The summer movie season is officially here. Judging by the onslaught of new trailer drops for big releases that mark the return of the theatrical experience, it’s going to be a busy season and beyond for horror. Streaming services and VOD releases aren’t slowing down, either.
This week’s streaming picks are dedicated to titles that will help tide us over for the year’s most anticipated titles. Whether getting us acclimated to a filmmaker’s style of scare-crafting or a simple refresher, these five titles will help whet your appetite further for 2021 horror.
As usual, here’s where you can stream them this week…
Honeymoon – Pluto TV, Tubi, Vudu
Netflix is creating a summer event with its trio of R-rated Fear Street movies, all directed by Leigh Janiak. The event kicks off with part one on July 2, leaving plenty of time to catch up on Janiak’s haunting debut. It chronicles a newlywed couple’s trip to a quiet lakeside cabin for their honeymoon. Marital bliss unravels quickly when the groom finds his bride disoriented and wandering the woods in the middle of the night. Janiak’s debut begins as a quiet, moody affair that transforms into something shocking and unpredictable with significant gross-out moments. It’s a thing of grotesque beauty.
The Ritual – Netflix
If you’re in the mood for atmospheric horror full of potent scares that never let up from beginning to end, put The Night House on your radar now. Director David Bruckner previously established his ability to instill unsettling dread and unspool imaginative mythology with Netflix’s The Ritual. Based on Adam Nevill’s novel, The Ritual follows a group of old friends embarking on a trek to honor a lost loved one. A series of bad luck and strange circumstances lead them further into the forest, where they soon find themselves stalked by a menacing presence. It’s gorgeous, eerie, and captivating.
The Visit – Fubo, FX Now
M. Night Shyamalan helms Old, an adaptation of a graphic novel, aiming to make a favorite summer pastime terrifying. Set at a secluded beach that causes rapid aging for travelers, Old isn’t the first time Shyamalan induced age-related terror. Found Footage nightmare The Visit saw a pair of siblings documenting their trip to meet their grandparents for the very first time. The awkward family reunion grows terrifying as their grandparents become increasingly erratic with disturbing behavior. While mileage varies on the final act, Shyamalan nails the utter dread and nightmare fuel imagery with these frightening grandparents.
The Loved Ones – Prime Video
Shark feature Great White swims onto VOD this July, from director Martin Wilson and screenwriter Michael Boughen. Boughen is a producer, writer, and actor with numerous credits. Chief among them for horror fans is The Loved Ones, for which Boughen helped produce. This brutal feature introduces Lola, who wants nothing more than to be a princess and find her Prince Charming. She decides that Brent is the one and invites him to the school dance. When he rejects her offer, and she sees him with another girl, well, Lola decides she’ll get what she wants one way or another. Lola doesn’t take rejection lightly, and things get downright brutal. Love hurts.
Candyman – Tubi
Nia DaCosta’s Candyman ranks at the top of the year’s most anticipated horror movies for many. It’s been referred to as a spiritual sequel, with original actor Vanessa Williams returning and Tony Todd rumored to reappear. So, it only makes sense to revisit the movie that inspired and shaped this new Candyman. Bernard Rose’s adaptation of Clive Barker’s “The Forbidden” delivered a masterful urban legend horror story that introduced an iconic villain. Revisit the classic and fall in love all over again.