Best Horror Movies of the 2020s (So Far)

Critics Consensus: Featuring genuine scares through every corridor, His House is a terrifying look at the specters of the refugee experience and a stunning feature debut for Remi Weekes.

Synopsis: A refugee couple makes a harrowing escape from war-torn South Sudan, but then they struggle to adjust to their new life in an English town... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Wunmi Mosaku, Sope Dirisu, Matt Smith, Cornell John

Directed By: Remi Weekes

Critics Consensus: Lean, suspenseful, and scary, Host uses its timely premise to deliver a nastily effective treat for horror enthusiasts.

Synopsis: Six friends accidentally invite the attention of a demonic presence during an online séance and begin noticing strange occurrences in their homes.

Starring: Haley Bishop, Jemma Moore, Emma Louise Webb, Radina Drandova

Directed By: Rob Savage

Critics Consensus: Unsettling and compelling in equal measure, My Heart Can't Beat Unless You Tell It To casts a visually striking and thought-provoking spell.

Synopsis: Dwight (Patrick Fugit) prowls the streets after dark. He searches each night for the lonely and forlorn, looking for people who won't be missed. Dwight... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Patrick Fugit, Ingrid Sophie Schram, Owen Campbell, Moises L. Tovar

Directed By: Jonathan Cuartas

Critics Consensus: The Innocents chillingly subverts the purity of youth in a powerfully acted thriller that lingers long after the credits roll.

Synopsis: During the bright Nordic summer, a group of children reveal mysterious powers. But what starts out innocent soon takes a dark and violent turn in... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Rakel Lenora Fløttum, Alva Brynsmo Ramstad, Mina Yasmin Bremseth Asheim, Sam Ashraf

Directed By: Eskil Vogt

Critics Consensus: A bone-chilling body horror, Huesera offers genre fans a twisted take on What to Expect When You're Expecting.

Synopsis: Valeria's joy at becoming a first-time mother is quickly taken away when she's cursed by a sinister entity. As danger closes in, she's forced deeper... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Natalia Solián, Alfonso Dosal, Mayra Batalla, Mercedes Hernández

Directed By: Michelle Garza Cervera

Critics Consensus: Hellbender stirs a boiling cauldron of adolescent angst, serving up a coming-of-age story with dark horror overtones.

Synopsis: A teen and her mother live simply in a home in the woods, spending their time making metal music. A chance encounter with a fellow... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Zelda Adams, Toby Poser, Lulu Adams, John Adams

Directed By: John Adams, Zelda Adams, Toby Poser

Critics Consensus: A tense, terrifying, and all-around outstanding feature debut for its co-directing duo, The Boy Behind the Door should thrill discerning horror fans.

Synopsis: In The Boy Behind the Door, a night of unimaginable terror awaits twelve-year-old Bobby (Lonnie Chavis) and his best friend, Kevin (Ezra Dewey), when they... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Lonnie Chavis, Ezra Dewey, Kristin Bauer, Scott Michael Foster

Directed By: David Charbonier, Justin Powell

Critics Consensus: A hard-hitting horror film whose surface-level frights are just as engaging as its thematic concerns, When Evil Lurks marks a viscerally unsettling addition to the possession horror canon.

Synopsis: When brothers Pedro (Ezequiel Rodríguez) and Jimmy (Demián Salomón) discover that a demonic infection has been festering in a nearby farmhouse -- its very proximity... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ezequiel Rodríguez, Demián Salomón, Silvina Sabater, Virginia Garófalo

Directed By: Demián Rugna

Critics Consensus: An elegant and spooky ghost story punctuated with clever jolts, Oddity hews to the fundamentals of fright and achieves shout-inducing results.

Synopsis: When Dani is brutally murdered at the remote country house that she and her husband Ted are renovating, everyone suspects a patient from the local... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Gwilym Lee, Carolyn Bracken, Tadhg Murphy, Caroline Menton

Directed By: Damian McCarthy

Critics Consensus: A blunt yet visceral depiction of society's treatment of the elderly, The Amusement Park sees George A. Romero exploring a different -- yet still chilling -- type of terror.

Synopsis: Recently discovered and restored 46 years after its completion by the George A. Romero Foundation and produced by Suzanne Desrocher-Romero, The Amusement Park stars Martin's... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Lincoln Maazel, Harry Albacker, Phyllis Casterwiler, Pete Chovan

Directed By: George A. Romero

Critics Consensus: Sissy weaves timely themes into its rich blend of horror and dark humor, topped off by terrific work from a talented cast led by Aisha Dee.

Synopsis: Cecilia and Emma were tween-age BFFs who were going to grow old together and never let anything come between them, until Alex arrived on the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Aisha Dee, Yerin Ha, Lucy Barrett, Hannah Barlow

Directed By: Hannah Barlow, Kane Senes

Critics Consensus: A slim-cut slice of bizarre horror, Slaxx effectively balances quirk with gore -- and has the good sense to get out before its oddball premise starts showing its seams.

