Top 5 Horror Films of the Year (so far)
Hush is a straight-to-VOD sleeper hit from director Mike Flanagan (Oculus, Absentia). The film stars Kate Siegel as Maddie, a deaf young woman living alone in the woods. She finds herself having to fend off a crazed, determined masked murderer hellbent on getting inside her house to kill her. If this sounds like just any other slasher flick, that’s where you’re wrong. Hush plays with the advantages and disadvantages of not being able to hear, aligning viewers with Maddie’s perspective by cutting out sound or amplifying her other senses and ultimately lending itself to a fresh take on the slasher genre. Hush is unique, entertaining, creepy, and mildly gory- a perfect choice for any horror fan looking for a fix. This film is currently streaming on Netflix and for rental on YouTube.
4. The Invitation (3.5/5 stars)
Directed by Karyn Kusama (Girlfight, Jennifer’s Body), The Invitation is a quiet, solemn, yet fantastically suspenseful study of loss, paranoia, and cults. The film stars Logan Marshall-Green as Will, a man who, along with his new partner and several close friends, is invited to attend a dinner party at the home of his ex-wife and her new husband. As the night goes on, Will begins to suspect that the hosts have sinister plans for their attendees. This film is beautifully shot and directed and keeps viewers engaged by playing with the whole “are they or aren’t they cult members” motif, going back and forth between having the audience believe that Will is a delusional, paranoid mess and that he is a rightful, vigilant, hyper-aware harbinger of doom. Although a “slow burn”, the final act of this film is well worth the wait. The Invitation is now available for rental through Vudu, YouTube, Google Play, and Itunes.
3. 10 Cloverfield Lane (4/5 stars)
10 Cloverfield Lane, directed by Dan Trachtenberg, is the highly anticipated yet totally unexpected sci-fi horror sequel to Cloverfield. The film follows Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) who, after getting into a car accident, wakes up in an underground bunker belonging to Howard (John Goodman), a man who won’t let her leave because he claims the outside world is destroyed and the air is contaminated. Michelle must figure out how to survive, whether she stays in the bunker with a man she doesn’t trust or whether she takes her chances with possibly deadly oxygen and whatever else might be outside. From the acting, to the cinematography, to the big special effects, and down to the tiny details, this film is fantastic. The tension, suspense, and claustrophobia are so palpable and well-developed that you’ll be invested in Michelle’s plight from beginning to end with not one second of down-time in between, despite the deliberate pace. 10 Cloverfield Lane is available on DVD through Netflix and for purchase on Google Play.
2. Green Room (4.5/5 stars)
Green Room, directed by Jeremy Saulnier (Blue Ruin), is a horror thriller about a punk band that is held captive at a skinhead venue after witnessing staff members commit a murder. The band must outwit the club owner, played by Patrick Stewart, and his minions in order to survive. This film is visually stunning to see, from its attention to small details like the colors of the shoe laces on the skins’ boots to the greenish-blue hues of the film itself. The writing is phenomenal and the acting is first-rate from all involved, namely Imogen Poots and the late Anton Yelchin, who truly carries the film. The drama is so understated yet riveting and intense at the same time, making for an anxiety-inducing thrill ride. Currently, Green Room only seems to be available online for digital purchase through Google Play.
1. The VVitch (5/5 stars)
The feature-length directorial debut film from Robert Eggers, The VVitch tells the story of Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy) and her family being tormented by a witch after leaving the comforts of their walled, Puritan community to start a new, even more pious life in the woods. Fair warning: this film will not be for everyone. It’s a (stunning) period piece in which the actors only speak Old English. In addition, the plot moves at a fairly slow pace and there are few, if any, jump scares for people who like those sudden jolts of fear rather than a buildup of suspense. However, if you can get on board with all the things I just mentioned, you are in for a truly unique and cinematic experience. Everything about this film is a marvel- the acting (especially from Taylor-Joy), the script, the cinematography, the costume design, the lighting, the symbolism, the effects, the recreation of 17th century New England, the ~delicious~ suspense, even the underlying message. If you’re a person who loves film or photography, arthouse horror, or wants to see something very different from what’s currently trending in cinema, you owe it to yourself to see The VVitch. And as far as horror films go, The VVitch is endorsed by the Satanic Temple. That has to mean something, right? This film is available online for rental and digital purchase via iTunes, YouTube, and Google Play as well as on DVD for rental through Netflix and Redbox.
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