Last year was remarkable for the horror genre. While films like Smile 2, Trap, MaXXXine, and The First Omen received considerable attention, many brilliant independent horror films were also released that flew under the radar.
Some of the popular indie titles include Late Night with the Devil, Longlegs, and The Substance, but there's a good chance even the most diehard horror movie fans missed out on some of 2024's lesser-known but equally great indie releases.
Thankfully, all of the films listed below are available to watch right now, either by streaming them on services like Peacock and Shudder or renting them via VOD services such as Apple TV and Amazon Video.
In Flames (VOD)
Pakistani filmmaker Zarrar Kahn made his feature directorial debut with this Urdu-language film, which premiered at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. In Flames later released on demand in North America this past May. The film centers on a family torn apart after the death of their patriarch, leaving a young woman and her mother to face threats, both real and supernatural. An exploration of the insidiousness of a patriarchal society hostile to women, In Flames was praised for its deft handling of social commentary and creating feelings of unease.
Daddy's Head (Shudder)
The horror genre is no stranger to stories of grief. Many modern horror movies, in particular, use monsters as metaphors for the complicated grieving process. Director and writer Benjamin Barfoot tries to implement a unique version of this storytelling process with Daddy's Head, a film about a mother and son visited by a terrifying creature resembling the boy's recently deceased father.
MadS (Shudder)
If you've ever wanted to watch a movie that will scare you off of using drugs permanently, then look no further than this relentlessly brutal and claustrophobic horror film shot with a minimal number of takes. MadS centers on recent high school graduate Romain. Looking to get high and celebrate his achievements, Romain picks up a new pill from his dealer, and the night spirals into endless nightmarish debauchery from there.
Stopmotion (Shudder)
For fans of films like Mad God, Stopmotion follows a talented stop-motion animator intent on finishing a film she had been working on with her mother before she passed away. Throughout the film Ella (Aisling Franciosi) becomes increasingly obsessed with her work, which begins to seemingly take on a life of its own. By exploring her art, it becomes apparent that Ella's mother was abusive and she's still suffering from serious trauma that is now being brought to life in disturbing ways.
New Life (VOD)
Sonya Walger and Hayley Erin deliver excellent performances in this tense outbreak horror film about a woman on the run from an agent recently diagnosed with a life-altering illness. At first, New Life is presented as a pretty typical thriller revenge thriller with one person hunting another, but the story slowly evolves into something much deeper and more complex. The perfect film to watch while you're waiting for 28 Years Later.
The Devil's Bath (Shudder)
A historical horror movie and co-production between Austria and Germany, The Devil's Bath is a gritty folk horror movie about a woman who feels out of place in her husband's world, becoming driven to escape through a disturbing and shocking act. The Devil's Bath is based on several real criminal trial records from the 1700s and the book Suicide by Proxy in Early Modern Germany by Kathy Stuart.