Got "Yellowjackets" Finale Blues? These 22 Films Will Hold You Over Until Season Two!
1.Heavenly Creatures (1994)
The breakout film for Yellowjackets star Melanie Lynskey, Peter Jackson's stylish true crime drama follows two teenage best friends whose intense bond spurs them towards violent fantasies. The film shares some parallels with Yellowjackets, from some of the surreal scenes to the troublesome teenagers at the center of the story, but Heavenly Creatures is a great glimpse at the promise of Lynskey's talent at such an early age.
2.Black Rock (2013)
Starring Lake Bell, Kate Bosworth and Katie Aselton (who pulls double-duty as the film's director), Black Rock tells the story of three estranged childhood friends who reunite at a remote island on which they spent their youth. However, a tragic accident puts the women in the path of disgruntled veterans on a hunting trip, and soon, the three women have to brave the elements and their personal animosity to avoid certain death. Intense, grueling and anchored by the great performances of the three leads, Black Rock frequently wades into the waters of survival horror tread throughout Yellowjackets.
3.Prospect (2018)
A criminally underrated science-fiction thriller, Prospect is a pulse-pounding tale of a father-daughter interplanetary mining duo who descend to a dangerous moon in search of a rare gem, only to discover they're not the only one searching for buried treasure. Suspenseful, immersive and gripping from start to finish, Prospect also exhibits an incredible feature film debut from Yellowjackets star Sophie Thatcher, who cuts her teeth opposite the likes of Pedro Pascal, Jay Duplass, Andre Royo and Sheila Vand.
4.Ravenous (1999)
Loosely inspired by the real stories of The Donner Party and Alferd Packer, Antonia Bird's horror period piece follows a secluded military outpost in the 1840s that invites an emaciated, frostbitten stranger for sanctuary. However, things are not as they seem and the soldiers soon find themselves facing a threat more barbaric than they could imagine in the wintry wilderness.
5.Fire in the Sky (1993)
A frightening science fiction film, Fire in the Sky is about a logging town shaken by the freak disappearance- and shocking re-emergence, of a blue collar man (D.B. Sweeney) who alleges that he was a victim of an alien abduction. Examining themes of trauma and small town panic, Fire in the Sky's scenes of dealing with accusations, mystery and psychological scars mirror the atmosphere of similar themes in Yellowjackets to a T.
6.The Death of Dick Long (2019)
A compelling, uncomfortable and occasionally hilarious film based on true events, The Death of Dick Long follows two friends who attempt to cover up a shocking crime that led to the death of their bandmate. To reveal much else would be delving into spoiler territory, and this is not the film you want spoiled for you, but The Death of Dick Long's small town mystery around unknown, undefined acts feels right at home with the current-day storyline on Yellowjackets.
7.Alone (2020)
A taut survival thriller that was released in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, John Hyams' Alone follows a woman who is kidnapped while driving to her new home, only to escape and find herself in a deadly cat-and-mouse game with her captor deep within the woods. Bolstered by a pair of enthralling performances from Jules Wilcox and Marc Menchaca, Alone's depiction of perseverance and desperation in the nightmarish conditions of the wild would be right at home in Yellowjackets.
8.The Invitation (2015)
Directed by Yellowjackets producer and pilot director Karyn Kusama, The Invitation is a breathtaking and unsettling horror-thriller that follows a man who is invited to an engagement party for his long-missing ex-wife. Upon his arrival, he begins to suspect something strange is afoot, paving the way for a film in which paranoia drips from every frame.
9.Alive (1993)
Based on the tragic true events surrounding the Uruguayan rugby team's crash in the Andes Mountains in 1974, Alive simultaneously acts as a warning of nature at its most brutal and an inspiring tale of survival against all odds. With the real story cited as one of the primary influences of Yellowjackets, Alive remains a powerful and affecting nearly 30 years later.
10.We Are What We Are (2013)
A critically acclaimed slow-burn horror film with one hell of payoff, We Are What We Are is a remake of a Mexican horror story about a family of reclusive religious fanatics whose traditions and faith are tested after the passing of their matriarch. With an ensemble cast that includes Bill Sage, Michael Parks, Julia Garner, Ambyr Childers and Wyatt Russell, We Are What We Are lures you in very similarly to Yellowjackets by carefully laying out its puzzling backstory piece-by-piece, although that's certainly not the only thing the film shares in common with the lauded Showtime series.
