Halloween is a time usually marked by trick or treating and parties, both social activities that can’t quite go on this year safely given the situation with COVID-19. However, one great alternative to the usual holiday festivities is a movie night at home! Whether you’re by yourself, with the people you live with or hosting a watch party online, we’re here to give you a list of five of the best-underrated horror/thriller films for you to watch for your Halloween at home.
Disclaimer: these are movies we determined “underrated” based on popularity within our generation among the average movie watcher, so they may not all be “underrated” in film circles.
- “Raw” (2016) Dir. Julia Ducournau
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A gloriously gory female-led and directed French film that– fair warning– literally caused paramedics to be called to the Toronto International Film Festival due to fainting viewers, “Raw” both frightens and provides catharsis. When prospective veterinary student Justine (Garance Marillier), a lifelong vegetarian, arrives at school, she’s forced to eat meat for the first time. The subsequent consequences are gruesome for all involved as secrets are revealed and true natures emerge.
Check any possible triggers for this film here.
Rent “Raw” on Amazon Video for $3.99.
- “Perfect Blue” (1997) Dir. Satoshi Kon
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Often cited by critics as influential to Darren Aronofsky’s “The Black Swan,” “Perfect Blue” is an animated psychological thriller that focuses on pop singer Mima’s (Junko Iwao) not-so-smooth transition into an acting career. Things are not always what they seem as a stalker threatens her career and her sanity.
Check the trigger warnings for “Perfect Blue” here.
Rent “Perfect Blue” for $2.99 on Amazon Video.
- “Candyman” (1992) Dir. Bernard Rose
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With the Nia DaCosta reboot (that will surely put a refreshing spin on this lesser-known classic) having just been pushed to come out next August (written by DaCosta, Win Rosenfeld, and Jordan Peele), now is the perfect time to watch the original “Candyman”. Graduate student Helen (Virginia Madsen) aims to investigate a string of murders tied to an urban legend known as the Candyman (Tony Todd) in this horror film that dives deep in commenting on themes such as gentrification and racial trauma.
Check possible triggers for this movie here.
Rent “Candyman” for $3.99 on Amazon Video.
- “The Killing of a Sacred Deer” (2017) Dir. Yorgos Lanthimos
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Another psychologically charged thriller, “The Killing of a Sacred Deer” is just another feather in modern auteur director Yorgos Lanthimos’s cap. The film, like the rest of Lanthimos’s work, is marked by its stinted line delivery and awkwardly stiff interactions between characters. Beneath all of that though, is a twisted story about choice and consequences, as Dr. Stephen Murphy (Colin Farrell) is tortured by a young boy named Martin (Barry Keoghan) who finds himself in the doctor’s life by a twist of fate.
Check the triggers for this film here.
Watch “The Killing of a Sacred Deer” for free with a Netflix subscription.
- “House” (1977) Dir. Nobuhiko Ōbayashi
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A trip into the minds of children during nightmares, “House” is a heavily stylized, unmatched experience of a watch. This horror/comedy follows Gorgeous (Kimiko Ikegami) and her six best friends, all nicknamed by their defining characteristics, to her aunt’s house for summer vacation… but more than just Gorgeous’ family is waiting for them. The film utilizes editing in ways unlike any other. At first, the stylization may be jarring, even comical, but by the end, you’ll be left with nothing but admiration for film as an artistic medium and stray thoughts of “What did I just watch?!”
Check the trigger for this film here.
Watch “House” for free with an HBO max subscription.
Halloween doesn’t have to be a bore just because it’s at home! We hope this diverse list of underrated horror features adds some excitement to your Halloween at Home. Stay safe and have fun!