5 contemporary horror films you need to see this October

Get Out (2017)

The most recent contemporary classic on this list had an unlikely rise to Oscar gold. In 2016 Key and Peele comedian, Jordan Peele, announced he was writing and directing a horror film about a couple visiting her parents. The title, Get Out, didn’t offer much and the trailer only peaked audiences’ interests more considering little was known about the story. Upon release, Get Out defied all expectations, becoming a blistering satire on the fractious world of race relations in the United States.

Get Out is frightening in its reality, and yet it shouldn’t be considering the film’s discussion of racial stereotyping are well-founded. For the film’s lead, Chris (Daniel Kaluuya), hearing his girlfriend’s dad call him “my man” and opine about wanting to give Obama a third term are just the nature of dealing with white people today. What Peele goes deeper into is the frightening commodification of race — “black is in fashion” — and how much the dominant race wants minorities to change themselves to fit in, while simultaneously co-opting minorities for their own selfish reasons. It takes multiple viewings to really see how slyly Peele is injecting social commentary into his work while still keeping it buoyant and compelling.

Watch now on Amazon Prime, YouTube or Google Play.

Have a favorite contemporary horror film of your own? Let us know your picks in the comments!