Fun Folk Horror Flicks for Cozy Fall Movie Nights
Welcome to our 2nd Annual Birthday Bash as Divination Hollow Reviews!
We’ll be celebrating all month long with a series of posts by our team and esteemed colleagues and this year’s theme is “Going to the Movies!” Join us as we share themed content with special “tickets” for each category inspired by cinema.
Celebrate with us!
Fun Folk Horror Flicks for Cozy Fall Movie Nights
When autumn rolls around, there’s nothing I love more than retreating into a world full of crunchy leaves, weird cabins in the woods, and to find strange, ritualistic stick figures dangling from the trees. I’m a huge, huge fan of folk horror genres as well as anything that puts me into the foreign-to-me-world of Appalachia. I mean think about it, without the overwhelm and constant bombardment of The Internet, Social Media, and other electronics, you would also find creative ways to fill your time. There’s something about the low-tech, remote location and mythology of folklore and country life that really gets under my skin. When all you’ve got left is the power of your imagination to fill in the details, your brain can really get up to a lot of trouble! There’s something that is at once violent and terrifyingly beautiful about living off grid and taking the not-so-trodden path in life, and I’m here for it in the context of horror especially.
For our birthday celebration, I thought it would be fun to share some of the movies I’ve watched in recent years that have a folksy vibe, and put them all together in one place. Chances are if you’ve seen one or a few of these, you’ll like the others! Most of them have the same vibe and will find similar audiences. Sure, some of these are mainstream or have been heavily promoted through networks like Shudder, but if you find even one new-to-you option on this list I’ll be positively thrilled to death. I don’t like to give too much detail when doing lists like this because they’ll take too long to read, but I want to give just enough to entice you to explore further and see for yourselves!
Most of these movies are on my Letterboxd with lengthier (and sometimes snarkier) reviews and I do my best to provide content warnings (of which I encourage you to keep an eye on as many of these are rife with troubling content!).
The Noonday Witch
Streaming on Shudder
I gotta say, daylight horror really gets me. It’s the time of day you’re supposed to feel safe, because you can see everything that’s possibly lurking in the corners, but nope. Couple that unsettling atmosphere with a deteriorating relationship between a mother and daughter (a vibe that always makes me uncomfortable as is) and you have a recipe for anxiety. Rooted heavily in Czech folklore by way of poetry and orchestral music, which is incredible!
What Josiah Saw
Streaming on Shudder
I had a screener of this, else I may not have chosen it otherwise. Still, I’m glad I did…I think? I don’t know. I was uncomfortable. Dysfunctional families drive so much anxiety for me, haha! It’s a grimy little southern gothic that wasn’t necessarily to my taste, but I’m sure will be a hit for those who are into that sort of vibe. Watch out for a lot of weird pedo themes and religion, though.
Spell
Streaming on various services
All three stars go right to Loretta! And Loretta only! Anyway, I was not the target audience, but many of my friends really enjoyed this, so I’m sure that plenty of our readers will really dig it. In theory this was a homerun for my usual tastes, but in actuality it was just okay for me. Still, it’s worthy of a watch for Southern Gothic Folk Horror. Please, give it more of a chance than it received from others upon its initial release!
La Llorona 2019
Streaming on Shudder
This film is layered and deep, and feels like a sad painting in motion. It’s haunting, unsettling, and darkly romantic and poetic. It’s not a good time, and it’s really sad and slow moving, but it’s absolutely sumptuous in its visual imagery. Tackles the genocide and erasure of indigenous Mayan people in Guatemala, and wrought with political drama. Normally, things rooted with so much realism really shred me and I end up not enjoying the experience at all. This one did meander a little, but it was emotionally wrenching and a real gut punch. It just… it feels timely and important.
Them That Follow
Streaming on various services
I had completely forgotten that Kaitlyn Dever was in this, but after seeing her in Ticket to Paradise and Book Smart? I’m honestly impressed she was also in this weird little pseudo religious Appalachian folk thriller movie. That is irrelevant to the actual recommendation, I just wanted to mention that this girl has range. If you’re looking for excitement, look elsewhere because there is not any here to be found. If you want to be unnerved by incredibly suspicious characters and alarming religious rites involving slithery reptiles, this is for you. It is slow burn and kind of goes mostly nowhere, but I was hypnotized by Alice Englert as Mara. Also, there’s a lot of super shady real-life stories about Christian Snake Handlers, so all of this felt believable.
