It's no secret that horror movies are big business at the box office. In 2019 alone, these frightening films grossed nearly $750 million dollars. But with so many big-budget horror flicks to choose from, it's easy for some of the genre's smaller projects to fall through the cracks, especially for those of us who aren't hardcore horror fans. That's why we've compiled this list of truly terrifying horror movies that might not be on your radar. If you're looking for a frightening film to stream, these titles are definitely worth a watch.
It Follows (2014)
In many classic horror movies, teenagers who have sex end up being the next characters to die. In 2016, the low-budget horror film It Follows took that long-running trope to a new level by making it the main focus of the plot.
When a teenage girl named Jay hooks up with a handsome but seemingly paranoid boy named Hugh, she isn't looking for anything serious. But she soon finds out that her causal fling was much more than she bargained for. As a result of her hook up, Jay's been cursed with the supernatural equivalent of an STD, and is now being stalked by a deadly, shape-shifting ghoul. To make matters worse, the only way to save herself is to pass on the curse to an unwitting sexual partner, or to figure out how to kill the creature herself.
The Witch (2015)
In 2015's The Witch, a Puritan family living in 17th Century New England is banished from their colonial community due to a religious dispute. After striking out on their own and settling in the wilderness, their youngest son goes missing. What follows is a fighting, feminist take on traditional colonial-era New England "Witch" tales that you won't soon forget.
(SPOILER ALERT) Word to the wise: Don't get too attached to the goats. (END SPOILER ALERT)
The House Of The Devil (2009)
If you're a fan of classic horror films from the late 70's and early 80's, The House of the Devil should definitely be on your radar. No, it's not a classic 80's horror film you somehow missed (it was actually made in 2009). But it is an homage to films from that era, and it goes to great lengths to recreate the cinematic style of the time.
Set in the early 1980's, the film tells the story of Samantha Hughes, a struggling college student who accepts a babysitting job she found in a classified ad. When Samantha arrives at the secluded house to meet the Ulman family, she finds out that she won't actually be watching any children. Instead, she's tasked with watching Mr. Ulman's elderly mother-in-law. Desperate for rent money, Samantha reluctantly agrees. But as the night drags on, she slowly discovers that the members of the Ulman family are not what they seem...
The Eyes Of My Mother (2016)
Horror movies are disturbing. That's the entire point. But even by horror movie standards, The Eyes of My Mother really pushes the envelope. The film tells the story of a young girl named Francisca who lives on a farm with her parents. As it happens, Francisca's mom is a surgeon, and she teaches her young daughter how to remove the eyeballs of farm animals (... you know, typical farm stuff). But when a psychotic traveling salesman stops by and murders her mother, Francisca ends up putting her eye-removal skills to good use.
That synopsis might not sound too disturbing for a horror movie, but that's because it barely scratches the plot's surface. Once Francisca grows into adulthood, things really go off the rails.
Train To Busan (2016)
When it comes to horror movies, Zombie films aren't exactly in short supply. In fact, if anything, the horror genre has a glut of undead content to choose from. That said, the 2016 Korean film Train to Busan puts a new twist on the Zombie apocalypse.
As with other zombie films, Train to Busan involves a group of strangers who are forced to band together to survive. But what sets this film apart from other zombie films is that it takes place almost entirely on a high-speed bullet train as the infection spreads from passenger to passenger. This unique setting ends up breathing new life into a well-worn premise.
Comments