3 must watch horror hits on Netflix for fans of Barbarian

Netflix recently added one of the best horror films of the decade in Barbarian. If you survived that onslaught to the senses, we've got three more horrifying tales for you.

A quick note: like Barbarian, all three of these films are led by strong women, both the characters and actresses. So if you're the incel-type with mommy issues, you might want to stay safe with your Jason and Freddy fantasies. The adults will be watching these.

As in director Zach Cregger's startling debut film, all three of these films feature women who are thrown into the role of the victim, but (no spoilers) attempt to fight their way through the grisly events they face. A side note: for certain bloggers. I see this all too often. "Grizzly" refers to a type of bear. "Grisly" is derived from the Old English "grislic", meaning horrible. And horrible fates await in all three of these films.

Three horrifying - in a good way - hits on Netflix

The Perfection

First up, a 2018 psychological horror flick from director Ricard Shepard. He's one of the best indie filmmakers out there, with dark comedies like The Matador and The Hunting Party among his credits. Sadly, neither of these is currently on Netflix. Search engines are your friends, fam.

As for The Perfection, I believe it's his best yet. The twists in this movie are dizzying. Young cellist Charlotte (Allison Williams) takes the younger Elizabeth (Logan Browning) under her wing, so to speak. You'll understand that once you see the movie. There's one little problem: Charlotte has revenge on her mind. The question is, who's the target? It's shocking. gory, and brilliant.

Gerald's Game

Let's jump back to 2017 and the 317th adaptation of a Stephen King property, Gerald's Game. Co-written and directed by the king of King adaptations, Mike Flanagan, who also brought to Netflix The Haunting of Hill House, Midnight Mass, and The Fall of the House of Usher. All are must-see series, with Usher being my favorite.

It's no coincidence that Carla Gugino and Bruce Greenwood starred in that series, as they are favorites of Flanagan. They star in Gerald's Game; make no mistake, this is Gugino's film. She is electric as Jessie, a woman handcuffed to a bed for a sex game with her husband.

One problem: he dies of a heart attack, and there seems to be no escape. Not from the handcuffs, and especially not from her own demons. Did I mention all three of these movies are fairly adult in nature?

Smile

I really, really like the previous films here, but Smile is the standout for me. This was another directorial debut, in this case for Parker Finn. His follow-up, Smile 2, is also on your favorite streamer. I enjoyed the sequel too, but Smile is simply one of the best horror films of the past decade. It didn't make as much money as It, but it's far better. Yeah, I went there.

Smile has a great - and terrifying- plot. Therapist Rose Cotter counsels a young student who witnessed a suicide. That would be nighmare fuel on its own. But now she's seeing a horrifying entity that no one else can see, who tells her that she, too, will die. A very bad thing happens, and now our protagonist Rose must solve the mystery before she, too, dies.

Sosie Bacon is phenomenal in the lead. Yes, that last name is familiar, but the daughter of Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick is no mere nepo baby. She might well be a better actor than either of her parents. Everyone is excellent in the film, and the cinematography is great, too.

The standout for me was the sound design. I know, that sounds a bit weird. Trust me, watch this and you'll realize just how much the sound adds to the movie. Just make sure you have all the lights on.

Thankfully, none of these films are disappearing anytime soon from your screens. I can't say the same for several other shows. If you're a fan of Dexter, you better start bingeing soon, as it (and several others) are leaving this week.

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