
Best A24 Horror Movies, Ranked by Tomatometer
The latest: The Philippou brothers returned to chill us with Bring Her Back, anchored by a deranged and captivating Sally Hawkins performance.
Like Blumhouse, production house and distributor A24 rose to prominence in the 2010s, especially through getting their names attached to some of the best horror movies of the decade. While the Blum boys are known for their keen budgeting and thrust for the mainstream, A24 carved its identity through scares challenging, unexpected, and experimental. 2016 was A24’s breakthrough year for horror (they also released Best Picture Oscar-winner Moonlight the same year, by the way), with Robert Eggers’ folk period-authentic The Witch, and the backwoods punk pulverizer Green Room. 2018’s Hereditary was A24’s highest-grossing movie until Everything Everywhere All At Once, and launched writer/director’s Ari Aster’s feature career, who quickly followed up with 2019’s sunbaked Midsommar.
Elevated horror was a phrase bandied about to describe the movies of this decade that commingled shock and terror with less emphasis on jump scares and more on atmosphere, dread, and able to withstand critical and societal scrutiny. (It Follows and Blumhouse’s Get Out are two more grand examples.) While the elevated horror term isn’t used much more these days, it did get the job done, in that it raised audiences expectations out of what to expect out of horror and what the genre can achieve, and A24 has continued to rise to the occasion in the 2020s. Just take a look at Rose Glass’ Saint Maud, Ti West’s X/Pearl/MaXXXine, and Talk To Me.
94%
Critics Consensus: With a gripping story and impressive practical effects, Talk to Me spins a terrifically creepy 21st-century horror yarn built on classic foundations.
Synopsis: When a group of friends discover how to conjure spirits using an embalmed hand, they become hooked on the new thrill, until one of them... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Sophie Wilde, Miranda Otto, Otis Dhanji, Alexandra Jensen
Directed By: Danny Philippou, Michael Philippou
94%
Critics Consensus: A fresh spin on the classic slasher formula, X marks the spot where Ti West gets resoundingly back to his horror roots.
Synopsis: In 1979, a group of young filmmakers set out to make an adult film in rural Texas, but when their reclusive, elderly hosts catch them... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega, Martin Henderson, Brittany Snow
Directed By: Ti West
93%
Critics Consensus: Pearl finds Ti West squeezing fresh gore out of the world he created with X -- and once again benefiting from a brilliant Mia Goth performance.
Synopsis: Filmmaker Ti West returns with another chapter from the twisted world of X, in this astonishing follow-up to the year's most acclaimed horror film. Trapped... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Mia Goth, David Corenswet, Tandi Wright, Matthew Sunderland
Directed By: Ti West
92%
Critics Consensus: A brilliantly unsettling blend of body horror and psychological thriller, Saint Maud marks an impressive debut for writer-director Rose Glass.
Synopsis: The debut film from writer-director Rose Glass, Saint Maud is a chilling and boldly original vision of faith, madness, and salvation in a fallen world.... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Morfydd Clark, Jennifer Ehle, Lily Frazer, Lily Knight
Directed By: Rose Glass
92%
Critics Consensus: In Fabric's gauzy giallo allure weaves a surreal spell, blending stylish horror and dark comedy to offer audiences a captivating treat.
Synopsis: A lonely divorcee visits a bewitching London department store to find a dress to transform her life. She soon finds a perfect, artery-red gown that... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Hayley Squires, Leo Bill
Directed By: Peter Strickland
91%
Critics Consensus: As thought-provoking as it is visually compelling, The Witch delivers a deeply unsettling exercise in slow-building horror that suggests great things for debuting writer-director Robert Eggers.
Synopsis: In 1630 New England, panic and despair envelops a farmer, his wife and their children when youngest son Samuel suddenly vanishes. The family blames Thomasin,... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie, Harvey Scrimshaw
Directed By: Robert Eggers
90%
Critics Consensus: Hugh Grant has infectious fun playing against type in Heretic, a religious horror that preaches the gospel of cerebral chills over cheap shocks.
