While it’s not always wise to embrace your inner conspiracy theorist, there are some movies where it’s impossible not to be drawn into an intricate web of deceit and question what hidden interests are buried just below the surface. Considering the widespread surveillance of modern society and the undeniably dark potential of technology, it’s easy to give ourselves over to tense narratives that have you questioning everything you thought you ever knew.

Whether it’s thought-provoking biopics, overlooked thrillers of the 1980s, or cult classics from all-time great directors, movies have the potential to encourage critical thought that, in some cases, embraces wild conspiracies. Although the rabbit hole of conspiracy theories can be a dark road to go down, when viewed through the lens of film, they can also be a good way to remind yourself that it’s important to question dominant narratives.

10

The Net (1995)

Directed by Irwin Winkler

While the depiction of technology in The Net may look dated today, it’s impossible to deny that its presentation of a world where our every move is encoded in a complex network of information has only become more relevant as the years have gone on. With Sandra Bullock as the freelance systems analyst Angela Bennett, this thrilling story showcased how one’s life can be deleted at the click of a ʙuттon. With an intriguing premise that was clearly ahead of its time, The Net predicted the all-encompᴀssing nature of tech and the internet in the 21st century.

Although The Net received mixed reviews upon release, looking back, it was a thought-provoking exploration of digital privacy, idenтιтy theft, and government overreach. In the age of Wikileaks, cyber terrorism, and remote work, the way Irwin Winkler explored how digital records can be manipulated showcased the fragility of a society that’s moved past physical data. While many may dismiss The Net as a disposable action thriller, for those who embrace their inner conspiracy theorist, it hints at the terrifying consequences of being eliminated from the digital sphere.

9

Marathon Man (1976)

Directed by John Schlesinger

The Cold War had not subsided by the time Marathon Man was released in 1976, and this film leaned heavily into the idea that there were secret masterminds pulling the strings of global affairs behind the scenes. With Dustin Hoffman as the history student Babe Levy, this distance runner carried a desire to restore the reputation of his father, who took his own life during the era of McCarthyism. These details lay the groundwork for this unique thriller of secret government dealings, hidden Nazi networks, and shady men destroying innocent lives.

Featuring two astounding lead performances, Hoffman acted alongside Laurence Olivier as Dr. Christian Szell, an infamous Nazi war criminal who begins targeting Babe. Marathon Man was a taut thriller of paranoia and hidden secrets that took audiences on a journey of Kafkaesque alienation. With Babe not even privy to the reason he was being targeted, which was due to his late brother’s knowledge of a safety deposit box of valuable diamonds, Marathon Man highlighted how a person’s life can inexplicably be turned upside down at a moment’s notice.

8

Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind (2002)

Directed by George Clooney

George Clooney’s biographical crime drama Confessions of a Dangerous Mind adapted the “unauthorized autobiography” of game show host Chuck Barris. While Barris was known as the creator of The Dating Game, his book made unsubstantiated claims that he worked for the CIA and carried out a secret second career as an international ᴀssᴀssin. With an over-the-top presentation, Sam Rockwell portrayed Barris’s questionable second life with some enjoyable supporting performances from the likes of Julia Roberts, Drew Barrymore, and Clooney.

Barris’s claims are widely disputed, although Confessions of a Dangerous Mind will certainly add fuel to the fire of any conspiracy theorists who believe the media is populated by a master elite engaged in secret second lives. With a screenplay written by Charlie Kaufman, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind leaned into the absurd nature of Barris’s claims and was an entertaining look at how things may have played out if this preposterous memoir were true.

7

The Game (1997)

Directed by David Fincher

Not only is The Game a fascinating mystery thriller from David Fincher, but it will also have those with a penchant for conspiracy theories questioning the nature of reality itself. Telling the story of a wealthy investment banker (Michael Douglas) embroiled in an all-consuming game that integrates with his real life, as Nick Van Orten falls deeper into its mysterious ways, he begins to uncover hints at a much larger conspiracy. With an alienating effect on the audience, the most enjoyable thing about The Game was trying to piece together what was real and what was make-believe.

By leaning into themes of surveillance, psychological manipulation, and mysterious organizations, The Game encourages viewers to always be on full alert and question absolutely everything on screen. This made for a unique viewing experience where we actively participated in the narrative and put ourselves in the shoes of Douglas’s character. As perhaps Fincher’s most underrated movie, The Game will particularly appeal to those who view life through a conspiratorial lens.

6

Enemy Of The State (1998)

Directed by Tony Scott

The high-octane thriller Enemy of the State will have viewers on full alert, questioning just how much the government is surveilling you. With Will Smith and Gene Hackman in the leading roles, Enemy of the State followed a lawyer named Robert Clayton Dean (Smith), who becomes the target of a group of corrupt NSA agents who believe he has come into possession of incriminating evidence against them. Watching as Dean’s life is systematically dismantled, it’s hard not to be shocked at just how much control the government can exert over its citizens.

