As Halloween approaches, it might be time to watch some spooky mysteries to celebrate. The Daily Texan compiled a list of four movie recommendations to bring in the eerie season.
The Outfit
This one-room mystery thriller from 2022 oozes theatricality and calls to mind classics like “12 Angry Men” and “The Usual Suspects.” Set in 1950s Chicago, the film follows an English tailor named Leonard (Mark Rylance) with a mysterious past who runs a shop frequented by the Irish mafia. When a confrontation with a rival crime family goes terribly wrong, two of the gangsters seek refuge at the shop, and the plot kicks into motion. The highlight of the film proves to be Rylance, whose masterful and subtle performance turns into something beyond just acting, with a twist at the end that feels like the cherry on top of a near-perfect film.
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
The first Guy Ritchie Sherlock Holmes film, starring Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law and Mark Strong, feels underrated in its own right, but the sequel really deserves more praise than it received. In the film, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, along with Madam Simza Heron (Noomi Rapace), journey across Europe to stop Holmes’ nemesis, Professor Moriarty (Jared Harris), from starting a world war. Harris’ charming and terrifying performance as Moriarty pairs well with Hans Zimmer’s score, which ingeniously combines the idiosyncratic themes from the first film with Romani music. Though slightly darker in tone than its predecessor, “A Game of Shadows” stands as a stylish and fun movie that all can enjoy.
See How They Run
“See How They Run,” which came out in 2022, feels like a pastiche of Wes Anderson films and a parody of Agatha Christie whodunnits. The film, which takes place in 1950s London, starts with the murder of a Hollywood producer (Adrien Brody) trying to create a film adaptation of Agatha Christie’s play “The Mousetrap.” A cynical, hard-boiled inspector (Sam Rockwell) and an enthusiastic rookie constable (Saoirse Ronan) must team up and find the murderer. Although the script could use work, the movie makes for fun viewing, and the performances, especially Rockwell and Ronan’s, prove charming.
Amsterdam
Despite its status as a period mystery comedy-drama film led by some of the biggest stars in Hollywood, “Amsterdam” fell short with both critics and audiences. Critics pointed to its incoherent script, overly ambitious nature and tonal inconsistencies. Yet despite these flaws, the film holds a lot of heart and showcases plenty of great scenes. Audiences could watch it for the star-studded cast alone, which includes Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, John David Washington, Robert De Niro, Chris Rock, Anya-Taylor Joy, Rami Malek and Taylor Swift, among others.
