The weather outside is frightful and the fire is so delightful… It better be, because most of New York has so much snow that they can’t even open their doors right now. With half of New England covered in the white powder and stuck in their homes, you’re probably looking for something to help you escape the harsh reality that is your situation… here’s a list of home invasion films that will keep your blood boiling so you can save on the heating costs.
Panic Room (2002)
After watching this home invasion thriller starring Jodie Foster and Forest Whitaker, I imagine the market for panic rooms saw a nice increase!
Obviously, there isn’t a huge demand for movies where people just sit safely inside of a room, but what happens if you throw a diabetic daughter, a few loose-cannon robbers and a supposed fortune into the mix? You get a psychological thriller with more twists and turns than a Kardashian marriage. This film will unnerve you to your core, as you wonder how safe you ever can really be. Plus, Shyamalan twist! This movie is when I found out Kristen Stewart is actually a girl.
Identity (2003)
Normally there is strength in numbers, but a deadly serial killer likes to beat the odds. A group of strangers in an isolated motel realize the survival rate of the group is quickly dropping, and we are left with the age old question of who can you really trust.
You may think you know who the killer is, but your guesses will quickly change as some of your main suspects end up dead. You probably should watch this alone, as you may start to question how well you know the person sitting next to you.
Funny Games (1997)
Some say that this inspired The Strangers, but I find Funny Games much more menacing, due to the fact that the torturers are unmasked.
All I have to say is the egg scene is one of my favorite moments of any movie. A mother on vacation knew something was off about a young man who shows up to her door asking for eggs, but she still invites him in and tolerates his requests. This is the start to a menacing plan of physiological tournament and torture, an it quickly becomes evident that there is no reasoning with the deranged kidnappers.
If anyone comes to your door asking for eggs, make sure you know them.
You’re Next (2011)
This movie is satisfying for multiple reasons. First, because you get a massively different and unique home invasion/body count movie with a refined sense of humor about it. Second, you get to see two of today’s major horror directors get murdered.
When the Davison family comes under attack during their wedding anniversary getaway, the gang of mysterious killers soon learns that one of their victims harbors a secret talent for fighting back. The movie is full of twists and turns that constantly keep you glued to your screen and begging for more.
It’s basically Home Alone for the fucked up adult in all of us.
Are You In The House Alone? (1978)
No one makes a frightened-girl-alone-in-the-house movies quite like the 70s… that’s for sure.
A Teenage girl is plagued by harassing phone calls. Her fear mounts when she’s babysitting at a neighbor’s home one evening and the caller rings her at that number. Even though it sounds lame for us now, due to cell phones, caller ID, *69 and #yesallwomen but, back in the day (here I go sounding like an old monster) if you wanted to know someones number… you had to KNOW that persons number. You also get to see Dennis Quaid young and in his prime, that’ll make you never want to leave you couch let alone your house.
Silent House (2011)
Granted, this movie is a gimmick movie if I’ve ever seen one. The movie takes place “in real-time” which means that if they’re promoting the movie’s hook more than the story… you’re in for some trouble. But luckily, you’re stuck inside! You’ve got nothing but time, and time equals trouble!
Sarah returns with her father and uncle to fix up the family’s longtime summerhouse after it was violated by squatters in the off-season. As they work in the dark, Sarah begins to hear sounds from within the walls of the boarded-up building. Although she barely remembers the place, Sarah senses the past may still haunt the home.
Suddenly (1954)
Frank Sinatra forces his way into your home… and your heart!
The tranquility of a small town is marred only by sheriff Tod Shaw’s unsuccessful courtship of widow Ellen Benson, a pacifist who can’t abide guns and those who use them. But violence descends on Ellen’s household willy-nilly when the U.S. President passes through town… and slightly psycho hired assassin John Baron finds the Benson home ideal for an ambush.
This politically filled film will hold your attention from start to finish.
Trespass (2011)
If a poster with a close-up of Nic Cage’s face doesn’t sell you on this movie alone, you’re in the wrong country.
Kyle and Sarah Miller have it all: a huge gated house on the water, fancy cars, and the potential for romance in their relationship. He’s just back from a business trip (he brokers diamonds) and their teen daughter Avery is sneaking out to a party, when four thugs in security uniforms and ski masks stage a home invasion. They want what’s in the safe: cash and diamonds.
As Kyle stalls them, trying to negotiate for Sarah’s freedom, the fault lines in Kyle and Sarah’s marriage and the pasts of the four robbers come into play. Is there room here for heroism?
The Ref (1994)
And to end the list on a high note… Here’s Denis Leary as a cat burglar.
Caroline and Lloyd are a married couple constantly at each other’s throats, masters at crafting acid-tongued barbs at the other’s expense. Indeed, they are so obsessed with belittling each other that they never stop — not even at gunpoint. Gunman Gus , a thief on the run from the police, who kidnaps the couple as an insurance policy, planning to use their home as a hideout. But their incessant bickering proves more than Gus bargained for, forcing him into the unenviable role of peacemaker.
Comedy…. comedy comedy comedy gold.
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Stay dry, stay warm and stay entertained!