As winter still rages on, keeping much of the country in arctic temps, one of horror’s greatest films, John Carpenter’s The Thing, received much deserved recognition last week. The quintessential winter horror movie reminds us why the icy cold chills and isolation that winter brings serve the genre so well. This week’s streaming picks aim to paint the snow red with icy horror movies that send shivers down your spine in delight and terror.
Here’s where to stream this week’s picks.
For more Stay Home, Watch Horror picks, click here.
Curtains – AMC+, Arrow Player, Fandango at Home, Fawesome, Hoopla, Prime Video, Shudder
Six young actresses spend their weekend at a remote mansion to experience what may be the most eccentric audition for a movie role. Naturally, it’s the perfect setting for a masked killer to start picking them off one by one, and it just so happens to be winter. There aren’t too many slashers set in icy weather, and Curtains takes full advantage of its winter setting. The most memorable kills involve the creepy masked killer using the weather against the victims, including the film’s best death sequence set on a frozen pond. Sickles and ice skating equal bad news.
Dead Snow – AMC+, Kanopy
Before director Tommy Wirkola injected bloody violence into Christmas with Violent Night, he jammed infectious carnage into Easter with the splatstick horror comedy Dead Snow. Dead Snow sees friends set out on a ski weekend getaway at a cabin over Easter. They happen to book a spot with a dark past, however, and their partying plans soon get derailed when the dead Nazis buried on the land return to life to wreak zombie havoc. With Wirkola at the helm, expect a ton of violent action-horror fun that never takes itself too seriously.
Misery – MGM+
It’s snow and hazardous winter conditions that trap an author in place with an obsessive fan in this Stephen King adaptation. While the snow brings an immersive chill, nothing is as icy as Kathy Bates’ Annie Wilkes. Annie’s plucky demeanor is disarming, but this killer is a poster child for lethal obsession. When she rescues her favorite author from a car accident, it sets off a chain of unhealthy behavior that results in a lot of pain and suffering for Paul. She has a history of murder, and the infamous hobbling scene still comes as a genuine shock, even when you know it’s coming.
Pontypool – Philo
Stephen McHattie is a commanding presence in this atypical outbreak horror movie. The actor plays shock jock DJ Grant Mazzy piecing together an outbreak in Pontypool, Ontario, from his radio station booth as events play out in real-time on air. That means much of the action happens via audio, with reports and town residents calling into the station. Yet, none of that detracts from the suspense. It’s an unusual yet effective take on an outbreak, and winter serves as an excuse to keep its main character trapped inside and feeling secluded.
Ravenous – Hoopla
A group of soldiers at a remote 19th-century military outpost embark on a rescue mission after the arrival of a stranger, who tells them the rest of his wagon party is in danger. After becoming lost and stranded in the wintry mountains, the party leader turned to cannibalism. There’s a bit more to this cannibal tale than initially lets on, and let’s say that sharing meals and food consumption is a vital component of this quirky period horror movie. Prepare for a lot of laughs to balance the thrills.