Synopsis: Two young missionaries are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (Hugh... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher, Chloe East, Topher Grace
Directed By: Scott Beck, Bryan Woods
90%
Critics Consensus: Green Room delivers unapologetic genre thrills with uncommon intelligence and powerfully acted élan.
Synopsis: Members (Anton Yelchin, Alia Shawkat) of a punk-rock band and a tough young woman (Imogen Poots) battle murderous white supremacists at a remote Oregon roadhouse.
Starring: Anton Yelchin, Imogen Poots, Alia Shawkat, Joe Cole
Directed By: Jeremy Saulnier
90%
Critics Consensus: A gripping story brilliantly filmed and led by a pair of powerhouse performances, The Lighthouse further establishes Robert Eggers as a filmmaker of exceptional talent.
Synopsis: Two lighthouse keepers try to maintain their sanity while living on a remote and mysterious New England island in the 1890s.
Starring: Robert Pattinson, Willem Dafoe, Valeriia Karaman, Logan Hawkes
Directed By: Robert Eggers
90%
Critics Consensus: Hereditary uses its classic setup as the framework for a harrowing, uncommonly unsettling horror film whose cold touch lingers long beyond the closing credits.
Synopsis: When the matriarch of the Graham family passes away, her daughter and grandchildren begin to unravel cryptic and increasingly terrifying secrets about their ancestry, trying... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Toni Collette, Gabriel Byrne, Alex Wolff, Ann Dowd
Directed By: Ari Aster
89%
Critics Consensus: A domestic nightmare that draws its most profound scares from Sally Hawkins' deranged performance, Bring Her Back is an exemplary chiller that reaffirms directors Danny and Michael Philippou as modern masters of horror.
Synopsis: A brother and sister uncover a terrifying ritual at the secluded home of their new foster mother.
Starring: Sally Hawkins, Billy Barratt, Sora Wong, Jonah Wren Phillips
Directed By: Danny Philippou, Michael Philippou
88%
Critics Consensus: It Comes at Night makes lethally effective use of its bare-bones trappings while proving once again that what's left unseen can be just as horrifying as anything on the screen.
Synopsis: After a mysterious apocalypse leaves the world with few survivors, two families are forced to share a home in an uneasy alliance to keep the... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Joel Edgerton, Christopher Abbott, Carmen Ejogo, Riley Keough
Directed By: Trey Edward Shults
86%
Critics Consensus: Impeccably cast and smartly written, Bodies Bodies Bodies is an uncommonly well-done whodunit.
Synopsis: When a group of rich 20-somethings plan a hurricane party at a remote family mansion, a party game goes awry in this fresh and funny... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, Myha'la Herrold, Chase Sui Wonders
Directed By: Halina Reijn
86%
Critics Consensus: Darkly imaginative and brought to life by a pair of striking central performances, Lamb shears expectations with its singularly wooly chills.
Synopsis: A childless couple in rural Iceland make an alarming discovery one day in their sheep barn. They soon face the consequences of defying the will... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Noomi Rapace, Hilmir Snær Guðnason, Björn Hlynur Haraldsson, Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson
Directed By: Valdimar Jóhannsson
85%
Critics Consensus: With a distinctive visual aesthetic that enhances its emotionally resonant narrative, I Saw the TV Glow further establishes writer-director Jane Schoenbrun as a rising talent.
Synopsis: Teenager Owen is just trying to make it through life in the suburbs when his classmate introduces him to a mysterious late-night TV show —... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Justice Smith, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Ian Foreman, Lindsey Jordan
Directed By: Jane Schoenbrun
83%
Critics Consensus: Ambitious, impressively crafted, and above all unsettling, Midsommar further proves writer-director Ari Aster is a horror auteur to be reckoned with.
Synopsis: A young American couple, their relationship foundering, travel to a Swedish midsummer festival where a seemingly pastoral paradise transforms into a sinister, dread-soaked nightmare as... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, William Jackson Harper, Will Poulter
Directed By: Ari Aster
83%
Critics Consensus: Its message may prove elusive for some, but with absorbing imagery and a mesmerizing performance from Scarlett Johansson, Under the Skin is a haunting viewing experience.
Synopsis: Disguising herself as a human female, an extraterrestrial (Scarlett Johansson) drives around Scotland and tries to lure unsuspecting men into her van.
Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy McWilliams, Lynsey Taylor Mackay, Dougie McConnell
Directed By: Jonathan Glazer
83%
Critics Consensus: The Hole in the Ground artfully exploits parental fears with a well-made horror outing that makes up in sheer effectiveness what it lacks in originality.
Synopsis: One night, Sarah's young son disappears into the woods behind their rural home. When he returns, he looks the same, but his behavior grows increasingly... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Seána Kerslake, James Quinn Markey, James Cosmo, Kati Outinen
Directed By: Lee Cronin
83%
Critics Consensus: High Life is as visually arresting as it is challenging, confounding, and ultimately rewarding - which is to say it's everything film fans expect from director Claire Denis.
Synopsis: Monte and his baby daughter are the last survivors of a damned and dangerous mission to the outer reaches of the solar system. They must... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Robert Pattinson, Juliette Binoche, André Benjamin, Mia Goth
Directed By: Claire Denis
81%
Critics Consensus: The Monster uses its effectively simple setup and a powerful lead performance from Zoe Kazan to deliver a traditional yet subtly subversive -- and thoroughly entertaining -- horror story.
Synopsis: A divorced mother and her headstrong daughter must make an emergency late-night road trip to see the girl's father. As they drive through deserted country... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Zoe Kazan, Scott Speedman, Ella Ballentine, Aaron Douglas
Directed By: Bryan Bertino
79%
Critics Consensus: The Killing of a Sacred Deer continues director Yorgos Lanthimos' stubbornly idiosyncratic streak -- and demonstrates again that his is a talent not to be ignored.
Synopsis: Dr. Steven Murphy is a renowned cardiovascular surgeon who presides over a spotless household with his wife and two children. Lurking at the margins of... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Bill Camp, Raffey Cassidy, Denise Dal Vera, Colin Farrell
Directed By: Yorgos Lanthimos
77%
Critics Consensus: Slow-building and atmospheric, The Blackcoat's Daughter resists girls-in-peril clichés in a supernatural thriller that serves as a strong calling card for debuting writer-director Oz Perkins.
Synopsis: During the dead of winter, a troubled young woman (Emma Roberts) embarks on a mysterious journey to an isolated prep school where two stranded students... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Emma Roberts, Kiernan Shipka, Lucy Boynton, James Remar
Directed By: Oz Perkins
73%
Critics Consensus: Intoxicating with its maxxximal style, MaXXXine is an uneven but vibrant pastiche that drives a stiletto through Hollywood's heart.
Synopsis: In 1980s Hollywood, adult film star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx finally gets her big break. But as a mysterious killer stalks the starlets of... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Mia Goth, Elizabeth Debicki, Moses Sumney, Michelle Monaghan
Directed By: Ti West
73%
Critics Consensus: Thanks to a strong performance from Jake Gyllenhaal and smart direction from Denis Villeneuve, Enemy hits the mark as a tense, uncommonly adventurous thriller.
Synopsis: A mild-mannered college professor (Jake Gyllenhaal) discovers a look-alike actor and delves into the other man's private affairs.
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Mélanie Laurent, Isabella Rossellini, Sarah Gadon
Directed By: Denis Villeneuve
69%
Critics Consensus: Challenging and rewarding in equal measure, Climax captures writer-director Gaspar Noé working near his technically brilliant and visually distinctive peak.
Synopsis: When members of a dance troupe are lured to an empty school, drug-laced sangria causes their jubilant rehearsal to descend into a dark and explosive... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Sofia Boutella, Romain Guillermic, Souheila Yacoub, Kiddy Smile
Directed By: Gaspar Noé
69%
Critics Consensus: If its narrative and thematic reach sometimes exceeds its grasp, magnetic performances from a stellar cast help Men make the most of its horror provocations.
Synopsis: In the aftermath of a personal tragedy, Harper (Jessie Buckley) retreats alone to the beautiful English countryside, hoping to have found a place to heal.... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Jessie Buckley, Rory Kinnear, Paapa Essiedu, Gayle Rankin
Directed By: Alex Garland
67%
Critics Consensus: Beau Is Afraid is overstuffed to the point of erasing the line between self-flagellation and self-indulgence, but Ari Aster's bravura and Joaquin Phoenix's sheer commitment give this neurotic odyssey undeniable power.
