10 Hidden Horror Movie Gems From 2020s (So Far)
7. La Llorona
No, absolutely not The Curse of La Llorona. In fact, that film came out in 2019 anyway, so wouldn't fit the remit of this list even if it was actually good. Sadly, that much-hyped Conjuring Universe movie was a total dud.
Instead, the spotlight here is on 2020's La Llorona.
One of the many pictures robbed of a global cinema release, Jayro Bustamante's La Llorona is a sophisticated, elegant movie that takes its time to craft its big scares. This Guatemalan horror has justice at its core, with former dictator Enrique Monteverde (Julio Diaz) managing to overturn a court order convicting him for genocide where it relates to native Mayans years prior.
Still, while Monteverde managed to have this decision overruled by the high court, that doesn't mean justice won't be served in other ways; other ghostly, terrifying ways.
La Llorona may not be one for the gore hounds, but the way Bustamante and his crew build their tension really makes the film's spine-tingling moments of vengeance worth the wait. Subtlety is the key for this very much 'less is more' fright fest.