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I decided to kick off this thread to talk about my absolute favorite thrillers from the '90s—and even one or two that I’d rank among the best thrillers of all time (mind you, that's just my personal take, regardless of what anyone else thinks).
I hear you—it’s genuinely tough to pick a favorite between these two. It's a real toss-up for me, too. Because I honestly can't make up my mind, I’m going to add an "undecided" option to the poll for anyone else feeling just as stuck as I am.
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve sat through both of these—maybe twenty times now—but honestly, they never get old. For me personally, these aren't just movies; they are absolute masterpieces of cinema and art itself. I have to say, though, I sometimes get the feeling that *The Usual Suspects* gets overlooked more than it should. It’s not that people have actually forgotten about it, per se, but it feels like it doesn't come up in conversation nearly as often as it deserves. It really should be considered essential viewing for any true film fanatic.
First, I’ll drop my ratings for both films—though, as most of you probably already know, I hand out tens far more rarely than the US Government cuts corruption:
The Usual Suspects — 10/10 Se7en
Se7en — 10/10
I honestly have so much I could say about both of these films that I don't even know where to start—I mean, I do know, but I’m not going to ramble on forever because I could practically write a book at this point. So, let's dive in.
The Usual Suspects:
I’ve never really sat through a thriller that carries this much mystery—honestly, I’d go as far as calling it mystical—all while maintaining the status of a top-tier intellectual masterpiece. If you want my honest take, I truly consider this one of the smartest films ever made. There, I said it.
With a top-tier script, an incredible soundtrack, and powerhouse acting, this movie creates this lingering sense of mystery—the kind where even today, people still can't stop talking about Keyser Soze. That character... man. If you look specifically at his role, the film really gets under your skin; it makes you wonder for a split second if Keyser Soze actually *is* Satan. I mean—not literally Satan, obviously, but those of you who get it will know exactly what I'm talking about.
No matter how many times you sit down to watch this movie, it hits you with that same feeling... well, maybe not exactly like the very first time—because let’s face it, nothing quite compares to that initial shock—but the film is just so genuinely brilliant that the experience remains incredibly consistent every single time you hit play.
I won't drag this out... It's a masterpiece.
Se7en:
Absolute masterpiece... this is the Mount Everest of thrillers. It doesn't follow the exact same blueprint as Usual Suspects—of course not—because it leans into a different kind of intellectualism, which is nothing less than brilliant in its own right. Much like Usual Suspects, the atmosphere is just one of those things that's hard to put into words; the script is pure genius, the acting is flawless, the cast is spot on, and the story? Simply perfect.
That ending might just be one of the most shocking conclusions in cinematic history—if not quite *the* most shocking.
The tension in that scene with the package—everything about it is just masterfully done. Honestly, even if you’ve seen the movie twenty times by now, it still hits you with that exact same level of suspense as the very first time.
The atmosphere of the film—driven by that incredible acting, the sharp script, and the director’s unmistakable touch—is really heightened by the fact that it pours rain constantly. It felt like we were stuck in one long, rainy week... which makes it such a brilliant paradox when the rain finally stops right as that shocking twist hits. Absolutely genius.
The movie never actually names the city—which I think is brilliant. Honestly, it doesn't even matter where they are. It’s better that way; you can just let your own imagination fill in the blanks if you feel like it.
I’m telling you—both films are such shock-inducing masterpieces that I honestly think it would be nearly impossible for anyone in this industry or genre to top them today. While *The Usual Suspects* has that perfect layer of mystery layered over a solid thriller foundation, *Se7en* is just a pure, uncut thriller at its very core.
To wrap things up—I honestly can't decide which of these two I like better. It’s an impossible choice because I absolutely love both of them, and they both sit comfortably in my all-time top 20.
I was honestly just curious to see if anyone else could actually make that call—I figured someone had to be able to, so I thought it would be interesting to get this thread started and see what you all think.
I'll leave you with two specific scenes—one from each movie. They’re easily my absolute favorites, though honestly, picking just one "most iconic" moment is nearly impossible since I think both films are cult classics from the opening frame all the way to the credits.
🙏🙏🙏
