Best new horror/suspense/evil movies out
April 30, 2016 4:31 PM Subscribe
My husband and I have recently enjoyed watching It Follows, The Babadook, and most recently and especially, The Invitation. What are some other new films we should check out? I really enjoyed the "dinner party that turns creepy/evil" setup the Invitation had, so triple points for anything else like that that is well made.
Prince of Darkness
For the "party gone wrong" angle.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 5:03 PM on April 30, 2016
For the "party gone wrong" angle.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 5:03 PM on April 30, 2016
I'm pretty sure these two will fit your requirements:
Queen of Earth
Tom at the Farm (a few years old, but only recently released in the US)
These might work for you too:
Mommy (a newer film by the same director as Tom at the Farm)
Goodnight Mommy
Borgman
Creep
posted by ernielundquist at 5:04 PM on April 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
Queen of Earth
Tom at the Farm (a few years old, but only recently released in the US)
These might work for you too:
Mommy (a newer film by the same director as Tom at the Farm)
Goodnight Mommy
Borgman
Creep
posted by ernielundquist at 5:04 PM on April 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
Similar but different: Housebound. DON'T read too much about it before you watch it.
(And then join me in being super pissed that they're remaking it in the US because it was FINE ALREADY, and in English even. Gah.)
posted by Lyn Never at 5:26 PM on April 30, 2016 [9 favorites]
(And then join me in being super pissed that they're remaking it in the US because it was FINE ALREADY, and in English even. Gah.)
posted by Lyn Never at 5:26 PM on April 30, 2016 [9 favorites]
Reports are that "Green Room" is really good.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 5:30 PM on April 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 5:30 PM on April 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
You know what? I wasn't sure if these fit your requirements, so I didn't include them at first, but you might like them anyway, so maybe take a look at the trailers to see if either is your thing:
This one is a little further off from your apparent genre, but it's good. The trailer has a teeny flash of lady nipple in it in case you're in a man nipple-only environment right now: Bastards
This one is even further off, as it's a documentary. It's a scary one, though: The Nightmare
posted by ernielundquist at 5:34 PM on April 30, 2016
This one is a little further off from your apparent genre, but it's good. The trailer has a teeny flash of lady nipple in it in case you're in a man nipple-only environment right now: Bastards
This one is even further off, as it's a documentary. It's a scary one, though: The Nightmare
posted by ernielundquist at 5:34 PM on April 30, 2016
Another "dinner party gone wrong" movie that I really liked, although not quite as intense as The Invitation": Coherence. It's got a bit of a sci-fi angle, but still plenty of suspense.
posted by Pater Aletheias at 5:52 PM on April 30, 2016 [7 favorites]
posted by Pater Aletheias at 5:52 PM on April 30, 2016 [7 favorites]
Seconding You're Next and Creep!
Also:
The Guest
Cheap Thrills
posted by lakemarie at 5:54 PM on April 30, 2016 [3 favorites]
Also:
The Guest
Cheap Thrills
posted by lakemarie at 5:54 PM on April 30, 2016 [3 favorites]
You might want to check out The Sacrament and We Are What We Are.
posted by hilatron at 5:54 PM on April 30, 2016
posted by hilatron at 5:54 PM on April 30, 2016
I second Coherence. Smart, completely improved without feeling like it, made for the price of a Prius yet looking a million bucks. More twilight zoney then straight out horror but a goodin' that keeps you guessing.
posted by hoodrich at 6:00 PM on April 30, 2016
posted by hoodrich at 6:00 PM on April 30, 2016
I think you might like Martha Marcy May Marlene, Sound of My Voice and Baghead just in terms of like violence/weirdness underneath contrasted with polite average white ppl.
