10 Best Horror Films 2020
2. His House
Discussions about immigration in the US and UK are often conducted and moderated through white media, but how often do we hear from immigrants themselves? His House offers a look at such a perspective, following a South Sudanese couple as they struggle to cope with their new life in the UK. Aside from subtle racism and overt xenophobia, the characters also struggle with trauma they experienced back at home – tragedies that typical bourgeois haunted house occupants couldn’t fathom. The images of their decaying home and horrifying creatures from the dark provide a fright that equals the relevance of the film’s social commentary.
1. The Wolf House
The Wolf House begins with a short documentary framing device about an isolated religious community in Chile which presents the film as a means for outsiders to understand the group’s worldview. What follows is a mesmerizing multimedia fairy tale told through ever-transforming mise-en-scene, which paints the outside world as a dark, dangerous place for the members of the community. Religious and cultural symbols function as signs for diegetic and real-world viewers to interpret the work, prompting questions about the motives of those who paint the world as a thoroughly evil place. Perhaps the film isn’t terrifying for viewers outside the diegetic cult, but its imagery is equally discomforting and awe-inspiring, and the surreal style stands out from most stop-motion animated works.
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Which of our 10 Best Horror Films 2020 was the best in your eyes? Which film are you most excited to find online? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to follow The Film Magazine on Facebook and Twitter.
