It’s still September, but some of us are already mentally preparing for Halloween, also known as spooky season.
Whether you’re running through costume ideas or baking pumpkin bread, you’ll need a solid library of horror movies to keep you busy until October 31.
Luckily, Netflix is about to add one of our faves — Cobweb, a 2023 horror movie that features some of our favorite underrated actors.
Learn why the Watch With Us team is recommending the spine-tingling, atmospheric Cobweb below.
The Premise Is Deceptively Simple
Cobweb follows Peter (Woody Norman), a troubled eight-year-old boy whose controlling parents fail to help him manage bullying at school. When his teacher, Miss Devine (Cleopatra Coleman), becomes concerned for his well-being, she learns that he has been hearing a creepy tapping sound in the walls of his house — a fear his parents dismiss.
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Peter begins to hear a voice in addition to the tapping that he believes belongs to a ghost — and the ghost is pushing him to take action against his uncaring parents. Miss Devine hopes to help Peter before it’s too late, but all is not what it seems inside his house.
The Cast Includes Two of Our Favorite Underrated Actors
Peter’s parents, Carol and Mark, are played by Lizzy Caplan and Antony Starr, respectively. While both are reasonably successful, it’s refreshing to see them in roles so different from the ones they’re best known for. Caplan is famous for playing the kind-hearted but rebellious Janis Ian in Mean Girls, so seeing her as a mother with such a dark side is a sinister change. Starr, meanwhile, is best known for playing the psychopathic superhero Homelander on The Boys. As Mark, he hides his darkness much more subtly, acting not through violence but through neglect and repression.
Caplan and Starr may not have the name recognition of some of their recent costars from projects like Fleishman Is in Trouble or The Boys, but they’re both talented, charismatic performers who elevate this film. Their performances as Mark and Carol sell the terror of the premise: As a child, your parents are supposed to keep you safe. If you can’t trust them, the world becomes a truly terrifying place. And if your parents are telling you not to trust your own senses, then what is left to believe in?
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The Shocking Twist Ending Will Stay With You
We won’t spoil the ending of Cobweb, but rest assured that the voice within the walls is not what you’d expect. (The film holds off explaining the mystery until the last possible moment, keeping the tension as taut as it can be.)
When Peter finally unravels the mysteries inside his home, the story doesn’t tie everything up with a neat bow. It’s one of those unsettling finales that lingers — leaving horror fans with that deliciously creepy “looking over your shoulder” feeling long after the credits roll.
Watch Cobweb is now streaming on Netflix.
