By and large, the 2010s proved to be a superb decade for thehorror genre. Following in the footsteps of some of thefinest horror movies of all time, the decade played host to a number of standout offerings from one of cinema’s oldest genres. Thebest horror movies of the 2010sfeatured the likes ofThe Witch,Get Out, andA Quiet Placeto name but a few, while introducing new directorial genre standouts like Jordan Peele and Robert Eggers to a global audience.
However, while the headlines may have been dominated by the likes of the aforementioned big hitters, the horror genre also played host to a number of lesser-known and more underappreciated outings. These films may not have been accompanied by the same mainstream fanfare as some of their more popular contemporaries, butthe best obscure horror movies from the 2010sfeature a wide range of compelling central premises and characters, from mythology-tinged folk horror outings to sadistic gore-fests thathaunt you long after they’re over.
Would You Rather
Cast
Would You Rather is a psychological thriller directed by David Guy Levy. The film stars Brittany Snow as Iris, a young woman who competes in a deadly game of “Would You Rather” hosted by the sadistic millionaire Shepard Lambrick, played by Jeffrey Combs. The contestants, all desperate for a financial windfall, must navigate a series of increasingly brutal challenges, testing their morals and survival instincts.
Placing a devious twist on the innocent party game, 2012’sWould You Ratheris decidedly not for the faint of heart. An unsung offering from director David Guy Levy,the movie depicts a nightmarish version of the dilemma-based gamewhere the participants must choose between delightful options like being stabbed with an ice-pick or slicing their own eyeballs open in the hopes of winning a lucrative prize laid on by the game’s sadistic organizers.
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Featuring a gut-wrenching final twist for the ages, the movie’s wicked premise and jaw-dropping violence make for a heart-pounding watch, one that is aided by an array of committed performances from the cast. The movie doesn’t make for easy viewing, but it’s a visceral experience for anybody willing to stick around long enough forWould You Rather’sendingto roll around.
Beyond the Black Rainbow
Set in a dystopian 1983, Beyond the Black Rainbow is a science fiction horror film directed by Panos Cosmatos. The story revolves around a young woman imprisoned in an experimental laboratory and her struggle against her sinister captor. The film delves into themes of control and liberation, enhanced by its visually striking and atmospheric presentation.
The feature film debut fromMandydirector Panos Cosmatos, 2010’s sci-fi horrorBeyond the Black Rainbowsees the Italian-Canadian filmmaker at his mind-bending best. One of thebest psychedelic horrorsout there,Beyond the Black Rainbow’sbasic plot followsa heavily medicated young woman with telekinetic abilities and her attempts to escape a futuristic commune.However, the movie plays out in such an unconventional manner that viewers often find themselves questioning whether this was ever the central narrative thread in the first place.
…Cosmatos' inimitably trippy style means that there are few films that can giveBeyond the Black Rainbowa run for its money when it comes to sheer psychedelic weirdness.
Featuring inescapably horrific imagery and hypnotic pacing,Beyond the Black Rainbow’sunique style is a likely factor in the film’s obscurity. With that being said, Cosmatos' inimitably trippy style means that there are few films that can giveBeyond the Black Rainbowa run for its money when it comes to sheer psychedelic chaos. As such, there’s an unforgettable viewing experience to be had here for anybody willing to just let go and embrace the weirdness.
Apostle
In the year 1905, a man travels to a remote island to rescue his sister, who’s been kidnapped by a religious cult. Netflix picked up the film in March 2017, about a month before production began. It had its world premiere at the 2018 Fantastic Fest.
Heavily influenced by 1973’s seminal subgenre offeringThe Wicker Man, folk horrorApostlechroniclesa young man’s attempts to rescue his sister from a sinister cultsituated on a remote Welsh island. The 2018 film marked a notable shift in tone and subject matter for director Gareth Evans, primarily known for his work on action-heavy productions in the vein ofThe RaidorGangs of London.
