Hulu Horror: Director Mike Flanagan Calls This Underrated Streaming Thriller “Phenomenal”

Mike Flanagan
Director Mike Flanagan, on set, 2016. ph: Justin M. Lubin/© Universal Pictures /Courtesy Everett Collection

Fresh off the record-shattering showing of The Fall of the House of Usher, modern master of horror Mike Flanagan is playing catch up. While we were collectively enraptured by his latest Netflix spook show (check out our review here), Flanagan was working his way through what I imagine is a pretty hefty horror backlog (he’s also on Letterboxd now) while still finding time to revisit hidden gems he’s loved, just like us. Recently, Flanagan took to Twitter to shout out director Chloe Okuna’s sensational 2022 feature debut, Watcher, one of the finest psychological thrillers around.

Synopsis: As a serial killer stalks the city, Julia — a young actress who just moved to town with her husband — notices a mysterious stranger watching her from across the street.

In our review of the film, we called it a “bone-chilling paranoid thriller,” and I even went on to name it as one of my favorite horror films of the year. Mike Flanagan seems to agree. On his aforementioned Letterboxd account, he said, “Chloe Okuno’s Watcher might be the closest a modern film has come to earning the word ‘Hitchcockian.’” He additionally took to Twitter to kindly remind audiences everywhere that Watcher is absolutely worth your time if you haven’t yet seen it. Check out his tweet below:

Watcher is just one of several horror movies Mike Flanagan has recommended recently. He has additionally spotlighted Late Night With the Devil and Five Nights at Freddy’s as ones to catch. Check out those tweets below:  

There are few things as refreshing and exciting as seeing a staple of the modern horror scene use his platform to highlight and share the works of other creatives. In the case of Watcher especially, I’m thrilled that more people might be inclined to see it now.

What do you think? Have you had a chance to catch Watcher yet? What’s your favorite Mike Flanagan series? Let me know over on Twitter @Chadiscollins.

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