Somehow we are at the halfway point of 2024 already, which makes zero sense considering January refused to end. As we head toward the midpoint of the year, there comes more opportunities to catch up on the best horror movies now arriving on the best streaming services – of which there are tons of modern classics this month.
That includes the likes of David Robert Mitchell’s It Follows and Fede Alvarez’s Evil Dead, alongside a raft of recent releases, which have scored critical acclaim such as Out of Darkness and Exhuma. And we can’t fault to mention that one of our must-see titles this month is a previously unannounced surprise drop – an Oscar-winning delight featuring the Kaiju King. Yes, Godzilla Minus One is finally available to stream.
It Follows (2015)
When: June 1
Where to stream it: Hulu (US), Plex (UK), Stan (AU)
While some horrors bury their themes deep, others wear them proudly and It Follows falls into the latter camp. There’s no beating about the bush with a malevolent Gollum that stalks its victims who become marked when they have sex. An STD horror might sound like a gauche novelty, but the truth is a bone-chilling piece of cinema that follows (ahem) Maika Monroe’s character Jay who soon becomes slowly pursued by the thing. The mythology surrounding ‘it’ is slight but effective, and the cast of characters’ responses to the spectre, that assumes the visage of persons living or dead, will have your heart lurching. The horror community collectively lost its mind last year when a sequel was announced, so get on the bandwagon.
Fright Night (1985)
When: June 1
Where to stream it: Max (US), Amazon Video (AU, UK)
Everyone knows about The Lost Boys but what about Fright Night? This eighties cult classic dabbles with mixing genres a decade before it became trendy and follows young Charley Brewster (William Ragsdale) after he becomes convinced his next door neighbor Jerry Dandrige (Chris Sarandon) is a vampire. Bodies start to pile up and Charley ropes in his favorite late-night horror show host, a beautifully camp Roddy Macdowall, along with his girlfriend Amy and best pal, Evil Ed. This suburban teen horror is pure sleepover fodder with one-liners galore and a nostalgic gleam to its proceedings that packs in a surprising amount of gore thanks to its deft practical effects. More than a mere monster tale, Fright Night lends itself to a queer reading, which makes the fates of its characters all the more affecting.
Evil Dead (2013)
When: June 1
Where to stream it: Max (US), Netflix (UK), Amazon Video (AU)
Trying to compete with the likes of Sam Raimi is no small feat. But Fede Alvarez marches to the beat of his own drum and in this case it’s a steady, rhythmic assault that will leave you drenched in entrails. This Evil Dead reboot – that’s also a stealth sequel – follows Jane Levy’s Mia, a recovering user whose friends decide to host an intervention at a cabin in the woods. Naturally, someone discovers the Book of the Dead and all hell breaks loose in a swirl of unrelenting, stomach-churning gore. Don’t grow attached to any of the characters, is all we’re saying. Now is as good a time as any to check this out for the first time or pay it a revisit, as Alvarez is set to bring this same level of blood-letting to the upcoming Alien Romulus.
Splice (2010)
When: June 1
Where to stream it: Max (US), StudioCanal (UK), Stan (AU)
Scientists meddling with things they shouldn’t is one of the finest things to happen to horror. From The Fly to Re-Animator, you just can’t beat characters who somehow think they know better than nature. Vincenzo Natali’s Splice tackles the moral quandary, aka absolute disaster, that ensues when two geneticists decide to enmesh their DNA with that of animals. Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley tackle the couple who opt for this wild experiment following their own fertility issues. Their performances ground the film even when it flies off the rails when their hybrid progeny known as Dren develops at an alarming rate. You will not guess where this story goes which makes it an absolute must-watch this month.
Godzilla Minus One (2023)
When: June 1
Where to stream it: Netflix (AU, UK, US)
The one that bagged Godzilla its first Oscar is a feat of monster storytelling that’s scary and tear-jerking in equal measure. This version of the behemoth creature is one to be feared as outlined in the opening sequence, a nerve-shredding scene wherein a garrison of kamikaze pilots are attacked under cover of darkness. It doesn’t let up from there. Story wise, Godzilla Minus One is a light reboot of the 1954 original, reflecting the immediate effects of trauma on pilot Kōichi Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki) as he struggles with survivor’s guilt. Grandiose sweeps of score usher in and signal the high tension of Godzilla’s attacks as Shikishima joins a small crew out to stop the Kaiju from further devastation. Writer and director Takashi Yamazaki pays perfect homage to Spielberg’s Jaws in what’s arguably the film’s crowning glory as Godzilla pursues a fishing skiff. Simple, effective, and downright masterful. Don’t sleep on one of the best movies of the 2020s.
Mother May I? (2023)
When: June 15
Where to stream it: Shudder (AU, UK, US)
It’s the curse of every couple: reaching a point where one lashes out at the other with the venomous phrase: “You sound just like my mother!”. Well, that romance-killing concept is the heart of this 2023 horror from Vera writer-director Laurence Vannicelli. Kyle Gallner stars as Emmett, a young man who inherits a homestead following the death of a parent whose demise is chronicled in the film’s opening moments. After scattering his mother’s ashes, Emmett and his girlfriend Anya take residence at the home before flipping it. That is, until all of a sudden Anya begins to exhibit behavior eerily similar to his recently-deceased mother. A compelling exploration of the secrets between a mother and son told through a ghostly lens Mother May I? marks Vannicelli as one to watch.
Exhuma (2023)
When: June 15
Where to stream it: Shudder (AU, UK, US)
South Korean director Jae-hyun Jang delivers one hell of a supernatural story in Exhuma– a delicious dark dive into the world of the occult. The tale revolves around an experienced shaman (Kim Go-Eun) and her protégé (Lee Do-hyun) as they are hired by a wealthy Korean-American family in desperate need of guidance when their newborn son becomes afflicted with a mysterious illness. Before long, the duo are enmeshed in a case surrounding an ancient curse that may involve grave digging. This genuinely creepy story exposes a mash of historical pains embedded deeply into South Korea’s culture, and doesn’t fail to pile on plenty of suspense and scares.
Out of Darkness (2022)
When: June 24
Where to stream it: Paramount Plus with Showtime (US), NowTV (UK), Amazon Video (AU)
This British horror takes place in prehistoric times and follows a six-man crew that arrives in a new land after a tumultuous journey across the sea. Their goal to secure a new place to live comes under threat immediately after they find shelter in a clutch of caves, and learn that something comes out at night. Hailing from newcomers director Andrew Cumming and writer Ruth Greenberg, Out of Darkness forges something new in its scenarios and characters. It’s easy to find fault when someone in a horror movie behaves unlike we would – but here the group must take risks to locate shelter and sustenance. The premise emboldens these decisions perfectly, and is matched by the terrific performances of its ensemble.
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