Gwen
Streaming on Shudder
It’s Welsh! So I put it on the list, because Elle is Welsh and she will be pleased to see it. It’s rather quiet, and fairly lowkey, but super lush looking at once? There’s no Black Philip, but it does have sheep! It’s mostly misery in the moody, misty countryside. I’ve seen so much of the Welsh landscape thanks to this movie that I feel like I’ve been there, but Elle will very much complain to you that I haven’t. It’s not great, but it’s so pretty I’m slapping it on here. Also, have I mentioned it’s Welsh and that’s where Elle is from? So it’s also included for that reason. (You’re welcome, Elle!)
Mandrake
Streaming on Shudder
I mean, given that my great grandmother was from Ireland, I just feel like I’m legally obligated to like anything that comes out of Ireland. That’s incredibly biased of me, but it’s the truth. I feel terrible if I find an Irish film and don’t like it! Anyway, I liked this. It’s part mystery crime drama replete with villainous weirdo woman and mysteriously disappearing children, and part folk-horror dark fantasy. It’s a bit muddled at times, but it’s really tense, foreboding, and…damp feeling, but I feel like that’s very “Irish folklore and fairy-tale” vibes. (Literally do not ask me how a movie can feel damp. It just does. Trust me! Damp. It’s damp.) If you’re into crime procedural dramas and also enjoy weird fairy tales, you’ll do alright by this one. Once again, like Gwen, it’s a bit short on story, but generous with scenery and vibes. Would be great for a sleepy afternoon with a pot of tea and a blankie so you can just chill out and focus, but also you may feel sad by the sheer amount of children who are placed in peril. There’s some super creative shots in it towards the end!
Moloch, 2022
Streaming on Shudder
It has plenty of cozy vibes, lotta Witches, set in the Netherlands, very atmospheric and moody. A real slow burn that won’t be for everyone, but those looking for a good rainy day movie with a cup of tea will do well with this one. Rooted firmly in Dutch folktales/folklore and local legends! Really wonderful imagery and tension.
The Medium
Streaming on Shudder
This film is brutal. It’s an unrelenting tale of possession and actually managed to give me the heebie-jeebies. You will not find a moment of peace in this Thai horror flick. Those who aren’t interested in animal violence will do well to stay far away. Nearly 90 minutes of slow burn set up precede one of the most wild pseudo documentary horror films I’ve seen in awhile. You’ll need a lot of patience to get through it, but if you have a stomach for gore it’ll pay out in the end with plenty of it.
The Ritual
Streaming on Netflix
Look, the book was better, and that’s why I’m going to say this thing that is very out of character for me: Watch the movie first! This is a fun little adventure horror with folksy cult elements, but the enjoyment of its visuals will be severely cut down if you reach for Nevill’s richly detailed prose first. Let yourself get lost in this “wilderness bro-bonding trip gone wrong” story before you open the hefty tome it's adapted from. The surprise of the “big bad alone is worth it, honestly! It’ll satisfy your craving for folk horror with a less meandering pace than the typical genre fare offers. Then go read the book because that’s amazing, too.
Apostle
Streaming on Netflix
This movie has historical fiction vibes with brutal folk-horror, dark fantasy twists. It’s gory, brutal, violent, and nasty, and I am obsessed. It surprised me completely, in the best way. I thought it was going to be something along the lines of The VVitch meets The Wickerman, and while there are blips of elements from both of those, it’s also it’s own heckin’ weird thing. It’s creepy, dirty, and very brown and amber hued. There’s gnarly roots and trees, plenty of sacrificial death, and just a lot of “fun” if you’re into that bleak sort of thing (and I’m definitely into that sort of thing).
The Wailing
Streaming on various services
I will not be visiting this village. Anyway, be warned there’s animal death and animal abuse, and other things, but it’s really scary and totally engrossing. Put it on your list, though, just be cautious of the content. Ugh, I cannot get enough of bleak Korean horror movies. More more more more more more moooooore!
Hellbender
Streaming on Shudder
I’m utterly in love with everything this family does. The fact that each of their films are a family affair makes them incredibly personal, special, and very intimate. This is a nasty little number with a mother-daughter duo of witchy folk who also are in a metal band. Yes, very cool. It’s barebones, but that doesn’t mean lackluster!
List by Ellen Avigliano
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