Synopsis: A possessed pair of jeans is brought to life to punish the unscrupulous practices of a trendy clothing company. Shipped to the company's flagship store,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Romane Denis, Brett Donahue, Sehar Bhojani, Stephen Bogaert

Directed By: Elza Kephart

Critics Consensus: Smart, dynamic, and fast-paced, Saloum mixes tones and genres into a tart, smoothly blended treat.

Synopsis: Shot down after fleeing a coup and extracting a drug lord from Guinea-Bissau, the legendary mercenaries known as the Bangui Hyenas -- Chaka, Rafa and... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Yann Gaël, Evelyne Ily Juhen, Roger Sallah, Ba Mentor

Directed By: Jean Luc Herbulot

Critics Consensus: Delightfully dark and impressively ambitious, A Wounded Fawn offers a grimly distinctive treat for slasher fans.

Synopsis: Inspired by surrealist art and Greek mythology, A Wounded Fawn follows the story of Meredith Tanning (Sarah Lind, Jakob's Wife), a local museum curator who... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sarah Lind, Josh Ruben, Malin Barr, Katie Kuang

Directed By: Travis Stevens

Critics Consensus: A possession thriller that knows the devil's in the details, Attachment scares some fresh angles out of a well-worn horror subgenre.

Synopsis: ATTACHMENT is a horror romance about Maja, a has-been actress in Denmark, who falls in love with Leah, a young, Jewish academic visiting from the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sofie Gråbøl, Josephine Park, Ellie Kendrick, David Dencik

Directed By: Gabriel Bier Gislason

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

Critics Consensus: The rare action thriller that spikes adrenaline without skimping on character development, Prey is a Predator prequel done right.

Synopsis: Set in the Comanche Nation 300 years ago, "Prey" is the story of a young woman, Naru, a fierce and highly skilled warrior. She has... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Amber Midthunder, Dakota Beavers, Stormee Kipp, Michelle Thrush

Directed By: Dan Trachtenberg

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

Critics Consensus: Further refining his provocative vision, writer-director Brandon Cronenberg uses Possessor's potentially over-the-top premise as a delivery mechanism for stylishly disturbing thrills.

Synopsis: Tasya Vos, an elite, corporate assassin, takes control of other people's bodies using brain-implant technology to execute high-profile targets.

Starring: Andrea Riseborough, Christopher Abbott, Tuppence Middleton, Sean Bean

Directed By: Brandon Cronenberg

Critics Consensus: Unapologetically silly and all the more entertaining for it, M3GAN is the rare horror-comedy that delivers chuckles as effortlessly as chills.

Synopsis: M3GAN is a marvel of artificial intelligence, a life-like doll programmed to be a child's greatest companion and a parent's greatest ally. Designed by brilliant... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Ronny Chieng, Brian Jordan Alvarez

Directed By: Gerard Johnstone

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

Critics Consensus: Although it may strike some as too artsy for its own good, You Won't Be Alone puts a thoughtfully fresh spin on familiar horror tropes.

Synopsis: Set in an isolated mountain village in 19th century Macedonia, YOU WON'T BE ALONE follows a young girl who is kidnapped and then transformed into... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Noomi Rapace, Anamaria Marinca, Alice Englert, Carloto Cotta

Directed By: Goran Stolevski

Critics Consensus: A rich blend of thrilling horror and sharp social commentary, Lucky acts as a bloody good calling card for director Natasha Kermani and writer-star Brea Grant.

Synopsis: A self-help book author finds herself stalked by a threatening figure who returns to her house night after night. She is forced to take matters... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Brea Grant, Hunter C. Smith, Kristina Klebe, Kausar Mohammed

Directed By: Natasha Kermani

Critics Consensus: A slasher with flair and crafty patience for the kill, The Stylist marks writer-director Jill Gevargizian as an uncommonly sharp genre filmmaker.

Synopsis: We all dream of being someone else... but for Claire (Najarra Townsend, Contracted), that dream goes from an obsession to a living nightmare. Hairstylist by... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Brea Grant, Najarra Townsend, Millie Milan, Sarah McGuire

Directed By: Jill Gevargizian

Critics Consensus: Smart, darkly humorous, and above all scary, Barbarian offers a chilling and consistently unpredictable thrill ride for horror fans.

Synopsis: Traveling to Detroit for a job interview, a young woman books a rental home. But when she arrives late at night, she discovers that the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Georgina Campbell, Bill Skarsgård, Justin Long, Matthew Patrick Davis

Directed By: Zach Cregger

Critics Consensus: A message movie in a hard horror shell, Hatching perches between beauty and revulsion -- and establishes director Hanna Bergholm as a bright new talent.

Synopsis: In HATCHING, 12-year-old gymnast, Tinja (Siiri Solalinna), is desperate to please her image-obsessed mother, whose popular blog 'Lovely Everyday Life' presents their family's idyllic existence... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Siiri Solalinna, Sophia Heikkilä, Jani Volanen, Oiva Ollila

Directed By: Hanna Bergholm

Critics Consensus: A rich visual treat for film fans, Mad God proves that even in the age of CGI, the cinematic allure of stop-motion animation remains strong.

