4) The Invitation (2015)
Karyn Kasama’s slow burning chiller is very much an invitation worth RSVP’ing to. Focusing on a reunion dinner party with a group of familiar out of touch friends, The Invitation keeps its cards close to its chest before wildly unspooling in its tense, balls-to-the-wall finale.
Logan Marshall-Green’s sardonic turn as the cynical misanthropic Will is a highlight, while Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi’s script takes some nice twists and turns that’ll keep you glued to the edge of your seat. Add to this some clever, suspenseful sleight of hand delivered by the director and writers that’ll pull the rug from under you when you least suspect it, and you’re left with an unnerving, thrilling, demented flick that’ll stay with you long after the credits have rolled.
3) The Babadook (2014)
In her directorial debut, Australian director Jennifer Kent paints a detailed portrait of an exhausted single mother on the brink of breakdown as she struggles with her son’s growing obsession with an imaginary creature he believes is haunting them. The sense of tension is a slow burn, but its beauty lies assuredly within its narrative depth and subtle, poetic storytelling.
Though it may not be as terrifying as the rest of the entries on this list, it’s a provocative story that embraces real life issues, while crafting a memorable psychological horror experience that has the potential to get right under your skin like a devilishly sharp splinter. Additionally, it’s very well acted, capably made and hauntingly shot with some thoughtfully delivered mise-en-scéne.
Also, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention how the Babadook critter just looks creepy AF. Seriously.