The American supernatural horror film Umma, which means “mother” in Korean, is written and directed by Iris K. Shim and was released on March 18, 2022, by Sony Pictures. The movie stars Sandra Oh, Fivel Stewart, MeeWha Alana Lee, Tom Yi, Odeya Rush, and Dermot Mulroney with Sam Raimi as producer. The film follows the story of Korean immigrant Amanda and her teen daughter who are living off the grid at a farm, raising bees as their main source of income. The two live a relatively peaceful life but their peace is bombarded when Amanda receives the ashes of her estranged mother from her uncle. An evil presence starts to haunt Amanda and her biggest fear of turning into her mother unveils. The horror film explores the dynamics of a mother and daughter relationship as well as the experience of Korean immigrants.
In a review published by The Wrap, they wrote, “Part of what makes “Umma” compelling, when it is compelling, is the way in which Amanda rejects her Korean heritage, which haunts her alongside her mother.” In the same article, they wrote about the core themes tackled in the film saying, “The most frightening part of “Umma” is not the ghostly apparition of Amanda’s mother, but Amanda herself. Under Shim’s direction, Oh’s Amanda is haunted and taut, an unpredictable force of nature. The real conflict of the film is not between Amanda and her umma, but Amanda and Chrissy, who is achingly eager to break out of the monotony of farm life and go to college.” If you enjoyed the storytelling and fear portrayed in the film Umma, here are five other horror/thriller films that are worth watching. The following films include themes of relationships, conflicts, and grief.
The Night House
The 2020 American psychological horror film The Night House shares similar themes with Umma about relationships with a loved one who has passed. The film was directed by David Bruckner and written by Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski and stars Rebecca Hall, Sarah Goldberg, Evan Jonigkeit, Stacy Martin, and Vondie Curtis-Hall. The film follows Beth, who recently lost her husband who was an architect. While she is left alone in the lakehouse built by his husband, she starts experiencing disturbing visions and dreams and uncovers his husband’s dark secrets. The film received positive reviews and received two nominations for the Critics’ Choice Super Awards. The Guardian described the film in their article saying, “The home’s endless glass doors and windows foreshadow the creepy reflections, mirror images and doppelgangers to come in David Bruckner’s stylish and genuinely sinister horror movie.”
Midsommar
Although Umma focuses on a mother-daughter relationship, the 2019 folk horror film Midsommar shares similar themes, including some cultural traditions and exploring the dynamics of relationships. The film is written and directed by Ari Aster, who also directed the psychological horror film Hereditary. Midsommar stars Florence Pugh and Jack Reynor with William Jackson Harper, Vilhelm Blomgren, Ellora Torchia, Archie Madekwe, and Will Poulter in supporting roles. The film centers on a young couple and their sinister summer getaway with friends. Dani who is grieving over a family tragedy decides to join his boyfriend Christian and his friends in a trip to Sweden to participate in a remote midsummer festival. However, what seemed to be a great summer holiday for the group takes a dark turn when they start witnessing disturbing rituals. New York Times published a review of the film and wrote, “Aster clearly worships at the altar of Stanley Kubrick (a hexagonal design here is right out of the Overlook Hotel collection), and he seems too meticulous to let avoidable mistakes — risible lapses in logic — happen without reason.” The Empire also reviewed the film describing how the film is a must-watch for cinema lovers. “Midsommar tests not only its players but its viewers: it’s a ride, however, that any lover of cinema should take.
The Babadook
The 2014 Australian psychological horror film The Babadook features supernatural elements like in Umma and centers on the story of a single mother and her son who fears that a monster is in their home. The film was written and directed by Jennifer Kent in her directorial debut and is based on her 2005 short film Monster. The film was produced by Kristina Ceyton and Kristian Moliere and stars Essie Davis, Noah Wiseman, Daniel Henshall, Hayley McElhinney, Barbara West, and Ben Winspear. In The Guardian’s review, they praised the performances of the lead actors saying, “The Babadook is superbly acted. Davis really does look like a sensitive, loving person at the end of her tether, whose emotions have been turned upside down by lack of sleep, and pale, gaunt, goggle-eyed Noah Wiseman convincingly combines being frightened and frightening.”
Mama
A supernatural horror film that also delves into the dynamics of a mother and daughter relationship is the 2013 film Mama. The film was directed and co-written by Andy Muschietti in his directorial debut and based on his 2008 Argentine short film Mamá. The film stars Jessica Chastain, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Megan Charpentier, Isabelle Nélisse, Daniel Kash, and Javier Botet.The film follows the story of two orphan girls who are found in a cabin tucked away in the forest. The two manifest feral behaviors and seem to interact with an unseen entity called “Mama”.They are then put under the care of their uncle and his girlfriend, and the girls continue to make reference to Mama who turns out to be an overprotective entity that will do anything to protect the girls. The Hollywood Reporter published a review of the film and wrote “In essence, Mama represents a throwback and a modest delight for people who like a good scare but prefer not to be terrorized or grossed out. With fine special effects and a good sense of creating a mood and pacing the jolts, Andy Muschietti shows a reassuringly confident hand for a first-time director, pulling off some fine visual coups through smart camera placement and cutting, and not taking the whole thing so seriously that it becomes overwrought.”
Insidious
The 2010 American horror film Insidious shares a similar tone to Umma but incorporates supernatural elements on a different level. The film is directed by James Wan, written by Leigh Whannell who are known for their Saw movies. Insidious stars Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, and Barbara Hershey. The story centers on the Lambert family who moves to a new house only to experience unexplained phenomena. Their son also falls into a mysterious coma and failing to find answers, they ask help from a medium who aids them in understanding the astral realm in order to save their son. Common Sense Media gave a positive review of the film saying, “Surprisingly, after the ultra-gory Saw movies, Wan and Whannell choose here to go the old-fashioned route and rely on half-glimpsed images, darkness, shadows, and noises for their scares — which are really more effective, anyway. And the characters are flawed in a deliberate and interesting way, resulting in some good performances.”
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