It’s quite a bleak time in the United States right now. However, despite the fact that we are all struggling, there are still quite a lot of people who want to indulge in the thrills and chills of horror movies.
Fortunately for those who want to indulge in a little bit of the macabre, there are a number of obscure (but still awesome) horror films showing currently on Netflix.
9 Shutter (2004)
This Thai film is an unsettling exploration of the latent horrors of photography. It’s a fascinating film, in part because there are so few films from Thailand that reach a wide audience in the United States. It was mostly well-regarded by the critics, and it was nominated for an award at the Bangkok International Film Festival. It has been remade in several other languages, including English (using the same title), Tamil (as Sivi), and Hindi (as Click).
8 Apollo 18 (2011)
Have you ever wondered whether something ominous explains the canceled Apollo 18 mission? If so, then this is the film for you. According to this unsettling science fiction/horror film, the reason it is listed as missing is because of the horrifying fate that actually befell the men on that mission. It was a modest box office success, though the critics (unsurprisingly) didn’t like it very much. There are actually several different endings to the film.
7 He Never Died (2015)
This Canadian/American film focuses on a cannibal who does everything in his power to repress his desire to indulge in the eating of human flesh. Oh, and there’s also the fact that he is immortal, and that he is a figure from the Bible. Despite the rather strange directions that the narrative takes, it is actually a very fascinating and disturbing film, and it is also darkly funny. The critics appreciated the film’s humor.
6 Mohawk (2017)
This 2017 film is a fascinating combination of political film, historical drama, and horror. In it, a young Mohawk woman finds herself confronted by the brutal nature of American colonialism and the battle between American colonists, the British, and Native Americans. In that sense, it is a fascinating glimpse at one of the darkest chapters of North American history. It is definitely not for the faint of heart, and it has its fair share of horrifying moments.
5 Apostle (2018)
This horror film has a truly stunning cast, including the likes of Dan Stevens, Lucy Boynton, and Michael Sheen. It is a bit of a period piece, and it also has echoes of other horror films such as The Wicker Man. Apostle is a visually stunning film, and it explores some of the darker parts of religious faith.
It was a Netflix production, and it received very good reviews from the critics, standing at 80% on Rotten Tomatoes.
4 Girl on the Third Floor (2019)
There’s nothing like a horror film about a house to really get you thinking about how your own home might well be haunted. It explores so many issues that are relevant to the present day, including the role of toxic masculinity in American culture. It definitely deserves a lot of respect, especially considering the fact that it’s director Travis Stevens’ first film. Rather disturbingly, he revealed during a Q&A that the house of the film is based on a real location.
3 The Golem (2018)
Though Israel is not necessarily the first country that comes to mind when one thinks of horror cinema, this Israeli production a good introduction to that country’s cinema. As the title would suggest, it is based on the famous Jewish myth of the golem, a sort of Frankenstein’s monster-like figure. The film received a significant amount of praise—particularly for its direction—and it was ultimately nominated for several awards by the Israeli Film Academy.
2 The Invitation (2015)
Like so many other horror films of the mid to late 2000s, The Invitation explores some fascinating issues regarding gender, marriage, and the American family, as a man visits his ex-wife with his new girlfriend. It also explores the fraught territory of trauma. It received almost unanimous praise from the critics, earning an 88% rating from Rotten Tomatoes. It’s a particularly refreshing horror film, in large part because it is directed by a woman, Karyn Kusama.
1 Assimilate (2019)
This film, released just last year, is a bit of a remake of the earlier film Invasion of the Body Snatchers, in which a group of people discover that their neighbors are being taken over by creatures.
Despite the fact that the plot is a little bit of a remake of earlier films, Assimilate has some excellent character development, and there is a bit of a twist that makes the ending worth it. With its on-the-nose title, it is also a timely film for our current moment.
This film follows a shapeshifter who, unsurprisingly, sets out to kill people and leaves a trail of bodies behind him. The script is a bit messy, but there are a lot of things to enjoy about this film. The acting is top-notch, and the special effects are surprisingly strong for a film that isn’t intended to be a blockbuster. It’s also a fascinating exploration of what comprises identity, always a great subject for a horror film.
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April 21, 2020 at 05:30AM
