The Butterfly Effect
The I Inside
The Jacket
The Machinist

...and I'm sure the list goes on. Am I the only one who's noticing a trend? It seems as if this is slowly becoming the new "it-genre" among non-mainstream filmmakers and filmgoers alike. Every time I turn around, there's a new psychological thriller to be found (often with a disjointed linear structure, dimly lit shots, and select special effects).

I enjoy these films to an extent, certainly more than a lot of films that hit theaters these days. In fact, I started a thread not too long ago asking people to recommend films of this nature. One of the films recommended was "The I Inside." I purchased it a few weeks ago, and got around to watching it today. It was with this film that it hit me; I'm beginning to grow tired of the same film with a different dressing.

I'll continue to see these films, as some strike me as particularly enjoyable ("The Jacket" being my favorite of the bunch). As more and more come, though, I start to see how formulaic the films actually are. I suppose this is an open plea of sorts. Here's hoping that this genre doesn't become cookie cutter material, much like the most recent waves of horror and suspense films. I'd hate to see an, in my opinion, enjoyable genre become "that one song that kicked a lot of ass until they played it on the radio twenty times a day for like, three months straight."

-JP

I hear what you're saying but this isn't necessarily a bad thing. The Machinist easily gets my fav vote out of the bunch you listed and I have not seen the I inside so I will say the Jacket was my least favorite (but I didn't hate it).

I don't feel the movies you have listed extract the same formula so to speak with the exception of the Jacket vs. Machinist; there are a few similarities with the main one being the cinematography (oh yeah, the damn dvd cover art is almost exactly the same as well too).

I think these types of films will continue to evolve as well and at least their endings aren't designed to provide a bland big twist - they aim to tie the story together nicely and give you a bit more to think about after the film comes to an end. I have no problem with this either because these types of films are ususally great for multiple viewings anyway.

I personally like the trend and hope it will continue

I wouldn't call 4 films a "wave". I'm not sure that I would categorize that type of film as a psychological thriller either.

The Machinist I would consider to be much more than that. It's a hip man coming to grips with his past type film.

I think the films you've listed are actually part of a larger trend --movies that nobody went to see.

Like I said in the first sentence of my initial post, I'm sure there are others...those are just the ones I've seen in the past few months. And what exactly would you call them?

-JP

I would easily call them psychological thrillers, especailly the machinist considering it's one big mind f*** and a damn good one at that.

The butterfly effect may stray a little from psychological but not much considering how the main character is always trying to change the outcome of events and ulitmately fails everytime because he has no ability to change the actions of the people involved.

The Jacket also fits easily into this category as well.

Oh yeah, because New Line was sure pissed off that The Butterfly Effect made $60 million on a budget of around $13 million.

I hated The Jacket.

I never saw The I Inside.

I thought The Machinist was a good movie that was made into greatness by the talent involved (Christian Bale proved yet again why he's one of the best actors currently working).

I thought The Butterfly Effect was a great mix of drama and science fiction, however, while I do like the darkness of the director's cut ending, I don't like the "clues" leading up to the ending (meaning I prefer the theatrical cut in some aspects, despite the "happy" ending it contains). It may also be the first and last time Ashton Kutchner shows audiences that he may be able to act.

Hey,

I see what the original poster means -- I think he is trying to say that a phsychological thriller is any non-horror, non-action packed film with may twists and an ending that makes you think.... Often times, they are of a gritty/dark nature.... I guess sixth sense, the others, the ring, etc could all be seen as psych. thrillers, but the horror overtones drop them out of the category..... you know what i mean?

Movies (some) are becoming more intelligent. M. Night shamalamarammajammer kinda started this same sort of trend with "horror" movies with the 6th sense.

What it comes down to, is a lot of new movies have a lot of twists, with one big one at the end. simple as that....




Later,

Matt

I don't think the theatrical ending is 'happy' and found it more emotionally powerful than the DC ending. Which I thought was melodramtic and quite funny since it came off so corny.

The 'clues' in the DC version further made me not like that version of the film as well. Since they tried to explain everything and it becomes more absurd(in my opinion) than the never fully explained TC.


So I am glad both versions were offered on the dvd instead of only the DC(like in other regions). Boy I would have been pissed if the TC were not available.

I don't know...seems to me that if we were to look at all the films released in the past couple decades, we'd find more then 4 of these types of films every year. Doesn't really seem like anything new to me.

Butterfly Effect and The Jacket both had more or less "time travel" elements to em, despite being considered "psychological" thrillers.

I thought The Butterfly Effect was occasionally entertaining but ultimately a really bad movie (that little kid annoyed the hell out of me, plus it just didn't make any sense at all (at least in the DC.. going back and bashing nails through your hands.. and you wake up exactly where you were? Wouldn't doing something that drastic have you following a pretty different path in life?))

But I appreciate the genre, even though I don't think it's done properly most of the time (The Jacket, Buttefly Effect and to an extend, Donnie Darko, didn't follow through in one way or another).