11.The Edge (1997)
Written by David Mamet and directed by Lee Tamahori, The Edge follows three plane crash survivors stranded in the wilderness of Alaska and pitted against the harsh cold, a ferocious Kodiak bear and their own mistrust for one another. Some of the parallels to Yellowjackets are fairly obvious but its the bitter interpersonal drama that really draws comparisons between the two projects.
12.Backcountry (2014)
Engaging and taut, Backcountry tells the story of a couple on an ill-fated camping trip that goes from bad to worse. The kind of film that'll make you think twice before heading out into the woods, Backcountry is a different breed of survival movie, with the core dynamic between the leads reminiscent of the interpersonal drama in the flashbacks of Yellowjackets.
13.It (Chapters One and Two) (2017/2019)
A classic Stephen King story that remains a benchmark in the depiction of collective trauma and dealing with the horrors of our past, Andy Muschietti's It films do a largely great job of bringing the story to life. In fact, the time gap between the chapters make Yellowjackets a solid companion piece to these beloved fright flicks.
14.Last Girl Standing (2015)
Dealing with the struggles of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in a similar (and subversive) fashion as Yellowjackets, Last Girl Standing follows the survivor of a slasher movie-esque massacre who becomes convinced years that the killer has returned. A methodical and ingenious approach to the "final girl" narrative, Last Girl Standing is a horror offering with more substance and emotional complications than your standard genre fare.
15.The Kid Detective (2020)
Released theatrically in late 2020 to sadly little fanfare, The Kid Detective is a rather brilliant comedy with a sardonic dark streak and more than one similarity to Yellowjackets. Beyond tackling the concept of the return of a traumatic childhood event many years later akin to the Showtime series, The Kid Detective also offers a solid performance from Yellowjackets' own Sophie Nélisse, who plays a high school student seeking answers surrounding the murder of her boyfriend.
16.Sound of Violence (2021)
One of the pleasant surprises of 2021, Yellowjackets star Jasmin Savoy Brown steals the show with this clever and chilling horror thriller about a synesthetic experimental musician who finds her true calling in making music out of violent acts. It may be too brutal for some, though if you've made it through some of the more gruesome bits of Yellowjackets thus far, you should be able to handle Sound of Violence.
17.The Debt (2010)
Another film on this list about the sins of the past coming back to haunt us, The Debt details a trio of former Mossad agents who must confront the terrible truth about a past mission. With timelines set in 1967, 1970 and 1997, The Debt has shades of Yellowjackets in its DNA, especially in the latter timeline in which exceptional turns from Helen Mirren, Tom Wilkinson and Ciarán Hinds help reiterate the gravity of the crime at hand.
18.I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore (2017)
A dark comedy from the mind of Macon Blair, I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore shares the same sharp-toothed sense of humor as Yellowjackets as well as a memorable lead performance from Melanie Lynskey, who exhibits the same rebellious and badass attitude in this film as she does on the aforementioned series.
19.The Place Beyond the Pines (2012)
Detailing a multi-generational story of crime, justice and the impact of the past on our present, The Place Beyond the Pines is a heartbreaking film whose third act feels as if it could have been pulled out of Yellowjackets. Between the teenage drama and the escalation of interconnecting trauma, The Place Beyond the Pines has a spiritual connection with Yellowjackets, though the latter may not end with such peaceful serenity when all is said and done.
20.Super Dark Times (2017)
A nihilistic thriller following a group of teens in the aftermath of a disturbing accident, Super Dark Times feels akin to Yellowjackets in many ways, from how serious the film treats the psychological ramifications of keeping a secret to the film's 1990s Northeastern setting. The film also handles tension in a similar manner, ramping up the tension and suspense between the characters until the film reaches it's jaw-dropping boiling point.
21.The Endless (2018)
While the film may be more surreal in nature than Yellowjackets, The Endless feels like a second cousin to the Showtime program in that it follows two men dealing with conflicting memories of their youth in a cult. Invited to return for the cult's "ascension" ceremony, The Endless is a trippy and oddly emotional movie about confronting your past before your past confronts you, which could best sum up the underlying theme of Yellowjackets.