Synopsis: Follow The Assassin through a forbidding world of tortured souls, decrepit bunkers, and wretched monstrosities forged from the most primordial horrors of the subconscious mind.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Alex Cox, Niketa Roman, Satish Ratakonda, Harper Taylor

Directed By: Phil Tippett

Critics Consensus: Smart, well-acted, and above all scary, Coming Home in the Dark finds first-time director James Ashcroft making his mark with a white-knuckle ride for horror fans.

Synopsis: A family's idyllic outing at an isolated coastline descends into terror when high school teacher Alan 'Hoaggie' Hoaganraad, his wife Jill, and stepsons Maika and... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Daniel Gillies, Matthias Luafutu, Miriama McDowell, Erik Thomson

Directed By: James Ashcroft

Critics Consensus: Proof that there's still life in the found-footage gimmick, Deadstream is a scarily good bit of B-movie fun.

Synopsis: After a public controversy left him disgraced and demonetized, a washed up internet personality tries to win back his followers by livestreaming himself spending one... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Joseph Winter, Melanie Stone, Jason K. Wixom, Pat Barnett

Directed By: Joseph Winter, Vanessa Winter

Critics Consensus: Smart, well-acted, and above all scary, The Invisible Man proves that sometimes, the classic source material for a fresh reboot can be hiding in plain sight.

Synopsis: After staging his own suicide, a crazed scientist uses his power to become invisible to stalk and terrorize his ex-girlfriend. When the police refuse to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Elisabeth Moss, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Aldis Hodge, Storm Reid

Directed By: Leigh Whannell

Critics Consensus: A nerve-wracking continuation of its predecessor, A Quiet Place Part II expands the terrifying world of the franchise without losing track of its heart.

Synopsis: Following the deadly events at home, the Abbott family must now face the terrors of the outside world as they continue their fight for survival... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe

Directed By: John Krasinski

Critics Consensus: Relic ratchets up its slowly building tension in an expertly crafted atmosphere of dread, adding up to an outstanding feature debut for director/co-writer Natalie Erika James.

Synopsis: A woman links her mother's increasingly volatile behavior to an evil presence at their family's decaying country home.

Starring: Emily Mortimer, Robyn Nevin, Bella Heathcote, Chris Bunton

Directed By: Natalie Erika James

Critics Consensus: Led by Anna Diop's strong central performance, the smartly disquieting Nanny is a promising debut for writer-director Nikyatu Jusu.

Synopsis: In this psychological horror fable of displacement, Aisha (Anna Diop), a woman who recently emigrated from Senegal, is hired to care for the daughter of... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Anna Diop, Michelle Monaghan, Sinqua Walls, Morgan Spector

Directed By: Nikyatu Jusu

Critics Consensus: Narratively challenging and visually haunting, We're All Going to the World's Fair adds a uniquely ambitious and unsettling entry to the crowded coming-of-age genre.

Synopsis: Late on a cold night somewhere in the U.S., teenage Casey (Anna Cobb in her feature debut) sits alone in her attic bedroom, scrolling the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Anna Cobb, Michael J. Rogers

Directed By: Jane Schoenbrun

Critics Consensus: Brought hauntingly to life by Laura Galán's committed performance, Piggy deftly deploys genre thrills in service of sharp social commentary.

Synopsis: With the summer sun beating down on her rural Spanish town, Sara hides away in her parent's butcher shop. A teenager whose excess weight makes... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Laura Galán, Richard Holmes, Carmen Machi, Irene Ferreiro

Directed By: Carlota Pereda

Critics Consensus: Over the top and enthusiastically strange, PG: Psycho Goreman delivers all the cheesy midnight-movie goodness promised by its title.

Synopsis: Siblings Mimi and Luke unwittingly resurrect an ancient alien overlord who was entombed on Earth millions of years ago after a failed attempt to destroy... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Nita-Josee Hanna, Owen Myre, Adam Brooks, Alexis Kara Hancey

Directed By: Steven Kostanski

Critics Consensus: Although its story can feel circuitous and a bit baggy, Brooklyn 45's character-driven period horror is elevated by some excellent performances.

Synopsis: Friday, December 27, 1945. Five military veterans gather in the ornate parlor of a Brooklyn brownstone. Best friends since childhood, they've reunited to support their... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Anne Ramsay, Ron E. Rains, Jeremy Holm, Larry Fessenden

Directed By: Ted Geoghegan

Critics Consensus: Influencer should get plenty of likes from horror fans hungry for a smart, scary chiller with something to say.

Synopsis: INFLUENCER tells the story of Madison (Emily Tennant, "Riverdale"), a popular social media influencer who is having a lonely and uneventful trip in Thailand despite... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Emily Tennant, Cassandra Naud, Sara Canning, Rory J. Saper

Directed By: Kurtis David Harder

Critics Consensus: The Queen of Black Magic mixes buried trauma with supernatural horror to produce a dark blend that genre fans will savor.

