I saw 4 movies on Netflix this week, all superficially being fitted into Netflix's "horror" category, which was not always completely accurate as noted below.
1. It Comes at Night (2017) - this movie, which is more of a science fiction thriller than a true horror film, was the best of the bunch and also the most Covid-19 topical film one can watch. It's about the survivors of a mysterious pandemic, and in particular a family that lives in a remote cabin/house. The survivors do not know if the source of the contagion, presumably a virus, is plant, animal, human, or extraterrestrial, and for that reason they do not leave their house at night. The contagion apparently fatally sickens all its victims, who break out in sores all over their bodies, and vomit and spit up blood. The survivors, wearing masks and gloves, give the sickened victims a gunshot in the head (carefully wrapped in towels to avoid blood splatter) in order to put them out of their misery, douse the bodies with gasoline, and and then burn them to eradicate the contagion. The family, after disposing of poor Grandpa in this fashion after he becomes a victim, encounters another family of survivors asking for help, water and shelter, and offering some food in return. The dramas begin to unfold after the request for shelter is granted. Well done and thought provoking. A-
2. The Endless (2017)- Science fiction/horror about 2 brothers who were members of a "cult" and left it some 10 years earlier. One brother remembers it as a UFO Death Cult, the other recalls it as more of a harmless but fun "commune." They get a video in the mail from the cult/commune and, surprised that the members are not only alive but looking like they have not aged, decide to go back. Weird supernatural stuff then starts happening. Overall well done, would give it a B+
3. The Girl On the Third Floor (2019) - this film is standard horror and stars WWE and mixed martial arts star C.M. Punk, who plays a man who is renovating an old suburban house which he and his pregnant wife have purchased. The house turns out to be haunted, and his renovation efforts result in some horrifying results. The movie does have a little bit of dark humor. Would give it a B-
4. Blackcoat's Daughter- (2015) standard horror starring Kiernan Shipka who played Sally Draper on Mad Men, it's about 2 boarding school girls whose parents do not pick them up at the end of the fall semester, meaning the girls are left alone for holiday break in their dormitory, which is haunted. This movie was very difficult to follow because the story was told in a non-linear fashion that simply wasn't very clear and jumped around in a way that was confusing. The acting is very good, but I found the film disjointed and the ending confusing. C+
1. It Comes at Night (2017) - this movie, which is more of a science fiction thriller than a true horror film, was the best of the bunch and also the most Covid-19 topical film one can watch. It's about the survivors of a mysterious pandemic, and in particular a family that lives in a remote cabin/house. The survivors do not know if the source of the contagion, presumably a virus, is plant, animal, human, or extraterrestrial, and for that reason they do not leave their house at night. The contagion apparently fatally sickens all its victims, who break out in sores all over their bodies, and vomit and spit up blood. The survivors, wearing masks and gloves, give the sickened victims a gunshot in the head (carefully wrapped in towels to avoid blood splatter) in order to put them out of their misery, douse the bodies with gasoline, and and then burn them to eradicate the contagion. The family, after disposing of poor Grandpa in this fashion after he becomes a victim, encounters another family of survivors asking for help, water and shelter, and offering some food in return. The dramas begin to unfold after the request for shelter is granted. Well done and thought provoking. A-
2. The Endless (2017)- Science fiction/horror about 2 brothers who were members of a "cult" and left it some 10 years earlier. One brother remembers it as a UFO Death Cult, the other recalls it as more of a harmless but fun "commune." They get a video in the mail from the cult/commune and, surprised that the members are not only alive but looking like they have not aged, decide to go back. Weird supernatural stuff then starts happening. Overall well done, would give it a B+
3. The Girl On the Third Floor (2019) - this film is standard horror and stars WWE and mixed martial arts star C.M. Punk, who plays a man who is renovating an old suburban house which he and his pregnant wife have purchased. The house turns out to be haunted, and his renovation efforts result in some horrifying results. The movie does have a little bit of dark humor. Would give it a B-
4. Blackcoat's Daughter- (2015) standard horror starring Kiernan Shipka who played Sally Draper on Mad Men, it's about 2 boarding school girls whose parents do not pick them up at the end of the fall semester, meaning the girls are left alone for holiday break in their dormitory, which is haunted. This movie was very difficult to follow because the story was told in a non-linear fashion that simply wasn't very clear and jumped around in a way that was confusing. The acting is very good, but I found the film disjointed and the ending confusing. C+
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