Horror Quarter 2, 2020
Despite the pandemic slowing down film releases generally, I found the second quarter of the year to be surprisingly rich with horror films. I caught up with 22 new releases from April to June. See below for my ratings (out of 5) and recommendations:
The Platform 3.5
Feedback 3
Vivarium 3
VFW 3
Porno 2.5
The Other Lamb 3
We Summon the Darkness 3
Sea Fever 4
Underwater 3
Deerskin 4
The Wretched 3
Bit 2.5
1Br 4
A Good Woman is Hard to Find 4
Party Hard Die Young 2.5
The Room 3
The Vast of Night 4
Z 2.5
Scream Queen 3
Blood Quantum 3
Good Boy 3
Warning: Do Not Play 3.5
Becky 3
Second quarter offered a strong group of films, but there were five with which I was particularly enamored and think every horror fan must see before the end of the year. The first is Deerskin from writer-director Quentin Dupieux, who you likely know from Rubber, his famously bonkers, killer-tire film from 2010. His new film Deerskin tracks an amateur filmmaker's obsession with his deerskin jacket. It stars Jean Dujardin and Adèle Haenel, who also starred in this year's beautiful non-horror film Portrait of a Lady on Fire. Deerskin is a slower film with an absurd sense of humor, but if you like more artsy fare or you enjoyed Dupieux's other films, I recommend checking this one out. Another film more on the art-horror side of the spectrum is Abner Pastoll's crime thriller A Good Woman is Hard to Find. Led by a stellar performance from Sarah Bolger, Pastoll's film features a recent widow who is struggling through the tribulations of being a single parent and seeking out the truth behind her late husband's death. Like Deerskin, Good Woman is a quieter film with subtle horror. Yet, even the most hardcore of horror fans will find the mystery, the visuals, and the film as a whole captivating.
To end this string of quiet, contemplative horror is a little science-fiction film from Andrew Patterson, The Vast of Night. Set in 1950's, small-town New Mexico, Patterson's film follows a couple of teens who discover a strange radio frequency and try to trace its origin and meaning. With notes of Pontypol and X-Files, The Vast of Night keeps the tension high while still feeling muted. It's a weird combination and tonally difficult to pull off. If you're on board for a slow unraveling, sci-fi mystery, I recommend checking this one out. Next is David Marmor's 1BR, which flew a bit under the radar this year. 1BR is about a young adult, played by Nicole Brydon Bloom, who is looking for an affordable apartment in LA. She stumbles into an apartment complex, which we quickly come to understand is run by a cult. Despite cult storylines feeling tired these days in the genre, Marmor's film feels fresh and intellectually interesting. Playing with ideas like what does a good society look like? and what does it take to achieve a good society?, 1BR is impressive in its writing and has some truly terrifying moments.
Saving the best for last, perhaps my favorite horror film of the year so far is Neasa Hardiman's Sea Fever. This one feels so timely, as it deals with a fishing crew and a biology student who are faced with decisions of quarantining themselves after becoming infected with a mysterious parasite. Hardiman's film is also a sneaky creature feature, and although feeling topical during pandemic times, it remains a fun and horror-filled watch. For anyone deciding between the two water-related new releases to catch this year, Underwater or Sea Fever, I wholeheartedly recommend the latter as a priority. On top of these five recommendations from quarter two, don't forget to catch up with my recommendations from quarter one. Additionally, if you're interested in following along with my current eco-horror marathon, you can do that via Twitter or my blog. You can also follow me on Letterboxd. Enjoy your scare!
