Neon has a reputation for producing uniquely constructed horror movies that have a tenacious, offbeat feel. With a vast repertoire, Neon’s horror output covers a diverse range of sub-genres, including sci-fi, body horror, psychological terror, folk horror, and horror satire. Established in 2017 by Tom Quinn and Tim League, Neon has quickly become a household name in reliably high-calibre film production.
From the visceral body horror of Titane to the psychological dread in The Lodge, Neon’s films consistently push the boundaries of conventional horror. Each film offers a fresh and often provocative take on the genre, whether it’s the social commentary woven into the dark satire of Bad Hair or the eerie, post-pandemic paranoia in In the Earth. Neon’s commitment to innovative storytelling and striking visuals makes it a standout in the horror landscape, delivering films that are as intellectually stimulating as they are terrifying.
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11 Bad Hair (2020)
Directed By Justin Simien
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Bad Hair is a conceptually bold Neon production. With a 1989 backdrop, Bad Hair follows a music TV company executive assistant Anna (Elle Lorraine) as she rises through the ranks in a competitive and fast-paced media environment. When the new boss (Vanessa Williams) suggests a promotion for Anna, she implies that adjusting her hairstyle might enable her to move more swiftly through the ranks, yet her new weave seems to possess a sinister sentience…
With supernatural and folkloric elements explored via Bad Hair‘s witches and their mythology, Simien’s film is another curiously creepy Neon production. While the absurdist anthropomorphized monster, which took possible inspiration from Peter Strickland’s equally bizarre 2018 film In Fabric, makes Bad Hair an effective horror satire with a socio-political backdrop where black hair politics become the roots of the film’s terror.
10 She Dies Tomorrow (2020)
Directed By Amy Seimetz
Neon’s She Dies Tomorrow taps into a deeply universal fear and cranks it up considerably. Directed by Amy Seimetz, the film opens with Amy (Kate Lyn Sheil), who becomes inexplicably convinced that she will die the following day. Despite having no real rationale for this suspicion, her ardent-ness is unshakable. What’s more disturbing is that her conviction becomes contagious, spreading amongst her friends and family like a virus.
She Dies Tomorrow is different from pandemic horrors released before COVID-19. It’s a slow burn that eschews traditional horror thrills in favor of a more psychological approach, foregrounding existential dread and contagious paranoia. Rather than relying on jump scares, the film delves into the terrifying psychological landscape of its characters, exploring how fear can become a self-fulfilling prophecy for self-destruction.
9 Longlegs (2024)
Directed By Oz Perkins
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Neon’s latest horror contribution, Longlegs follows FBI Agent Lee Harker (Maika Monroe) who is thrust into the dark world of an unsolved serial killer case. In his fourth directorial credit, Perkins has taken unmistakable influence from serial killer investigation horror films such as Se7en, Silence of the Lambs, and even Zodiac.
The unnerving Nicolas Cage horror movie makes great use of sound and empty space, deftly negotiating the implication of danger. The film’s first two-thirds are genuinely thrilling, drawing the audience in with a gripping narrative and an eerie atmosphere. Unfortunately, Longlegs stumbles in its final act, with a twist that disrupts the film’s momentum and leaves a somewhat underwhelming conclusion. Despite this, the film excels in its mise en scène. The cinematography, featuring lower tilted angles and wide shots, brilliantly enhances the sense of looming threat, making it a solid addition to Neon’s horror library.
8 The Lodge (2019)
Directed By Veronika Franz & Severin Fiala
The Lodge, directed by Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala, concerns siblings Aidan (Jaeden Martell) and Mia (Lia McHugh) during a Christmas getaway with their journalist father Richard (Richard Armitage) and new girlfriend Grace (Riley Keough). The isolated titular lodge is a fantastically ominous setting for the film’s events. Franz and Fiala’s second-to-latest release highlights their continued interest in the complexities of familial relationships and psychological trauma, sharing echoes of their previous film, Goodnight Mommy. While it doesn’t quite reach the same heights as Goodnight Mommy, it still delivers a gripping and more existentially frightening horror experience.
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With twists and turns that keep viewers on edge, The Lodge‘s unsettling atmosphere and psychological tension build suspense beautifully, though it isn’t without a few plot holes that may leave some viewers questioning the story’s logic. Despite its flaws, The Lodge is a haunting exploration of isolation and paranoia, making it a notable entry in Neon’s productions. The chilling performances and eerie setting ensure that it remains a memorable, if imperfect, psychological horror.
7 Little Monsters (2019)
Directed By Abe Forsythe
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Little Monsters is a film that balances the tricky combination of comedy and horror, delivering a very tongue-in-cheek and deeply meta-theatrical experience. As one of the most challenging sub-genres to nail, this comedy-horror hybrid stands out as a bold and entertaining entry in Neon’s catalog.
Forsythe’s film follows Dave – a washed-up musician recovering from a recent breakup – who sets his sights on his nephew’s teacher, Miss Caroline (Lupita Nyong’o). Yet his plans to impress and pursue her are thwarted by a zombie invasion. Nyong’o shines as Miss Caroline, bringing both charisma and wit to her role, and as far as comedy-horror goes, Little Monsters succeeds in combining these seemingly antithetical genres into a seamless and enjoyable movie.
6 In The Earth (2021)
Directed By Ben Wheatley
Ben Wheatley’s In the Earth is a fantastically crafted folk horror by the sub-genre maestro. Set in a post-Covid landscape, Wheatley masterfully blends ecological and folkloric dread, creating a timely and eerie atmosphere that captures the zeitgeist of post-pandemic paranoia.
