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Tom's Guide
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
5 best single-location thrillers on Netflix — stream these gripping movies now
I love a good thriller movie, but the only thing I love more than a compelling thriller is one that takes place entirely within one setting. There's something about the claustrophobic nature of a single location that reels me in every single time. Single-location movies are among my favorite subgenres, and fortunately, Netflix has a pretty great selection of flicks that take place primarily in the same setting. Yes, some of my picks below open and/or close in a different place, but for the most part, all the action is contained to just the one spot, whether that's a plush holiday home or a futuristic tower block prison. So, if you also have a love for movies confined to just one setting, here are the best single-location thrillers that you can watch on Netflix right now. 'Gerald's Game' is a rare psychological thriller that has forced me to avert my eyes from the screen as one truly wince-inducing moment had me feeling a little queasy. To dive into specifics would encroach on spoiler territory, but I'll just say ... maybe don't munch on snacks during this one. Based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, it comes from Mike Flanagan, a real titan in the horror genre after his Netflix series 'The Haunting of Hill House,' 'Midnight Mass' and 'The Fall of the House of Usher,' it's a tense exploration of one womens drive to survive. Carla Gugino plays Jessie, a frustrated wife looking to spice up her struggling marriage by bringing some spice into the bedroom. Only her attempts to inject some excitement result in her being stuck handcuffed to a bed in an isolated holiday house with no means of escape. What follows is a desperate attempt to free herself, both literally and metaphorically, as the flick explores not just her dire present circumstances but also her past trauma and the demons that have haunted her whole life. Watch "Gerald's Game" on Netflix now In many ways, 'Rear Window' is the single-location thriller. This Alfred Hitchcock masterpiece has been gripping audiences for more than 70 years, and while decades have passed since it originally hit theaters, none of its potency has been lost. Starring James Stewart and Grace Kelly, it centers on a photojournalist who is cooped up in his sweltering apartment after breaking his leg. He passes time by watching his neighbors out of a large window, but soon becomes convinced that something sinister is afoot and that the man across the courtyard from him is a murderer. Combining paranoia with eager curiosity, 'Rear Window' plays on the fact that we often only see a snapshot of other people's lives, and that hiding behind closed curtains can be some pretty dark secrets. It all ratchets up to a suspenseful ending and is often cited as one of the best movies ever made. How is this for a hooky premise for a sci-fi thriller: 50 people awaken in a dark room, standing in several large concentric circles. Every two minutes, one of them randomly dies. Soon, the remaining survivors realize they can select who is killed, and now each participant in this deadly game must make a desperate case for why they shouldn't be chosen as the next victim. 'Circle' is extremely minimalistic. The setting is a single dark room with ominous red lights on the floor, and a large white skylight overhead (which somehow manages to make bright light feel threatening). The focus is very much on increasingly erratic and hostile conversations. Kudos to the movie's creatives for managing to make such a simple premise hold your attention for 90 minutes. Unfortunately, the ending is more than a little outlandish. It's a shame 'Circle' ends on a disappointing bum note. But, still, the journey to get there is never less than engaging. Watch "Circle" on Netflix now I've long ranked 'Windfall' as one of Netflix's most overlooked original movies, so I'm thrilled to have another chance to highlight it here. Released in 2022, it stars Jesse Plemons, Jason Segel and Lilly Collins, and mixes effective crime thrills with biting dark comedy. Segel plays a desperate man, who breaks into the vacation home of a wealthy CEO (Plemons) only to get in way over his head when the unnamed CEO and his wife (Collins) arrive for a relaxing trip. Forced to take them hostage and demand a ransom in exchange for their freedom, events spiral out of control as the burglar tries to keep things under his control, and his motives are revealed. The chemistry between the three leads is just right in 'Windfall,' and the movie gets great mileage out of its habit of making you question who the true villains and victims of the piece are. Plus, its comedic streak is remarkably effective, but not so overbearing as to take away from the drama. Watch "Windfall" on Netflix now 'The Platform' (and its sequel, "The Platform 2") are excellent dystopian thrillers that center on a