Sunday, October 29, 2023

Horror Movies Like Hereditary for Your Scary Fix!

Date:

In 2018, Hereditary was released in theaters and quickly gained a reputation as one of the scariest horror films ever made. While it may not be the eeriest film for everyone due to individual phobias, its horrific plot, excellent direction, and superb acting make it a classic of the horror genre. However, recommending similar films can be complicated due to the versatility of horror. It can be humorous and full of jump scares or thought-provoking in a way that gets under your skin. Hereditary falls into the latter category, with heavy themes of family strife, loss, and the inescapable presence of death. Toni Collette delivers a powerful performance as a woman who suspects a sinister legacy runs in her family, and her growing paranoia, paired with Ari Aster’s merciless filmmaking, creates intense drama. Here are ten movies like Hereditary.

10. Men

Alex Garland’s Men is an English folk horror film that showcases one of his oddest and least intricate works. Rory Kinnear plays multiple male characters who pose a threat to a bereaved woman taking refuge in a remote house. The film’s refusal to fully explain or even admit its oddness forces the audience to draw their own conclusions and challenge the protagonist’s perspective. Fans of Midsommar’s concepts will enjoy Men.

9. The Empty Man

David Prior’s The Empty Man is a supernatural chiller wrapped in a standard detective mystery technique. However, it provides a far more in-depth look inside the mind of a nihilistic cult than is typical of either genre. Like The Wicker Man, the protagonist is a detective who stumbles into a sinister cult while investigating the disappearance of a young woman. The film builds a frightening lore about the titular entity.

8. Saint Maud

Saint Maud is great for fans of modern, female-led, independent horror. Distributed by A24, it takes a psychologically nuanced approach to the horror genre, focusing on the protagonist’s family history and troubled psyche. The film follows a nurse who becomes extremely religious after being unable to save a patient’s life. Her faith turns terrifying as she becomes fixated on rescuing Amanda’s soul, a convalescing patient under her care. Saint Maud combines philosophical musings on faith, trauma, and death with jump scares and body horror.

7. Carrie

Brian De Palma’s Carrie is another classic horror film whose influence can be noticed in Hereditary. Based on Stephen King’s 1974 novel of the same name, it is another chilling look at puberty, family authority, and bodily ties with the supernatural. Carrie White is a high school student who has trouble making friends and fitting in with her female peers. The telekinetic independence she seeks comes at a high price as she learns more about her body and the relentless blood desire of bullies and her mother’s domineering influence.

6. The Babadook

A widow is coping with the loss of her husband while raising her son, who has violent outbursts and is difficult to handle. To make matters worse, she unwittingly reads a mystery children’s book that mysteriously appears on her doorstep, releasing the terrifying Mister Babadook upon her and her son. The ensuing picture is claustrophobic and terrifying because it depicts the worst dread of a mother.

5. Rosemary’s Baby

Aster has stated that Roman Polanski’s 1968 horror movie Rosemary’s Baby had an influence on Hereditary. Despite being set in different eras, the two films share an undeniable tonal resonance. Guy and Rosemary Woodhouse are a young couple who have just moved into a new apartment and are planning to conceive a family. When they arrive, they are welcomed by friendly but curious neighbors, but Rosemary begins to worry that they may not have her baby’s best interests at heart. The film explores similar topics to Hereditary, such as paranoia, the occult, and broken families.

4. It Follows

The plot of It Follows, about a curse passed on through sexual contact, doesn’t make much sense. However, this 2014 movie strikes a chord on a deep emotional level due to its surreal logic that makes it impossible to predict what will happen next. Jay is persistently pursued by a slow-moving but ever-present entity set on killing her if she doesn’t share the curse with someone else.

3. Midsommar

Ari Aster’s second feature film, Midsommar is just as emotionally grim as Hereditary despite its visual contrast. The movie makes observations on suicide, bad breakups, emotional empathy, and the miseries of sadness through the lens of a group of friends who come to Sweden to have some fun while researching midsummer celebrations. The intricate character interactions, philosophical questions, and artfully constructed shots are all hallmarks of Aster’s aesthetic.

2. The Witch

Set in 1630s New England, The Witch transports viewers to a time and place where any number of unfortunate events could result in a woman being accused of witchcraft. Thomasin is the protagonist, a young woman who fights against her own family to prove she hasn’t given her soul to Satan when she is blamed for the disappearance of her younger brother. This film will undoubtedly keep you up at night with its spooky cinematography and pervasive atmosphere of dread.

1. Kill List

Ben Wheatley’s Kill List draws from specific sources in European culture for its cult and folk horror themes. The film follows two assassins as they cross names off a list, with each murder growing progressively more horrifying as it becomes apparent that the protagonists are being kept in the dark about a larger scheme. Fans of Midsommar’s deft balancing act between prickly drama or horrific horror will be pleased to know that Wheatley is not the type of filmmaker to shy away from either trait. The film also features a heartbreaking conclusion that will stay with viewers long after the final credits have rolled.

Latest stories