There are many horror movies on streaming services that are little more than replicas of each other. After more than half a century of horror cinema, it can be difficult for new films to find a new story to tell. That is, of course, true of any genre. New stories are rare and interesting, but I also have a soft spot for movies that are able to tell an old story in a new way.
Here is a list of 10 of my favourite horror movies that are currently available on Netflix.
Escape Room [2019]
Premise: A group of people are invited to an escape room with the promise of a cash prize if they solve it.
Escape Room is not the first of its kind, however, does have interesting and unexpected challenges in it. This movie is classified as a horror movie by Netflix, but is neither gory nor is there technically a killer. Escape Room is a good movie that keeps you guessing througout.
The Perfection [2018]
Premise: A former cellist returns to the music world for revenge after taking care of her dying mother.
A twisted tale, The Perfection leads the viewer down one path before taking a strange and dark turn. This is the first horror moive I have seen based on the competitive world of classical music.
Evil Dead [2013]
Premise: Five friends venture to a cabin in the woods and inadvertently unleash an evil spirit.
A remake of the 1981 cult classic starting Bruce Campbell, Evil Dead is one of the few remakes that is better than the original. Full of gore, Evil Dead has great effects and creative uses of weapons. Several people are possessed by an evil spirit, which keeps the action moving along.
30 Days of Night [2007]
Premise: An Alaskan town is visited by a hoard of vampires during the dark of winter.
Not a new movie, 30 Days of Night stands the test of time based on its unique premise. Unlike the romanticized vampires of Twilight and Anne Rice, the vampires of this movie are more beast than gentry. The vampires are still humanesque, unlike the vampires of Stake Land.
Us [2019]
Premise: A family is terrorized by their dopplegängers.
This film brings a fresh story to the horror scene. What would you do if duplicates of your entire family showed up to your home? Unlike other movies that may have characters secretly replaced by a look alike, the family is confronted with their doubles all at once.
Hereditary [2018]
Premise: A woman's life starts to unravel after the death of her mother, and she believes she can communicate with the dead.
This movie somehow mixes black magic, possession, mental illness and grief in a seamless way that neither seems forced or contrived. Masked by the veil of grief, overlooking the strange events of Hereditary as the family grieves makes sense. This moive is both chilling and unsettling.
Creep (2014)
Premise: A young film maker is hired to film a man's last message to his unborn son.
The movie Creep and its sequel Crrep 2 play with the boundaries of normal behaviour. Wholly centred on the two men, Creep is probably more unsettling for men to watch, as much of the tension surrounds the unusual behaviour of the man who hires the filmmaker.
The Witch [2015]
Premise: A pilgrim family in New England is cast out of their settlement and fear of witches seeps in.
An excellent period piece, The Witch deals with psychology at the intersection of fear and religion. The unsettling piece of The Witch is just how likely this scenario would have been at the time. The world was seeing witches everywhere, and many girls were accused.
The Ritual [2017]
Premise: Four men go on a hiking trip into the Swedish wilderness after the death of a friend.
The Ritual is part man vs. nature and part pagan mythology. When four friends attempt to take a short cut through the woods while visiting Sweden, they stumble upon something they are not prepared for. The movie takes on several twists before the reality of the situation is revealed.
Midsommar [2019]
Premise: A group of university students go to Sweden to attend and study a pagan Midsommar festival.
One of the best movies in the past 10 years, Midsommar was written and directd by Ari Aster, who also wrote and directed Hereditary. Set in a pagan village in rural Sweden, Midsommar brings a modern view and reaction to what is seen as commonplace amongst the villagers. A mix of paganism, symbolism and drug use, Midsommar is not to be missed!
There are many other horror movies available on Netflix! Add your favourites to the comments!