The creative freedom hidden in the storyline makes psychological horror so different from other genres. Not only writers but both creative directors and cinematographers get to be auteurs in their own place. The boundaries of creativity are limitless. With only one goal in mind, which is to mess with the cognitive perception of these media pieces. One of the classic films that fit the genre like a glove is The Oculus.
A psychological horror that will play with your minds in ways you never thought. From the wicked use of extreme brightness to extreme darkness, the film appeals to all your senses and screams you to be scared. A rather intense and nail-biting experience.
If you have liked movies in the same line as Se7en, Zodiac Killer, Split and Hush, amongst many others, you have ended in the right article. With October setting in, let’s embrace Halloween in a darker way before it reaches us by a psychological horror movie marathon night.
Embrace the experience and adrenaline hidden in the rush of watching these movies. If you are alternatively looking to watch something lighter, find a list of the best movies to watch this fall here.
Best of Netflix has gone through all of them and curated a list of the best films in this genre available on the streamer. From hallucinations to altered reality, buckle in for a ride. Find your soon-to-be favourites listed down below! Have a good watch.
5 psychological horrors to binge this weekend on Netflix
Run (2020)
The star of the show remains to be Sarah Paulson. She has proved over and over again that when it comes to psychological shows and mysteries, there is no other leader like her. The woman deserves nothing less than a standing ovation. The plot follows the story of Chloe, raised by her mother Diane, played by Sarah Paulson.
However, it gets dark when you realise that she has isolated her daughter throughout her life, ever since she was born. Not only was she isolated throughout her life, but Diane also controlled every aspect of her daughter’s life. Now, a young teenager explores to find out more about her strange situation and mother’s condition. Without spilling more, I’d like you to check out the trailer here!
Run (2020) now streaming on Netflix here.
Gerald’s Game (2017)
Let’s begin by wowing Stephen King to come up with this amazing storyline. He, along with Mike Flanagan’s gorgeous direction, give birth to this one-of-a-kind film. His directorial direction is skewed to the darker side. A few other horror epics made by him include Ouija: Origin of Evil, Before I Wake, Hush, and one of my favourites, The Haunting of Hill House.
The plot follows a couple who drive out to a rather remote area to reignite the flames of their dying relationship. For the same, they begin exciting each other in many ways, including bondage. However, the woman manages to kill her partner during foreplay. While continuing to be handcuffed, she soon starts losing her mind over unimaginable visions. Watch this movie today if you are a horror fanatic. Psychological horror takes the whole incident a step further. Watch the trailer for this dark marvel here!
Gerald’s Game (2017) now streaming on Netflix here.
Intrusion (2021)
Adam Salky’s Intrusion stars Frieda Pinto and Logan Marshall as Meera and Henry Parsons. The happy couple lived in a breathtaking house that they had just moved into. The house was placed in a small town. Soon after, their happiness was destroyed by uninvited trespassers who attempted crimes within the house. In self-defence, the husband had to even shoot one. Meera is still not convinced and gets deeply affected by the incident. The husband, not so much.
Meera turns suspicious of everyone around her following the incident. Learn more about the darker sides of trauma. Seems like the move from Boston to New Mexico did not bring the peace into their lives that they were looking for. Watch the trailer of this nail-biting film here!
Intrusion (2021) now streaming on Netflix here.
Hypnotic (2021)
Ever wanted to be hypnotised to heal wounds you never knew you had? This film will definitely get you unconvinced at the end of it. A young woman played by Kate Siegel called Jenn Tompson is on a path of self-improvement. She decides to go to a hypnotist to seek help to make herself feel better. Dr Collin Meade, played by Jason O’Mon, engages her in a rather lethal game of mind manipulation. Get ready to hop on this rollercoaster of a ride. A dark one.
Although critics have had a lot of opinions regarding the plot and character development of the film. It is still a must-watch. Watch the trailer for Hypnotic today!
Hypnotic (2021) now streaming on Netflix here.
A Simple Favour (2018)
American Director Paul Feig creates another one of his wonders. One of his other films that gained considerable traction is Someone Great, amongst many others. His original take often sets his works aside from most generic creators. That being said, who doesn’t love Blake Lively? Easy to say the film is star-studded. Stephanie, played by Anna Kendrick, is a widower and single mother who works on her cooking and lifestyle blog in Connecticut. Soon she crosses paths with Emily (Blake Lively), and her life changes. She finds someone to share her life with. Not only is she immensely attracted to everything Emily has, but even her family.
However, things take a turn when Stephanie’s new best friend disappears out of the blue one day. Stephanie decides to seek justice for her best friend and begins her own investigation to find her. She begins doing so by digging into her past, and some real mysterious secrets come out. Safe to say, things take a rather surprising dark turn. Although it is a comedy, you are definitely in for quite a psychological and horrifying ride. Watch the trailer for it here!
A Simple Favour (2018) now streaming on Netflix here.