Synopsis: A family travels to the distant, rural orphanage where the father was raised to pay their respects to the facility's gravely ill director. But his... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ario Bayu, Hannah Al Rashid, Miller Khan, Salvita Decorte

Directed By: Gope T. Samtani, Kimo Stamboel, Joko Anwar

Critics Consensus: What Josiah Saw may be too unrelentingly unpleasant for some viewers, but this slow-burning look at generational trauma leaves a lingering, nightmarish impact.

Synopsis: Everyone in town knows about the haunted Graham Farm on Willow Road. You'll hear there's a bad history to it. Josiah and his youngest son,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Robert Patrick, Nick Stahl, Scott Haze, Kelli Garner

Directed By: Vincent Grashaw

Critics Consensus: Thrillingly provocative and original, Titane reaffirms writer-director Julia Ducournau's delightfully disturbing vision.

Synopsis: Titane: A metal highly resistant to heat and corrosion, with high tensile strength alloys, often used in medical prostheses due to its pronounced biocompatibility.

Starring: Agathe Rousselle, Vincent Lindon, Garance Marillier, Laïs Salameh

Directed By: Julia Ducournau

Critics Consensus: A spooky yarn told with taut economy, Werewolf by Night is a standout Marvel entry that proves Michael Giacchino as atmospheric and skilled a director as he is a composer.

Synopsis: On a dark and somber night, a secret cabal of monster hunters emerge from the shadows and gather at the foreboding Bloodstone Temple following the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Gael García Bernal, Laura Donnelly, Harriet Sansom Harris

Directed By: Michael Giacchino

Critics Consensus: The Dark and the Wicked delivers on its title with an unsettling horror story whose deep dread and bleak outlook further compound its effective jolts.

Synopsis: Plagued by waking nightmares, two siblings suspect that something evil is taking over their family at an isolated farmhouse.

Starring: Marin Ireland, Michael Abbott Jr., Xander Berkeley, Lynn Andrews

Directed By: Bryan Bertino

Critics Consensus: Something in the Dirt reaffirms Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead as sci-fi storytellers with a distinctive -- and darkly alluring -- vision.

Synopsis: When neighbors John and Levi witness supernatural events in their Los Angeles apartment building, they realize documenting the paranormal could inject some fame and fortune... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead, Sarah Adina Smith, Wanjiru M. Njendu

Directed By: Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead

Critics Consensus: The Wolf of Snow Hollow treads somewhat unsteadily between horror and comedy, but writer-director-star Jim Cummings' unique sensibilities make for an oddly haunting hybrid.

Synopsis: A stressed-out police officer struggles not to give in to the paranoia that grips his small mountain town as bodies turn up after each full... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jim Cummings, Riki Lindhome, Robert Forster, Jimmy Tatro

Directed By: Jim Cummings

Critics Consensus: Elevated by S.K. Dale's inventive direction and Megan Fox's committed performance, Till Death will part the viewer with all but the edge of their seat.

Synopsis: After a romantic evening in their secluded lake house, Emma (Megan Fox) awakens handcuffed to her dead husband. Trapped and isolated in the dead of... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Megan Fox, Eoin Macken, Callan Mulvey, Jack Roth

Directed By: S.K. Dale

Critics Consensus: Part creature feature, part romance, After Midnight somehow manages to combine its disparate ingredients and come up with something special.

Synopsis: Dealing with a girlfriend suddenly leaving is tough enough, but for Hank, heartbreak couldn't have come at a worse time. There's also a monster trying... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Henry Zebrowski, Jeremy Gardner, Brea Grant, Justin Benson

Directed By: Christian Stella

Critics Consensus: Occasionally uneven but bold and viscerally effective, Censor marks a bloody good step forward for British horror.

Synopsis: Film censor Enid takes pride in her meticulous work, guarding unsuspecting audiences from the deleterious effects of watching the gore-filled decapitations and eye gougings she... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Niamh Algar, Michael Smiley, Nicholas Burns, Vincent Franklin

Directed By: Prano Bailey-Bond

Critics Consensus: Fear Street Part Three: 1666 sends the slasher series back in time for a trilogy-concluding installment that caps things off on a screaming high note.

Synopsis: The origins of Sarah Fier's curse are finally revealed as history comes full circle on a night that changes the lives of Shadysiders forever.

Starring: Kiana Madeira, Ashley Zukerman, Gillian Jacobs, Olivia Welch

Directed By: Leigh Janiak

Critics Consensus: 1BR's occasionally ordinary storytelling is more than outweighed by tight direction, interesting ideas, and an effective blend of horror and thoughtful drama.

Synopsis: New to Los Angeles, a woman moves into a seemingly perfect apartment complex, and soon finds out that there are consequences for breaking the rules.

Starring: Nicole Brydon Bloom, Alan Blumenfeld, Taylor Nichols, Giles Matthey

Directed By: David Marmor

Critics Consensus: Bringing Lulu Wilson back for another round of whooping on bad guys, this Wrath is one Becky with the good sequel.

