10 Best Horror Movies Of 2025 (So Far)
5. Dead Mail
Something of a fave on the genre film festival circuit last year, Dead Mail finally landed on Shudder back in April and is one of the most distinctive and stylistically audacious horrors of the past 12 months.
Dead Mail takes place in 1980s midwestern America and melds a seemingly familiar kidnapping plot with an unexpected deep dive into the minutia of dead letter investigators - folks whose job it is to figure out where undelivered mail is supposed to be going.
As mundane as the latter might sound, filmmakers Joe DeBoer and Kyle McConaghy do a fantastic job of mining this little-known profession for every possible drop of suspense, aided by a bouncy non-linear narrative, gorgeously grotty 16mm style, and superb turns from both Sterling Macer Jr. and John Fleck.
Dead Mail certainly won't be for everyone, especially those expecting a more straight-forward kidnapping movie, but its immaculate period style, oozing atmosphere, and lashings of dark comedy make it a thoroughly memorable effort from a unique, highly skilled filmmaking duo.