From creepy family heirlooms to ghostly hallways and high-stakes survival, streaming screens are delivering a fresh dose of chills this month. Wednesday returns with dark wit and supernatural intrigue, Until Dawn brings interactive, heart-pounding choices, and Khauf delivers slow-burn horror rooted in both trauma and the supernatural — three chilling reasons to keep the lights on.

Wednesday (Season 2, Part 1, Netflix)

This is one of those high-profile releases we had been watching out for. When Wednesday, a series based on the daughter from the gothic comedy franchise Addams Family, first came out three years ago, it became one of Netflix’s top limited series right after its release and launched its lead, Jenna Ortega, into super stardom.

Wednesday Season 2 (Part 1) returns after nearly three years. This much-awaited second instalment remains as visually stunning and stylistically rich as the first season. Jenna Ortega gives a masterclass in deadpan delivery. Her portrayal of the titular character is sharp, dark, witty and emotionally nuanced. Ortega’s performance anchors the series, elevating the material, especially when the storytelling gets a bit… tangled.

Dark, scary and haunting. Those looking for the thrill of screams can check out our selections of what to watch on the streaming services…

This time, the Addams family finally steps into the spotlight. Catherine Zeta-Jones’ Morticia is more involved and compelling, especially since the family has decided to move in the vicinity of the school, to stay close to Wednesday and Pugsley, her younger brother, who joins her this year. They’re to help with fundraising for the school. In this school year, Wednesday returns to find that she has young fans that sometimes take things a little too far in order to get close to her.

Things are far from okay, and Wednesday is being stalked and those she loves are being threatened. She will do whatever it takes to get to the bottom of this. This is what we watch this series for, but this first part of the second season is not without its faults.

The storytelling buckles under narrative overload. Critics point out an overcrowded plot, with too many subplots, such as Enid’s premonition of death, Pugsley’s odd zombie experiment and a convoluted conspiracy. This dilutes the emotional core and slows the momentum. It feels at times more like a gothic carnival than a taut mystery. One misses the tighter focus and charming weirdness of the first season. Despite its flaws, part 1 of season 2 is still a good watch and binge-worthy.

Here’s hoping part 2 re-centres and rebuilds the elegant murdery mystery that’s at Wednesday’s core again.

Until Dawn (Netflix)

Of course, one shouldn’t completely trust online ratings but that’s also the metric we have to go by when trying to decide quickly if a new movie is worth a watch.

Until Dawn’s ratings were decent enough to give it a try.

The story is familiar enough. Set in the supernatural world of Glore Valley, Until Dawn follows Clover (Ella Rubin), who finds her way to this eerie location a year after her sister Melanie’s disappearance. She’s with her friends — Max, Nina, Megan and Abe. They stumble upon an abandoned home-turned-guest house in the middle of nowhere.

Upon entering, their night of terror unfolds. They are stalked by various killers and grotesque creatures, including wendigos and witches. Yet, with each death, the night resets in a chilling time loop, forcing them to relive the same harrowing hours repeatedly.

Directed by David F. Sandberg, the film ambitiously blends elements of slasher horror, supernatural dread and psychological torment. The film’s atmospheric settings and inventive kills stand out, with masked stalkers, explosive gore and creature attacks keeping the tension alive. Ella Rubin’s performance anchors the story, offering some emotional depth to her relentless struggle. Ji-young Yoo also shines as Megan, whose evolution from a zany, dismissed psychic to formidable survivor adds genuine grit to the narrative.

However, the film suffers from repetitive plotting and uneven pacing. And its connection to the source material (the film is based on a 2015 PlayStation video game) feels thin. Fans of the game have felt that the adaptation lacks the interactivity and narrative richness that made the original compelling.

Nonetheless, the film has struck a chord with general audiences and, despite its flaws, Until Dawn manages to deliver a visually engaging and occasionally darkly satisfying ride — especially if you’re drawn to slasher-style scares and do-over dynamics. It’s the kind of film you’ll enjoy watching once. It has excellent jump scares.

Khauf (Amazon Prime)

Khauf is a haunting slow-burn horror thriller that lingers long after its finished rolling. Set within the oppressive confines of a women’s hostel in Delhi, the series follows Madhu (Monika Panwar), who relocates to rebuild her life after a traumatic past, only to find herself haunted by both unseen forces and deeply rooted social fears.

Madhu is assigned to Room 333, notoriously steeped in sinister history. The hostel residents, distant and foreboding, warn her to leave before it’s too late. As Madhu begins to experience disturbing phenomena — whispers, apparitions and escalating dread — she struggles to distinguish between psychological trauma and supernatural presence.

Echoing beyond the usual horror tropes, the series uses its setting and suspense to explore the deeper terror of patriarchal systems and repressed trauma. The haunting found here becomes a metaphor for the emotional scars women endure in everyday life. Over eight episodes, Madhu’s journey navigates isolation, the unspoken pain of her fellow residents, and the thin line between reality and madness.

It’s the kind of horror that grows on you and, before you know it, gets under your skin. The storytelling and moody sets are both on point in this series. Khauf reframes horror, not as supernatural spectacle but as a reflection of real-world oppression, making its scariest moments resonate at a psychological level.

Published in Dawn, ICON, August 17th, 2025