10 horror hidden gems on Netflix

3. The Invitation

Some parties are so awkward that the thought of any interruption, no matter how dire, is almost a relief. The Invitation features one such get-together, with the dial turned to eleven. The movie begins with young couple Will and Kira on their way to a party hosted by Will’s ex-wife Eden, who he hasn’t seen in two years. Before they arrive, Will hits a coyote on the road and has to beat it to death with a tire iron to end its suffering.

In many ways, that single violent act ends up defining the entire movie, casting a shadow over the entire dinner party. Will and Eden divorced as a result of their son’s accidental death, and that memory weighs heavily on them both. On top of the more mundane, understandable sources of discomfort, Will soon begins to suspect that something is not quite right when Eden and her new husband start to play videos from a grief-support group called “The Invitation.” A series of small, likely insignificant details compound with the slightly disturbing videos, and it all begins to add up to something dangerous—but the more times Will seems to be proved wrong, the more the movie will have you squirming in your seat.

Though fairly slow at first, The Invitation absolutely pays off on its build. This is definitely a movie you ought to go into knowing as little as possible, for maximum effect. The deep squirming discomfort of awkward social situations is part of what elevates the horror to an all new level; Will’s suspicion is shot down again and again, until it seems like it would almost be better if he just stopped—but the possibility that he’s right is too sinister to ignore.