On the heels of a banner year for the horror genre, and with 2018 offering a lot more on the horizon, we shan’t close the books on 2017 just yet. While you were busy getting blown away by the likes of Get Out, IT, and The Devil’s Candy, there are plenty of other films just waiting to be discovered.

While we have recognized a few now streaming standouts (Happy Hunting, Super Dark Times, and Ghost House) and steered you away from others (Temple and The Houses October Built 2) it’s impossible to cover every film. Without further ado, here are my six picks for 2017 not otherwise covered here at Modern Horrors that you should probably check out.

The Limehouse Golem
The Limehouse Golem is a slow burn, murder mystery period piece set in Victorian era London. The sophomore effort from director Juan Carlos Medina (Painless, 2012) features magnificent performances from Bill Nighy, Olivia Cooke, and Sam Reed. Currently streaming on Hulu.


Bethany
Bethany offers a unique twist on the haunted house subgenre. From the young, but already very prolific, writer/director James Cullen Bressack, this film features a fairly dark, yet relatable story with some amazing imagery and effects. This is a must-watch for body horror fans, and even features a rather serious (and excellent) turn from, of all people, Tom Green. Currently streaming on Amazon Prime.

The Atoning
In yet another effort from a young-ish cinematographer/director, The Atoning presents yet another twist on the haunted house subgenre. Made for a reported budget of $125,000, which is probably being generous, Williams’ film makes extensive use of child actor Cannon Bosarge. While the film’s twist is likely to be familiar to most viewers (and to say any more than that would completely spoil the movie), it’s done very well here, particularly given the budgetary limitations. Currently streaming on Hulu.

Anti-Matter
Anti-Matter mashes up high concept sci-fi with a paranoid thriller, resulting in a tense, action-packed journey from literally out of nowhere. Writer/director Keir Burrows made a stunning feature debut with amazing performances by a completely unknown cast, making this one of the biggest pleasant surprises of the year. Unfortunately, this one is only available on VoD at the moment, but it’s well worth the price of a rental.

Radius
Radius stars Diego Klattenhoff (Pacific Rim) and Charlotte Sullivan in another high concept sci-fi thriller. Here, a series of mysterious deaths cause concern and panic over a suspected airborne outbreak. The reality, however, is far more chilling and terrifying. I recommend not trying to find out too much else about this and just give it a watch. I actually struggled to find a trailer that didn’t spoil some of the best reveals in the film. Currently only available on VoD, but I would be surprised if this didn’t end up on Amazon or Netflix before the year is out.

Walking Out
This wilderness survival tale hangs just barely on the fringes of the horror genre. Mainly on the strength of some extremely tense and brutal moments, this comes in as a recommend for anyone looking for a slow burn, man vs nature story. Walking Out features excellent turns from Matt Bomer (The Nice Guys, American Horror Story) and Josh Wiggins, along with a cameo from Bill Pullman. Wiggins impresses in particular and, at 19, looks to have a bright career ahead of him. Unfortunately only available on Google Play at the moment, but definitely one to check out if the trailer hits your buttons.

Tokyo Ghoul
Bonus Round! Yeah, I said six, but let’s go one more, shall we? Besides, this one shouldn’t count as a miss because Tokyo Ghoul had only a limited US theatrical run. Check out the trailer for the latest live-action anime adaptation and keep an eye out for it to hit VoD and streaming platforms later this year. Hopefully, you’ll get a chance to see the original before the inevitable American remake.