Best Horror Movies 2021

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: 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: 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 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: 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: Candyman takes an incisive, visually thrilling approach to deepening the franchise's mythology -- and terrifying audiences along the way.

Synopsis: For as long as residents can remember, the housing projects of Chicago's Cabrini-Green neighborhood were terrorized by a word-of-mouth ghost story about a supernatural killer... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Teyonah Parris, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Colman Domingo

Directed By: Nia DaCosta

Critics Consensus: Bound together by Maxine Peake's magnetic portrayal of the main character, Fanny Lye Deliver'd offers impactful, richly layered period drama.

Synopsis: Set on an isolated farm in Shropshire in 1657, The Delivered tells the story of Fanny Lye, a woman who learns to transcend her oppressive... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Maxine Peake, Charles Dance, Freddie Fox, Tanya Reynolds

Directed By: Thomas Clay

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: 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: 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