> the big problem with them is how much hinges on the twist
I feel similar but different to JJ Abrams' Cloverfield universe. Cloverfield Lane and Cloverfield Paradox are just 2 movies where he attaches a random scene at the end to tie them into the Cloverfield universe. Those scenes have nothing to do with the movie, and if left off would not negatively affect the movie itself.
> Cloverfield Lane and Cloverfield Paradox are just 2 movies where he attaches a random scene at the end to tie them into the Cloverfield universe
That is exactly what it is supposed to be. Think of it like The Twilight Zone, every story is different but they all exist in a world that is distinct and unnatural.
I think JJ Abrams finally came up with a good way of explaining it to people: "It’s like Cloverfield is the amusement park, and each of these movies is a different ride in that park."