Whether he is creating an independent film or a multi-million-dollar Netflix original series, Mike Flanagan has consistently demonstrated an ability to develop terrifyingly compelling stories that leave audiences in awe. Flanagan has become somewhat of a horror directing and writing legend, with the numerous amounts of successful projects he’s put out throughout his career — which only seems to be getting better and better. Somehow, he can always make viewers feel connected and invested in the characters of every movie and TV show he's part of. Even when they may not seem like the best humanity has to offer, he finds a way to find the inner child in everyone, the innocent side to them that people connect to and see themselves in. This reflection and vulnerability make people fall endlessly in love with his work.
Over the years, Flanagan has created many horror films filled with thrills, suspense, and jump scares, such as Ouija: Origin of Evil, Oculus, Gerald’s Game, Doctor Sleep, and Hush. While all of these projects received great reviews and are definitely well worth the watch, his best work arguably came later in his career, with the release of his Netflix Original Series. The Haunting of Hill House, released in 2018, brought Flanagan's career to a whole new level. Audiences loved everything about the series: from the story to the cast, and the attention to detail in cinematography was so well done. Netflix and Flanagan have created three other series since 2018, including The Haunting of Bly Manor, Midnight Mass, and most recently The Midnight Club. Flanagan has such a specific aesthetic when it comes to the framing, editing, color grading, and shooting techniques used in his work, which makes everything he does stand out on its own. With that said, here are all the Mike Flanagan movies and TV shows you can watch on Netflix.
8 Before I Wake
Jacob Tremblay, Thomas Jane, Kate Bosworth, Annabeth Gish, and Dash Mihok star in Flanagan's 2016 horror/thriller Before I Wake. The film follows Cody, a young boy who has just been taken in by two foster parents named Mark and Jessie. Cody expresses to his guardians that he is afraid to fall asleep, but Mark and Jessie don't think too deeply about his concern, assuming that this is a normal fear for a young boy. They soon realize how dangerous Cody's dreams actually are as almost all of his dreams and his nightmares are magically able to become a reality. The film wasn't originally released on streaming services, but has been put on Netflix and is available to stream now.
7 Gerald's Game
Carla Gugino has been working with Flanagan for years now, having starred in The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor, and Gerald's Game. She plays Jessie, a woman in a toxic marriage with Gerald, portrayed by Bruce Greenwood. The two go on a secluded trip to try and revive their love life, but things take a turn for the worst when Jessie is handcuffed to the bed and Gerald drops dead, with not a single person around for miles. Jessie has to find a way to get out of the handcuffs before she ends up dead as well. Henry Thomas and Kate Siegel, who have also starred in a multitude of Flanagan's works, play Tom and Sally in this film.
6 Ouija: Origin of Evil
Ouija: Origin of Evil is one of Flanagan's most popular films. The incredible Elizabeth Reaser stars in the film as Alice, alongside Lulu Wilson, Annalise Basso, Kate Siegel, Henry Thomas, and Parker Mack. While Reaser is best known for her role as Esme Cullen in The Twilight Saga, she has also done great work in the horror genre, with this film and The Haunting of Hill House. In the film, Alice's daughter Doris becomes completely immersed and taken over by the evil her mother brings into her home when she leaves out a Ouija board. This film is full of scares and creepy moments, putting it at the top of Flanagan's best films.
5 Hush
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When Hush was first released on Netflix, it quickly became one of the most streamed films of the month. Everyone was interested in the horror film about a deaf girl living alone in the woods, who has to try to escape a masked psycho killer who has broken into her house. What makes this film stand apart from other horror films is that the majority of the movie is in silence. It is remarkable how Flanagan was able to make such a suspenseful and riveting story come to life without dialogue, which we so often rely on in film. It further proves what a great storyteller he is. Kate Siegel stars in the film as the protagonist Maddie, and gives a great performance, as always.
4 The Midnight Club
The Midnight Club is Flanagan's most recent project to come to Netflix. It tells the story of a group of eight kids who have all been told they are going to die soon of cancer, so they head to a hospice called Brightcliffe, where they will be spending the rest of their days. When main character Ilonka discovers that the other kids are a part of a late-night group called The Midnight Club, where they share ghost stories and are able to get out their deepest fears, she tries desperately to join. Ilonka and her friends find out that The Midnight Club goes back further than they thought and is based on something much more sinister than they could have imagined.
3 Midnight Mass
Midnight Mass takes place on a small island named Crockett, where the most important aspects of living are religion and your devotion to God. There are a few good citizens on the island who wouldn't judge someone based on how often they go to church or how devoted they seem to the Lord, but there are others who look down on people who don't believe the same as they do and live life with a God complex. When a new priest comes to the island, he brings miracles with him. He is able to reverse time and stop aging; he can make a paralyzed girl walk again; and he brought himself back from the dead. The people of the island think that this is all a gift from God, but in reality, it is as evil and impure as possible, born out of greed, fear, and obliviousness.
2 The Haunting of Bly Manor
The Haunting Series on Netflix has to be Flanagan's most popular work to date. The Haunting of Bly Manor is the second season of this anthology series. Victoria Pedretti stars as Dani Clayton, an American who just moved to England trying to escape the trauma in her old life, so she takes a job as an au pair. The two children she takes care of are beautiful and smart orphans named Flora and Miles, but underneath the brave face they put on, Flora and Miles have been living with the fear of ghosts and supernatural entities for as long as they've been living at Bly.
1 The Haunting of Hill House
Coming in at number one on the list is the brilliant series The Haunting of Hill House. This show is a masterpiece and by far Flanagan's best work. The show follows the Crain family at three different times in their lives: their youth growing up at Hill House, their adult lives living with the repercussions of Hill House, and the present when they are forced to reflect on everything that has happened to them because of that house. Steven, Shirley, Theo, Luke, and Nellie are the five children of Olivia and Hugh Crain, and despite how hard they tried, Olivia and Hugh just couldn't protect them from the evils that live in Hill House. Each child was affected by the house differently, and they come to a point where they almost let their past destroy them completely. The Haunting of Hill House is an incredible show and one that everybody should get to see at least once.