Production houses are defined by the films they release. This is starker when considering those production houses that are independently placed, as their reputation and future movies generally take shape based on their initial film line-up.
Blumhouse Productions are mostly known for their penchant to release horror films with a twist, and they take the route of presenting smaller movies with a big impact in their message. There have been some mainstream winners like Whiplash and BlacKkKlansman, but the following 10 movies have been largely underrated and under-promoted despite being of very high quality indeed.
Sinister (2012)
A true crime reporter moves into a house formerly owned by a family that was brutally murdered, intending to uncover the mystery behind their deaths. What the man doesn’t realize, is that he’s put his family in mortal danger by moving in the first place.
At a time when so many horror movies were releasing like The Conjuring and Insidious, Sinister’s legacy has gone unnoticed. It’s too bad, since the film features a masterclass performance by Ethan Hawke, who captures the viewer in the same way his character is caught in the middle of a horrific plan conducted by the demonic Bughuul to slay his family.
Oculus (2013)
A sibling pair look to destroy the curse behind an evil mirror that claimed the lives of their parents when they were children. What they don’t realize, however, is that no amount of planning could deceive this evil entity from fulfilling its intention to end them.
Featuring two young actors as part of the film’s minimal cast, Oculus thrives in delivering scares to the audience by fooling them into believing one thing, and then throwing them in the middle of a completely different reality. It’s mind-bending at times and even frustrating in others, but Oculus will hold your interest right till the very end.
The Boy Next Door (2015)
Erotic thrillers seem to be destined to have the same kind of story one after the other, and The Boy Next Door surprises no one in this predictable premise; yet, there’s no denying it’s not fun to watch either.
The antagonist’s performance is fantastic, something you don’t expect from a guy who starred in a Step Up movie, while Jennifer Lopez is able to shed her generally good-girl image in movies and rope you in this seductive thriller. If you’re expecting something different, then you’re not going to find it here. But you will finish your viewing more impressed than anything else.
Glass (2019)
Mr. Glass finally begins his quest in proving to the world that superheroes are real, as both David Dunn and The Beast are set up in a seismic clash that might spell the beginning of the end.
Glass was released earlier this year to lukewarm reviews, as people thought it didn’t measure up to Unbreakable and Split. While that is the correct consensus, Glass is by no means a bad movie. You need to head in with the mindset that this is a combination of all the elements seen before, and that the entertainment is meant to be derived from the eerie hospital setting.
Creep (2014)
A man answers an ad for a job set up by a mysterious individual who looks to have no set motive other than being, well, a creep. The story unfolds in a spine-chilling manner as the creep begins slowly showing signs of his true sinister personality, making the protagonist question if his life is in danger.
Creep’s existence isn’t even known to most of the film-going audience, making it enormously underrated, as the film has had universally positive reviews from critics. You’re probably not going to have a great time watching it, though, because the actors have you believing as if everything you’re watching is real - and we do not want a man like the antagonist existing in real life.
Stockholm (2018)
Ever wonder where the condition of the Stockholm Syndrome was coined? That would be the true events Stockholm is based on. This true story depicts a bank robbery where the captors of hostages end up becoming the latter’s objects of affection, thereby resulting in the hostages attempting to protect the robbers.
Being something of an independent release, Stockholm has gone unnoticed in its release, mainly because it doesn’t have the flash and style that the modern audience eats up so much now. But it is still a very telling story, one that delivers the truth wrapped up in its fine performances.
Tooth Fairy (2010)
If you followed WWE in 2011, you definitely will recall John Cena tearing The Rock apart for starring in the Tooth Fairy movie. It’s utterly ridiculous to see the action megastar appearing in such a film, but you would be overlooking the fact that The Rock is absolutely hilarious in it.
Tooth Fairy has seen its reputation fall further in recent times due to The Rock’s insane star power, and we think that’s injustice toward a film that is really just looking to make you laugh at the absurdity of it.
The Visit (2015)
Teenage siblings are ecstatic to meet their grandparents for the first time after their mother leaves them with her estranged parents to go on a trip. In order to mark the occasion, the kids decide to record their interactions with their grandparents, only these old timers don’t appear to be who they claim to be.
The Visit was a return to form for M. Night Shyamalan, who had produced a lot of dunders before this. The film is unique in that it will make you laugh at certain times, and then cause you to wretch in fright as the crazed “grandparents” display their malicious intentions as the film rolls forward.
In a Valley of Violence (2016)
Ethan Hawke continues his love affair with Blumhouse Productions in this westerner with a whole lot of grit, this time roping in John Travolta for the ride as well. It also features a cast of soon-to-be well-known actors as well, making this an efficiently made thriller that pays homage to the westerns of yesteryear.
In a Valley of Violence’s story doesn’t have too much complexity going for it, with the premise involving a violent town that doesn’t take too kindly to the arrival of a very abled stranger. When the newly arrived stranger refuses to buckle under pressure, guns are drawn and madness erupts.
Hush (2016)
People talk about empowerment so much these days, then how about this movie that champions a protagonist with a hearing disability? Hush is an awesome entry in the horror-thriller genre, one that combines the thrills with a wave of intelligence.
As it happens, the story involves a deaf-mute woman, who is thrown in the center of an attempt by a crazed serial killer out to take her life for the sheer amusement involved. Hush has you rapt with attention, as you hope beyond hope for the protagonist to pull through and finish off the fiend for good. It’s a superb watch, one that unfortunately is unknown to the mainstream audience.
