If you haven’t heard of A24, an indie distributor that’s been building up horror cred for years, you need to stop what you’re doing and go research them immediately. The company first gained ground upon acquiring Spring Breakers, that one movie with all the Disney dropouts. However, they have since grown their catalogue to include some of modern horror’s most innovative and thought provoking titles.
Hereditary: A24 at its Finest
Ari Aster’s debut masterpiece really brought A24 the mass recognition it deserved in the horror sphere. The film is an exploration of family grief and Toni Collete as the standout actress she is. A family suffers from the death of an estranged grandmother and has to deal with the consequences. It may seem like it starts off slow, but once the culty business gets underway, Hereditary picks up speed until it’s a force of unstoppable dread.
The VVitch: A24 at its Most Suffocating
If you’re looking for a period piece, this is the piece to watch. Period. Anya Taylor-Joy shines in this folktale surrounding a hyper religious family cast out from their pilgrimage. A witch is in these woods, and she’s out for blood. The film is a great display of atmospheric dread, incredible acting, and great cinematography.
The Lighthouse: A24 in all its Madness
You may know Robert Pattinson as a sparkly vampire or a wizard who Voldemort ends up killing at the end of a hedge maze. You may know Willam Defoe as the Green Goblin. These two somehow come together for some amazing horror chemistry in The Lighthouse. This black and white flick features two lighthouse workers struggling to survive a storm on limited supplies. Things get spooky and slightly homoerotic before nosediving into total chaos.
The Blackcoat’s Daughter: A Horrific Take on Mulholland Drive
Possession and Satanism are two themes that seem to align time and time again. In this religious film, Kiernan Shipka (The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) and Emma Roberts (it’s Emma Roberts) fight demonic forces in the dead of winter at an empty Catholic boarding school. This film features some Mulholland Drive level mind-bending shenanigans and great scares. Give this underrated gem a watch.
Climax: A24’s Weirdest Horror Child
We’ve already covered this flick in our review, but some things just bear repeating. A dance troupe wreaks havoc in an abandoned school while high on spiked punch. That premise alone is bizarre enough to want to watch. However, once the film rolls and the camera work takes over, the viewer is transported directly into this dance hell.
These are just a few of A24’s amazing horror offerings. For more, check out their website or just google “great horror.”