One of the few folk-based films in Neon’s repertoire, In the Earth, a trippy, unsettling horror, follows a scientist (Joel Fry) and a park scout (Ellora Torchia) as they venture into the forest to conduct research on the soil during a global pandemic. Unbeknownst to them, a darker and more powerful presence lurks within the woods. Post A Field in England, Wheatley’s innovative knack for folk horror introduces an occult, mythological airborne entity that shatters the fabric of reality, making for a haunting and affecting experience.
5 Infinity Pool (2023)
Directed by Brandon Cronenberg
Infinity Pool is an excellently crafted sci-fi trip that offers a scathing critique of the bourgeoisie. The story follows author James Foster (Alexander Skarsgård), who is struggling with writer’s block and looking for inspiration while on vacation. His partner, Em (Cleopatra Coleman), tries to support him despite it being six years since his last publication. Their mundane resort stay takes a dark turn when they meet Gabi (Mia Goth) and her partner Alban (Jalil Lespert). Gabi, a fan of James’ work, seduces him into breaking the resort’s strict rules by venturing outside its grounds, ultimately unraveling the world as they know it.
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Cronenberg continually flips the narrative, playing with viewers’ expectations and raising profound questions about privilege. Infinity Pool explores the disturbing extent to which the rich can evade consequences, making it a thought-provoking, sardonic, and unsettling experience. Infinity Pool masterfully toys with the concept of the wealthy being able to buy their way out of any trouble, delivering a powerful and unsettling message within a visually sumptuous and graphic aesthetic.
4 Crimes of the Future (2022)
Directed By David Cronenberg
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Crimes of the Future, a true gem among Neon’s horror catalog, immerses us in a world where human functions like digestion, pain, and sexual desire have become grotesquely altered. Directed by body horror master David Cronenberg, the film takes us on a sci-fi journey into a twisted future with dark, sexual overtones.
Starring Viggo Mortensen, Léa Seydoux, and Kristen Stewart, the performances are haunting and intense. Cronenberg crafts a film filled with dread and unsettling imagery, critiquing our growing desensitization while exploring the lengths artists and audiences will go to for a shocking spectacle.
3 Revenge (2017)
Directed By Coralie Fargeat
Revenge stands out firmly in Neon’s credits, masterfully combining the rape-revenge subgenre with body horror and showcasing the monstrous feminine with a deeply satisfying political overtone. The film follows Jen (Matilda Lutz), who is assaulted and left for dead by a group of men during a desert getaway. Against all odds, she survives and transforms into a vengeful force of nature.
Body horror elements depict Jen’s rebirth through her wounds and scars, and unlike many rape-revenge films that exploit female suffering, Revenge places agency firmly in Jen’s hands, portraying her as a relentless avenger reclaiming her autonomy. Revenge is a great Neon horror film with its gripping narrative, stunning visuals, and profound thematic depth, delivering a powerful statement about resilience and justice.
2 Titane (2021)
Directed By Julia Ducournau
Titane stands as a testament to Ducournau’s brilliance in body horror. Following her acclaimed film Raw, this Neon production is remarkably unique and continues to push the boundaries of horror cinema. Titane tells the story of Alexia (Agathe Rousselle), a woman with a titanium plate in her head due to a childhood car accident. Ducournau uses the clearer-cut body horror prowess of her previous film to undermine the expectations of viewers experiencing her second directorial piece – Titane blends visceral body horror with profound emotional depth, exploring themes of identity and transformation.
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Agathe Rousselle is captivating as Alexia, seamlessly shifting between identities while remaining enigmatic as the film’s protagonist. Vincent Lindon likewise delivers a fantastic performance, portraying a tough yet deeply vulnerable figure. Titane is not only a visual feast, employing vibrant colors, dynamic camera work, and striking compositions, but the sound design and score further enhance its unsettling atmosphere and, at times, act to incorporate a farcical tone to some scenes. Ducournau’s Palme d’Or-winning film solidifies her position as a master of contemporary horror and continues Neon’s tradition of producing groundbreaking cinema.
1 Possessor (2020)
Directed By Brandon Cronenberg,
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Starring Andrea Riseborough and Sean Bean, Possessor is a disturbingly poignant and visually striking film that pushes the boundaries of sci-fi horror in Neon’s catalog and beyond. Tasya Vos, a high-level assassin for a sophisticated corporation, uses brain implant technology to possess other people’s bodies and perform assassinations of prolific public figures. In illustrating how possession works, Cronenberg delves deep into existential questions about identity, particularly the nature of self and how it might be fragmented or altered. These themes are explored with chilling effectiveness, creating a unique sci-fi concept that results in a provocative examination of identity and violence.
At the film’s core is a theory regarding its conclusion: the protagonist can access memories tied to objects but loses the emotional connections to those memories with each assignment. The way in which she slowly loses attachment to and connection with her memories and emotions raises intriguing questions about her identity – whether she is diluting her true self, adopting new personas, or both. T
he concept evokes philosophical questions reminiscent of Blade Runner‘s replicants, asking what makes an individual, human. Ultimately, this intensifies the film’s exploration of identity, perception, and impersonation, showcasing Cronenberg’s ability to craft a deeply disturbing yet intellectually stimulating experience and one that remains resonant far beyond the film’s conclusion.
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