Synopsis: A paranoid man embarks on an epic odyssey to get home to his mother in this bold and ingeniously depraved new film from writer/director Ari... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Nathan Lane, Amy Ryan, Parker Posey
Directed By: Ari Aster
52%
Critics Consensus: Receiving some sparkle from Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega's father-daughter rapport, Death of a Unicorn's broad satire is a bit too on the horn but makes for an entertainingly splattery creature feature.
Synopsis: A father (Paul Rudd) and daughter (Jenna Ortega) accidentally hit and kill a unicorn while en route to a weekend retreat, where his billionaire boss... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Paul Rudd, Jenna Ortega, Will Poulter, Téa Leoni
Directed By: Alex Scharfman
52%
Critics Consensus: Wildly imaginative and powered by Chance The Rapper's bright charisma, Slice piles on ideas with infectious energy, but can't always overcome its overstuffed plot and uneven pacing.
Synopsis: In a spooky small town, when a slew of pizza delivery boys are slain on the job, two daring survivors set out to catch the... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Zazie Beetz, Chance the Rapper, Rae Gray, Marilyn Dodds Frank
Directed By: Austin Vesely
46%
Critics Consensus: In spite of Aubrey Plaza's committed performance, Life After Beth remains a sketch-worthy idea that's been uncomfortably stretched to feature length.
Synopsis: A guy (Dane DeHaan) discovers that his girlfriend (Aubrey Plaza) has returned from the dead, but his joy turns to horror as she slowly undergoes... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Aubrey Plaza, Dane DeHaan, John C. Reilly, Molly Shannon
Directed By: Jeff Baena
46%
Critics Consensus: Its classic horror aims exceed its blood-slicked grasp, but False Positive works its way sneakily under the skin.
Synopsis: After months of trying and failing to get pregnant, Lucy (Ilana Glazer) and Adrian (Justin Theroux) finally find their dream fertility doctor in the illustrious... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Ilana Glazer, Justin Theroux, Pierce Brosnan, Sophia Bush
Directed By: John Lee
45%
Critics Consensus: Tusk is pleasantly ridiculous and charmingly self-deprecating, but that isn't enough to compensate for its thin, overstretched story.
Synopsis: A U.S. podcaster (Justin Long) ventures into the Canadian wilderness to interview an old man (Michael Parks) who has an extraordinary past, and the American... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Michael Parks, Justin Long, Haley Joel Osment, Genesis Rodriguez
Directed By: Kevin Smith
43%
Critics Consensus: Y2K earns points for ambition and sheer audacity, even if it struggles to keep the laughs coming while maintaining a messy tonal blend.
Synopsis: On the last night of 1999, two high school juniors crash a New Years Eve party, only to find themselves fighting for their lives in... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Jaeden Martell, Rachel Zegler, Julian Dennison, The Kid LAROI
Directed By: Kyle Mooney
40%
Critics Consensus: The Front Room gets some mileage out of Kathryn Hunter's memorably grotesque turn as an in-law from hell, but the scatological scares in this family squabble are more off-putting than frightening.
Synopsis: Everything goes to hell for newly-pregnant Belinda (Brandy Norwood) after her mother-in-law (Kathryn Hunter) moves in. As the diabolical guest tries to get her claws... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Brandy Norwood, Andrew Burnap, Kathryn Hunter, Neal Huff
Directed By: Max Eggers, Sam Eggers
39%
Critics Consensus: Malkovich is clearly having a ball playing a nefarious pop musician in Opus, but unfortunately the rest of this thriller is too conceptually confused for the star's fun to prove infectious.
Synopsis: A young writer (Ayo Edebiri) is invited to the remote compound of a legendary pop star (John Malkovich) who mysteriously disappeared thirty years ago. Surrounded... View Full Synopsis
Starring: John Malkovich, Ayo Edebiri, Murray Bartlett, Tatanka Means
Directed By: Mark Anthony Green


