Five years ago was the start of the COVID-19 pandemic that fundamentally changed everything about our society, and in particular, about how we consume entertainment. The movie theaters are still in flux and haven't completely bounced back from that era, especially given how studios have drastically shortened the theater exclusivity window.
But another aspect of the pandemic that sometimes gets forgotten is how many films were forgotten about or overlooked because people either couldn't make it to the cinema or just had too much else going on to give them a chance. The following list highlights five excellent horror movies from 2020 that deserve more attention, and the best part is they're all streaming!
The Invisible Man
- Writter/Director: Leigh Whannell
- Cast: Elisabeth Moss, Aldis Hodge, Storm Reid, Harriet Dyer, Michael Dorman, and Oliver Jackson-Cohen
- Streaming: Peacock
Leigh Whannell's take on The Invisible Man is easily one of the best modern-day entries in the Universal Monsters canon. He didn't quite reach the same heights with Wolf Man, but The Invisible Man is a brilliant performance featuring an incredible Elisabeth Moss and a sinister Oliver Jackson-Cohen.
It's also a film that isn't afraid to boldly address the challenges women face when they report abuse or try to get someone to believe them even when they don't have hard evidence at the ready. Moss is trying to move on with her life after a bad breakup, only to discover her ex has adapted new technology to turn invisible and is using it to stalk and harass her.
Possessor
- Writer/Director: Brandon Cronenberg
- Cast: Andrea Riseborough, Christopher Abbott, Rossif Sutherland, Tuppence Middleton, Sean Bean, and Jennifer Jason Leigh
- Streaming: Tubi
Would it be too bold to say Possessor is one of the most underrated horror flicks of the past five years? It's wild to me that more people haven't seen this brilliant movie. Brutal, unflinching, and downright entrancing, Possessor is about an assassin who can take over other people's brains to execute high-profile targets that would otherwise be impossible to gain access to.
Yes, it is a horror movie, but it also leans heavily into dystopian sci-fi, expertly melding the two genres together. Brandon Cronenberg wrote and directed this film after his previous work Antiviral. He followed them up with Infinity Pool, proving he is truly a dynamic director and one whose projects I will always watch.
The Dark and the Wicked
- Writer/Director: Bryan Bertino
- Cast: Marin Ireland, Michael Abbott Jr., and Xander Berkeley
- Streaming: Shudder
A brother and sister return to their family farm to say their final goodbyes to their ailing father. In the interim, their mother had been taking care of him, but she appears distressed when her children arrive and later commits suicide.
Left to take care of their dad, the siblings soon realize that something demonic has infested their family home. Bryan Bertino, who also wrote and directed The Strangers, also wrote and directed this film, proving how adept he is at crafting a taut and terrifying thriller.
The Empty Man
- Writer/Director: David Prior
- Starring: James Badge Dale and Marin Ireland
- Streaming: Hulu
As mentioned, many movies were overlooked in 2020 due to the pandemic, and The Empty Man is one of the most significant examples. This eerie cosmic horror film wasn't even available to rent or buy on digital platforms for a long time, making it almost impossible to stream if you missed it in theaters.
Once it finally became more accessible, the movie quickly earned a cult following because of its bold and surreal scares. Based on a graphic novel, The Empty Man follows a detective who becomes embroiled in a missing persons case that leads to the discovery of a dark and sinister cult.
Host
- Director: Rob Savage
- Writers: Gemma Hurley, Rob Savage, and Jed Shepherd
- Cast: Haley Bishop, Jemma Moore, Emma Louise Webb, Radina Drandova, Caroline Ward, Edward Linard, and Seylan Baxter
- Streaming: Shudder
Out of all of the movies on this list, Host is the most "of its time" as it was actually filmed during the COVID-19 pandemic, making it particularly terrifying when it was first released. A screenlife horror film, Host follows a group of friends who accidentally summon a demon while performing a seancé via a Zoom call.
Thousands of people were using Zoom regularly during the pandemic, so the idea of something evil haunting you that way was extra creepy. Given that everything was filmed through Zoom, as people were in different locations during the quarantine, it is impressive what the actors and filmmakers were able to accomplish with this little film.
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