Fear is subjective, and people watch horror for a variety of reasons. Horror as escapism being a prominent one. The genre offers endless creativity, allowing us to explore extreme scenarios, alternate dimensions, and creatures from beyond, all from the comfort of our own homes. Lately, horror as escapism seems needed more than ever. So, this week were leaving the planet behind and traversing the terrors lurking in the furthest corners of space.

Because its the definitive, default deep space horror franchise, I left it off this weeks list in favor of spotlighting other picks. However, the Alientrilogy is currently streaming on HBO Max,Prometheusis available to stream with a Sling subscription, andAlien: Covenantthrough FX. Also recommended is 2007sSunshine, but its available only on VOD and rental.

These five horror movies take on the physical and psychological nightmares that accompany deep space exploration, from mind-bending isolation trauma to savage monsters inhabiting hostile terrain. Theyre all currently available to stream this week.

Event Horizon Netflix

The other go-to deep space horror movie, outside of theAlienseries, and for a good reason. We may never see Paul W.S. Andersons directors cut, but at least the theatrical cut still rules. A haunted house film set near Neptune in 2047, the ill-fated crew of the Lewis and Clark spaceship is sent to answer a distress call from the Event Horizon after itd been missing for seven years. They soon discover that the ship went to hell and back, literally, and its gained sentience. Laurence Fishburne leads as Captain Miller, but Sam Neill steals the film as the Event Horizons designer turned evil villain. Where were going, we wont need eyes to see.

Planet of the Vampires Prime Video

Two interplanetary ships on an expedition exploring the furthest recesses of space answer a distress beacon from a nearby, unexplored world. The crew of one ship becomes possessed upon entering the planets atmosphere, rendering them homicidal as they turn on each other. The survivors learn that theyre far from the first species to set foot on the planet and succumb to its mysterious force. If this plot sounds familiar in any way, that might be because it played a significant influence onAlien. Italian maestro Mario Bava directs with his usual vivid, lush aesthetic.

High Life Prime Video

The first English-language feature by Claire Denis (Trouble Every Day) also happens to be a genre-bender. Told in a nonlinear format,High Life follows a group of death row criminals given a second chance at life by working on a mission to extract energy from a black hole. The deep space isolation and the psychological turmoil it brings is enough for anyone to deal with; the criminals are subjected to experimentation by the doctor, whos fixated on creating a baby in deep space through artificial insemination. Yes, its as disturbing as it sounds, and it doesnt even begin to cover how weird it gets. A headier sci-fi horror film that eschews convention or any easy answers, this is for the more avant-garde cinephiles.

The Visitor Tubi, Vudu

An utterly bizarre, often incoherent entry in midnight madness. Emphasis on madness. Evil space alien Zatteen fled his planet and escaped to Earth. He was eventually stopped, but hed procreated with many Earthlings before his death, resulting in numerous descendants harboring great potential for evil. One of those descendants is 8-year-old telekinetic Katy, who becomes locked in an intergalactic battle of good versus evil over the fate of the world. Much of the narrative takes place on Earth, but theres plenty of glimpses of the alien world as well. Theres a Christ figure, Satanists, a falcon, aliens, supernatural powers, and more in a strange mashup of The OmenandClose Encounters of the Third Kind. That the U.S. cut of the film was heavily edited makes this anomaly of a movie all the more nonsensically weird. In the best possible, you have to see it to believe it sort of way. Its pure madness.

Pandorum Hoopla

The films title refers to a psychosis triggered by deep space and severe stress. While that does factor into the story, what makes this movie memorable is the non-stop onslaught of monsters. The setup sees two crew members awaken from hypersleep, only to find their colleagues are missing, and strange, predatory creatures have overrun the ship. Dennis Quaid and Ben Foster lead the cast in this massive action-horror spectacle. The type of film we dont get too often these days. Savage kills, fresh creature design, and even a little psychological terror thrown into the mix. Like Kanopy, Hoopla is a free streaming service offered by local libraries, but if no library in your vicinity offers it,Pandorumis also available to stream on HBO Max.

Bonus: Killer Klowns from Outer Space Netflix, Tubi, Pluto TV, Hoopla

In terms of feel-good horror, its hard to beat the insanely fun and loveableKiller Klowns from Outer Space. Because its set on Earth, its a bonus pick, one that brings immeasurable joy. Who doesnt smile when seeing these wacky Klowns unleash mayhem and carnage in the form of shadow puppets, popcorn, cotton candy, and circus mayhem? All from the delightfully warped minds of the Chiodo brothers.

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Stay Home, Watch Horror: 5 Deep Space Horror Movies to Stream This Week - Bloody Disgusting