The Platform (Spain)
“A vertical prison with one cell per level. Two people per cell. One only food platform and two minutes per day to feed from up to down. An endless nightmare trapped in The Hole.”
This modern masterpiece of design and provocation might not seem like a horror film on its surface, but the sci-fi dystopia is presents are as horrifying as anything else you’ve seen. It all comes down to the reality of human savagery and the possibility of compassion, empathy, and kindness. The odds for our species aren’t good.
Relic (Australia)
“A daughter, mother and grandmother are haunted by a manifestation of dementia that consumes their family’s home.”
I’ve already praised this debut feature from Natalie Erika James multiple times since Sundance, and I expect that will continue through the end of the year (and beyond). It’s a tight, creepy as hell tale that delivers the horror — creepy beats abound leading up to an intense third act set-piece — while also finding natural observations on family, connection, loneliness, and more. And not for nothing, but it’s the rare horror effort that will have you crying during its final few minutes. See this one, people. (And avoid trailers if possible.)
Sea Fever (Ireland)
“The crew of a West of Ireland trawler, marooned at sea, struggle for their lives against a growing parasite in their water supply.”
This little gem arrived in the middle of a pandemic, and that couldn’t have been more fitting for a story about an infectious illness in the form of a previously undiscovered life form. The setting, a fishing trawler out at sea, gives an isolated feel to the terror as paranoia, violence, and death become the norm, and it adds a tease of John Carpenter’s The Thing to the film’s atmosphere. It’s a smart, science-oriented approach that adds thrills, horror and a plea for humanity in the face of impending death.
The Siren
“A man searches the lake for the monster that murdered his husband, while that monster falls in love with an unsuspecting visitor.”
Fans of moody, emotional, slow-burn horror should absolutely have writer/director Perry Blackshear on their radar. His feature debut, 2015’s They Look Like People, is a masterclass in tension, paranoia, and empathy, and now he’s back with another dark tale of broken people and the redefinition of the term monster. The lead trio from the earlier film return as well showing a well-placed faith in his distinctly human voice.
Underwater
“A crew of oceanic researchers working for a deep-sea drilling company try to get to safety after a mysterious earthquake devastates their deepwater research and drilling facility located at the bottom of the Mariana Trench.”
Creature features set at sea will always be something special, and this big-budget studio fare nails what makes the sub-genre so thrilling. Kristen Stewart headlines and is fantastic as she fully immerses herself into the genre displaying both humanity and heroism, and the film’s production design, creature effects, and set-pieces follow suit. It’s just a lot of monster movie fun.
Honorable mentions: Becky, Color Out of Space, The Deeper You Dig, Gretel & Hansel, The Invisible Man, The Sonata
Related Topics: Horror, Mid-Year Report
