The Oswegonian

The Independent Student Newspaper of Oswego State

DATE

Nov. 4, 2024

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Laker Review

Lesser known Netflix horrors give frights, terrify

Halloween has been known as a time for trick or treating, prank-filled nights and, in recent years, staying in your room watching anything scary on Netflix. Although Netflix is full of great movies that fall under horror, thriller or various scary-themed genres, there are a few films that are hidden deep within these lists; that are sure to satisfy a viewers need for a scare this Halloween.

“Hush” (2016)

This film follows a young woman, Maddie (Kate Siegel, “Hot”), who lives alone in the woods and is stalked by a masked killer. This plot, although seemingly over-played and recycled, is instead revamped when the protagonist is revealed to be both deaf and mute.

The way the director Mike Flanagan presents and plays out the protagonist’s senses and thinking process are interesting. He uses sound throughout the film to create suspense and amplify the audience’s senses to put them in Maddie’s shoes. Flanagan also uses the protagonist’s thoughts to explain how the main character feels and makes decisions throughout the movie. There’s one scene in particular where the viewer hears Maddie construct multiple possibilities and argue with herself as she weighs the options of her next move.

For audience members who enjoy a protagonist who is not afraid to fight back, this film will do more than satisfy on Halloween.

“The Invitation” (2015)

With actors such as Logan Marshall-Green (“Snowden”) and John Carrol Lynch (“Turn: Washington’s Spies”) this film invites the viewers to keep on their toes. The audience follows the film’s events through Marshall-Green’s character, Will, at a bizarre dinner party thrown by his ex-wife and her new husband. The dinner party becomes more suspenseful as the night goes on and Will begins to becomes paranoid of the party’s real intentions.

This film presents a constant feeling of anxiety as the viewer waits for something bad to happen, which it does eventually. With more psychological-thriller aspects than horror, this film is sure to keep the audience guessing what will happen next.

“The Girl In The

Photographs” (2015)

Scrolling through the thriller genre, this film’s poster alone will catch the viewer’s eye. A young woman is being harassed with photos of women being mutilated and murdered, yet the local police department does not believe they are real.

The film features some comedic elements in a few scenes coming from Kal Penn’s (“Once Upon a Time in Venice) character Peter Hemmings, but it is centered around suspense, as viewers watch the villians stalk the characters throughout the film’s progression.

These are just a few among the many exceptional options to watch over the Halloween weekend. Some of the films within Netflix’s horror, suspense and thriller categories have low ratings or are hidden in the crowd, but are sure to keep the viewers interested, frightened and creeped out.