My SO wants to mention Housebound and Absentia. They may more campy or creepy than what you are looking for. I'll throw in Here Comes the Devil too.
posted by nom de poop at 6:16 PM on April 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
My SO wants to mention Housebound and Absentia. They may more campy or creepy than what you are looking for. I'll throw in Here Comes the Devil too.
posted by nom de poop at 6:16 PM on April 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
You're Next mentioned above was way better than I expected, though I felt they added a bit of humor at the end that didn't match the rest of the movie.
I really enjoyed The Witch but it doesn't match your criteria. Still a great movie.
posted by beowulf573 at 7:17 PM on April 30, 2016 [3 favorites]
I really enjoyed The Witch but it doesn't match your criteria. Still a great movie.
posted by beowulf573 at 7:17 PM on April 30, 2016 [3 favorites]
A hearty second for Sound Of My Voice and Ex Machina. They aren't exactly the 'dinner party' theme you mention, but they're both very good. Sound Of My Voice is one of my favorite examples of how one can make an outstanding science fiction movie with a SFX budget under $10US.
It's comedy, not horror, but it gets rather weird and matches your 'dinner party' theme: Dinner For Schmucks
One of the most enjoyable horror movies I've seen recently was a little B-flick - good luck finding it - called Hell Fire. It was extremely well-written and well-acted low-budget movie that proved the importance of script and talent over SFX budget.
posted by doctor tough love at 8:00 PM on April 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
It's comedy, not horror, but it gets rather weird and matches your 'dinner party' theme: Dinner For Schmucks
One of the most enjoyable horror movies I've seen recently was a little B-flick - good luck finding it - called Hell Fire. It was extremely well-written and well-acted low-budget movie that proved the importance of script and talent over SFX budget.
posted by doctor tough love at 8:00 PM on April 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
Seconding Housebound, Pontypool, and The Taking of Deborah Logan. I will put a half-vote toward Goodnight Mommy, because it was a little too torture-y for my tastes.
And, some more recommendations for general horror that you might find enjoyable... with the caveat that my girlfriend and I watch a TON of horror, and so our barometer for what is good within contemporary offerings in the genre might be a little skew from reviews on IMDB or Rotten Tomatoes: Orphan (2009), The Boy, Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, Crimson Peak, The Descent, El Orfanato, and Jessabelle.
posted by zeee at 8:02 PM on April 30, 2016
And, some more recommendations for general horror that you might find enjoyable... with the caveat that my girlfriend and I watch a TON of horror, and so our barometer for what is good within contemporary offerings in the genre might be a little skew from reviews on IMDB or Rotten Tomatoes: Orphan (2009), The Boy, Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, Crimson Peak, The Descent, El Orfanato, and Jessabelle.
posted by zeee at 8:02 PM on April 30, 2016
It's from 2010 but fits your suspenseful dinner party criteria. The Perfect Host.
nthing Housebound.
posted by M Edward at 8:05 PM on April 30, 2016
nthing Housebound.
posted by M Edward at 8:05 PM on April 30, 2016
I enthusiastically Nth You're Next and The Guest (which are by the same creator), and Coherence, which is not precisely horror but is definitely a dinner-party-gone-creepyweird and extremely well-done.
posted by rhiannonstone at 8:28 PM on April 30, 2016
posted by rhiannonstone at 8:28 PM on April 30, 2016
Oh man, I love this thread! Nthing Coherence - it is one of my favorite films of all time. Somewhat more outre and experimental but still incredibly creepy at times is Beyond the Black Rainbow. One that's a few years old but traumatized the CRAP out of us due to the creepy/suspenseful factor was Joshua. Also, The Double wasn't exactly horror (more like alternate universe existential dread?), but managed to sustain this insanely high-frequency tone of impending doom for its entire runtime.
posted by julthumbscrew at 8:47 PM on April 30, 2016
posted by julthumbscrew at 8:47 PM on April 30, 2016
Definitely try to see The Green Room. "Punk rock show turns evil." I got so tense at one point that I was worried I'd have a panic attack right there in the movie theater.
