Horror films often have similar locations. The woods. Abandoned buildings. Your parents house. Yikes! But, they also trend toward the colder and darker months of the year. They often have a season and for good reason, this is a period of the year that brings danger for human beings.
But, what about those films that don’t draw on the mood of autumn or winter seasons? What about those horror films that take place in the full, often punishing light of the sun. Here are the 3 horror films for summer to kick off the season.
Midsommar (2019)
One could probably categorize this as folk horror, a genre that seems to be growing every years. Like many of the best atmospheric and psychological horror films, Midsommar is also a film about grief.
When Dani, played very well by Florence Pugh, descends into a world of depression brought on by a family tragedy, a research trip with her boyfriend leads her to an unfamiliar community in Sweden. There she finds a community that may not be what it seems.
Coming in at around 2 hours and 28 minutes, Midsommar is a great Sunday afternoon horror.
Lord of Illusions (1995)
I have a soft spot for the films directed by the writer Clive Barker. This film mixes magic and the detective genre with the somehow every-timely topic of cults. The concept may be pretty familiar to anyone who watched the short-lived Dresden Files series that aired between January and April of 2007. Lord of Illusions is the darker, more R-rated horror ancestor of the series.
When private detective Harry D’Amour, played by Scott Bakula, is engaged to investigate the death of a magician, he’s drawn into a world of illusion and its very real and horror counterpart magic.
Coming in at around 1 hour and 49 minutes, Lord of Illusions is a perfect Friday night or after work watch!
Lavender (2016)
Shot in Ontario, Canada, Lavender tells the story of childhood secrets come home to roost in adulthood. (Who can relate to that?)
Jane, played by Abbie Cornish, is a photographer suffering injuries from an unexpected and potentially unnatural accident. As she attempts to recover and come to grips with the causes of her accident, she finds herself on the trail of secrets about her own life that, when revealed, will leave her changed forever.
Coming in at around 1 hour and 32 minutes, Lavender is another one of those films that makes for a nice evening unwind after a hard day at work or summer play.
That’s my roundup for 3 Horror Films for Summer! What are your favorite picks? Leave your ideas in the comments, I’d love to see what other films people are enjoying.