The Best Horror Films Available On Netflix Instant Stream
I can safely say that I definitely get my $8 worth every month when it comes to Netflix Instant Streaming. The collection available on Netflix has been getting better and better recently, but of course there are a massive number of films on there, and sometimes it can be difficult to find the gems among all the garbage. I've already covered some of the best 'Thrillers' and 'Dramas' that are available on Netflix, so next, inspired by recent horror film 'Evil Dead,' I'm going to suggest some of the best Horror films that can should be added to your Instant Queue as soon as possible.
Stake Land (2010)
A real indie favorite of mine, Stake Land is an original and gritty take on the vampire genre. The film follows a young man who has lost his family in a vampire ridden, torn apart version of the United States, and who teams up with a mysterious vampire hunter and other characters to navigate and survive their way through the wastelands. What I like about the film is that it is a nice mix between a post apocalyptic drama, like 'The Road' and a vampire film. It presents some interesting and original ideas (I'm holding back details to avoid spoiling the moment), and it really pulls no punches. It can be depressing, sad, hopeless and shocking at times, and does not always make you happy. But it will certainly impress you.
Evil Dead 2 (1987)
The follow up to Sam Raimi's insane, shocking and gory classic The Evil Dead, was this arguably better and more popular follow up, which was strange in many ways because it is not really a sequel but rather a sort of parody remake. It has Bruce Campbell back as Ash, but this time he's only accompanied by his girlfriend, who of course memorably and swiftly becomes one of the monsters who seek to murder him in horrible ways. This version of the events is a little lighter in tone and has a ton of laughs, but also has it's share of scares and just as much, if not more extreme gore. When another group arrives in support, things of course get even crazier. Fans should definitely watch both, and decide which they enjoy the most.
Rosemary's Baby (1968)
Now for the oldest film on my list, a true horror classic directed by controversial director Roman Polanski, 'Rosemary's Baby' stars Mia Farrow as a woman who mysteriously becomes pregnant and paranoid for her child's safety due to the peculiar behavior of those around her. This film is certainly not the most action packed movie on this list, but for those of you who enjoy tension, build up and fantastic mystery, then you will definitely enjoy this one. With a story that really does keep you guessing until the final twist, nothing is what it seems for Rosemary, and the scariest thing about this film for me is the realism, and lack of any real monster or 'bad guy.' The film will make you a little less inclined to trust those around you, and will make you look twice at those creepy looking old people walking down the street!
Let The Right One In (2008)
The first foreign film on my list, 'Let The Right One In' is the original Swedish version of the more recent American film 'Let Me In' starring Chloe Grace Moretz. Although the remake was very well done, this is certainly the better film in my opinion, and was a much darker, more personal version. The story centers on a strange and rather odd young boy, who finds himself befriended by a young female vampire called Eli. Eli lives with a mysterious old man, who we find out is a guardian and provider of sorts for her, using some unfortunate methods to do so. What ensues is a chilling story of a coming of age friendship, which can be both heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. With some memorable scares, such as a scene under a bridge and a fantastic swimming pool encounter, the film is more of a drama than a true horror, but either way I highly recommend it.
House Of The Devil (2009)
Another surprise indie favorite of mine, 'House of the Devil' was a film that I claimed was the scariest of 2009 immediately after watching it. The film is very strange, and also very slow at times, but this works to it's advantage. It is about a young woman who is asked to babysit at a strange location, on the eve of an eclipse. It begins as a classic haunted house type of film and it is extremely effective in this endeavor. There is some fantastic use of slow tension build up, over and over, until eventually when the shocks do come they really have you jumping out of your seat, Often times they are incredibly simple, and they are rare, but they really are effective. The story gets a little crazy at times, but whether you enjoy all aspects of it, the climax is definitely worth the wait. However, in my opinion, the films finest moments are in the middle of the journey.
The Omen (1976)
Perhaps my favorite horror movie of all time, 'The Omen' is an absolute classic, and the quintessential 'satanic child' movie of all time. Yes, I'm taking it over 'The Exorcist' and I'm not afraid to say it. There is so much to love with this film, from the incredible creep young man playing 'Damien' to the fantastic mystery. There is one of the creepiest old lady's in the history of film, playing Damien's sinister maid, and some great acting from Gregory Peck and Lee Remick as his parents. As the film goes on you begin to see the pattern emerge. Anyone who stands in the way of Damien and his end goal comes to a gruesome end, and the creativity and sense of dread involved is what makes the movie. The score of the film adds so much to it's tension levels as well, with some truly chilling music accompanying each scene. The film also includes one of the scariest scenes in movie history, in my opinion. 'It's all for you Damien,' is all I'll say about that!
Kill List (2011)
This low budget British indie horror comes from director Ben Wheatley, who is also responsible for a number of other successful indies like A Field In England and Sightseers. It is not a horror in some ways, as it is as much psychological drama as it is anything else. But it is also truly horrific at times, following two former hit-men who come out of business, and out of a quiet family life, to take on a new and lucrative job. However, as the job leads them down a road of terrible darkness and brutal violence, their sanity fades, and they realize that there is something more sinister at work. An incredibly shocking final 20 minutes, combined with some equally shocking and beautifully acted family drama, makes Kill List one of the best horrors in recent memory.
Scream (1996)
This is the film that really started the "modern" slasher flick craze, that spawned four sequels and a massive number of other movies in the same genre. Directed by horror legend Wes Craven, the movie begins in such fantastic, and memorable fashion, with Drew Barrymore, a star at the time, coming to her demise at the hands of a slightly comical, but very creepy, masked killer who starts things off with a phone call to the girls home. What follows is a high school panicked by the knowledge that a killer is roaming their town, and any one of them could be the next target. Neve Campbell stars as Sidney Prescott, the young target of our killer. One of the film's unique qualities was how it presented the 'cliches' of slasher films to the audience, and stated what they were as we saw them unfold. This added a comical aspect to the film, without making it completely silly, so what we ended up with was a perfect blend of entertainment that proved extremely popular.
Saw (2004)
One of my all time favorite films, this surprise hit from director James Wan started a craze and a seven film franchise, which went on to gross millions. Now the films did get progressively worse, and it was definitely this first installment that stands as the classic horror film. The film starred a relatively no name cast, with Cary Elwes in a lead role. He's truly a terrible actor, but even that isn't enough to bring this film down. It involves a sadistic serial killer named Jigsaw, who is placing people he feels aren't appreciating life into horrible, physically torturous situations where they have to inflict horrible pain on themselves to survive. He's trapped two men in a basement with a dead body, and the twists and turns start from there. With some incredibly sick a twisted creativity and some of the greatest twists in modern history, the film is a must see on Netflix Instant.