Towards Halloween everyone finds themselves turned to a horror movie or two, and lots of the best streaming services have new originals to cater to that taste. However, if none of them pique your interest, I'd recommend you instead boot up Prime Video or Peacock, because hiding in their libraries is the movie that I'd dub the best horror movie I've ever seen.
The film in question is called The Endless and it was released in 2017. I'm always surprised by the number of people who've never even heard of it because it created a dedicated fanbase and was well-received (it has 92% on Rotten Tomatoes at the time of writing).
The Endless is about two brothers who escaped a commune when they were younger and receive a mysterious video cassette from one of the members of the group.
They travel back to the camp in order to make amends with their past, however, something mysterious is going on behind the scenes which could trap them in the woods. I know that this last sentence is endlessly vague but I've made sure not to spoil anything, including the nature of the mystery or how they'd be trapped, so that you go in with fresh eyes.
Spooky stuff is certainly happening all the way through The Endless, with some creepy imagery juxtaposed with some horrifying concepts; it's not your generic slasher or paranormal story by any means! It's one of those movies that leaves you wondering what was really going on: were we witnessing the truth, was it all a metaphor, or was there really more going on under the surface?
I loved this movie as soon as I saw it, and it introduced me to the loosely defined genre of cosmic horror (which isn't about space, but horror that pertains to humanity's tiny space in the cosmos). More than that, though, it brought me to two amazing horror & sci-fi directors who are making amazing movies.
The third movie from writing / directing / acting / filming duo Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, The Endless created a cult following of fans due to the unique style of cosmic horror it taps into. I've been to Q&As from the two when fans have picked apart references between all of their movies!
They previously directed the fantastic low-budget Resolution (which is on Prime Video as well as most of the major free streaming services) as well as a segment on V/H/S Viral, and also the horror romance Spring (which is on Tubi)
Their more recent filmography includes the Anthony Mackie sci-fi movie Synchronic and episodes of Moon Knight, Loki and Daredevil: Born Again for Disney. Fans of horror should also check out the movie they produced After Midnight, which again is on most free streamers as well as Hulu, as it's the perfect combination of a character drama with a creature feature. It also has 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, for those of you who rely on the review website!
If you're looking for horror recommendations this Halloween, I presume it's because you've already worked your way through the classic horrors as well as the new originals for 2024. If that's the case, I can't recommend The Endless enough, as well as the other movies by its directors.
