Freeman) hunting the serial killer John Doe (Kevin Spacey) who orchestrates his murders years in advance, and bases them off the seven deadly sins. With every murder more sordid than the previous one, nothing prepares them – or us – for the heart-pulsating shocker at the end, when the contents of that box made John Doe into one of the most notorious on-screen villains. Here’s a funny story about that: producer Arnold Kopleson at first refused to allow the end to pass because of its sheer psychological brutality. Brad Pitt came to the rescue and said he’d walk if they didn’t allow Fincher to film the intended finale. So, we have Pitt and Fincher to thank for all those sleepless nights. On a personal note, its still my favorite Fincher film by a country mile. [Nik]

#13 – The Usual Suspects

Lately, Bryan Singer’s something of a usual suspect himself (it was right there, I’m sorry…) but forget all about that for a second. Before he ventured into the world of comic books and beanstalks, Singer directed a little film you may have seen called The Usual Suspects. The success of Suspects put him on the map and gave him carte blanche to work on X-Men, which rippled into the insane popularity of superheroes today. So, in a way, we can blame Keyser Soze for the mind-numbing number of comic book movies today. Regardless, nothing could change our thoughts about one of the greatest tricks the devil ever pulled. Premiering in 1995 (a year that turned out great for shockers), the story follows Kevin Spacey’s Verbal Kint, a survivor of a bust gone terribly wrong, as he recounts the events to Agent Kujan (Chazz Palminteri) while drinking coffee in a police station. That’s all brilliant minds need sometimes, and a film that was compelling enough with its intricate narrative and colorful cast of degenerates, became an entirely different beast with its final sequence, putting the twist in plot-twist more memorably than M. Night Shyamalan could ever dream of. Thanks in large part to this ingenious turn of events, the film went on to win two deserving Oscars for Spacey and screenwriter Christopher McQaurrie. [Nik]

#12 – The Prestige

It’s no coincidence two of my picks on this list of twisty films are from Christopher Nolan and his screenwriting partner/brother Jonathan Nolan. The two know how to tell a story that keeps you guessing. The Prestige is often overlooked among Nolan’s work, it had the misfortune of releasing between Batman Begins (Nolan’s fabulous reinvention of what comic-based film could be) and The Dark Knight (quite possibly the best comic-based film ever released, if I have anything to say about it). So you may have missed this one. Starring Nolan favorites Christian Bale and Michael Caine, along with Hugh Jackman and Scarlett Johansson, The Prestige follows two up-and-coming magicians in 19th century London. While at first partners in the same act, the two become competitors, and indeed nemeses, when a magic act goes tragically wrong. From then on their careers are a series of attempts to get vengeance on the other, while also trying to attain top magician status. Their hate filled ambition leads both to drastic and questionable measures, but it isn’t until the very end when–like their magic tricks–the real secrets behind just how far each was willing to go are revealed, and its truly astonishing. When you discover the secret to a magic trick, all you want is to re-watch it and see if you can spot the illusion, so too does The Prestige demand repeat viewings. [Ananda]

#11 – Tell No One

This is a film that I love to recommend to people who normally scoff at having to read subtitles because this French whodunit film is that good. Tell No One doesn’t waste any time setting up the central plot. Alexandre Beck (played by the French Dustin Hoffman lookalike, François Cluzet) jumps into the water upon hearing his wife Margot scream from the other side of the secluded lake. As he climbs up the dock he gets knocked unconscious yet remains the prime suspect after the police find Margot brutally murdered. Despite evidence piling up that supports Alex as the murderer, he seems too distraught to actually be guilty of the crime. Then the film reveals the first of many plot twists. Eight years after the tragic event, Alex receives an email proving that Margot is still alive. Boom! Just when you think you are close to figuring it out, Tell No One presents a new piece of the puzzle. [Dustin]

#10 – Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

We’ve all seen the (unnecessary) prequels of the insanely ubiquitous Star Wars series by now so the mystery of Luke Skywalker’s origin is somewhat ruined. But for us older folks who had just the OT (Original Trilogy) while growing up, seeing the arc of Luke’s daddy issues culminate at the end of The Empire Strikes Back blew everyone’s mind. It starts in Episode 4 A New Hope, when Luke begins questioning Obi-Wan Kenobi about his enigmatic father who fought alongside Kenobi during the Clone Wars. Kenobi reveals Skywalker’s father was murdered by the heinously sinister Darth Vader. But then in Episode 5 everything changes. Luke is locked in a duel with Vader in the pit of the monstrous floating Cloud City on the planet Bespin. While it looks as if Vader is about to put Skywalker to the sword, he instead reveals the answer Luke has been waiting for. Skywalker is left in ruin and audiences around the world were left with a three year break before the finale of the series wrapped everything up. [Blake]

