Lesser-Hyped Horror Movies all the Cool People are Watching this Summer
Ah, summer. The heat is tumid, the humidity unbearable, and the most likely place to escape from their atrocities is the freezing cold of a dark movie theater.
Sorry. I got a little melodramatic there.
That said, if you equate summertime with late-night movies and hunkering down in the air conditioning, then this list of lesser-hyped horror movies is for you!
Watch these and you’ll be one of the cool kids this summer.
At least, to me you’ll be a cool kid.
9 Horror Movies You Should Watch this Summer
And where to find them
They Look Like People
I’ve met maybe one other person (not on the internet) who has seen this movie.
Personally, I love it!
Things start to go awry when a man’s estranged, best friend arrives asking for help.
This is a psychological horror mixed with extraterrestrials and elements of trippy surrealism (or is it??).
If those aren’t your things, you might want to skip this one!
It seems even the internet can’t decide what the ending truly means.
2. The Shrine
For some reason, this little gem seems to be slipping underneath most people’s noses, which is a darn shame because it’s good!
Yes, at first it seems trope-tastic and washed up (Americans go to investigate the disappearance of an American traveler who vanished in a tiny, Polish town where the villagers don’t speak English and are wary of outsiders).
The thing about this movie is, though, that it thrives on subversion by taking your jaded expectations and giving them a good twist.
It’s not the most visually appealing movie. It definitely has a lower budget than those big, hyped up films. But dang it if it isn’t a surprising little gem of a horror movie!
Streaming (for a trial) on Amazon Prime
Streaming (for a rental price) on Apple
3. The Evil Within
I know of at least one person who had to hunt down this film in order to watch it!
Like most of the others on this list, my husband and I just sort of stumbled into this movie and were pleasantly surprised by how engrossing we found it!
Not to give too much away, but it follows a young, handicapped man who unfortunately befriends something evil. It’s a bit of a slasher meets psychological horror.
4. The Golem
I don’t know about you, but the idea of golems utterly fascinates me!
If you’ve never heard/read about golems, I suggest you give a quick Google search before diving into this period film!
Even so, a nice, slow-burn horror with elements of grief and the supernatural!
5. The Wretched
Getting sick of me saying, “I stumbled upon this when looking for some background noise?”
Well, sorry.
Because I gotta keep it up!
I don’t know if my husband and I were really looking for a movie to watch or just something to have one while we each did our separate hobbies after the kids had gone to bed, BUT, we clicked on this one, thought it sounded decent, and then both got invested.
One of the reasons I enjoyed this one so much was the folk-horror element to it, and how that folk element continues to thrive in the world the film creates.
I thought the twist was good, too!
Streaming on Shudder and Kanopy
Available for rent at Amazon
6. Devil’s Candy
Supernatural threat vs. real-life threat to the characters is a dividing point for some people who enjoy horror. I think part of what’s great about this film is that the two seem to exist in tandem.
It’s always fun to me when a movie’s plot gives the viewer a plausible explanation for a good portion of the film just to say, “but wait, there’s more!”
I think this movie walks that line in an excellent balance act and definitely makes for an enjoyable watch!
Available for rent at Amazon, Apple and Fandago
7. Father of Flies
Just because a film has a lower budget or indie/film-school quality does not mean it’s automatically bad!
Why say this?
There’s definitely something slightly “underwhelming” about the making of this movie, but it by no means extends to the plot! Just a friendly reminder not to write it off when that “off” quality occurs to you.
My husband and I both thought that this film was intriguing, filled with good horror moments, and even a bit emotionally devastating.
Grief-horror fans, this is my recommendation to you!
Streaming at Plex and Amazon Prime
Available for rent/purchase through Apple TV, Amazon, and Fandago
8. Taking of Deborah Logan
Yet another horror movie that at first seems like it’ll just be another “documentary/candid camera gone wrong.” While I’d say the film definitely falls into that category, as things start to go wrong and unsettling, I’d argue that we as viewers get more than we bargained for.