From a frozen bank account to seeing his reputation destroyed, Enemy of the State showcased how those in power can ruin an innocent man if they have a vested interest in doing so. While this was a fictional story, it’s impossible not to relate this to real-life incidents of people’s lives being destroyed because they threatened those in power. Featuring many of the same elements that made Hackman’s role in The Conversation so compelling decades before, Enemy of the State expanded upon the themes of that classic release.

5

Blow Out (1981)

Directed by Brian De Palma

Blow Out will have you obsessing over the tiniest details, just like John Travolta’s Jack Terry, a movie sound effects technician who unintentionally captures the audio of an ᴀssᴀssination. This accidental recording leads Jack down a road of paranoia and conspiracy as he becomes increasingly aware of a plot to kill a prominent politician and presidential hopeful. With an astounding performance from Travolta in one of Brian De Palma’s greatest movies, Blow Out is a must-watch for those with a love of gritty mystery thrillers.

Blow Out took the styles and narrative structure of a classic Alfred Hitchcock thriller and updated it for the cynical worldview of the 1980s. As a smart movie that took its time ingratiating viewers into its complex web of conspiracy, those with a love for clever, thought-provoking cinema will connect with this highly stylish release. Blow Out rarely gets recognized for how truly effective it is, although director Quentin Tarantino has consistently praised (via Studio Binder) it as a prime reason he considers De Palma the greatest director of his generation.

4

Chinatown (1974)

Directed by Roman Polanski

The neo-noir mystery Chinatown was truly one of the greatest film noirs ever made and a crowning achievement in the careers of its director Roman Polanski and star Jack Nicholson. With a slow-burning, intricately woven narrative, Chinatown took viewers down a rabbit hole of spiraling conspiracy that saw the private detective Jake Gittes continually pull at the string of government corruption, land fraud, and a shocking family secret.

The overarching theme of Chinatown related to how power manipulates systems for their own gain and the way that truth is often buried in favor of the vested interests of the elite. With an all-time great script by Robert Towne, Chinatown encouraged viewers to question power in the real world and not underestimate the fact that those with the power to do so will happily alter history to maintain their desired narrative.

3

The Conversation (1974)

Directed by Francis Ford Coppola

While The Godfather and The Godfather Part II are often lauded as contenders for the best movie ever made, it’s a testament to Francis Ford Coppola’s unmatched creative power during the 1970s that he managed to release The Conversation in between those two films. While this tense thriller doesn’t get the same recognition as those movies, it was no less powerful and served as a thought-provoking examination of corruption and the erosion of privacy.

Featuring the late actor Gene Hackman in one of his greatest performances, The Conversation showcased wiretapping and eavesdropping in action as a surveillance expert faces a moral dilemma when his recordings reveal a potential murder. As a film eerily ahead of its time, The Conversation asked questions that have only become more relevant in the years since around the right to privacy and the ethics of data collection.

2

They Live (1988)

Directed by John Carpenter

While the idea that an elite ruling class actively manipulates culture to serve their own ends feels almost mild today, back when They Live was released in 1988, it was a truly subversive idea. As a clever satire of neoliberalism and the destructive impact of Thatcherism and Reaganomics, They Live took sharp aim at the political landscape out of which it was produced and encouraged viewers to embrace their inner conspiracy theorist.

With Roddy Piper as a man who discovers a pair of special sunglᴀsses, this unique accessory allowed him to truly see that the ruling class was actually aliens who were using subliminal messaging to ensure people consume, breed, and submit to the status quo. Through a blend of horror and sci-fi, They Live embraced a B-movie aesthetic, all while highlighting the secret Orwellian nightmare that society had fallen under.

1

JFK (1991)

Directed by Oliver Stone

As the grandfather and gold standard of conspiracy theories, it does not get any more intriguing than the ᴀssᴀssination of President John F. Kennedy, a political event that has kept conspiracy theorists on high alert since November 22, 1963. While most biographical movies downplay conspiracy theories, Oliver Stone fully embraced them in JFK, a tense thriller that followed New Orleans district attorney Jim Garrison’s investigation into the inconsistencies, cover-ups, and buried details of the president’s murder.

JFK presented a vast web of deception that would have even the most fervent realist putting on their tinfoil hat and casting a critical eye on the whole debacle. Stone wished to present a counter-myth to the accepted story of the president’s death and, in the process, reignited debates around a potential conspiracy for a new generation. For those looking to feed their inner conspiracy theorist, it doesn’t get any more fascinating than JFK.

Source: Studio Binder