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The most chilling horror movies streaming on Netflix New Zealand
With some spine-tingling originals and chilling classics from the world of horror, Netflix has horror fans sorted.
Spooking yourself silly is easy if you own a Netflix subscription. This content-delivering juggernaut has many a skeleton lurking in its closet (and ghosts, and murderous wildlife, and psychotic shape-shifting clowns, and… well the list goes on).
- Check out the complete list of horror movies on Netflix New Zealand
- Check out the complete list of horror movies on Netflix New Zealand
For most sensible folk with a moderately healthy heart, horror is a genre not to be binge-watched. Typically it’ll be one viewing, then some recovery time – possibly therapy – and then you’ll come back to sample another slice. That said, with such a staggered viewing diet one really ought to know which horror dish is to be consumed first. You can’t go wrong if you decide to raise your hair with the following…
1. 1922 (2017)
The two takeaways you should get from 1922: some secrets don’t stay buried, and inside every man is another man – a conniving man. In this Netflix original adaptation of a Stephen King classic, a simple yet proud rancher conspires to murder his wife for financial gain and to prevent his pride and joy land holding from being lost in a divorce. After convincing his son to be an accessory, the deed is done, the law is successfully thrown off … and then the real troubles begin.
Cast:
- Thomas Jane as Wilfred James
- Neal McDonough as Harlan Cotterie
- Molly Parker as Arlette James
- Dylan Schmid as Henry James
2. The Shining (1980)
Short-tempered Jack Torrance isn’t the kind of guy we’d ever trust with a boiler that could destroy our premises if not managed properly. Despite that, he gets offered a caretaker gig at the Overlook Hotel, where he, along with his wife Wendy and their clairvoyant son Danny, must live isolated during the winter off-season. What sounds like the cushiest job ever soon goes off the rails when centuries of bad vibes and dark deeds become amplified by Danny’s unnatural gifts.
Cast:
- Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance
- Shelley Duvall as Wendy Torrance
- Danny Lloyd as Danny Torrance
- Scatman Crothers as Dick Hallorann
3. Hush (2016)
If you love your slashers with a bit of substance, you can’t miss this one. Hush follows a deaf writer who retreats into the woods to live a solitary life, only to find herself fighting for her life when a masked killer appears in her window. And apparently steals her phone. Rude. A sharp horror/thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat, Hush is intense and suspenseful. Plus, the movie uses silence to scare the bejesus out of viewers, which makes the home invasion trope feel surprisingly fresh.
Cast:
- Kate Siegel as Maddie
- John Gallagher Jr. as The Man
4. The Ritual (2017)
A Netflix original film, The Ritual follows a group of friends who reunite after the death of one of their pals and set out for a hike in the Scandinavian wilderness. As expected, things don’t exactly go as plan. Instead, they take a wrong turn and end up stalked by an ancient evil. Creepy and well-directed, The Ritual makes great use of its setting, delivering some mesmerising visuals when it’s not busy freaking you out. Are we out of the woods yet are we out of the woods yet are we out of the woods yet?
Cast:
- Rafe Spall as Luke
- Arsher Ali as Phil
- Robert James-Collier as Hutch
- Sam Troughton as Dom
5. It Follows (2014)
Losing your virginity doesn’t get scarier than this. 19-year-old Jay gets herself some “strange” in a chance encounter with a boy out of town, but it’s a hookup that gives her even more trouble than a bad VD and a shot of penicillin. Jay’s paramour explains that, basically, she’s now “it” in a game of supernatural sex tag. A shape-shifting, nigh invincible entity will relentlessly follow her at a walking pace until it can claim her (and the end results won’t be pretty). Thus begins a desperate cat and mouse game.
Cast:
- Maika Monroe as Jay Height
- Keir Gilchrist as Paul
- Daniel Zovatto as Greg Hannigan
- Olivia Luccardi as Yara
6. Gerald’s Game (2017)
Sometimes all a failing marriage needs is a bit of spice in the bedroom or a getaway to somewhere romantic and remote. Gerald’s titular game involves both of the aforementioned – the kink of the day being a pair of handcuffs and a bit of roleplaying with his missus, Jessie. When said activity goes horribly wrong, one of them must face warped visions, dark secrets and a dire 127-Hours-esque choice.
Cast:
- Carla Gugino as Jessie
- Bruce Greenwood as Gerald
- Henry Thomas as Tom
- Chiara Aurelia as Young Jessie
7. Train to Busan (2016)
When South Korea goes to hell in a hand basket due to fast zombies (truly the worst variant of all the undead), martial law is declared. After it all kicks off, rubbish father Gong Yoo must bravely shepherd his estranged daughter to Busan, a city that seems to have successfully fended off the viral outbreak. Slight problem: a number of carriages are already window-to-window full of cannibals and the freak-free sections have morons in them making very, very stupid decisions.
Cast:
- Gong Yoo as Seok Woo
- Ma Dong-seok as Sang Hwa
- Jung Yu-mi as Sung Gyeong
- Choi Woo-shik as Yeong Gook
8. What We Do in the Shadows (2014)
And now for something completely different. What We Do in the Shadows is about as horror as Shaun of the Dead is – you’ve got a higher chance of dying from laughter here than you do copping a stroke from a jump-scare. Presented as a documentary from 2013, this Taika Waititi production centres on a group of cameramen who have embedded themselves in a house of bona fide vampires. Watch as these ancient yet clueless gents try to cope with the complexities of modern life in our very own Auckland.
Cast:
- Taika Waititi as Viago
- Jemaine Clement as Vladislav
- Jonny Brugh as Deacon
- Cori Gonzalez-Macuer as Nick
9. Get Out (2017)
Meeting the parents is always stressful. Buckle up, as Get Out takes thing to a whole new level. The movie follows Chris, who agrees to accompany his girlfriend on a weekend getaway upstate with her folks. But as the weekend progresses, a series of unsettling discoveries lead Chris to believe that the parents’ uneasiness may be more a nervous attempt to deal with their daughter’s interracial relationship. Critically acclaimed and incredibly thought-provoking, Get Out is an entertaining thrill ride. To say this movie is smart would be an understatement.
Cast:
- Daniel Kaluuya as Chris Washington
- Allison Williams as Rose Armitage
- Catherine Keener as Missy Armitage
- Bradley Whitford as Dean Armitage
10. The Babysitter (2017)
You may like horrors that make you sleep with the light on, but sometimes it’s nice to have some morbid fun as you watch ridiculously attractive people die in gruesome ways. That’s where The Babysitter comes in. A delightful horror comedy, the movie follows a young boy who spies on his gorgeous babysitter one night and discovers that she’s more than meets the eye. Soon, he’ll be running for his life as the babysitter’s friends will stop at nothing to keep him quiet.
Cast:
- Judah Lewis as Cole
- Samara Weaving as Bee
- Robbie Amell as Max
- Hana Mae Lee as Sonya
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