‘Ouija: Origins of Evil’ (2016)

Rotten Tomatoes: 84% | IMDb: 6.2/10

Mike Flanagan had already built a reputation as a rock-steady horror filmmaker by 2016, but the sense of “holy crap, this guy can do anything” became set in stone once he took on a prequel to a critically-derided movie about an evil ouija board and made one of the scariest movies of the last decade. Ouija: Origin of Evil takes us to the 1970s, where fake psychic Alice Zander (Elizabeth Reaser) and her two daughters, Lina (Annalise Basso) and Doris (Lulu Wilson), perform seances for paying customers in the wake of Alice’s husband dying. Doris, the youngest, spices up the act with the introduction of a ouija board, but the cursed item makes things all too real when it not only sends a dark spirit into the girl’s body but exposes the deep-seated evil ingrained in the Zander’s house. There is, to be very clear, absolutely no reason for Ouija: Origin of Evil to be good at all, so it’s a downright shock that it’s this horrifying and effective. And, because it’s Flanagan we’re talking about here, there’s also a potent dramatic heart beating underneath all those bumps in the night. –Vinnie Mancuso

‘The Babysitter’ (2017)

Rotten Tomatoes: 71% | IMDb: 6.3/10

It’s a common trope: a little kid has a crush on their sexy teenage babysitter. But Netflix’s original flick The Babysitter turns that on its head, by making the hot babysitter also happen to be part of a Satanic cult. The cult – who has brought their ceremony into young Cole’s house – will stop at nothing to prevent Cole from spreading their secret. It’s not really a “scary” horror film; it’s more goofy, super gory, and a kind of throwback to the campy horror of the 1980s. – Alyse Wax

‘Fear Street: Part One – 1994’ (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes: 84% | IMDb: 6.2/10

The first installment of Netflix’s Fear Street trilogy of films is an absolute blast from start to finish. Very much drawing influence from Scream, this R-rated slasher takes place in the town of Shadyville, where people going back decades have a habit of going on violent killing sprees. Rumors swirl that it’s all to do with a witch’s curse from the 1600s (which is covered in the third movie), and in this 1994-set film a group of teenagers find themselves the target of a bevy of masked killers as the try to figure out what’s going on and how to survive it. At the center of the story is a queer romance that sets this apart from many other slashers of its ilk, and there’s enough comedic relief to keep this from being bogged down as a horror film of the self-serious type. Again the Scream comparisons are apt, so if you’re in for a spooky good time that also sets up a mythology that is concluded in the next two Fear Street movies, give Fear Street Part One: 1994 a whirl. – Adam Chitwood

‘Fear Street: Part Two – 1978’ (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes: 87% | IMDb: 6.7/10

It’s tempting to loop all of the Fear Street films into one entry because they’re such a satisfying (you might even say limited series-like) whole, but they’re also so stylistically distinct and uniquely effective, they’re worth singling out on their own. As for the second installment, 1978 takes audiences back to another Shadyside massacre, this time inspired by the summer camp horror trend of the 70s and 80s. Anchored around the story of two estranged sisters finding their way back to each other despite their differences, 1978 unleashes the Nightwing killer scene in the first film while investigating the story behind how he became a cursed mass murderer and deepening the established mythology and character work in the process.

I wouldn’t recommend watching them out of order on your first watch but if you’re looking to head back into fear Street and don’t have time to watch the whole trilogy, 1978 is easily the most self-contained of all three, but good luck not immediately hitting play on the next one. – Haleigh Foutch

‘Fear Street: Part Three – 1666’ (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes: 88% | IMDb: 6.6/10

The final film in the trilogy, Fear Street Part Three: 1666 brings it all together by traveling to the origins of the curse, so if you’re looking for a bit of period horror with a big action payoff, this is your best bet. It’s stunning how writer-director Leigh Janiak created a distinct language for each installment, not just cinematically, but in the horror traditions she employs. In keeping, 1666 is the darkest of the three, delving into the rotted core of society behind the Shadyside curse. But Janiak keeps a tight tonal command, never fully abandoning the fun spirit that makes her trilogy such a treat.

Understandably, considering how much story 1666 has to carry as the installment that answers it all, Part Three might be the least cohesive as a standalone film, but it also might be the most rewarding of them all as you watch Janiak’s magic pull it all off. – Haleigh Foutch

‘Vampires vs. The Bronx’ (2020)

Rotten Tomatoes: 90% | IMDb: 5.7/10

The delightfully-titled Vampires vs. The Bronx is one of those modern horror movies with such a simple, clever twist on a well-worn genre you wonder how it didn’t happen sooner. The gist: A crew of kids living in a Bronx neighborhood discovers that the real estate company buying up local businesses is run by a cabal of blood-sucking vampires. Seeing as gentrification is largely the act of sucking a community dry, the concept is a home run. But director Osmany Rodriguez—who is responsible for many an SNL segment, most importantly “A Kanye Place”—also manages to have a ton of fun in the process. The Stranger Things comparisons are obvious, but with the grit and attitude of 2011’s must-watch alien invasion flick, Attack the Block. It’s just such a charming, genuine movie that loves vampire horror enough to show characters literally taking notes from Blade and loves New York City enough to wage war with the undead over the sanctity of a corner bodega. If you know, you know. –Vinnie Mancuso