The Witch, too. Those are the best horror/suspense/evil movies I've seen this year. To be honest, Midnight Special is effectively tense/spooky, too, though it's more of a science-fiction movie in the Spielberg mode in the end.
posted by Mothlight at 9:52 PM on April 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
The Witch, too. Those are the best horror/suspense/evil movies I've seen this year. To be honest, Midnight Special is effectively tense/spooky, too, though it's more of a science-fiction movie in the Spielberg mode in the end.
posted by Mothlight at 9:52 PM on April 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
Has no one seriously mentioned The One I Love?
I can't imagine a better fit for what you're asking for here.
I'm not going to link to anything because it is BEST watched if you don't know anything about it. I didn't know anything about it when I watched it, I didn't even read a synopsis (suggested by a friend) and now I can't imagine it being half as good an experience if I'd have gone into it knowing things, and I'm a person who usually spoils stuff for myself. I'm so glad I followed the advice not to. It jacked up my brain (in a fun way) for days.
If you have trigger/red flag questions about it, I'll be happy to answer those (memail works) but if you enjoyed Babadook and It Follows, I think this is exactly what you need to watch next.
posted by gloriouslyincandescent at 2:02 AM on May 1, 2016 [2 favorites]
I can't imagine a better fit for what you're asking for here.
I'm not going to link to anything because it is BEST watched if you don't know anything about it. I didn't know anything about it when I watched it, I didn't even read a synopsis (suggested by a friend) and now I can't imagine it being half as good an experience if I'd have gone into it knowing things, and I'm a person who usually spoils stuff for myself. I'm so glad I followed the advice not to. It jacked up my brain (in a fun way) for days.
If you have trigger/red flag questions about it, I'll be happy to answer those (memail works) but if you enjoyed Babadook and It Follows, I think this is exactly what you need to watch next.
posted by gloriouslyincandescent at 2:02 AM on May 1, 2016 [2 favorites]
Monsters isn't a dinner-party setup (being set mostly in the countryside), but it has a reflective tone I really enjoyed.
The Innkeepers and House of the Devil, by Ti West, might work for you--in The Innkeepers, interpersonal dynamics are more important, whereas House of the Devil has a fun retro vibe. Both have some gruesome moments, but nothing worse than It Follows.
Also, this is an older film, but you might not have seen it since it's Spanish and wasn't a huge hit here: The Orphanage. It's pretty scary, but also has kind of a delicate tone for the most part, and is beautifully shot and acted.
posted by Nibbly Fang at 9:31 AM on May 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
The Innkeepers and House of the Devil, by Ti West, might work for you--in The Innkeepers, interpersonal dynamics are more important, whereas House of the Devil has a fun retro vibe. Both have some gruesome moments, but nothing worse than It Follows.
Also, this is an older film, but you might not have seen it since it's Spanish and wasn't a huge hit here: The Orphanage. It's pretty scary, but also has kind of a delicate tone for the most part, and is beautifully shot and acted.
posted by Nibbly Fang at 9:31 AM on May 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
If you liked the "man, LA is creepy" vibe of The Invitation, check out Starry Eyes.
posted by cakelite at 9:57 AM on May 1, 2016
posted by cakelite at 9:57 AM on May 1, 2016
I enjoyed Stoker a lot; it's beautifully made. More suspenseful / murder mystery than horror, but a great creepy vibe throughout. Great production design.
Under the Skin was pretty good, also more quiet dread than in your face horror. Like an X-Files episode, starring Scarlett Johansson.
+1 The One I Love, Ex Machina
posted by Bron at 10:50 AM on May 1, 2016 [2 favorites]
Under the Skin was pretty good, also more quiet dread than in your face horror. Like an X-Files episode, starring Scarlett Johansson.
