Spooky season is in full swing, and if you’re looking for movies to help set the Halloween vibes, Netflix just added some slow-burn horror thrillers I really think are worth your time. The streaming giant has plenty of horror movies to choose from, but I’ve picked out three that I’ve seen and think are the best of the bunch, from a brutal home invasion to a chilling manhunt with one of Hollywood’s most infamous serial killers.
Whether you’re in the mood for the nerve-shredding suspense of “Hush,” the twisted cat-and-mouse thrills of “Red Dragon,” or the entirely too close to home invasion nightmare of “The Strangers,” these three movies are the perfect nightmare fuel that also fit the season aesthetically. So curl up with the fluffiest of blankets, turn off the lights and settle in for a Halloween weekend streaming marathon — just don’t be surprised if you gotta check the locks afterward.
‘Hush’ (2016)
If you liked Prime Video’s new “Carrie” show, check out the horror film that first put director Mike Flanagan on the map before “The Haunting of Hill House” and “Midnight Mass” blew up. “Hush” is a prime example of a simple premise done right: a slasher movie where the main victim (Kate Siegel) is deaf and mute, leaving her unable to hear her attacker approaching or call for help. It wrings a surprising amount of tension out of its lean 81-miutee run time and tightly wound plot.
Latest Videos FromTom’s Guide
While Siegel’s character is relentlessly stalked and tormented by a masked killer, she’s never reduced to a helpless victim, which makes this one of the more empowering genre entries. The setting — a home in the middle of the woods — also perfectly captures the fall vibes we’re only just now starting to see outside our windows.
Watch “Hush” on Netflix now
‘Red Dragon’ (2002)
Sure, “Red Dragon” never quite reaches the heights of “The Silence of the Lambs,” but it comes closer than any other entry in the franchise to recapturing the original’s cat-and-mouse tension and twisted brilliance. Based on Harris’ novel of the same name, this prequel rewinds the clock to explore Hannibal Lecter’s capture and his early dealings with the FBI, where his help comes at a price.
Anthony Hopkins is back and terrifying as ever as Hannibal while Edward Norton does a solid job keeping pace with him as FBI profiler Will Graham, who’s pulled back into hunt for serial killers by one last crazy case. If you liked this one, just so you know: You can find all three seasons of the phenomenal “Hannibal” TV show with Mads Mikkelsen on Netflix too. Hugh Dancy pulls off a hard swing “House”-style spin on Graham’s character that really deserves to be watched, it’s a treat.
Watch “Red Dragon” on Netflix now
‘The Strangers’ (2008)
“The Strangers” is one of those movies I wish I could go back and watch for the first time again. Years before “It Follows,” its lingering scenes of quiet horror had audiences scanning the backgrounds for threats standing just out of sight of our doomed protagonists. A young couple, James (Scott Speedman) and Kristen (Liv Tyler), are just settling in for a weekend getaway at a remote vacation home when there’s a knock at the door.
It’s the first of many weird and sinister happenings as three masked intruders begin taunting and tormenting the couple throughout the night. With no working phone and their car sabotaged, James and Kristen find themselves trapped as these demented strangers methodically hunt them down.
Watch “The Strangers” on Netflix now
Follow Tom’s Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Subscribe to Tom’s Guide on YouTube and follow us on TikTok. Finally, you can visit our dedicated Tom’s Guide Savings Squad hub for expert help on getting the best products for less.