I am a big fan of rom-coms and have a lot of fun plugging my five stars into Letterboxd when I find a new, spectacular one. However, it is not lost on me that snobs of the site may not have the same appreciation for To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before as I do. In honor of Halloween coming in hot, here is a list of indie horror movies that can impress your friends with an appreciation for eclectic, underground movies. Even if you aren’t going out this weekend, you still get in a bit of horror and fun watching these five picks!
A Dark Song
This Welsh-Irish-British horror film is Liam Gavin’s directorial debut. The movie begins with the central character, Sophie, hiring an occultist in order to connect with her deceased son. They travel to an abandoned mansion, conducting grueling rituals with adamant determination. They encounter angels and demons, hardships and horrors as they persist in performing the rites and through the abuses they entail. This gory and tense tale of the supernatural is thought-provoking and intense, a surefire way to gain approval from the most avid of Letterboxd users.
Starry Eyes
What lengths would you be willing to go to for fame? What would you do to make your dreams come true? These questions are central to this film, which begins with Sarah, a sweet actress struggling to make it in Hollywood, as dissatisfaction with her demeaning waitressing gig and unfulfilling friendships grow. Desperate to be a star, Sarah looks to a horror movie financed by a famous production company but finds what is another gut-wrenching failure. Until she gets a second chance, beginning an intense journey in which the demands for success become greater and she is entangled with a satanic cult. This is truly a terrifying, unsettling experience with a violent conclusion.
Killing Of A Sacred Deer
This movie will feature familiar faces, with Nicole Kidman, Colin Farrell, and Barry Keoghan (Hi Sabrina!) as leads, as you have never seen them before. The movie follows Steven, a cardiothoracic surgeon played by Colin Farrell, and his family as he reconnects with the son, Martin, of a man who he operated on unsuccessfully. As Martin, a seemingly innocent young man, weaves his way deeper into the family, terrible misfortunes strike, plaguing the doctor’s family and forcing secrets forth. Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, the absurdity of this thriller speaks to his directorial style and the terrifying nature of this film lends itself well to the horror genre. With a shocking ending, this tale is reminiscent of Greek tragedies and is a captivating, if disturbing, film.
The Innocents
Do not be dissuaded by the need for subtitles as this film is not in English, if anything it will only keep you more present in this disturbing thriller. Four Norwegian children are at the center of this movie, as they come to discover and explore their supernatural abilities. As they explore their powers, their innocence becomes deeply corrupted and what was once friendship and playing becomes much more sinister. This film is deeply twisted and completely flips expectations of youth on its head. The effect of this film will linger long after you leave a review on Letterboxd.
Butterfly kisses
This documentary-style film follows a filmmaker, Gavin York, who discovers a student project about a horrifying legend known as Peeping Tom. York analyzes the videotapes and sets out to prove it was real, which proves to be no small task. He becomes obsessed with locating evidence of the legitimacy of the student’s tribulations in their tapes, leading him down a rabbit hole and dragging his crew down too. There is a certain self-awareness to this film as it takes its place in the found-footage film trope, yet it still manages to be highly tense and suspenseful. They film in Maryland, my home state, so there is a lot of merit in giving this film a try if purely because you want to see the magic of Charm City (aka Baltimore).