Just trust me: Three low-budget horror/thrillers you should watch without knowing anything about them
There are a lot of terrible low-budget horror films and thriller films out there, but every once in a while, a film crew uses the opportunity of their crappy budget to get even more creative, and they come up with a gem of a film. Here are three that have stuck with me — and I’m going to do my best to tell you as little about them as possible, and I recommend not looking up any trailers or other info before you watch them, because I think the experience is better that way. (Obviously you do you, but I think you should take my word for it.)
Coherence (2013) — According to Wikipedia (don’t click that link until you’ve watched the movie, lest you be spoiled), Coherence only cost $50,000 to make, and they got it done by having a main cast of only eight people (no extras) and almost every scene is filmed on the main floor of a house. Despite featuring nearly no special effects, Coherence is a fully-realized sci-fi thriller, with clever twists and a well-thought-out script. The movie takes place at a dinner party over the course of one evening, when some weird things begin to occur (again, I’m keeping it vague on purpose). I especially appreciate the casting of Nicholas Brendon in this movie; they do something smart and funny with his character that completely fits the theme. I saw this movie first a few years ago and again last week, and I was impressed with it both times. (In Canada, Coherence is available on Amazon Prime.)
Resolution (2012) and The Endless (2017) — These are two separate films made by the same filmmakers, and while The Endless isn’t exactly a sequel to Resolution, the two are related in a way that I appreciated, so I recommend watching them in order. Resolution is about a guy named Mike who goes to his friend Chris’s dilapidated cottage in the middle of the woods for a week in a last-ditch attempt to get his friend sober; creepiness ensues. The film had a very low budget of $20,000 and while it is technically a horror, it’s a slow burn and doesn’t have any real jump scares, just general uneasiness for the most part. However, the excellent character work between the two leads is what elevates this film beyond just a typical low-budget horror.
The Endless clearly had a slightly higher budget than Resolution, but not by much. It follows two brothers who escaped a death cult ten years before; when they discover that the members of the cult are still alive, they go back to visit and get closure. Again, not a ton of in-your-face scariness here; just some well-built tension, some great character work from the two leads, and a good, creative script. For some reason, both Resolution and The Endless have been staying with me in the days since I watched them, so clearly they did something right. (Both movies are available for rent on iTunes and I assume other places.)
That’s all from me today! Talk to you soon, lovelies.
Love,
Kat
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