Thursday Movie Picks: Domestic Thrillers

A weekly series hosted by Wandering Through the Shelves

I don't know about you but I find domestic thrillers to be of the most unsettling and scary kind as they are more likely to happen in real life, and you feel like you're living one whenever you hear a weird noise in the middle of the night. It's usually nothing other than a fervid imagination though. It's not the same in the fictional world of films where people often find themselves in horrible situations. Without further ado, here are my three picks for this week's Thursday Movie Picks.


Hush (2016) - Review

It follows a deaf writer (Kate Siegel) who retreated into the woods to live a solitary life as she must fight for her life in silence when a masked killer  (John Gallagher Jr.) appears at her window and tries to break into her home. This kind of came out of nowhere for me as I was not familiar with Flanagan's work and wasn't expecting such a terrific, tense film. I highly recommend if you haven't seen it yet. 


Swallow (2019)

When she gets pregnant, Hunter (Haley Bennett) picks up the very dangerous habit of swallowing the most random objects, from a harmless marble to sharp objects and batteries, as she keeps failing to meet her husband (Austin Stowell) and his family's expectations. The film is very difficult to watch but at the same time is very compelling and engaging, and Bennett is terrific. 


The Woman in the Window (2020)

Based on A. J. Finn's novel of the same name, it follows Anna Fox (Amy Adams), a newly divorced woman who suffers from agoraphobia due to a traumatic car accident who spends her days looking out the window. Things take a turn for the worst when she believes she's witnessed her neighbour kill his wife. It hasn't been realised yet due to the pandemic but I really, really loved the novel and I have high expectations for this. 

10 comments :

  1. Haven't seen any of these yet but this is the second mention of Swallow today. It doesn't sound like it's for me.

    I avoid Amy Adams whenever possible so I won't be watching Woman in the Window and just the picture you used to illustrate the first one tells me it will probably be too intense for me.

    My three are a bit older but I enjoyed them all.

    Rear Window (1954)-Photo-journalist “Jeff” Jeffries, wheelchair bound because of a badly broken leg combats the boredom of being confined to his apartment by watching the activities of his neighbors though his rear window. Late one night he thinks he witnesses one of them, Lars Thorwald (Raymond Burr), murder his wife but initially has trouble convincing anyone of the fact. Slowly with the help of his acerbic nurse Stella (Thelma Ritter) and fashion model girlfriend Lisa (Grace Kelly) he starts to put the pieces together but when Thorwald begins to suspect Jeff knows something the tables are dangerously turned.

    Deceived (1991)-Art restorer Adrienne (Goldie Hawn) and museum curator Jack Saunders (John Heard) have a seemingly perfect life living in their restored New York City loft with their daughter Mary. But that life is thrown into turmoil when Jack’s boss dies under questionable circumstances. Jack starts acting strangely then suddenly leaves town purportedly on business raising Adrienne’s suspicions. Before he returns he is apparently killed in a car crash but when Adrienne files for his death benefits it turns out “Jack Saunders” died in a plane crash 20 years ago. So who was the man she married? As she searches for answers the truth becomes increasingly dark and very perilous.

    Rosemary’s Baby (1968)-Young Rosemary Woodhouse (Mia Farrow) and struggling actor husband Guy (John Cassavetes) move into a New York City apartment building of sinister repute. When their odd new neighbors, Roman and Minnie Castavet (Sidney Blackmer & Ruth Gordon) become overly familiar Rosemary tries to back away but Guy, suddenly successful, welcomes them. Rosemary, now pregnant, becomes increasingly isolated and the diabolical truth of the matter is revealed only after Rosemary gives birth. One of Roman Polanski’s best films permeated with a sense of dread.

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    1. I wasn’t a big fan of Rosemary’s Baby, actually I kind of hated it, but I absolutely love Rear Window. It’s one of my all time favourites.

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  2. We match on Swallow! I really enjoyed Hush too and I normally hate home invasion movies. I enjoyed TWITW as a book as well, I hope I like the movie just as much. I'm nervous it will be too lifetime-y

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    1. I’m sure they’ll find a way to mess that up. Especially considering the film was supposed to be released last October but then didn’t because of a negative test audience response.

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  3. I have not seen any of these but you are the second one to mention Swallow which I don’t feel like seeing. Hush sounds too scary for me and I don’t know the third one but I would like to see it. Funny, thrillers in the household, I have seen plenty off from my man6 clients to my friends. It all involves gaslighting, control, manipulation, restrictions and the people who do the mean deeds are usually charming....always watch out for charm.

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    1. Yeah, I feel like none of my picks are right for you. Especially Swallow. I had a hard time watching it and I’m used to crazy stuff.

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  4. Swallow looks interesting.
    I didn't enjoy TWitW as much. I think it's because I figured out what was going on quite early on which takes the fun out of reading a thriller.

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    1. To be honest I figured it out early on too but I didn't mind much as the book still managed to be tense and suspenseful for me.

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  5. Bennett is such an underrated actress. I have a weird thing about watching people eat yucky things so I don't know if I could handle Swallow! :D which is a shame as I adore her.

    Hush sounds amazing. How have I not heard of this?

    I really despise AJ Finn as a person, but the book was pretty great. I'm looking forward to seeing the movie.... someday.

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    1. She really is! I watched The Devil All The Time yesterday and, although she had a small screen time, she was great.

      HOW HAVE YOU NEVER HEARD OF HUSH???? You need to watch it ASAP! It's pretty tough though.

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