It’s quite that obvious, that supernatural thrillers, or horror films, are about nothing but fear, fright and dread, exploring unusual familial dynamics and supernatural terrors. One of the most recent entries into the genre is Netflix’s web series ‘Archive 81’, created by Rebecca Sonnenshine, which is earning rave reviews from critics and masses, alike, for carrying out all the tropes of a supernatural thriller, flawlessly. Here are a few popular films from the genre, in the last 20 years, which might have gone under the radar, but have everything what the genre is known for!
The Orphange (2007)
A Guillermo del Toro created masterpiece revolving around a mother who tries desperately to find her missing adopted son soon after her and her husband move into her old orphanage, but the past horrors of the orphanage will not let her son be found so easily.
Sinister (2012)
The movie centres around a crime writer, and his family, who move into a house which had been a place of a horrific crime scene where a family was murdered. With the intent of basing his new book on this case, he discovers some video footages to help his research but soon figures out his family might be in grave danger.
Coherence (2013)
A sci-fi/supernatural thriller, which captivates one to the point of questioning the reality that surrounds you. The story about a group eight of friends at a dinner party, on a night of an astronomical anomaly, experience a troubling chain of reality bending events, keeps eyes sealed to the screen, not special effects, but with an original screenplay and unexpected twists.
Mama (2013)
A spooky horror story of two young girls who are forced to reside in a house that has a dark and ominous presence, who follow them even after getting rescued.
The Babadook (2014)
Real scares, relatable characters and a moving story creates an unease felt during this film which only increases as it creeps towards its conclusion, especially whenever the Babadook (the monster of the film) is lurking in the corners, which disturbs on a deeper and arguably a more primal level leaving the audience with an uneasy sensation.
It Follows (2014)
genuinely creepy film that’s also very smart, about a teenager is the latest recipient of a curse that is transmitted through sexual contact. After she becomes completely paranoid without any manifestations, the curse manifests itself in assassins that kill their way to her.
Under the Shadow (2016)
The Iranian film, about a mother, Shideh, and her daughter, Dorsa, whose building is hit by a missile during an Iran-Iraq war, which as the neighbour suggests was carrying Middle-Eastern spirits. Playing on the emotions of dread and helplessness as Shideh tries to confront the evil forces she believes are determined to take control of her daughter, the film deftly builds and sustains tension throughout, crafting a horror movie that respects genre conventions while firmly establishing its own distinctive identity.
The Wailing (2016)
A great premise, a mind-boggling plot, with a pinch of humour and breath-taking shots is what makes this Korean-language film an edge-of-the-seat supernatural thriller, about a policeman who starts to investigate violent events attributed to the arrival of a new Japanese resident, which keep on multiplying, and as film goes further, one starts to lose touch with reality.
A Cure For Wellness (2016)
Based on the novel, The Magic Mountain, a psychological thriller, movie follows the story of an executive at a NY-based financial firm, who is sent to retrieve the company’s CEO from an idealistic yet mysterious rehabilitation center in Switzerland.
Hereditary (2018)
A must-watch supernatural horror movie, revolving around a family, who encounter a series of haunting and supernatural activities which unveil the dark secrets of their ancestry, after the death of their mentally ill mother.