However,Apostledoesn’t suffer in the slightest as a result of Evans' lack of experience in the wider horror genre. Powerfully acted and steeped in an aura of relentless tension,Apostleis powerful and thought-provoking across the board. Dan Stevens and Michael Sheen crackle in the leading roles, deftly guiding this gothic symbology-loaded horror past some of the more prevalent pitfalls associated with films of its ilk.
The Hallow
The Hallow is a 2015 horror film directed by Corin Hardy. Set in the remote forests of Ireland, it follows a conservationist and his family who encounter ancient, malevolent entities. As they unravel the sinister folklore surrounding their new home, they must fight for their survival against the supernatural forces.
One of thebest Irish horror moviesin recent memory, 2015’sThe Hallowis a little-known diamond in the rough for the wider genre. Led byGame of Thronesalum Joseph Mawle as conservationist Adam Hitchens, Corin Hardy’s slow-burn horror seesthe plant specialist and his family terrorized by an array of nightmarish supernatural creaturesafter visiting a village situated in the remote Irish countryside.
Joseph Mawle played First Ranger Benjen Stark on HBO’sGame of Thrones.
Earning an array of glowing reviews upon release, Hardy’s film is one of the better horror films that nine out of ten viewers likely won’t have heard of. Utilizing an array of excellent practical effects while making the utmost out of the natural landscape afforded by the movie’s setting,The Hallow’sriveting narrative and grounded performances lend to a first-rate horror movie experience that is begging for a sequel.
The Ritual
After traveling to Sweden, Luke reunites with his old college friends for a fun trip. But things quickly turn south when they realize something in the forest is stalking them. The Ritual was a Netflix original movie released in 2017 and was directed by David Bruckner, who would go on to direct Hulu’s Hellraiser film.
Based on Adam Nevill’s 2011 novel of the same name, supernatural folk horrorThe Ritualis one of the more impressive obscure horror movies from the 2010s, despite a notably played-out central premise. Led byBlack Mirrorstar Rafe Spall, David Bruckner’s 2017 film followsa group of friends hiking through the Scandinavian wilderness who find themselves stalked and set upon by the Jötunn; an ancient, malevolentcreature from Norse mythologythat is allegedly the offspring of the god, Loki.
An atmospheric slow burn that steadily builds in intensity across ninety-four eerie minutes,The Ritualmakes the most of a haunting location, arresting cinematography, and some notably visceral performances to produce a polished horror movie that stands as one of the decade’s more underappreciated offerings. A supernatural outing that channels inspired dashes of psychological horror, Bruckner’s picture never fails to unsettle.
The Devil’s Candy
The Devil’s Candy is a horror-thriller directed by Sean Byrne and released in 2015. A struggling painter and his family move into their dream home, only to be targeted by dark forces. As the father starts hearing eerie voices that compel him to create disturbing artworks, the supernatural occurrences intensify, forcing him to fight to save his family from the sinister presence that seeks to claim them through his own artwork.
A terrifying tale of demonic possession featuring the inspired trappings of heavy metal, 2017’sThe Devil’s Candyis one of the best horror films in recent memory that you’ve never heard of. Boasting an enviable approval rating of 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, the acclaimed film is the brainchild of Australian filmmaker Sean Byrne, the mind behind 2009’s lauded horror outingThe Loved Ones.
98%
The Devil’s Candy(2017)
93%
A masterclass in suspenseful film making,the movie follows a family terrorized by a killer under the influence of demonic voices.As disturbing as it is frightening,The Devil’s Candyis a first-rate example of a horror film with a superb story that still manages to come across as legitimately terrifying. Featuring a killer soundtrack to complement an array of top-tier performances from the cast, the 2017 outing is one of the 2010s most underappreciated names.
4Jug Face (2013)
Alow-budget horror moviethat exceeded all expectations, 2013’sJug Facemakes use of an outrageously wacky central premise to produce one of the finest obscure horror films that the genre has to offer. The movie depictsan off-grid community that worship a mysterious creature residing in a pit that possesses magical healing properties, offering up human sacrifices in order to maintain this bizarre status quo.
