LastShift1If you haven’t fired this one up on Netflix by now, you’re doing it wrong. You’ve undoubtedly heard us discuss this one time and time again – we even voted it 2015’s Atmosphere of the Year. If that doesn’t get your motor running, I’m not sure what will. Check out our full review for more thoughts.

Plot Synopsis: A rookie cop’s world is turned upside down when she comes face to face with Paymon – King Of Hell. Officer Jessica Loren has the last shift at a transitioning police station, assigned to wait for a crew picking up bio-hazard waste from the armoury. But unbeknownst to her, cult leader John Michael Paymon has haunted the department ever since he committed suicide in custody. Jessica is about to find out just how dangerous he still is, all alone on the graveyard shift………….

Door
This one flew under the radar a bit, but it comes from the Director of The Pact (an unofficial “do”). While I typically find possession flicks to be laborious and lame, At the Devil’s Door is full of rich atmosphere, awesome visuals, and convincing performances. If I recommend a possession flick – that should mean something. What that means exactly… is up to you.

Plot Synopsis: When ambitious young real estate agent Leigh is asked to sell a house with a checkered past, she crosses paths with a disturbed girl whom she learns is the runaway daughter of the couple selling the property. When Leigh tries to intervene and help her, she becomes entangled with a supernatural force that soon pulls Leigh’s artist sister Vera into its web – and has sinister plans for both of them.

pod-2015
Writer/Director Mickey Keating is one of the most buzzed about filmmakers in the genre, and POD is an excellent example of why that is. Unbelievably thick tension and mystery make POD a must-see for horror and scifi nerds alike. Unfortunately, the official Netflix image for the film contains a massive spoiler for the movie. So just hit the play button… nothing more.

Plot Synopsis: A family intervention goes horrifically awry within the snowy confines of an isolated lake house.

Kristy
Interesting, pretty, entertaining, and completely illogical in the final act; Kristy is a “home invasion”-esque holiday horror that might not mean much but sure is fun. More of a guilty pleasure than a full-blown recommend, check out Kristy for some good ol’ fashioned mindless horror.

Plot Synopsis: When a college girl who is alone on campus over the Thanksgiving break is targeted by a group of outcasts, she must conquer her deepest fears to outwit them and fight back.

Blue Ruin
From the mind that brought us MURDER PARTY comes a hard-hitting, gritty, and dramatic piece of genre cinema. It may not be a full blown horror movie, but it’s violence and subject matter certainly throw it into the conversation. If you like horror movies (and good movies in general) – watch Blue Ruin.

Plot Synopsis: The quiet life of a beach bum is upended by dreadful news. He sets off for his childhood home to carry out an act of vengeance but proves an inept assassin and finds himself in a brutal fight to protect his estranged family.

Let Us Prey
Winner of the Modern Horrors’ 2015 Movie of the Year Award, Let Us Prey is a film that can easily be enjoyed when taken at face value. But if you dig a little deeper, you might just understand how excellent this movie really is.

Plot Synopsis: Rachel, a rookie cop, is about to begin her first night shift in a neglected police station in a Scottish, backwater town. The kind of place where the tide has gone out and stranded a motley bunch of the aimless, the forgotten, the bitter-and-twisted who all think that, really, they deserve to be somewhere else. They all think they’re there by accident and that, with a little luck, life is going to get better. Wrong, on both counts. Six is about to arrive – and All Hell Will Break Loose!

Creep
Mark Duplass proves that he is one creepy bastard in this “Found Footage” masterclass. Everything is explained and has a reason for happening… unless it doesn’t. That’s the beauty of Creep – it’s the type of movie that can be taken a variety of ways by, and it’s one that you should check out ASAP.

Plot Synopsis: Looking for work, Aaron comes across a cryptic online ad: “$1,000 for the day. Filming service. Discretion is appreciated.” Low on cash and full of naiveté, he decides to go for it. He drives to a cabin in a remote mountain town where he meets Josef, his cinematic subject for the day. Josef is sincere and the project seems heartfelt, so Aaron begins to film. But as the day goes on, it becomes clear that Josef is not who he says, and his intentions are not at all pure.

Mary
American Mary may be one of the older films on this particular list, but it’s fantastic. An original concept coupled with plenty of the red stuff has made this one somewhat of a modern horror classic. Definitely worth checking out if you haven’t already.

Plot Synopsis: A young med student struggling with her tuition fees is drawn into the shady world of underground body modification.

Starry Eyes
While everyone was raving about The Babadook back in 2014, Starry Eyes released to somewhat limited fanfare. Me personally, I choose Starry Eyes over Mr. Dook any day of the week. Its sleazy Hollywood backdrop, relatable scenarios, and grizzly finale help ground Starry Eyes somewhere in the realm of possibility – even with its supernatural elements. This is not to be missed.

Plot Synopsis: A hopeful young starlet uncovers the ominous origins of the Hollywood elite and enters into a deadly agreement in exchange for fame and fortune.

Bloodlands
Look, I’m not going to lie to you – The Blood Lands is a mostly unoriginal and formulaic horror flick. That said, something about it really worked for me. What started off as a seemingly mundane haunted house story turns into something much more sinister… and likely. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m a sucker for something even somewhat grounded in reality.

Plot Synopsis: Young urban couple Ed and Sarah are set to begin a new life when they move from London into an isolated borders Scottish farmhouse. After falling in love with the 19th century Castle Farm and seeing its potential as a fixer-upper they are anxious to get started on the renovations. In bed on their first night Sarah thinks she can hear noises in the darkness but Ed is disbelieving saying it’s her imagination playing tricks.

 

Continue to Netflix Horror “Don’ts” of February 2016 on Page 3!