Top 10 Tense Films to Watch

Description: A young FBI agent enlists the help of a cannibalistic psychiatrist to catch another serial killer. The film's tension comes from the psychological cat-and-mouse game between the characters.

Fact: It is one of only three films to win the "Big Five" Academy Awards (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay).

Description: A young boy who communicates with spirits seeks the help of a psychologist, leading to a series of chilling and suspenseful encounters. The film's twist ending is one of the most famous in cinema history.

Fact: M. Night Shyamalan wrote the script in just five days, and the film's ending was kept a secret from the cast and crew until the last day of shooting.

Description: A woman living in a darkened old house with her two photosensitive children begins to believe the house is haunted. The film's tension builds through its gothic atmosphere and the slow reveal of its secrets.

Fact: The film was shot in Spain, with the director Alejandro Amenábar choosing to keep the ending a secret from the cast until the final days of shooting.

Description: Based on the true story of the Zodiac Killer, this film follows the investigation by a cartoonist, a reporter, and two detectives. The tension is in the unsolved mystery and the psychological toll on the investigators.

Fact: The film uses real-life locations and includes actual footage from the time of the killings to enhance its authenticity.

Description: A tale of two rival magicians in Victorian London whose obsession with outdoing each other leads to a series of increasingly dangerous tricks. The film's tension is built through its intricate plot and the mystery of their rivalry.

Fact: The film was inspired by real-life events involving Nikola Tesla and his experiments with electricity. Christopher Nolan directed this film, known for his complex storytelling.

Description: U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels investigates the disappearance of a patient from a psychiatric hospital on Shutter Island, only to find himself trapped in a web of deception and psychological manipulation.

Fact: The film was shot on location at the former Medfield State Hospital in Massachusetts, adding to its eerie atmosphere. Martin Scorsese directed this adaptation of Dennis Lehane's novel.

Description: After his daughter and her friend go missing, a father takes matters into his own hands, leading to a tense, morally complex investigation. The film's suspense is driven by the desperate search and the ethical dilemmas faced by the characters.

Fact: The film was shot in Georgia, with the director Denis Villeneuve choosing to use real locations to enhance the film's gritty realism.

Description: A journalist and a hacker team up to solve the disappearance of a wealthy man's niece, uncovering dark family secrets along the way. The film's tension comes from its dark themes and the complex relationship between the protagonists.

Fact: The film was adapted from the first book in Stieg Larsson's Millennium series, and the English version was directed by David Fincher.

Description: When a woman disappears on her fifth wedding anniversary, her husband becomes the prime suspect in a media frenzy. The film's tension lies in the unfolding of a twisted marital relationship.

Fact: The film's ending was changed from the book to provide a more ambiguous conclusion, leaving viewers in suspense.

Description: A man with short-term memory loss uses notes and tattoos to hunt for the man he thinks killed his wife, creating a narrative that unfolds in reverse. The tension is in the puzzle-like structure of the story.

Fact: The film was shot in two different ways: one in color, moving backwards in time, and the other in black and white, moving forward.