Goodnight Mommy is a remake of the Austrian film under the same name, released in 2014. The twin brothers arrive at their mother’s house and suspect something isn’t right. Naomi Watts leads the film as she explores this unique maternal figure. The boys did not know what to expect at all when they returned home, but director Matt Sobel created a sinister atmosphere for them. The film takes place in one location, and while the boys try to uncover what is happening in the house, the secrets are revealed slowly. The movies on this list all have a maternal figure or family unit that changes the course of the story. These movies all take place in one home or location to create seclusion for the viewer, like Goodnight Mommy.
Mother (2017)
Director Darren Aronofsky’s Mother! is like a fever dream for women everywhere. It is a religious allegory as Aronofsky explores creation through the embodiment of mother earth. In this film a couple’s relationship is tested when uninvited guests arrive at their home, disrupting their tranquil existence. When the film is set in a house there are endless possibilities for what could turn up. These visitors symbolically show how the world is being affected by humans. Goodnight Mommy takes place in a mother’s home and you could feel her within the walls, similar to Jennifer Lawrence’s role in Mother!
The Babadook (2014)
‘The Babadook’ (Credit -Umbrella Entertainment)
After reading a children’s book entitled “Mister Babadook”, the title character manifests in the home of a single mother and her child. Director Jennifer Kent crafts a film filled with deep paranoia and suspense that will keep anyone up at night. A mother’s instinct is played upon in this and in Goodnight Mommy which makes for such an interesting arc for the characters. There. is this anticipation to see what the mothers do next in their given circumstances.
Mama (2013)
A young couple takes in their two nieces and they suspect that a supernatural spirit named Mama has latched onto their family. When it comes to evil spirits entering the home, anything is possible. What makes it good is if it’s believable enough for the scare. This film takes place in one location like the majority of the ones on this list because it adds to the seclusion of the thriller itself.
Relic (2020)
A daughter, mother and grandmother are haunted by a manifestation of dementia that consumes their family’s home. Some writers can tastefully explore mental illness when constructing horrors or thrillers. Relic is one of those films that unfolds at a slow pace to make the viewer understand the extent of the illness. It manages to bring together three generations of women through memories and trauma.
Sinister (2012)
When washed-up true crime writer Ellison Oswalt finds a box of super 8 home movies in his new home, they reveal that the murder he is currently researching is the work of a serial killer whose legacy dates back to the 1960s. The truth will always be uncovered in the house the lead character is staying in and Scott Derrickson’s Sinister is still one of the most horrifying movies to date. The house can come alive and toy with whoever is in it.
Hereditary (2018)
Director Ari Aster’s directorial feature debut Hereditary is a more twisted psychological horror. A grieving family is haunted by tragic and disturbing occurrences. The film starts with a dysfunctional family trying to process their grief which eventually turns into something else. Toni Colette’s performance is something to be seen as it leans towards the superiority of the mother over her children.
The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)
‘The Killing of a Sacred Deer’ (Credit – Curzon Film)
Steven (Colin Farrell), a charismatic surgeon, is forced to make an unthinkable sacrifice after his life starts to fall apart when the behaviour of a teenage boy he has taken under his wing turns sinister. Writer-director Yorgos Lanthimos crafts such different worlds and concepts in his movies. Barry Keoghan was incredible in this film and the way he developed his character made the movie. This family unit is explored in a different way, similar to Goodnight Mommy.
We Need To Talk About Kevin (2011)
Kevin’s (Ezra Miller) mother struggles to love her strange child, despite the increasingly dangerous things he says and does as he grows up. But Kevin is just getting started, and his final act will be beyond anything anyone imagined. This is very much a slow burn built on paranoia and assuming the worst. In the case of Goodnight Mommy, it’s the reverse, as the twin boys have to asses the situation with their mother.
Ready Or Not (2019)
This film is a bit more fun than the others on the list, but it doesn’t stop it from being a tad bit scary. Ready Or Not ties into the family unit is a bit eccentric and unpredictable. A bride’s wedding night takes a sinister turn when her eccentric new in-laws force her to take part in a terrifying game. The game takes place within the mansion and there are many secrets to uncover. You can see the cracks in the walls eventually parallel the cracks in the lies the family tells.
Halloween (2018)
When we see Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) again after many years, she has a daughter and a granddaughter who all end up falling into the same cycle she did. She confronts her long-time foe, Michael Myers, the masked figure who has haunted her since she narrowly escaped his killing spree on Halloween night four decades ago. Even though it’s a bit repetitive, the three generations of women change the dynamic entirely. They even explore the difference in generations in Goodnight Mommy.
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