3 incredible horror movies to watch at home this week

Late September saw us put out a request for recommendations for horror movies. It’s an offshoot of our Dear Polygon series, where we answer questions and give recs to readers like you. We were thrilled to receive hundreds of responses. For now, this is our fourth entry. We have hand-picked a scary movie for you to see. Our first entry can be found here. You can also catch up on our second and third entries here.

Let’s dig in.

[Ed. note: Some questions have been slightly edited for clarity.]

Dear Polygon

It’s important to me that the film has good effects. Body horror is an added bonus. Subgenre doesn’t matter much to me, I’ll watch anything 🙂 I especially love body horror as a means to explore themes about identity, society, whatever (Cronenberg is always fun). Gore it and I’ll think about it!

–Michael

Michael — I’m totally with you. I love good practical effects, especially when they’re coupled with strong social themes. I’m likewise drawn to Cronenberg’s movies, but for me, you can’t beat George Romero in this category. I’ve got a movie for you that, while often ignored in favor of the more famous earlier entries in the “of the Dead” franchise, it’s my personal favorite (and I love them all). —Pete Volk

Day of the Dead (85)

United Film Distribution Company

What’s it like? It’s a George Romero zombie movie! That means in addition to gnarly zombie effects, there’s a lot of trenchant social commentary. Instead of the evils and cruelty of capitalism this time, Day of the Dead The film focuses on the conflict between the military and scientists after the zombie apocalypse.

It is what kind of horror? Lots of realistic effects and gore with only a handful of jump scares. There are also plenty of zombies that can be shambled. There is also a lot of tension between humans.

Is it you?George Romero, the Zombie mastermind, wrote it and directed it. Tom Savini, a frequent collaborator of Romero, created effects and won an award for winning makeup.

Who’s in it?Lori Cardille, whose father Bill was in Night of the Living DeadWhile ), plays Dr. Sarah Bowman (a highly-competent scientist) and Joseph Pilato (a combative soldier capt. Henry Rhodes.

What length is the duration?You can spend 100 minutes with the nose.

What are my options?It is available to stream online on FuboTV or Peacock. You can also rent it or buy it digitally via Amazon, Apple TV and Google Play.

Dear Polygon

I’m looking for a horror deep cut from any era that has a good combination of body horror and psychological horror. Nothing is too extreme for me, but I love a horror film that has some purpose in its depravity, that’s communicating something to its audience, whether that be a theme, a message, or a feeling. It should be filled with horrible practical effects and a great score.

–Amanda

Amanda: Wow! Your taste buds are very diverse when it comes horror movies. Thank you. I noticed in the list of movies you had already seen, with the exception of Takashi Miike’s Auditions, that you hadn’t mentioned many Japanese horror films. This Kiyoshi Kurosawa film is a classic that I recommend to everyone. But I believe you would enjoy it more if you are looking for something that combines depravity and thematic meaning. —Toussaint Égan

Cure (1997)

Janus Films

What’s it like? A string of gruesome murders is occurring all across Japan, and no one quite seems to understand why — least of all the perpetrators. Police detective Kenichi Takabe is tasked with getting to the bottom of these killings, all of which involve a seemingly ordinary person murdering someone at random and carving a large X across the victim’s neck. Takabe discovers that Mamiya (a man who is not known) has been implicated in the murders. This terrifying secret threatens Takabe and all those he loves.

It is what kind of horror? Quiet and subdued, psychological and unnerving, violent and gruesomely blasé in its depiction of said violence. Cure certainly doesn’t lack when it comes to scenes of grisly physical violence, but its true strength is digging into the psychology of its protagonist as he gazes into the abyss that is Mamiya’s psyche. One cannot shake the feeling that, with every new revelation in the case, something dark and unspoken is taking hold inside of not only Takabe’s mind, but the minds of potentially all those around him. Mamiya is only a small part of something much larger and insidious, the living vector for an unseen “virus” of inexplicable cruelty injected into the bloodstream of human society. Although we are not able to provide definitive answers, one thing is certain. There can’t be any. And no one is secure. It’s only the beginning.

Is it you?Kiyoshi Kurosawa would go on to direct 2001’s critically-acclaimed horror movie. Pulse. Cure preceded films such as Hideo Nakata’s 1998 supernatural horror film Ring and Takashi Shimizu’s Ju-On (The Grudge) — both of which were later remade in America — and is widely considered to be one of the most influential Japanese horror films of its era.

Who’s in it? CureThis is the first collaboration Kurosawa had with Koji Yakusho (who stars as Takabe). Yakusho would later star in several of Kurosawa’s other films, including Pulse, Seance, DoppelgangerAnd Tokyo SonataYou can also see: Masato Hagiwara, who plays Mamiya, has starred in several other films, most notably 1993’s One Class You Will Never Forget.

What length is the duration? 111 minutes.

What are my options? CureYou can stream it on Criterion Channel.

Dear Polygon

A horror film that understands what it’s about and can respond to it is my favorite. I love a horror movie that’s not afraid of schlock, and not afraid to get weird and nasty and bloody. I want to squirm a little, I want to laugh at things I shouldn’t be laughing at because I can tell this director or crew is having a fun time making it. I want the rules to make sense, except for when it doesn’t need to because it’s a fun direction. In addition, I enjoy some creative nonsense and some skill in camerawork as well as special effects. You can disturb me emotionally or make me smile. 🙂

—Lichwhich

Lich, my buddy, this is a helluva prompt you’ve teed up here. This can be done in many ways, with many amazing movies. Your desire to have something so difficult it turns into schlocky resonated deeply with me. This is something I completely understand. Friends found the perfect movie to make you laugh and horrify earlier this year. —Zosha Millman

Orphans (2009)

Warner Bros. Pictures

What’s it like?After their daughter died, a husband and wife decided to adopt a nine-year-old girl. I believe that knowing as much as you can before you go is a good idea. It will help you be ready for whatever wild and crazy ride awaits you. Orphan. Suffice it to say: Things don’t go great adopting this 9-year-old.

It is what kind of horror? This is a movie that goes too hard in almost every direction, making it just a transcendent bit of horror “schlock,” as you say. It runs for approximately ten minutes. Orphan skews drastically from pure camp to “good lord they are going there,” and though I watched it by myself I was incapable of not yelling out to no one in particular. It’s unclear if this movie knows what it is or just magnificently tripped into being so totally what it can be. But it’s probably one of the better horror experiences I’ve had in a year packed to the gills with good horror.

Is it you? OrphanDavid Leslie Johnson McGoldrick wrote it.The Conjuring 2,, The Conjuring: It Was The Devil That Made Me Do It, AquamanJaume Collett-Serra directed the filmThe Shallows, Black Adam, House of Wax). What are your arguments with this lineup?

Who’s in it?Isabelle Fuhrman is the main star of the series. Fuhrman was just 11 years old at the time she was chosen to play Esther. She’s backed by Vera Farmiga, who you may know from The Conjuring universe and this interview promoting that movie by talking about spiritual warfare, and Batman’s Peter Sarsgaard. CCH Pounder and Margo Martindale are also there — which is all to say you should be too (if that wasn’t clear).

What length is the duration?Each one is worth two hours and three minutes.

What are my options? OrphanFubo streaming is also available. Rent on YouTube and Vudu.