Horroris arguably the most versatile genre of movies.A goodhorror moviedoes what it can to elicit feelings of fear, shock or disgust from its audience. Whether it’s copious amounts of gore, jump scares or establishing a general aura of dread, there are countless methods by which horror movies can frighten their viewers. Effective horror movies attack the senses and play tricks on the mind.
Considering thevast market for horror as a genre and the relatively low cost of production, every year is packed with horror movies. There are the big-ticket franchises, such asThe Conjuring SeriesandScream, but it’s far too often that truly great horror efforts fly under the radar, whether it be a lack of marketing or general genre oversaturation. Sometimes the smallest, least known horror movies can pack the biggest punches. This is a selection of seven great horror movies from the past few years thatyou most likely have never heard of, but are well worth a watch.
7’Strange Darling' (2023)
Directed by JT Mollner
Image via Miramax
A one-night stand between an unnamed woman (Willa Fitzgerald) and an unnamed man (Kyle Gallner) starts innocently enough, spare some taboo fantasies. When morning comes, however,the woman finds herself on the run as the man relentlessly pursues her, leaving a trail of bodies in their wake.
InStrange Darling, nothing is quite as it seems, making for a viscerally compelling horror thriller,chock-full of violence and shocking narrative twists. Shot on 35mm film, and in a peculiar yet charming piece of film trivia, the cinematographic debut of long-time Hollywood actorGiovanni Ribisi,Strange Darlingis an unabashedly arthouse horror. Daring, startlingly original and often harrowing,Strange Darlingis an unforgettable horror experience, despite the deceptively simple cat-and-mouse premise. Go in blind, and you’ll be treated toone of the most bonkers and wildly unpredictable viewingsrecent horror has to offer.
Strange Darling
A twisted one-night stand spirals into a deadly game of cat and mouse when a relentless predator chases an injured woman through the Oregon wilderness.
6’Oddity' (2024)
Directed by Damian Mc Carthy
Darcy Odello (Carolyn Bracken) isa blind clairvoyant, dedicated to solving the brutal murder of her twin sister. The husband, Ted (Gwilym Lee), has since moved on from the tragedy, but Darcy is not convinced of his innocence as she unravels a sinister and complex plot.
Among thebest horror movies of 2024, as well as one of the most overlooked,Odditykeeps its cards close to the chest until the very final moments.Oddityis a modest horror effort, yetexpertly assembled and consistently spine-tingling. There’s a stunning level of detail and finesse when it comes to establishing the movie’s space and soundscape. Toss in a delightfully creepy man-sized wooden doll, and you have a truly unnerving horror experience with numerous tricks up its sleeve. DirectorDamian Mc Carthyis a name to look out for in the future—if his future movies are even half as well-realized asOddity, we could be witnessing a genre legend in the making.
Uncovering the truth behind sister’s death with the help of wooden mannequin.
5’Sick' (2022)
Directed by John Hyams
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, best friends Parker (Gideon Adlon) and Miri (Bethlehem Million) decide to quarantine at a luxurious family lakehouse. While the surprise arrival of DJ (Dylan Sprayberry), Parker’s past fling, startles the girls,it’s not until a masked intruder begins stalking the groupthat the situation becomes deadly.
The COVID-19 pandemic was a truly dark period in modern history, yet crafty and minimalistic creative effortssuch asSickdidwhat they could to keep the art of filmmaking alive. DirectorJohn Hyamstakes the restrictions that came along with COVID-era film production and cleverly weaves in timely themes of isolation and paranoia. WhileSickdoesn’t do much to reinvent the slasher subgenre,the foundation is rock-solid, and the chases/fights are impressively choreographed. There are evena few nifty little twists sprinkled in, making for an entertaining and wickedly fun thrill ride.
4’Deadstream' (2022)
Directed by Joseph Winter and Vanessa Winter
In an age dominated by digitization, it was only a matter of time before a horror movie such asDeadstreamcame along. Thankfully,Deadstreamis a frightening, funny and nastylittle horror movie with a clever satirical edge to it. Despite the premise, this isn’t a movie built upon gimmicks;Deadstreamsmartly sets up some truly effective scares, made all the more harrowing by theup-close and personal live stream format. Along with being timely and in-tune with the social media sensibilities that have been ingrained into far too many aspects of everyday life, this has all the makings of a reliable and fun Halloween night staple for any household.
Deadstream
3’Incantation' (2022)
Directed by Kevin Ko
Set in Taiwan, Li Ronan (Hsuan-yen Tsai) recovers her young daughter named Dodo from a foster home six years after Ronan was forced to leave Dodo to seek psychiatric help following a traumatic event that left her boyfriend dead. Soon after bringing her home, Dodo falls victim to a debilitating illness.Ronan believes it to be the result of a curse passed onto herand is willing to do anything to lift it, no matter the cost.
Incantationis a Taiwanese found footage horror movie that stands as one of the scariest of the decade. It is executed with conviction; very few found-footage movies feel this real, and, as a whole, it’simmersive in ways few horror movies have managed before. The exploration of Taiwanese folklore lends an outlandish concept an unsettling amount of realism,along with a terrifyingly clever endingthat breaks the fourth wall with a haunting degree of effectiveness.
Incantation
Incantation is a horror film directed by Kevin Ko, released in 2022. The movie follows Li Ronan, a mother who must confront the consequences of her encounter with a cult and break a deadly curse to save her daughter. The film explores themes of fear, superstition, and the supernatural through a blend of folklore and nightmarish visuals, creating a gripping narrative that delves into the terror of the unknown.
2’No One Will Save You' (2023)
Directed by Brian Duffield
Brynn (Kaitlyn Dever) leads a quiet life alone in her childhood home, where she works as a dressmaker. She is awoken one night by an intruder in her home, and after a tussle,the intruder is revealed to be a humanoid alien. Unfortunately for her and the residents of the nearby town, this is not an isolated incident, and Brynn’s country home becomes her last line of defense against an otherworldly threat.
No One Will Save Youis a remarkably intense and well-directedhome invasion thriller with a twisty marriage of sci-fi and horror. Alien invasion movies often take place on an apocalyptic or global scale, butNo One Will Save You’s approach to the subject is rather quaint by comparison, and wholly effective. Dever is fantastic in an almost completely wordless role—she sells the physicality of a desperate fight for survival.The endingfully embraces its science fiction elements in subversive ways, although it won’t be to every viewer’s taste. Think ifE.T. the Extra-Terrestrialwas a vicious killer instead of a cute little guy with an affinity for Reese’s Pieces.
No One Will Save You
An exiled anxiety-ridden homebody must battle an alien who’s found its way into her home.
1’Watcher' (2022)
Directed by Chloe Okuno
When they move to Bucharest, Julia (Maika Monroe) begins a new life with her husband Francis (Karl Glusman). When she notices a stranger (Burn Gorman) watching her from an apartment window,her investigations into him lead her to believe that he’s a serial killer.
InWatcher, the primal fears that comewith being watched and followed are explored with chilling results.This is a confident, smartly made horror thrillerthat’s packed with plenty of striking visuals that are sure to make your hair stand on end. Monroe is something of a modern horror staple, andher work here is especially great. From the excellentIt FollowstoWatcher, it seems as though Monroe just can’t stop being stalked. Forget the supernatural and the demonic—sometimes a shadowy peeper in an adjacent window can unsettle more effectively than anything.
A young American actress moves with her husband to Bucharest, and begins to suspect that a stranger who watches her from an apartment window may be a serial killer.
