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10 Essential Stylish and Sexy Thrillers

This weekend sees the release of The Two Faces of January, a thriller based on a novel by master of suspense Patricia Highsmith. Viggo Mortensen and Kirsten Dunst star as an American couple vacationing in Greece — a pair that also happens to be harboring some dark secrets. When they meet a fellow American, a con-man played by Oscar Isaac, the three become embroiled in a complicated plot that has the couple chasing their new acquaintance to Istanbul. It’s a sumptuous and stylish thriller, one no doubt influenced by other suspenseful and sensual films of the past. The Two Faces of January is available on VOD (find out where on GoWatchIt), as are these ten other films that made waves for their adept balance of tension and style.

1

'Vertigo' (1958)

Vertigo
Photo courtesy Everett Collection

Alfred Hitchcock‘s masterpiece is a spellbinding and gorgeous tale of suspense, heightened by the auteur’s signature cinematic tricks, Robert Burks’ incredible cinematography, and Edith Head’s masterful and stunning costumes. [GoWatchIt]

2

'L.A. Confidential' (1997)

L.A. Confidential
Photo courtesy Everett Collection

Curtis Hanson’s L.A. Confidential is an incredible ode to film noir is dripping with styles — from the fashions (specially the gowns worn by Oscar winner Kim Basinger) to the set pieces. It boasts an incredible cast of actors (including Kevin Spacey and Russell Crowe) and has as many twists and turns as any classic suspense film from the ’40s and ’50s. [GoWatchIt]

3

'Body Heat' (1981)

Body Heat
Photo: Warner Bros.; Courtesy Everett Collection

Lawrence Kasden’s steamy and erotic modern noir stars Kathleen Turner as an incredible femme fatale and William Hurt as her lover, whom she convinces to assist her in murdering her husband. [GoWatchIt]

4

'The Eyes of Laura Mars' (1978)

The Eyes of Laura Mars
Photo: Columbia Pictures; Courtesy Everett Collection

In this cult classic, Faye Dunaway plays a fashion photographer whose controversial photos, combining sexualized female models with violent imagery, bear a striking resemblance to the crime scenes of a serial killer. As it turns out, Laura Mars can see through the eyes of the murderer, and teams up with a police detective to track him down. [GoWatchIt]

5

'Blow-Up' (1966)

Blow-Up
Photo courtesy Everett Collection

In another fashion-centric thriller, David Hemmings plays a photographer who may or may not have caught a murder on film. Vanessa Redgrave co-stars in Michelangelo Antonioni’s incredibly influential Blow-Up, set in the late ’60s mod era of London.  [GoWatchIt]

6

'The Talented Mr. Ripley' (1999)

The Talented Mr. Ripley
Photo: Paramount Pictures; Courtesy Everett Collection

Packed with a cast of the biggest independent film darlings of the ’90s, The Talented Mr. Ripley is less of a compelling adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s novel and more of a lush film featuring beautiful people bopping around exotic locales in Italy. [GoWatchIt]

7

'Skyfall' (2012)

Skyfall
Photo: Columbia Pictures; Courtesy Everett Collection

The James Bond franchise repeatedly popularized some classic fashions, but Sam Mendes’ dark thriller Skyfall upped the ante when it came to redefining a series that has become so popular it’s a genre in itself. Turning the James Bond enterprise on its head, Skyfall breathes new life into a nearly stale franchise and presents itself as an homage to its classic predecessors. [GoWatchIt]

8

'Match Point' (2005)

Match Point
Photo: DreamWorks Pictures; Courtesy Everett Collection

Though a master at crafting a comedy, Woody Allen also proves his brilliant hand at suspense and drama. With Match Point, he mixes those together with a tale of a tennis pro who falls in love with an American woman, the fiancée of his rich girlfriend’s brother. Soon, their relationship begins to threaten the lifestyle he has grown accustomed to, and he makes a deadly choice to remedy the situation. [GoWatchIt]

9

'The Thomas Crown Affair' (1968)

The Thomas Crown Affair
Photo: Everett Collection

Steve McQueen plays the titular dashing bank executive who pulls of a multi-million dollar heist. Faye Dunaway plays a beautiful insurance investigator who figures out what Thomas Crown has been up to. Together, they ignite the screen with an indelible chemistry in this cat-and-mouse caper. [GoWatchIt]

10

'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' (2011)

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Photo: Focus Features; Courtesy Everett Collection

A slow burn, for sure, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy features a lot of intrigue and style, and even if it’s not a fast-paced suspense story, it’s certainly easy on the eyes. [GoWatchIt]