20 Hidden Horror Movie Gems To Watch On Netflix

6. Oculus (2013)

all cheerleaders die
Blumhouse Productions

The second film from director Mike Flanagan to appear on this list (following Absentia) is a very creepy supernatural horror starring former Doctor Who assistant Karen Gillan. She plays a young woman trying to prove that the death of her parents (Katee Sackhoff and Rory Cochrane) wasn’t caused by her convicted brother (Brenton Thwaites) but rather by an ancient supernatural entity that dwells within an antique mirror.

What seems at first to be just another generic ghost horror actually turns out to be a very effective chiller, thanks to a keen sense of unnerving atmosphere, an intriguing puzzle-like mystery to solve and a brilliant use of a flashback structure to reveal what exactly went on in the family home in which it’s mostly set.

Contributor
Contributor

I am a freelance writer specializing in film, writing for a number of different websites including my own ThoughtsOnFilm.co.uk, for which I am the editor and main writer. I am also the Freelance Film/TV Editor for student-focused magazine/website Scotcampus. I watch as many films as I can with some of my favourites including The Big Lebowski, Pulp Fiction, 2001: A Space Odyssey and Mulholland Drive. I'm just a passionate film fan expressing his opinion.