If you're reading this article then, you've presumably seen the cult favorite You're Next, but if by any chance you haven't, what are you waiting for? This horror thriller—with a good dose of dark comedy thrown in there—is understandably a modern classic. You're Next revolves around a woman named Erin who accompanies her boyfriend to a kind of family reunion that very quickly goes as badly as it could possibly go. The family, holed up in their mansion in the isolated countryside, is attacked by a group of masked murderers. However, these killers don't realize they've bitten off more than they can chew, as Erin was raised by survivalists who trained her how to cope with every worst case scenario you could imagine. Before too long, Erin has completely flipped the script on them and is taking them out before they even know what's hit them. It's an awesome horror flick for a particular taste, so if you loved—or at least think you would love—You're Next, then here are ten more horror movies that you absolutely can't miss!
The Descent
If a movie about a capable chick kicking butt and taking names when under attack by an unknown threat like You're Next is your cup of tea, then why not make that formula exponentially better with a whole squad of butt-kicking chicks? The Descent is kind of an ode to all of the best and worst aspects of female power, and, although the ending for this group of friends isn't quite as happy and inspiring as the ending of You're Next's heroine, this absolutely can't miss horror movie serves up super-sized helpings of genuine scares and a beyond thrilling story.
The Strangers
When most people imagine themselves in a real-life horror movie, they like to imagine themselves as an Erin. However, the reality is that if most people were faced with a terrifying home invasion orchestrated by masked strangers, they would react a lot more like the main characters of The Strangers instead. The Strangers is a wonderfully tense and satisfying horror thriller that was good enough to spawn it's own franchise, and although the heroes of this piece are the kind of horror movies that leave you screaming at your TV because of all their bad decision making, it's definitely a flick You're Next lovers will enjoy.
Last House On The Left (1972)
It's a pretty much universally agreed upon fact that the worst emotional devastation that anyone can experience is the loss of their own child, so it's no surprise that this fundamental idea has been the basis for a lot of fantastic horror movies. The idea of being attacked by or losing a loved one to a pack of lunatics that you've never even met is a pretty common fear, but luckily Wes Craven's The Last House On The Left lets the audience live out the kind of revenge fantasies they'd imagine if they were given the opportunity to avenge someone they loved (and if you want to get an extra artsy version of this tale, check out Ingmar Bergman's classic film The Virgin Spring, which inspired this movie).
It Comes At Night
It Comes At Night is a mysterious and atmospheric horror film that thrives on its slow burn tension building, and it's an interesting twist on the home invasion horror movie genre because, although they're threatened by other people, the ultimate invader that these characters and their families are trying to keep out is an unknown disease that drives people to madness. The film propels itself forward with two families who start out as strangers who decide to help one another and work together, but they eventually become consumed by suspicion for each other, and the devastating grand finale gut punch makes all of that slow burning worthwhile.
Cube
You're Next gets its horror movie mojo from the survivalist heroine Erin who is more than capable of defending herself against a crew of masked killers, but if you want a more cerebral take on a similar idea, then Cube might be just the ticket. This horror movie mystery is an equally simple concept, and it revolves around a group of strangers who wake up inside of the titular cube that requires some serious puzzle solving skills to escape from (and of course, if you fail, then you'll suffer fatal consequences). As the movie progresses, the characters discover that they all possess unique skills that give them a good chance at getting through the deadly maze, but there are plenty of twists and surprises in store nonetheless.
Hostel
The whole metaphor of ugly Americans who are eager to take advantage of foreign lands without considering the potential consequences that is the driving behind Eli Roth's Hostel isn't exactly subtle, but just like You're Next, it's a movie that finds our protagonists under attack by some seriously scary individuals that they can either defeat or die trying. Hostel's creative gore is definitely memorable, but the movie is a worthwhile time investment for any horror fan because it's a new spin on a simple concept that is executed just the way it needs to be. However, if you're a big traveler, be wary.
Get Out
One of the most common elements of all horror movies is escaping danger, but Jordan Peele's landmark debut feature film Get Out comes at that element from the very interesting angle of the characters essentially having to escape the danger of being trapped in their own bodies. Get Out serves as an interesting contrast to a movie like You're Next in more ways than one though, and although all of the threats that Erin has to face are entirely exterior, it's still interesting to think how different the experience of trying to escape from a bunch of rich, homicidal white folks might be for a white girl versus a black guy.
The Loved Ones
The underappreciated Australian horror film The Loved Ones is a very interesting take on the classic teen horror slasher film. Although it's not that shocking to imagine that a lot of teenage girls might take the opportunity to torture a teenage boy (presumably they would stop short of actual murder, though), the male protagonist of this film is actually a pretty decent dude who turns down the wrong girl's invitation to the school dance. What follows is the prom from hell that our protagonist desperately tries to escape, an event which has been organized and executed by the gleeful villainess who seems entirely too comfortable with all manner of violence.
Eden Lake
Different kinds of horror movies scare us for different reasons, and the UK film Eden Lake is the kind of horror movie that is scary because it honestly feels like the kind of thing that could really happen if you were just unfortunate enough to run into the wrong people. When a couple goes off for a relaxing weekend by the lake they run across some teenage hoodlums who reveal themselves to be capable of more violence than most adults could—or at least would want to—imagine, Eden Lake's grimly realistic feel is bound to affect even the most seasoned horror fans.
Wolf Creek
What makes Wolf Creek an exceptionally scary horror movie is that the film's villain is the kind of over-the-top killer that you can't really believe is real, but is in fact inspired by a living, breathing serial killer, that being Australian killer Ivan Milat, for those of you who are wondering. Wolf Creek makes for an interesting companion piece to You're Next though, because the story essentially feels like what You're Next would have been like if the survivalist character had been the villain instead of the heroine. It's an unpleasant thought, but an unfortunately realistic one, and of course the most bone-chilling horrors are things that have happened in reality.