#9 – American Psycho

As far as revelations go, the final twist in American Psycho is more bewildering than earth-shattering, but that’s what makes it great. Watching Christian Bale gruesomely plow through hapless victims as New York trader Patrick Bateman only to eventually realize that the murders may not have played out the we we or Patrick thought, is ambiguous and ambitious in the best way. Bale sells the crap out of Bateman’s revelation, and Herron conjures a maelstrom of paranoia and anxiety to swirl around him. The plot twist in American Psycho has been seen before and is a tired tune at this point, but Herron and Bale play it pitch-perfect. It’s one of those reveals that, like the one in Oldboy (also on our list), sticks with you long after the credits roll instead of dissipating immediately. [Bernard]

#8 – The Sixth Sense

The Sixth Sense holds a certain stigma around it that has everything to do with someone either ruining the hugely shocking surprise ending for others, or because once you’ve seen it all the way through, it feels like the magic is gone. However, I’d argue this is absolutely a mistake on the part of potential viewers (thank goodness for a generation of younger people who are blissfully unaware) and of those who’ve already seen this gem of a horror film. Wildly creepy and excellently paced, the twist ending shouldn’t be the only thing that people remember about this film. Bruce Willis is perfect in his role as Dr. Malcolm Crowe, a children’s therapist whose marriage has lost steam. When he takes on a new patient, Cole (Oh, Haley Joel Osment if only cuteness lasted), with a very particular issue–seeing dead people–he begins to feel his methods may not work, until he starts to give Cole the benefit of the doubt. M. Night Shyamalan has tried so hard to duplicate the brilliance of his deception in this film’s ending with almost every other film he’s done since, and unfortunately has never been quite as successful. But anyone wanting a truly good scare, mixed with the sort of heartfelt character investment that makes the plot that much more enthralling, will never be disappointed with The Sixth Sense, time and time again. [Ananda]

#7 – Saw

Just mentioning the Saw series nowadays will result in an eye roll or a sigh because of how ridiculous the franchise got with pumping out a new film every year. But before Saw spiraled off into a massive cash cow of a franchise, it began as an original thriller/horror film featuring a serial killer named Jigsaw who devised puzzles for his victims to figure out. Gruesome puzzles. The film opens (watch a clip) with two strangers who find themselves chained to opposite sides of a bathroom. Between them is a dead man holding a tape player and a gun. They both discover a cassette in their pocket and work together to retrieve the tape player that is just out of their reach. Their jaded past gets exposed after listening to each other’s tapes, discovering the only way out is for one to kill the other. Say what you want about the acting or even the franchise as a whole, but Saw includes one of the most unforgettable endings that you won’t see coming. [Dustin]

#6 – Diabolique

Diabolique‘s now-famous plot twist is perfect, sublime in its execution and ahead of its time by decades. Henri-Georges Clouzot’s nail-biter masterpiece gets my vote for best non-Hitchcock Hitchcock picture, and its brilliance all hinges on one final, heart-stopping surprise in the bathroom. When the wife and mistress of a headmaster conspire to murder their shared ex-lover, sightings of the deceased begin to pop up all over the school premises. When the wife finally arrives at that fateful moment in front of the bathtub, get ready for one of the most classic shocks in all of cinema. Sure, the plot and premise of Diabolique are absurdly implausible, but that’s the power of good movies: they make you believe in the impossible. [Bernard]

