Mushy Mushrooms, Mini Macaroons & 5 Whodunnit Murder Mysteries to Watch on My Breakfast Plate
As the mother of a fourth-grade student, my mornings start at 5:30 a.m. daily. Making breakfast and setting up lunchboxes keep me occupied during those hours and since I like to keep it simple for breakfasts, they generally get quite boring, with either bread toasts or chapattis. (common story of a lot of moms). Sometimes our wishes can go to an extravaganza and the longing for a due break with a lavish breakfast consisting of some creamy- buttery mushy mushrooms sprinkled with roasted garlic, some berry-flavoured mini macaroons and to top it all a thrilling, chilling old-fashioned Whodunnit Murder Mystery Movie playing on TV just makes things perfect. Sounds like quite a plateful right? Since we have already made a grand plan of how my breakfast plate is going to look, let's narrow down the list of Murder Mystery movies that can be included in my watchlist.
1. Knives Out (2019): Imagine digging your fork into a plateful of yummy creamy mushrooms, tuning into Daniel Craig's impeccable Southern accent and his meaningful one-liners, as he roams about the Thrombey's mansion, to find the killer of Harlan Thrombey, a famous murder mystery writer. The film is an example of the finest Whodunnit murder mystery with an eerie atmosphere, a grand party, a twisted family of faux accomplishments and false pride and a huge Victorian-style mansion with strange artefacts. (The strangest being a huge magnetic wheel covered with hundreds of daggers and knives.) The case seems very straight-forward in the beginning and despite ruling out any foul play, however, the arrival of Benoit Blanc (Craig), the anonymously appointed famous Private Investigator, turns it to an extremely twisted tale of revenge, betrayal and mind-games. This movie, without any doubt, is going to be my no.1 choice when it comes to watching over my breakfast plate.
2. Murder on the Orient Express (2017): Hercule Poirot- the Belgian detective with a hawk eye for perfection, balance and details boards the Orient Express from Istanbul. A rugged millionaire with a dark past gets murdered inside the train, and to make things worse, the train is derailed and gets stuck amidst snowcapped rocky hills. We get to see some powerful performances from an ensemble cast including Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot, Judie Dench, Penelope Cruz and Johnny Depp. I had watched a 2006 movie about Hercule Poirot before, but believe me, the kind of mystery that this film could build, is rare these days. Branagh as Poirot puts forth a very endearing performance, not to mention his signature moustache.
3. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo ( 2011): We see Daniel Craig, in a completely different type of character in this movie, ably supported by Rooney Mara in the titular role. This film takes the viewers 40 years back when a girl went missing. As with most Whodunnit Murder Mysteries, we get to see a lot of suspects, a family with many interesting characters and their individual stories that finally zero down to the actual happenings. Rooney Mara's portrayal of Lisbeth Salander, a genius hacker with a history of drug abuse is outstanding. I get why the other sequels from "The Girl" series could not surpass this one, it's simply because no other actor could match up to the intensity and depth of the character that Mara had solidified and quite ably had made into her own.
4. The Oxford Murders (2008): Maths and murder- well, that's how fascinating this thriller is. Elijah Wood stars as an American student who comes to Oxford to follow the work of a noted philosopher. But things take a quick turn when a murder is committed and both get into the number game to crack the mystery. This is an intense film, that may appear to be quite slow if you are in for an adrenaline rush, but a little focus on it perfectly summarizes the actual intention of the story. I have not read the actual novel and heard that it is way better than the film, but somehow I found the film interesting.
5. Glass Onion (2022): A sequel of Knives Out- this film looked quite promising when the trailer came out. A perfect premise for a murder mystery- the story is set on a beautiful Greek island owned by a tech billionaire who invites a bunch of his friends to spend a week with him. Along with the friends arrives Benoit Blanc, the famous detective who is out of work due to the global pandemic. A murder takes place and everyone is a suspect. Well, as much as it looks like a perfect sequel to Knives Out, one can clearly miss the eerie atmosphere that the first film could create. I am curious about the 3rd film of the franchise that releases next year. No matter how the film is, Detective Blanc's one-liners are unmissable.
So, here's a detailed description of my deliciously assorted breakfast plate. Please let me know if I can enrich the menu with some more Murder Mysteries to choose from. I am eager to know your thoughts and recommendations.
This post is a part of Blogchatter Blog Hop
This blog post is part of ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’
hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla
in collaboration with Dr. Preeti Chauhan.
Enjoyed the Knives out series. Also Murder on the Orient Express. Will check out the other two.
