Just in time for Halloween, we here at Collider would like to present you with our take on the ‘Welcome to the Blumhouse’ series of movies that have premiered on Amazon Prime over the last two years. Blumhouse has become a known name in the field of horror cinema, and we thought you should know which of these original films are worth your valuable time, especially around the time of All Hollow’s Eve. And we’ve even provided you a classification system to make things easy, rated from stinker to utterly spine-Chilling. So sit back, relax, and let us give you the rundown on what’s scary from Prime’s House of Blum.
8. Bingo Hell - Stinker
Bingo Hell is an undercooked story of a small town and the local bingo hall that comes under new management by a practitioner of supernatural evil. The movie wouldn’t be so bad if it wasn’t for the completely unlikable main protagonist, an old codger named Lupita (Adriana Barraza), who’s not only crabby as hell, but an open racist to boot. She has no problem calling a man she has yet to even meet a “pinche gringo.” Without a solid lead to get behind, the movie quickly devolves into gory schlock with an ending that is less than satisfying. Stay away from this Blumhouse bomb.
7. The Manor - Spooky
After suffering a stroke and being diagnosed with Parkinson’s, Judith Albright (the terrific Barbara Hershey) is committed to a nursing home. But it isn’t long before she notices that all isn’t right in this new setting. People are being hurt, the staff is aggressive, and she’s starting to see impossible things in the shadows. Judith’s 17-year-old grandson, Josh (Nicholas Alexander), is her only support against a band of untrustworthy residents, who appear to be using supernatural means against the rest of the home’s population. The Manor doesn’t offer anything original or surprising, but its message about the elderly and their struggles rings loud and true. And a few scenes offer some scares to those looking for them.
6. The Lie - Spooky
The Lie is the story of a broken household, and the extremes a child will go to in order to keep the family together. It begins with a divorced father (Peter Sarsgaard) finding his daughter (Joey King) in distress, admitting to pushing her best friend off a bridge. The rest of the proceedings involve the parents of the two girls, stumbling to find the truth and to keep safe those whom they hold dear. The story is more than a little contrived, and things get pretty nutty, but the plot remains tense throughout, and violence presents itself as a solution, as is the way with humans. The lengths at which people will go to for friends and family make for shocking viewing, although I wouldn’t call this a Blumhouse masterpiece.
5. Evil Eye - Spooky
Evil Eye is a film about a single woman, Pallavi (Sunita Mani), who begins to date a man that her mother, Usha (Sarita Choudhuri) believes may be the reincarnation of her dead, abusive boyfriend. It’s a psychological thriller, and one that keeps the viewer guessing … for a time. The story, unfortunately, doesn’t get a whole lot deeper than that, but the twists and turns are fun, and the heart of the movie’s central family unit remains intact and strong. While this might not be Blumhouse’s most profound work, it does offer up thrills and chills, and it is worth a Halloween night of viewing.
4. Nocturne - Scary
Nocturne is a dark tale of twin sisters, viciously competing against each other as gifted pianists at a prestigious boarding school. Vivian (Madison Iseman) is perceived as the more talented of the two, and has already been accepted into Juilliard, while Juliet (Sydney Sweeney) struggles to catch up. When a fellow student, Moira (Ji Eun Hwang), commits suicide, a contest is held to find a replacement for her in the senior showcase. Of course, both sisters engage, supernatural kerfuffle develops with the finding of an ancient demonic symphony, as well as complex dramatic backstabbing between the twins, and things get weird and wild. For those who like their horror bathed in a pool of sibling rivalry, this is the way to go.
3. Madres - Scary
Here, we start to get to the real meat of ‘Welcome to the Blumhouse.’ And it’s even based on a real-life grotesquery. Taking place in the 70’s, a pregnant woman of Mexican-American heritage and her Mexican husband move to a farming colony in California. Here, he can employ his nature-based skills, and she can write while preparing for birth, but it isn’t long before things go astray. A local bruja, a racist obstetrician, and a major outbreak caused by untested crop pesticides all meld into one sick tale of an expectant mother in trouble amongst a community suffering in similar ways. Madres pinpoints a serious epidemic occurring at the time, and the biological and racial causes that brought it about - with a splash of the supernatural, to boot. Perfect for a spooky night in.
2. Black as Night - Scary
Black as Night is a new vampire movie taking place in one of the most atmospherically ghostly locations in America: New Orleans. It involves a teenage girl with a drug-addict mother taking on a clan of vampires targeting the homeless and the unnoticed amongst the city. Backed by her best friend and her beefcake crush, Shawna (Asjha Cooper) fights for the poor and disenfranchised being taken advantage of by the plague of bloodsuckers. It’s not a deep story, but one that rings true of the class system in New Orleans and elsewhere, and which includes some good, bloody battles with the undead. It may not level up to that of The Lost Boys or Let the Right One In, but this vampire story deserves a viewing by all those who enjoy a good blood sucking.
1. Black Box – Spine-Chilling
Black Box is the gold medallist amongst the 'Welcome to the Blumhouse' movies. Not only is it hair-raising, but it involves a fair amount of clever science fiction in its plot. The protagonist, Nolan Wright (Mamoudou Athie), is one who has survived a car crash, only to lose his wife and most of his memories. He struggles to raise his 10-year-old daughter, Ava (Amanda Christine), in this state, but he fails to provide for her or himself as needed, due to his mental instabilities. Eventually, he takes advice from his friend, Gary (Tosin Morohunfola), and becomes a neurological experiment to Dr. Brooks (Phylicia Rashad), a scientist in the field of repairing damaged memory. What follows is a twisted tale of illicit science, psychoactive control, and immoral familial ties. The heart of the movie is Nolan’s relationship with Ava, and it all comes down to what he is willing to give up for her. Black Box is smart, innovative, touching, and terrifying all at once. Without a doubt, this is the crowning jewel of Blumhouse's excursion at Prime.