#5 – Fight Club

David Fincher is well represented on this list, Se7en is a personal favorite, and while his films have plenty of plot curveballs, what Fincher excels at is the art of the twisty character. He is at his best when working with deplorably questionable characters and while John Doe is terrifying in his sociopathy, there have been few characters in film that demand attention the way Tyler Durden does in Fight Club. Adapted from Chuck Palahniuk’s novel of the same name, Fight Club follows Edward Norton’s Narrator as he gets in with Tyler Durden, Brad Pitt’s most memorable role. Depressed, sleep-deprived, and caught in lethargic consumerism, the Narrator meets Tyler on a plane and is immediately sucked into his charismatic anarchist world. Together they form Fight Club (of which we do not speak), and its barbaric, therapeutic appeal to bored blue-collar workers like the Narrator turns into a nationwide underground movement. When Tyler’s power becomes chaotic and dangerous the Narrator tries to uncover his plans, and ends up learning more about himself. All to mind-blowing effect. [Ananda]

#4 – Chinatown

Say what you want about Roman Polanski and his messed up private life, but the man has proven time and time again that he can direct circles around most of his contemporaries. None is perhaps so potently absorbing as his 1974 crime mystery Chinatown, starring Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway in peak form. What starts off as a routine investigation into the disappearance of an L.A. Department of Water and Power engineer, turns into something much more intriguing, complex and diabolical and all before P.I. Jake Gittes (Nicholson) can say “I cut myself shaving.” His life completely changes when he meets and falls for Evelyn Mulwray (Dunaway), daughter of powerful tycoon Noah Cross (John Huston,) and decides to help her with her… predicament. It’s not for nothing that Robert Towne’s Oscar-winning screenplay is mentioned ad nauseam in every screenwriting course, lauded for its brilliant structure and build-up to a – you guessed it – shocking finale that still leaves me jaw-dropped after countless repeat viewings. I’m just not sure which scene gets to me more; the reality of Evelyn’s sickening family history revealed slap by slap, or the cruel end securing “Forget it Jake, it’s Chinatown” as one of the most haunting final words in cinema. [Nik]

#3 – Psycho

Despite many believing the “big reveal” in Hitchcock’s Psycho happens at the end of the movie in the Bates’ basement, the true twist comes halfway through the film in the motel. What happens to Janet Leigh’s Marion Crane in that famous shower scene is one of the most innovative, forward-thinking jukes in movie history, and the film’s revolutionary (at the time) plot structure is seldom used to this day, as few filmmakers dare to be so audacious. The shower scene is immaculate, obviously, but few pay homage to what it actually meant for the movie. From that scene forward, all bets are off. We’re disoriented, we’re confused, our allegiances are shifted, and Hitchcock ingeniously puts himself one step ahead of us. They don’t call him the master for nothing: we’re just followers, guinea pigs he’s tickled to toy with. [Bernard]

#2 – Memento

Oh, Chris Nolan, how you love to mess with our minds. It would be annoying if it wasn’t always so genius-ly well done. Memento isn’t just a film with a twist ending; its scatterbrained storytelling literally keeps you guessing with every scene and because it’s literally told backwards, its twist end is actually a twist beginning. Guy Pearce stars as Leonard, a man with short-term memory loss and the inability to create new memories. Leonard uses a system of notes, Polaroids and tattoos to continually remind himself of his mission: to find and kill the man who murdered his wife. Two storylines portray Leonard, one that runs straight forward chronologically of Leonard on his motel phone telling the story of Sammy Jenkins, a man he encountered in his days as an insurance fraud investigator, who had a similar memory problem that led to the accidental murder of his own wife when he gave her too much insulin. The second storyline is told backwards as Leonard searches for his own wife’s killer, trusting and untrusting all the wrong people. The end/beginning reveals a truth that is far more complicated than just solving a murder, but gets at the very nature of revenge itself. I did not catch all the nuance in this film and it’s ending upon my first viewing, repeat viewings are absolutely necessary. [Ananda]

#1 – Oldboy

When Oh Dae-Su is let go after 15 years of captivity, the first question on his mind is who put him there. It doesn’t take long before he’s told that the “who” doesn’t matter, it’s the “why.” That “why” is what puts Oldboy at the top of our list. Dae-Su’s quest for vengeance is director Chan-Wook Park, and the “Korean New Wave”, at its peak; gorgeous cinematography, powerful writing, and bravura sequences (any mention of Oldboy must mention the classic one-take fight scene). But none of this could prepare audiences for the climax, when Dae-Su’s captor unveils his own master plan of revenge. It’s a twist almost nobody saw coming, and to this day people still get unsettled thinking about it. That twist ending is why Oldboy has grown such a large following since its release, and is required viewing for any cinephile. [CJ]