‘Creep’ (2014)

Rotten Tomatoes: 91% | IMDb: 6.3/10

Found footage gets a bad rap, but when it works, it works. And in the Creep movies? Oh yeah, it works. The 2014 original stars director and co-writer Patrick Bice as a videographer who travels to a remote cabin hired by a strange fella named Josef (played by co-writer and producer Mark Duplass in one of the best performances of his ever-unpredictable career), who says he as a brain tumor and wants to film a video diary for his unborn child before he dies. Duplass does incredible work threading the needle between a creepy and likable guy, keeping you guessing about his endgame the whole time. Of course, by the end of the movie, you know the answer… which is what makes it so phenomenal that the 2017 sequel Creep 2 works just as well. Bice also directs the follow-up, with Desiree Akhavan taking on the role of the new videographer in potential peril, and her dynamic with Duplass’ Josef is even more intriguing and unpredictable. Both are fantastic, edge-of-your-seat thrillers that use the found footage format for all its worth. – Haleigh Foutch

‘#Alive’ (2020)

Rotten Tomatoes: 88% | IMDb: 6.3/10

During the peak of the pandemic, Netflix debuted a new horror film that both timely and familiar with the tried and true tropes of the zombie genre. #Alive, a tech-era zombie survival thriller feels firmly rooted in our internationally shared sense of isolation during the pandemic lockdowns. The Korean horror wastes no time getting to the action, centering on a young man (Yoo Ah-in) who finds himself trapped in his apartment alone after the rapid onset of a zombie plague and following his attempts to stay alive — and sane — from his newfound confinement. #Alive doesn’t exactly break the mold of zombie thrillers, but it’s a tightly-constructed thrilling treat with some of the best zombie transformation scenes in recent memory, and that despairing sense of isolation (along with the inner strength it takes to overcome it) makes it stand out as a unique entry in the zombie canon that feels pitched exactly to the anxieties of 2020. – Haleigh Foutch

‘In the Tall Grass’ (2019)

Rotten Tomatoes: 36% | IMDb: 5.5/10

Netflix has tapped into the well that is Stephen King in a big way. But with the adaptation of In the Tall Grass, they’ve also got a handle on the next generation of horror authors with Joe Hill. The premise is simple: Passersby are called into a vast field of tall grass by people pleading for help, only to be unable to find their way back out again. But since this is a King & Son joint, abject horror obviously waits for them among the greenery…

In her review of the new Netflix adaptation, our own Haleigh Foutch called the feature film “ambitious, imaginative, and artfully presented, taking King and Hill’s contained short and transforming it to a more expansive, sometimes confounding universe of horrors. In the Tall Grass doesn’t always work, but when it does, it’s compelling and gorgeous, and yet another film on the Netflix roster I wish more people had an opportunity to see in theaters.” That’s more than enough reason to add it to your watch-list today. – Dave Trumbore

‘Bird Box’ (2018)

Rotten Tomatoes: 64% | IMDb: 6.6/10

A Netflix sensation, Bird Box follows Sandra Bullock’s reluctant mother-to-be who’s forced to care for two young children after a devastating invasion takes away everyone’s ability to see. Technically, the human beings in this post-apocalyptic scenario still can see if they’re so inclined, but to do so is to invite madness and, ultimately, death. It’s a clever gimmick that’s on par with that of Hush and A Quiet Place, but is it strong enough on its own to carry the movie? Your mileage may vary. – Dave Trumbore

‘Apostle’ (2018)

Rotten Tomatoes: 78% | IMDb: 6.3/10

This excerpt comes from Haleigh Foutch’s Apostle review from Fantastic Fest 2018.

You are not ready for Apostle. You may think you’re ready for Apostle, but this brutal piece of British folk horror boasts the kind of crazy butchery that will have you watching through squinted eyes and squirming in your seat. Director Gareth Evans, best known for his action masterpieces The Raid and The Raid 2, trades combat for carnage in his new Netflix film, building a sense of sickening tension for the first half before flaying flesh and mangling bodies with abandon when the cult craziness boils over.

Apostle tackles the subjects of faith and fringe society with a lot of heart and some batshit crazy zeal. This film loves its outsiders, even as it inflicts all manner of torment upon them, and Evans clearly has a blast creating a rich mythology to drop them in. It’s a surprising, sometimes shocking cult horror movie that mixes the legacy of The Wicker Man with carnal, fleshy frights and a hint of freaky folklore. It’ll make you groan and grimace through the torment, but it will get your heart racing in all the right ways, even when it occasionally stumbles over its own ambition. – Haleigh Foutch

‘Cargo’ (2018)

IMDb: 2.8/10

You’d be forgiven for feeling a bit worn-out on the post-apocalyptic zombie sub-genre, but there’s every reason to put that feeling aside when it comes to Cargo.

