10 Best Horror Movie Performances Nobody Talks About

Found footage is hard to get right, but 2014’s psychological nightmare proved it can be done brilliantly. But more impressive than the success of the film’s style is the utterly chilling villain, Josef.

Mark Duplass, who co-wrote the film with director and co-star Patrick Brice, plays a man who gets in contact with a struggling videographer. Josef has an inoperable brain tumour and wants the other to record a video diary of sorts for his unborn baby as he will die before the child is born. It’s obvious from the start that Josef is a bit eccentric… but he’s harmless, right?

The film doesn’t waste a lot of time with ambiguity, as Josef’s behaviour becomes more and more bizarre and disturbing. Duplass gives a fascinating performance, combining deep discomfort and disarming charisma with a slightly eerie smile. When the sh*t hits the fan, the breadcrumbs laid by Duplass throughout the film suddenly make sense and make your blood run cold. You know what’s coming, and you know that Josef is to be feared, but this works to the film’s advantage.

Duplass lets the audience try to figure Josef out for themselves, using little titbits of information and visual cues. It’s a gripping character study despite its apparently simple premise, and some scenes (aka anything to do with Peachfuzz) will be cemented into your brain.