ReplyDeleteI am curious about the 3rd instalment of the Knives Out series. Thanks for reading.
DeleteI loved how unexpectedly fun Knives Out was :)
ReplyDeleteYes, and somehow I missed that in Glass Onion. Thanks for reading.
DeleteThe only one I haven't watched from this list is The Oxford Murders. I plan to do that now because I love good mysteries and thrillers.
ReplyDeleteIt is a slow-paced, intelligent thriller. Thanks for reading.
DeleteThis is an unusual post. A movie with breakfast! Some of the movies may take long to end, how long does the breakfast last? Cant be on school or office days, it has to be only on Sunday and Holidays? Do you serve a snack at interval or in-between ads? Because, one may get hungry till the movie ends. Anyway, an innovative way to hook kids to breakfast.
ReplyDeleteHaha, I appreciate the list of probabilities and situations you added. Thanks for reading.
DeleteI really enjoyed both the Knives Out movies. They were quite gripping and the mystery factor was maintained throughout I felt. I haven't watched any of the others from here. Time to check them out :D
ReplyDeleteOh yes, they are funny too!! Thanks for reading.
DeleteOoh! Exactly up my alley except for the making of breakfast! ;). Seen and thoroughly enjoyed all except two, Oxford Murders (how did I miss this?) and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (don’t know why I’m putting this off!). After your blog, these two are the next in line on my TBW. Great blog.
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked my blog. Thanks for reading.
DeleteThis is not my genre, so unfortunately, I haven't watched any of them. But you make them so interesting. I want to check Oxford Murders in particular.
ReplyDeleteI heard the book is far better than the film. I am yet to read it though. Thanks for reading.
DeleteThis is so relatable. Mornings get boring with the usual breakfast routine, but you've inspired the perfect break—a yummy breakfast with creamy mushrooms and a mystery movie., I haven’t watched The Oxford Murders and Knives Out yet, so I’ll definitely add them to my list. Thanks for the reminder to treat ourselves.
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked my breakfast menu. Thanks for reading.
DeleteMurder mystery I dont watch so many of such movies but this one seems like a reliable list for the ones who don't want to miss out on a murder mystery.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading.
DeleteOh my God!!! We share the sane taste in thriller i think. I watched every movie from your list and knives out is my recent favorite one. I love closed room murder mysteries
ReplyDeleteHey so glad to hear that. Thanks for reading. Please recommend few more.
DeleteLooks like we do have the same cravings for mysteries.I have seen all of them except 'Oxford Murders" and since I have enjoyed all the murder mysteries in your list , I am adding this one in my TBW list.Thanks a lot!
ReplyDeleteOxford Murder is a bit slow than the others in the list. But an intelligent film. Thanks for reading.
DeleteI used to watch also while cooking but I noticed how my cooking time is doubled or even tripled which made me stop doing that and just put music instead. Your choice of movies to multitask is something I can't replicate as well as I'm usually someone who literally jumps when I get scared or startled, which isn't a good thing. Great list though. - MommyWithAGoal
ReplyDeleteHaha, yes. Actually even I cant do that. This was just written as a probable situation. Thanks for reading.
DeleteGreat to know. Thanks for reading.
ReplyDeleteCurrently my score is 3 out of 5 you reccommended... Murder on Orient Express is my #1 from them. but I am biosed towards Agatha and her Monsieur Poirot...
ReplyDeleteI agree, the suspense is gripping. Thanks for reading.
DeleteWhat a fantastic combination of cozy breakfast plans and thrilling murder mysteries! You've painted such a vivid picture of the perfect morning setup. "Knives Out" and "Murder on the Orient Express" are absolute classics, and I'm with you on how Daniel Craig’s and Kenneth Branagh’s roles add so much flavor to these whodunnit gems. If you’re ever in the mood for something a bit eerie, you might enjoy And Then There Were None (2015) — an Agatha Christie classic adapted into a mini-series that’s just as chilling. Also, The Invisible Guest (2016) is a Spanish thriller with some serious twists!
ReplyDeleteThanks for these recommendations. I will surely watch these. Thanks for reading.
DeleteFor the the 1st time, I am happy to share, I have watched atleast half of the mysteries from your recommended list :) adding the others to my weekend watch list... I love a good mystery.
ReplyDeleteGreat to know you like these films. Thanks for reading.
DeleteOne of my favourite genres. Murder on the Orient express, girl with the dragon tattoo are definitely likeable
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading.
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