This isn’t as simplified as a lot of other “film crew ends up facing real peril” movies tend to be. When the plot begins speeding toward its climax and then barreling to the end, I found it way more fun than other movies of its ilk.
Streaming just about all platforms — Links to JustWatch
9. Apostle
I don’t know about you, but I’m a sucker for folk-horor.
And period films, as a matter of fact!
The Apostle does both of these things with aplomb, and I really enjoyed the story, acting, writing, and visuals of this film.
Oh, and did I mention it also involves a cult?
If you liked Midsommer, chances are you’ll enjoy this one, too!
But wait! There’s more…
I couldn’t help myself when I was putting this list together, so here are some “bonus” recommendations of films I’ve had my eye on and/or appealed to my funny bone (whether or not they should have).
For those reason, it’s hard for me to recommend these films as “good,” so much as I’d like to invite you to join me in the experience of having watched them at all.
Dark Water
To start off, I’d like to see the original Dark Water film, a Japanese horror based on a collection of short stories.
In all fairness, I’ve seen the 2005 US version starring Jennifer Connelly, and I really enjoyed it! So, eventually I’d like to sit down to watch the original, 2002 Japanese release.
2. Phenomena
Speaking of Jennifer Connelly…
This film is by the same man who brought us Suspiria, while additionally starring a young Jennifer Connelly. It apparently focuses on a teenage girl (Connelly) who has the bizarre ability to communicate/control insects. She’s sent to a Swiss boarding school and stumbles into investigating a series of mysterious murders.
Streaming for free at FlixHouse and Plex
Additionally streaming at most subscription-based platforms
3. DashCam
This is another of those movies which seems way more farcical than actually meant to be a horror. It’s a wild ride, but the premise, though amusing, is all the same an interesting premise for a horror film.
A dash-cam streamer who makes her content by driving around and acting goofy ends up running an errand that goes awry. It’s at parts ridiculous, threatening, and over the top.
It’s a fun movie, though, and my husband and I were so flabbergasted, you could say, that we got sucked in.
4. Tusk
I still cannot wrap my head around this movie. With a cast including Justin Long, Hailey Joel Osment, and even Johnny Depp, this film spans a bizarre spectrum of wtf.
On one hand, I’m partially convinced it’s a farce. On the other, though, the body horror at play was so legitimately unsettling to me that I couldn’t write the movie off as being entirely a joke.
It certainly gives off the vibe of a movie the actors wanted to make, as opposed to necessarily thought would be a blockbuster. That said, I have no clue.
I wouldn’t call it a good movie. I wouldn’t even call it a good horror movie (yes, they have slightly different parameters in my mind). But it was a weirdly enjoyable watch, and the bizarro elements have clearly stuck with me.
Additionally available for rent/purchase at Amazon and Apple
5. The VelociPastor
Believe it or not, a long-time priest friend suggested this one to me and my husband!
I don’t know that it can be qualified a horror movie so much as maybe a fantasy one. But all the same, I wanted to include it here for its bizarro content.
Don’t expect anything ground shattering. This has the vibes of a student film with a $0 budget and an idea that was cooked up (potentially) at the last minute. Think of the power-points you had to make 5 minutes before class started your freshman year of high school.
That said, it is funny! If you watch it with no other expectations than to enjoy how ridiculous it is to see a priest realize he has the powers to turn into a velociraptor that fights evil ninjas, then you’ll have a good time!
Streaming on Hoopla and most subscription-based platforms
So, ready to be one of the “cool kids?”
If you give any of these films a watch, I’d love to hear your thoughts (even if you totally hate them and want to say, “Melissa, what the heck were you thinking saying the cool kids watch these?”)! You can always contact me through my site form and/or email, my Instagram, and especially my newsletter!
Note on the links — streaming platforms have a decent turnover for what’s available and when. I’d like to plug JustWatch as a great database to find where each of these films is available at any given time!