
(Photo by Paramount Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection. SMILE 2)
Best Horror Movies of the 2020s (So Far)
Ah, the 2020s. May you live in interesting times, indeed. There was the Sriracha shortage. Wordle changed everything. Daft Punk broke up, but Ben and Jennifer got back together. There’s probably something we’re forgetting. Well, you can’t even be sure if this is being written by a meatsack fleshpoid human (still learning) anymore. Certainly all fine bedrock for the horror genre, that blood-topped playground where filmmakers run from, to, and through the assorted dark preoccupations of existence.
In this guide to the best horror movies of the 2020s (so far), we’ve collected every Certified Fresh horror movie of the decade, then ranked them all by Tomatometer score.
From 2020, we’ve got pandemic-interrupted The Invisible Man, and then lockdown-created Host. In 2021, you could stay screaming from the comfort of your couch with the Fear Street trilogy, or join the audiences who clawed back to theaters in a big way, collectively exhaling to A Quiet Place Part II and The Black Phone. 2022 went hard with X & Pearl, Barbarian, Nope, Terrifier 2, Smile, and Predator prequel Prey. 2023 saw more long-MIA franchises returning (e.g., Scream VI, Evil Dead Rise, Saw X), alongside originals Talk To Me and M3GAN.
2024 has clawed out horror sequel Smile 2, mega-hyped Longlegs, Speak No Evil, Oddity, and Alien: Romulus, the first Certified Fresh movie in the franchise not directed by Ridley Scott since Aliens.
What warped wonders await? Don’t plan on dying this decade and you’ll find out with our ever-growing guide to best horror movies of the 2020s.
100%
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
98%
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
98%
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
97%
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
97%
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
97%
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
97%
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
96%
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
96%
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
97%
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
96%
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
96%
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
96%
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
96%
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
95%
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
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: 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
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
94%
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
93%
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
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
93%
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
93%
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
93%
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
92%
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
93%
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
92%
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
92%
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
92%
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
92%
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
91%
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
92%
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
91%
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
91%
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
91%
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
92%
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
91%
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
91%
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
91%
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
91%
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
90%
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
90%
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
91%
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
89%
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
90%
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
90%
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
90%
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
89%
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
89%
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
89%
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
89%
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
88%
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
88%
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
88%
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
87%
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
88%
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
88%
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
88%
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
88%
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
88%
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
87%
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
88%
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
87%
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
88%
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
87%
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
85%
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
87%
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
85%
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
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: 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
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
86%
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
87%
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
86%
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
85%
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
86%
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
84%
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
86%
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
84%
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
83%
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
84%
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
85%
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
84%
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
84%
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
84%
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
84%
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
83%
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
83%
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
83%
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
83%
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
84%
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
82%
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
84%
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
81%
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
82%
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
82%
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
81%
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
81%
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
80%
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
79%
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
