The 90-minute horror movie has taken fans of the genre by storm this year. It’s a unique and authentic tale directed by YouTubers Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou, who know exactly how to make audiences squeal, scream, and pull out their hair while watching some kids play a game of “spirit-calling.” The quick-paced film has a way of holding one’s attention from start to finish, with some humor that disarms you in the run up to that intense last scene. The movie’s ending is definitely one that will polarize fans because it’s unexpected and commits fully. It’s definitely a memorable one among the plethora of horror releases that we’ve been graced with lately (some of which is really unnecessary, to say the least). This is exactly the kind of film that made A24 gain such a cultish following and proves their knack for finding great indie films. Of course, there isn’t much else on the scene like Talk To Me, but there are some films that may have some common links to it and could be interesting follow-ups to it.
Barbarian
This movie is just as much a gem as Talk To Me. It’s an underrated horror movie that parallels the horrors of the real world with horrifying gore that may be scary to some. Barbarian is unique in its presentation and has a similarly short run time that is packed from start to end. It’s especially humorous and has many jaw-dropping moments that make for a great watch with friends. While there are no spirits in this film, the rest of it gives a similar feeling to Talk To Me, and that’s why this film is included on this list. A sleepover with these two films back-to-back would be quite ideal, but we’d suggest keeping the food to a minimum and having as many pillows as possible ready to hide behind.
Smile
This psychological horror movie is impressive because it gives a unique take on the psychology part of it all. Many times the genre takes liberties to make some plot lines work that may not make sense otherwise, and Smile defies this trope and brings a more surrealistic take on the horrors of the mind. Of course, what the two movies share in common is their outlook on grief, which ties them pretty nicely together. There’s this whole idea of elevated horror having to be overly convoluted, but Smile proves otherwise. The movie follows a psychologist who ends up having an entity latch onto her because it follows grief.
Hereditary
Of course, this list couldn’t go without the mention of at least one other A24 film. If that’s not reason alone to watch Hereditary, then there’s also the fact that this film has a shocking turn of events somewhere near the 40-minute mark, somewhat similar to the one in Talk To Me. They’re both movies that completely keep you hooked from start to finish and take you to places you can’t imagine. There’s also a similar underlying theme of doing the right thing as teenagers. Ari Aster’s first still remains the most captivating, for sure. This movie may not be about spirits, but in spirit, it’s similar to Talk To Me.
The Night House
This movie is oddly scary for something that follows such a regular pattern commonly seen in the horror genre. A single lady moves into a home in the middle of nowhere and gets haunted. We’ve seen it all, but The Night House has some genuinely scary moments. It has an old-school, classy vibe but ends up adding some modern twists. Just like a lot of Talk To Me depends on Sophie Wilde’s performance, The Night House depends on Rebecca Hall’s. Both actresses do an incredible job of making everything so believable. There’s a lot of red in this movie, and it’s quite beautiful to see.
Bodies Bodies Bodies
Okay, yes, this is A24 too, but it’s another perfect example of telling teenage experiences in the right way. There’s something so intrinsically Generation Z about these two movies that they fit with each other really well. Bodies, Bodies, Bodies is hilarious while also being extremely real. Similar to Talk To Me, it plays out as a warning for the many dumb decisions we make as teenagers. The language, the fashion, and the usage of social media parallel really well between the two films, and Bodies, Bodies, Bodies also has a rather shocking reveal by the end. Not to forget, it’s quite gory too. The movie follows a young group of people who play a game that goes horribly wrong. Things take a wild turn, and in one night, a lot changes.
Evil Dead Rise
Apart from being produced in Australia, Evil Dead Rise also encourages young people to step away from making stupid decisions and picking things up that they should just leave be. Jokes aside, this movie is a literal gore fest and will have you pulling your hair out and screaming OMG! A lot of times, just like Talk To Me. The young cast does an amazing job at making everything in this movie work; it could’ve just been a funny film that’s soaked in blood, but it manages to work. This movie is also quite nostalgic in the sense that it could be something that came out in the mid-2010s but also has enough contemporary elements that make it perfect for young people today.
Talk To Me is quite unique in its presentation and uses some really good editing and cuts to make simple, practical effects extremely effective. There’s something very sinister about it, and people may not come out of it happy, but it’s like an exaggerated example of what one small mistake can do.
