GORIED TREASURES has been reimagined as a column with every entry focusing on random horror movies that are deserving of the spotlight. Be it indie, foreign, or simply something that is underappreciated by the masses, the goal is to put these films on everyone’s radars.
With just how hellish 2020 turned out to be for near about everyone, there was still enough, if not more, escapism to go around. Horror in particular experienced a surge that only emphasizes the genre’s latest renaissance. With the surplus of movies available this year, a handful of titles went under the radar that could use more eyes on them as we enter a new and hopefully better year.
Gretel & Hansel
Dir. Oz Perkins
There was a precise and short-lived era in 21st-century entertainment where classic fairy tales were the rage both on and off the big screen. That trend has since been replaced with what are essentially modern folktales that still speak directly to our need for unmistakable heroes and villains. In the meantime, Orion slipped a dark-fantasy movie under radars at the start of the year that shouldn’t be overlooked.
Oz Perkins’ signature affinity for symmetrical shots and slow-burn narrative is left intact as he follows the misadventures of two discarded siblings. He bides his time crafting a crawly amount of dread as well as a convincing antagonist in Gretel & Hansel. Galo Olivares’ ominous cinematography is absolutely stunning, too.
The Bloodhound
Dir. Patrick Picard
The pathos at the heart of Patrick Picard’s feature-length debut is so palpable that it brings pain to even acknowledge it. The alienation that accompanies eccentricity and mental health issues is the impetus of this bizarre reunion between estranged friends. When a man stays with his wealthy but strange pal, their dynamic brews weirdness. Something is very off about the host, and there is no telling what’s going to happen next.
The Bloodhound is a simmering and disquieting bottle thriller with a very small cast. You anxiously wait for the other shoe to drop, and once it does, you’re left with only a lingering eeriness that remains after the movie ends.
Murder Death Koreatown
Found-footage filmmaking doesn’t get any more unique than with Murder Death Koreatown. This movie not only doesn’t have a listed director, it posits the events herein as factual. The “true” crime at the center of the story is ripped from the headlines, and that incident is the reason why one amateur sleuth succumbs to his own mental breakdown.
Although it may seem like this movie is routine, it slowly becomes more and more horrifying. For the fact is, you’re witnessing one person’s peril as he falls down a rabbit hole that he will never escape.
The Block Island Sound
Dir. Matthew McManus, Kevin McManus
A pair of siblings experiences imaginative and harrowing grief here. After their unwell father dies at sea under mysterious circumstances, his surviving family searches for clues. They then connect his death to the New England island’s unnatural events like countless dead fish washing ashore.
The Block Island Sound is a successful marriage of ecological horror and somber terror. The ending is not at all predictable, and the acting is exceptional. It’s probable audiences will enjoy this gem once it’s acquired for distribution.
The Wolf of Snow Hollow
Dir. Jim Cummings
A small town is home to a series of brutal killings one winter. A mere animal is the main suspect, but the bumbling deputy has another theory. This is Jim Cummings’ second movie where he’s both a director-writer and an actor; the first was Thunder Road. As with the aforesaid movie, Cummings plays a troubled cop whose personal life gets in the way of his job.
Cummings does a stellar job of balancing humor with horror in The Wolf of Snow Hollow. He mixes awkwardness with heart, and the end result is a memorable and modern werewolf movie.
Spree
Dir. Eugene Kotlyarenko
American Psycho speaks to yuppie misogyny and entitlement of the 1980s, whereas Spree speaks directly to youth today. Social media has fundamentally changed the world. So many of us can’t live without it, or we decide how we live based on what’s trending. Then there are those who can’t see through the false reality of social media. In Spree, a rideshare driver looking for more followers adopts a dangerous plan that leaves a wake of death in his path.
Joe Keery of Stranger Things fame pulls off a career-best performance. His portrayal of a maddened wannabe influencer is haunting. Insta-stars are disposable, but Kotlyarenko’s movie will remain a brutal satire for years to come.
My Dead Ones
Dir. Diego Freitas
Revenge tales aren’t uncommon in horror. Diego Freitas conceives one so twisted and probing in My Dead Ones that more people should be talking about it. In this Brazilian thriller, a shy student becomes enamored with a new friend when he’s not dredging up past grievances. His anger eventually turns into a murderous plot with a daring conclusion.
Freitas turns trauma into a stunning work of catharsis. The director broaches taboo and puts his lead through an emotional storm. By the end, My Dead Ones will leave your head spinning and your heart heavy.
Spontaneous
Dir. Brian Duffield
First love never felt this scary. It’s true Spontaneous isn’t a traditional horror movie seeing as it’s based on a YA novel by Aaron Starmer. What makes it stand out is its plot: random high school seniors spontaneously combust with no explanation. In the midst of the chaos, two teens fall in love.
While it may sound sappy, Spontaneous is a worthwhile story about fatalism and heartbreak. Brian Duffield (The Babysitter) makes the move from writing to directing and his first movie is a stellar debut.
Rent-A-Pal
Dir. Jon Stevenson
If 2020 had a theme, it was loneliness. Jon Stevenson thoroughly studies one particular bachelor’s social isolation during the nineties as he takes care of his ill mother. One thing leads to another and the main character has to face harsh truths about himself.
Rent-a-Pal starts with a man finding a video at a dating service. On it, Wil Wheaton’s character acts as a charming companion. The reliance on this stand-in friend, however, becomes so great that the protagonist loses his grip on reality. This is an upsetting movie so be forewarned if you intend to watch.
Swallow
Dir. Carlo Mirabella-Davis
More emotional pain is to be had in Swallow. It’s not purely horror, but there is a body horror element here that can’t be denied. A newlywed develops pica — a craving for non-food objects like batteries and dirt — when she can’t cope with her marriage and pregnancy. Therapy then reveals the cause of her unusual disorder.
Relief has never felt as good as it did in Swallow. The affecting story and Haley Bennett’s intense performance cement this movie’s legacy. It will become a go-to source of comfort for anyone in deep distress about their troubled past.