Synopsis: Two years after she escaped a violent attack on her family, Becky attempts to rebuild her life in the care of an older woman --... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Lulu Wilson, Seann William Scott, Denise Burse, Jill Larson

Directed By: Matt Angel, Suzanne Coote

Critics Consensus: The Sadness lives up to its title with an unstintingly grim -- and overall effective -- slice of dystopian horror.

Synopsis: The city of Taipei suddenly erupts into bloody chaos as ordinary people are compulsively driven to enact the most cruel and ghastly things they can... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Regina Lei, Tzu-Chiang Wang, Berant Zhu, Ying-Ru Chen

Directed By: Rob Jabbaz

Critics Consensus: While its social commentary relies on basic ingredients, The Menu serves up black comedy with plenty of flavor.

Synopsis: A couple (Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult) travels to a coastal island to eat at an exclusive restaurant where the chef (Ralph Fiennes) has prepared... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicholas Hoult, Hong Chau

Directed By: Mark Mylod

Critics Consensus: Although its story may lack surprises, Watcher benefits from director Chloe Okuno's chilling grip on the material -- and Maika Monroe's terrific work in the leading role.

Synopsis: As a serial killer stalks the city, Julia -- a young actress who just moved to town with her boyfriend -- notices a mysterious stranger... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Maika Monroe, Karl Glusman, Burn Gorman, Tudor Petrut

Directed By: Chloe Okuno

Critics Consensus: Swallow's unconventional approach to exploring domestic ennui is elevated by a well-told story and Haley Bennett's powerful leading performance.

Synopsis: A young housewife in a seemingly perfect marriage develops pica, the irresistible urge to ingest inedible objects and material.

Starring: Haley Bennett, Austin Stowell, Denis O'Hare, Elizabeth Marvel

Directed By: Carlo Mirabella-Davis

Critics Consensus: Led by a daring performance from Jean Dujardin, Deerskin finds writer-director Quentin Dupieux working in a more accessible -- yet still distinctive -- vein.

Synopsis: A middle-aged drifter becomes obsessed with a fringed deerskin jacket that seems to hold mystical powers.

Starring: Jean Dujardin, Adèle Haenel, Albert Delpy, Pierre Gommé

Directed By: Quentin Dupieux

Critics Consensus: Violation presents a powerful depiction of one woman's trauma -- and its uncomfortably gripping aftermath.

Synopsis: With her marriage about to implode, Miriam returns to her hometown to seek solace in the comfort of her younger sister and brother-in-law. But one... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Madeleine Sims-Fewer, Anna Maguire, Jesse LaVercombe, Obi Abili

Directed By: Dusty Mancinelli, Madeleine Sims-Fewer

Critics Consensus: A smart and subversive twist on slasher horror, Fear Street Part II: 1978 shows that summer camp has never been scarier thanks to stellar performances from Sadie Sink, Emily Rudd, and Ryan Simpkins.

Synopsis: Shadyside, 1978. School's out for summer and the activities at Camp Nightwing are about to begin. But when another Shadysider is possessed with the urge... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sadie Sink, Emily Rudd, Ryan Simpkins, Chiara Aurelia

Directed By: Leigh Janiak

Critics Consensus: Smartly creepy, You Are Not My Mother engages with a number of thought-provoking themes without sacrificing chills.

Synopsis: It's the week before Halloween. Char's bedridden mother, Angela, has mysteriously gone missing. All that remains is her abandoned car parked in the middle of... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jade Jordan, Carolyn Bracken, Hazel Doupe, Paul Reid

Directed By: Kate Dolan

Critics Consensus: With thought-provoking themes lurking beneath its absurd premise, Glorious is a brightly blood-spattered genre treat from director Rebekah McKendry.

Synopsis: A heartbroken man finds himself trapped in a bathroom with a strange voice who says he may be the only hope in stopping a terrible... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ryan Kwanten, J.K. Simmons, Sylvia Grace Crim, Andre Lamar

Directed By: Rebekah McKendry

Critics Consensus: Turbulent waters even for strong swimmers, Infinity Pool provides a visceral all-inclusive retreat of Cronenbergian perversion for those wanting to escape commercial sundries.

Synopsis: While staying at an isolated island resort, James (Alexander Skarsgård) and Em (Cleopatra Coleman) are enjoying a perfect vacation of pristine beaches, exceptional staff, and... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Alexander Skarsgård, Mia Goth, Cleopatra Coleman, Thomas Kretschmann

Directed By: Brandon Cronenberg

Critics Consensus: Led by Rebecca Hall's gripping central performance, The Night House offers atmospheric horror that engages intellectually as well as emotionally.

Synopsis: Reeling from the unexpected death of her husband, Beth (Rebecca Hall) is left alone in the lakeside home he built for her. She tries as... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Rebecca Hall, Sarah Goldberg, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Evan Jonigkeit

Directed By: David Bruckner

Critics Consensus: While it could stand to be a little funnier and quite a bit scarier, The Blackening is a thoughtful satire that skewers horror tropes and racial stereotypes.

