10 Horror Movies That Fill You With Dread

Matthew Holness first found fame playing Garth Marenghi, the Stephen King-spoofing horror author whose cult sitcom was an early ‘00s cultural highlight. Nearly 20 years later, it turns out he’s nearly as good at real horror as the fake stuff.

Possum, adapted from Holness’ own short story, stars the terrific Sean Harris as a children’s entertainer turned pariah. He returns to his family home, which he’s forced to share with his abusive uncle, but can’t shake his past.

This is reflected in about as terrifying a manner as you can imagine: he’s haunted by a puppet from his own act, the titular Possum, a terrifying spider creature that would be entirely unsuitable for children. There’s no shaking Possum; every time he throws it away, it reappears. And when a local kid goes missing, who are you going to suspect but the disgraced former puppeteer?

Holness’ film is unsettling, original, and bold, with a superb performance from Harris, who finds real balance in a difficult character. Its dramatic scenes are just as shocking as the explicit horror; the film cements Holness as a new mind in the genre.