Since it arrived on Netflix, Lee Daniels’ The Deliverance has been confusing and polarizing viewers who nonetheless are watching it in droves. The movie tells the story of a single mother who moves into a new home with her mother and three children, only to discover that that home is haunted and her family is being possessed.
While some have hailed The Deliverance as a triumph, many more have enjoyed its over-the-top energy and the silly but fun vibes that it’s emitting. If that’s what you’re looking for from your next horror watch, then we’ve got you covered with these three titles, which have a similar energy.
Barbarian (2022)
One of the most stylish and thought-provoking horror movies of the 2020s also happens to be a movie that will very likely leave you giggling. The twists and turns of Barbarian are best left unspoiled, but the movie starts by following a young woman who discovers that the Airbnb she booked in Detroit was double-booked. The man who is also staying there agrees to split the space, and we’re left to wonder whether something dark or sinister is going to happen.
Barbarian is smart, stylish, and above all else, completely unexpected. It’s a movie designed to keep you guessing, and the rare example where every twist and turn is both satisfying and surprising.
You can watch Barbarian on Amazon Prime Video.
Malignant (2021)
A deeply silly movie that is great precisely because it is so silly, Malignant is another movie on this list that contains a pretty big twist. The film follows a young woman plagued by terrifying visions who slowly begins to realize that her visions may be infecting reality. From there, she goes down a rabbit hole to discover the secrets buried in her own past, and what they might mean for her future.
Directed by James Wan, Malignant is stylish and well-crafted in all the best ways. Here, Wan is using every trick in the book to create a movie that will leave you gasping and cackling in equal measure.
You can watch Malignant on Max.
Freaky (2020)
A great movie that got buried by the pandemic, Freaky is a little bit like if the Jumanji reboot was also a horror movie. The film tells the story of a teenage girl who’s just trying to make it through high school. After she’s targeted by a serial killer, though, she and the serial killer switch bodies, and hijinks ensue.
Abigail‘s Kathryn Newton and Wedding Crashers star Vince Vaughn turn in great performances in their body-swapped roles, and the movie knows exactly how to make this high-concept premise both funny and, when it needs to be, a little bit terrifying. It’s not the scariest movie you’ve ever seen, but it may be one of the most fun horror movies of the past few years.
You can watch Freaky on Peacock.