Synopsis: The Blackening centers around a group of Black friends who reunite for a Juneteenth weekend getaway only to find themselves trapped in a remote cabin... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Antoinette Robertson, Dewayne Perkins, Grace Byers, Jermaine Fowler

Directed By: Tim Story

Critics Consensus: Effective space alien horror with a Soviet-era twist, Sputnik proves there are still some scary good sci-fi thrillers left in the galaxy.

Synopsis: Summoned to a secluded research facility, a controversial young doctor examines a cosmonaut who returned to Earth with an alien parasite inside of him.

Starring: Pyotr Fyodorov, Oksana Akinshina, Fedor Bondarchuk, Anna Nazarova

Directed By: Egor Abramenko

Critics Consensus: If Sea Fever never quite heats up as much as it could, it remains an engrossing, well-acted sci-fi thriller with effective horror elements.

Synopsis: Solitary marine-biology student Siobhán endures a week on a ragged fishing trawler, miserably at odds with the close-knit crew. But out in the deep Atlantic,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Connie Nielsen, Hermione Corfield, Dougray Scott, Olwen Fouéré

Directed By: Neasa Hardiman

Critics Consensus: Totally Killer may not take full advantage of its promising conceit, but this time-traveling horror/sci-fi mashup is still enjoyable overall.

Synopsis: Thirty-five years after the shocking murder of three teens, the infamous "Sweet Sixteen Killer" returns on Halloween night to claim a fourth victim. Seventeen-year-old Jamie... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kiernan Shipka, Olivia Holt, Julie Bowen, Randall Park

Directed By: Nahnatchka Khan

Critics Consensus: Bloody horror with barbed wit, Come to Daddy anchors its brutal violence in a surprisingly mature approach to provocative themes.

Synopsis: A privileged man-child arrives at the beautiful and remote coastal cabin of his estranged father, whom he hasn't seen in 30 years. He quickly discovers... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Elijah Wood, Stephen McHattie, Martin Donovan, Michael Smiley

Directed By: Ant Timpson

Critics Consensus: Saturated in disquieting mood while leveraging a nightmarishly gonzo performance by Nicolas Cage, Longlegs is a satanic horror that effectively instills panic.

Synopsis: In pursuit of a serial killer, an FBI agent uncovers a series of occult clues that she must solve to end his terrifying killing spree.

Starring: Maika Monroe, Nicolas Cage, Blair Underwood, Alicia Witt

Directed By: Oz Perkins

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

Critics Consensus: A welcome return for director Richard Stanley, Color Out of Space mixes tart B-movie pulp with visually alluring Lovecraftian horror and a dash of gonzo Nicolas Cage.

Synopsis: After a meteorite lands in the front yard of their farm, Nathan Gardner and his family find themselves battling a mutant extraterrestrial organism that infects... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Joely Richardson, Tommy Chong, Madeleine Arthur

Directed By: Richard Stanley

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

Critics Consensus: Werewolves Within is the rare horror comedy that offers equal helpings of either genre -- and adds up to a whole lot of fun in the bargain.

Synopsis: After a proposed pipeline creates divisions within the small town of Beaverfield, and a snowstorm traps its residents together inside the local inn, newly arrived... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sam Richardson, Milana Vayntrub, George Basil, Sarah Burns

Directed By: Josh Ruben

Critics Consensus: Terrifier 2 outdoes the original in every way -- which makes it bad news for the squeamish, but a bloody good time for genre enthusiasts.

Synopsis: After being resurrected by a sinister entity, Art the Clown returns to the timid town of Miles County where he targets a teenage girl and... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Lauren LaVera, David Howard Thornton, Elliott Fullam, Sarah Voigt

Directed By: Damien Leone

Critics Consensus: Led by Ezra Dewey's standout performance, The Djinn serves up a scary, sleekly effective cautionary tale about being careful what you wish for.

Synopsis: A mute boy is trapped in his apartment with a sinister monster when he makes a wish to fulfill his heart's greatest desire.

Starring: Ezra Dewey, Rob Brownstein, Tevy Poe, Donald Pitts

Directed By: David Charbonier, Justin Powell

Critics Consensus: Offering just about everything longtime fans could hope for while still managing to carry the franchise forward, Evil Dead Rise is all kinds of groovy.

Synopsis: In the fifth Evil Dead film, a road-weary Beth pays an overdue visit to her older sister Ellie, who is raising three kids on her... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Lily Sullivan, Alyssa Sutherland, Morgan Davies, Gabrielle Echols

Directed By: Lee Cronin

Critics Consensus: Blessed with a nerve-jangling star turn by Naomi Scott, writer-director Parker Finn broadens Smile's conceit into a pop stardom nightmare that'll leave a rictus grin on horror fans' faces.