+1 The One I Love, Ex Machina
posted by Bron at 10:50 AM on May 1, 2016 [2 favorites]
We just watched The Invitation twice because of this thread. Thanks!!
posted by grumpybear69 at 10:54 AM on May 1, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by grumpybear69 at 10:54 AM on May 1, 2016 [2 favorites]
The Poughkeepsie Tapes. Hard to track down now, but worth the $10 for this DVD.
posted by essexjan at 12:06 PM on May 1, 2016
posted by essexjan at 12:06 PM on May 1, 2016
n'thing Housebound and Pontypool. Both I watched on a whim and enjoyed both. The latter has the feel of a filmed play, so it may not be to your tastes.
I don't see a reason to remake Housebound, it's fine as it is.
posted by beowulf573 at 12:51 PM on May 2, 2016
I don't see a reason to remake Housebound, it's fine as it is.
posted by beowulf573 at 12:51 PM on May 2, 2016
It's kind of in that awkward stage between cinema and streaming, but you're going to want to give 10 Cloverfield Lane a watch before anyone spoils it for you.
posted by Artw at 1:12 PM on May 2, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Artw at 1:12 PM on May 2, 2016 [1 favorite]
The Gift by Straya's own Joel Edgerton. It's got Jason Bateman in it and everything. Unsettling af.
posted by turbid dahlia at 4:50 PM on May 4, 2016
posted by turbid dahlia at 4:50 PM on May 4, 2016
I've been ill, and so as a fan of It Follows I've binged on some suggestions here over the last few days. I don't think there's anything up there with It Follows or Babadook or The Invitation, but some brief thoughts FWIW...
The Invitation - I'd not seen this before, a great film, intelligent and well paced, pulling punches throughout to great overall effect.
The Guest - Enjoyable trash until last 15 minutes when it fell apart.
The One I Love - really good, fascinating premise, well told, though not exactly earth shattering.
Creep - Left me a bit cold, but I think I'm just a bit fed up of found footage films. It was a worthy addition to the genre though.
Of the other films here I've already seen:
Under the Skin - I actually think that tonally this is closer to what you're after than most films here. However, I really didn't enjoy the experience of watching this film. I usually like being creeped out, but this was a bit too much. Perhaps just my mood at the time though, there was no doubting the quality of the film.
It Follows - one of my favourite films of recent years.
Babadook - thought it was good when I first saw, but found it too uncomfortable to make it through a second viewing I think due to the subject matter.
You're Next - really enjoyable nonsense. Nothing you haven't seen before, but well put together.
Pontypool - Funnily enough, when this came out my wife was in the midst of a PhD on attitudes to anglicisms in France and Quebec. Anyway, an original take on the genre told in a clever way, but not up there with other films listed.
posted by chill at 2:06 AM on May 6, 2016
The Invitation - I'd not seen this before, a great film, intelligent and well paced, pulling punches throughout to great overall effect.
The Guest - Enjoyable trash until last 15 minutes when it fell apart.
The One I Love - really good, fascinating premise, well told, though not exactly earth shattering.
Creep - Left me a bit cold, but I think I'm just a bit fed up of found footage films. It was a worthy addition to the genre though.
Of the other films here I've already seen:
Under the Skin - I actually think that tonally this is closer to what you're after than most films here. However, I really didn't enjoy the experience of watching this film. I usually like being creeped out, but this was a bit too much. Perhaps just my mood at the time though, there was no doubting the quality of the film.
It Follows - one of my favourite films of recent years.
Babadook - thought it was good when I first saw, but found it too uncomfortable to make it through a second viewing I think due to the subject matter.
You're Next - really enjoyable nonsense. Nothing you haven't seen before, but well put together.
Pontypool - Funnily enough, when this came out my wife was in the midst of a PhD on attitudes to anglicisms in France and Quebec. Anyway, an original take on the genre told in a clever way, but not up there with other films listed.
posted by chill at 2:06 AM on May 6, 2016
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posted by xyzzy at 4:52 PM on April 30, 2016 [1 favorite]