I feel like we’re in a horror movie renaissance, and I’m not the first to say it. While there have of course always been thoughtful horror movies, Jordan Peele’s directorial debut Get Out challenged the classic formulas and tropes of the horror genre and opened the door for new interpretations of what horror could be.
I’m a huge fan of this new era of horror, particularly the way realistic lived experiences are bonded with the supernatural. There is something that these films and series know that anyone who has come of age in a period of such political, economic, and social instability also knows: there is nothing more horrific than the tragedies that happen to us in real life, within our own heads, or to the people that we love. We see this in the way Midsommar centers itself around an abusive relationship, the way the spectres of Hereditary and The Haunting of Hill House are manifestations of familial mental illness and addiction, the way The Lodge grapples with religious trauma, and Us with racism and classism.
So, in honor of a Halloween made even scarier because it comes right before Election Day, I wanted to talk about some of my favorite recent horror films and series. Despite their atmosphere of irreality, these films and shows make me feel less alone in our uncertain world.
- Midsommar
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Midsommar just might be my favorite movie of all time, of any genre. I’m even being Dani for Halloween this year, if that tells you anything. Midsommar follows a group of graduate students on their visit to a rural Swedish community to celebrate the traditional midsummer holiday. The trip quickly takes several dark turns, but these events are merely the backdrop for what Dani experiences internally as her relationship falls apart.
- The Haunting of Bly Manor
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Netflix’s The Haunting of Bly Manor is a series that will stay with me for a long time. Every night I watched this show I would fall asleep dreaming of the characters, whose emotions and personalities felt so real to me. Each character was haunted by their own pasts as well as the literal ghosts of Bly Manor, leading to a complex and layered story. While it strays further from classic horror than its predecessor The Haunting of Hill House did, I found that this only bolstered the show’s themes and plot points.
- The Lodge
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This one is a little more unpopular. I watched this over the summer assuming it would be a mindless horror film but instead I was pleasantly surprised at how much the film made me think. The movie takes place at a remote lodge during Christmastime, where a new step-mother is tasked with taking care of her two step-children who are still grieving the loss of their mother. During the stay, inexplicable events begin to trigger the stepmother’s religious trauma.
- The Haunting of Hill House
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The first edition of Netflix’s The Haunting series follows five adult siblings and the PTSD they have from experiencing a number of paranormal events while growing up in their childhood home. After experiencing a tragic event that seems related to the haunting of their childhood, the estranged family must come together once more to grapple with their past trauma. In many ways, the ghosts of Hill House are embodiments of generational mental illnesses, offering an interesting dual-interpretation of the series on a literal level as well as a metaphorical one.
- Us
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Us is easily the most terrifying film on this list. The concept is so creative and unique, another testament to how Jordan Peele is breathing a new life into the horror genre. I don’t even want to summarize any of the plot because I wouldn’t be able to do it justice. You need to experience the shock of Us firsthand.
- Hereditary
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Like Hill House, Hereditary attempts to portray the horrors of mental illness through the idea of hereditary possession. Deep in the grief of losing a family member, the family begins to dabble in paranormal rituals while attempting to maintain their sanity.