Synopsis: About to embark on a new world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) begins experiencing increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Naomi Scott, Rosemarie DeWitt, Kyle Gallner, Lukas Gage

Directed By: Parker Finn

Critics Consensus: Campy and creepy, Suitable Flesh delivers visceral, '80s-inspired horror topped off by game performances from Barbara Crampton and Heather Graham.

Synopsis: Psychiatrist Elizabeth Derby becomes obsessed with helping a young patient suffering extreme personality disorder. But it leads her into dark occult danger as she tries... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Heather Graham, Judah Lewis, Bruce Davison, Johnathon Schaech

Directed By: Joe Lynch

Critics Consensus: Smart, self-aware, and all too timely, this slasher co-written by Kevin Williamson is Sick in all the best ways.

Synopsis: As the pandemic steadily brings the world to a halt, Parker and her best friend Miri decide to quarantine at the family lake house alone--or... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Gideon Adlon, Dylan Sprayberry, Bethlehem Million, Jane Adams

Directed By: John Hyams

Critics Consensus: Fear Street Part One: 1994 kicks off the trilogy in promising fashion, honoring the source material with plenty of retro slasher appeal.

Synopsis: A circle of teenage friends accidentally encounter the ancient evil responsible for a series of brutal murders that have plagued their town for over 300... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kiana Madeira, Olivia Welch, Benjamin Flores Jr., Gillian Jacobs

Directed By: Leigh Janiak

Critics Consensus: A social satire with razor-sharp teeth, Speak No Evil offers a darkly delicious treat for fans of misanthropic thrillers.

Synopsis: On a vacation in Tuscany, two families -- one Danish, one Dutch -- meet and become fast friends. Months later, the free-spirited Dutch family extends... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Morten Burian, Sidsel Siem Koch, Fedja van Huêt, Karina Smulders

Directed By: Christian Tafdrup

Critics Consensus: Well-acted and visually striking, Come True offers an eerily effective reminder of how the sleeping subconscious can be fertile ground for horror.

Synopsis: Looking for an escape from her recurring nightmares, 18-year-old Sarah (Julia Sarah Stone) submits to a university sleep study, but soon realizes she's become the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Julia Sarah Stone, Landon Liboiron, Carlee Ryski, Christopher Heatherington

Directed By: Anthony Scott Burns

Critics Consensus: Jakob's Wife gives genre legend Barbara Crampton an opportunity to carry an old-school horror story -- and she bloody well delivers.

Synopsis: Anne is married to a small-town minister and feels like her life and marriage have been shrinking over the past 30 years. After a chance... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Barbara Crampton, Larry Fessenden, Bonnie Aarons, Nyisha Bell

Directed By: Travis Stevens

Critics Consensus: A painfully timely horror-fueled thriller, Soft & Quiet forces the viewer to confront the ugly underbelly of modern American race relations.

Synopsis: Playing out in real time, SOFT & QUIET is a runaway train that follows a single afternoon in the life of an elementary school teacher,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Stefanie Estes, Olivia Luccardi, Eleanore Pienta, Dana Millican

Directed By: Beth de Araújo

Critics Consensus: Injecting a classic story with fresh innovation and social relevance, The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster is a thrillingly assured feature debut for writer-director Bomani J. Story.

Synopsis: Vicaria is a brilliant teenager who believes death is a disease that can be cured. After the brutal and sudden murder of her brother, she... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Laya DeLeon Hayes, Denzel Whitaker, Chad L. Coleman, Reilly Stith

Directed By: Bomani J. Story

Critics Consensus: A stylish and well-acted tonal blend, Medusa confronts religious hypocrisy and sexism with invigorating anger.

Synopsis: Mari and her friends broadcast their spiritual devotion through pastel pinks and catchy evangelical songs about purity and perfection, but underneath it all they harbor... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mari Oliveira, Bruna Linzmeyer, Thiago Fragoso, Lara Tremouroux

Directed By: Anita Rocha da Silveira

Critics Consensus: Hypochondriac mistakes a few common horror ailments for exotic afflictions, but this unsettling look at mental illness and trauma proves properly contagious.

Synopsis: Will, a young Hispanic gay potter, is one gregarious guy. His boss is terrible, but he's got a great boyfriend and a great job. Unfortunately,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Zach Villa, Devon Graye, Paget Brewster, Marlene Forte

Directed By: Addison Heimann

Critics Consensus: Admirable for its originality and ambition even when its reach exceeds its grasp, Nope adds Spielbergian spectacle to Jordan Peele's growing arsenal.

Synopsis: A man and his sister discover something sinister in the skies above their California horse ranch, while the owner of a nearby theme park tries... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Steven Yeun, Michael Wincott

Directed By: Jordan Peele

Critics Consensus: Harnessing sick suspense from the glimmer in James McAvoy's eye, Speak No Evil is the rare remake that hushes up concerns of "been there, done that."