tower block prison where inmates are paired up across dozens of individual vertical levels and fed each day via a slowly descending concrete platform. The people at the top enjoy a lush banquet, while those towards the bottom are lucky if there's even scraps left by the time it reaches them. OK, so the political allegory here isn't exactly subtle. And frankly, lacking subtlety is a sort of running theme in 'The Platform,' but the bones of the movie are very solid, and watching protagonist Goreng (Iván Massagué) attempt to survive this nightmare prison is gripping. This is another one where you definitely won't want to be eating while watching. The scenes of inmates on the lower floors having to pick the remaining morsels of already chewed-up chicken bones and lick dirty plates clean just for meager sustenance are pretty revolting. Watch "The Platform" on Netflix now
New York Post
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
‘Ferris Bueller's Day Off' star Mia Sara, 57, makes 1st red carpet appearance in over 10 years
No more days off. 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' star Mia Sara returned to the spotlight for the premiere of 'The Life of Chuck' — her first film in over a decade — in Los Angeles on Monday. Sara, 57, walked the red carpet at the Hollywood Legion Theater to celebrate her new sci-fi movie based on Stephen King's novel. Advertisement 11 Mia Sara attends 'The Life of Chuck' premiere in Los Angeles on June 2. Neon via Getty Images 11 Mia Sara, Matthew Broderick in 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' in 1986. ©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection The actress posed for photos alongside her co-stars Tom Hiddleston, Mark Hamill, Karen Gillan, Benjamin Pajak, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Kate Siegel and Carl Lumbly, as well as director Mike Flanagan. Advertisement Sara wore a black top with a below-the-knee skirt and matching boot heels. She also rocked a pair of silver earrings and a big gold bracelet. 11 Mia Sara at 'The Life of Chuck' premiere on June 2. Getty Images 11 Mia Sara attends the premiere for her new movie starring Tom Hiddleston. Getty Images In 'The Life of Chuck,' out June 6, Sara plays the grandmother of Hiddleston's character, Charles Krantz. The film follows Krantz's life in reverse-chronological order. Advertisement At the red carpet, Sara told People that she came out of acting retirement to work with Flanagan, 47. She said his 2021 Netflix horror miniseries 'Midnight Mass' was 'one of my favorite things I've ever seen.' 11 Kate Siegel, writer/director Mike Flanagan, Tom Hiddleston, Benjamin Pajak, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mark Hamill, Mia Sara, Karen Gillan, Carl Lumbly, Annalise Basso and producer Trevor Macy attend 'The Life of Chuck' premiere. Neon via Getty Images 'We've been such fans, and we met socially, he and the magnificent Kate Siegel, and he just said, 'Well, don't you ever really want to work again?' ' Sara told the outlet. 'And I said, 'Oh, I don't know.' He said, 'Well, what if I offered you something?' I said, 'Well, okay, if you offer me something, I'll do it.' ' Advertisement 11 Mia Sara in 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off.' ©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection 11 Benjamin Pajak, Mia Sara and Mark Hamill at 'The Life of Chuck' premiere afterparty at Mother Tongue on June 2. Neon via Getty Images When asked if she plans to do more acting, Sara replied: 'Honestly, it really was all about Mike. If Mike needs me, I'll be there.' Sara currently lives in 'a 17th century farmhouse' in England with her husband, Brian Henson. The actress and Henson have a daughter, Amelia, 20. She also has a son, Dashiell Quinn Connery, 28, with her ex-husband Jason Connery, son of 'James Bond' star Sean Connery. 11 Mia Sara and her husband Brian Henson at 'The Life of Chuck' premiere afterparty at Mother Tongue in Los Angeles. Neon via Getty Images Sara's last acting appearance was in the 2013 short film 'Pretty Pretty.' Before that, she played Princess Langwidere in the 2012 film 'Dorothy and the Witches of Oz.' Advertisement 11 Mia Sara in 'The Life of Chuck.' Neon 11 Mia Sara in 'Dorothy and the Witches of Oz.' IFI Studios Sara grew up in New York City and made her film acting debut in 1985's 'Legend' alongside Tom Cruise. At age 18, she landed the role of Sloane Peterson in 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off.' The beloved 1986 comedy was directed by the late John Hughes and also starred Matthew Broderick and 'Succession' alum Alan Ruck. Advertisement 11 Mia Sara, Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck in 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off.' ©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection Sara went on to star in the 1987 ABC miniseries 'Queenie' and the 1994 sci-fi film 'Timecop,' which won her a Saturn Award. She also played Harley Quinn in The WB series 'Birds of Prey' from 2002 to 2003.
