Once in a while, a movie comes along that completely overturns our expectations with a plot twist so startling it redefines the story’s meaning. These twists can be ingenious or jaw-dropping, leaving audiences talking for years to come. Here are some of the best plot twists in movies, proving that filmmakers can still surprise us.

In “Psycho” (1960), directed by Alfred Hitchcock, the twist not only caught audiences off guard but forever changed the thriller genre. The film’s lead, Marion Crane, meets her demise halfway through at the Bates Motel, subverting expectations and paving the way for Norman Bates’ unsettling revelation.

“The Sixth Sense” (1999), directed by M. Night Shyamalan, provided one of the most memorable twists in cinematic history. The reveal that Bruce Willis’s character has been dead all along is a defining moment that recontextualizes every scene he’s in.

Another masterful moment came from David Fincher’s “Fight Club” (1999). The realization that Tyler Durden is not a separate rebel leader but a figment of the narrator’s fractured psyche shocked viewers and contributed to the film’s cult status.

“Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back” (1980) gave us perhaps the greatest twist in cinematic pop culture—with Darth Vader declaring “I am your father,” forever altering Luke Skywalker’s—and our—understanding of his quest and lineage.

Christopher Nolan’s “The Prestige” (2006) centers on rival magicians, and its meticulous series of misdirections lead to one final twist—the duplication of one magician for his teleportation trick was real all along.

In “Gone Girl” (2014), directed by David Fincher, the revelation that Amy Dunne orchestrated her own disappearance and framed her husband for murder was as surprising as it was darkly satisfying.

Finally, “The Usual Suspects” (1995), directed by Bryan Singer and penned by Christopher McQuarrie, culminates with Kevin Spacey’s character Verbal Kint walking free from an interrogation room. As he sheds his supposed disability and it’s revealed that he is Keyser Söze—the ghostly criminal mastermind—the audience is left to unravel what aspects of his story were true.

These movies remind us that cinema has the power not just to entertain but to astonish us with stories that flip our perceptions on their head. Each plot twist challenges viewers to question what they watch and grapple with their expectations—marking their timeless appeal in the realm of storytelling.