Movies - TV
The 10 Best Mike Flanagan Horror Movies And Shows, Ranked
By ERIC LANGBERG
10. Before I Wake
In this 2018 film (that was filmed in 2013), a couple discovers that their foster child, Cody (Jacob Tremblay,) has the powers to bring dreams and nightmares to life. “Before I Wake” suffers from a weak third act, and the pale, gaunt creature known as the Canker Man causes the movie’s horror sequences to fall flat with its silly design.
9. Absentia
Mike Flanagan’s first feature-length horror film, “Absentia,” explores many of the same concepts of his later work as the film’s mystery unravels. “Absentia” has many ideas that don’t fully coalesce, and the movie is held back by its budget, leading to its scary scenes cutting to black.
8. Doctor Sleep
The adaptation of “Doctor Sleep” explores the psychic scar left on Danny after the events of “The Shining,” and his mission to rescue a young girl named Abra, taking him back to the iconic Overlook Hotel. Flanagan does his best to unite Stephen King’s novel and Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 film, but parts of the story are a bit convoluted.
7. Oculus
“Oculus” follows the supernatural occurrences surrounding an ominous mirror between two timelines, with actions in one affecting the horrors in the other. While the film has compelling moments and uses its scares effectively, its twisted timelines and convoluted storytelling ultimately hamper the emotional effectiveness.
6. Ouija prequel
Flanagan’s “Ouija: Origin of Evil” serves as the prequel to the abysmal first film and refashions the story into an eerie possessed-child movie that offers many scares and feels like a movie from the ’60s. The director’s recurring story themes of trauma echoing through time and the use of actors from his previous work add an intriguing layer to the film.