Does this sound familiar: you’re looking for something scary on Netflix, but keep coming across films with titles like Blood Glacier? Isn’t there a better way to find good horror movies that are streaming? Perhaps you tried to Google “What are the best horror movies on Netflix right now?” Allow us to help! Each month, we’ll highlight the best of the best streaming horror titles on Netflix.
It’s February, which means Valentine’s Day is fast approaching to remind all those who have yet to find a partner that they are doomed to a life of loneliness! But romance is overrated — wouldn’t you rather just Netflix and Chill with yourself? You don’t even have to buy flowers! If your plans for February including staying inside and watching movies with copious amounts of dread in them, allow me to highlight some of the best horror titles Netflix has to offer this month.
1. Antichrist
Lars von Trier takes a stab at a “cabin in the woods”-style horror film with the endlessly disturbing Antichrist. Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg escape into their secluded cabin in the woods to cope with the recent death of their young son. What follows is an unrelenting descent into madness, violence and an exploration (or perhaps its an exploitation) of gender. This is an utterly mind-blowing film that needs to be seen to be believed, if you can stomach it. But be warned: it’s filled with some truly disturbing moments. Or, as one talking fox succinctly puts it, “Chaos reigns.”
2. Let the Right One In
The perfect chilly horror film for cold, cold February, Let the Right One In is a breathtaking, haunting twist on the standard vampire story. A bullied, antisocial young boy becomes friends with a strange girl (who just happens to be a vampire). Tomas Alfredson’s direction is masterful, and the film perfectly mixes pathos and terror. An American remake — erroneously titled Let Me In, missing the fact that the original film’s title came from a Morrissey song — soon followed, but stick with the original. It’s much more rewarding.
3. Angel Heart
Alan Parker’s sweaty, sticky and sleazy horror-noir Angel Heart has a constantly rumpled Mickey Rourke hiredby Robert De Niro, who may or may not be THE DEVIL (he totally is), to find a missing person. Parker’s film works on multiple levels — it’s an engrossing mystery, a bone chilling tale of terror, and there’s even moments of sultry erotica to get you hot and bothered when you’re not filled with fear. Voodoo, Satanism and ritual sacrifice abound — what more do you want from a movie?
4. When Animals Dream
Think of When Animals Dream as the most soulful, artistic remake of Teen Wolf imaginable. Marie (Sonia Suhl), a shy teenager living on a misty island, discovers that she’s slowly turning into a werewolf, and struggles to come to terms with this. The film also has an underlining theme of domineering men who would rather subdue women, against their will if necessary, rather than see them be strong. That it’s good if women are beautiful, as long a they’re not fearsome. When Animals Dream is a unique, quiet monster movie. So many films involving werewolves and other shape-shifters can’t conclude until the beast is vanquished or destroyed. In those type of films, becoming a werewolf is always a curse that cannot be broken. When Animals Dream, however, is a werewolf film that’s daring enough to say that sometimes change is good, even if a few terrible people get bloodied in the process. It’s a film that says it’s okay to be both beautiful and fearsome.
5. House of Wax
When House of Wax was released, the buzz and marketing of the film revolved around reality TV star/airhead Paris Hilton, who played a principal character who eventually got a large metal pipe impaled through her noggin. Unfortunately, many horror fans avoided the project due to both Hilton’s involvement and the odious fact that it was a remake of a classic 1953 horror film starring Vincent Price. But oddly enough, House of Wax has almost nothing to do with the Price film, and is more of a remake of the amazingly bizarre 1979 horror oddity Tourist Trap. Look, House of Wax isn’t a modern classic, but it’s a surprisingly fun, scary film with some truly nasty moments — our lead character gets her lips superglued shut and one of her fingers cut off all in the same scene. If you’ve avoided this film simply due to its reputation, it’s time to give it a chance. You might be pleasantly surprised.
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