Horror movies were plentiful in 2019. Though there were many flops, the good ones outshone the bad by far, and ultimately, gave horror fans a bright outlook on the future of the genre. However, as great as the popular hits were, like Jordan Peele’s Us, Ari Aster’s Midsommar, and Andy Muscietti’s It Chapter 2, there were several great horror movies to come out of 2019 that never really got the recognition they deserved.
With countless movies coming out every year, it’s obvious that many will fall through the cracks, whether they deserve to or not. This is especially true for horror movies, considering the fact that most prominent award ceremonies often overlook the genre. Let’s take a look at some of the most special, terrifying, and sadly under-appreciated horror gems to come out of 2019.
Ready Or Not
Ready Or Not hit theatres in August, and due to the marketing of this film making it look boringly cliche, the anticipation was not as high as it should have been. In the trailers, the dark comedy aspect of Ready Or Not was quite downplayed. The movie is indeed a mystery thriller, but it pulls off being a dark comedy exceptionally well.
Ready Or Not wasn’t completely overlooked, but since its release, it gained enough significant popularity and appreciation to be considered a sleeper.
Little Monsters
Little Monsters was an Australian dark comedy that first premiered in at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. The boldly gory post-apocalyptic film starred well-known actors such as Lupita N’Yongo and Josh Gad, as well as some lesser-known leads. Little Monsters was written and directed by Abe Forsythe, who previously directed the controversial film, Down Under in 2016.
Little Monsters was crass, gruesome, and didn’t hold back when it came to the gore factor. But as bloody and sardonically humorous the film was, it did not lack heart, and it was easily one of the best dark comedies to come out of 2019.
The Lodge
The Lodge was a movie that was announced way back in October of 2017. The production for the film didn’t begin until 2018, and it would later have its world premiere back in the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. With that being said, though, The Lodge was released worldwide until February of 2020, so the fact that the film has not received the appreciation it much deserves is understandable.
Nevertheless, The Lodge is a twisty, dark, mind-bending addition to the horror genre, and to make the whole thing all the more atmospherically eerie and memorable, it’s set in a blizzard.
Girl On The Third Floor
Girl On The Third Floor had its world premiere at the 2019 SXSW film festival. This film takes the haunted house trope to the next level, as its main flaws focus on supernatural events that occur when a couple begins to renovate the old house they recently moved into.
Despite being a decent thriller, Girl On The Third Floor is still highly underrated. It had a limited worldwide release and a lower budget than some of the most well-known horror movies of 2019, but it is still definitely worthy of a watch.
Dead Dicks
This film is not exactly how the title makes it sound; it actually portrays a decent blend of dark comedy and horror aspects. Dead Dicks is a microbudget horror film that remains to be sadly overlooked to this day.
The film is about a man who, after a suicide attempt, discovers his own dead body. Then multiple copies of his dead body. Dead Dicks is definitely an entertaining trip from beginning to end.
The Vigil
The Vigil was writer/director Keith Thomas’ feature film debut and it had its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September of 2019. Despite being widely well-received by critics - holding a decent 75% score on Rotten Tomatoes - The Vigil remains a little-known addition to the psychological horror genre.
The Vigil is a slow-burn film, with the horror elements placed in carefully and quietly, but it’s a satisfying watch that’s worth the time investment.
Color Out Of Space
Color Out Of Space is a horror film with sci-fi elements woven in. It was based on a short H.P. Lovecraft story by the same name. The film starred Nicholas Cage and Madeleine Arthur as its leads. Color Out Of Space is not very well-known at all, most likely due to having a very modest worldwide gross that amounted to a little of $500,000.
Adapting the Lovecraft story was no easy feat, and Color Out Of Space is often criticized for its lack of originality. Nicholas Cage movies certainly aren’t for anyone, but this one does stand out as one of the most unique films the actor has starred in.
Saint Maud
Saint Maud was written and directed by Rose Glass and was the ladder’s first feature film. Saint Maud was distributed by Studio Canal and, after premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, was bought by A24.
This is seen as a fitting move, as Saint Maud undoubtedly gives off vibes similar to The Witch (2015) and The Lighthouse (2019), two highly-praised A24 films. Saint Maud is highly underrated at the moment and was likely overshadowed by more well-known titles at the festival. The film will have its worldwide release on April 3 of 2020.
I Trapped The Devil
I Trapped The Devil premiered at the Imagine Film Festival in April of 2019, and was writer/producer/director Josh Lobo’s feature film debut. I Trapped The Devil Iis not only a highly underrated psychological thriller, but it’s also a little-known recent addition to the Christmas horror genre.
The film featured a relatively unknown cast and was given a limited release, so while it obviously remains overlooked by many fans of the genres, it’s worth checking out.
Daniel Isn’t Real
Daniel Isn’t Real had its world premiere back in March of 2019 at the South by Southwest film festival. It was based on the book, In This Way I Was Saved, by Brian Deleeuw, who also co-wrote the film’s screenplay.
Daniel Isn’t Real is a horror film that took the psychological, mindbending aspect to a whole new level. The film was an experience from beginning to end and it definitely deserves more recognition than it gets.
