While he went through a pretty down moment in terms of his reputation, film director M. Night Shyamalan has revitalized himself and reminded many people what they liked about his movies to begin with. Movies like Old and Knock at the Cabin weren’t universally beloved, but they proved that Shyamalan still had plenty of skill, and he could showcase it on a much smaller scale.
Now, he’s back with Trap, which tells the story of a serial killer who has to fight his way out of a heavily policed concert. If you caught Trap in theaters and liked what you saw, these are three movies you should definitely check out.
Knock at the Cabin (2023)
Perhaps the best template for what M. Night Shyamalan is doing right now are his most recent movies. Knock at the Cabin tells the story of a gay couple and their daughter after they are kidnapped and held hostage in the middle of the woods. Eventually, they discover that their captors believe the world is ending, and that the only way they can stop it is by forcing one member of the family to sacrifice themselves.
It’s a dark, strange story that features an utterly captivating central performance from Dave Bautista, as well as some of the most tense filmmaking Shyamalan has done since The Sixth Sense.
Knock at the Cabin is streaming on Peacock.
Green Room (2015)
One of the most messed-up movies of any kind you’re likely to see, Green Room follows a hardcore rock band that gets in way over their heads. After they play a gig at a white supremacist bar in the middle of the woods, they witness a murder and realize that they aren’t going to be allowed to live.
As they frantically scramble for their lives, they realize just how desperate and violent the Nazis who trapped them are willing to get. Featuring a brilliant ensemble that includes Star Trek veterans Anton Yelchin and Patrick Stewart in his most menacing mode, Green Room is insanely tense and hugely captivating.
Green Room is streaming on Hulu.
Gerald’s Game (2017)
A brilliant, small-scale thriller, Gerald’s Game tells the story of a woman whose husband dies during foreplay, and finds that she is trapped handcuffed to the bed they were both in. As she struggles to survive, she finds herself delirious and haunted by apparitions that may or may not be real.
Although it’s set mostly in a single room, Gerald’s Game feels like it has a remarkably expansive scope, and it also manages to wring some genuinely great scares out of its premise. Carla Gugino is brilliant in the central role, and Mike Flanagan’s direction is part of the reason he has become a modern horror king.
Gerald’s Game is streaming on Netflix.
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