Home invasion films are enjoying an upward trend, and for the time being that’s just fine in this book. I can use a breather from the possession, found footage, and slasher films that have been dominating the genre for a few years now. Let’s let the creepy guys in creepy masks invade our lives for a while.

The last few years, in particular, have been extremely kind to the genre. Inside of three years, five brilliant home invasion features have hit the market. There are a few that really stand out in the pack, but you’ll be surprised to discover that every feature listed is a strong, impactful piece of work.

Read on for your recommended dose of Home Invasion!

You Are Not Alone

Shot entirely as a POV flick, we never see our female protagonist, but we get to know her well, and we do see the grim fate that befalls her friends and the face of a true lunatic with nothing other than fatal violence on his mind. We see it all through her eyes, and it’s a little chilling. However, there are a few scenes that feel so out of place, illogical, or poorly executed that it steals just a bit of the movie’s shine. All in all, I think the good outweighs the bad, and when all is said and done, it’s hard not to declare it creepy as hell. The villain in this flick… eh, almost too damn freaky.

Hush

A personal favorite, Mike Flanagan’s Hush is nothing short of brilliant. It’s amazing that a few simple tweaks can produce a picture that feels both satisfying and unique (even if you have basically seen it a number of times under a number of different titles), but Flanagan does it. And he deserves all the praise he’s gotten thus far. He turned a very small story into a nerve-wracking picture that just might interfere with your evening’s sleep. Hush, despite a general lack of action or extreme violence, is a terrifying piece.

Intruder

Given the fact that Intruder follows four other top-notch pictures that all employ slightly different tactics, there isn’t a wealth of room for director Travis Zariwny to generate something fresh within his film. Yet, he does exactly that. Rather than keeping his villain hidden in the shadows, Zariwny drops him right in the middle of things time and again. He’s always slick enough to avoid detection, but holy hell, he is right friggin’ there! That does add an interesting wrinkle to the narrative. Intruder is probably the weakest of this particular lot, but it’s definitely worth looking into!

The Blood Lands

The ambiguity of this flick plays a major part in the overall vibe and impression the viewer experiences. This isn’t one of those home invasion tales that build off of some major motive (You’re Next, for example); instead we’re left to wonder if this is just one of those “go home!” motives. And because of that degree of uncertainty in the motive, the fear factor climbs a few notches. Why in the world is this happening?! The Blood Lands is a fast-paced and unforgiving flick that no one should be sleeping on.

Kristy

And finally we have the Thanksgiving-themed home invasion pic Kristy, which takes place on a college campus where one lone girl finds herself running and fighting for her life. A handful of quirky occultists (I suppose that’s what they are) descend on the campus, and it’s suddenly wit and familiarity versus savagery and pitiless. It isn’t a seamless piece by any stretch, but it does make for some solid entertainment and it’s a well-shot film. You’re definitely not losing time by investing in this one.