In the dark comedy thriller, "The Ladykillers" (2004), Tom Hanks delivers a delightfully sinister performance as Professor Goldthwait Higginson Powell, an eccentric, if not charming, Southern professor. He orchestrates a meticulously planned heist, assembling a motley crew of criminals who pose as a band to infiltrate a riverboat casino. Their audacious scheme, however, hinges on renting out a spare room in a seemingly harmless old house, all under the nose of its unsuspecting landlord, Mrs. Munson – a sharp, devout old woman whose piety masks a formidable will and a keen eye for deception. This film earns its place on a "Best Thriller Movies" list not through gratuitous violence or jump scares, but by masterfully weaving suspense and dark humor. The inherent tension arises from the precarious situation: a group of hardened criminals forced to contend with the innocent, yet surprisingly formidable, presence of their landlady. As Mrs. Munson slowly uncovers their true intentions, the stakes escalate, transforming a simple heist into a desperate game of cat and mouse. The film’s brilliance lies in its unexpected twists and turns, the palpable dread that builds as the professor’s carefully constructed façade crumbles, and the chilling realization that sometimes, the most dangerous threat comes from the most unexpected quarter.