More Quarantine and Chills

Since most social distancing and lockdown procedures are being extending through next month, here's another handful of distractions to keep your minds off of the real-life horrors

"10x10" (Hulu and Amazon Prime Video)

This high-concept sleeper is tailor-made to reel in viewers simply off of the strength of its premise alone. A man (Luke Evans) abducts a woman (Kelly Reilly) and holds her hostage in a 10 ft. x 10 ft. padded room. Throughout the course of the film, his motives begin to surface and her struggle to escape has some unforeseen consequences. At approximately 87 minutes, it's a lean, taut thriller with a few surprisingly clever turns. It's far from perfect, as its brisk pace makes some story elements feel undercooked, but the performances by both leads are strong enough to carry it through.

"13 Sins" (Netflix and Amazon Prime Video)

While this lesser known title may sound generically bland, it's actually a genuinely entertaining thrill-ride. Mark Webber (who appears in another film on this list) stars as Elliot, an unassuming everyman whose kindheartedness costs him his sales job. With a baby on the way, a mentally disabled brother to support and a belligerent father clinging to him, he needs money and he needs it fast. Miraculously, he receives a phone call offering him $1,000 dollars to complete a simple task. In total, he'll be presented 13 challenges, each with higher payouts. The only problem is the game becomes increasingly sinister and the consequences could be dire if he backs out. It isn't particularly scary, but there are some nice twists and the suspense is expertly built to keep viewers guessing until the very end.

"Apostle" (Netflix)

This sprawling period piece follows the versatile Dan Stevens as Thomas Richardson, a vagrant tasked with infiltrating a cult to rescue his kidnapped sister. Battling his own demons, his search becomes increasingly dangerous as the commune's unholy secrets are exposed. The first half is an admittedly mixed bag. It has plenty of starts and stops as it builds its puzzle. However, the second half is so grisly, it's worth the wait. Director Gareth Evans ("The Raid") certainly knows his way around bloodshed and he retains many of his signature action-oriented sweeping shots and usage of dynamic camera angles. By the end, does it all make sense? That's debatable, but its excellent sound design, skin-crawling score by Aria Prayogi and Fajar Yusekemal and overall brutality make it worthwhile. If religious horror isn't up your alley, though, keep your distance.

"Green Room" (Netflix and Amazon Prime Video)

One of the most well-reviewed and memorable cult films of the last decade, "Green Room" is a merciless assault on the nerves. It's a raw, visceral, white-knuckle experience nearly from start to finish. The story centers on a punk rock band (composed of Joe Cole, Alia Shawkat Callum Turner and the late Anton Yelchin) who gets booked for a gig at a Neo-Nazi hangout. As one might guess, this doesn't turn out to be the best idea and they soon find themselves trapped in a hellish nightmare beyond their wildest imaginations. Distributed by A24 (known for their unconventional horror fare like "Hereditary" and "The Witch"), the scares here are pretty straightforward. It's anchored by fantastic all-around performances, which includes Imogen Poots and the great Sir Patrick Stewart, and overdelivers on the goods when it comes to the gore.

"Misery" (Hulu and Amazon Prime Video)

In this classic Stephen King adaptation, best-selling author Paul Sheldon (James Caan) completes the final novel for his signature character, Misery Chastain. Before he can deliver the manuscript, he suffers a devastating car crash. He's saved by Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates), an obsessed fan whose initial desire appears to be nursing Paul back to health, but reveals herself to be utterly deranged as times passes. 30 years later, everything in the film is still razor-sharp; the tension, the suspense and especially the dark humor. It isn't a horror-comedy in the traditional sense, but its dry wit fits nicely alongside the psychological thrills. That's not surprising given director Rob Reiner's resume. With heavy-hitters like himself, William Goldman and Barry Sonnenfeld involved, it's no wonder why this remains as one of King's best big-screen transfers.

"Oculus" (Hulu and Amazon Prime Video)

Creepy mirrors are a trusted horror staple and one particularly vicious reflective antique is this movie's main antagonist. Reuniting after a childhood tragedy, a brother-sister duo (Brenton Thwaites and Karen Gillan) revisit their sordid past and face off against an ancient evil. It features many of the typical trappings found in dozens of other hauntings; ghostly figures, jump scares and possessions. However, some inventive storytelling keeps it feeling fresh. It's impressive to see how Mike Flanagan's directorial style has evolved and since this was based on his own short film, his knack for creativity was apparent with this early project. There are some head-scratching moments, but the supernatural thriller mostly succeeds with its tricks and will likely lead to watchers doing a few double takes.