Casey Chong with seven great horror films from NEON that you need to see…
Indie film production and distributor NEON has offered audiences a diverse range of genres since launching with the 2017 sci-fi comedy Colossal starring Anne Hathaway. Since then, the New York-based film company has established its reputation for delivering high-quality films such as the biographical sports drama I, Tonya, the gritty action thriller Revenge and the historic, award-winning Parasite. NEON also made its mark in the horror genre, with notable hits like Longlegs and The Monkey, both of which were directed by Osgood Perkins. To coincide with the latest release of Together starring Dave Franco and Alison Brie (read our review here), here are the seven great NEON horror movies that deserve your attention…
Little Monsters (2019)
Australian director Abe Forsythe explores the familiar zombie-comedy territory in Little Monsters. He also wrote the screenplay, establishing his two main characters from the get-go, beginning with the introduction of Dave (Alexander England), a down-on-his-luck musician who is often squabbling with his petty girlfriend, Sara (Nadia Townsend). The second is Miss Audrey Caroline (Lupita Nyong’o), Dave’s nephew’s (Diesel La Torraca’s Felix) kindergarten teacher, whom Dave immediately falls in love at first sight.
The story soon reaches a turning point when a school field trip to a farm is attacked by a horde of zombies. This is where Little Monsters excels the most as Forsythe depicts Miss Audrey Caroline as a dedicated, yet consummate kindergarten teacher, who maintains professionalism and even manages to handle things calmly under pressure, despite the zombie outbreak. She continues to prioritize the kids to ensure their safety above all else, and it helps that Nyong’o’s committed performance shines throughout the movie. Forsythe does a good job combining both genres that are darkly humorous and even amiable, while not forgetting to inject enough gore and graphic violence to satisfy the genre fans.
The Lodge (2019)
Goodnight Mommy directing duo Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala’s slow-burn psychological horror, The Lodge, begins with a shocking opening act before the story focuses on widower Richard’s (Richard Armitage) two children, Aiden (Jaeden Martell) and Mia (Lia McHugh), who become hostile over their stepmom, Grace (Riley Keough). Franz and Fiala favor a dread-inducing atmosphere rather than in-your-face violence and gore throughout their movie, particularly when the story follows Grace along with Aiden and Mia stuck in the titular lodge during a snowstorm while Richard is away, to eerie results.
The directing duo equally deserves credit for making good use of the titular remote lodge, while the snowbound setting allows them to generate a sense of unease. Keough’s performance is the highlight here, while the movie also explores thought-provoking themes related to mental and psychological impact surrounding religion, trauma, and even gaslighting.
Possessor (2020)
David Cronenberg’s son, Brandon, wrote and directed this grim and nightmarish sci-fi horror, marking his sophomore feature after 2012’s Antiviral. Like his debut, he continued to honor his famous father’s legacy by incorporating the signature body horror tropes into Possessor, and the movie boasts an intriguing setup: A high-level corporate assassin, Tasya Vos (an excellent Andrea Riseborough), relies on the advanced brain implant technology to take control of other human minds and bodies to get rid of the targets.
Riseborough’s icy-cold performance aside, Brandon Cronenberg’s distinct visual styling along, with his uncompromising depiction of gore and graphic violence, makes Possessor a visceral cinematic experience.
She Dies Tomorrow (2020)
What if you find out you are going to die tomorrow for some unexplained reason? This is where writer-director Amy Seimetz becomes fascinated by exploring deeply into the existential dread of what it’s like when someone is about to meet their demise. She Dies Tomorrow is more symbolic in its execution while eschewing the traditional horror tropes, which doesn’t sit well with many genre fans expecting the usual stuff.
But if you are up for something radically different for a change, this movie abstractly captures the underlying themes of fear, anxiety and not to mention a sense of uncertainty that mirrors the Covid-19 pandemic era at the time of its release. Seimetz also deserves mention for her unique approach in blending psychedelic visuals, ominous sound design and neon-heavy lighting to manifest the characters’ perplexing state of facing mortality.
In the Earth (2021)
Believe it or not, Ben Wheatley reportedly took only 15 days to write and direct In the Earth during the Covid-19 pandemic. The story reflects the real-world outbreak at the time, focusing on the two characters – a scientist (Joel Fry’s Martin Lowery) and a park guide (Ellora Torchia’s Alma) – embarking on a journey into the forest to locate a researcher, Olivia (Hayley Squires), who has been missing for months. A word of warning for this movie: It contains lots of strobe lighting, particularly in the second half, which can be frustrating for some viewers.
If you can withstand these scenes, Wheatley successfully delves into the atmosphere-heavy surrealism, complete with creepy sound design. He also doesn’t shy away from graphic violence (the amputated toe sequence comes to mind) while incorporating body horror and supernatural elements to keep things intriguing.
Immaculate (2024)
Sydney Sweeney sheds her sexy image for a change in favor of a button-down role of a novice nun in Immaculate. She also reunites with The Voyeurs’ Michael Mohan, and this time, the story follows Sweeney’s Sister Cecilia joining a convent in the remote Italian countryside. Everything is fine at first, but it doesn’t take long before something is not right with the convent.
A religious horror that tapped into the dark secrets of a convent is nothing new, and yet, Mohan’s assured direction maintains a sense of ominous dread right from the onset. The movie contains some jump scares, but Immaculate is leaning more into atmospheric visuals while benefitting from Sweeney’s engaging performance as Sister Cecilia. Credits also go to Mohan and screenwriter Andrew Lobel for delving into the gender-based exploitation and religious fanaticism, while subverting the otherwise familiar horror tropes with its twisted storytelling.
Cuckoo (2024)
Written and directed by Tilman Singer in his sophomore feature after 2018’s Luz, Cuckoo reflects its title both literally and figuratively by giving us a left-field, yet absorbing horror film. It begins with teenager Gretchen (Hunter Schafer), who is still grieving her mother’s death, moving to a mysterious resort town in the Bavarian Alps with her father (Marton Csokas), stepmother (Jessica Henwick) and mute half-sister (Mila Lieu). Things get bizarre when Gretchen discovers something is wrong with the resort.
Earlier in the movie, Singer ratchets up the tension when Gretchen encounters a creepy figure chasing her while cycling at night. Cuckoo defies conventional approach, as the movie shifts its varied tones from psychological thriller to giallo, body horror and a dash of sci-fi elements. Singer even spices up his movie by diversifying various themes from generational trauma to isolation, trauma and family dynamics. It’s a convoluted mess, but it’s hard to deny that Singer’s genre-bending path to the road less travelled has enough intriguing moments, coupled with a compelling cast led by Hunter Schafer and an oddball Dan Stevens as the resort owner, Herr König.
What are your favourite horror movies from NEON? Let us know on our social channels @FlickeringMyth…
Casey Chong