Cargo is a tightly focused thriller that’s less concerned about shaking up this particular sub-genre and more intent on delivering solid performances from Freeman and the supporting cast. It’s the interactions between the humans–strangers all, some of the same race and gender, some not–that drive home both the decency and innate inhumanity mankind is capable of. There are some Colonialist aspects of the storytelling that aren’t fully fleshed out, to be honest, but Cargo delivers some creepy “zombies” and really makes you feel for the protagonists, a rare feat in this horror sub-genre. – Dave Trumbore

‘The Ritual’ (2018)

Rotten Tomatoes: 74% | IMDb: 6.3/10

The Ritual features, hands down, one of the creepiest movie monster creations in recent years. That’s worth a watch by itself. Barton/Nevill’s story may have a familiar setup at the outset, but there are plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing; a truly traumatic moment that happens early on in the telling will get you to sit up and pay attention because it signals that The Ritual is not your average horror movie.

The story centers on a group of former college friends who plan a getaway, one that soon takes a turn for the horrific–there’s your familiar setup. To tell you more would be to give away too much, but it should suffice to say that the original monster creation is half the fun, and the other half is the introspective psychological journey that one of the main characters goes on. It’s a rare treat in “Movies for Guys” these days, rarer still in the horror genre. Watch this one soon before you’re spoiled. – Dave Trumbore

‘1922’ (2017)

Rotten Tomatoes: 92% | IMDb: 6.2/10

This review snippet comes from Haleigh Foutch’s full review of the movie.

1922 struggles a bit with pacing, rushing the early bits and dragging out Wilf’s long fall. The film tests audience patience a bit, the epitome of a slow burn. But 1922 also has the strength of a simple, direct story, which Hilditch honors in full (aside from one last-minute tweak) by crafting the simmering tension of certain dread. Atmospheric and sparing, 1922 is one of King’s subtle nightmares, but it packs a punch by inspecting the familiar terrors of masculine pride gone wrong and the sinking spiritual punishment of a man who chooses his own damnation. – Haleigh Foutch

‘Gerald’s Game’ (2017)

Rotten Tomatoes: 91% | IMDb: 6.5/10

Gerald’s Game is the impossible adaptation, but Flanagan has proven himself one hell of an idea man with his string of horror hits, and finding a way to make Gerald’s Game work is his most impressive feat yet. This is an excellent King adaptation. It’s an excellent psychological horror that investigates hard topics without flinching and without exploiting. It’s a soulful piece with its heart and its head firmly in the right place; a rejection of toxic masculinity, oppressive silence, and cycles of abuse. It’s an embrace of female strength, outright, and it’s as moving as it is consummately thrilling. – Haleigh Foutch

‘Under the Shadow’ (2016)

Rotten Tomatoes: 99% | IMDb: 6.8/10

From Tehran comes Under the Shadow, a politically tantalizing, angry tale of repressed spirits unleashed upon the world. Set in the 1980s, Babak Anvari’s story begins with a not-surprising yet nevertheless infuriating scene: Narges Rashidi’s Shideh, a wife and mother, is being refused re-entry to the medical college due to her leftist leanings during the Iran-Iraq War. Her well-meaning yet incessantly condescending husband doesn’t see the big deal, while her daughter can hardly pay attention beyond her dolly. It’s when the husband leaves for the front that things start getting really strange though, both in the supernatural way and the all-too-real way. Mysterious happenings, including Shideh’s daughter’s increasing madness and sickness, are blamed on the arrival of a fabled Djinn, a demonic force of great power, while a missile lands in the top floor of Shideh’s building without going off. The surreal experience of wartime in Iran only enflames the nightmarish conjuring of the supposed Djinn and its agents as it plagues Shideh. Anvari isn’t much for artifice but his sense of visual invention is apparent early on, especially when the Djinn begins tossing people around. Confined largely to one apartment complex, Under the Shadow is perhaps the boldest emblem of the repressed rage felt by women in Iran to be released since A Separation, and announces Anvari as one of the most promising young Iranian directors currently working. — Chris Cabin

‘Velvet Buzzsaw’ (2019)

Rotten Tomatoes: 61% | IMDb: 5.7/10

While Velvet Buzzsaw may not immediately seem like a horror movie, and in truth is a little obtuse and confusing, if you go into the film with the notion that it’s a slasher movie set in the art world, you’ll have a blast. From Nightcrawler filmmaker Dan Gilroy, this campy and darkly funny romp follows a group of art dealers who stumble upon a mountain of unseen work from a deceased, criminally insane artist. When they start showing off the art, people start dying in gory and horrible ways. The film is over the top in the best way, as Jake Gyllenhaal plays a pretentious art dealer and Toni Collette steals almost ever scene she’s in. This one is a lot of fun if you engage with it in a certain way. – Matt Goldberg