To say thatJug Faceis outlandish would be the understatement of the century, but it doesn’t take away from the movie’s stellar quality in the slightest.
To say thatJug Faceis outlandish would be the understatement of the century, but it doesn’t take away from the movie’s stellar quality in the slightest. A pair of superb bows from Lauren Ashley Carter and Sean Bridgers are the highlights from an array of excellent performances, carrying the immersive depiction of the movie’s community and the aura of fear that they live under. Earning glowing reviews, Chad Crawford Kinkle’s obscure picture is a superb example of how to do a lot with a little.
The Invitation
The Invitation is a Horror film starring Logan Marshall-Green and Tammy Blanchard. The premise follows a man that visits his ex-wife with his new girlfriend for a dinner party, and unveils the plot of a sinister cult.
An unsung genre offering fromJennifer’s Bodydirector Karyn Kusama, 2015’sThe Invitationfollowsa dinner party that is eventually unmasked as a sinister cover for the murderous predilections of a doomsday cult. Despite the film featuring several well known performers in the vein ofGame of Thrones’Michael Huisman andFargo’sJohn Carroll Lynch, Kusama’s film has faded into relative obscurity since debuting nearly a decade earlier.
This state of affairs is a crying shame, considering there’s a legitimately thrilling viewing experience to be found at the heart ofThe Invitation; a nuanced and atmospheric psychological horror featuring an array of sequences that will have viewers biting their nails down to a bloody stump. Kusama’s meticulously crafted movie received glowing reviews for its compelling premise and intricate narrative, withThe Invitation’sunforgettable endingserving as the cherry on the cake for a largely unheralded triumph.
13 Cameras
13 Cameras is a suspenseful thriller about newlyweds Claire and Ryan, whose attempts to solidify their marriage face unexpected challenges. Unbeknownst to them, their landlord has installed hidden cameras throughout their home. As tensions rise, clandestine surveillance and personal betrayals contribute to this unsettling domestic drama.
A deviously nasty piece of low-budget horror film making from Victor Zarcoff,13 Cameraschronicles the unsettling antics of Gerald,a voyeuristic landlord who spies on his tenants through an array of cameras hidden throughout his property.Zarcoff’s movie isn’tThe Shiningby any stretch of the imagination, but is one of the more enjoyable lesser-known horror movies to come out of the 2010s, courtesy of a wicked twist and a gloriously unsettling performance from the late Neville Archambault.
77%
22%
15 Cameras(2023)
67%
13 Camerasdoesn’t break any new ground for the genre, but still does a commendable job of ratcheting up the tension to white-knuckle levels despite a limited villain and premise. The 2016 movie even spawned two sequels in the form of the imaginatively dubbed14 Camerasand15 Cameras, although neither film came close to matching the original’s impressive 77% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Hush
Hush is a thriller directed by Mike Flanagan, starring Kate Siegel as Maddie Young, a deaf-mute author living in isolation. The film chronicles Maddie’s survival as she becomes the target of a masked intruder. With limited senses, Maddie must use her resourcefulness and intellect to outwit the assailant.
Before his work on the acclaimed likes ofThe Haunting of Hill House,The Haunting of Bly Manor, andMidnight Mass,horror movie genius Mike Flanaganturned in one of the most underrated obscure genre offerings in recent memory with 2016’sHush.Spearheaded by Flanagan’s wife and scream queen Kate Siegel in the leading role, the movie centers ona deaf-mute author forced into a desperate fight for survival when a crossbow-wielding killer appears at her window.
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Boasting a 91% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes,Hushis a masterful case study in taut, claustrophobic film making that leverages a near-unbearable air of suspense to maximum effect. Deftly carried by two powerhouse performances from Siegel as author Maddie Young and John Gallagher Jr. asHush’ssadistic murderer, Flanagan’s movie is one of the finest obscurehorroroutings to come out of the genre this century.