Synopsis: When an American family is invited to spend the weekend at the idyllic country estate of a charming British family they befriended on vacation, what... View Full Synopsis

Starring: James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, Aisling Franciosi, Alix West Lefler

Directed By: James Watkins

Critics Consensus: A home invasion thriller with an extraterrestrial twist, No One Will Save You serves up more genre fun from writer-director Brian Duffield -- and proves Kaitlyn Dever doesn't need much dialogue to command the screen.

Synopsis: "No One Will Save You" introduces Brynn Adams (Kaitlyn Dever), a creative and talented young woman who’s been alienated from her community. Lonely but ever... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kaitlyn Dever, Zack Duhame, Ginger Cressman, Geraldine Singer

Directed By: Brian Duffield

Critics Consensus: A darkly delirious satire rooted in real-life horror, El Conde finds Pablo Larraín revisiting familiar themes without losing their provocative power.

Synopsis: El Conde is a dark comedy/horror that imagines a parallel universe inspired by the recent history of Chile. The film portrays Augusto Pinochet, a symbol... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jaime Vadell, Gloria Münchmeyer, Alfredo Castro, Paula Luchsinger

Directed By: Pablo Larraín

Critics Consensus: If its narrative ambitions aren't always equaled by its chilling visuals, Gaia remains an effective slice of ecological horror.

Synopsis: An injured forest ranger on a routine mission is saved by two off-the-grid survivalists. What is initially a welcome rescue grows more suspicious as the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Monique Rockman, Carel Nel, Anthony Oseyemi, Alex van Dyk

Directed By: Jaco Bouwer

Critics Consensus: Boys from County Hell stands out as an uncommonly good time in the crowded vampire genre -- and proves the Irish countryside is a fine setting for slaying the undead.

Synopsis: Strange events unfold in Six Mile Hill -- a sleepy Irish town that claims to have been traveled by the famed author Bram Stoker --... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jack Rowan, Nigel O'Neill, Louisa Harland, Michael Hough

Directed By: Chris Baugh

Critics Consensus: A supernatural horror story grounded in real-world trauma, The Power marks writer-director Corinna Faith as an emerging talent to watch.

Synopsis: London, 1974. As Britain prepares for electrical blackouts to sweep across the country, trainee nurse Val (Rose Williams) arrives for her first day at the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Rose Williams, Shakira Rahman, Emma Rigby, Charlie Carrick

Directed By: Corinna Faith

Critics Consensus: An effective spine-tingler despite clear budget constraints, Caveat suggests a deliciously dark filmmaking future for writer-director Damian Mc Carthy.

Synopsis: When a lone drifter with partial memory loss, Isaac, accepts a job to look after his landlord's niece, Olga, for a few days it all... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ben Caplan, Conor Dwane, Jonathan French, Leila Sykes

Directed By: Damian McCarthy

Critics Consensus: Although its subject matter may be hard to stomach, Bones and All proves a deeply romantic and thought-provoking treat.

Synopsis: BONES AND ALL is a story of first love between Maren, a young woman learning how to survive on the margins of society, and Lee,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Taylor Russell, Timothée Chalamet, Michael Stuhlbarg, André Holland

Directed By: Luca Guadagnino

Critics Consensus: Uneven yet steadily absorbing, Resurrection benefits greatly from Rebecca Hall's outstanding work in the leading role.

Synopsis: Margaret’s life is in order. She is capable, disciplined, and successful. Soon, her teenage daughter, who Margaret raised by herself, will be going off to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Rebecca Hall, Tim Roth, Grace Kaufman, Michael Esper

Directed By: Andrew Semans

Critics Consensus: The Black Phone might have been even more frightening, but it remains an entertaining, well-acted adaptation of scarily good source material.

Synopsis: Finney, a shy but clever 13-year-old boy, is abducted by a sadistic killer and trapped in a soundproof basement where screaming is of little use.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ethan Hawke, Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Jeremy Davies

Directed By: Scott Derrickson

Critics Consensus: Led by a franchise-best performance from Tobin Bell, Saw X reinvigorates the series with an installment that has a surprising amount of heart to go with all the gore.

Synopsis: John Kramer (Tobin Bell) is back. The most chilling installment of the SAW franchise yet explores the untold chapter of Jigsaw's most personal game. Set... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith, Synnøve Macody Lund, Steven Brand

Directed By: Kevin Greutert

Critics Consensus: Quintessential if not classic Cronenberg, Crimes of the Future finds the director revisiting familiar themes with typically unsettling flair.

Synopsis: As the human species adapts to a synthetic environment, the body undergoes new transformations and mutations. With his partner Caprice (Léa Seydoux), Saul Tenser (Viggo... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Léa Seydoux, Kristen Stewart, Scott Speedman

Directed By: David Cronenberg

Critics Consensus: In the Earth's bleak kaleidoscope of horror is a hallucinogenic meditation on the residual pandemic fears that haunt humanity.

Synopsis: As the world searches for a cure to a disastrous virus, a scientist and park scout venture deep in the forest for a routine equipment... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Joel Fry, Reece Shearsmith, Hayley Squires, Ellora Torchia

Directed By: Ben Wheatley